Dark Truth

by Cooper, Summer

  “I knew you’d have a place like this,” she whispered again, as Ember and Laura came in from the hot tub area in the back. “A place that feels like a home. Your parents’ house is so … untouchable.”

  “You’re right, and the rooms at the resort that I stayed in were nice, but they weren’t home. This is home.” I held my arms out for a moment and let them fall.

  “Where’s Dylan?” she asked as we moved into the kitchen. She inspected the vegetable tray I’d prepared and popped a cherry tomato in her mouth.

  “Downstairs, busy at work, I suppose.” He’d left early this morning, probably because he knew the ladies planned to come and visit me, and he wanted to give me some privacy.

  “I guess he’s like Trent and works all the time.” She settled onto a bar stool, and my other sisters-in-law joined her.

  “I guess all of our men do,” I said with a soft laugh and filled glasses with sparkling water with the light hint of peach to give it some flavor.

  “They do. Kevin’s off to Tennessee again, can you believe it?” Ember said, and I glanced over at her. The sunlight had bleached her dark blonde hair to a lighter shade, and her eyes were shining with happiness. She was happy, despite the fact that Kevin was away.

  “How’s the album doing?” I asked her and leaned against the kitchen island between us. I knew I stood on that side to keep my distance from them, on some deeper level, but wasn’t prepared to really think about it yet.

  After all, it wasn’t Ember’s fault her new album had exposed me. She hadn’t contacted me either, and we used to talk at least once a week. I nibbled at the inside of my cheek as she told me about album sales and her tour dates. I only half-heard because I was too busy taking in how dang happy she looked.

  I wanted that happiness, I hated to admit it, but the presence of these three women made me a little sad. They’d all done as their husbands had told them to do. They’d turned their backs on me. Anger, hurt, and tension rose the more I thought about it, until I was on the verge of telling them all to get out.

  “Where’s your bathroom, Em? I really need to go.” Jessi came over to my side of the island and whispered, her delicate baker’s hand on my elbow.

  “This way,” I said to her and headed out of the room. She knew me so well, and she’d seen that I needed a moment to catch my breath.

  I took her to the bathroom, and we sat down on the edge of the tub together.

  “Feel better?” she asked and took my hand.

  “This is hard, Jessi. Harder than I thought it would be.” I did the whispering this time, but it was mainly because my throat was so tight, I could barely speak. A tear slid out of my eye, and I wanted to disappear into the floor.

  “I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Emily. I should have told Trent to get over his fucking temper tantrum and I did, when I found out exactly why he was so upset with you that he … ahem”—she paused to clear her throat again before she went on—“that he basically threw the biggest hissy fit in the world and had your father disown you.”

  “I can’t believe you used the word hissy fit and Trent together.” I wiped at a tear and laughed.

  “It’s the truth. You were my friend when I was little, and your entire family told you no. You never gave up on me or turned your back on me. I did, even if I didn’t realize I had for a while. I’m very sorry for that, Emily. I don’t know if you can forgive me, obviously you’re trying, and I hope you can. I love you, sister, and I always have.” She put her arm around me then and we sat together for a moment in quiet.

  “Come on, let’s get out there before Laura and Ember eat all of those vegetables.” We stood together, and I pulled her back for one last hug.

  “Thank you, Jessi. I really needed that.”

  “Don’t mention it. Listen, Laura and Ember, they aren’t as forward as I am, so don’t be upset with them if you don’t get a similar apology from them, okay? Laura is so sweet, as you know, and she can be rather timid, as can Ember. Just know that they love you, but not as much as I do, because I’ve loved you a lot longer than they have.” She grinned as she pulled back, wiped another stray tear away, and kissed my cheek.

  “You do have a way of making things better, Jessi. You always did.” I opened the bathroom door and we went out into the kitchen again.

  “Hey, we wanted to apologize to you, Emily,” Laura and Ember said at the same time as I came back in.

