His Sister's Return

by Mary Goldberger

  “Sorry to interrupt, Delilah, but someone has already been hired for the catering,” Aunt Theadora said mentioning a well-known cater getting surprised looks from Marla and her family.

  Everyone started talking as one making other plans for the wedding on Friday and Samuel smiled slightly as Marla leaned back against him.

  “Who is paying for these sudden plans, Samuel?” She asked in a quiet voice unaware of the hooded look that Trystan gave them.

  “It seems that the wedding plans are coming along nicely,” Bea murmured walking over to him leaning close.

  Trystan smiled at her absently before he returned his attention to the others as he steered Bea over to his sister catching Sam’s muttered, “If I told you, it would probably shock you, honey.”

  Chapter 17

  The following day, Trystan walked in the hotel a thoughtful look on his face as he headed for the reception desk to pick up any messages.

  He was thinking about how Alina was taking the news that Samuel was getting married. Although Samuel and Marla didn’t want anyone outside the family to know, he was sure that Samuel had let her know that he was breaking it off with her.

  As he walked in Trudy’s office, he said, “Trudy, call Alina and set up a lunch date please.”

  Trudy nodded her head as she picked up the phone to do as he requested watching him walk in his office leaving the door open.

  He was looking over some figures when his phone rung and he answered with a brief, “Tyeson.”

  His attention was immediately caught when the foreman for the restaurant he was having built told him that things were doing well and they should be done by the due date that Trystan had planned.

  “Good,” Trystan said with a smile as they talked a little more before they hung up with each other.

  Trudy walked in thirty minutes later, and without looking up, he told her, “Book a table at Sebastian’s again for us.”

  There was silence and he was about to look up when Trudy said in a rush, “Trystan, I couldn’t get a hold of Alina.”

  “No answer from her hotel room?” He asked getting an answering nod from Trudy. “Did you try her cell?”

  He shifted his attention back to his papers for a second before Trudy’s next words had him lifting his head in shock.

  “She checked out.”

  His hand clenched around the pen in his hand as he asked icily, “When did she check out?”

  “Yesterday afternoon,” she told him.

  “I want the receipt for her bill,” he said in a low voice.

  As Trudy left the room, he muttered, “That bastard” thinking Samuel had paid her bill after letting her know about his wedding.

  He picked up the phone his intent to call his sister when Trudy walked back in the room handing him a folder.

  “Hi, Trystan,” Marla chirped as she answered.

  “Listen, Marla, I have to tell you…” his voice trailed off as he looked at the receipts he had lifted from the folder for their recent customers Alina’s receipt on top.

  “Trystan, is something the matter?” Marla asked at his silence.

  “I have another call, Marla, I will get back to you,” he told her before he hung up.

  He looked at the receipt going over it slowly noticing that Alina hadn’t used hardly any of the hotel facilities although she had used their services for car rentals. His jaw clenched as he scanned further down until he saw the signature and his head snapped up.

  “Is this accurate?” He asked his voice calm although his thoughts were chaotic because according to the signature on the bill, it was paid in full by Alina.

  Trudy nodded her head as she explained, “Darlene said she was surprised when Alina pulled out a credit card and it went through.”

  He nodded his head returning his attention to the receipt in his hand as Trudy after giving him a weird look, walked out of his office back to her desk and her work.

  His cell rung a few minutes later and he didn’t pick it up right away as he was still staring down at Alina’s receipt.

  “Hello,” he said finally answering his cell on the fifth ring.

  “I was about to hang up,” his friend told him with a laugh.

  Trystan chuckled putting down the receipt and leaning back in his desk chair as he said dryly, “I was working.”

  “Of course,” his friend said with a chuckle.

  “So did you find out anything on Alina?” Trystan asked turning his chair around to look out the window that sat behind his desk.

  “Plenty, but why are checking up on her,” he friend asked. “If you have any questions, why don’t you ask Samuel and his father?”

  “Why would I ask them?” He snapped at his friend.

  There was silence on the other end before his friend told him with humor in his voice, “Because Alina Barks used to be Alina Blairson until she legally had it changed. She is Samuel’s younger sister and Trace Blairson’s only daughter.”

  Trystan stood up abruptly as he asked in a voice full of steel, “Are you telling me that the woman is related to the Blairsons’ by blood?”

  “Exactly,” his friend told him laughing loudly. “You, my friend, were jealous of her biological brother.”

  Trystan didn’t wait to hear any more as he flipped the phone closed with a snap. He thought back to the night before as Samuel and Marla came out of the room how Marla’s face glowed with a knowing light as something had been lifted off her mind.

  “He told her the truth,” Trystan muttered crossly remembering his friend’s last remark before he hung up. He started for the door when his desk phone rung and he stopped with an expletive leaving his mouth in a snarl as he turned around and snatched it up.

  His voice was calm though his eyes were hard as he answered, “Tyeson.”

  He sat down again as a business partner greeted him before going into details about why he was calling.

  He was busy for the rest of the day and as the evening rolled around his temper was ready to explode.

