“My purpose or the purpose of our sessions?”
Brianna stared at her blankly.
“Why did you try to kill yourself, Brianna?”
“I didn’t.”
“What were you trying to do, then?”
Brianna placed her index finger on her battle scar. The spot above her temple where the bullet grazed her skin. Armand had saved her, again.
“Feel. I wanted to feel something other than fear. I am sick to death of being afraid.”
“Let’s explore that, Brianna.”
Brianna rolled her eyes and checked the time. Forty minutes to go. “Shadows send me into cardiac arrest. I don’t feel safe unless I’m in the company of others. If a cat blinks, I’m tempted to swing on it. Do you know what that feels like? It’s torture.”
“I understand . . . That must be frustrating.”
Brianna’s frustration rose to the surface. This woman had no clue what she was going through. If she did . . . She didn’t let on. Her entire life had changed. She had gone from being a strong, independent woman to being regulated and managed like a completely dependent child.
“I would rather die than continue to live in fear.” Brianna looked out the big bay window overlooking the Big D. “I’m just tired of being afraid.”
“Brianna, your fear is natural. You went through a terrible ordeal. Give yourself time.”
“Sure.”
“Are you still living with Armand and Michelle?”
“Temporarily.”
“Yes, temporarily.”
“I am. I still have my condo. I like to visit my old life.”
Doctor Shepherd made a notation on her legal pad. Brianna was suffering from a clear case of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. She was confident that she could help Brianna to regain her independence by restoring her faith in herself; in her ability to protect herself.
“Good. You need to be around family.”
“Family is a loose concept for me, Doctor.”
Brianna was still not talking to Frank and trying to adjust to having Sophie in her life. Michelle was all the family she had. Well, the only member she couldn’t cut off. She had only spoken with Lisa long enough to let her know she was safe.
“There is a long road ahead of you, Brianna, but eventually, you’ll find your footing and accept this new normal.”
The doctor’s words did little to ease her fears or calm her nerves. In a few minutes, she would have to leave and those eyes, wherever they were, would be on her. She knew it. They always were. It was unnerving.
“You stated that you like to visit your old life. Will you elaborate on that, please?”
Brianna was still grieving the things she lost. Her family . . . the confidence she once had to walk out the door and suspect nothing would happen. It was a false sense of security that she had taken for granted. She would give everything to get it back. “I don’t know who I am anymore. I have a mother that I don’t know. I love my sister, but she’s connected to this change. I don’t know if I want to accept it. My life has been in a downward spiral ever since I walked into that restaurant.”
“You mean, the day you met Michelle.”
Brianna wiped the tear from her eye. She hated that she blamed Michelle, but she couldn’t help it. Everything changed for her that day. “No . . . yes . . . I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“I think you do know, Brianna.” Doctor Shepherd decided to push her a little further. “Michelle is just as much a victim as you. The tendency to blame someone for this unspeakable turn of events is completely normal. I know this might sound off base, but out of all those who deserve the responsibility, Michelle deserves the least.”
“What are you talking about, Doctor Shepherd?”
“Your parents. Not talking to your dad is not helpful and this happy façade you have with your mom is going to ensure your place here.”
Brianna took a deep breath. She knew what Doctor Shepherd was doing. It was the same thing she had been trying to do since Brianna started seeing her. She wanted her to blame her mother, to be angry with Sophie, but Brianna couldn’t do that. “I just got her. I hardly even know her, but I’m a part of her. It’s the strangest feeling. I have her eyes, nose, and even a few habits, but I don’t know anything about her.”
“Are you afraid she’ll leave again?”
“Maybe.”
Doctor Shepherd noted the time. “For our last ten minutes, I thought we should discuss your expectations for this meeting at her home. I want to make sure you’re up for it.”
It was not the possibility of what may transpire at her mother’s that Brianna was worried about. Getting there was the bigger issue. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure certain? What is this meeting about?”
Brianna shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
Doctor Shepherd was concerned that Brianna was not giving the situation the proper attention. “Considering what happened during your previous visit, are you truly certain about this?”
“If you are referring to my hitting her with the frying pan, I explained that it was an accident. I thought she was a burglar. She was not supposed to be home.”
“She wanted to surprise you.”
“I don’t like surprises!”
Doctor Shepherd remained expressionless, unmoved by Brianna’s outburst.
“Not anymore.”
Two minutes.
“I’ll be fine.”
Brianna felt her phone vibrating. Their time was up.
* * *
Michelle was shaking with excitement. She couldn’t believe it was happening. Armand stood before her on one knee with the most beautiful ring in his hand that she’d ever laid eyes on.