  I glanced at Jessi with a secret smile. They had plucked up the courage to apologize after all. I smiled at them both, gave each one a hug, and went to sit on the other side of the island. Now, instead of a barrier, it was a way to keep the spotlight on me. I felt I could be more open with them now.

  The elephant in the room had been mentioned and put to rest. We could get on with being friends again now.

  “So what’s Dylan like when he’s at home?” Ember asked, her sultry voice always a delight to listen to. Whether she sang or simply spoke, her voice was music. She dipped a cucumber in the dip that I’d made and grinned a broad grin.

  “He’s the most amazing man, but then, I expect we all say that about the man of our dreams, don’t we?” I sipped at my sparkling water and thought about how to answer them. “He’s so domineering outside of these walls, especially when it comes to business. He’s determined to be at the top. Driven even, but here at home? He’s still driven to be his best, but he’s kind, gentle, and always knows what I need.”

  “Aw,” I heard from Laura and glanced at her. She was a fighter, far more than you could tell by looking at her.

  She’d had breast cancer and survived it, and that made her a trooper in my book. Her skin was a little pale sometimes, but her classic beauty shone through her blue eyes and blonde hair. She was sweet, gentle, and kind, but she could also stand her ground when she needed to. She kept Mason on his toes and had changed him for the better. Until Trent threw his temper tantrum, that was.

  “You deserve to be happy, Emily. It looks good on you,” Jessi said, and I felt pride for some odd reason. I wasn’t sure why, maybe because I’d fought so hard for that happiness, but I was proud of myself.

  “Dylan the only thing that puts that glint in your eye?” Ember asked, always curious.

  “I guess. I have a friend named Roxie; she’s uh, well, a little different from us.” Then I thought about the humble beginnings each of these ladies came from and amended my statement. “She’s actually a lot like us. Tough, caring, but deserves a break.”

  “Oh, she sounds interesting.” Laura leaned her elbows on the island and gave me her undivided attention.

  “She’s not had the finer things in life, not until now. She works hard for what she has, and she’s accomplished everything on her own.”

  “What does she do?” Jessi prompted me to go on when I paused. I didn’t want to tell Roxie’s business, or Dylan’s for that matter, but Roxie meant a lot to me, and I wanted to know these ladies would accept her. I wasn’t ashamed of her, either, so I put it bluntly.

  “She’s an award-winning exotic dancer. She’s known around the world for her talent.” I’d seen the awards she’d won and knew the places she’d been to; I wasn’t making up information about her or building her up more than she deserved.

  “Really?” They all blurted and leaned even closer. I was fairly certain Jessi’s feet weren’t even on the bar stool anymore. “Have you seen her dance? That stuff looks amazing.”

  “I can show you videos of her,” I offered and when they all nodded I picked up my tablet. I found the website her videos were on and selected one of the better-quality videos. All three of my sisters-in-law watched with amazement as Roxie did her stuff on a stage in the UK.

  They were stunned, and I couldn’t blame them; Roxie really was amazing. She was like a flower one minute, that blossomed into a feather, and then a sensually slithering snake as she climbed her pole, slid along it, and then fell before she broke her fall with nothing more than the pressure of her thighs.

  “I can
’t believe it’s possible to do that.” Ember watched, fascinated, and I knew they’d get along with Roxie just fine if she chose to meet them; she might not, and that was her prerogative. I wouldn’t force it, but I wanted them to know about her.

  “Does she perform out here?” Jessi broke my reverie, and I turned to face her as the video ended.

  “Yeah, at a place called Elmo’s; you probably haven’t noticed it.” All three women shook their heads in the negative, and I knew I’d have to ask Roxie if I could bring them out one night. They all wanted to see her perform. “I’ll call her and ask if we can visit one night, just us four.”

  I didn’t want to go to a club like Elmo’s with my brothers in tow. That was just way too much ick for me. My sisters-in-law were fine, but my brothers? Nope, that wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t even take Dylan when we went.

  A sudden wave of nausea swamped me, and I leaned over to hold onto the island. I blinked until the nausea passed and looked up to see if any of them had noticed. Of course, they all had.

