by Jayce, Aven
“Give me your phone, Mother.” He takes it and places a call as we head into the city. There’s snow on the ground, a very different scene than Vegas, and I’m glad Leondra prepared us for the change in weather with new, warm clothes. We look good for Cove’s father, well-dressed and renewed.
“Haverty, it’s Cove,” he pauses. “Fine, we’re good. Listen, have you checked in on Lewis yet this evening?” We listen in silence for any news on his whereabouts. “Do me a favor and head back there. If a man’s outside the building or hanging around the lobby, let him in to my mother’s place, he’s my father.” I can sense the smile on Cove’s face as I drive closer to the downtown area. “No, I’m not shitting you, he probably doesn’t have a coat or anything warm to wear, so let him in, get him out of the cold if you see him. You’re only four blocks from there, and I hate to think he’s standing alone in the snow after dark,” he listens to Haverty’s response and nods. “Yeah, he looks like me... I mean I look like him. He probably still has some bruises on his face from the last fight at the prison; I suspect you’ll have no problem recognizing him.”
“Good thinkin’, Babe,” I say as he hands the phone back to his mother. “I can’t wait to meet him. It is okay, right? That I’m there? Or would all of you like some privacy tonight? I can always...”
“Soph, stop. I want you right by my side for this. And I can guarantee you my father would be hurt if you weren’t there. I know he wants to meet the woman who stole his son’s heart.”
“Cove, darling,” his mother cuts in. “After all you’ve been through, you have no idea how proud I am to hear you say such sweet words to a woman. I’m very happy for you, for both of you.” She’s silent for a moment as I watch her from the rear view mirror gaze into the city. “I never thought this day would come. He’s out there, waiting for us.”
“Do you think it was Patrick’s letter that got him out?” I ask.
Leondra leans forward to join the conversation. “I’d say everything in the storage unit helped, but there must have been something else.”
“What about evidence, such as the clothing that Paul had of mine from the day NOVA began?” Cove asks. “DNA evidence could do it, right?”
“It’s probably too soon to get results back, but yes, that’s a possibility,” Leondra states. “They must have come across some things we’re not aware of, or they didn’t tell us about.”
“I have a feeling a lot more will be uncovered about my father, things none of us were probably ever aware of. I sense it’s coming. The police probably need to correct the past immediately in order to proceed with new information. Remember when we were in the house after the shooting and an officer said to get us out quickly before the press arrived? A lot’s about to happen, and I’m sure the people working on this case don’t want the focus to be on a mistake they made years ago with an innocent man sitting in prison.”
“That very well could be,” Leondra responds to my take on the situation. “In the end, it must be a combination of all of those things, plus some happenings from behind the scenes. All I can say is I’m in seventh heaven.”
The evening sky is clear, the sun has just set, and a few stars appear above us. I have to drop my speed on the roads because of the possibility of ice and the remaining five minutes feels like an hour.
“Park right in front of the building, Soph. I don’t care if we get a ticket, just do it,” Cove says, as Leondra races out of the car before I even have a chance to put it in park. She disappears into the building and we follow close behind.
“Hold the elevator, Mother.”
“Hurry you two, get in here before I pee my pants from excitement. Oh my God! I can’t wait any longer.” She presses the button multiple times trying to get the door to close faster than usual. Cove paces in the tiny space as we rise to the top floor.
“I hope he’s here,” Leondra whispers. “Please, God. Bring him to me. No more waiting. Let him be safe.”
The door opens and she rushes out, nearly knocking Haverty off his feet. “You were right, he was outside, I let him in about fifteen minutes ago. Set him up with a drink,” Haverty’s voice fades as we run down the hall toward Leondra’s penthouse. “He looks good!” he calls out after us.
“Thank you!” Cove yells back to acknowledge him. Leondra sprints ahead of us and into her home. I hear a loud shriek and laughter.
