The Sinister Silhouette

“Hey, munchkin. Come help Gamma pick some flowers for the table. These are looking a bit old.”

She holds her hand out for Aria to take. After stuffing the last bite of her biscuit in her mouth, she grabs Mom’s hand, hops down from the chair, and they both walk out the back door to the fenced-in backyard.

The minute the door is closed, Dad demands, “What’s wrong?”

I don’t look at him; my eyes are pinned on Theo as he watches me with tight lips and a frown.

“She’s awake,” I say bluntly.

He jumps from his chair, hitting the table with his thigh and jostling the dishes. “What?” he shouts.

“Who’s awake?” Dad asks, sounding confused and coming to his feet slower than Theo.

“Keep your voice down,” I growl at Theo.

“She can’t be awake.” His voice is quieter, but no less astonished.

“Will someone tell me what in the hell is going on?”

Dad’s irritated tone has me looking at him. He’s tall, not skinny, but not bulky either. In his late fifties, half his body covered in tattoos, full beard and mustache, he can be intimidating. As kids, he was our hero, the smartest man we knew, and scary as hell when he was riled up. Not that he ever lifted a hand to us, but he was strict, demanding the respect that was due to him and our mom, and never putting up with any bullshit from us kids.

I respect the hell out of him, and he and Mom have a right to know they have a daughter-in-law they’ve missed for seven years.

I bring my eyes back to Theo. “Either you tell him, or I will.”

His eyes narrow into slits, and for a minute I think he’s going to push my hand. Theo may be the fun-loving, carefree one of the family, but he’s also a little shit at times and can be just as stubborn as Ella.

Indignation darkens his eyes before he turns to Dad. “I’m married.” Dad sucks in a sharp breath, but before he can say anything, Theo continues. “I met her years ago, we fell in love, got married, and were going to leave town because of our different backgrounds. Before we could, she was attacked. She’s been in a coma ever since.”

“Wait,” Dad barks. “Slow the hell down, Theo. How in the fuck do your mother and I not know this?”

Shame flickers on his face before his jaw tightens. “We were going to tell you all before we left. You know how things are around here, Dad. I didn’t want Jules part of that. I didn’t want that staining her life.”

“So, just fuck your family? What in the hell do you think that would have done to your mom?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to give her everything she deserved if we stayed here.” Theo says quietly. He turns to me, his eyes turning wary. “She’s really awake?”

I jerk my head in an affirmative.

“Did she… uh…,” he starts nervously, looking fearful all of a sudden. “Did she say anything?”

“Yes.”

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “What’d she say?”

“No.” He takes a step back, jumping when he hits the chair behind him. I take a step forward. “When she saw me, she screamed no over and over again. She was fucking scared out of her mind. Tell me, Theo.” I move closer to him and tilt my head as he moves back another step. “If she has no idea who I am, she had to have thought I was you. Why in the hell was she scared of a face that you and I share?”

He stops, and the scared look on his face morphs into something sinister. Lines appear beside his eyes as he glowers at me. His lips form a firm line and the pulse in his temple throbs. His anger stops me short, surprised at the sudden change.

“She does know you,” he says menacingly.

I rock back on my heel. “What?”

It’s now him who’s coming toward me. “It was you.” He spews the last word.

“Make fucking sense, Theo,” I grind out.

His lip curls with a sneer.