Scarlett Bride (The Scarletts

by Brenda Barrett

  ****

  "Okay," Oliver glanced at Ashaki when they were walking back to their place after dinner, "what did I do?"

  "Nothing," Ashaki replied, her voice clipped.

  "But you enjoyed dinner with Ricky and Francine?" Oliver asked tentatively. He had long learned the art of treading carefully in the minefield of a disgruntled woman. If he stepped on the wrong trigger he could get his head blown off.

  "Yes, they are nice," Ashaki said. “When she gets back from Switzerland we can have another dinner."

  "Yes, I heard," Oliver glanced at her, "but I am not sure we'll be living here then, though."

  "Why?" Ashaki asked.

  "Because I should be looking for my own place to live. We can't stay in Nate's beach house forever." Oliver shrugged. "And you'll be elsewhere probably with David."

  "Yes, that." Her voice sounded forlorn and low.

  But she switched the topic and brightened up considerably. "Will you teach me how to drive?"

  "Yes I could." Oliver contemplated. "But I think it's best if I arrange for you to have lessons. I still think I am emotionally scarred from my mom teaching me to drive. People close to you are the worst teachers."

  Ashaki chuckled. "Thank you, I understand. I was riding with Lola the other day and I thought it shouldn't be that hard to do. I would be more careful on the roads though. She drives like a maniac."

  Oliver exhaled in relief. She was over her bad mood.

  "Do you want us to go walking on the beach?" he asked. "It's a full moon."

  "Sure." Ashaki nodded. They headed around to the back of the house. She kicked off her shoes on the walkway and he took off his and left them beside hers.

  They walked in companionable silence for a while—no more bad mood and he was thankful for that. The beach was brightly lit and apparently other people had the same idea for a night stroll.

  "What's your favorite song?" Ashaki asked, breaking the silence.

  He looked at her.

  "Song? Mmm. I don't know. It has been so long since I really sat down and listened to music to form an opinion one way or another."

  "I liked that one we listened to earlier," Ashaki whispered.

  "Yep. Those lyrics were something else," Oliver muttered. "‘Jealous of the rain that falls upon your skin, closer than my hands have been’...poetic."

  And true, he thought idly. So true. It would probably be even truer in the next couple of months.

  "Can we rest here?" Ashaki gestured to a log and sat down before he could respond. He sat down beside her. Their arms were touching. This side of the beach only had fishing boats and shacks that the fishermen used. It smelled faintly of fish and sea and Ashaki's perfume.

  Oliver turned to her fully, pushing his hands in his pockets. "Are you going to tell me what's eating you?"

  "No." Ashaki shook her head. "I am just, what's that English word...pensif..."

  "Pensive," Oliver said. "But not only that, you are slightly, angry at me for something."

  "It's not you." She looked at him and smiled, her white teeth extra white in the dark. "I am fine again. I had a tantrum. I am over it."

  "What do you think of Treasure Beach?" Oliver asked, realizing he hadn't really asked her about her impressions of her new environment. She had to learn a lot and had encountered a lot of new situations, and she handled it like a trooper.

  "I love it here," Ashaki said simply. "Sometimes I feel like I wouldn't want to leave."

  Oliver sat beside her and stretched out his legs. "I feel the same. The first time I came here, I said I could love living here. Of course, my grandfather, Pops, encouraged me to come by when I finished with med school and I promised him I would, at least for a while."

  "Your grandfather?" Ashaki looked at him. "Tell me about your grand-pere."

  Oliver smiled. "Ah, where should I start? He was quite a man, a godly man; everything for him was a life lesson. I spent quite a bit of time with him on the beach. He would always start out his conversation with, ‘Oliver you know that Jesus had a couple of fishermen following him, don't you? They were some of the first ones he asked; you know why?’

  And I'd ask, ‘Why?’ And he'd say, ‘Because the profession he was calling them to involved hours of waiting, patience, turbulence, uncertainty, just like fishing for men.’"

  Ashaki nodded. "I never thought of that."

  "He had several little gems like that," Oliver said wistfully. "I wish I had known him longer."