“Sweetheart!” There’s a scream of excitement as we round the doorway and watch her run into the living room where Cove’s father awaits, lounging on one of the blue sofas. He holds a glass of wine in one hand, and the other rests on top of the sofa back. His face blazes with warmth and happiness while his body language exudes power and authority, radiating to everyone who enters, this is his home and his family. He sets his drink down and opens his arms to his wife.
“Come here, gorgeous.”
Cove stops and places his hand on my chest to keep me back. Tears stream down his cheeks as he watches his mother jump onto the sofa and into her husband’s arms. Her sobs echo through the open space and down the hall as Cove’s father closes his eyes and kisses her shoulders, neck, and chin, up to her mouth. He presses firmly against her lips with great intensity. It’s a beautiful moment of love and adoration between the two.
“Dad,” Cove whispers, trying to hold in his tears. His father looks over his wife’s shoulder at his son, and Leondra moves hurriedly out of the way for the two to unite.
“Cove. Oh dear God, son.” His father stands and walks over to us. The two embrace, neither able to contain their emotions. “My son,” he weeps into Cove’s shoulder. “My dear, beautiful, loving boy.”
The two break down and cry in one another’s arms, grieving for the time they’ve lost with one another, and the pain and suffering cast upon them by my father. I can no longer hold back my emotions and shed tears with the entire family. It’s heartbreaking to experience this strong affection and love fill the room, knowing it was so physically isolated for years.
“I love you, Cove. I’ve missed you,” his father whispers, taking a step back to look at his son. The four of us wipe tears from our faces and the three turn to me.
“Sophia,” Leondra motions for me to come forward and I extend my hand with a smile.
“Mr. Everton, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” My body’s swiftly encircled and held firmly in his arms. All I can think to say is, “I’m sorry,” as I’m flooded by his tender way and kindness.
“Shh, my angel. You have nothing to be sorry about. You did nothing wrong. I love you. You helped my son believe in himself again, and I’m sure he’s done the same for you. I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Dad, Patrick killed Paul, and then took his own life.”
“I know, son,” he releases me and turns to Cove. “Let’s not discuss anything right now, not tonight; I have a lot of questions, and I’m sure you do as well, but we can talk in the morning. For now, we all deserve an evening of cheer and rejuvenation, don’t you agree?” Cove nods as his father steps forward and gives him another hug. “What I would like to do is have a nice meal out with my family, if that’s okay with all of you. I want all of you around me so I can see your faces while we dine, and you have no idea what a indulgence it will be to eat what I want, not to mention when I want, and where.”
“Anything you wish, Honey. It’s your choice. I’m going to make sure all of your wants, needs, and desires are fulfilled.” Leondra leans into his chest, with tears still flowing down her cheeks.
He wraps his arms around her and rocks her body, lulling her into peace and tranquility. “Cove, would you and Sophia mind stepping out to give your mother and me a moment alone so I can shower and find some decent clothes to wear? How about you join us back here in an hour?”
“Of course, but you know it’s difficult to let you out of my sight.”
His father nods and touches his son’s arm with a heartwarming smile. “I’m here now. I’m not leaving ever again. You can count on me being around to bo
ther you for years to come.”
Cove grins as we head down the hallway to his place. Our place. I hear high-pitched giggles and Leondra’s squeal of elation from behind her closed penthouse door.
“He looks good, Sophia. They both look good. I don’t believe any of us have ever been this happy. Jesus, my father’s home, and my mother’s laughing, and the woman I love is about to enter my home... and no one’s leaving. Everyone’s here, we’re all here.”
***
“Mrs. Leondra Everton... my gorgeous wife... do you feel like lying naked next to me?”
Leondra grabs her husband’s hand and tugs him hurriedly to her bedroom. She doesn’t hesitate to pull her dress over her head and slip quickly out of her leggings. He does the same, fervently removing the clothes he was given when he left the prison, and tossing them on top of the wastebasket in the room. Leondra looks at the fading bruises on his body and shakes her head in sadness over the stitches where his spleen used to be. It’s unsettling to know he was beaten so severely that an organ was damaged, not to mention his spirit.
