I could just keep on walking. Pretend like I didn’t hear her voice past others talking but everyone had practically gone silent and were either watching us, or had gone back to work. I spun on my heel to face her. “Oh! you can’t believe my surprise when O’Malley said you called, ready to resume. The thought of me almost drowning filled my head and I flinched when Tami touched me.I could not tell if she had noticed it and she was ignoring it because she squeezed me into a hug. Lucky it was over quickly. “How are you? How is the…”The child I was carrying for your possible husband? “Great. She’s doing great.”I could not have imagined the look that flashed across her face, could I?She smiled, “it was such an unfortunate incident, I can’t help but blame myself, I should’ve done better as the AD. I owe you my heartfelt apologies.”“Oh don’t be silly miss Baker, it was an accident.” One of the workers spoke up.“Yeah, sometimes you make plans and life makes its own.” A woman added, bef
“What’s your favorite snack?” I questioned Derek before I got in the car.“Just a chocolate covered donut.”“Really?”“Yes miss, I’m a simple man. Why’d you ask?”“Oh, nothing!” I answered sweetly, “i would like us to make a stop though.Forty minutes later I headed out of my favorite cafe with three small bags. After another stop at a grocery store, I pulled out my box of chocolate covered donuts to munch on as Derek drove me home, humming as I ate.“This feels like some kind of punishment.” He said with an amused smile that I spied through the rearview mirror.“Punishment? Why? I’m just enjoying this very delicious box of chocolate soaked donuts, they taste amazing by the way.”He chuckled. “You ratted me out.” “It’s part of my job. Plus it wouldn’t have happened if you where just straight up with me.”“I apologized!”“After.”“Fine.”I grabbed the second bag and placed it in the passenger seat. “Your apology for snitching is accepted.”“I didn’t offer any.”“Do you want me to tak
I held my sister’s gaze. “You know that right? If he loved you, he wouldn’t try to keep you from your family, he wouldn't treat you like you’re some…” she sighed again. “I don’t want you to be like mum.”“What?” “I don’t want you to be like mum.” She said more fervently. “No, Lily, he's not like that. He has NEVER raised his hand to me.” And no matter his temper, I knew in my heart that he would never.“And I’m not mum. I won’t stay with a man that hurts me like that. Especially with a baby.”She looked like she wanted to say more but stopped herself. “Lucky you, you have a sensible sister to call you out when you’re being insane.”“Very lucky me.” I squeezed her hand. “I’m visiting mum tomorrow.” I said tentatively. “Do you wanna…”“No, I told you already, I’m not coming, I think you should stay back too.”“I can’t. She’ll be expecting us.” Lily nodded. “I heard something about spicy cheesy tots?” I gestured to it, and she slid it into the room while I chuckled.I was positively
“Hey Derek!” I had on a beautiful flowery dress that screamed sunshine, cupcakes and life is magical. I was a bit overdressed for my visit to mum but I needed to force the optimism from outside into me.“Good morning miss.” He greeted back, sticking his fidget toy back into his pocket as he rose. “Are we going to the park today?” He asked, peering at me from his dark shades. I chuckled.“No parks today. I handed him my phone.”Hospital. Is this another sealed off movie set?” “No, it’s just a hospital. I promise you, no more tricks from my end.” He nodded and opened the car door for me. I snuck one last peek at my sister’s bedroom window. I caught a glimpse of her just before she hid behind the blinds.‘Please don’t make me go alone’, I prayed as I watched her window.“Go right in, miss.” Derek urged.Lily’s blind opened and she gave me a small goodbye wave. Today was going to be a solo trip for me then. I climbed in and waited for Derek to do the same. The car purred to life and
When I woke up that morning, I remained still and forced every happy memory I’ve ever had of my mum to my head. Today I did not need to be on set, which meant I had all day to wallow in bed, or play ’happy’ with my sister and tell her mum did great. But if I told her that mum was great it would make her believe that mum was like that because she wasn’t there. I let out a sigh and rolled to my side, folding my legs into a fetal position. A small knock on my door, had me cranking my neck. The door opened an inch and Lily poked her head in. “You don’t lock your door?”Force of habit from when we were small. Locking the doors meant it would take longer for me to reach mum incase of danger. And it infuriated dad, when he was moving around and doors ‘refused’ to work.“Yeah.” I whispered. She slipped in and shut it. Was this the part I told her how my visit went?“I’m heading out.” Lily said, halting my thoughts.“To where?”“A couple of my classmates are meeting up. Could be fun.”“Okay
“Visit?” Thoughts of Pierce’s skillful hands fled my mind and I was brought back to the present. “Yeah.” Pierce continued, “The one you paid to your mum? You seemed upset by it yesterday, and you came back late. The reason you live here is so I can keep an eye on you and ensure the safety of my child. Your unreliable schedule isn’t helpful.“ “I was with my mother.” I did not think I needed to explain myself further. “And you came back looking like you lost a pet, what happened? Is she good?”Several months ago I would be preening from this attention he was giving me. Now, I shifted uncomfortably on the counter. “Everything’s fine, my emotions have been all over the place since the baby.”We had to stay on common ground. Although considering we were going to have a baby between us, knowing more about each other’s family seemed smart. “Is it dementia?” He queried.“Alzheimer’s, PTSD, chronic pain…”“PTSD?”“Yeah, my da-“ it occurred to me that I was crossing a line. “Yeah, PTSD.”