  "If you and I had children, they wouldn't have a Pops. A grand-pere," Ashaki said in the silence. "My Dad is dead and yours is, well...missing."

  "Yep." Oliver got up, he was not going to entertain thoughts of him and Ashaki having children. He wouldn't allow it.

  He stared out at the sea with his hands pushed in his pockets, a defensive hunch to his shoulders.

  "Do you think he's dead?" Ashaki asked after a while.

  "My father?" Oliver shrugged, "I hope not. I like to think of him as alive and productive and happy somewhere."

  "He may be in jail," Ashaki whispered, "or trapped in a basement somewhere or he changed his name and he's now a pirate on the high seas."

  Oliver chuckled. "You have a vivid imagination. Maybe the reality is just that Peter Scarlett does not want to be found. Some men are not into family. They don't want children or the responsibilities of rearing them but they don't mind having unprotected sex with women all over town."

  Ashaki got up, brushed off her dress and stretched. "Tell me about your brother in this Montego Bay. Is he silky haired like you or light-eyed like Reuben or fascinating looking like Slater?"

  "Woah," Oliver grinned. "Slater is fascinating looking?"

  "You haven't noticed?" Ashaki frowned. "How not? You are his brother."

  "He looks okay." Oliver shrugged. "Like a human male in his prime. I wouldn't say fascinating."

  Ashaki giggled. "He has the most unusually dark lips, like he has on lipstick. And he's really, uhm, gorgeous."

  Oliver chuckled. "A girl's perspective."

  "Yes, and I am right. His wife must get tired of beating off other women."

  "Or maybe she is secure in their relationship and doesn't need to do anything like that." Oliver wriggled his eyebrows. "Besides, have you seen her? She is a looker herself."

  Ashaki grinned. "She's okay; she looks like a human female in her prime."

  Oliver guffawed.

  Ashaki laughed with him. "Tell me about the unknown brother. Is he married too?"

  "I don't know anything much about my other brother."

  "But if he looks like any of the rest of you he is gorg," Ashaki said dramatically. "And probably pretends that he doesn't know it."

  "Maybe," Oliver shrugged, "or maybe he is too sick to think about looks and all of that. He is recovering from heart surgery. Full transplant."

  "Wow." Ashaki widened her eyes. "Is he going to die? What's his name?"

  "His name is Noah and no," Oliver shook his head, "if his body doesn't reject his new heart, he could live longer than both of us."

  "Oh, good news." Ashaki dug her feet in the sand and put her hands akimbo. "Can I come to Montego Bay with you when you go to see him? Pretty please!"

  "So that you can ogle my brother and compare him to the rest of us?" Oliver grinned. "Miss Azanga, I fear that I can't have you around my brothers."

  "No need to, I am really interested in just one brother." Ashaki giggled. "I am curious about your family and I am curious about Montego Bay too, but most of all I think it’s fun to meet a new family member for the very first time."

  "Sure, you can come." Oliver smiled. "As for fun, I don't know about that. Meeting a new family member can be stressful."

  Chapter Nine

  "Tell me about Noah." Oliver called Reuben as soon as he got a break between patients.

  Reuben sounded like he was panting. "You called me at a bad time, bro." He puffed some more. "I am helping Lola set up a plant nursery at my greenhouse. It's for her
exotic flowers. I have to make room for her, one acre of room." Reuben whistled. "Oliver, flowers can't be eaten, and my farmer's heart rebels against giving up an entire acre. I told her that and do you know what she said? 'Ru darling, they are pretty and people love pretty things.'"

  Reuben did such a good imitation of Lola, he had Oliver laughing out loud.

  "Look at the bright side: she wants to do the same business as you do. You can spend quality time together and her flower business may just surprise you."

  Reuben grunted. "I hope it does. I hope it knocks me off my feet."

  "Noah Scarlett," Oliver prompted. "Tell me about him."

  "He has hazel eyes and curly hair; he's thin and doesn't say much but that may be because he was recovering from a heart operation and was faced by several unknown siblings, all staring at him awkwardly while he stared back at us. And we had showed up at his place when he was in the middle of writing some book.

