His Sister's Return

by Mary Goldberger

  “Alina,” their dad said without thought, and the silence on her end spoke more than anything.

  “Dad,” Alina said finally a slight catch in her voice before she cleared it. “Help Sam, but don’t tell them the truth about me just yet.”

  “I can’t believe that Marla thinks…” Sam said shaking his head in disbelief.

  “Sam, you never said anything to her about having a sister and I’m sure that we have been seen together like at the restaurant so what do you think she thought?” Alina asked reasonably. She paused for a second before she said slowly, “Maybe it would be best if you told Marla the truth now, but I still think you should go ahead with the wedding anyway.”

  “But…” Samuel began only to stop. “What happened, Alina? How do you know that they think you are my girlfriend?”

  “Something I heard,” Alina fibbed to them not going to admit that ‘girlfriend’ was the polite term for what they believed and Samuel frowned as his father shook his head.

  “Alina, you are lying,” their father said in a stern voice.

  “Leave it alone both of you,” Alina said in a stubborn voice before she sighed. “Please.”

  They were both quiet for a few minutes before Trace said, “All right, honey. We will do as you asked.”

  “Thank you,” Alina told them not seeing the look they shared as Trace pulled his own cell phone out as she went on to explain a few other things that she had done before she said, “I’m going to get off now as there a few things I need to do before I leave. Take care and my cell will stay on so if you need to get in contact with me, just call.”

  “Alina,” Trace said before she hung up, “when this is all done and they are on their honeymoon, you and I going to have a long father-daughter talk.”

  Alina chuckled although there was little humor in it as she said, “Okay, I guess it is about time for that.”

  Trace shook his head at her sarcastic remark but he didn’t comment as Samuel said, “You be careful, Alina.”

  “I can take care of myself, Sam,” was her reply before she said ‘goodbye’ and hung up.

  As soon as Samuel ended the call, Trace was waiting for his brother to answer his phone and when Sarette answered, he got straight to the point.

  “What did Alina tell you?”

  He asked his eyes going hard as his brother hesitated briefly before he started telling him what he knew including the accidents Alina had over the last few months of coming back to Witt.

  Chapter 16

  On Thursday morning a day after Alina’s phone call and Marla was released from the hospital, Sam and his father went to Marla’s house to discuss the idea of moving the wedding forward five months.

  “Samuel, Trace,” Delilah said as they were shown to the dining room where her, Trystan and Marla were having lunch.

  Sam smiled and nodded his head as he walked over to Marla’s chair.

  He ignored Trystan for the moment because if he didn’t then he would end up doing something that he would regret later.

  “Marla, may I talk with you alone for a few minutes?” He asked her, and she frowned up at him as her hand shook when she put down the glass she held as she nodded her head.

  He helped her out of the chair as she said, “We can talk in the sun room.”

  “Dad,” Samuel said as they headed out of the room nodding his head to Trystan and Delilah.

  As they walked out, Delilah turned to Trace with confusion as she asked, “What is going on, Trace?”

  “He is going to talk with Marla about moving the date of the wedding this Saturday,” Trace said bluntly.

  Trystan who was lifting up his coffee cup froze as his mother said in shock, “What?”

  Samuel helped Marla over to a small love seat as they reached the room and he closed the door behind them. He made sure she was comfortable before he walked over to the window his back to her as he thought about what he and his father learned from Alina, and then later from Uncle Sarette.

  “How long have you know about Alina?” He asked without hesitation.

  Marla gasped as her face paled, but Sam didn’t turn around to look at her as he continued to stare out the window.

  “Almost two months,” she told him quietly her voice trembling.

  “Probably saw her, too, that night at the restaurant as did Trystan,” Samuel said aloud anger in his voice.

  “Samuel,” Marla began.

  Samuel spun around and she stopped seeing the look on his face that tears slid down her cheeks. “I love you, Marla, and I want to marry you but it hurts and angers me that you could even think that I would cheat on you,” he told her walking slowly over to her before he went down on his hunches in front of her.

  “Samuel, I was jealous and scared,” she admitted to him. “You two seemed so close that I thought it was possible that she was more than an old friend who you cared for deeply.”

  “You are right on both accounts, Marla,” Samuel told her.

  Marla began to sob at his words and lifted her hand up staring down at the ring on her right hand.

  “But the reason for that, Marla, is because Alina’s my baby sister,” Sam told her gently.

  Marla’s head snapped up as she stared at him in surprise and he smiled at her taking her hand with the engagement ring on it.

  “Alina came back home because she wanted to meet you and I wanted her here for my wedding. I was going to introduce you two that night, but you reminded me about the family dinner and I didn’t want to leave her alone on her first night back,” he told her.

  “Your sister?” Marla repeated still in shock at what she just learned.