“Go easy,” he says, “I’m nervous, and still have some injuries on the inside and out.”
“Oh, my sweet man,” Leondra whispers still in tears.
“Come close to me. I want to at least hold you and kiss those sweet lips, but I apologize that I can’t make love to you.”
“Holding me is making love, and all we need.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Do you know a Mera Calloway? The warden said my exoneration had a lot to do with Patrick, who I knew had been collecting information for us for years, but there was a recording by a woman named Mera. She got Paul to explain, or I should say confess to things that happened to me with the case, and about NOVA. Is she one of Paul’s girls? And, I was also told Natalie recanted her testimony.” Cove’s father steps out of the shower with a cleanly shaven face and a bright smile. He decides not to mention David Rosen’s appearance at the prison. His family has suffered through a great deal and he doesn’t want them to worry any longer. The mention of David to any of them at this point could cause even more sleepless nights and anxiety. What hand did he play in all of this? He must be covering something up. It’s best to bury that information and walk away, never dig it up again.
“Mera did that?” Leondra sets a pair of clean pants and a dress shirt on the bathroom counter for him. “I hope these still fit you, if not, I can run out and pick something up from the Suit Company. They’re not too far from here and probably open until 8.”
“So you know her?”
“She was one of the models for the magazine years back; a beautiful young girl who had a lot of dreams and a desire to better herself, but was poor. She wanted to go to college and was modeling for Paul to make enough to do so. She was also attracted to him, and I knew in time if she didn’t move on, she would become one of his many assets, like all the other young woman who came through. I only knew her for a few months and then she was gone. I assumed she left for college. It was only this morning that I found out what really happened to her.”
“And of course, in steps Paul Jameson to ruin another person’s life. What did he do to her?”
“It’s more of what Paul did to Sophia. He hired Mera to follow her to college, probably paid someone to make sure the two ended up as roommates, for God knows what reason, and I’m sure Mera received a full ride through school in return.”
“Why would... how could someone do that to his own child? I guess I shouldn’t ask such stupid questions at this point. No one will ever be able to fully comprehend how sick Paul was. How’s Sophia holding up through all of this?”
“She’s struggling, mostly with the information about Mera, even after all the horrible things Paul did to her in his house, it’s Mera who has caused the greatest sorrow in that sweet girl. I think that friendship was all she ever had. Her mother doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the picture, and she’s never mentioned siblings. Mera was family to her, and Sophia’s very hurt. She cries for Paul, but the sadness seems to be more about the fact that a person died in her presence, and less that it’s her father. She’ll be okay, especially now that she’s with Cove.”
“So they’re good together? You think she’s really the one for him?”
“There’s no doubt in my mind. I can’t imagine either of the two surviving more than a couple of days without the other. They touch one another like starry-eyed teenagers, are more comfortable with one another than any other pair I’ve seen, and argue like an old married couple, one never able to stay angry at the other. They’re that close.”
“He’s such a handsome and smart young man, you know? I’m so proud of him and who he’s become. Can you even begin to imagine what it must have been like going through years of abuse and punishment? I don’t believe I would’ve turned out as well. I haven’t actually. My mind and body aren’t the same as they were the day I was arrested. Plus, Cove could have fallen into the darker side of the business, like Patrick, and been arrested for drugs, not to mention become involved in some of the violent sites that Paul had.”
“Boy, Paul had us fooled, presenting himself as a businessman selling ‘high-end’ products. Do you remember how charming he was when we first met him?” Leondra asks, as she conceals her anger deep inside, not wanting to ruin her husband’s first night of freedom. “They fit. You look incredible, honey. I’m so overjoyed you’re standing before me dressed in something other than a prison uniform, and wearing a smile on your face. What a beautiful sight.”
“Where’s your wedding ring?” he asks.
