A Night To Remember
Jan. 1st, 2013 08:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lynnlee22This is one of my crossover fics that I'm really proud of. It includes characters from OLTL, GL, and a few of my original creations thrown in for good measure. It is very much a WIP.
A Night To Remember
Chapter 1
Gwen Vint sighed as she smoothed the tape down over the corner of the cardboard box. She struggled to lift it, placing it on top of the stack of larger boxes that sat in the corner—waiting. As she looked around at the room, it was hard to believe how full it had once been. This was the room where they had spent most of their time. This was the room where she and Peter had spent many nights watching movies and talking, long before Ashlyn was born. This was the room Ashlyn rushed into every Christmas, her eyes wide with anticipation, her mind spinning with thoughts of what Santa had brought. This was the room she’d been in when she got the call from the doctor’s office….both of them.
The first had been nearly eight years ago. She’d gone in for blood work, convinced the anemia that had plagued her for most of her adult life was back and instead found out that she and Peter were expecting. The second call was two years ago—almost two the day. Not much was said on the phone. She knew what that meant, and after that day, nothing else was the same.
~
“I’m sorry,” she said, her hands trembling as she reached up to wipe the tears from her face. She turned her back to him as he moved to embrace her.
“Kel,” Joey said, softly, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. “
She turned, her face stained with tears. “I just hate disappointing you over and over again. I know how much you want this. I know how much you want a family.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth and started to protest. “Don’t even bother saying that it’s not important because I know that it is.”
“Not as important as this,” he insisted, taking her hands in his and bringing them to his lips. He placed gentle kisses across her fingers. “You are the most important thing in the world to me….all the rest…it’s a distant second.”
Kelly sighed, her eyes falling over to the box in the trash can. Another negative pregnancy test could now be added to the collection. “I just wish I knew what was wrong,” she sighed.
“You heard the doctor.” Joey ran his fingers through her hair as he looked at her. He hated seeing her do this to herself every month. Yes, he wanted a family, but not at the expense of Kelly’s happiness, and certainly not at the expense of his marriage. “They couldn’t find any physical reason we can’t have a baby.”
“I know,” she groaned, leaning her head back as she leaned against the bathroom counter. “What the hell good does that do us?”
Leaning in, he kissed her lips, smiling slightly. “You could look at it as good news, you know.”
She closed her eyes, sighing again. “I know,” she opened her eyes, smiling a little, if for no other reason than to pacify him, “I’m sorry. It is good news. It is….I just wish…If it were something physical…they could fix it. Now…I mean…this way….”
“This way..it means we just need some time…some uninterrupted, stress-free time alone.” He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a brochure. “I have just the place,” he smiled.
~
“Ok,” Hart smiled, as he loudly recounted, “I’ve got the luggage, and the map, and the snacks. The car is filled with gas. It just seems like I’m forgetting something.”
“You forgot me,” Lilly yelled out, running up behind him and tapping him just above the knees. “I get to go too.”
Hart leaned down with a smile, scooping her up as Dinah smiled in the passenger seat. “Of course you do.” He leaned in, kissing her quickly on the cheek as he strapped her into the car seat. “You are the best backseat driver a guy could have and you have to help me make sure Mommy doesn’t put all that yucky music on the radio.”
“If Barry Manilow sings one note while I’m in this car, someone will be hurt,” Dinah muttered from her seat. She glanced back at Lily. “Only happy songs, right Lil?”
“Right!” Lily smiled.
Hart climbed into the driver’s seat, grasping Dinah’s hand and squeezing it tightly for a moment. It was about time they had a happy trip. After the year they’d had, it was about time something…anything…went right for them. It had started off innocently enough, he thought. The guy seemed to be was young, able bodied, and looking for work—any kind of work even the kind of work you did on a farm. That kind of work ethic wasn’t easy to find. When he’d hired Jake Skinner, he thought he thought of it as paying it forward. He was giving the guy the second chance that some people in town had given him.
Thinking back, he wished he’d never laid eyes on the guy. As he glanced over at his wife, he could still see the scar on the side of her neck. Scratch that, he thought, Jake Skinner better be the one wishing.
Chapter 2
“Damn!” Jake Skinner slammed his hands on the steering wheel, cursing again under his breath. Of all the cars to steal, he had the bad luck to steal a piece of junk. He stepped outside, turning around slowly searching for something, a street sign, a billboard…something…anything that might give him a clue as to where he could go. Nothing. Taking the back roads had seemed like a good idea at the time. After all, if the police were looking for a stolen car, the chances of them finding you in the middle of nowhere were slim. But, he realized, slumping back into the driver’s seat, when you’ve got no one to call for help, the middle of nowhere is the loneliest place in the world.
~
“So, what do you think?” Joey asked, his voice hesitant but hopeful. The past year and a half had been hard on him, but he knew it had been even more difficult for Kelly. Every month, it seemed as if another small piece of her heart broke and it killed him to see her in pain. Over and over he assured her that he didn’t blame her for this—that she shouldn’t blame herself, but he could see in her eyes that she only heard his words…she didn’t believe them.
Kelly looked up at him, the disappointment still evident on her face. “I don’t know, Joey,” she sighed. “I don’t know if I’d be good company right now. Maybe if we just waited a little while…maybe after they do that next round of tests.”
“I don’t care about the tests!” He ran his hand over his face, a conscious effort to calm himself. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, taking her hand. “I just…..I don’t want this to consume us, baby. I don’t want our marriage to be about having a child.”
He turned his back, walking into the bedroom. There were days, lately a lot of them, where he wondered if trying to have a baby would be their undoing…if the doubt and the questions would cost him his wife. Was it worth it? Was having a baby worth all the pain it was causing Kelly…all the stress it was causing both of them?
The gentle touch of her fingertips on his shoulders made him turn towards her again.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Kel…that’s just it. I don’t want you to feel like you have anything to apologize for. This isn’t about blame here. Neither of us has done anything wrong.” She averted her eyes as he spoke, a sure sign that his words weren’t getting through.
“I married you. I love you. I want a life with you.” Grabbing her chin, he slowly moved her face towards his again. “Yes, I would love to have a child with you, but if we can’t…that doesn’t change the fact that I got the life I’ve dreamed of.” He stopped, reaching over to the bedside table and picking up a framed photograph.
“You see these people?” He held the picture, a snapshot of the two of them from nearly three years ago. They stood in front of a fountain, the same one they’d jumped into all those years ago. “Do you remember this?”
Kelly smiled, nodding her head as she wiped away the tears. “Of course I do,” she whispered.
“We were so happy. We had just gotten married and I didn’t think I could love you any more than I did at that moment, but I was wrong. I love you more now than I did then, and every day, I love you even more.”
“When do we leave?” she smiled, relaxing into his arms as he wrapped himself around her.
~
“Stupid Shriners,” Dinah muttered, flipping through the pamphlets that lay across her lap.
Hart smiled, reaching over to nudge her shoulder playfully. “Aw, come on baby, don’t hate on the Shriners. They’ve never done anything to you.”
“Well they have now,” she huffed playfully. “It’s their fault we’re going to end up staying in some roach motel fit for a remake of Psycho.” She narrowed her eyes as he laughed. “I’m glad you find this so amusing. We are in the middle of nowhere, you know?”
“Oh, relax,” he smiled, glancing back in the rearview mirror, relieved to see Lily still sleeping in her seat. “At least your dramatic little cohort is taking a siesta.”
Dinah turned. The sight of her daughter sleeping peacefully couldn’t help but provoke a smile. “She’s so excited. I’m surprised she fell asleep at all.”
“You and me both.” Glancing over at the pamphlets, he craned forward to read the sign. “Pygate Lane. You see anything in there about that?”
“No. I think it’s safe to say we’re off the map. Besides, I’ve been spending most of my time watching the woods for cult gatherings. I haven’t seen a single house for miles, but there are some power lines up ahead, so something has to be up there.”
“Well,” Hart slowly pressed on the gas as he turned the car onto the bumpy dirt road. “Guess we’ll find out what it is.”
~
“I can’t, Peter. I just can’t.” Gwen stood in the doorway as she looked around the room. Nothing had been moved. The bed was still made, her coat still lay draped on the back of her desk chair, the book she’d been reading still sat on her desk the page she’d stopped on turned down.
“Gwen,” Peter sighed, stepping into the room. “It’s been almost two years. I know it’s hard, but you can’t keep doing this. It’s not healthy.”
“It helps me. It makes me feel close to her,” she insisted, taking a seat on the bed. “I come in here and it’s like I can feel her with me….like she’s not so far away.”