  “Sorry, I’ve been having migraines and the medicine sometimes makes me sick.” I didn’t want to tell them yet, but I could see each one speculating, looking for a clue. I wouldn’t be able to hide the pregnancy from Dylan for long with these three around, so I knew I’d have to tell him soon.

  “Well, don’t work too hard if you’re getting migraines, Emily.” Jessi stood up to fill her glass with more of the sparkling water and patted my back. “Not in your condition.”

  “Jessi!” I spluttered at her whisper, but she had a totally blank face, as if she hadn’t said anything at all. I glared at her for a minute but grinned. “I’ll be careful.”

  “Well, I think we should do this again, but I have to get going. I have a plane to catch,” Ember said and stood up.

  “Oh, not so soon!” I protested, but I knew she had commitments.

  “It can’t be helped, but I’m glad to see you again, Emily. You look fantastic.” She kissed each side of my face, and I walked with her to the door. “I am sorry, you know.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Ember. All is forgiven.” I meant it. The past was finished when it came to these three. My brothers might have to do a bit more groveling, though.

  As well as my parents. Those two really needed a kick in the pants, but I doubted it would change them at all. They were who they were, and that was how they’d stay. Unbending, unyielding, and forever conservative. They’d die of embarrassment if they knew the things I’d done. I wouldn’t change any of my actions since I’d found out I could have a life too.

  Laura and Jessi left about an hour later. It had all done me a lot of good, and I texted Roxie to let her know how it had all gone. She replied that she was glad, and she wanted to come and see me. I agreed and met her downstairs for lunch in my office. The vegetables and dip hadn’t filled me up.

  I cleared the table in my office, and a waiter brought in a tablecloth and the food we’d ordered. It was delicious, as I knew it would be, and we talked about the day we’d had so far. She hadn’t been up long, but she’d managed to get some work done for the charity we both volunteered for, and she’d been there most of the morning.

  “It’s odd to see you in jeans and a t-shirt with no makeup on,” I mentioned with a smile. “You look good like that.”

  “Ah, my glamour is gone when I’m like this. I look like a normal woman.” She brushed off my compliment, but I wasn’t about to have it.

  “Roxie, you’re beautiful, and without the makeup your skin shines through. You look wonderful, healthy, and alive. So many women look washed out without makeup on, but it suits you.” Her normally black-rimmed blue eyes stood out even more without the eyeliner, and she looked more approachable.

  I guess for her the makeup was a mask to hide behind, but also a shield against the world. She hadn’t had an easy life, but she’d made something of herself, despite all of that.

  “Nathan likes it too,” she said softly and peeked up at me from beneath her lashes.

  “Who is Nathan?” I gushed and leaned in toward her.

  “He’s a man I met at the charity. He’s really … nice.” Her smile was tentative but happy.

  I stared at her, stunned. “He’s not from the club?”

  “No, but he knows what I do. He’s fine with it.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked away. “He’s great, Emily. I think you’ll like him.”

  “If he makes you smile like that, Roxie, I know I will.” I took her hand, happy for the woman who needed to be loved so much more than she ever let on. I hoped she’d finally found it.

  Emily

  “Roxie has a boyfriend,” I said that night as Dylan and I changed the bed linen. “She’s really happy.”

  I’d had the other woman on my mind since she’d left earlier in the day. I really was happy for her and wanted her to experience what I’d found with Dylan. Alright, our beginning hadn’t exactly been perfect, we’d struggled against each other, but we’d finally come to terms with who we were and what we needed to do.

  That hadn’t been easy, but we’d managed it. We still had an issue or two to work through, I thought as I felt a pang of hunger growl in my stomach, but I thought we could handle it all. Together, we could handle most things.

  Dylan had shown me that as he accepted my family into his life. He didn’t have to do that; he could have just dismissed them, refused to meet with them, and refused to allow my sisters-in-law to come here. He’d known I needed my family and had not only accepted it, but made an effort to be part of that group of people.

  It mattered to me, I thought as I smoothed a flat sheet over the fitted sheet and then reached for the pillows.

