Covet (26 page)

T
he police were there
within minutes. Barrett and Patricia were both interviewed separately, both giving the same story. Scarlet came soon after, flanked by her mother and Nancy.

“Where is she?” Scarlet cried out as soon as she entered the condo. Mark’s body was covered by a sheet and Patricia was still talking to detectives.

“Here, baby. I’ll show you,” Barrett wrapped his arm around Scarlet, who was shaking from adrenaline and nerves. “She’s sleeping. Still. Somehow she slept through the whole damn thing.”

They walked back to the guest room and opened the door. Thisbe had shifted in her sleep. She was now on her stomach, one slender leg over the sheets.

Scarlet started to sob inconsolably.

“I want to hold her so bad,” she said. “I can’t believe everything that’s happened to her. And she has no idea…”

“Shhh,” Barrett said as he quietly shut the door. “We have her whole life to tell her. We have her whole life to make sure she’s okay and never has to feel a single second of pain for the rest of her life.”

Scarlet shook her head, “We could never guarantee such a thing. You know that.”

Barrett smiled, “Well. We’ll do our damned best. I plan on making both your lives heaven on earth for as long as I live.”

* * *

T
he next few
days were a blur of interview and statement requests. Between the evidence and Patricia’s lawyers and connections, she wouldn’t spend any time behind bars. She was already in the papers being heralded as the savior of her son and his secret love child. It drove Barrett crazy to know she would probably come out of this looking better than she should. He would work on telling the real story one of these days.

But for now, Barrett was focused on the healing of Scarlet and Thisbe. The little girl was completely confused as to what was going on around her. Thisbe had no idea Paul and Melissa were dead.

“The man told me they’re away on a trip,” Thisbe explained. She had a sweet, high voice, and Scarlet couldn’t help but think she could listen to it all day and night. That it was what heaven must sound like. “He said they forgot to tell me and that he was my babysitter. He took me to a hotel and bought me McDonalds and ice cream.”

“He didn’t hurt you or scare you, did he?” Barrett asked.

Thisbe looked at him with her beautiful large eyes, the same ones she shared with her mother. “Oh, no. He was very nice. Kind of weird. He didn’t like to talk much.”

Scarlet smiled, “Good. We’re so happy to hear that.”

Thisbe stared at Scarlet, “I know you. I have a picture of you.”

Scarlet looked at her, clearly taken aback, “You do?”

“Yes. My mommy gave it to me. She said you were very important and that one day she would tell me all about you. She said you were her angel. The one God sent so she could have me.”

Scarlet tried her best not to cry.

“That’s so sweet,” Scarlet said, smoothing Thisbe’s hair back. “You know, your mommy was actually the one who was an angel. Because she chose to love you. I don’t have a choice because I made you. There’s no way I could ever not love you. But your mommy chose to love you with all her heart. Your mommy would have done anything for you, Thisbe. Your daddy too. And I promise, one day you will know everything they did. You’ll know the whole story.”

Thisbe nodded, “I would love to hear it. One day. When I am more grown up.”

Scarlet laughed, “Yes, sweet darling. When we’re all a little more grown up.”

“They aren’t on a trip,” Thisbe said, suddenly sullen. “Are they?”

Scarlet’s tears fell down her cheeks and Thisbe leaned over to wipe them with her thumbs, “Oh, sweet child. They’re not. I wish they were. I wish so many things, baby.”

Thisbe’s tears filled up and both Scarlet and Barrett held her for a moment, together.

“Will I have a home?” Thisbe whispered. “Who will love me now? I’m only 4. I’m not ready to be on my own.”

Barrett pulled his daughter into his lap, “Baby, I can promise you that no matter how old you get, you will never be on your own. And I know you don’t know me yet, or this pretty lady here, but we will love you always. We always have.”

“Thisbe,” Scarlet said. “You are my favorite ‘What if.’ And now you get to be my favorite forever. Is that okay with you?”

Thisbe nodded, “I can try. I just really miss my mommy and daddy.”

* * *

T
hey decided
to stay in Nashville for the time being, to help Thisbe transition into her new life. Patricia had requested to see Thisbe before she went back to Atlanta, something Scarlet was very much against.

“No,” Scarlet said. “I don’t care if it’s not fair. I don’t want her to have any part of Thisbe’s life. I will not negotiate on that.”

Barrett nodded, “I completely understand. You’re right. She doesn’t deserve her. But I can’t help but be grateful that when it mattered, she saved my life.”

“I still can’t believe Mark was actually going to kill you,” Scarlet said.

“He had a gun in his hand, pointed at me.” Barrett pointed out. “Loaded. I was sure I was dead.”

“I know, and I guess some people would say I should be grateful,” Scarlet said. “But it doesn’t change how I feel. Because of her we missed four years of Thisbe’s life we can never get back. And Melissa and Paul…”

“I know,” Barrett said. “You’re right. Fuck her.”