Taking a seat beside her, he cautiously reached out for her hand. “The movers will be here in four days, Gwen. If you want to keep some things, that’s fine. We can box up a few things and then send the rest to Goodwill.”
“You want to give her stuff away?” The thought of sending her daughter’s things to someone else was too much to comprehend. How could someone else wear that coat? Ashlyn had picked it out. The blue inner lining matched the blue of her eyes perfectly. It was hers…it couldn’t belong to anyone else. The books on the shelf had all been her favorites. Some she’d read over and over again…some Gwen had read to her night after night as she’d fallen asleep.
“Gwen, I don’t know. What…would you rather throw it away?” He didn’t know what to say. Ashlyn’s death had taken a toll on their marriage, more so than he even realized. Gwen was distant, depressed, and sometimes almost frighteningly detached from reality.
“I’d rather you leave me the hell alone and let me deal with this my own way!” she spat, the tears falling from her eyes as her anger finally got the better of her.
“I’ve tried that!” He stood up, flinging his hand in the air in frustration. “You haven’t done anything. You refuse to see the therapist. You refuse to take any medication. You completely shut me out.”
Gwen stared at him as he spoke. They’d had the same argument many times and now the words were so common, they no longer phased her. It was until recently, when Peter had told her had bad their financial situation was that she really began to feel out of control. The cancer was aggressive. Four months—that’s all the time they’d had to try and save their daughter, and even though the time was short, the bills had been extensive.
Peter had always been successful, but the medical bills, coupled with the time he’d taken off during Ashlyn’s illness and the economic downturn had sent him into a tailspin. They were losing their home…the only home their daughter knew, and she felt as if she was losing what was left of her daughter.
“Gwen,” Peter repeated, his voice more stern that it had been previously. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Yes, Peter. I hear you. I always hear you. You always say the same damn thing over and over again. I need to move on. I need to get help. I need to talk to someone.”
Peter sighed. “Talk to me, Gwen. Please…I miss her too.”
“Right,” she sighed. “You missed her so much that you missed three whole days of work after her funeral.”
“Dammit, Gwen! We had just lost our daughter. I didn’t want us to lose everything. How many times are you going to throw that in my face?”
“I don’t know, Peter.” She stood up and left the room.
He sighed heavily, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out his phone.
“Yeah, Susan, it’s Peter. No..No…Gwen’s ok. I just…I need a favor. I’m going to take Gwen out of town for a few days and I was wondering if you might come over and box up the things in Ashlyn’s room.”
He ran his hand over the back of his neck. Nausea flooded his body as he anticipated the rage that would follow when Gwen found out, but he knew it had to be done.
“Tomorrow morning. We’re pulling out around ten,” he said, the typical excitement of the day before a vacation noticeably absent from his voice. “Right…anytime after that. No, she doesn’t know. I think it’s better that way. Just box up everything and she can go through it. Right…Thanks, Susan.”
Peter closed the phone and stood, looking around the room. He swallowed hard, forcing the lump in his throat to subside. He hadn’t cried…not since the day of the funeral--fearing that if he started, he’d never stop.
Chapter 3
Hart tapped on the passenger side window, chuckling slightly as he saw Dinah jump.
Clutching her chest, she rolled down the window, “I’m so glad you’re enjoying his…really I am.” Glancing down at the key in his hand, she frowned slightly. “You can’t be serious?”
“It’s fine, honey. I just talked to the owner. She seems perfectly nice. It’s a family-owned bed and breakfast and we’ll only be here overnight. Tomorrow we’re back on the road.” He slowly opened the door, and helped her step out the car.
She wasn’t convinced. He could see it in her eyes, and he couldn’t blame her. After the year she’d had, he was surprised she trusted anyone or anything—least of all him. If it hadn’t been for his trusting nature, Jake Skinner would have never been a part of their lives. Even though she swore she didn’t blame him, he sure as hell blamed himself.
“Hey,” he whispered softly, touching her shoulder. “If you really don’t want to stay here, we’ll just keep driving. We can find somewhere else.”
Shaking her head, she forced a smile. “It’s fine. I’m sure it’s fine. I trust you.” She looked at him, taking his hand in hers. “I always trust you.”
He kissed her softly and carefully opened the back door. “Let’s get her inside. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
~
“And you’re sure you’re good with this, right?” Joey glanced back at Kelly, grunting slightly as he threw the last of the bags into the trunk. Glancing at the stack wearily, he said a silent prayer as he lowered the hood. Cramming all of Kelly’s luggage into one trunk and getting the hood to close, would be a true miracle.
“I think it sounds perfect,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist as she walked up behind him. “A little rest and relaxation is just what we need. No plans, no agendas, no interruptions….it’s perfect.”
“It does sound nice, but you’re sure you wouldn’t rather go somewhere more…I don’t know…fancy?”
“I don’t care where we go as long as we’re together,” she smiled. “And besides, the bed and breakfast looks great. We’ll be able to work on our little project.”
Joey stilled, sighing slightly. “Right.” He reached down, grabbing her hand. “But, remember…this trip isn’t about that…this trip is about us.”
“I know,” she smiled as she climbed into the car. “Just about us…”
~
“So you’re not even going to talk to me now?” Peter sighed as he glanced down at the GPS. The last thing he needed is to get lost.
“What do you want me to say?” Gwen snapped, still looking out the window. She hadn’t wanted to go out to breakfast, and she’d only agreed to shut Peter up. When she realized they were clearly on a much longer trip, she’d been so angry she didn’t even know what to say…so she’d said nothing…for nearly three hours.
“I want you to talk to me, Gwen. For God’s sake, can’t you see that I did this for us?!”
“You did this for us? You honestly expect me to believe that?” She turned to face him then. The tears in her eyes were a mix of anger and pain. The two emotions had been fighting for control within her for so long that she wasn’t even sure she knew how to distinguish between them anymore. “You did this for you. This is what you wanted. This is what you needed.”
“You don’t have a clue what I need anymore, Gwen.” For months after Ashlyn died, he’d been so angry. He’d wanted answers…answers that he never got. Answers he knew he’d never get. The anger eventually turned to sadness. He was sad that Ashlyn was gone. He was sad that all the dreams they had for her would never come to be, but most of all, he was sad that after losing his daughter, he’d also lost his wife….a wife that was right beside him, but so far away that he couldn’t reach her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped. “You want me to feel sorry for you now?”
“It isn’t about feeling sorry for me, Gwen. You’re my wife. We lost our daughter. We’re supposed to support each other….and you’re spent the majority of this last year trying to prove that you miss her more.”
“You know what…it’s better that we don’t talk.” Gwen turned back towards the window. She watched man working on a car, pulled off the side of the road. Everyone else just moves on, she thought with a sigh.
~
“They weren’t kidding when they said they’d send someone right over,” Susan Crosby responded, hurriedly gathering a stack of papers and pushing them towards him. “I’m really sorry to just throw this all on you and walk out, but the school called and my kids are sick and there’s no one else to watch the place. That’s the downside to a family business you know. They said you’d had hotel management experience before?”
Jake Skinner blinked. He only needed the phone, and this woman was handing him the keys and the ledger. “Uh, yeah,” he smiled, reaching out and taking the keys.
“We’ve got a family in room 6 and two other couples coming in later tonight. The kitchen stays open til midnight and the common room closes at 2 am. Make sure you lock up before you turn in for the night. Room 1 is always vacant. You can stay there tonight. Linens are fresh in all the rooms.” Susan took a deep breath, glancing around the room. “Can you think of anything else you need?”
“What do I need to do when the others show up?” he asked quietly, desperately hoping he didn’t betray his total lack of understanding.
“Just give them their keys. We’ve got staff copies in the brown box on the bottom shelf. Everything is all set. The kitchen will prepare any items to order, so the only thing you should really have to handle is any issues with the rooms. I’ve double checked everything, so you don’t have anything to worry about. Just man the phones, and keep the place open. Everyone that is showing up has already paid, so you don’t even have to deal with any of that. I should be back tomorrow….next day tops. My cell number is in the drawer if you have any questions.”
Jake nodded, grateful he didn’t have to speak.
“Thank you so much, Susan breathed. “You’re a lifesaver.”
Jake breathed out, watching her go. Maybe his life was finally turning around.
Chapter 4
Silence. As a kid, whenever it his father was quiet, it always meant trouble. Usually it meant he was about three drinks in and the worst was yet to come. Ever since those days, Jake Skinner had never been much for silence. As he glanced around the small room, he wondered about the families that must visit a place like this. Mothers and fathers with their perfect children, couples with their perfect marriages, groups of single women who thought they were better than everyone else…especially him.
