“I found it beneath her bed,” I say. “That’s how I knew you were in my sister’s room. I assumed you two…”
“We didn’t,” Carmen says and sighs. She looks pointedly at Grayson. “Not for lack of me trying, though.”
“Carmen,” Mom admonishes her.
“We’re speaking the truth here, Mom,” Carmen bites back.
“When that shirt came off, I turned to leave,” Grayson says, “and your father was there looking at me with hell and fire in his eyes. I loved your dad and I know he loved me. But when he saw me there with his half-naked little girl, he saw the devil. He wanted to kill me.”
“He was already upset by that point,” Mom says. He’d found the love letters that Charlie had written to me. That’s what he’d called Charlie over to the house to discuss.”
“Daddy grabbed Grayson,” Carmen picks up the memory, “and shook him. Cursed him. Grayson’s dad came in and pulled him off.” Carmen stops talking and wipes a tear from her eye before it has the chance to fall.
“Carmen yelled for them to stop and then she pushed her father,” Grayson says.
“I didn’t mean for him to fall down the stairs. I hadn’t even realized we had moved from the bedroom to the hall, everything happened so quickly. The next thing I know Daddy was falling.”
“My father panicked,” Grayson says. “He had a DUI on his record and had no official business over there. Carmen was half-dressed. He didn’t know what had or hadn’t happened between us. He was scared.”
“He said to me ‘You killed your father, little girl. You did this,’” Carmen says. “And he was right.”
“And you went along with that?” I ask. “You never told anyone that they were at the house?”
“She told me,” Mom said. “After the funeral. At the time, all we knew was that he fell down the steps and died. The autopsy revealed he also had a heart attack. Carmen came to my room the day after the funeral. She couldn’t stop crying. She told me everything.”
“When we got home,” Grayson says, “Dad had me pack up our stuff. Two days later, we headed out of town to a relative’s place. He never drank a day in his life after that.”
There it was. The truth. But I’m still confused. “Why did you tell me you were responsible?” I asked Gray.
“Because that’s the way I’ve felt all these years. If I hadn’t gone up those stairs, your father would still be alive.”
That may be true. Yet I can’t help thinking that if Carmen hadn’t lured him upstairs, things would’ve turned out differently.
“We’ve all dealt with the guilt,” Carmen says to me as though reading my mind. “Ten years of it and I can’t change what happened. None of us can.”
Mom says, “I’ve lost so much sleep thinking if I hadn’t carried on with Charlie…”
I squeeze Mom’s hand. Everyone has dealt with the grief, even though this is all new to me.
“Gray, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
“I thought you’d be angry with me. Hate me for what I did. Callia, I’m sorry.”
I put a hand up to stop him. “I’m not angry. I’m shocked and disappointed and sad for everybody involved, but I’m not angry.”
Grayson’s cell phone rings and he answers. After a series of cryptic replies he tells the caller to email him the information, then disconnects the call.
“Good news,” he says to Mom. “You’ve got an offer on the house.”
And that’s when I lose it. The tears come faster than I can wipe them away. Our house will soon have a new owner.
“Child, what are you crying for?” Mom pulls me into her bosom and rocks me. “You knew I was selling the house.”
“I know.” I sob. “It’s just that everything’s changing.”
“For the better,” Mom assures me. “I’ve got a great new place, you’re going to start your own bakery, and you’ve got Grayson’s great big kitchen to bake in, and Carmen’s…”
Carmen stands. “Carmen would like to leave so that Carmen can go get dressed and meet that fine hunk of a man later this evening. Are we done with this whole family-in-crisis moment?”
I release myself from Mom and wipe away my tears. “First of all, I’m not living with Grayson. I’m getting my own place. Second of all, yes, I think we’re done here.”
“Good,” Carmen says. “By the way, do you have a dress for your reunion tomorrow night?”
I look at Grayson and shake my head. Carmen rolls her eyes. “Tomorrow. Ten o’clock. I’ll swing by and we’ll go shopping.” Carmen grabs her purse and swings it on her arms. “That way you can tell me all about Mr. Military Man.”
“I think by the morning you can tell me all about Mr. Military Man,” I say.
“Never thought I’d be chasing after your sloppy seconds.” She looks at Grayson up and down. “I guess history has a way of repeating itself. You’re not so bad, Grayson. Although your taste in women could be improved.”
I throw a pillow at her, which misses her by a hair as she slips out the door. When I get up to retrieve it, Grayson touches my hand.