“Michelle Kaye Lewis . . . I love you. There is no other woman for me. You have given more than I can express in this way. If you’ll have me . . . I’d like to try to be the man you need and deserve for the rest of my life. Will you marry me, MK?”
“Yes! Yes, Armand!” She didn’t need to think about it. She loved Armand and knew that her heart was safe in his capable hands.
He slid the ring on her finger and scooped her up into his arms. He showered her with kisses and cried tears of pure joy. Michelle would one day be Mrs. Armand LaCroix, and he couldn’t be happier.
“I was not expecting this, Armand! It’s marvelous.”
“That’s kinda the point, MK.” he laughed. “I know the timing seems off, but I wanted to do it before we got to your mom’s for the reading. I don’t know what we will find out. I wanted you to be assured that regardless of whatever may come . . . I’m yours.”
Michelle grabbed his face with her hands and planted a wet one on him. “You are so incredibly thoughtful. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Well, we need to get out of here. Mom will not be happy if we’re late.”
“You need to be nice, Michelle.”
“Thanks for ruining the mood.”
“Listen,” Armand began, taking her hands into his, “I just want things to go smoothly. Brianna has been having a rough time.”
Michelle opened her mouth to interrupt, but he placed a finger over her mouth to silence her. “I know you have too, but Brianna has not adjusted as well as you have.”
Michelle conceded.
“I am simply suggesting that you put your issues with your mother to the side for her sake.”
This is why she loved this man.
“Of course. For Brianna, I’ll be cordial.”
“That’s my girl.”
They shared a brief kiss, grabbed their things, and left their townhome for Sophie’s humble abode.
* * *
It did not take Frank very long to locate Lisa. He may not have known a lot about his wife’s past, but he knew her habits and how much she loved Saint Maarten. He flew out of DFW airport, caught a connecting flight in New York, spent a few days there, and then took the first flight out of LaGuardia. He had been on the
island for about four days or so, watching Lisa and waiting for the right time to approach her.
He was walking along the beach enjoying the breeze when he heard it. The wind carried it gently and tucked it away in his ear. His mind’s eye replayed it over and over again. The beautiful wave showing its dominion over the Caribbean, the sun’s rays kissing the sea’s surface, a child’s hearty laugh at the expense of a younger sibling . . . then that word.
“Franklin.”
Frank turned around to face his wife. She was gorgeous in her white bikini. To be so near to forty, it was obvious that Father Time had been kind to her. He stood gawking for a moment, completely captivated by her.
“Franklin.”
“Lisa. Surprised to find you here.”
Lisa laughed, adjusting her white, wide-brimmed straw hat to give her some protection from the relentless shine of the earth’s brightest star. “What are you doing here, Mr. Mason?”
“Well, I have come to get my wife. Have you seen her?”
“Nope. What made you think she was here?”
“I know a few things about her. Maybe not everything I should but the important things.” Frank pointed to his temple. “The important things I have sealed for emergencies.”
“I see. What else do you know? Maybe I could help you look.”
Lisa was shocked when she saw Frank walking around two days ago. She expected that he would look for her, but she didn’t expect him to find her. She didn’t think he knew enough about her, but apparently, she was wrong . . . and was kind of glad she was.
“I know she likes to dance, and she has a pretty awesome singing voice too.”
“Oh really?”
“Yea . . . She has like an Anita Baker meets Karyn White thing going on.”
“You’re a mess.”
“I miss you, Lisa. Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Frank felt his phone vibrating. It was probably Charlie calling again. She had been calling nonstop since he told her where he was headed. He didn’t feel like talking to her at the moment. She could leave a voice mail. There was a chance he could get his money back . . . and his wife too. He was not going to let Charlie ruin it.
“Come on, Lisa.”
Lisa weighed her options. She had been in Saint Maarten for nearly a month and had loved every minute, but she had missed Frank. She missed Brianna. On some level, she even missed Charlie. One conversation couldn’t hurt, and if it did open a door for them to repair their marriage . . . Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. “Sure, we can go to my room. Follow me.”
Lisa entered her suite with Frank just a few steps behind her. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you.”
His phone vibrated again. Charlie was getting on his last nerve.
“May I use your restroom?”
“Down the hall to the right.” After noticing the flashing red light on the suite’s courtesy phone blinking, she added, “I have a few messages anyway. I’ll check those while you’re in there.”
“Great, thanks. I’ll just be a moment.”
Frank closed the bathroom door behind him and turned on the faucet so that the water would run as loud as possible. He also turned on the fan to help drown out his voice while he made the phone call. “Charlie, what is it?”
“Did you find her?”
“Stop calling me.”
“We have a child, Frank!”
“You have a child. I don’t know if that kid is mine or not.”
“Did you find her?”
“That is none of your business.” Frank tried to stay calm, but he was losing his patience.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.” Charlie sounded cryptic.