Sure, this place was outdated and yes, it could use some work, but it reeked of pretentiousness, and it was just the kind of place Jake Skinner hated. It was just the kind of place that he wouldn’t be allowed to step foot in, and yet here he was, he smiled to himself, clutching the ring of keys in his hand. He was in charge of the whole place.
“Time to take inventory,” he whispered, as he headed up the stairs.
~
“Do you want anything?” Peter asked, turning back to look at Gwen after he’d stepped out of the car.
She glared at him, her eyes shining.
He couldn’t tell if she had been crying or if it was merely the reflection of the sun and he didn’t dare ask.
“No,” she snapped, turning her back to him quickly and resuming her position staring out the passenger side window.
He sighed. No matter what he said or what he did, it was never the right thing and honestly, he was growing pretty tired of trying. “This may be the last station for a while. It’s the last spot on the map that I see, so if you need to get out and…”
“Just go pay the man, Peter.” She winced as she heard the door slam. Squeezing her eyes closed tightly, she took a stilted breath. Hearing him talk about trivial things, knowing that he could function….that he could carry on—it infuriated her. How could he go on? How could he live a life…a life that made any sense at all? How could he do anything now—without her, without their baby girl? Sometimes she thought the grief would simply swallow her whole, and other times she wished it would.
~
The sun was beginning to set now. Joey squinted against the rays that shown in through the window as he marveled at the streaks of pinks and oranges that seemed to paint the endless sky in front of them.
“Hey, Kel,” he turned, “Look at how,” he stopped then, realizing why she’d been so quiet for the last few minutes. Her eyes were closed, her head cradled in the curve of the seatbelt. He smiled. It was nice to see her so relaxed—so carefree.
Pulling down the sun visor, he leaned back slightly in the seat. He and Kelly hadn’t been lucky in love. They’d both fought hard to get where they were, and where they were was happy…really happy—together.
Their wedding had been small—intimate even. It’s what Kelly wanted, and even though Joey was surprised, assuming that Dorian would have talked her into a Cramer event, he would have done anything in the world to please her. She assured him that all she wanted, all she’d ever wanted was him.
They’d written their own vows, and even now, after three years of marriages, he still remembered exactly what she’d said.
“Joey, You’ve made me the happiest woman in the world and that’s what I want for you. I promise to do everything I can to make sure that you are always totally and completely happy.”
At the time, her words had made his eyes well with tears, but now, looking over at her as she slept, he wondered if she thought she had failed. He wondered if she thought not having a baby would keep him from being totally happy. And, in his heart, he wondered if it would too.
~
Room 6. Jake Skinner ran his fingers over the raised number on the door. This was the occupied room that Susan Crosby had mentioned—the room with the family inside. He had no real interest in disturbing them. After all, the bad things he’d done in his past had mainly been out of desperation. He didn’t relish hurting anyone…certainly not a child. He’d been a child—a child that had been hurt, and God knows he saw how that turned out.
He stood for a moment, staring at the door. Should he knock, introduce himself, explain the situation…at least that way if they came down later, they wouldn’t take him by surprise. This way the introductions would be on his terms. That was good, he realized, shaking his head.
Raising his hand, he quickly knocked on the door, listening carefully for movement inside.
~
Dinah Jessup stopped still, staring at the door. “Hart?” she called, already feeling her heart beating faster. “Hart, honey. There’s someone at the door.”
Hart stuck his head out from behind the shower curtain. “Just answer it sweetie. It’s probably the owner. She said she’d bring up some extra towels so that if we’d have them if we decided to take Lily down by the lake tonight.”
“I…” She hated this—the fear that plagued her. All the therapy in the world couldn’t change the fact that she still didn’t feel safe. The medication hadn’t worked either. It was simple—she was broken…and nothing could fix her. Nothing except finding Jake Skinner and making him pay.
“Sweetie?” Hart called out to her as he heard another knock at the door. “Are you gonna answer it?” He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the cool tile. It wasn’t anger. He couldn’t be angry with her…not after everything she’d gone through. It was more frustration. She was terrified—of a doorbell, of a package, of a stranger speaking to Lily in the park, of everything…..and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to help her.
“I’ll get it,” she managed, taking hesitant steps towards the door.
“Just take a deep breath,” Hart called out from the shower. “Remember what the doctor said…”
She touched the handle of the door, pulling it back so that the chain latch was taut. “Yes?” she said, her voice shaking.
“Yeah, I’m uh, sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to let you know that the owner had to go out for the evening. I’m….” Jake stopped for a moment. A name. He cursed himself silently. I’m…. “James,” he looked down at the keys in his hands, “Key…James Key,” he said quickly. “I’m filling in for her this evening. Just wanted to let you folks know and see if you needed anything.”
“Hey,” Hart stepped behind her, touching her shoulder and she jumped, turning into his arms. “We’re fine, thank you,” he said.
“Great, just let me know if…” Jake stopped as he saw the door close. “Just like I thought,” he muttered. “Pompous assholes.”
Hart turned, looking back at Dinah whose face was ashen. Taking her shaking hands in his, he led her over to the small sofa in the corner of the room, glancing back briefly at a still sleeping Lily. “Hey, sweetie…what is it? What’s wrong?”
Dinah swallowed hard. She’d listened to everything the doctor said and she’d tried…she’d really, really tried, but she wasn’t crazy. She knew what she heard. “It was him,” she whispered, her throat thick with fear.
“What are you talking about?” Hart whispered, softly pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “What was him?”
“That man….That man that just came to the door. That voice…I know that voice.”
“Baby…” As he gathered her in his arms, he could feel her body shaking against him. He would give anything to take this away from her, but he felt so helpless…so damned helpless.
She pulled away. “I’m serious, Hart!” She lowered her voice as she saw Lily stir. “I would know that voice anywhere. That was Jake Skinner. He’s here.”
Chapter 5
“Who do we sue?” Kelly hissed, only half kidding as she lifted her suitcase off the floor and placed it on the small sofa. “False advertisement wouldn’t even begin to describe this.”
Joey grinned. True, this was a far cry from what he’d expected, but it wasn’t horrible and he’d already made some calls about alternative arrangements. They’d stay her for a night or two and then they’d be on their way. “It’s not that bad,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. “It’s got a king size bed and a fireplace and that guy at the desk mentioned something about a lake out back.” He craned his neck to look at her face, curious if any of her words were making an impression.
“Sweetie, does the word parasite mean anything to you?”
Joey laughed, pulling his arms tighter around her. “Look, we’ll be here for tonight, two tops and then we’re off to somewhere much, much better….I promise.”
Kelly turned, her eyebrows raised in interest, “Really? Like what?”
“I’m thinking more luxury and less lodge….what about you?” He leaned in, kissing her gently.
“Now you’re talking,” she smiled.
~
“No way,” Peter looked down at the GPS and then back down at the brochure. “No way in hell.” Glancing over at Grace, he leaned his head back against the seat. For a moment, he was thankful they weren’t speaking, because he didn’t even want to imagine what she’d say.
The house on the brochure was the same beautiful building, complete with white gables and quaint detail work, but it had clearly been taken some years ago—before the great flood…and perhaps a few cyclones. The house in front of him had chipped paint and a sagging roof covered with leaves and debris. The charming cobblestone path was now a recipe for disaster, or at the very least, a broken ankle and the landscaped garden was nothing more than a few overgrown bushes.
Sighing deeply, he reached over, touching Gwen’s shoulder. “We’re here,” he said quietly. He watched her as her eyes roved over the scene. Saying nothing, she opened her door, grabbed her bag, and began her walk down the path.
Peter sat still for a moment, his hands still resting on the wheel. He almost chuckled as an insane thought flew through his mind. He could leave. He could start the car, back up, and leave her here. He could go anywhere, get another job, try to put the pieces of his life back together. He deserved that, didn’t he?
He might have considered it more seriously had he not glanced up to see Gwen standing at the door of the lobby. Her eyes peered through the glass, and though she said nothing, and made no move towards him, he knew….she was waiting for him—and somehow, the simple act of being needed in that moment, was enough.
~
Hart stared at the large dark spot on the ceiling. It must be a small leak, he thought to himself, but one good rainstorm could bring the whole thing down. Dinah took a deep breath, and he turned his head to look at her, thankful she had finally drifted off to sleep. Tonight hadn’t been bad, at least not in relative terms, not compared to some nights.
Dr. Farina, the therapist that they’d gone to together, had warned him not to expect too much too fast, but Hart had never imagined they’d still be dealing with these issues nearly a year after the fact.
