Stealing Sunshine

by Tina Michele

  “Belle, please. Give me a chance to show you how I feel.”

  The ambulance pulled to a stop and the EMTs went to work. The doors opened and they pulled Belle’s stretcher from the vehicle. As they locked the legs in place, Tara jumped out after them. As they began to push her away, Belle closed her eyes and Tara grabbed her hand.

  “Wait!”

  “Tara, please go.”

  “Ma’am, please move.”

  “Belle, don’t.” Tara’s eyes filled with tears, and Belle’s heart shattered.

  “No more, Tara. It’s over. Just go.” It took all the strength she had, but Belle turned her head away and pulled her hand back from Tara. A cold chill of sadness flooded through her body, and she wept. She felt Tara staring as they wheeled her into the hospital and out of Tara’s life.

  *

  Tara stood in the loading bay and watched as they pushed Belle away from her. She wanted to scream and run after her, but Belle had made herself clear. She wanted Tara out of her life. But she couldn’t make herself leave. She never had to fight for anything in her life. And if she did she always gave up because it was never worth the effort. This wasn’t one of those times. She met Kyle and Andrew in the ER waiting area and told them her plan.

  Chapter Thirty

  Belle pushed the button on the bed remote and raised herself. Kyle and Andrew carried a large bouquet of flowers and a gigantic stuffed bear. “Guys, it’s not that bad. It didn’t even go into my arm. It’s just a scratch.”

  “When did you get to be such a badass, Ms. Tough Guy? You got shot!”

  “The only thing I got is some stitches and this big ol’ fancy Band-Aid here.” Belle laughed at herself.

  “And really good drugs, apparently.”

  “Shhh. Don’t tell nobody, but I think there might be morphine in this here bag-o-fun. Fun bag.” Belle chuckled and poked her finger at the IV bag that hung next to her bed.

  “Oh, good Lord,” Andrew said as he put down the teddy bear and sat on the edge of Belle’s bed.

  “The doctor said your surgery went fine. It was just a graze, superficial, so he just wants to monitor you overnight tonight and you should be out by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “See. I tol’ ya. Tol’ ya!”

  “Maybe we should have him dial it back on the loopy juice?”

  “Eh. Let her have it. Hell, I’d need more than that to handle all the shit she’s been through the last couple months.”

  “Yes! I’ve been almost strangled to death, kidnapped, shot, robbed, and had my still beating heart ripped out of my chest. See?” Belle pulled her gown down and showed them her imaginary scar. “And all because of her. She did this to me. Tara shot me. Right here.”

  “No. She didn’t, sweetheart.”

  “She could have. I gave her my heart. And she broke it.” She made a gesture that resembled breaking a stick in half. “Snap.”

  “She came back you know. Yesterday, while you were on the phone with me. She came to say she was sorry.”

  “I love her, you know. I do. But she doesn’t love me.” Belle was so tired. She leaned her head back against the bed and her eyes fluttered closed. “I love her, Kyle. So much.”

  “I know you do, sweetheart. I know.” He tapped her gently on the leg as she fell sound asleep.

  *

  Tara paced in the lobby as she waited for them to arrive. She hadn’t seen Belle in almost ten days. And while it was quite a good stretch of time, it had seemed more like months to her.

  Tara hadn’t been wasting those days pining for the woman she had lost. Instead she spent night and day locked up in the museum with brilliant and dedicated art geniuses as they worked painstakingly to restore the entire Grayson Sunshine Collection. Kyle had found her the world’s most renowned experts in restoration and preservation, and Tara spared no expense on their talents or time.

  While the pieces had been irreparably damaged, Tara was amazed by what they had been able to accomplish in order to get the art back on the walls. Tara couldn’t wait to see Belle’s beautiful face when she walked through the door to see what she had done for her. Tara’s pulse raced, and nerve endings buzzed. If she had any chance of getting Belle to believe in her and her love, this was it. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she jumped. A text from Kyle announced their impending arrival.

  “She’s here!” Tara’s voice reverberated down the hall. Clicks and scuffing of shoes, along with hushed whispers rebounded back.

  Tara took several long, deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. She heard the front door open and the beautiful sound of Belle’s voice echoed in the foyer.

  “Kyle, I don’t think I’m ready.”

