Previously on Sins of the Fathers
--- The drug deal went bad, and Vincent shot Tiffany
--- Ren failed to win Annette's trust
--- Rosa discovered that Luc had lied to her
--- Rosa was concerned about Viola
--- Luc gave Viola pills 
"Hometown Hero Will Survive!" proclaimed the headline of the Carmine Falls Gazette.
"See," Trey said, as he held the paper up for Tiffany.
She groaned. "Why did you make me sit up for that?"
"You're famous. The Gazette calls you the 'spunky rookie cop who's willing to lay her life on the line to keep Carmine Falls safe'. What do you think of that?"
"Well, I'm not spunky, and I'm not a rookie."
"You're right, but 'grumpy old bag' doesn't sound as good. You know the media." She scowled at him, and he said, "Why don't you eat some of this soup? I went to a lot of trouble to get it for you, you know. It's not easy to sneak past all those nurses with a gallon-sized carton of Emperor's Garden egg drop." He placed a bowl of the soup on the table next to her bed.
"I don't know why you brought it in the first place."
"It's your favorite."
"Says my mother, Trey, and she really doesn't know. I haven't eaten egg drop soup in years."
"Any particular reason?"
"No."
"Well, maybe, Tiffany Watts, it's time to do things you haven't done in years."
She smiled. "Like hang out with you?"
"Sure. I'm not such a bad guy."
"No, but you're not the type of guy who gives up whole mornings of work just to nurse his stepsister back to health. So what gives? Why have you really been here so much this week?"
He sat on the corner of her bed. "First of all," he said, "it's not like you have the flu. You got shot, Tiffany, and that's pretty extraordinary."
"But I'm going to be fine. Even the Gazette says so, and you know it must be true because they'd sell a lot more papers if I died---"
"Cold!"
"It's true, Trey. I'm not a hometown hero. I never was. I am the trash daughter of the town's favorite trophy wife. Nobody ever talked to me until I got shot; now I'm front-page news. Everybody has an angle." She settled back onto the pillows. "Including you."
"Me?"
"Yes, so what's second?"
"Hmmm?"
"You said 'first of all', so what's your second point?"
"Oh, well second..." He smiled at her. "I like you, Tiffany."
"Thanks."
"You know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I speak English."
"Now you're avoiding. You get what I'm saying?"
Tiffany sighed and gave him another scowl. "Are you trying to say you like me-like me?"
Trey laughed. "Very charmingly fifth-grade, Miss Watts."
"So is beating around the bush, so why don't you cut it out? If you have the hots for me, just say so."
"I don't have the hots for you, Tiffany. You're not some girl I picked up in a bar---"
"Damn straight---"
"I like you. As a person."
"Wow. I feel really special, Trey."
He rolled his eyes. "And I find you very attractive, but doesn't everyone?"
She nodded. "Yeah, in fact, there are five other guys lined up outside my room, and they all have egg drop soup, too."
"Well, they have to wait." He took her hand.
Tiffany squirmed, but didn't push his hand away. She said, "We're kind of related, you know."
"Not really. I mean, we didn't live together that long---"
"Five years."
"And it's been almost fifteen since then. You say you don't even like the same soup, and that can't be the only way you've changed. Can't we, as adults, get to know each other again and, well, see what happens?"
She gave him a hard look. "When did you figure out you have this interest in me?"
"Truthfully, I don't think I really knew until you got shot. The other night when we were both having dinner at Dad's, I kind of noticed you---"
"Yeah, you were seriously flirting with me."
"I probably was. But I didn't get it until I saw you here. Knowing you were hurt, it just got to me, and well, I knew that if you weren't a part of my life, I'd really miss you."
She sat up. "Hmmm..."
"What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking it's nice to hear that. Okay, Trey Montgomery," she said, "I think I'll try some of your soup."
He smiled as he placed the bowl on her tray.
**************** 
"Have a good evening, Mr. Costos," Annette said as her gardener silently left her office.
"He sure is quiet," Julia observed. She was sitting in the gingham-covered armchair behind Annette's desk.
"No," Annette said, "he doesn't talk. He just waters. Don't my potted palms look good?"
Julia nodded and picked up a stack of papers on Annette's desk. "What are these?"
Annette sighed. "Bills. I've got to figure out some way to pay them."
"What about the money Dad---"
"Julia! You aren't supposed to know about that. And don't mention it around me because I get depressed." She smiled. "Let's just hope you didn't inherit my financial sense, kid. Let's look at this." She picked up her notepad. "I need three girls and two guys for the promos for the Corn-Husking Jackfest. And one of them will be you, Miss Priss."
"I can't believe Dad said yes!"
"Oh, he's a big softy. I remember when I was a little one; I never thought he'd let me go to New York---"
"But you were going to live with your mother."
"All the more reason to make me stay in Carmine Falls. Anyway, I knew he'd give in about you working here, but it's up to you to make sure he lets you keep modeling, so focus on school, capiche?"
"Don't worry about that, Annette. High school's going to be awesome. I'm on the yearbook committee, and Seth's going to---"
"Ah yes, the debonair Mr. Bevins."
"Please don't start, Annette. We're really just good friends."
