Rendezvous (9 page)

I’m sorting through the various boxes of tree trimming ornaments when a knock resonates through the room. Mrs. Anders answers the door while I continue my task. I am still engrossed in the boxes when the footsteps stop in the foyer. After a moment of silence I turn my head to find Dr. Finn staring at my backside.

Quickly standing and turning to face him, my eyebrows shoot up in a look of pure disdain. I am less than pleased to be ogled in my own home by a man who I can’t see having any business with being here. “Is there something I can help you with, Dr. Finn?” I ask, while crossing my arms over my chest. “I wasn’t aware you made house calls, although that wouldn’t really be a reason for being here since you refuse to allow my father to return home for treatment.”

I know I am coming across as snarky. Though over the past couple days, I have really pushed the subject of bringing my father back here, no matter what it takes, only to be stopped at every turn by Dr. Finn who insists my father remain at the facility. That alone puts him at the number two spot on my shit list. I know he’s only keeping him there for the money he’s pocketing for his private treatment. He’ll make a pretty penny more off of my father sitting in that damn prison than if he were here and only came to check up on him.

“I apologize for stopping by unannounced. I thought you would like to hear in person that your father is awake and responding,” he answered.

I perk up at the news, “That’s great! I’ll get changed and head over,” I say while placing the ornament I’m holding back in the box. As I go to leave the room, he chimes in again.

“I also came to see if you would consider having dinner with me this Saturday.”

I know it’s probably meant to be a question, but the way he says it comes off as if I have no option but to say yes. That pisses me off more than anything, not that it matters. The party for the staff is this Saturday and I’m not cancelling it, nor am I inviting him. If nothing else, Dr. Finn’s ego rubs me in all the wrong ways.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” I say without even a hint of remorse.

“Unfortunately, I have a party planned for all of the wonderful people here who do so much for my father. So I’m afraid that simply won’t be possible.”

“I see, perhaps I could join you, to keep you company. I’m sure you don’t really know the staff and it must at least be a welcoming thought to have someone here you can relate to.”

“Actually, I have people here I can relate to. Mrs. Anders and Maddie will be here, and since it’s a party for my father’s staff, it really wouldn’t be appropriate for you to be here as well. This gathering is to show them appreciation,” I counter before heading up the stairs. I stop about mid-way up and turned back to Dr. Finn. “Mrs. Anders can see you out. I’ll be on my way to see Marco shortly,” I confirm before turning to head back up the steps to change.

The drive to the medical facility is wrought with nerves. I am playing out every scenario in my head. What if this man doesn’t recognize me? What if he doesn’t even remember who I am? We’ve never met. What am I supposed to say to this him? Once I arrive at the facility, I’m asked to sit in the waiting room. Apparently, Marco is undergoing another series of tests and will be done shortly.

It’s another fifteen minutes before someone comes to get me. Walking to his room, I try to calm my nerves and the shaking in my hands. Entering the room, I find him sitting up sipping on a plastic cup of apple juice. The nurse excuses herself, leaving the two of us alone.

I decide to break the silence as he just stares at me. “You should be able to come home in a day or two. They want to keep you overnight at the very least to observe you and make sure your progress doesn’t deteriorate.”

A smile comes across his face as his eyes light up. “Listen to you, and here I thought you are a writer. Did you have a career change while I was out of it and suddenly choose a career in the healthcare profession.”

I have to smile. I think I just learned where I got my smart ass mouth from. Shaking my head and stifling a laugh, I look back at him. “No, I can’t handle all of that bitching and moaning. Especially not from men who have no indication of what real pain is. So don’t get your hopes up about me tending to your ass because that isn’t me.”

It was his turn to be momentarily stunned; laughing he quipped back, “I hear the only tending you do to asses is of the kicking variety. Last I heard, I may never have grandchildren since you keep kicking that poor bastard of yours in his family jewels.”

A sudden sadness washes over me at the mention of Tristan. God how I fucking miss that pain in my ass… “I believe you’re referring to Tristan, and he and I are no longer together.”