  “Slater is a huge fan of his brother, he was so tongue-tied when we got there it was comical."

  "Ah." Oliver twisted his pen in his hand. "He's a writer?"

  "Yes." Reuben made a groaning sound like he was setting something right and then Oliver heard a massive crash.

  "You okay?" Oliver asked, concerned.

  "No, I now have a hundred pound bag of fertilizer to clean up," Reuben grumbled.

  "Sorry." Oliver tapped the pen on the desk. "At least you are working out. I need to do some of that."

  "Then come down to the greenhouse after work," Reuben puffed. "I have so much work here, a gym will look tame in comparison."

  Oliver contemplated the suggestion. "I'll be there at five. Go easy on me when I get there. I am seriously out of shape."

  Reuben chuckled. "Okay. Why the interest in Noah, planning to go look for him?"

  "Yes." Oliver replied. "I am the only one who doesn't know him. Ashaki and I had dinner last night with Ricky and Francine. Ricky suggested that this place in Montego Bay called Southern Pottery could be the Spot where he was supposed to meet Peter Scarlett."

  Reuben grunted. "Want me to come with you?"

  "Nah." Oliver looked up at a light tap on his door. "I'll take Ashaki, probably drive on the coast side from the Negril end. Maybe stay over at a hotel. I like to see her get excited over seeing new things."

  Reuben chuckled. "It is good to see you so happy and in love."

  "I am not happy and in love," Oliver whispered harshly. The knock sounded on his door again.

  He cleared his throat. "I'll talk to you later."

  "Come in," he said briskly while he cut the call with Reuben. He had not missed his brother's loud gasp and the exclamation, "No you can't leave yet..."

  Nellie pushed her head around the door. "Sorry to disturb you, Ollie. May I come in?"

  "Sure." Oliver winced; he hated the shortened version of his name. "What's up?"

  "All my stuff should be moved in by tonight," Nellie said excitedly, "and I am going to have a housewarming party after all. I am quite proud to be a homeowner."

  "Feels good, huh?"

  Nellie nodded vigorously. "Of course I'll have to invite you over and, er, Ashaki."

  She sat back in the chair and looked at him shrewdly. "Everything okay with you two?"

  "Yes." Oliver nodded. "Why?"

  "Nothing, I just...I thought I just heard you say you are not happy and in love."

  Oliver groaned. He had talked a bit too loud and it was a lie. At least partially. He loved Ashaki despite his best efforts not to. He wasn't happy about it.

  Nellie changed the subject when he did not respond readily to deny or acknowledge that what she overheard was right.

  "If you are ever house hunting, the townhouse complex that I live in is spectacular. It is small, about twelve houses, and there are two houses left unsold."

  "When I come to your housewarming party I'll see," Oliver said, trying to sound pleasant.

  "Nope, you don't have to wait that long." Nellie shook her head. "I'll throw my first dinner party and invite you and Ashaki…Thursday. Don't say no, you'll crush my spirit."

  "Okay." Oliver smiled. "I won't say no and thank you for the invite."

  ****

  Thursday evening Ashaki reluctantly dressed for dinner. She would prefer to be going anywhere right now but to Nellie's. She had developed a mild dislike for the doctor lady with the insincere smile who worked with Oliver every day.

  She had a sneaky, panicked sensation that Nellie and Oliver would end up together. And she hated it. The thoughts were giving her anxiety attacks. She would wake up in the night and think about it. David would come back for her, and Oliver would let her go without a second thought. Maybe he would drop her at the airport, kiss her on the cheeks and smile at her with that impossibly sweet smile of his and tell her, Good riddance, Ashaki. I can now move on with my life.

  If he did that, a little piece of her would just die. She wanted him to love her. She wanted him to wake up one day and realize that David was the catalyst for them getting together, but she had always known deep down that he was the one she wanted to be with. She was glad that he was the single one, the one that could actually marry her.

  She gave her hair one last fluff and headed to the door. She was sure that Nellie only threw the dinner party to have Oliver in her house. Independent, confident Nellie.

  Oliver probably told her that Ashaki was a refugee who he was just helping out.