  “Alina is four years younger than me,” he shared with her. “When Alina was four, my mother kicked her mother out of the house when she learned that Janice, Alina’s mother, was using father’s money to support her many lovers. She left and took Alina with her, and we lost contact with each other until Alina was maybe eight years old. Alina found Uncle Sarette and Aunt Theadora’s number in one of her mother’s black book from what I understand and she called them, and afterwards she got in touch with me. We kept in contact through mail with her uncle and aunt’s help. Unfortunately, Alina’s mom kept moving them around which I never understood why so Uncle Sarette is the one who made sure we got each other’s mail. I saw Alina only one other time after her mom took her away, and that is when she graduated high school. My uncle and aunt had invited me to spend some time with them which just so happened to be around the time Alina graduated. I didn’t make it to her college graduation because I was working.”

  “What about your father?” Marla asked as what he was saying started to sink in and Sam winced.

  “I don’t know,” Samuel admitted getting up to seat next to her. “I had always believed that he didn’t love Alina, but after I saw his face yesterday when he heard Alina’s voice on the phone, I don’t think that anymore.”

  Marla leaned forward and said softly as she grabbed his hand, “I’m sorry, Samuel. I should’ve asked you about her instead assuming you were cheating on me, but it just seemed like it when you made plans and didn’t include me, or even the words you would say at the time.”

  Samuel thought about what she said and he sighed as he folded her hand in his as he told her, “Alina warned me about not telling you, but I didn’t listen. I wanted you two to meet first before I explained about her.”

  He stared down at the ring on her hand as he told her absently, “I told Alina that she could see the ring, but she told me in her opinion no one else should see it until after you saw it. I had told her that Miss Nels had asked constantly to see it when she voiced this opinion.”

  “According to Alina, who was allowed to see the ring before me?” Marla asked with a slight smile.

  “Other than the shop clerk who helped me with the ring, only your mother and mine were allowed to see the ring,” Samuel told her laughing.

  “Weird woman,” Marla said outright, and Sam gave her a glare but ther
e was laughter around his eyes.

  Suddenly his eyes narrowed and Marla looked at him questioningly, “Did you ask Trystan to seduce Alina?” He asked bluntly.

  Marla swallowed before she admitted, “I asked him to distract her away from you.”

  “When was this?” Sam asked wanting to be mad at her but he knew he couldn’t be just as his sister had predicted according to Uncle Sarette.

  “The day after you came to my shop,” Marla confessed.

  Sam nodded his head before telling her grimly, “Trystan had already begun his seduction of her.”

  Marla’s eyes widened but before she could comment, there was a knock on the door.

  “Sam, Marla,” Trace asked opening the door and stepping inside the room. “Are you done talking? Marla’s mother wants to talk to you two.”

  “Dad, we will be out in a minute,” Samuel said giving his father a look getting a nod before he walked out of the room.

  Once he left, Samuel told Marla, “I will answer any questions you have about Alina, but right now we have something else to discuss.”

  He leaned over and kissed her briefly before settling back down in his seat as he began to tell her what Alina and he had discovered, and the plans that Alina had made to assure her safety.

  “Everything…” Marla asked. “I haven’t even met her yet.”

  Sam laughed at this as he told her, “You’ve met her, Marla.”

  At her questioning look, he explained, “About two to three weeks ago, did you help a woman with a couple of dresses? She probably wore glasses and her hair she had pinned back at the sides. She even probably made some weird comment about not liking dresses.”

  Marla began to shake her head until she remembered the young woman who came in her store not too long ago.

  “She has a pair of amazing hazel eyes that you may have ever seen,” Sam told her, and Marla gasped.

  “She came in my store and bought a few dresses. She was nice and I have to admit I enjoyed talking with her,” Marla said in surprise.

  “That, my darling was Alina,” Sam said pulling her to her feet after he stood up.

  Marla laughed as she shook her head and said, “Wait until I tell Trystan.”

  “Marla, no,” Sam said firmly stopping her in her tracks.

  “But Samuel,” she started to say only to stop at his look and her eyes widened. “She fell in love with him.”

  “Not an easy feat as Alina guards herself closely but Trystan was able to sneak in,” Sam said. He lifted his hand to her face. “She said not to tell anyone, but relented that you needed to know.”

  “He may have feelings for her,” Marla argued weakly.

  “Bea,” Sam said without any anger. “You and I both know that Trystan has never fallen for any of the women he seduced so why would Alina be any different especially as he was merely doing it to help you?”

  Marla shook her head knowing that he was right and he continued on, “it is for the best that he continues to believe that Alina was my girlfriend but in the end I chose you. Once she realized she lost, she just left without another word.”

  “Gives Trystan the impression that she was merely having fun,” Marla said with a hint of respect.

  “And Trystan will never know that Alina fell for him,” Sam said. “He will learn eventually that she is my sister because we can’t hide it forever, but it will be when she is ready to face him again.”

  Marla nodded her head slowly as she looked up at him.

  “I am sorry, Samuel, that we caused your sister pain,” she told him tears in her eyes.

  Sam hugged her to him before he remarked, “Alina doesn’t blame you because she knows better than anyone else that you can’t force love no matter who it is.”

  “So,” Sam said after a few minutes of silence while they held each other, “will you marry me this Saturday, Marla?”

  She leaned her head back and smiled up at him, and he didn’t need a verbal response as he bent down to kiss her when there came another knock on the door.

