by Raven Crow
“No I haven’t been the least bit focused on that marina or the coronation for weeks. You have been my main focus.”
“Ok well that needs to change right now. Pen I am asking you to go. Please. Go and see how your families’ marina has turned out.” He begged with his eyes on me.
The last thing that I wanted was to leave him all alone in the hospital but he was right. I had been ignoring everything else in my life. I needed to shower in private in my own home. I hadn’t even gone to see my grands; I had only been calling in to check on her by phone while I could only hope that the rehab center was doing their job correctly.
“Fine you win I will leave.” I grabbed my bag while heading towards the door. “You do realize that you asked me to stay and then told me to go? I don’t think that you even know what you want Sax. You need to figure out what it is that you really want and then maybe you’ll be able to get your legs to do what you want them to do.” I bit into him before exiting not allowing him to speak back.
*
I had called the rehab center to talk to my grands but she was sleeping. I had undressed down to my underwear and camisole while I skirted around my room preparing for a shower.
I crossed the room before I stubbed my toe sending pain up my leg into my entire body. I yelled out before sitting down on my bed to rub my toe. My toe throbbed as a needle like sensation vibrated through my foot.
“You are such a clown. Look at you fucking up your our own foot.” Van’s coarse voice ripped into me. “I bet you did that on purpose so we’d be late, huh?” He tossed a pillow at me hitting my face on the first shot. “Don’t bother answering you will only lie. I know what you are up to anyhow.”
“I am not up to anything.” I excused my behavior while my eye stung from the pillow he’d hit me with.
“Shut up! And drop the attitude or I’m not going with you to this stupid ass party. You can go by yourself.” Van moved towards me causing me to recoil with my eyes sealed shut. “Oh stop it. You look so childish right now. You need to grow up. Learn to act like a lady Pen.” He stood before going into the bathroom.
My cell rang pulling my body from the past in an instant. My mind remained in the past as I answered my phone.
[“Why are you at home still you need to get down to the marina to represent our family girl?” Grands demanded something into my ear.]
I hadn’t heard a thing that she had said. I slumped down with my head in my hands as she tried again to communicate to me.
“Hello grands,” was all that I could muster out of my mouth.
[“Hello…why are you acting this way? Are you even dressed Pen?” She barked this time I heard her.]
“Yes—I mean no I have to shower still.”
[“Oh my word girl, get going already! I will let you go so that you can get a move on. I love you, bye.” She disconnected before I could respond.]
*
I had showered, dressed, and now I had finally arrived at the marina. Jo had texted me earlier telling me to meet her. At least I wasn’t going to be alone with her there. I had worn my new black, dress which I chose for its simple elegance. I left my hair down allowing my natural waves to do their thing. And I had picked out black, slip-on flats; I wasn’t chancing a fall in some heels. I remained a little off unable to focus. I didn’t understand why I had thought about such a terrible memory on such a great day.
I walked down the ramp noticing there were so many cars parked in the parking lot that I couldn’t spot Jo’s car. I was surprised at the turn out there must have been a few hundred people on the marina and maybe another hundred more packed into boats on the docks.
“There you are I have been looking all over for you Penelope—sorry I mean Pen. I’m glad you were able to make it here with Saxon being in the hospital still.” Blaine emerged out of the crowd with a big smile.
“Yes of course I wouldn’t miss this it means so much to me. I am shocked at how many people are here. I can barely see the marina through this sea of people.” I walked with him towards the docks.
“Yes I am very pleased to see such a large crowd. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting anyone to show since I am new to these people. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get the restaurant or bait shop completed on time. It will probably be another two weeks before we can open them up.”
We arrived at the docks which were brand new with gorgeous, sturdy wood.
“This all looks amazing. I can’t believe that you were able to get this place to look brand new. Honestly, I am in no position to start that project now so I’m happy for the delay. Not until Sax is out of the hospital first.” I said some of what I was thinking privately aloud by accident.
“That’s understandable. I had a question for you, Pen.” He leaned closer. “Who was that beautiful, woman that you were with at the hospital last we saw each other?”
“Uh…you mean Josephina?” I asked. He nodded. “Her name is Josephina Butler; she is King Gardiner’s goddaughter. We call her Jo. Why do you ask?”
“Oh wow she’s King Gardiner’s goddaughter? She is gorgeous I have to admit.”
His eyes grew in size. I didn’t know how to respond so I smiled back.
“Pen…! Pen over here!” I heard Jo’s voice from somewhere in the crowd to the left of me.
I shifted my focus towards my left side as I scanned the crowd until she pushed her way through before joining us on the dock.
“Hey Jo I’m so glad that you found me. I wasn’t expecting this big of a turn out. It’s a bit overwhelming.” We hugged briefly. “Oh…uh Jo let me introduce you to King Moreau II.”
“Hello Jo it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I had hoped to meet you earlier.” He stared at her without moving.” I guess this is as good a time as any.” He grinned while he took her hand into his before placing a small kiss on her hand shocking both of us.
