Stormy Passion

by Brenda Jernigan

  Maybe fate had stepped in.

  Taylor had to concentrate so he'd stay alert on the dark winding roads. One slip, and he'd be over a cliff and of little help to anyone. At least there was little traffic this time of morning, and he'd only hit two slick spots on the winding black mountain roads.

  It seemed like forever before he finally pulled onto the four-lane highway, and breathed a relieved sigh. Again he rubbed the back of his neck. The muscles still hadn't eased, and his head had started to throb as he glanced at the dashboard clock. The red numbers glowed seven o'clock. Reaching to his left, he set the cruise control and turned off the lights as the morning sun bathed the mountain tops in tangerine and melon-yellow.

  He picked up his phone that he'd tossed into the passenger seat and punched in Brenna's number. Nothing happened. “Damn.” He'd forgotten to charge the phone last night. The last call from Carol had drained the battery completely. Now he'd have to wait until he got home to call Brenna, but he wasn't worried.

  She'd understand.

  Brenna shivered. Her toes felt like a block of ice, and she needed some warmth. Rolling over, she reached for Taylor, but her hand came up empty. It didn't take long for her to open her eyes and find she was alone. Where was Taylor?

  Sitting up, she glanced at the clock and saw it was a little after eight o'clock. Perhaps Taylor was already downstairs getting a head start on breakfast. Yet, she had the strangest feeling, she thought, careful of her cast, as she draped her feet over the edge of the bed and eased herself to the floor.

  After last night she wasn't sure what to expect. He wanted answers that she couldn't give him. Instead of arguing over something in their past, she'd merely tell Taylor she loved him very much and there had never been anyone else in her life. And if he loved her, they could put the past behind them with no more questions.

  Wait a minute. Taylor's mother. How easy it was to forget the woman when Taylor was near her. Brenna couldn't pay the money back to her, and she had no doubts that Vivian would tell her son everything. But one thing Brenna hadn't thought of until now was that she couldn't go back to River Run. There were too many painful memories, and she didn't want Lisa hurt. And then there was Carol. How did Taylor really feel about her? So where did all this mind-searching leave her? Nowhere.

  After Brenna slipped into her faded blue jeans and a Duke sweatshirt, she went downstairs at a very slow pace. She had been used to Taylor carrying her and this morning she missed that simple pleasure. She'd sure be glad when she could walk like a normal human again.

  The girls were beginning to stir and the looks in their puffy eyes told Brenna they hadn't gone to sleep until late. She turned around and found Lisa still asleep. Brenna smiled. Her sister had always been a night person who wanted to sleep the morning away. Reaching down, she shook her. “Time to get up.”

  “I'll tell her,” Lisa mumbled sleepily

  Brenna shook her again. “Wake up, you're talking in your sleep.”

  It took a few minutes but this time Lisa sat up and rubbed her eyes. She sat in a stupor until she realized where she was. Looking up at Brenna, she mumbled, “Good morning.”

  “My, you're a sleepyhead this morning. What time did you go to bed?”

  “About two.” Lisa rubbed her eyelids.

  “Well that explains your groggy mind. Did you enjoy your party?”

  “I sure did,” Lisa said then motioned for Brenna to bend over. “All the girls told me they want to come to all my parties. I think they are all in love with Taylor.”

  “I can understand why.” Brenna smiled at the look of happiness in her sister's eyes; no, she could never take Lisa back to River Run. Back there they'd have to suffer the whispers behind their backs and the peculiar stares. Everyone loved gossip. They'd never let the murders die. Maybe Vivian Rothschild had been right; Taylor would be better off without her in his life.

  Brenna reached down and picked up some of the pillows thrown all over the floor. “I'm going out to the kitchen and fix some breakfast. Have you seen Taylor?”

  “Kinda.”

  Brenna looked at her sister, sharply. “What does that mean?”

  “He's gone.”

  “Gone where?” Panic started to build in Brenna's chest. Some warning signal told her that paradise had ended and reality had set in. “Did he go to the store?”

  “No. He came down early this morning and shook me. He said Carol had called, and he had to go home.”

  Feeling as if her heart were being torn in two, Brenna managed to ask, “That's all he said?”