  “I’m heading home, Trystan,” Trudy said standing in the doorway watching him work at his desk seeing the dark mask that covered his face.

  Trystan glanced at his watch noting that it was hitting six and he nodded his head as he stretched releasing some tension in his shoulders.

  “Did you get a hold of…?” He started to ask as she turned and started to walk away.

  “No, I’m sorry,” she told him with a slight frown and he nodded his head again.

  “Goodnight, Trudy,” he told her giving her a brief smile which she returned before continuing out of the office gathering her things up before she left for the evening.

  Trystan allowed the smile to slip off his face as he gritted his teeth before returning his attention back to his work. He was leaving when his night manager arrived and after a brief discussion he left the hotel heading home.

  He arrived home noticing Samuel’s car in the driveway and with his jaw set he walked inside.

  “Where are Samuel and Marla?” He asked his mother the first person he encountered after walking inside.

  Delilah’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she put down the pad on the cluttered coffee table and told him, “They are in the small room off the dining room.”

  Trystan nodded his head as he gave her a kiss before heading in that direction and as he opened the door, he froze as he heard Alina’s voice.

  “So Uncle Sarette and Aunt Theadora arrived, huh?” Alina asked as she moved around her kitchen continuing what she had been doing before her brother called.

  “They arrived last night,” Sam said before he chuckled. “You have been busy in the last week.”

  “Plead the fifth,” Alina said with a smile. “So are you ready for Saturday?”

  Marla laughed as Samuel said, “As you are the one who planned everything, what do you think?”

  Alina laughed slightly before she told them, “I hope that everything goes as planned and Marla, Aunt Theadora has all the informatio
n you need about the caterer so if you need to get hold of him, Aunt Theadora will be able to help you.”

  Marla nodded her head although she knew Alina couldn’t see her before the question that had been bugging her slipped out. “What do you do, Alina?” Marla asked leaning against Samuel as he held the cell in his hand.

  “A chef,” Alina said honestly although that was the simple explanation.

  “So Alina,” Samuel started after a brief glance at Marla who nodded her head.

  “Don’t ask, Sam, because I won’t tell you,” She stated before he could even start his sentence.

  Samuel frowned as Marla asked, “When are you coming back?”

  “I haven’t decided,” Alina responded as she whisked ingredients together in a bowl.

  She changed the subject as she poured the mixture in a frying pan. “Have any more accidents occurred?”

  “No,” Samuel said giving Marla a questioning look which she answered by shaking her head.

  “Good,” Alina said. She was silent for a few minutes before she slowly, “I think I will go out tomorrow and go ring shopping.”

  “Alina,” her brother said sharply as Trystan stepped farther in the room quietly closing the door behind him. “What are you planning?”

  “Best way to show that you are thinking of getting engaged,” Alina told them as she grabbed a spatula keeping an eye on her dinner.

  Samuel shook his head as Marla said worriedly, “I don’t think that is a good idea, Alina.”

  “Probably not, but it buys you two a little more time,” Alina admitted.

  Samuel and Marla both sighed as the room became quiet and Trystan frowned as he reached behind him opening door loudly getting their attention as Samuel and Marla turned around at the sound.

  “Trystan,” Marla said quickly glancing at Sam who immediately took Alina off speakerphone which Trystan noticed with narrowed eyes. “When did you get home?”

  She rushed over to him and he frowned at her as she grabbed his arm turning him as Sam talked quietly in his phone before he hung up following them.

  “Who were you talking to, Samuel?” Trystan asked his voice rough with suspicion as Marla clutched his arm.

  “A friend,” Samuel said with a smile as he closed the door behind them heading for the living room.

  Trystan frowned at them but Marla quickly stated, “I picked my wedding dress this afternoon, Tryst.”

  He switched his attention to her seeing how her eyes sparkled and he shook his head a rueful smile on his face as he tousled her hair, and Samuel watched them with a small smile although there was an envious light in his eyes that neither one of them noticed.

  As they entered the living room, Bea stood up from the couch where she was chatting with his mother. She smiled as she said, “I have been waiting for you, Trystan. There is something I wanted to talk with you about.”

  Trystan nodded his head as they walked over and settled down around the coffee table. Trystan’s thoughts were on Alina and he wondered where she was at when he felt Bea’s hand on his arm.

  “What were you,” Bea asked glancing over at Samuel and Marla before turning back to him, “talking about?”

  “Nothing important,” Marla chimed in before Trystan could respond and he nodded his head in agreement.

  Bea’s eyes narrowed slightly but her smile widened and she said, “So are the wedding plans coming along okay? If you need any help, I would be glad to be assistance.”

  Marla nodded her head as she said, “Thank you for the offer, but everything is already done.”

  Bea bit her lip as Marla turned to Samuel and started to say something before she stated, “I know that you want to only invite family, but I think inviting a few other people including the press would be…”

  “No,” Samuel and Marla said turning to face Bea getting a shocked look from her.

  “Bea,” Trystan said getting her attention. “Marla would like to keep it simple and quiet, and since it is her day, then I suggest we accept her decision.”

  Bea simpered as she said, “But, Trystan, it is the wedding of the year in Witt.”