  Ashaki felt foolish. Walking down the stairs, she had a chip on her shoulders the size of a giant boulder and she just couldn't shake it. This was not a part of the deal. Her feelings…she had analyzed them every which way for the past couple of days.

  Why did she love Oliver Scarlett?

  Was it because he was handsome? And his eyelashes were thick and spread out like fans on his cheekbones? And his eyes had a way of zeroing in on her and keeping her in focus as if she was the only woman in the world and he was thinking only of her?

  Or was it deeper, like the fact that he had a kind, loving demeanor that was easy to love? Or was it because Oliver was the one that rescued her?

  She couldn't even remember how David Wheeler looked these days and she was supposed to be looking forward for him to come and sweep her off her feet. She was already swept off her feet.

  "That's one major scowl," Oliver observed when she came down the stairs.

  "Yes," Ashaki said abruptly. "I have things on my mind."

  Oliver didn't pry. He never pried. He generally accepted her stop signs. He wasn't confrontational; he wouldn't drag the truth out of her like she wanted him to do. He waited for her to speak. What kind of attitude was that?

  Her scowl grew deeper. She hated that about him. He wasn't passionate and forceful, at least not about her. He was so controlled; she wanted him wild and out of control with desire for her.

  She went into the car, after he opened the door for her. A gentleman as always. Sometimes she wished he wasn't.

  She had always wished for a man who was respectful and kind and caring and now she realized that too much of a good thing could grate on the nerves.

  What would he do if she blurted out what was on her mind?

  I don't like you around Nellie! I am jealous!

  He would probably look at her calmly, in his usual Oliver way, and go over the terms of them being together.

  Ashaki, I married you because David asked me to. Remember? There is no reason for you to be acting like a prima donna.

  She sighed long and loud.

  She had watched so many episodes of the South African soap “Generations” lately she vaguely thought that she really was acting like one of the characters.

  Oliver started the car and glanced at her. "Sorry I got home so late. I was at Reuben's place again."

  "No problem." Ashaki softened her tone. "How was your day?"

  "Fine." Oliver chuckled. "The pace is a far cry from that of the night shift in Kidogo. It's almost boring compared to that. How was your day?"

/>   "I got electronic acceptance to Mount Faith," Ashaki muttered. "They got my transcript and they liked my entry essay."

  "That's good news." Oliver grinned. "Why didn't you say? I thought you'd be happy."

  "It's a lot of money." Ashaki sighed. "Oliver, I am very grateful for all you've done but I can't really expect you to finance me through this. It's a huge amount of money and it doesn't feel right, since..."

  "Since I am not David." Oliver grimaced.

  "No." Ashaki shook her head. "I was going to say since we are not really married. Maybe I should take up that modeling offer from Francine."

  "Is that what you want to do?" Oliver glanced at her.

  "No. I don't know. If I could only find my father's hidden diamonds."

  "You planning to go back to Kidogo to look for them?"

  "Never." Ashaki shuddered. "I am never going back there."

  "Well then," Oliver slowed down at the crossroads, "I can afford your education. I have an inheritance from my grandfather. I haven't used any of it yet."

  "Maybe I should go and give you your freedom," Ashaki muttered.

  "I don't feel shackled." He sounded surprised when he said it.

  She smiled; that one statement was revealing enough to buoy her flagging spirits. He didn't feel shackled. He cared for her in some way. She'd take it.

  ****

  The good mood did not last long. She knew Nellie was up to something the moment they drove into her posh town house complex. The landscape was that of a high end resort that she had recently seen in a magazine and the setting sun showed it in even a better light.

  Nellie had transformed herself from efficient doctor to sexy siren. She was in a lowcut dress that showed off her voluptuous shape to the best advantage. Ashaki felt like an underdeveloped boy in comparison.

  Then she hooked her hands into Oliver's laughingly and pulled him to a town house two doors from hers.

  "It's open," Nellie said. "Let's go in and check it out."

  Ashaki walked behind them, feeling like a third wheel. It was a lovely place. The back doors opened out to the sea view beyond and it was breezy and cool. She would appreciate it more if Nellie wasn't deliberately and intently flirting with Oliver.