Angie was back the next day like Pierce said she would be. And I did not have to deal with him that morning, thank God. “I might have missed you a little bit.” I confessed to Angie as I leaned on the counters with my elbow. I purposely avoided the stool Pierce had used. Angie didn’t seem to buy it, but she put four slices of frittatas on my plate, topped it up with parsley and dropped it in front of me. “That’s a lot of food.”“You need it to grow a baby.” She said simply as she reached into the fridge. Why was everyone obsessing over the size of my kid? “Is that gelato?” I gasped, when she pulled out a long plastic plate.“Yes, home made.”“I thought you hated gelato.”“I never said that.” I had a teasing expression on my face as she put a scoop of it in a small glass bowl. “Eat your food, you have your appointment in two hours.”Back down to reality. “Yes ma’am.” Angie removed a bottle of ketchup from the fridge and dropped on the counter. “No I don't want it.” I could not s
Lily plopped onto her bed and looked up at me inquisitively.“Gimme a sec.” I muttered, handing the bag over to her. “You can start without me.”I left her room and went into mine before I accepted the call. “Hello?”“Good afternoon, This is Paul from Peaceful Pines, am I speaking to miss Myra Thompson?” The male on the other side of my call asked brightly.“That’s me.” he sounded almost cheerful, it would be safe to assume he wasn’t delivering bad news sounding like barney’s distant cousin. “Is my mum okay?” I asked, just in case.“Yes, she’s doing great I hear.” I let out the breath I was holding. “I called for a different reason.”“Yeah, what is it?” I hope they were not planning to increase the fees or something. Maybe he wanted to advertise a premium plan.“We got a call earlier today from your representative. He made enquiries about a transfer for your mother. We just want to check in with you, to make sure he got the information across.”“Representative? I didn’t-I didn’t send
“Now I want you to really think about every answer you give me. The second it feels like I’m being lied to, I will walk out of this hospital without a backward glance, are we clear?” She nodded again. “I need you to use your words Tami, no matter how much it hurts, even if you feel like dying, don’t worry, I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen. So… I’ll try to be quick. Uhh…when was the first time you tried to hurt me, like really hurt me?” They was that bob in her throat but she said nothing. I lifted a brow, waiting. When she remained silent I pushed my seat back and rose gingerly. “Wait…please!” She rasped, “I’ll t-alk.” I sat back down. “The first time…it was on set, the…pool.” “What happened at the pool, Tami?” Her eyes darted to me pleading. I gave no sign of sympathy. “the lights went off…I changed the signs in the cave to misdirect you…trapped you… I’m sorry.” “You did that yourself? Or you had help?” “…stunt director… he helped.” I nodded thoughtfully.
When we reached the private hospital, we were directed straight to where Leo was pacing outside a room I assumed Tami was in. I felt a pang in my chest as I looked at the man who had fathered me. The grim set of his jaws, his shoulders hunched as he circled the hall. He looked like he had aged several years since the Dionet party. Pierce pressed his hand to my back drawing my attention to his face. He was staring at Leo, contempt on his face. Leo’s first words to me after ‘hello, it’s your father.’ Was ‘what is your blood type?’ I could hear his relief through the phone when I said the dreaded AB-. Then he asked that I come to the hospital to help save Tami.Pierce had decided then that he had heard enough. For Leo to call for me to save Tami when only few minutes ago, she had tried to kill me. It seemed even funnier seeing as Pierce had suggested ending her life a seconds before his call came in. When I agreed to come to the hospital, my response seemed to stun not only Pierce.