  “We will be right beside you the whole time. They said it’ll be good for you.”

  “I know. I just…what if—”

  “Hey, sweetie. Look at me,” Andrew said. “Breathe.”

  As if he was talking to her as well, Tara did the same. When the three of them entered the lobby, her eyes met Belle’s. They were just as fathomless and alluring as she had remembered. They walked toward each other, and Tara wasn’t even sure that her feet ever touched the ground. “Hi.”

  “Hi. What are you doing here?” Belle tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

  “I’ve been here. Waiting for you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “I need to show you something. Will you come with me?”

  Belle looked at Kyle and Andrew for some sort of sign that it was all right. When they nodded and smiled, she said yes.

  “Okay. One sec.” Tara slipped back behind the docent desk and came back pushing a wheelchair.

  Belle laughed. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, ma’am. It’s even got your name on it.” Tara pointed to the blue embroidery on the seat back.

  “Oh good grief,” she said as Kyle, Andrew, and Tara all snickered. “Fine, but no speeding.” Belle sat in the seat.

  “I promise. But you have to close your eyes, please.”

  Belle looked at her skeptically but did as she was told. “You promised.”

  Tara pushed her down the hall and into the Grayson Gallery as Kyle and Andrew followed along behind. “Keep ’em closed.”

  “Tara, I don’t know if I’m—”

  Tara locked the wheels and came around in front of the chair and knelt in front of Belle. “Just one more second.” Tara grabbed Belle’s hands and held them on her lap. “You are so full of love and beauty that sometimes I think I might drown in it just being near you. You are fearless, intense, and awkward. You deserve nothing less than to be cherished and adored like the priceless masterpiece that you are. You are my moonlight and my sunshine, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Tara wiped away the tears that ran down Belle’s cheeks. “You can open them now.”

  Belle opened her eyes. Tara stood, pulled Belle to her feet, and turned her around. On the wall before her was Impression Sunrise flanked on each side by Auvers sur Oise and Vase with Viscaria. Belle gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. She turned in every direction around the room. All eleven paintings in the Sunshine collection had been restored and remounted in one room.

  Belle smiled through tears as she sobbed. “Tara, I…”

  “One more thing. Okay!” she shouted into the hallway and more than thirty people flooded into the room.

  They stood against the far wall beneath a large blank canvas banner. Kyle and Andrew joined the group of people on either end and grabbed the ropes that hung from each side. When Tara nodded, they pulled down the fabric and revealed a gold sign that read “The Grayson-Winters Sunshine Collection.”

  Belle turned to Tara with sparkling eyes. “Tara, I don’t know what to say. This is more—”

  Tara interrupted her before she could continue. “Tell me you love me, again.”

  “What?”

  “I heard you say that you loved me, Belle. My biggest regret is that I didn’t say it back when I had the chance. If you still love me, pleas
e say it again.”

  Belle hung her head and Tara’s heart stopped. She held her breath as Belle looked up into her eyes. “Tara, I love you.”

  Tara soul cried out with joy, and she wrapped Belle into her arms. “I love you too, Belle Winters.” She dipped her head and pressed her lips against Belle’s. She never again wanted to know what it was like to go more than a day without tasting her sweet kisses.

  “Do you just love me for my money?” Belle asked with a grin.

  “I’m not interested in pretentious muckety-mucks. But I can review my stance.”

  Belle laughed and Tara kissed her again.

  About the Author

  Tina Michele is a Florida girl living on the banks of the Indian River Lagoon in the biggest small town on the Space Coast. She enjoys all the benefits of living in the Sunshine State. During the day, she pretends to do what they pay her for, but really spends most of that time daydreaming and plotting some wild adventure. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with her BA in interdisciplinary studies—the most liberal of the liberal arts degrees—majoring in fine art and writing with a minor in women’s studies. To say she is motivated by her Right brain is a major understatement. Afflicted with self-diagnosed Sagittarian Attention Deficit Disorder, she spends a lot of time starting projects that she may, possibly, one day, probably finish. When she isn’t writing, playing, drawing, painting, or creating something of some sort, she feeds and waters the three dogs that are permanently tethered to her hindquarters.

  Tina can be contacted at: tina@tmichele.com

  Website: www.tmichele.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/tmicheleauthor

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