I shy away from the look of concern on his face. I’m not used to people giving a shit about what’s happening in my life and yet this man I’ve known for less than ten minutes seems engrossed in it.“I see, may I ask what happened? He seemed to truly make my bambina happy. This saddens me greatly,” he replies.

“Bambina? It’s been a long time since I’ve been anyone’s baby girl. My mother is what happened. She tried to have me killed and I can’t risk putting Tristan’s life in danger, so I left,” I said it as a matter of fact. As if stating it as such would lessen the blow of how much it hurts.

“Darla is a very dangerous woman. I fear greatly for you. She stole my Wendy from me. She did so much harm. Anything to keep you from me, and you suffered terribly for it. That woman is spawned from the devil himself, I believe.”

“She had been caught, but she managed to escape. Interpol said she was spotted in several countries around Europe, but the Marshals don’t think she ever left the country. I was visited by an Agent Oliver, who informed me of her intent to put another hit out. I thought he might just be another suit, but he seemed to know a great deal about you and your relation to me.”

“Ah, Oliver is a good boy. He’s my nephew, your cousin. He came over from Italy about seventeen years ago now, and I took him under my wing. He’s a good man. He’s had an eye on you for quite some time. I must apologize for the pain his part in your sister’s disappearance caused. He just happened to end up as her contact. It wasn’t planned as such. He was working for a private firm when the suits found him watching you. They recruited him, thinking with his advanced knowledge of Darla that he would be the best liaison with Cora. I’m sure by now you know your sister is safe. After seeing how much she’d come to mean to you, I bought a small home across the border for her. Since Darla’s case fell through, she was no longer eligible for protection. Oliver contacted a group that relocates women, but they didn’t have means to assist her at the time. I didn’t think it was in her best interest to know who I was, so Oliver simply informed her that the organization found a private donor to help her. Every once in a while I get updates on her new life. She’s a teacher now, and has a son and daughter of her own.”

“You got her out of the country?” I ask.

“Oliver did most of the work, Love. I simply provided a place for her to go to and some emergency funds to help her get settled. You have had so much taken from you in this short life, Bentley; I didn’t want you to lose her as well. Not when you two were finally starting to grow close. Your mother has a cruel sense of humor, and seeing you and Cora finally becoming the sisters you were meant to be, she wanted to destroy that. I truly believed one day she would simply grow out of her need to inflict pain on you. When I learned of her attack on you after the funeral, I wanted to strangle her myself. I was so proud of you for leaving, but you were never meant to live your life in hiding, Bambina. You were meant to shine.”

“I’m not hiding any longer. I’m prepared for her now. If she comes for me, one of us will die Marco. I just happen to have great faith in my belief that it will be her. I survived the hell she put me through, but this time she cost me something too precious to lose. So either she gets rid of me for good or I will kill her.”

Our conversation is interrupted by Dr. Finn, who decided on that moment to enter.

“Is everything okay in here? It sounded like there is some tension. I can’t let you visit Miss Celeste if you’re going to disrupt my patient.”

He said it teasingly which just makes my skin crawl. I’m getting the feeling the good doctor isn’t use to being told no.

“Everything is fine Bradley,” my father said. “My darling Bambina was just telling me how I should be able to go home soon, although I didn’t expect to be staying with her. I’d be elated to be back in the home I always wished I would see her grow up in.”

I give my father a smile. I had mentioned him staying with me in the house, but I was sure he would argue. Of course he did, he insisted on staying only long enough to recover, and at the latest just after Christmas. I was apprehensive about such a short stay, until I learned the house he normally resides in is only a few miles away from the one I’m staying in. We also spoke briefly about Sylvia’s visit, and I was informed that the ring in question is no longer in Marco’s possession. He had given it to another nephew for an engagement ring to his fiancée.

Dr. Finn interrupts the peaceful moment my father and I silently share, a wordless message conveyed. He knows already that Dr. Finn is breaching my comfort zone.