“Can I have a talk with you outside?”
Mom goes back into the kitchen while I follow Grayson. He links his fingers in mine as we walk down the street.
“This is not how I expected the day to turn out,” he says.
“Why’d you tell me today?”
“It just felt like the right time. We were in a public place so I figured you wouldn’t make a scene. I want us to move on without having anything between us. I was scared to death to tell you.”
“Grayson, I have something to tell you, too.” He stops and turns to me. My heart pounds in my chest. Why am I afraid of his reaction? “I saw your mother.”
“What?” He takes a step back. “Stop, stop.”
“Grayson, I have to tell you this.”
He closes his eyes and puts a hand to his head. “How do you know…” he stops. “Look, we’ll discuss it later. Not today. I’ve had enough talking for today. Right now, Callia, all I want in this world is to know all’s forgiven and forgotten.”
I smile and wrap my arms around him. “Forgiven, not forgotten.”
“Fair enough. And the second thing I want most in this world…” he leans down and kisses my jawline, “is your lips on mine.”
“That, sir, is a wish I can’t wait to grant.”
Chapter 48
“Will you be still while I finish this last little section?” Carmen snaps at me. She’s curling my hair with a curling iron while I sit in front of the bathroom mirror.
I’ve missed this bathroom.
After a day of looking for just the right dress, Carmen and I are back at Gray’s place. She claimed she wanted to help me get dolled up but I think the truth was that she wanted to keep pumping me for information about Robert. I obliged her. They are both narcissists who might be able to find a modicum of happiness together, though I’m not sure how they’re going to work around the long-distance problem.
Carmen’s hands stops moving.
“What?” I say as she looks at me in the mirror.
Carmen sets the flat iron down, kneels beside me, and looks me squarely in the eyes.
“Callia, I’m sorry.” I squeeze her hand as I see tears well in her eyes. “I know I don’t show it, but I’m really sorry for everything. Flirting with Grayson, for pushing Daddy down the stairs.” She bends her head and takes a moment to sob, but she does nothing stop the tears from falling. “It seems as though my whole life I’ve spent trying to find someone to love me, yet I’ve purposely put myself in second place because I felt like that’s all I deserve.”
I touch her chin and raise her face to mine. “And now you know better.”
She rolls her eyes and says with transparent insecurity, “Sure. Yeah.”
I pluck a tissue and wipe her face. “We’re running behind,” I say to Carmen in my military voice.
She stands up and wipes her face. “It’s not my fault you took for
ever deciding on a dress,” she replies. “At least you finally settled on that hot little number that complements your curves.”
I smile at her. “You really like it?” I ask, astonished that Carmen has paid me a compliment.
“I love it. This feels nice,” she says, sniffling. “Like you and Grayson are getting the chance to go to the prom you never had.”
“Unlike you, who went to junior prom and two senior proms,” I remind her.
Carmen smiles while she sprays heat protectant on a section of my hair and curls the last little bit. “I had too many boyfriends. I don’t know what Mom and Dad were thinking to let me go out so much. I’m ready to settle now.”
“Please don’t say with Robert because you literally just met the guy yesterday.”
“I didn’t say with Robert,” Carmen says and smiles. “Although he is a nice guy. Successful, health-conscious, gorgeous, single.”
“And he has a career that requires him to travel a lot.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Carmen says. “Especially since I can do hair anywhere.”
“He’s a government worker, though,” I say. “You don’t want anyone with a servitude type of mindset, do you? I mean, he’ll never be rich.”
“Girl,” Carmen says, “there’s more to life than money.”
I smack her hand and she laughs at me—or her own fickle heart.
“You’re moving too fast, Carmen.”
“I know,” she says and puts down the flat iron. “I like moving too fast.”
“My hair looks great.”
“Yes, it does. I’m just kidding, by the way. I’m hanging out with Robert until he leaves and that’s it.”
I’m not convinced that Carmen believes her own words, but I don’t push it.
“I appreciate you doing that. I don’t think he was too keen on seeing me.”
“Trust me, he didn’t care that you weren’t there.” She combs my curls into place. “We just hung out in the city. I like the idea that I have an excuse to visit Florida if I want. Voilà.” She stands back and appraises her work.
“You’re a magician.”
“So very true,” she says. “Let’s get you in that dress.”
“You know what? I want to finish up by myself. I should be down in ten minutes.”
“Suit yourself,” she says and leaves the room.