First the emergency personnels passed with a woman on the gurney, in a dress I had first mistaken as deep red, before I realized-in horror- that it was just a blue dress soaked in so much blood. A guest had gotten hurt really badly, she looked lifeless from the paleness of her skin. But something else stood out, there was a black thing protruding from her belly. Was that a…Another chill worked it’s way up my spine when her unconscious face came to view.“Holy shit!” Hannah cursed. The next part of the parade was the officers, and the source of all the screaming. Sarah was bound by cuffs, doing her best to lengthen the time it took to get her from her to the doors. She had a cut on her eye and dark soot covering most of her arms, her dress was ripped in multiple areas. Her eyes turned murderous when she saw me. “You! Why won’t you just die!!!” She screamed. “I should’ve put a bullet through your brains a long time ago! I’m gonna kill you!!!! Let me go! Let me go you bastards!.” She
Once the surprise of seeing me with Pierce wore off, we were joined on the dance floor by several other couples. He drew me closer to him and buried his head in my neck, no concern for what others in the room would think. “You smell wonderful.” He whispered and kissed my cheek fondly, and then kissed it again when I did not respond. I smiled at him my heart pounding in my chest. “Give me a minute, I’m just trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is really happening.” His arms tightened around me even more, which meant we were barely moving at this point. Just in the middle of the room, hugging. I leaned my head on his chest, and sighed with pleasure. “How was Heidi’s treak or treating?” He asked his chest rumbling as he spoke. “She had a lot of fun, and to much candy. We took a lot of photos, I’ll show you later.” I answered. “Can’t wait.” “Are your parents here?” ”Yes.” His head turned to a particular direction in the room and my eyes followed it to find
“This is a whole new side of you Carter.“I admitted as he stepped closer. He shook his head and turned till he was facing the party too and people-watching with me. A couple passed us and my back straightened, a quick smile offered immediately. Look normal, a voice said in my head. “Nothing’s changed with me.” He started when they were out of earshot. He sounded awfully like the voice at the back of my mind. “You just happen to have caught me with Sophia, and built this wall in your head about how evil I am.” “I don’t know about you, but I consider cheating on your partner pretty evil.” He let out a sigh. “She means nothing to me, goddess. We can still work this out.” “I doubt that.” “Don’t do this,” he pleaded. “Do what?” “Pierce’s mystery woman tonight, it’s you isn’t it?” He chuckled under his mask, "I knew something like this was going to happen when you went to ‘help’ him.”Anger flashed in my eyes at his implication that I was cheating on him. “Which is why you spent the
Tami and Sarah’s POVThey slipped through the party unnoticed, Tami, not quite caring, her focus on Myra.Sarah, seething at her invisibility, the same thoughts racing through their head. They would show them, they would show ALL of them. The guards situation at the exists barely gave them a second glance as they slipped out of the party. Taking the small hallway to the opposite hallroom. Away from all the noise and people. “I want to set them on fire, Tami said to herself. “I want to hear her scream and watch her face melt. That stupid ugly face.” She yelled, her nails digging into her head to slow the anger burning in her head. “They can escape a fire.” Sarah said smartly, peeking to make sure they were not followed, before she pulled a big painting back to reveal a hidden passage. Getting the plans to the building had not been easy, she had come here a few days ago to scope things out, make sure everything was fine, and their plan would go well. Tami had not been of help. The
“Treak or treat!” Heidi screamed as soon as the doors to the house opened. Two hours walking the neighborhood with her and she was still as energetic as when we started. Me on the other hand? I was soo close to spreading out on someone’s porch.“What a very cute dino!” The woman with grey streaks in her hair said, beaming down at Heidi in her inflatable T-rex costume. Her eyes lifted to my getup. “And you’re matching with mum!”A smile crept up my face despite my tiredness. I wouldn’t say we matched entirely. I was in khaki colored pants and a matching shirt, my hair was tucked under a brown cowboy hat, and the words ‘jurrasic world’ was plastered on the front pocket of my shirt. “Did you know the T-rex had the strongest bite of any land animal in the whole world?” Yup, every house we went to got their own dinosaur fact. “Wow! I didn’t know that. I guess you deserve a treat.” The woman took out a handful of Reese’s, kit kat, and candy corns, among others, and dumped into Heidi’s ex
Me and Pierce broke apart only once since we moved to his room. Him to get us breakfast, while I shot a quick text to Hannah and Angie, my cheeks flaming as I told her where I had spent the night(it felt very much like telling her ‘hey Angie, yes, I was absolutely getting railed by Pierce, the man I’m supposed to be NOT in love with.’) She sent me thumbs up emoji accompanied with a text that said Heidi was fine. After a quick meal and more sex we lay curled up beside each other.“…If you could see those photos Pierce.” I shuddered at the image of Ava leaning over Camilla that popped in my head. He drew me closer to him, his finger still drawing patterns over my breasts. I shivered for a whole new reason. “I can only imagine.” He muttered, his brows furrowed, “if only there was a way we could get Tami for her actions too. Her family’s image is ruined as it is. We could announce the links she had to Ruth, placing that accusation even in the media would be a big blow, but I don’t want
Tami’s POV. The house was plagued with more tension than Tami had ever witnessed. An hour ago, a letter had arrived, and since then, they had sat in the living room, Tami watching her parents as they glared at each other, one in plain anger and the other in defiance. “I’m asking you again…what does this mean?” Her father bellowed, his eyes never leaving his wife. Ava scoffed, poorly hiding the fact that she had been shaken by the contents of the letter. “I don’t know Leo, how do you expect me to know? It’s likely a part of Pierce Blackwood’s smear campaign since Tami here went and pissed him off. Now our company is in ruin because your daughter.” A beautiful diversion, Tami noted, it was just like her mother to shift the focus. They still hadn’t explained to her what on earth was going on. The note had been simple. A warning from one of the family’s friends in court. One of the very few people who still stayed loyal to the Bakers. Even though it was because Ava had that video o