"Doesn't your school have some kind of Halloween dance, something to do with the Jackfest?"
Julia glared at her sister. "Annette!"
"Has he asked you yet?"
"It's only the first week of school!"
Annette nodded. "Give him time."
"Knock-knock!" Annette's secretary, Jean, called.
"Come in, Jean," Annette said.
"I need you to open the door for me. I just have the biggest surprise for you, you're not going to believe--- Well, look!" Jean stood in the doorway with the largest arrangement of roses ever beheld in Carmine Falls. Every color was represented--- red, pink, white, yellow, and more exotic varieties like swirled purple.
"What in the world?" Annette stepped aside so that Jean could put the overflowing vase on her desk.
"It just arrived," Jean said, glowing. "I haven't opened the card yet, Annette. I thought you'd want---"
"Well, yes! Let's see." Annette opened the pink envelope and read, "To the most interesting person I've met in Carmine Falls---" Annette smiled at Jean and Julia, then continued, "I hope to see more of you in the future, both personally and professionally. Greatest regards---" Annette's face fell. She groaned and threw the card to the ground.
"What?" Julia said. "Don't leave us in suspense! Who sent them?"
"Get them out of here!" Annette ordered Jean. "I don't want them."
But Jean stooped and picked up the card. "Ren Sidarus," she read. "Oh, I see."
"We don't accept anything from him," Annette insisted. "Send them back."
"I don't think you can do that," Julia said, "I mean, the florist---"
"Jean, get Logan to drop them off at his house. I mean it, I don't want these."
Jean wrung her hands. "Oh dear, Annette. They are so beautiful."
Julia agreed, "I really don't see what's wrong with keeping them, Ann---"
"What's wrong with it?" Annette grabbed Julia's shoulders and looked directly in her eyes. "You listen to me, baby sis. Do not ever get involved with anyone named Sidarus. They're doing everything in their power to get to us, and we've got to fight them. Like Ren here, man of a thousand roses, he has some magazine or something, and he thinks that he'll be able to charm me. But if I did agree to deal with him, what do you think would happen? Well, first it would be strictly business, then more roses, then a couple of so-called professional dinners, and then..." She turned away from Julia and paced the length of her office.
"Like your mother?" Julia asked quietly.
Annette stared at her. She wanted desperately to say, "Remember Jeremiah? Remember how kind and wonderful he was? Guess who took him from us?" But she'd promised Clayton that she'd never mention it to Clay or Julia, and Annette wasn't one to break a promise. She gave a bitter laugh. "Anna," she said. "Well, we don't want to emulate her morals, do we? And yes, the Sidaruses have plenty of persuasive skills, so it's easy to give into them."
"Not Miranda Sidarus," Julia said. "She's a year ahead of me, and she's hardcore weird."
"The true Sidarus colors," Annette said. "I promise you, for all his charm, Ren is just as hardcore weird."
They were silent for a moment, then Jean said, "Do you really want me to get rid of the flowers?"
Annette smiled. She walked to her desk and gently touched the arrangement. "They are gorgeous, aren't they?"
Jean and Julia nodded in agreement.
"I tell you what," Annette said, "go get some pretty ribbon from the crafts store. Divide these up, and send a little bundle to all our contract models and to our regular clients. Logan can deliver them." She shrugged. "We'll keep the vase."
Jean smiled. "I think that's a great idea." She picked up the arrangement and started out of Annette's office.
"Oh, and Jean," Annette called, "send Mr. Sidarus a thank-you note." Annette's mouth curved wickedly. "Tell him we appreciate the flowers, but next time, we'd prefer something we can pawn."
**************** 
Miranda held her breath. She trusted Clay, but lately he'd been playing things so close to the edge. This time he'd given her an address and told her to meet him after she got out of school. 901D Oxmoor Road. Well, here she was, but where exactly was it? Clay might have borrowed an apartment from someone, but he'd never done that before, and she didn't want him to start. If they started using other people's homes to meet, people might start asking questions. And if they asked questions, Clay might slip up, and then... It was only a matter of time before Mr. Montgomery found out.
Of course, she couldn't hang out in the hallway forever. She was here, and she had to knock. "Please," she thought, "please let it be Clay. By himself."
She raised her fist, but before she could knock, the door opened. It was Clay. "I knew you were out here," he said. "Come on."
The sight of him struck her deep inside, just like it always did. Despite her apprehensions, she followed him into the apartment. She would have followed him into a fire.
"Hey," he said, as he pulled her to him and kissed her. "Confused?"
"Yeah. Whose apartment is this?"
Guess. He guided her into the center of the living room.
It was an older building with hardwood floors and high ceilings. The walls were freshly painted cream. The furniture was sparse, but detailed. The window treatments, for example, were handmade. They'd been roughly crafted and woven together from strips of bamboo, and there was only one person in the world who would have done that. "It's yours," she said.
He kissed the back of her neck. "Like it?" he whispered.
"When did you..." When he was so close to her, she couldn't remember what she'd been going to say; she just turned to him and kissed him.
"Settle down." He smiled and pushed her away. "I started college, so I got my own place. From now on, you can just come over here."