Barrett had left his girls to meet his mother one last time. It was downstairs in the lounge at The Hermitage. His mother was dressed to the nines, of course. She looked surprised when he came without Thisbe.

“Is Scarlet bringing her down?” Patricia asked.

“No,” Barrett said. “She isn’t. You don’t get to see her. And you need to learn to accept that.”

Patricia sighed, “I don’t know how else I can make up for my mistakes. I committed homicide for you.”

“Some mistakes can’t be undone,” Barrett said. “Some things can’t be taken back.”

Patricia shook her head, “I can’t win with you. I never could.”

“It’s not always about winning, Mother. It’s about being a good person who does things for love and not out of self-interest,” Barrett said. “Have you heard from Dad?”

“Don’t get me started,” Patricia said. “He’s divorcing me. For some whore he met in Las Vegas. Arista. What a stupid name.”

Barrett laughed, “He’s with Arista? From my office?”

“Yes,” Patricia scoffed. “Why is that funny? Your parents’ marriage is dissolving.”

“What ‘marriage’? It dissolved a long time ago,” Barrett said. “Now you truly have all the freedom you could ever want, Mother. All by your damn self.”

Patricia put her sunglasses on, “Is that all then? Because I’m done here.”

“So am I,” Barrett said, and with that, he walked away.

“
C
an I feel another kick
?” Thisbe leaned over Scarlet’s swollen belly. “I love when he kicks!”

Scarlet laughed, “Well, unfortunately I can’t get your brother to kick on command. Although sometimes if I have orange juice I can get him all jumpy. Want me to try?”

“Yes, Momma!” Thisbe said with excitement. She jumped up and down on the porch swing they were sitting on. “I’ll go get some. Daddy’s in the kitchen.”

“Okay, baby,” Scarlet said. “I’ll be right here.”

Scarlet watched Thisbe run barefoot across their wraparound porch and through their front door, the screen slamming shut behind her. She smiled in that moment, so happy to hear the sound of her daughter gushing to Barrett about needing a glass of juice for the baby.

Scarlet clutched her tummy and whispered, “Sweet little baby boy. As happy as I am to meet you, I will always cherish these times it was just me and you. And that with you I get to enjoy all that is the miracle of pregnancy. No stress, no hiding. And your daddy gets to see it all too. He’s just the best daddy in the world. You’re going to love him. Last night Mommy needed an Oreo shake in the worst way. And even though it was midnight, your daddy got it for me.”

Scarlet laughed, “He’s going straight to heaven, dealing with me. But sweet boy, we just feel so lucky every day these days. Not many people get a do over in life. A chance to rewind and make things right. And most people never get to have the love this family has. The kind of love that creates beautiful babies who will live beautiful lives.”

Scarlet looked out at the expansive green and rolling hills of their Franklin, Tennessee farm. This was the life she never could have imagined, even when things with her and Barrett were perfect.

“I can’t wait for you to meet your sister,” Scarlet said. “She’s everything good about me and everything good about Daddy wrapped into one little package. And she loves you already. She talks to you every day, nonstop. I’m sure you’ve heard her. She’s so smart and kind. I hope she stays that way forever. And that both of you always know how much you were wanted and loved. I doubt there is anyone on this planet that was conceived with more love than each of you were.”

As Scarlet spoke, Thisbe came back to the porch, walking carefully with a tall of glass of orange juice in her tiny hands. Barrett followed behind her, a silly grin on his face. It was the kind of grin that had scarcely left him the past few months.

They were so completely happy that it scared Scarlet sometimes. But she was learning to accept her good fortune and know that she deserved it after all she’d been through.

“Here you go, Momma!” Thisbe said. “Make Holloway giggle and jump!”

Scarlet took a long gulp of the juice, “Okay, baby. Here goes nothing!”

Scarlet pulled up her shirt so that her pregnant stomach was exposed. Both Thisbe and Barrett placed a hand on it and Scarlet put her own hand on top of Barrett’s and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“I love you,” she said to him. “So much. More today than ever before.”

“What a coincidence,” Barrett replied. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

They smiled and waited. Suddenly a big kick, right under Thisbe’s hand.

“I felt him!” Thisbe squealed. “I knew Holloway loved me the most! The most of all!”

Barrett shook his head, “No one loves you more than me.”

Scarlet smiled and touched his face. She couldn’t argue with him on that one. Because she finally realized it was true.

A
lison Ryan is
a romance author who lives with her husband and sons in a southern kind of heaven. She loves books about love, watching too much Bravo, and good bourbon. Not always in that order. 

In her former life she has been all of the above: a Las Vegas limo driver, an insurance adjuster, an American Idol reject, a repo woman, and a graveyard front desk clerk at a dilapidated motel on the shores of the Redneck Riviera. (Panama City Beach) Her 20's were a fun, but exhausting time.

She is quite happy to be pretty boring in her 30's. 

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