Jo’s face turned beet red in seconds. It was clear that she wasn’t at all used to such a handsome, older man giving her this kind of attention. How could he not find her absolutely beautiful? She had worn a stunning, purple, flowing, gown with her hair down. She looked like a princess, a gypsy princess.
“Nice to meet you King Moreau II,” she slowly replied while frozen she stared at him dead in the face.
“Please call me Blaine Jo.” He slowly let go of her hand but it seemed as he didn’t want to let go of her anytime soon.
“Jo you are a knock out in that dress.” I added to her embarrassment.
“Thank you both for your kind compliments my godfather had this sent to me all the way from Paris France. I wasn’t sure I’d fit in to it.”
“Really that’s from Paris well it looks as if it was made specifically for you.” Blaine expressed.
“Wow thank you for noticing.”
A man walked over to whisper in Blaine’s ear before disappearing again.
“Well as much as I hate leaving you beautiful women I was get this party started I’m told. Please excuse me. I hope I see you later, Jo.” Blaine smiled at Jo making his attraction to her obvious to us both.
Chapter 20
Sax
I had spent most of the day lying to myself that it didn’t hurt me making Pen leave me here in the hospital. It had to be done. She couldn’t continue to waste away here with me any longer.
“Holy shit I’m sorry I must have the wrong room I was looking for my friend Sax not a member of, The Sons of Anarchy.” Gio chuckled at his own joke.
“That is actually pretty funny bro because of my hairy face; Ha-ha I’ll give you that one.” He stood by my bedside while patting my shoulder.
“You know that I’m funny. Where’s Pen she hasn’t left this room since you got in here?”
“I know that’s why I sent her away. She’s at the coronation of King Moreau II like you should be. What are you doing here? You know that your dad is going be pissed if you miss that coronation.” I rolled my eyes at him.
“I’m going but I had to come and see you firs
t.”
“Are you going in that outfit or are you going to get dressed up right first?”
“I’ve got my suit in my car don’t bug me man I know what I’m doing, do you? What’s with the shitty attitude of yours bro?”
“I am tired of being in here. I am bored.” I lied to get him off my back.
“You could never lie to me before Sax so stop trying to lie to me now. You’re scared. You think that you can’t get out of here so you’re quitting. I can see what you are doing.”
“Oh are you a Teller now…can you see my future Gio? If not, stop making guesses like these doctors in here.”
“Since when did you become stubborn? I’m the stubborn one here.”
“Do you want to switch places? I bet not. So just let me handle my life the way I need to.”
“Fine…I will let you stew in your sad man soup if you want. It is time for me to go perform for my dad anyhow.”
The door opened and in walked my dad. Gio turned looking at him before turning back to me.
“Hello you two I don’t mean to interrupt but I need to talk with Saxon for a minute if you don’t mind Giovanni.” My dad announced.
I dreaded what he had to say to me but if it would get Gio off my back I was ok with it.
“Not a problem I was just leaving anyways.”
“Thank you, son, I will see you later on at the ceremony Gio.”
They hugged briefly before Gio turned to leave.
“I’m not done bugging you Sax. I will be back to get you out of this bed if I have to drag you out of it.”
“Ok have fun and make sure you brush your teeth your breath is smelly.” I teased him while he closed the door as he shook his head at me.
My dad walked over to my bedside with a worried look on his face while he silently stared out the window. I had never envied my younger self more than in that moment. My younger self would have no problem asking his father for help. I on the other hand would not ask him for anything.
He looked as tired as I felt. He must not have been sleeping well.
“Your mother is worried about you. Please call her and tell her something positive so that she’ll feel better.”
“Ok. Why do you look like I feel? Is there something going on at home I should know about?”
“No it’s this case that has me up at night thinking lately. I had Bakersfield station call me a few days ago to tell me that an agent from the FBI contacted them to ask for a copy of our case files on our two victims. So now not only do I have a serial killer to catch but I have the bureau hounding me. Do you have any idea what would happen if they decided to come here to investigate for themselves?”
“I’ll switch you places if you want.” I joked which made me smile a little. “I’d love to see what the king would do if suddenly his private gypsy town was crawling with FBI agents.”
“Right…that’s what I’m trying to avoid.” He laughed.
“Ok are you going to tell the real reason that you are here?”
“It’s that obvious huh?”
“Yes it’s very obvious.”
“I had a colleague of mine from the fire department examine the debris from the bait shop he said that there were trace amounts of explosives detected.”
“What are you trying to say…that someone tried to blow up the bait shop? But there wasn’t an explosion the old shack simply collapsed.”
“I wish that you were right about that. However, after the investigation they determined that the shack materials were sent flying in such extended pattern that it could have only been an explosion that caused the accident.”
Had my father been correct…but why would anyone do that on purpose.
“Do you have any reason to believe that someone wanted to hurt me?”
“No I don’t. But I don’t think that the accident was meant for you either.”
“Who was it meant for then?”
“I believe that someone meant to hurt Penelope, at least that’s who would have been there in the shack had you not of took her place.”