"Yeah." She could barely take it in. No more sneaking around, worrying about getting caught. She could see him whenever she wanted. Any time things were too much with the kids at school, she could--- "Wait," she said, "doesn't your dad ever come over?"
"Not much." He ran his hand across her back. "Happy?"
She kissed him. "Clay," she whispered, and it sounded strange. It occurred to her that she rarely said his name.
He brushed her recently-dyed black hair away from her face and kissed her forehead, cheeks, and ears. "Wanna see my bedroom?" he asked.
She nodded and followed him down a hallway to the corner room of the apartment. When she reached the doorway, she stopped and stared at what he'd created. The walls were painted midnight blue, and their color was unbroken except for one huge picture window, which was shielded with the same bamboo treatment he'd used in the living room. His dresser stood in the corner, and his bed, mounted very low to the floor, dominated the center of the room. A deep blue spread covered it, and a piece of silky fabric hung over it and draped its sides. He'd lit candles and placed them all around the room.
"What do you think?" he asked.
She didn't answer, just stepped past him and sank onto the bed. She reached out to him, and he took her hand. As she lay back on the bed and looked at the blue drape above her, she thought, "Please, please, don't ever let this end..."
**************** 
Rosa crept through the hallway of Luc Sidarus' home (her home for most of her life) as noiselessly as possible. She had finished moving her things out of her room there, and she didn't want Luc to find her in the house again. Actually, she'd been amazed that he'd taken her decision to move out so easily. He thought it was perfectly reasonable, considering the hours she was keeping at the hospital. If he saw the contempt in her eyes, he didn't show it. So perhaps he didn't know the real reason she moved to her own home, and he certainly didn't know that she was hiding Felix Ash in it.
Felix, that was another problem. Or was it? They hadn't talked about what happened in the motel room, but those kisses filled the air between them. At night, she lay in bed and wondered if Felix were thinking of her. She wondered what it would be like to feel his arms around her again. She was unsure if she could really trust him, but there were moments when she didn't care. However, she couldn't let that cloud her thoughts at the moment; she was on a mission.
She reached Viola's room, knocked, and opened it without waiting for an answer. Viola was sitting on her chaise, reading. She smiled at Rosa.
"Viola," Rosa said, "I want you to listen to me. You need to pack a bag."
Viola dropped her book. "What? I don't want to---"
"You've got to, Viola. You are coming with me."
"But I'm fine, Rosa. I have been doing---"
"It's for your own good. I know it's hard, but trust me, this is going to be so much better."
Viola buried her face in her hands. "Please Rosa," she said, "I don't want to."
"It's scary, but I'm going to help you."
Viola looked up at Rosa and said, "I don't want to go to the hospital."
Rosa stepped back. "Oh Viola," she said, "you're not. I'm--- I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean... No, you're coming to stay with me."
"With you?"
"I found my own little place to live, Viola, and I think you would be better off there. Didn't Father tell you I moved out?"
Viola shook her head.
"Well, I did, and I want you to come there. If you don't like it, you can come back here, but I'm certain---"
Viola jumped up and threw her arms around Rosa's neck. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you, thank you."
Rosa stepped back and said, "So you'd like that?"
"I've been waiting forever, Rosa. I have some money, and I was going to do it, but I didn't know how."
"Where did you get money?"
Viola looked at the floor. "I just have it, and... Rosa, thank you."
"I had no idea, Viola."
"I hate it here. I always have, but I never knew how to get away from Father. I thought, well... but that was all a long time ago, and he hasn't ever come back. But I don't want to talk about that."
Rosa looked at her sister, the one she'd always thought of as frail, and realized she hadn't truly seen her until now. Viola was confused, and she was frightened of Luc, but she'd been plotting all that time, trying to find a way to save herself. Rosa felt a rush of affection for her sister and hugged her. "Okay, Viola," she said, "everything's going to be okay."
Viola smiled. "What are we going to tell Father?"
"We're not. He's in his office right now, so we can get out of here without seeing him. We can call him tomorrow and tell him you're staying with me. It'll be too late to stop us then. But we've got to hurry. Here I'll help you."
Viola brought a small suitcase from her closet, and the girls packed it with the essential items. Rosa walked to the bathroom and looked at the countless prescription bottles in Viola's medicine cabinet. "Viola," she said, "which of these do you need?"
"Oh, I don't take any of those anymore."
Rosa crossed back to Viola. "You don't?" she asked.
"No, Father gave me some new ones, so I stopped taking those."
Rosa felt her stomach drop. "Father gave you?" she asked.
Viola nodded. "But, Rosa," she said, "promise not to tell anyone if I have a secret?"
"Sure, what is it?"
Viola went back to her closet and retrieved a large bottle, which was full of pills. "I never took them," she said, smiling. "Not even the first one, I held it under my tongue and spit it out when Father was gone."
"Viola! I can't believe---"
"I told him I didn't want any more medicines. He just didn't listen."
Rosa rushed to her sister and crushed her in the biggest embrace of her life. "Viola," she said, "I'm so proud of you."
Viola beamed.
Rosa picked up Viola's bag and gave the room one thorough look. "Now," she said, "let's get out of here."
|
