Dare To Love Again

The sound of her hand landing open palm across Dana’s face was loud in the hallway, and she looked just as surprised by the attack as I was. “That’s for my son who you robbed of a whole year of his father’s love. If you come near my family again, I’ll bury you somewhere they’d never find you.” She looked at mom, who gave her a pleased nod and a smile before holding her hand out.

“Come along, daughter dear, we have a vow renewal ceremony to plan. I think the garden would be perfect, and we’d better get on it right away before my granddaughter gets here. Please let this one be a girl; otherwise, we two Addison women will be outnumbered.”

From the look on Dana’s face at the words, I’m sure mom deliberately said loud enough for her to hear; there wasn’t much worse I could do to her. When she looked at me, I felt just a little bit sad for the girl I used to know, until my eyes fell on Ann, the woman she’d clasped hands with to destroy my family. “I’ll do you one last favor for old time’s sake. You should leave town before those two come up with ways to run you out of here.”

I’m pretty sure that that would be mom’s next move. The truth is I was doing this more for my wife and mother than her. While I was busy making calls in the car, those two had had their heads together, and though I’d only caught bits and pieces of their conversation, it was enough to warn me that no good could come from that alliance.

Not sure I should let my wife hang around mom too much. They were close before, but this time around, they seem to have forged some kind of bond that transcends what they once shared. As much as I don’t give a shit about Dana, I don’t want either of the women I’m responsible for getting their hands dirty on her.

I spared one glance for Ann, who should be thinking of the shit storm that’s about to fall on her head instead of being here fighting a losing battle. My call in the car was to Silas, who was even now editing the recording from Giselle’s apartment to pass on to the cops.

I’m not sure if Ann was too far-gone to realize that she’d admitted to killing her husband or if she really believed that I’d hide that shit to spare my family name. Whatever the case, she’s in for a rude awakening. I’d told Silas to put a rush on the recording and send it over to his guy on the force. Now it was time to go introduce my wife to her dad’s old friends and hope that it isn’t too much after the morning she’d had.* * *GISELLE* * *I’m so hyped up I can barely sit still. I know had Rebecca not been here, I wouldn’t have been able to do half the things I’ve done in the last coupled of hours… “Wait, I just remembered. Did I hear your right? Did you say that we’re still married? How can that be? I signed the papers and left them.” Just saying the words brought back the pain of that day, and when Calen pulled me in so he could kiss my forehead, I almost broke into tears.

Rebecca had gone back to her own car and was headed back home while Calen and I were going to what was once my childhood home. “I never signed them.” I pulled back to read his expression, but my mind was too hazy, and my eyes too cloudy to see. Those words carried such meaning that I couldn’t find my own voice. Knowing the kind of man, he is I can only imagine his reasons for not signing.

“Why?” My voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

“Because I told you when I asked you to be my wife that it was forever. Have you ever known me to lie?” I ugly cried and buried my face in his chest, begging his forgiveness over and over. Why couldn’t I have been as brave two years ago as I was today? Why did I let my stupid fear rob me, rob us of our life together?

And now, knowing all that the monster had done, I feel even more upset with myself for letting her win. I said as much to Calen, who stopped me from my self-flagellation. “She didn’t win anything; she just postponed the inevitable. We still have the rest of our lives together while those two have nothing but misery and heartache ahead.”

“What’s going to happen to them now?”

“Nothing for you to worry about.”

“She’s right, you know, something like this might be bad for your business. It’s one of the reasons she was able to convince me to walk away.”