“There were a bunch of workers there as well they would have gotten hurt instead of her it seems like a foolish way to try to get to her. Why her anyhow?”
“I think it has something to do with her recent change in income.”
“But if they killed her they can’t get any money from her.”
“I know. I don’t have the motive worked through yet but I will figure it out.”
“Please do that…I don’t want to worry about Pen while I’m stuck in here useless to her.”
“I will take care of things. You take care of yourself. Let me worry about Penelope that’s my job.” He gives me that look of his. “You know I’d switch you places in a second Saxon if I could. I hate seeing you in here. Hospitals hold bad memories for me.”
“You and me both.”
We both referred to the time we spent in the hospital waiting for them to tell us that my brother, Tristan, had died at only seventeen years old, devastating my families’ lives forever.
“Where is your lovely friend, Penelope?”
“She took her lovely self to the ceremony. Hopefully, now that she has her name back and her curse lifted she can find someone worthy of her.”
“Excuse me but no one is more worthy of a woman’s love as you are Saxon. This isn’t like you what has gotten into you?”
“I don’t know. I am being honest.” I pushed the remote for the bed to incline.
“I have to go I’m already late.” He walked over to leave pausing to turn first. “I love you Saxon stop feeling sorry for yourself you’re still alive, remember that.” He slapped me with a huge helping of guilt before closing the door.
“Thanks for that dad.” I said aloud to myself.
My phone started ringing. Without looking I guessed that it was Pen but I didn’t want to answer. I was tired of lying to her about how I felt. I let the phone ring to voicemail. I was sure that she’d be right back here after the ceremony anyhow. She could yell at me later.
The sudden opening of my room door made me nearly leap out of my bed. A creepy eeriness came over me as Paul Richard darkened my doorway. He stood staring plainly at me before walking in closing the door behind him
“Hello Sax. I was here doing some work for my dad in the children’s wing. I almost didn’t recognize you.” He walked towards the end of my bed while looking out the window.
“Did you get lost or something the children’s wing is on the first floor, Paul?”
“Ha-ha, no I didn’t get lost I came to see you. Is that so hard to believe? I was best friends with your brother, Tristan and I spent many a night over at your families’ home of course I would naturally be concerned about you.” He stared down at me with a half smile.
He had been correct though, he had spent way too many nights in the safety of my families’ home once upon a time. He had not been the least bit friendly since my brother’s passing so his current presence had me on high alert.
“Well as you can see I’m alive.”
“Yes I can see that. I heard that you could have been out of here by now. What’s the holdup Sax?” He shrugged his shoulders.
Why did he know about my injuries had he paid for my information?
“Seriously you too…come on what is with everyone today? Did someone send you here to talk to me or something? Did my dad send you?”
“Nobody send me here I told you already I was here doing business. You have to admit that this isn’t at all like you. You’re not a quitter or at least you didn’t used to be one.”
“Ok…thanks for stopping by please close the door on your way out.” I snapped before rolling over onto my side avoiding his gaze.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you. Look can we just be real for a minute? I was being serious when I said that I’m concerned about you.”
I paused to think about his words as I always had done with all things that I didn’t understand. Had he really come out of con
cern? I couldn’t help but feel like he had another agenda. Maybe he had come to gloat, but why? I was small potatoes compared to the likes of Paul Richards whatever could he see in me to fear or envy?
“I thank you Paul for your concern.” I sat up looking at him. “Honestly, I really don’t how much to offer you. I don’t feel like talking not now anyway.”
“You know I remember when you used to play football with us back in the day and even back then you were always the one who was calm in a field filled with raging bulls.” He paused before walking over to the door causing my hopes of him leaving to rise. “Where does that kind of self control come from?”
“I really can’t say that I know what you are talking about. I was just like all of you on that field; raging, focused, and fucking ignorant to the world around me.” His words seemed to pick open old wounds I never knew I had. “I don’t think that everyone really knows what a person is capable of until they have experienced a day in that person’s skin.”
He stood staring at me silently for what seemed like forever. “That was deep shit Sax. That kind of talk is what I mean.” He cracked a small smile. “Well I won’t bother you any further.” He opened the door. “Hurry up and get better Sax. See you around I hope.”
“Later Paul.”
I wanted to hate him it would be so much easier to ignore him but his words brought out something in me that I hadn’t felt for the longest time. Rage. I felt rage and it was starting to consume me whole.
“Knock knock,” my mother entered my room without me noticing her at first. “Hello handsome son of mine.” She sighed before racing over to my bedside to kiss my forehead. “Have you seen your father anywhere?”
“He was just here. If you hurry he can catch him.”
“He was supposed to wait for me here. I wanted to see you before we went to the ceremony. Now I think that I lost track of him in the hospital somewhere.”
“Just call him.”
“I already did that several times it keeps going straight to voicemail which is full.” She growled. “Man sometimes I tell you I’m going to pack up and head to the Caymans on my own.” She winked at me with a straight face.