“I see, well then I guess that is good news. I’ll be able to release you tomorrow after we observe you overnight, but I will need to keep an eye on you in the coming weeks. Of course I’ll be more than happy to make house calls to check on you.”

“That won’t really be necessary, Brad, I can have my driver bring me to your office. No need to inconvenience yourself on my account, and I think Bentley would prefer to settle into her new home with a sense of solitude. She’s not use to so many disruptions, and as a writer it simply isn’t good to have so many outside interferences.”

Brad… go figure. Even his name makes him sound like a condescending asshole. I thank my stars that Marco picked up on that fact that this guy is letting off some seriously pushy fucking vibes. Before I have a chance to put in my two cents, I am cut off by the dick with legs.

“I really must insist Marco. After all this is your health were speaking of. I’m sure your daughter can accommodate a fraction of her life to make room for me. We’ll be spending a great deal of time together in the coming months, I think it only befitting she get used to me being around, don’t you think Bentley?” he says, while turning his inquiry in my direction.

“I think I’ll do whatever is in my father’s best interest. If he prefers to see you out of the house, then that’s his decision to make, not mine. He’s already stated he won’t be staying with me for more than a few weeks, so it would be pointless to plot your course of action on my account. And I would really appreciate it if you would keep our relationship a professional one. Miss Celeste works just fine. Only people in my personal life refer to me as Bentley, and since you’re my father’s physician, I hardly find it appropriate.” Okay, so I’m being completely ridiculous. I mean anyone in a public setting would refer to me by name, but just hearing it roll off his tongue makes me want to vomit all over his spit-shined shoes.

I watch as his jaw drops slightly at my reprimand. I really don’t like this asshole one bit, and he is seriously starting to get on my nerves. I am suddenly seeing the next shmuck in my book that will need to have his balls realigned, and his image is vastly similar to that of Dr. Finn. I smile at the thought before catching my father’s eye and correcting myself. No doubt from the look on his face he already knows how the wheels are spinning in my head.

Marco decides to hammer the message home since 'Brad' refuses to hear it loud and clear. “Bentley is correct. It’s not good to cross the lines of professionalism. I’d hate for my daughter's beloved to worry in his absence as my Bambina's intended will be joining us shortly. I’d truly hate for things to become awkward between you and him because you’ve become overly friendly with her.

I think my jaw just hit the floor. Intended? What the fuck? He’s laying that one on a bit thick. Tristan and I aren’t even together. How the hell am I supposed to play that one off when in a month or two from now, there is no man in sight? Am I just to make some sad fucking excuse about how he broke it off?

“I wasn’t aware your daughter is engaged. I was under the impression that a man gives his fiancée a ring as a show of his endearment and commitment. Is your fiancé so financially burdened that he can’t even afford a ring for you, Bentley?”

I’m fucking livid, and want to smash his snobby little face in. “We aren’t formally engaged.” I state with a mock smile that is anything but sincere. “In fact I don’t recall us setting any definitive plans, although it is also traditional for a man to ask a woman’s father for permission, so perhaps my father has just let the cat out of the bag.”

I know it’s complete bullshit, but I’m about to let this douche-canoe know that. If I didn’t know Marco existed, I know Tristan doesn’t either. Still it is a nice cover on my father’s part, even if I did have to catch the lie and twist it into something believable.  I switch the subject away from myself and make arrangements to pick my father up tomorrow afternoon, then give him a kiss on the cheek before taking off. It’s amazing how I just met this man and yet it feels perfectly normal to go on as if he’s been in my life forever.

I’m really in the mood to trim the tree, but I absent mindedly go through each ornament's placement with my father’s staff until the tree is perfect. My thoughts are stuck swirling around Tristan and wondering how he and his mystery girl from the photo are doing. I mentally bitch at myself for being a glutton for punishment. He is happy with someone else now, and even though I’m not ready to move on, I needed to let him go.