by Karen Pokras
“You just said I was kind and trusting.”
“Yes,” he said, laughing “but in a smart way.”
“I’m not feeling smart at the moment. I’m also wondering why you approved the wire.” Did she miss something here? Since when did her husband hand out large sums of cash to cons?
“Well, I didn’t want to be the guy who wouldn’t give money to Sophie’s father. She’d never forgive or believe me that he was up to something. Not without proof at least. So, I hired a private investigator. I was curious to see why exactly Mr. Scott Warren needed five thousand of our dollars. I may be wealthy, but that money is still hard earned.”
Sighing, Tessa looked at her husband. She wanted to know as well, but at the same time, she dreaded the answer. “I’m now guessing it wasn’t so he could make travel arrangements to meet his new boss?”
“I’m really sorry, sweetheart.” Reaching into his briefcase, Nicholas pulled out a folder of photos and handed them to her. “These arrived this morning from my investigator.”
She examined each one carefully: Scott dressed in cheesy looking designer-wanna-be clothes … Scott getting into an older model sports car with a scantily-clad blonde … Scott and the blonde arriving at a bank … Scott leaving the bank, shoving a wad of cash in his jacket pocket with the blonde trying to keep up behind him in her five-inch heels … Scott and his blonde in what looked like a fancy restaurant, sipping champagne.
“Would it be too much to hope this is a celebratory dinner in honor of his new job?” Tessa asked, already knowing the answer.
“Sorry. According to the investigator’s report, Scott also purchased a flat screen television that afternoon. He paid for it with cash. And, as it turns out, he’s not unemployed. He’s in sales … been working for the same company for the last six years. He never left town or intended to leave town. He and his blonde continued to party all weekend … on our tab.”
That asshole. Tessa was stunned. She’d believed every word of his story. The same way she’d believed everything he’d promised her back in college when she was pregnant with Sophie. She should’ve known better. He’d taken advantage of her … of Nicholas really. That creep saw she’d married into money and came to get one thing and one thing only: a cut of Nicholas’ fortune. How long did he really think he could keep it up until she’d catch on? It was obvious he had no interest in Sophie whatsoever. What was he going to ask for next? Ten thousand? Didn’t he think they’d figure it out eventually?
“So now what? Do we call the police? He clearly has no intentions of repaying us.” As she contemplated the financial aspects, she realized they had an even bigger problem on their hands. “Nicholas, what are we going to tell Sophie when Scott comes to town next weekend? If he comes to town next weekend. She’s going to be devastated.” Tessa closed her eyes. Once again Scott had managed to turn all of their lives completely upside down. Only this time, a little girl’s feelings were at stake.
“Don’t worry, my love,” Nicholas said, with his usual charming and calming smile. “I’ve already got it all figured out.”
Chapter 32 - Ava
“I love you.” Ava twirled her hair in her fingers as she said the words into the phone, a habit she’d had for years.
“I love you, too, babe. Are you sure everything is okay?” Max asked.
After the scene with Gregory at the gallery, Ava jumped in her car and drove directly home. She wanted to call her sisters, but Holly … well, she had enough to deal with, and Tessa was no doubt completely immersed in her own stress what with her opening night quickly approaching. Instead, she paced her living room, re-playing the events of the morning. I did nothing wrong. Our lips never touched. Still, it bothered her that she hesitated when Gregory grabbed her. She should have immediately pushed away. Instead, she let him hold her until just before that moment when their lips were about to touch. But they never did. Stopping to look at her face in the foyer mirror, she pulled her fingers out of the curls she created. Where those wrinkles above her eyebrows there yesterday? She tried to smooth them out with her fingers.
“Ava? Are you there?” Max asked. “You’re acting strange. I’m a little worried. Do you need me to come home? I could try to switch flights with someone. Maybe I can come home tonight instead of tomorrow.”
“No, I’m fine, really.” Was she acting strange? The last thing she needed was for Max to worry about her. He was already worried enough about Ben. What she really wanted was for everything to just go back to normal. “I was just thinking about … what to make for dinner. I forgot to take something out of the freezer this morning.” In a way it was true. Looked like they’d be ordering pizza again. “Anyway, I’ll figure something out. Everything’s fine.”
“Well, okay. Listen, babe. I want to apologize.”
“For what?” she asked, walking into the kitchen to get a drink. Now he was the one acting strange. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
“I do,” he said. “Ben’s accident was a wakeup call for me. I’m just sorry it had to happen for me to realize.”
“Realize?” She opened her bottle of water. Just the other day, she’d read about a woman who eliminated all wrinkles on her face just by upping her daily water intake.
“Yes,” he continued, “that I’ve been selfish.”
“No, honey. You’re not selfish. You work really hard to support this family. We all understand that.”
“Ava, do you remember how we met?”
She bit her bottom lip and laughed silently. She hadn’t thought about that day for years, although it had been quite memorable. “You were the nude model for my art class. Kind of hard to forget something like that. I couldn’t look away from you, to be honest.”
“Ah-ha! So you were gawking! I knew it.”
“Okay, well, maybe a little,” she giggled. “Anyway, what does that have to do with you being selfish?”