“I just want to help her. I’ll do anything in the world to help her. Please just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I swear.” He hated feeling helpless. Dinah had trusted him. She had trusted him to keep her safe, to keep their family safe, and he had let her down. He had to fix it…he had to make up for it somehow.
Dr. Farina shook her head. “I wish I could tell you that there was one thing that would fix this, Mr. Jessup, but the truth is, nothing will ever fix Dinah. The truth is Dinah may never be the person she was before this happened. The life you had together has been altered forever and as difficult as that may be to accept, the sooner you come to accept it, the easier it will be for her to accept it.”
Hart nodded. “Look, I understand she’s got to get through this…I know she’s still dealing with a lot.. I just..” He stopped, feeling his throat tighten, as his mind snapped back to the moment he’d walked into the farmhouse. “I just don’t want her to be so afraid all the time. She always looking over her shoulder. She’s terrified.”
“And that’s not going to go away,” Dr. Farina softly responded. “There are things that happened that day that I don’t even believe Dinah has dealt with yet. In fact, I believe there are things that happened that I may not even know about, perhaps even things that she herself has not allowed herself to recall.”
The silence settled over the room for a moment as Hart processed her words. “So, wait…you’re saying, you think something else happened.” His mind raced with thoughts as he struggled to maintain his composure. “Like what? To who? To Lily? Do you think he did something to Lily?” He jumped to his feet, his face burning in renewed anger.
Dr Farina put her hand out, touching his arm softly, and firmly leading him back to the chair. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m simply suggesting that I think you’re expecting far too much far too soon. Dinah is nowhere near ready to get on with her life, and until she is, you’re going to have to learn to meet her where she is.”
Hart sighed and pulled the covers higher over them. She looked so peaceful asleep curled up next to him. It was hard to imagine that less than an hour ago, she’d been shaking and sobbing in his arms. All in the world he wanted was for her to get better and yet he understood, perhaps better than anyone else, why she couldn’t. He remembered every moment of that day….just as she did, although he knew that day was so much worse for her. The ringing of his cell phone, the hollow voice on the other end, the muffled screams, he could still hear them.
If it was like this for him, how would she ever get through this?
~
Jake Skinner sat at the desk. “All snug in their beds,” he whispered out loud, flashing for a brief moment to one of the few pleasant childhood memories he had. His mother had read those words to him on Christmas Eve a few times. That was before things got bad…before she got sick…before she died.
He stood, pacing up and down the hardwood floor. He’d already checked the cash box. Sixty-two dollars wasn’t going to get him very far. Who knew a place like this would take credit cards? Jake sighed. What was he going to do now? He was desperate and desperation made him do bad things…things he didn’t want to do. Just like before.
When he started his work on the Jessup farm, he’d really liked it there. Hart seemed to be a nice guy and he treated him like a person, which was more than he could say for most folks that hired help. Sure the work was hard, but he didn’t mind hard work. He never had. The pay was good and, when Jake explained that he was going through a rough patch, Hart had agreed to a room and meals. That’s when the trouble started.
He didn’t take the damn bracelet. He was just looking at it. She had taken it off and left it beside the sink after she’d finished washing the coffee pot out. Apparently this was the kind of jewelry that you didn’t get wet. When she’d come in and found him with it, he’d handed it right back. No big deal. It wasn’t until later, when Mr. Jessup came to tell him that the job just wasn’t going to work out that he knew….he knew what kind of person she was. He hated people like that. People who thought they were better than him. He needed that job. He wasn’t like her, with a trust fund, and rich husband. She’d lived a charmed life. She had no idea what it was like to be him…no idea what it was like to work for every little thing you had. People like that didn’t deserve the life they had. People like that had to pay.
Chapter 6
“Lower,” she groaned squirming towards him as she pulled her nightgown up higher. “Yeah…right there,” she sighed, relaxing against the pillows.
Joey smiled, leaning closer to her ear. “Better?”
“Much,” Kelly smiled, allowing her nightgown to fall down over her back.
“Good…My turn,” he smiled, pulling his t-shirt off quickly and turning his back towards her. “There’s about three in a row in the middle of my back. Scratch woman.”
Scrubbing her own back against the headboard of the bed, she surveyed the backs on his muscular back. “The brochure didn’t say anything about this,” she whined.
“Mosquitoes near a lake aren’t exactly front page news, sweetie,” he smiled.
“Maybe not,” she scoffed, “but these genetically-engineered, Godzilla versions should be.”
Turning over to face her, he couldn’t help but smile. Kelly had never been fond of the outdoors and getting her to agree to a walk by the lake had been like pulling teeth. After tonight, he had to admit he kind of wished they’d stayed inside and had dinner. Instead, they went outside and became dinner.
“You know what you need?” he smiled. “A distraction.” Pulling her closer to him, he carefully pushed the strap of her nightgown off her shoulder. Tonight was about them.
~
“They said the kitchen was still open.” Peter held the door open, allowing Gwen to enter ahead of him. “You want to go grab a bite to eat?”
“You go ahead.” Gwen allowed her eyes to take in the room around her. The décor was plain, but she was grateful that the interior appeared to have been better maintained than the outside.
“You sure?” He knew better. If the past had taught him anything, it was not to push—to leave well enough alone. If she said no once, she wasn’t going to change her mind…but for whatever reason, he still had to try. He still cared. He still loved her, even though it would be a hell of a lot easier to stop.
“I said you go,” she snapped, her eyes softening a bit as she looked up at him. She had so much anger inside her. Logically, she knew being angry with Peter didn’t accomplish anything. In fact, he was the one person that could even begin to understand what she was going through. She just couldn’t let him in. If she even considered it, even allowed the anger to melt away for a second, she would hear his voice, ‘Let her go, Gwen. She’s gone’. The rage would well up again.
The door slammed and she looked up. They used to argue for hours when she’d refuse to go out, but lately he seemed resigned, or tired—she wasn’t sure which. No matter, she thought, reaching down into her purse and pulling out the picture of her daughter—the one she always carried.
“Soon, baby,” she whispered. “Mommy will be with you soon.”
~
“Just a second,” she called, rushing towards the door, her arms filled the still-warm laundry. Peering through the curtains, she saw his face.
“Mr. Skinner,” she whispered, her throat immediately tensing, her mouth going dry. Hart was supposed to take care of this. He’d promised her he would. Why was he here? What did he want?
“I’m sorry, Hart isn’t here right now.” She spoke loudly, hoping he could hear her through the window pane.
She didn’t even want to open the door, he realized, the anger now building inside of him with an even greater intensity. What was she afraid of him? What had he ever done to her? Nothing. Who the hell did she think she was?
“I’m sorry, but it’s real important. One of the gas lines outside is leaking and Mr. Jessup isn’t answering his phones. I’m afraid it might cause a fire if he doesn’t get it taken care of and since I’m not working here anymore…” He allowed his voice to trail off, waiting for her to consider the idea. Her beloved husband’s precious farm going up in smoke…all because she was too afraid to let the big, bad farm hand inside for a minute? Nah….she wouldn’t take a chance like that.
She hesitated for a moment, then took a step back. He’d call Hart’s office at Lewis. He’d be here in a few minutes and it was an emergency, after all. She opened the door, stepping back. “Come in,” she said quietly, clearing her throat as she heard the quiver in her own voice.
“Thanks,” Jake smiled, “Sorry to bother you. I just want to get this taken care of…you know, before anything bad happens.”
Dinah nodded, laying the clean clothes in the laundry basket and crossing her arms in front of her. ‘He’s just trying to help,’ she thought taking a breath as she picked up the basket to carry it into the other room. The noise behind her startled her as she turned.
“Dinah….Dinah…” Hart gently shook her shoulders, glancing over at Lily who was, miraculously, still sleeping.
“Hart,” she whispered, reaching up to feel his arms around her. It had happened again. She lowered her head. Would this ever stop? “I’m sorry,” she whispered, leaning her head against his chest as she fought to catch her breath.
“You don’t ever need to apologize.” Hart shook his head as he softly stroked her hair. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like a burden, or worse to feel like she had to pretend with him. He didn’t want her to act like she was fine when she wasn’t, but he wished to God that she was fine. He just wanted everything to be fine again.
~
Opening the cash box, Jake Skinner smiled. Why didn’t he think of this earlier? There might not be much cash, but there would be credit card receipts…and where there were receipts, there were numbers. Numbers he could and would steal. Illegal? Yes, but that could just be added to his ever-growing list of crimes. He was a nobody, a no good, no count, nobody—exactly what his father had said he would be.
Grabbing he receipts he glanced over the names, Peter Vint, Joey Buchanan, Hart Jessup. The other two receipts fell from his hand as he started at the one in front of him. The words came back to him… ‘A family in room 6. That family….Her’
He closed the cash box. The credit cards would wait. Tonight, he had some unfinished business to take care of.