“Right. What was your endgame, huh? Hit me up for eighteen years for someone else’s mistake? Leave me alone, Charlie.”
“Whatever. If you did find her, I suggest you not let her listen to any messages.”
“What in the hell are you talking about, Charlie?”
“I may have let our little secret out.”
Frank dropped his phone and ran out of the bathroom without even turning the water off. He struggled to breathe as his lungs filled with regret. His eyes filled with horror at the view before him once he reached the living area of the suite. Blood was everywhere. He dropped to his knees as tears streamed down his face. He cried so hard his eyes hurt, and he wished with all his heart he could un-see what he saw. If he could have just one more chance, he would take it all back. He swore he would take it all back.
* * *
Brianna could have sworn she smelled a familiar cologne as she left Doctor Shepherd’s office, the same scent that Javan always wore, but she tried to convince herself she was imagining things. Doctor Shepherd advised her that paranoia was completely normal given everything she had gone through. It seemed like every problem she had was completely normal. She didn’t want to be normal anymore. Despite her reservations, she made it to her mom’s home without incident. Sophie had been a damn chatterbox the whole fifteen minutes she had been there. It was like she was constantly trying to make up for lost time, but Brianna didn’t need that. That part of her life was gone as far as she was concerned. She was never getting it back.
“Mom, please,” Brianna forced a laugh. “Give your lips a rest.”
“I know, I’m talking a lot. I just . . . It’s always good to see you, Brianna.”
While Sophie was pleased with the speed at which their relationship progressed, she was equally devastated by the rate that her relationship with Michelle was deteriorating. She had no apologies left. It was up to Michelle at this point, and that girl was as stubborn as a mule. Sophie was adjusting to her life without Lewis. It was not what she expected it would be, but she was still trying to enjoy her freedom. Lewis’s lawyer called and notified her that Lewis had drafted a will shortly before he died. Naturally, she was surprised because Lewis had not said a word to her about it, but then, that was his MO. She called the girls immediately to let them know about it. This was the day when everyone would be available for the reading, so they had arranged for the lawyer to come to the house.
“Mrs. Lewis, hello.”
Sophie looked up to see Armand strolling in with Michelle on his arm.
“Hi, Armand.”
Armand gave Michelle a little nudge. Michelle huffed briefly before speaking. “Hi, Bria . . . Mom.”
“Hi, Michelle.”
Brianna started to speak, but the lawyer walked in before she could. She mouthed a hello to Michelle and her beau before turning her attention to the lawyer, a partner at her Uncle J’s firm. She really hated surprises. He had stepped in for Jacob since he was still in recovery and unable to attend. Jacob had been Lewis’s lawyer. She was certain she didn’t want to know how or why her uncle had kept Lewis a secret from her all these years. Brianna sat through another round of uncomfortable introductions before the lawyer got down to business. He read the will, and for the most part, it was pretty standard. Then he read the following:
“And to my children, I leave $15 million in bonds, to be divided equally.”
The girls looked at Sophie, who was as shocked as they were. Lewis did not know about Brianna. Sophie had only told him minutes before he passed. Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door, and Armand got up to answer it. Brianna, Michelle, and Sophie were discussing how he could have possibly known when Michelle heard a familiar voice say hello. She looked up to see Charlie waddling into the room, holding her very round belly.
“I heard Lewis left a will. I thought that we should be present for the reading.”
They each looked at one another with their mouths agape. Brianna looked at Charlie and rolled her eyes. “That child is the only thing keeping me from chunking something at your face. In fact, I still might.”
Then Brianna looked at Sophie and wondered if she was breathing. It didn’t look like it. She really hated surprises. What would Doctor Shepherd have to say about this mess? Surely, this
wasn’t completely normal—or was it? Nah. Brianna took a seat beside Sophie on the couch. She still hadn’t seen her breathe.
“Mom. Mom, are you all right?”
Sophie looked at her and realized her mouth was dry. She closed it but remained silent for a moment. “I don’t know, Brianna. I’m not sure what to do or how to feel.”
“Well . . . You still have that frying pan?”
Sophie laughed a little at the joke, but she kept her eyes on Charlie’s belly. She didn’t know whether Lewis fathered that child, but she knew one thing for certain: that bastard would not get any part of her girls’ money. She didn’t know who this woman was or what her plans were, but she should not have come to her home. Sophie would do anything to protect her daughters. If she made love to her husband and still had enough steel in her veins to watch him die by her hand, she knew getting rid of this trick would be easy.
Sophie smiled, rose to her feet, and extended her hand to Charlie. “Hi, I’m Sophie Lewis, and you are . . . ?”
Virtuous Deception Page 27