  “Marla, Samuel,” Trystan’s voice came through the door steady and strong. “Are you done talking yet because mom is getting anxious out here?”

  “Bad timing,” Sam muttered as Marla giggled before they headed to the door opening it to see a frowning Trystan standing there.

  The woman stormed in her apartment and she slammed the door behind her. Her purse went flying across the room as a scream left her throat.

  “The bitch won’t take him from me,” she muttered as she walked over to the small desk.

  She pulled open the drawer just as a knock sounded on her door.

  “Dana, are you okay? We heard a scream,” her neighbor said in concern, and Dana smiled as she closed the drawer.

  She walked back over to the door and opened it giving the man a smile before she let tears slide down her face.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked reaching for her and Dana smiled through her tears as suddenly the man became someone else in her eyes.

  “I need you,” she sobbed as the man stepped in her apartment.

  The startle look on his face changed to one of pure lust as he closed the door behind them before Dana lifted her head and locked lips with him her mind muttering over and over, “Oh Samuel, Samuel, how I love you.”

  “Marla, are you sure about this?” Her mother asked for the third time since Sam and Marla returned from their talk.

  Marla nodded her head one last time as she glanced over at Samuel who winked at her before she turned back to her mother.

  “I am sure, mom,” she said her voice full of confidence and excitement.

  “Well,” her mother said glancing over at Trystan who was staring at Samuel and Marla with narrowed eyes before she continued. “Okay, but we have to decide where to have it and everything else if you don’t want to have a completely chaotic wedding in two days.”

  There was a note in her voice that Samuel heard and understood but he wasn’t going to be deterred about their decision especially as he looked at Marla, he had no qualms about getting married earlier than either anticipated.

  “A small affair in this backyard by the gazebo,” he said suddenly grabbing Marla’s hand in his and glancing over at her. “Only family members will be invited.”

  “Now wait a minute, Samuel,” her mother began.

  “Only family members,” both Sam and Marla interjected liking the idea of having the wedding in her backyard.

  Trace nodded his head as he revealed, “In fact, most of the cost has already been settled. Marla, there will be a woman who will come tomorrow for you to look at wedding dresses as she called today.”

  Marla looked surprised at this until Samuel leaned closer and whispered, “Alina can be very persuasive when she chooses to be.”

  Marla chuckled as she nodded her head getting a smile from Trace before he said, “I hope she has something that you will like.”

  Trystan frowned at them from his seat as Bea pouted after being ignored, “Will I be invited to attend the wedding?”

  Marla turned a frowning look to her as Samuel tightened his hold on her although his eyes never left her face, and Marla noted how Bea had pressed herself to Trystan’s side even though Trystan seemed oblivious to her presence until she spoke.

  When Samuel and Marla had finally come out of the room, Bea had arrived making herself comfortable although Marla would’ve preferred if she wasn’t involved in their wedding plans.

  “I guess so,” Marla murmured as Trystan turned those same narrowed eyes to Bea. “If Trystan invites you as his guest, then I can’t disagree because I want my brother there at all cost.”

  Bea gave a smug smile as Delilah stated, “We should talk about the catering” as she leaned forward to grab a notebook from the coffee table.

  “Already done,” another voice said from the doorway, and all heads turned to the newcomers.

  “Uncle Sarette, Aunt Theadora,” Sam said in surprise standing up as Trace turned to them in
confusion as no one heard a car or the doorbell.

  Sarette smiled ruefully as they walked farther in the room. “Sorry for intruding, but when we arrived at Trace’s house, we were told that Trace and Sam where here.”

  Theadora smiled as she walked over and gave Sam a hug although she was almost four inches shorter than he was before she stepped back and hit him lightly in the arm.

  “You didn’t think we would miss your wedding, did you?” She asked in a stern tone and Samuel immediately shook his head chuckling as Trace stood up.

  “It’s about time that you came back home, brother,” Trace said clapping Sarette on the back as he walked over to them.

  “Only for a vacation, little brother,” Sarette told him with a hooded glance and Trace laughed before turning to their host.

  “You remember my brother, Sarette, and his wife, Theadora, Delilah,” Trace said with a smile in her direction seeing how she was trying to understand what was going on.

  “Marla, this is my Uncle Sarette and Aunt Theadora,” Sam said pulling Marla to her feet who Aunt Theadora immediately wrapped in a hug.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Marla,” Aunt Theadora said as she stepped back from a laughing Marla who looked at Samuel with a raised eyebrow.

  He just smiled at her as Marla’s mother said, “It’s nice to see you again, Sarette, Theadora.”

  Theadora and Sarette smiled as Delilah waved them to sit down while Trystan got up giving them a smile noting that their own returning smiles were forced and eyes were slightly narrowed at him. “My son, Trystan,” she said as they sat down.

  They nodded their heads at him but Trystan sensed a coldness that he didn’t quite understand and his eyes narrowed as his body stiffened at their attitude.

  “So we were talking about getting everything ready for the wedding on Saturday,” Delilah continued picking back up the pad she had put down when Samuel’s aunt and uncle arrived. “We still have to get a caterer unless…”