A Night To Remember
Chapter 1
Gwen Vint sighed as she smoothed the tape down over the corner of the cardboard box. She struggled to lift it, placing it on top of the stack of larger boxes that sat in the corner—waiting. As she looked around at the room, it was hard to believe how full it had once been. This was the room where they had spent most of their time. This was the room where she and Peter had spent many nights watching movies and talking, long before Ashlyn was born. This was the room Ashlyn rushed into every Christmas, her eyes wide with anticipation, her mind spinning with thoughts of what Santa had brought. This was the room she’d been in when she got the call from the doctor’s office….both of them.
The first had been nearly eight years ago. She’d gone in for blood work, convinced the anemia that had plagued her for most of her adult life was back and instead found out that she and Peter were expecting. The second call was two years ago—almost two the day. Not much was said on the phone. She knew what that meant, and after that day, nothing else was the same.
~
“I’m sorry,” she said, her hands trembling as she reached up to wipe the tears from her face. She turned her back to him as he moved to embrace her.
“Kel,” Joey said, softly, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. “
She turned, her face stained with tears. “I just hate disappointing you over and over again. I know how much you want this. I know how much you want a family.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth and started to protest. “Don’t even bother saying that it’s not important because I know that it is.”
“Not as important as this,” he insisted, taking her hands in his and bringing them to his lips. He placed gentle kisses across her fingers. “You are the most important thing in the world to me….all the rest…it’s a distant second.”
Kelly sighed, her eyes falling over to the box in the trash can. Another negative pregnancy test could now be added to the collection. “I just wish I knew what was wrong,” she sighed.
“You heard the doctor.” Joey ran his fingers through her hair as he looked at her. He hated seeing her do this to herself every month. Yes, he wanted a family, but not at the expense of Kelly’s happiness, and certainly not at the expense of his marriage. “They couldn’t find any physical reason we can’t have a baby.”
“I know,” she groaned, leaning her head back as she leaned against the bathroom counter. “What the hell good does that do us?”
Leaning in, he kissed her lips, smiling slightly. “You could look at it as good news, you know.”
She closed her eyes, sighing again. “I know,” she opened her eyes, smiling a little, if for no other reason than to pacify him, “I’m sorry. It is good news. It is….I just wish…If it were something physical…they could fix it. Now…I mean…this way….”
“This way..it means we just need some time…some uninterrupted, stress-free time alone.” He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a brochure. “I have just the place,” he smiled.
~
“Ok,” Hart smiled, as he loudly recounted, “I’ve got the luggage, and the map, and the snacks. The car is filled with gas. It just seems like I’m forgetting something.”
“You forgot me,” Lilly yelled out, running up behind him and tapping him just above the knees. “I get to go too.”
Hart leaned down with a smile, scooping her up as Dinah smiled in the passenger seat. “Of course you do.” He leaned in, kissing her quickly on the cheek as he strapped her into the car seat. “You are the best backseat driver a guy could have and you have to help me make sure Mommy doesn’t put all that yucky music on the radio.”
“If Barry Manilow sings one note while I’m in this car, someone will be hurt,” Dinah muttered from her seat. She glanced back at Lily. “Only happy songs, right Lil?”
“Right!” Lily smiled.
Hart climbed into the driver’s seat, grasping Dinah’s hand and squeezing it tightly for a moment. It was about time they had a happy trip. After the year they’d had, it was about time something…anything…went right for them. It had started off innocently enough, he thought. The guy seemed to be was young, able bodied, and looking for work—any kind of work even the kind of work you did on a farm. That kind of work ethic wasn’t easy to find. When he’d hired Jake Skinner, he thought he thought of it as paying it forward. He was giving the guy the second chance that some people in town had given him.
Thinking back, he wished he’d never laid eyes on the guy. As he glanced over at his wife, he could still see the scar on the side of her neck. Scratch that, he thought, Jake Skinner better be the one wishing.
Chapter 2
“Damn!” Jake Skinner slammed his hands on the steering wheel, cursing again under his breath. Of all the cars to steal, he had the bad luck to steal a piece of junk. He stepped outside, turning around slowly searching for something, a street sign, a billboard…something…anything that might give him a clue as to where he could go. Nothing. Taking the back roads had seemed like a good idea at the time. After all, if the police were looking for a stolen car, the chances of them finding you in the middle of nowhere were slim. But, he realized, slumping back into the driver’s seat, when you’ve got no one to call for help, the middle of nowhere is the loneliest place in the world.
~
“So, what do you think?” Joey asked, his voice hesitant but hopeful. The past year and a half had been hard on him, but he knew it had been even more difficult for Kelly. Every month, it seemed as if another small piece of her heart broke and it killed him to see her in pain. Over and over he assured her that he didn’t blame her for this—that she shouldn’t blame herself, but he could see in her eyes that she only heard his words…she didn’t believe them.
Kelly looked up at him, the disappointment still evident on her face. “I don’t know, Joey,” she sighed. “I don’t know if I’d be good company right now. Maybe if we just waited a little while…maybe after they do that next round of tests.”
“I don’t care about the tests!” He ran his hand over his face, a conscious effort to calm himself. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, taking her hand. “I just…..I don’t want this to consume us, baby. I don’t want our marriage to be about having a child.”
He turned his back, walking into the bedroom. There were days, lately a lot of them, where he wondered if trying to have a baby would be their undoing…if the doubt and the questions would cost him his wife. Was it worth it? Was having a baby worth all the pain it was causing Kelly…all the stress it was causing both of them?
The gentle touch of her fingertips on his shoulders made him turn towards her again.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Kel…that’s just it. I don’t want you to feel like you have anything to apologize for. This isn’t about blame here. Neither of us has done anything wrong.” She averted her eyes as he spoke, a sure sign that his words weren’t getting through.
“I married you. I love you. I want a life with you.” Grabbing her chin, he slowly moved her face towards his again. “Yes, I would love to have a child with you, but if we can’t…that doesn’t change the fact that I got the life I’ve dreamed of.” He stopped, reaching over to the bedside table and picking up a framed photograph.
“You see these people?” He held the picture, a snapshot of the two of them from nearly three years ago. They stood in front of a fountain, the same one they’d jumped into all those years ago. “Do you remember this?”
Kelly smiled, nodding her head as she wiped away the tears. “Of course I do,” she whispered.
“We were so happy. We had just gotten married and I didn’t think I could love you any more than I did at that moment, but I was wrong. I love you more now than I did then, and every day, I love you even more.”
“When do we leave?” she smiled, relaxing into his arms as he wrapped himself around her.
~
“Stupid Shriners,” Dinah muttered, flipping through the pamphlets that lay across her lap.
Hart smiled, reaching over to nudge her shoulder playfully. “Aw, come on baby, don’t hate on the Shriners. They’ve never done anything to you.”
“Well they have now,” she huffed playfully. “It’s their fault we’re going to end up staying in some roach motel fit for a remake of Psycho.” She narrowed her eyes as he laughed. “I’m glad you find this so amusing. We are in the middle of nowhere, you know?”
“Oh, relax,” he smiled, glancing back in the rearview mirror, relieved to see Lily still sleeping in her seat. “At least your dramatic little cohort is taking a siesta.”
Dinah turned. The sight of her daughter sleeping peacefully couldn’t help but provoke a smile. “She’s so excited. I’m surprised she fell asleep at all.”
“You and me both.” Glancing over at the pamphlets, he craned forward to read the sign. “Pygate Lane. You see anything in there about that?”
“No. I think it’s safe to say we’re off the map. Besides, I’ve been spending most of my time watching the woods for cult gatherings. I haven’t seen a single house for miles, but there are some power lines up ahead, so something has to be up there.”
“Well,” Hart slowly pressed on the gas as he turned the car onto the bumpy dirt road. “Guess we’ll find out what it is.”
~
“I can’t, Peter. I just can’t.” Gwen stood in the doorway as she looked around the room. Nothing had been moved. The bed was still made, her coat still lay draped on the back of her desk chair, the book she’d been reading still sat on her desk the page she’d stopped on turned down.
“Gwen,” Peter sighed, stepping into the room. “It’s been almost two years. I know it’s hard, but you can’t keep doing this. It’s not healthy.”
“It helps me. It makes me feel close to her,” she insisted, taking a seat on the bed. “I come in here and it’s like I can feel her with me….like she’s not so far away.”
Taking a seat beside her, he cautiously reached out for her hand. “The movers will be here in four days, Gwen. If you want to keep some things, that’s fine. We can box up a few things and then send the rest to Goodwill.”