“That day, I noticed you because of the passion in your eyes. Although I’d wished it were due to me standing there naked in front of you, I knew it was because you were completely in your element … surrounded by art. You gave all of that up to raise a family. Our family.”
“We made the decision together, Max. I don’t regret it at all.”
“I know that, babe. But that doesn’t change the fact that you gave up your dream … for us … for me. I shouldn’t have been so quick to say no when you wanted to go to the gallery the night of Ben’s accident, especially when it was something so important to you.”
“Oh, it’s okay. You were tired.”
“No,” he continued, “it’s not okay at all. And I want to make it up to you. We should go tomorrow when I get home. I know it’s not the same as an opening, but we can still make a date night out of it. You know—get dressed up, grab some dinner.”
“Tomorrow?” Ava asked. Panic rose in her throat. Gregory’s exhibit would still be running. He was the last person she wanted to see, and she certainly didn’t want him and Max in the same room together. She had visions of Gregory apologizing to her in front of her husband.
“So sorry for making a pass at you, Ava. Oh, is this your husband? Very nice to meet you. Well, enjoy the exhibit.”
Ridiculous notion, no doubt, but her thoughts weren’t exactly altogether rational at the moment.
“We can’t go tomorrow,” she blurted out as her nervous pacing to the living room and back picked up again.
“Why?” Max asked.
Crap. She was unprepared for that question. “Well … um … you know I don’t like to talk bad about exhibits, but I stopped in the other day. The owner was lovely, but I wasn’t impressed with the artist’s work at all, and he still has another two weeks for his run. I say we wait for it to clear out and then head over. It will be much more enjoyable.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want, babe. You know about these things better than I do. Are you sure? Didn’t you say the artist was your friend?” he asked.
“Well an old client, but
that’s my point. You know how bad my game face is. It would be so awkward.”
“Yeah, it is pretty awful,” he agreed. “Okay, then we’ll wait. But we’re definitely going soon. I insist.”
“I really appreciate you doing this, Max.” She caught a glimpse of her smile in the mirror as she walked by once more and paused. For the first time all day, the overwhelming feeling of nervous gloom no longer clouded her mind. Funny how a simple gesture by one person could change her mood so dramatically. Maybe it was because he was the person she needed it from the most. He always did have perfect timing.
Chapter 33 - Tessa
They took their seats in the diner and waited once again for Scott to appear.
“Do you think he’ll show this time?” Tessa whispered to Nicholas from the next table while Sophie sat in her booth, fidgeting with her paper of questions as she watched the door.
“I think so. In his mind, he needs to play it cool. It’s the only way to keep you and Sophie happy, which in turn will keep the funds flowing. If he bolted now, it would just make him look more suspicious,” Nicholas replied.
“He’s here!” Sophie shrieked as the door to the restaurant swung open.
All three of them rose to their feet as Scott approached. Nicholas seemed so calm and collected, while Tessa was a furious mess. She wanted to reach out and wring Scott’s neck, but she had promised her husband she’d stay composed and follow his lead. She trusted him completely and knew he had Sophie’s best interests at heart.
“There she is,” Scott said, approaching Sophie with arms wide open, “the prettiest girl in all of Forest Hills.”
Tessa watched with interest as her daughter looked not to her for approval, but to Nicholas, who gave her a nod, before she gave Scott a quick hug, then pulled away.
“Where were you last time? You were supposed to be here,” Sophie told him, crinkling her brow.
Tessa couldn’t help but crack her lips into the tiniest of smile. Her daughter’s shy nervousness had apparently been replaced by her spunky attitude, that’s for sure. Get ready, Scott, that’s just the warm up question. The real kicker is still to come.
“Oh, well I, um, I had a job interview. Didn’t your mom tell you?”
“But we waited and waited. Why didn’t you call to tell us?” she asked, obviously not satisfied with the answer he’d given.
He looked at Tessa with pleading eyes, probably hoping she’d chime in and offer help in the explanation department. He was sorely mistaken.
Instead she said, “Sweetie, Nicholas and I will be sitting right here at the next table if you need anything.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
This time there would be no barriers. Nicholas and Tessa both wanted and needed to see and hear everything. As Sophie and Scott settled into the booth, the conversation turned away from his disappearing act and more into idle chit-chat. Once again Scott was asking the questions, mostly about school and friends. Tessa realized it was all planned on his part. As long as he kept control of the conversation, Sophie couldn’t ask uncomfortable questions. Well, he wasn’t getting off that easily. After the waitress brought their requested food and drinks, Tessa caught her daughter’s eye and motioned to her paper. She gave a reassuring smile and nodded.
Sophie waited until Scott put a forkful of eggs in his mouth and asked, “Why did you leave when Mommy was pregnant with me?”
Without warning, eggs flew out and across the table as he signaled to the waitress for water to help ease his ensuing coughing fit. To save time and to keep him from procrastinating, Nicholas handed him his water instead.
“I believe Sophie’s waiting for an answer,” he said as he sat back down with Tessa, once Scott finished wiping his mouth. “In fact, I believe my wife deserves an explanation as well.”