  Lisa pulled her brow together as she thought. “I think so. I was half-asleep when he told me. Wait a minute. I did ask him if he was coming back and he said yes.” Lisa reached out and grabbed her sister's hand. “Brenna.”

  Brenna couldn't believe Taylor was gone. He had actually left. In the back of her mind she had prepared herself, knowing that this time would come, but lately she'd been fooled into thinking, hoping that just maybe he would stay. And he hadn't even bothered to wake her. He'd just sneaked out so there wouldn't be any emotional scenes. She felt a tug on her hand.

  “Brenna!”

  Brenna tried to give Lisa a weak, reassuring smile. “I'm all right. I--I just thought Taylor would have told me goodbye.”

  “It must have been pretty urgent.” Lisa got to her feet. “But don't worry he'll be back. He said so.”

  “Sure he will.” Brenna half-smiled at her trusting sister.

  She moved toward the kitchen not remembering how she got there. Brenna wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to just lie down and die. But instead she opened the door. Geraldine was washing her hands and staring out the window when Brenna stumbled through the kitchen door and said, “You didn't have to come this morning. I can handle the girls.” Brenna moved up behind Geraldine and noticed she was getting ready to whip up some pancake batter. Taylor had liked Geraldine's hotcakes. He'd liked building fires, and playing games with Lisa. And still he had left ....

  “I don't mind. 'Sides, I promised Lisa some blueberry pancakes for her birthday.”

  “He's gone,” Brenna blurted out.

  Geraldine whirled around from the sink. “Why?”

  Tears had begun to trickle down Brenna's cheeks. “I don't know. Carol called, and he left.”

  Geraldine put down the bowl and hugged Brenna to her motherly bosom. “I'm sorry, sweetie. I thought he was goin' to stay.”

  Brenna sobbed against her. “Me, too.”

  “There's bound to be a good reason. Maybe he'll call ya.” Geraldine patted her back. “I don't believe he's the kind to just walk out.” She held Brenna away from her and placed a finger under her chin. “Ya know he loves ya.”

  “No, he doesn't. I wanted to think he did, but he never made me any promises. He just left.”

  Taylor whipped into the hospital parking lot and in no time he was walking down the hospital corridor. He opened the door to his mother's room, then stopped at the sight of her lying much too still. Tubes ran in and out of her arm, and a heart monitor blinked steadily. He moved over to her bed. This wasn't right. He was used to seeing his mother feisty and giving orders, even though they usually didn't work with him. But she always had everyone else jumping. Reaching down, he picked up her hand and whispered, “Mother.”

  She didn't respond. He looked closer. Her coloring wasn't good, and her breathing seemed much too shallow. Taylor ran his hand down the side of her cold cheek. “Mother.” She looked tired and old. He never thought of his mother as being old. If he had known she was sick, he would have come home sooner. But his mother had never been sick. She had always been the picture of health, a tower of strength, and a ball of energy. After all, she was the only family he had. His father had died seven years before.

  “Mother, I'm here.” Taylor leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. This time she stirred slightly and slowly her eyelids fluttered open.

  “Taylor, I knew you'd come.” She gave him a weak smile.
r />   “Have you had heart problems you haven't told me about?”

  She smiled. “I've had a few minor incidents over the years. I'm just as surprised as you are that I'm in the hospital. This shouldn't be happening to me,” she admitted in a broken whisper.

  “Why didn't you tell me?”

  “Because you would have worried, and I didn't want you to. I wanted you to be happy, Taylor. All my life that's the one thing I've strived for is to make you happy.” She looked at him as if she searched for her answer. “But I haven't succeeded, have I, son?”

  “Mother, my happiness should be the least of your concerns. I'm a big boy now, and, no, I'm not happy when I come home to find you in the hospital.”

  “That's not what I meant.” Her frail hand reached over to grasp his arm. “The last few years, even though I've not wanted to admit it, I've seen sadness in your eyes I couldn't erase no matter how hard I tried.”

  “Unfortunately, there are some things even you can't control, Mother. I guess I didn't realize until recently how miserable and empty my life had become.” Taylor took her hand in his. “But none of it has ever been your fault. When Brenna walked out of my life something died in here.” Taylor placed a hand over his heart.