“You want to give her stuff away?” The thought of sending her daughter’s things to someone else was too much to comprehend. How could someone else wear that coat? Ashlyn had picked it out. The blue inner lining matched the blue of her eyes perfectly. It was hers…it couldn’t belong to anyone else. The books on the shelf had all been her favorites. Some she’d read over and over again…some Gwen had read to her night after night as she’d fallen asleep.
“Gwen, I don’t know. What…would you rather throw it away?” He didn’t know what to say. Ashlyn’s death had taken a toll on their marriage, more so than he even realized. Gwen was distant, depressed, and sometimes almost frighteningly detached from reality.
“I’d rather you leave me the hell alone and let me deal with this my own way!” she spat, the tears falling from her eyes as her anger finally got the better of her.
“I’ve tried that!” He stood up, flinging his hand in the air in frustration. “You haven’t done anything. You refuse to see the therapist. You refuse to take any medication. You completely shut me out.”
Gwen stared at him as he spoke. They’d had the same argument many times and now the words were so common, they no longer phased her. It was until recently, when Peter had told her had bad their financial situation was that she really began to feel out of control. The cancer was aggressive. Four months—that’s all the time they’d had to try and save their daughter, and even though the time was short, the bills had been extensive.
Peter had always been successful, but the medical bills, coupled with the time he’d taken off during Ashlyn’s illness and the economic downturn had sent him into a tailspin. They were losing their home…the only home their daughter knew, and she felt as if she was losing what was left of her daughter.
“Gwen,” Peter repeated, his voice more stern that it had been previously. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Yes, Peter. I hear you. I always hear you. You always say the same damn thing over and over again. I need to move on. I need to get help. I need to talk to someone.”
Peter sighed. “Talk to me, Gwen. Please…I miss her too.”
“Right,” she sighed. “You missed her so much that you missed three whole days of work after her funeral.”
“Dammit, Gwen! We had just lost our daughter. I didn’t want us to lose everything. How many times are you going to throw that in my face?”
“I don’t know, Peter.” She stood up and left the room.
He sighed heavily, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out his phone.
“Yeah, Susan, it’s Peter. No..No…Gwen’s ok. I just…I need a favor. I’m going to take Gwen out of town for a few days and I was wondering if you might come over and box up the things in Ashlyn’s room.”
He ran his hand over the back of his neck. Nausea flooded his body as he anticipated the rage that would follow when Gwen found out, but he knew it had to be done.
“Tomorrow morning. We’re pulling out around ten,” he said, the typical excitement of the day before a vacation noticeably absent from his voice. “Right…anytime after that. No, she doesn’t know. I think it’s better that way. Just box up everything and she can go through it. Right…Thanks, Susan.”
Peter closed the phone and stood, looking around the room. He swallowed hard, forcing the lump in his throat to subside. He hadn’t cried…not since the day of the funeral--fearing that if he started, he’d never stop.
Chapter 3
Hart tapped on the passenger side window, chuckling slightly as he saw Dinah jump.
Clutching her chest, she rolled down the window, “I’m so glad you’re enjoying his…really I am.” Glancing down at the key in his hand, she frowned slightly. “You can’t be serious?”
“It’s fine, honey. I just talked to the owner. She seems perfectly nice. It’s a family-owned bed and breakfast and we’ll only be here overnight. Tomorrow we’re back on the road.” He slowly opened the door, and helped her step out the car.
She wasn’t convinced. He could see it in her eyes, and he couldn’t blame her. After the year she’d had, he was surprised she trusted anyone or anything—least of all him. If it hadn’t been for his trusting nature, Jake Skinner would have never been a part of their lives. Even though she swore she didn’t blame him, he sure as hell blamed himself.
“Hey,” he whispered softly, touching her shoulder. “If you really don’t want to stay here, we’ll just keep driving. We can find somewhere else.”
Shaking her head, she forced a smile. “It’s fine. I’m sure it’s fine. I trust you.” She looked at him, taking his hand in hers. “I always trust you.”
He kissed her softly and carefully opened the back door. “Let’s get her inside. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”
~
“And you’re sure you’re good with this, right?” Joey glanced back at Kelly, grunting slightly as he threw the last of the bags into the trunk. Glancing at the stack wearily, he said a silent prayer as he lowered the hood. Cramming all of Kelly’s luggage into one trunk and getting the hood to close, would be a true miracle.
“I think it sounds perfect,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist as she walked up behind him. “A little rest and relaxation is just what we need. No plans, no agendas, no interruptions….it’s perfect.”
“It does sound nice, but you’re sure you wouldn’t rather go somewhere more…I don’t know…fancy?”
“I don’t care where we go as long as we’re together,” she smiled. “And besides, the bed and breakfast looks great. We’ll be able to work on our little project.”
Joey stilled, sighing slightly. “Right.” He reached down, grabbing her hand. “But, remember…this trip isn’t about that…this trip is about us.”
“I know,” she smiled as she climbed into the car. “Just about us…”
~
“So you’re not even going to talk to me now?” Peter sighed as he glanced down at the GPS. The last thing he needed is to get lost.
“What do you want me to say?” Gwen snapped, still looking out the window. She hadn’t wanted to go out to breakfast, and she’d only agreed to shut Peter up. When she realized they were clearly on a much longer trip, she’d been so angry she didn’t even know what to say…so she’d said nothing…for nearly three hours.
“I want you to talk to me, Gwen. For God’s sake, can’t you see that I did this for us?!”
“You did this for us? You honestly expect me to believe that?” She turned to face him then. The tears in her eyes were a mix of anger and pain. The two emotions had been fighting for control within her for so long that she wasn’t even sure she knew how to distinguish between them anymore. “You did this for you. This is what you wanted. This is what you needed.”
“You don’t have a clue what I need anymore, Gwen.” For months after Ashlyn died, he’d been so angry. He’d wanted answers…answers that he never got. Answers he knew he’d never get. The anger eventually turned to sadness. He was sad that Ashlyn was gone. He was sad that all the dreams they had for her would never come to be, but most of all, he was sad that after losing his daughter, he’d also lost his wife….a wife that was right beside him, but so far away that he couldn’t reach her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped. “You want me to feel sorry for you now?”
“It isn’t about feeling sorry for me, Gwen. You’re my wife. We lost our daughter. We’re supposed to support each other….and you’re spent the majority of this last year trying to prove that you miss her more.”
“You know what…it’s better that we don’t talk.” Gwen turned back towards the window. She watched man working on a car, pulled off the side of the road. Everyone else just moves on, she thought with a sigh.
~
“They weren’t kidding when they said they’d send someone right over,” Susan Crosby responded, hurriedly gathering a stack of papers and pushing them towards him. “I’m really sorry to just throw this all on you and walk out, but the school called and my kids are sick and there’s no one else to watch the place. That’s the downside to a family business you know. They said you’d had hotel management experience before?”
Jake Skinner blinked. He only needed the phone, and this woman was handing him the keys and the ledger. “Uh, yeah,” he smiled, reaching out and taking the keys.
“We’ve got a family in room 6 and two other couples coming in later tonight. The kitchen stays open til midnight and the common room closes at 2 am. Make sure you lock up before you turn in for the night. Room 1 is always vacant. You can stay there tonight. Linens are fresh in all the rooms.” Susan took a deep breath, glancing around the room. “Can you think of anything else you need?”
“What do I need to do when the others show up?” he asked quietly, desperately hoping he didn’t betray his total lack of understanding.
“Just give them their keys. We’ve got staff copies in the brown box on the bottom shelf. Everything is all set. The kitchen will prepare any items to order, so the only thing you should really have to handle is any issues with the rooms. I’ve double checked everything, so you don’t have anything to worry about. Just man the phones, and keep the place open. Everyone that is showing up has already paid, so you don’t even have to deal with any of that. I should be back tomorrow….next day tops. My cell number is in the drawer if you have any questions.”
Jake nodded, grateful he didn’t have to speak.
“Thank you so much, Susan breathed. “You’re a lifesaver.”
Jake breathed out, watching her go. Maybe his life was finally turning around.
Chapter 4
Silence. As a kid, whenever it his father was quiet, it always meant trouble. Usually it meant he was about three drinks in and the worst was yet to come. Ever since those days, Jake Skinner had never been much for silence. As he glanced around the small room, he wondered about the families that must visit a place like this. Mothers and fathers with their perfect children, couples with their perfect marriages, groups of single women who thought they were better than everyone else…especially him.