Leondra feels the flesh of her finger where her ring has rested for over twenty-five years. “Devery has it.”
“Why?”
“For safe keeping, can we leave it at that for tonight?”
“No, we’ve never kept anything from one another in the past, I’m sure as hell not going to start down that path now,” he says, knowing he’s being hypocritical at the moment. She nods and sits on the bed to fasten the straps of her heels while he searches for one of his old sport jackets in the closet. “I can’t believe you kept all of my clothing.”
“I was going to kill Paul. That’s why I gave her my ring. I wanted Cove to have it for Sophia.” There’s silence in the room for a few moments and she raises her head to see her husband leaning against the doorframe to the closet, his arms folded and face tense.
“What? Fuck, I didn’t just hear you say that, did I?”
“That was our son’s reaction as well.”
“Well, he’s right. Why Leondra? We agreed never to go that route. What happened?” he sits next to her on the bed and pulls her into his arms.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she whispers. “Everyone’s lost right now, even with Paul dead, we still have a lot to face in the upcoming weeks. I couldn’t take it anymore. Paul had Cove locked in his house again and I knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. I didn’t think he was going to make it out this time, not alive. Sophia as well. If Paul didn’t kill our son, I believe Dayne would’ve. They didn’t need him anymore... you know that... he was a burden and a distraction. His time was up. Then Patrick told me it wouldn’t be much longer, probably only a month or two before they’d make him disappear. After Paul got the final video from him, and the big money was made, that was going to be it. There wasn’t much else. The sales would dwindle and our son had reached a senior age for Paul’s company. The only men older than him are the original one’s who started the business with Paul years ago.”
“You were at the house when Patrick shot Paul?”
Leondra nods.
“And you were going to shoot him that night?”
She nods again.
“Please don’t tell me you were arrested with a gun on you. You got out of that house, right?”
“No, honey. I’m sorry. I was taken to the station, but was released, along with Cove and Sophia.”
“They were... what the fuck... alright, I need to breathe for a moment.”
He takes a deep breath and paces in front of her, then sighs and rocks on the balls of his feet. “Leondra, where did you get a gun?”
“It was Wayne’s.”
“How did you explain that to the police? How were you not charged with anything?”
“Devery took the gun and she left with Doron before the police arrived.”
“Devery? As in Devery Rosen? What the fuck happened in Vegas, Leondra? I didn’t want to talk about any of this tonight, but the hell with it. Come with me,” he takes her hand and pulls a chair out for her to take a seat at the dining room table. “Where’s the phone book?” She points to a drawer and he takes it and her phone from the counter and places a call. “We’re staying in tonight. I’m not going to sit at some restaurant with everyone while... hello; I’d like to order two large pizzas for delivery. Just cheese on one and everything on the other,” he requests, as Leondra hands him his wine from earlier, and pours herself a glass, then takes two more glasses out from the cupboard along with a second bottle of wine. “I’m going to get Cove, then I want answers. I want to know what happened to my son these last few weeks and why the hell you didn’t tell me you were going to Vegas? This isn’t like you... or is it?”
“I didn’t tell you because you were in the infirmary. I wasn’t about to subject you to any more anxiety while you were healing from the beating and the operation.”
“Stop it! Both of you!” Cove shouts at his parents. “Sophia and I can hear you all the way down the hall. What’s going on? Dad, what are you so angry about?”
His father places his hands on the edge of the kitchen counter and bows his head. He exhales a deep breath of air before speaking. “I’m sorry,” he says to Cove. “Leondra, I’m sorry. I’m not angry, I’m frustrated that I was unable to help my family through all of this. I never could protect any of you from him. I’ve felt worthless for years, and now, to hear that my wife was going to attempt to kill someone; that she was hurting so badly that she was willing to risk her life and freedom to do so... and my son was still being beaten and abused... I never kept either of you safe from harm. I’ve failed as a father, a husband, and a man.”