  Marla’s head snapped up and she said sharply, “I don’t want reporters at my wedding, Bea.”

  Bea gave her a glare but she nodded her head in acceptance as Marla added, “When you get married, Bea, you can have as many reporters and guests as you want.”

  Marla turned back to Sam not seeing the light that entered Bea’s eyes at her words or the slanted look she gave Trystan as she mumbled, “Oh, I will.”

  Delilah hadn’t said anything since they entered the room and her own eyes narrowed slightly as she caught the look in Bea’s eyes. Her mouth tightened for a second before she said, “Marla, how about taking a look at this arrangement I was thinking of?”

  Marla nodded her head squeezing Samuel’s hand before she got up walking over to her to lean down and look at her mother’s arrangement plan.

  Samuel glanced over at Trystan as Bea murmured to him and he watched him intently noting that although he was looking at Bea and nodding his head, Trystan’s mind seemed to be on something else.

  Alina stared down at the food she had burnt after hearing Trystan’s voice come over her brother’s cell until her brother had took her off speakerphone and she ruefully shook her head.

  “This hasn’t happened since I learned to cook,” she muttered aloud as she threw it in the trash bin.

  She closed her eyes and rubbed a hand across her eyes. Just the sound of his voice, and her knees went weak she told herself with a slight scowl at her own weakness.

  She sat down at the table putting her head in her hands as she came to terms with her feelings for her sister-in-law’s brother.

  “You should be upset with him,” she muttered to herself. “He played you although you know why, it doesn’t make it right.”

  She sighed as she rolled her head back knowing that she wasn’t going to hold it against him though because he did it out of love for his sister, and her happiness.

  “Let’s just get through these next few days for Sam and Marla,” she told herself lifting her head only to be stunned to feel tears fill her eyes. She sat there as the tears fell down and for the first time in a long time, she cried without restraint as her heart ached in her chest at what she had recently learned only to find out that it had been a lie.

  Trystan frowned as Marla and Samuel conveniently became unavailable not too long after Delilah and Marla finished talking.

  Bea was still talking to him about something and although he was catching everything she said, he was only responding with a nod here and there as he thought of a way to get Alina to answer his phone calls. He knew she must have her cell on because she answered Sam’s call unless…Trystan’s frown deepened catching Bea’s attention.

  “Trystan, honey, is something the matter?” She asked laying a hand on his chest and Trystan glanced at her as he shook his head giving her a charming smile grabbing her hand and folding it in his.

  “Are you ready to leave, Bea?” He asked still holding her hand and Bea nodded her head as she turned a smug smile to Delilah.

  “Thank you for having me, mom,” she said getting a surprised look from Trystan at her term ‘mom’.

  Delilah’s mouth straightened for a second before she gave a polite smile and said, “It is always a pleasure to have you, Bea dear. We hope to see you next Friday.”

  Bea laughed as Trystan gave her a hand up and said, “I’m Trystan’s date after all, mom.”

  She missed the narrowed look she got at those words from Delilah, but Trystan didn’t and there was a thoughtful look in his own eyes as he ushered Bea to his car before they drove away.

  As he dropped off at her condo, Bea gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek before remarking, “Not too long now and we will be planning are own wedding.”

  “Yes,” Trystan replied absently as he walked her to her door only catching what she said after the door was closed and he had started back to his
car. He stopped briefly glancing back before shaking his head and heading back home.

  Inside her apartment, Bea threw down her purse before striding over to the phone and picking it up. She dialed the number for The Witt Times and asked to speak to the local gossip editor.

  “I have some information that I think you would love to print,” she told him in a sugary voice as she smiled smugly a cunning look crossing her features.

  The next morning, Alina was about to head out when her cell rung and she answered as she locked her front door.

  “Hi, Uncle Sarette,” she said as she headed over to her car and unlocked it.

  “We have a problem,” Uncle Sarette told her as she slid in freezing at his next words. “Someone leaked the news of Sam and Marla’s wedding in two days.”

  He was staring down at the newspaper with Sam and Marla’s pictures plastered all over the front page as Alina swore on the other end causing him to frown but she spoke before he could say anything else.

  “The blue compact that has been parked in the neighborhood for the last three days is gone.”

  Uncle Sarette paled as the door opened and Sam with Marla, and his father, walked in the room.

  “Have Marla stay home until the wedding and she should have no visitors except for those she trust,” Alina warned him as she turned over the car and reaching for the door when suddenly she heard a noise coming from the car she never heard before, and her eyes widened as something told her to get out.

  Trusting her gut, Alina pushed the door open and scrambled out of the car where she fell a second before the car exploded.

  Uncle Sarette heard the explosion on the other end and he collapsed back in his chair eyes wide in his white face as Trace who glanced over at him suddenly rushed over.

  “Sarette,” he said only to freeze his own face paling, hazel eyes narrowing in fear at Sarette’s next words.

  “Alina,” he said quietly. “Alina!”

  On the other end, Alina laid on the sidewalk a few feet from her burning car blood smearing the curb where a piece from her car had hit her.