  Vivian gasped for air.

  “Don't talk. Save your breath.”

  She squeezed his hand and looked at Taylor with a pain of regret. “Taylor, I--I'm sorry,” she told him before closing her eyes. “I'm so very sorry. I thought I was doing the best thing for you. I hope you'll forgive me someday.”

  “Forgive you? For what?” He couldn't begin to imagine why she was apologizing. But he would receive no answers, for she had dropped off into a deep sleep. The room was quiet except for the beep of the heart monitor. God, he hated the smell of a hospital.

  A knock sounded and the door swung open. Doctor Gardner dressed in a white coat, complete with stethoscope, entered carrying a clipboard in his hand. He nodded to Taylor then bent over and checked the patient. When he straightened, he shook his head, and motioned for Taylor to step outside the room.

  The doctor jotted something down on the paper. “Afraid it doesn't look good.”

  “I don't understand.” Taylor’s brow furrowed with confusion. “She's never been sick. Surely there's something you can do?”

  “I'm afraid your mother has hidden her heart problem from you for some time, son.”

  “So there's nothing you can d--”

  Doctor Gardner stopped him with a sad shake of his head. Taylor could see the answer in the man’s eyes. “Do you want to use life support when the time comes?”

  “No,” Taylor managed to get out as the full impact of what the doctor just said hit him. The walls were closing in on him as he backed away from the physician, feeling as if all the air had been sucked from his chest. He didn't want to talk, so he went back and rejoined his mother. He sat down beside her bed and picked up her cold hand. It looked so small and feeble lying in his hand. Rubbing his thumb back and forth across her skin, he wondered when she'd grown so old, so frail? He'd never thought of her being old before. He glanced at her face. Her lips were blue. Her breathing labored.

  And so Taylor began his wait.

  A loud noise jarred him awake. Dazed, he scanned the room. By the time he realized the heart monitor displayed a steady, straight line, a nurse came flying through the door followed by two doctors.

  “I'm sorry, you'll have to leave,” the nurse said, taking Taylor's arm and urging him to his feet. He didn't want to go anywhere. He stared at his mother. She was too still--her lips too blue. Reluctantly, he let the nurse usher him out of the room.

  His gaze focused on the door ... waiting ... wondering... knowing. Finally when he didn't think he could stand the wait any longer, the door opened and the nurse walked past him, her eyes downcast. She didn't say anything. But he knew.

  The doctor came out next. He didn't avoid Taylor. Instead he walked over to stand in front of him. “I'm sorry, son. We did all we could. Her heart was too weak.”

  Taylor felt cold all over. None of this could be happening. Was he dreaming? His mother had been fine when she left for her vacation. Now, four weeks later she was dead. Impossible. He realized the doctor was waiting for him to speak.

  “Thanks,” Taylor managed to rasp out.

  “Would you like to spend a few minutes with her?” Doctor Gardner reached up and grasped Taylor's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

  Taylor nodded. He knew he should say something more, but there were no words as he turned and went back into the hospital room.

  Vivian Rothschild looked contented, almost as if she were sleeping. Taylor picked up her hand and wondered how life could be snuffed out in a single minute.

  Looking down at her, he knew that sometime in the wee hours of morning, his mother had given up her struggle and passed away, leaving Taylor very much alone.

  The week passed slowly for Brenna ... minute by minute ... hour by hour ... and still no phone call from Taylor.

  Geraldine put a hand on Brenna's back. “Ya been crying again?”

  Brenna nodded her head. “Tell me I did the right thing.” She sighed then continued as she’d never told Geraldine the entire story. “When Taylor's mother offered me the money, I knew Lisa could have her surgery. Since I'd just found out that my parents had very little insurance, I knew I didn't have much of a choice. With everything that had happened it would have been a lot to put on Taylor. His mother pointed out the scandal would never die down as long as I remained in River Run.” Brenna took a deep breath as she unburdened her soul. “Don't you see, I would have been a black splotch on Taylor's career. Everyone would have wondered if I were crazy, too.” Brenna looked beseechingly at Geraldine. “Tell me I made the right choice. It would help to ease the hurt just a little.”