It wasn’t how she had expected the conversation to go. Her intention was to allow Sophie privacy on the matter, but she appreciated her husband’s boldness. And now that she thought of it, Scott would probably be less inclined to give a bogus and vague response knowing there were three pairs of eyes and ears on him, two of which would not put up with his bullshit. Scratch that. Make that three pairs that wouldn’t put up with his bullshit. The look on Sophie’s face told Tessa she was all business. Perhaps her daughter had picked up on Scott’s true personality after all.
“Oh … well … I …” Scott nervously looked around at his audience. Surely he’d expected this question at some point and had something prepared. “I didn’t leave, Sophie, not really. You’re always with me in my heart every single day. Right here,” he said, forming a fist and tapping it over his chest, “where it matters.”
Tessa looked down to keep Sophie from seeing her disgusted look and rolling eyes. Was he serious? There was no way her daughter would fall for that crap.
“That doesn’t make sense,” she responded. “My mommy says I’m always with her in her heart and we live together, so I still don’t get why you left.”
Good girl, Soph. Make him squirm.
“It’s … complicated, but I honestly never meant to hurt you—or your mom. And I wanted to come back, Sophie, I really did, but with work, it was difficult for me to get away.”
Complicated. Was that the best he could do?
“My Nicholas works really hard, and he always comes back, even when he has to go on business trips. Back in September he came home early to take me to the father/daughter dance. And he’s been to all of my piano recitals. He always shows up when he promises to, and he never lets me down.”
Yay, Sophie!
“Well you’re a very lucky girl,” Scott said, taking the final gulp of his coffee before standing up. “Anyway, it was great to see everyone again.”
“You’re leaving?” Tessa asked, surprised. Apparently his ego could no longer take the lecture by the seven year old.
“Yes,” he replied. “I start my new job soon, and I need to wrap up some last minute things back home to get ready for my move. My bus will be here shortly.” Grabbing his jacket he turned toward his daughter. “Sophie?”
“Yeah?” she asked, barely looking up. Scott stood with open arms—the same way he’d greeted her earlier. Slowly getting out of her seat, she kept her distance and only mumbled, “Bye.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he said to Tessa and Nicholas has he headed toward the door.
“Wait up,” Nicholas called, grabbing the briefcase he’d brought in with him. He followed Scott out to the parking lot.
“Are you okay?” Tessa asked, lifting her up and onto her lap.
“Yes,” she said, “but if it’s okay with you, I don’t think I want to see Scott again.” Tears streamed down her face as Tessa held her tight.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, sweetheart,” she said, rubbing her back in small circles.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, sweetie?” She looked at her daughter’s tear-streaked face.
“I wish Nicholas was my real dad.”
Tessa smiled as she pushed her hair out of her eyes. “He already is, sweetheart. He already is.”
Chapter 34 – Holly
“Take me back.” Ben sat on the exam table, staring straight ahead. His physical therapist, Marc, had just spent the last twenty minutes massaging his legs to keep his muscles from weakening. Ben hadn’t felt any of it—not the pushing, not the kneading, not even the pinches Holly knew Marc had thrown in to test him. Nothing. Holly stood by Ben’s side the entire time waiting for any sign from her husband … even the tiniest flinch to let her know a sensation of some sort had reached his brain. But as was the case each day, twice a day, for what felt like forever, there was nothing.
“Babe, you still have an hour to go. You haven’t even started your exercises yet,” she reminded him.
“Exercises?” he said louder than Holly would have liked. He’d been in a foul mood all day, ever since his morning therapy session when he insisted on trying to walk assisted by parallel bars, despite Marc’s con
tention he was pushing himself too hard and setting himself up for disappointment. That was an understatement. As predicted, his legs wouldn’t move on their own. He’d been sulking all day over it. The other patients in the rehab room, upon hearing his outburst, turned to look at Ben. “Exercises?” he repeated, this time softer. “That’s a joke. Hol, I’m not doing anything. Every day since this cast has come off has been the same. I lie still like the slug I’ve become, and Marc here moves my leg up and down and sideways. How is that me exercising?”
“It’s exercising your spine and reminding your brain, so when movement does return, you’ll have an easier time getting back on your feet,” Marc told him.
“You mean if,” Ben corrected. “And so far, that if seems to be a more likely not going to ever happen. The accident was quite a while ago.”
“Your recovery is up to you,” Marc began. “The mind—”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, smirking. “Dr. Golden told me all about that hocus pocus mind crap. If it were true, I’d be walking by now.”
“I’m really sorry, Marc,” Holly said, giving her husband a nasty look. “He’s just having a rough day.”
“No worries, Mrs. Oakes, I’m used to it. Actually, Ben,” he said, bringing his face directly in front of his patient’s, “you know what? You’re probably right. This is all useless. You should just go back to your room now. I have other patients I could be helping who actually give a damn about their recovery.”
Holly stood next to the two men, completely speechless. Marc was kidding, right? This was some kind of mind game psycho-babble people did when they wanted to get you to do the opposite of what you want to do. Wasn’t it?