When she’s gone I look at the dress hanging from the hook. It’s a simple black dress in a stretch material that hugs every curve. It forms a strapless design, but at the top is a low-cut mesh that finishes the dress so that I’m not actually wearing a strapless dress—I didn’t want to worry about pulling it up all night. I slip on a pair of stilettos—my own this time, not borrowed from anyone’s closet like at my going-away party in Florida—and finish off the look with tasteful gold earrings and a chunky gold bracelet.
“Voilà, indeed.”
Before I head downstairs, I open my overnight bag and pull out my grateful journal.
Grateful Journal
Tonight I am going to my high school reunion with Grayson. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. Now that I know the secret between him and Carmen, I feel as though I can build a relationship with him with trust at its core.
My entire family seems happy. Carmen may or may not have found a love connection with Robert. Can you believe it? Mom is either wearing a costume that makes her look like a normal, physically and financially healthy woman, or she really is all those things. I haven’t figured that one out yet.
And Grayson. What can I say? He doesn’t want to know about his mom yet. Too much hurt, I guess. When it’s the right time, he’ll ask me and I’ll tell him what I know. Until then, I guess we all need to let the past live in the past.
My bakery—
* * *
A soft knock at the door interrupts my flow. “Yeah?” I say.
“It’s me,” Grayson says through the door. “Are you ready?”
“I am, but I wanted to make an entrance.”
“I have something to give you.”
A gift? I open the door quickly. I love gifts.
“Hi,” I say.
Grayson looks at me from head to toe and smiles.
“You look amazing,” he says.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I reply. He’s wearing a basic, but modern, black suit that looks like it was cut to fit him perfectly.
“Thanks. It’s Armani. Can I come in?”
I open the door wider and shut it behind him.
He hands over the box. “I had this custom made for you. If you don’t like it, we can take it back and get you something else.”
I smile at him. “I already know what it is.”
Grayson looks surprised. “You do? Am I that transparent?”
“Yeah, you are.”
“Okay then,” he asks. “What is it?”
“It’s a half-heart necklace. Probably a tad bit more expensive than the one you originally gave me.”
Grayson chuckles and I seriously consider ditching this reunion for an evening between the sheets.
“It wouldn’t be possible to get one any cheaper than the one I gave you. Well,” he sighs and reaches for the box, “since you know what it is, I guess there’s no reason to give it to you.”
“Stop,” I say. “I want it.”
I open the box and the smile falls from my face. Grayson chuckles at my reaction.
“Is it possible that I have a few creative tricks up my sleeve?” he asks.
“It’s beautiful,” I say.
“The chain is eighteen-carat gold,” Grayson says, “the top of the cupcake is made of pink diamonds; the cupcake liner is also gold. And on the bottom is our initials.”
I hold the charm up to check out the bottom.
C&G
“I could’ve gotten the whole necklace in diamonds,” he explains, “but I thought it’d be more tasteful like this.”
“Oh, Gray,” I breathe. The palms of my hands are getting clammy and I’m pretty sure I’m going to cry and ruin my makeup. “This is so pretty and thoughtful.”
“It’s pretty much your dream,” he says. “This way you can wear your dream close to your heart so you never forget it…or me.”
“I won’t ever forget it. And I won’t ever forget you.”
“You won’t have a chance to forget me because you’re going to stay here, in this house, forever.”
He wraps his arms around my waist and I smell his light, masculine cologne that sends a shiver through me.
“You know I’m independent.”
“And you can be independent in that room right down the hall.”
I smile. “You’re going to ruin my independent nature.”
“No, I’m going to complement it and help you achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. You’ll just be close by when you’re doing it. Callia?”
“Hmm?” I say. My arms are wrapped around his neck and I’m staring at the exquisite details of the necklace that’s still in my hand.
“Can I kiss you now?”
“Since when do you ask permission, Mr. Lane?”
“Since you’ve got lipstick on your mouth, Mrs. Lane.”
A flurry of butterflies swim through my stomach at the sound of Mrs. Lane. He jests, of course, but I like the idea that he’s thinking in the long term.
“Come,” I say and pull him closer to me and let my free hand slide down to his waistband. “I think we’ve got time for me to thank you properly.”
* * *
Chapter 49
Did you hear that sound?
That’s the sound of another woman who slid into the ocean: first my heart, then my mind, and then my body. It wasn’t noticeable. Even I couldn’t hear it. But it happened.
I just fell in love…again.
The End
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