  Geraldine patted Brenna on the back. “Ya did the only thing ya possibly could have. Ya took care of your sister, and ya didn't want to burden Taylor, so ya thought ya were doing right by him.

  “And his ma makin' ya feel guiltier than sin didn't help none. I'd probably done the same thing. But I think ya've really underestimated ya man. He's made of sterner stuff than that.”

  Later that day, Brenna had the strangest feeling--almost as if a spider had tiptoed up her spine--when she looked up at the black enamel clock hanging on the wall. Six o'clock and Lisa wasn't home. Come to think of it, Brenna hadn't seen her sister since early this morning.

  After searching downstairs, she called several of Lisa's friends, but they hadn't seen her all day either. Her panic escalated. She'd always been good about letting Brenna know what she was doing. However, Brenna had been so wrapped up in her own misery that she'd ignored Lisa this past week.

  Brenna hobbled up the stairs while she called out to her sister. Not receiving an answer, she continued on to Lisa's room.

  At first glance, the room appeared normal, the bed was made, games and shoes were scattered across the floor. It appeared as messy as it usually did. Brenna frowned, puzzled, as she turned to leave. That's when she saw a piece of paper propped against a picture.

  She snatched up the letter after seeing her name sprawled across the front. Unfolding the paper, Brenna's eyes scanned the childish writing.

  “Omigod!” Brenna scrambled to the stairs. “Geraldine! Geraldine!”

  “Take it easy before ya tumble down the stairs,” Geraldine said nonchalantly, propping her arms across the banister. “What ya so dang excited about? And what's that in ya hand?”

  “It's a note from Lisa. She--she's run away from home. We've got to hurry!”

  “Hurry where?” Geraldine handed Brenna her crutches just as she touched the last step. “Run away? My Lisa?”

  “Come on. I can't drive. You'll have to take me.”

  “Ya not making a bit of sense,” Geraldine mumbled as she followed behind her. “Take ya where? And why would Lisa run away? It don't make no sense at all.”

  Brenna grabbed her coat off the peg in t
he kitchen. “Nell, please take over for tonight. We need to go out.” Brenna turned her head. “Come on, Geraldine. We've got to get moving.”

  “I ain't budging till ya tell me what in hell's got into ya.”

  Brenna grabbed Geraldine's hand and pulled her out the door. “It seems Lisa overheard us talking this morning. She feels guilty and has gone to tell Taylor the truth.”

  “What!” Geraldine said as she pulled out of the driveway. “Where we goin'?”

  “To the bus station. Maybe it has several stops before getting to River Run.”

  They drove as fast as the snowy road permitted. The snow would stay until the middle of April and it would be good for late skiers, but at the moment, Brenna wished it were spring and the roads were clear so they could make faster time. Without warning they hit a patch of ice and the jeep started to spin. Brenna gasped as she pictured the jeep wrapped around the tree in front of them. But as usual, the ever-calm Geraldine took control as a wagon master would a runaway team of horses and quickly turned the steering wheel until the jeep was once again heading in the right direction. Brenna said a small prayer of thanks there hadn't been any traffic around them.

  Just as Brenna suspected, the bus would make five stops along the route and it had a couple with long layovers. If they were lucky, they would catch up with Lisa's bus at one of the cities.

  When they stopped at Ruby Mountain, the clerk informed them that the bus had left two hours ago.

  “Did you see a small girl with curly brown hair?” Brenna asked anxiously. Seeing the clerk nod, they were off to the next stop.

  At Blowing Rock, they missed the bus by an hour. If they hurried they could catch it in Miller City, the last layover before River Run.

  It was long past dark by the time they reached the small city. They drove down Main Street, which consisted mostly of one-story, drab, brown buildings. The bus depot was on the far side of town and not in the best part of the city.

  Geraldine whipped the jeep into the parking lot, and Brenna gaped at the seedy looking men with brow bags clutched tightly in their hands, sitting on the sidewalk. “I don't like the looks of this place.” Brenna whispered as Geraldine held the crutches while Brenna slid out of the jeep. “I sure hope Lisa hasn't ventured outside. If something has happened to her, I'll never forgive myself.”