Sure, this place was outdated and yes, it could use some work, but it reeked of pretentiousness, and it was just the kind of place Jake Skinner hated. It was just the kind of place that he wouldn’t be allowed to step foot in, and yet here he was, he smiled to himself, clutching the ring of keys in his hand. He was in charge of the whole place.
“Time to take inventory,” he whispered, as he headed up the stairs.
~
“Do you want anything?” Peter asked, turning back to look at Gwen after he’d stepped out of the car.
She glared at him, her eyes shining.
He couldn’t tell if she had been crying or if it was merely the reflection of the sun and he didn’t dare ask.
“No,” she snapped, turning her back to him quickly and resuming her position staring out the passenger side window.
He sighed. No matter what he said or what he did, it was never the right thing and honestly, he was growing pretty tired of trying. “This may be the last station for a while. It’s the last spot on the map that I see, so if you need to get out and…”
“Just go pay the man, Peter.” She winced as she heard the door slam. Squeezing her eyes closed tightly, she took a stilted breath. Hearing him talk about trivial things, knowing that he could function….that he could carry on—it infuriated her. How could he go on? How could he live a life…a life that made any sense at all? How could he do anything now—without her, without their baby girl? Sometimes she thought the grief would simply swallow her whole, and other times she wished it would.
~
The sun was beginning to set now. Joey squinted against the rays that shown in through the window as he marveled at the streaks of pinks and oranges that seemed to paint the endless sky in front of them.
“Hey, Kel,” he turned, “Look at how,” he stopped then, realizing why she’d been so quiet for the last few minutes. Her eyes were closed, her head cradled in the curve of the seatbelt. He smiled. It was nice to see her so relaxed—so carefree.
Pulling down the sun visor, he leaned back slightly in the seat. He and Kelly hadn’t been lucky in love. They’d both fought hard to get where they were, and where they were was happy…really happy—together.
Their wedding had been small—intimate even. It’s what Kelly wanted, and even though Joey was surprised, assuming that Dorian would have talked her into a Cramer event, he would have done anything in the world to please her. She assured him that all she wanted, all she’d ever wanted was him.
They’d written their own vows, and even now, after three years of marriages, he still remembered exactly what she’d said.
“Joey, You’ve made me the happiest woman in the world and that’s what I want for you. I promise to do everything I can to make sure that you are always totally and completely happy.”
At the time, her words had made his eyes well with tears, but now, looking over at her as she slept, he wondered if she thought she had failed. He wondered if she thought not having a baby would keep him from being totally happy. And, in his heart, he wondered if it would too.
~
Room 6. Jake Skinner ran his fingers over the raised number on the door. This was the occupied room that Susan Crosby had mentioned—the room with the family inside. He had no real interest in disturbing them. After all, the bad things he’d done in his past had mainly been out of desperation. He didn’t relish hurting anyone…certainly not a child. He’d been a child—a child that had been hurt, and God knows he saw how that turned out.
He stood for a moment, staring at the door. Should he knock, introduce himself, explain the situation…at least that way if they came down later, they wouldn’t take him by surprise. This way the introductions would be on his terms. That was good, he realized, shaking his head.
Raising his hand, he quickly knocked on the door, listening carefully for movement inside.
~
Dinah Jessup stopped still, staring at the door. “Hart?” she called, already feeling her heart beating faster. “Hart, honey. There’s someone at the door.”
Hart stuck his head out from behind the shower curtain. “Just answer it sweetie. It’s probably the owner. She said she’d bring up some extra towels so that if we’d have them if we decided to take Lily down by the lake tonight.”
“I…” She hated this—the fear that plagued her. All the therapy in the world couldn’t change the fact that she still didn’t feel safe. The medication hadn’t worked either. It was simple—she was broken…and nothing could fix her. Nothing except finding Jake Skinner and making him pay.
“Sweetie?” Hart called out to her as he heard another knock at the door. “Are you gonna answer it?” He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the cool tile. It wasn’t anger. He couldn’t be angry with her…not after everything she’d gone through. It was more frustration. She was terrified—of a doorbell, of a package, of a stranger speaking to Lily in the park, of everything…..and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to help her.
“I’ll get it,” she managed, taking hesitant steps towards the door.
“Just take a deep breath,” Hart called out from the shower. “Remember what the doctor said…”
She touched the handle of the door, pulling it back so that the chain latch was taut. “Yes?” she said, her voice shaking.
“Yeah, I’m uh, sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to let you know that the owner had to go out for the evening. I’m….” Jake stopped for a moment. A name. He cursed himself silently. I’m…. “James,” he looked down at the keys in his hands, “Key…James Key,” he said quickly. “I’m filling in for her this evening. Just wanted to let you folks know and see if you needed anything.”
“Hey,” Hart stepped behind her, touching her shoulder and she jumped, turning into his arms. “We’re fine, thank you,” he said.
“Great, just let me know if…” Jake stopped as he saw the door close. “Just like I thought,” he muttered. “Pompous assholes.”
Hart turned, looking back at Dinah whose face was ashen. Taking her shaking hands in his, he led her over to the small sofa in the corner of the room, glancing back briefly at a still sleeping Lily. “Hey, sweetie…what is it? What’s wrong?”
Dinah swallowed hard. She’d listened to everything the doctor said and she’d tried…she’d really, really tried, but she wasn’t crazy. She knew what she heard. “It was him,” she whispered, her throat thick with fear.
“What are you talking about?” Hart whispered, softly pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “What was him?”
“That man….That man that just came to the door. That voice…I know that voice.”
“Baby…” As he gathered her in his arms, he could feel her body shaking against him. He would give anything to take this away from her, but he felt so helpless…so damned helpless.
She pulled away. “I’m serious, Hart!” She lowered her voice as she saw Lily stir. “I would know that voice anywhere. That was Jake Skinner. He’s here.”
Chapter 5
“Who do we sue?” Kelly hissed, only half kidding as she lifted her suitcase off the floor and placed it on the small sofa. “False advertisement wouldn’t even begin to describe this.”
Joey grinned. True, this was a far cry from what he’d expected, but it wasn’t horrible and he’d already made some calls about alternative arrangements. They’d stay her for a night or two and then they’d be on their way. “It’s not that bad,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. “It’s got a king size bed and a fireplace and that guy at the desk mentioned something about a lake out back.” He craned his neck to look at her face, curious if any of her words were making an impression.
“Sweetie, does the word parasite mean anything to you?”
Joey laughed, pulling his arms tighter around her. “Look, we’ll be here for tonight, two tops and then we’re off to somewhere much, much better….I promise.”
Kelly turned, her eyebrows raised in interest, “Really? Like what?”
“I’m thinking more luxury and less lodge….what about you?” He leaned in, kissing her gently.
“Now you’re talking,” she smiled.
~
“No way,” Peter looked down at the GPS and then back down at the brochure. “No way in hell.” Glancing over at Grace, he leaned his head back against the seat. For a moment, he was thankful they weren’t speaking, because he didn’t even want to imagine what she’d say.
The house on the brochure was the same beautiful building, complete with white gables and quaint detail work, but it had clearly been taken some years ago—before the great flood…and perhaps a few cyclones. The house in front of him had chipped paint and a sagging roof covered with leaves and debris. The charming cobblestone path was now a recipe for disaster, or at the very least, a broken ankle and the landscaped garden was nothing more than a few overgrown bushes.
Sighing deeply, he reached over, touching Gwen’s shoulder. “We’re here,” he said quietly. He watched her as her eyes roved over the scene. Saying nothing, she opened her door, grabbed her bag, and began her walk down the path.
Peter sat still for a moment, his hands still resting on the wheel. He almost chuckled as an insane thought flew through his mind. He could leave. He could start the car, back up, and leave her here. He could go anywhere, get another job, try to put the pieces of his life back together. He deserved that, didn’t he?
He might have considered it more seriously had he not glanced up to see Gwen standing at the door of the lobby. Her eyes peered through the glass, and though she said nothing, and made no move towards him, he knew….she was waiting for him—and somehow, the simple act of being needed in that moment, was enough.
~
Hart stared at the large dark spot on the ceiling. It must be a small leak, he thought to himself, but one good rainstorm could bring the whole thing down. Dinah took a deep breath, and he turned his head to look at her, thankful she had finally drifted off to sleep. Tonight hadn’t been bad, at least not in relative terms, not compared to some nights.
Dr. Farina, the therapist that they’d gone to together, had warned him not to expect too much too fast, but Hart had never imagined they’d still be dealing with these issues nearly a year after the fact.
“I just want to help her. I’ll do anything in the world to help her. Please just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I swear.” He hated feeling helpless. Dinah had trusted him. She had trusted him to keep her safe, to keep their family safe, and he had let her down. He had to fix it…he had to make up for it somehow.