  “Oh? That’s great. Is he a boyfriend-boyfriend or an Elmo’s-boyfriend?” I knew he wasn’t judging Roxie, just curious. He looked up at me, his eyes curious and I thought, not for the first time, how handsome he was.

  It made my heart squeeze sometimes, when I looked at him. It was love, I knew that, but still, we hadn’t said those words. One day, we would. Maybe not tonight. I remembered he’d asked me about Roxie’s new boyfriend after a moment and made a goofy face at myself.

  “Sorry, you distracted me with that handsome face of yours. He’s a real boyfriend. You should see how she looks when she talks about him.” I sighed and pulled a pillow into a pillowcase. “She looks like a fairy princess or something.”

  “You always look like that, Emily. Or like a little nymph.” He came over to my side and grabbed me to tickle me. With a laugh of joy, we fell to the bed. Only Dylan wasn’t laughing when we hit the mattress.

  In fact, he was very, very quiet. I turned around and pushed him back, afraid that I’d somehow hurt him. “Dylan? What’s wrong?”

  “Emily, my…” He looked terrified, and his hand gripped at his leg frantically. His eyes caught mine, and I could see stark fear in their depths. “I can’t feel my legs.”

  “What?” I was too stunned to take it in or panic too much. He couldn’t feel his legs? Why not? What had I done? “What have you done?”

  “It’s, fuck, call an ambulance, darling. Hurry, please.” He fell back against the bed, his face scrunched with some emotion, fear, pain, I didn’t know, I just knew he’d asked for an ambulance, and he wouldn’t joke about that.

  I picked up my phone but urgency suddenly made my fingers misdial 911 two times before I got it right. I held my breath until a voice answered in a calm voice.

  “911, what’s your emergency?”

  “My boyfriend, we were making the bed, and well, he just fell over. He can’t feel his legs now.”

  “Okay, ma’am, do you want me to send an ambulance?” I could hear the sound of keys being tapped on the other end of the line.

  “Yes, please.”

  I gave the woman at the call center our address and explained that I didn’t know what to do now.

  “What’s your name, ma’am?” she asked softly, and I took a deep breath that calmed me a little.


  “My name is Emily. His is Dylan. Is there something I should be doing? Put ice on it?”

  “No, Emily, just wait for the paramedics. Don’t try to force him to move or anything. Just keep him calm for me, alright?”

  “Of course,” I answered but felt useless as I reached over to touch Dylan again, just to reassure myself he was alright.

  Dylan was having a hard time breathing, and I was afraid that whatever was wrong would make him stop breathing altogether. “Dylan, what’s wrong?”

  “I can’t really explain,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. “Here, while we’re waiting for them to get here, call this doctor for me. Tell him my name and that I need him out here, tonight. Cost is of no importance. Just tell him to get here.”

  He handed me his phone from the pocket of his t-shirt, and I did as he told me, while he kept the 911 dispatcher informed about his condition. A man answered the phone, and I explained who I was and what Dylan had said. The doctor promised he’d be on the next flight out and hung up. I stared over at Dylan, afraid, confused, but most of all, stunned at how the playful moment had changed into this.

  “Did you hit your head? Is that what’s wrong?” I moved over him, but he pushed me down gently.

  “No, Emily. I, well, you’ll find out soon enough.” He leaned back on the bed, and I could see how nervous he was, how afraid.

  “Are you in pain?” I asked, afraid to move in case it increased his pain.

  “Not really, no. It’s more numbness than pain. Although, oddly, that does kind of hurt, the numbness. You’d think it wouldn’t.” He stared at the ceiling, and I felt my heart break. What was wrong with him?

  I didn’t have a lot of time to worry because I heard the elevator come up to the penthouse and went out to let the paramedics in. They came in with a stretcher, greeted me politely, and asked where Dylan was. It was only then that I realized how bad it was. He couldn’t even sit up on the bed. I wondered then if he’d actually pulled me down to the bed earlier or if he’d simply fallen with me in his arms.