Dr. Farina shook her head. “I wish I could tell you that there was one thing that would fix this, Mr. Jessup, but the truth is, nothing will ever fix Dinah. The truth is Dinah may never be the person she was before this happened. The life you had together has been altered forever and as difficult as that may be to accept, the sooner you come to accept it, the easier it will be for her to accept it.”
Hart nodded. “Look, I understand she’s got to get through this…I know she’s still dealing with a lot.. I just..” He stopped, feeling his throat tighten, as his mind snapped back to the moment he’d walked into the farmhouse. “I just don’t want her to be so afraid all the time. She always looking over her shoulder. She’s terrified.”
“And that’s not going to go away,” Dr. Farina softly responded. “There are things that happened that day that I don’t even believe Dinah has dealt with yet. In fact, I believe there are things that happened that I may not even know about, perhaps even things that she herself has not allowed herself to recall.”
The silence settled over the room for a moment as Hart processed her words. “So, wait…you’re saying, you think something else happened.” His mind raced with thoughts as he struggled to maintain his composure. “Like what? To who? To Lily? Do you think he did something to Lily?” He jumped to his feet, his face burning in renewed anger.
Dr Farina put her hand out, touching his arm softly, and firmly leading him back to the chair. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m simply suggesting that I think you’re expecting far too much far too soon. Dinah is nowhere near ready to get on with her life, and until she is, you’re going to have to learn to meet her where she is.”
Hart sighed and pulled the covers higher over them. She looked so peaceful asleep curled up next to him. It was hard to imagine that less than an hour ago, she’d been shaking and sobbing in his arms. All in the world he wanted was for her to get better and yet he understood, perhaps better than anyone else, why she couldn’t. He remembered every moment of that day….just as she did, although he knew that day was so much worse for her. The ringing of his cell phone, the hollow voice on the other end, the muffled screams, he could still hear them.
If it was like this for him, how would she ever get through this?
~
Jake Skinner sat at the desk. “All snug in their beds,” he whispered out loud, flashing for a brief moment to one of the few pleasant childhood memories he had. His mother had read those words to him on Christmas Eve a few times. That was before things got bad…before she got sick…before she died.
He stood, pacing up and down the hardwood floor. He’d already checked the cash box. Sixty-two dollars wasn’t going to get him very far. Who knew a place like this would take credit cards? Jake sighed. What was he going to do now? He was desperate and desperation made him do bad things…things he didn’t want to do. Just like before.
When he started his work on the Jessup farm, he’d really liked it there. Hart seemed to be a nice guy and he treated him like a person, which was more than he could say for most folks that hired help. Sure the work was hard, but he didn’t mind hard work. He never had. The pay was good and, when Jake explained that he was going through a rough patch, Hart had agreed to a room and meals. That’s when the trouble started.
He didn’t take the damn bracelet. He was just looking at it. She had taken it off and left it beside the sink after she’d finished washing the coffee pot out. Apparently this was the kind of jewelry that you didn’t get wet. When she’d come in and found him with it, he’d handed it right back. No big deal. It wasn’t until later, when Mr. Jessup came to tell him that the job just wasn’t going to work out that he knew….he knew what kind of person she was. He hated people like that. People who thought they were better than him. He needed that job. He wasn’t like her, with a trust fund, and rich husband. She’d lived a charmed life. She had no idea what it was like to be him…no idea what it was like to work for every little thing you had. People like that didn’t deserve the life they had. People like that had to pay.
Chapter 6
“Lower,” she groaned squirming towards him as she pulled her nightgown up higher. “Yeah…right there,” she sighed, relaxing against the pillows.
Joey smiled, leaning closer to her ear. “Better?”
“Much,” Kelly smiled, allowing her nightgown to fall down over her back.
“Good…My turn,” he smiled, pulling his t-shirt off quickly and turning his back towards her. “There’s about three in a row in the middle of my back. Scratch woman.”
Scrubbing her own back against the headboard of the bed, she surveyed the backs on his muscular back. “The brochure didn’t say anything about this,” she whined.
“Mosquitoes near a lake aren’t exactly front page news, sweetie,” he smiled.
“Maybe not,” she scoffed, “but these genetically-engineered, Godzilla versions should be.”
Turning over to face her, he couldn’t help but smile. Kelly had never been fond of the outdoors and getting her to agree to a walk by the lake had been like pulling teeth. After tonight, he had to admit he kind of wished they’d stayed inside and had dinner. Instead, they went outside and became dinner.
“You know what you need?” he smiled. “A distraction.” Pulling her closer to him, he carefully pushed the strap of her nightgown off her shoulder. Tonight was about them.
~
“They said the kitchen was still open.” Peter held the door open, allowing Gwen to enter ahead of him. “You want to go grab a bite to eat?”
“You go ahead.” Gwen allowed her eyes to take in the room around her. The décor was plain, but she was grateful that the interior appeared to have been better maintained than the outside.
“You sure?” He knew better. If the past had taught him anything, it was not to push—to leave well enough alone. If she said no once, she wasn’t going to change her mind…but for whatever reason, he still had to try. He still cared. He still loved her, even though it would be a hell of a lot easier to stop.
“I said you go,” she snapped, her eyes softening a bit as she looked up at him. She had so much anger inside her. Logically, she knew being angry with Peter didn’t accomplish anything. In fact, he was the one person that could even begin to understand what she was going through. She just couldn’t let him in. If she even considered it, even allowed the anger to melt away for a second, she would hear his voice, ‘Let her go, Gwen. She’s gone’. The rage would well up again.
The door slammed and she looked up. They used to argue for hours when she’d refuse to go out, but lately he seemed resigned, or tired—she wasn’t sure which. No matter, she thought, reaching down into her purse and pulling out the picture of her daughter—the one she always carried.
“Soon, baby,” she whispered. “Mommy will be with you soon.”
~
“Just a second,” she called, rushing towards the door, her arms filled the still-warm laundry. Peering through the curtains, she saw his face.
“Mr. Skinner,” she whispered, her throat immediately tensing, her mouth going dry. Hart was supposed to take care of this. He’d promised her he would. Why was he here? What did he want?
“I’m sorry, Hart isn’t here right now.” She spoke loudly, hoping he could hear her through the window pane.
She didn’t even want to open the door, he realized, the anger now building inside of him with an even greater intensity. What was she afraid of him? What had he ever done to her? Nothing. Who the hell did she think she was?
“I’m sorry, but it’s real important. One of the gas lines outside is leaking and Mr. Jessup isn’t answering his phones. I’m afraid it might cause a fire if he doesn’t get it taken care of and since I’m not working here anymore…” He allowed his voice to trail off, waiting for her to consider the idea. Her beloved husband’s precious farm going up in smoke…all because she was too afraid to let the big, bad farm hand inside for a minute? Nah….she wouldn’t take a chance like that.
She hesitated for a moment, then took a step back. He’d call Hart’s office at Lewis. He’d be here in a few minutes and it was an emergency, after all. She opened the door, stepping back. “Come in,” she said quietly, clearing her throat as she heard the quiver in her own voice.
“Thanks,” Jake smiled, “Sorry to bother you. I just want to get this taken care of…you know, before anything bad happens.”
Dinah nodded, laying the clean clothes in the laundry basket and crossing her arms in front of her. ‘He’s just trying to help,’ she thought taking a breath as she picked up the basket to carry it into the other room. The noise behind her startled her as she turned.
“Dinah….Dinah…” Hart gently shook her shoulders, glancing over at Lily who was, miraculously, still sleeping.
“Hart,” she whispered, reaching up to feel his arms around her. It had happened again. She lowered her head. Would this ever stop? “I’m sorry,” she whispered, leaning her head against his chest as she fought to catch her breath.
“You don’t ever need to apologize.” Hart shook his head as he softly stroked her hair. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like a burden, or worse to feel like she had to pretend with him. He didn’t want her to act like she was fine when she wasn’t, but he wished to God that she was fine. He just wanted everything to be fine again.
~
Opening the cash box, Jake Skinner smiled. Why didn’t he think of this earlier? There might not be much cash, but there would be credit card receipts…and where there were receipts, there were numbers. Numbers he could and would steal. Illegal? Yes, but that could just be added to his ever-growing list of crimes. He was a nobody, a no good, no count, nobody—exactly what his father had said he would be.
Grabbing he receipts he glanced over the names, Peter Vint, Joey Buchanan, Hart Jessup. The other two receipts fell from his hand as he started at the one in front of him. The words came back to him… ‘A family in room 6. That family….Her’
He closed the cash box. The credit cards would wait. Tonight, he had some unfinished business to take care of.