12. Chapter 12
June 27, 2011
1:52 pm
Too uneasy to drive, Hailey asked Trey to take them to Genevieve’s. Though Hailey was nervous to bring Trey around Trinity, she needed to see her daughter after what happened with Ryan, to be reminded of her own survival.
The ride was silent, shock still gripping all of them. Trey tried to clean up his face the best he could, but dried blood still caked his brow. Hailey hoped he wouldn’t need stitches.
“You need to tell him about Ryan,” Sara said to Hailey.
“Tell me what? What the hell is going on?”
Hailey said through gritted teeth, “Shut up, Sara.”
Sara narrowed her eyes. “I don’t get why you won’t tell him after what just happened.”
Hailey whipped around in her seat. “Because it’s none of his business. That’s why.”
Hailey couldn’t believe the audacity of her sister. Sara was the queen of keeping secrets, but Hailey was somehow the bad guy for not spilling her guts just because Sara thought she should? Screw that.
“Give me a break,” Sara said. “It is his business now that he almost killed a guy to protect you.”
Hailey’s mouth fell open. “I didn’t ask him to!”
Sara’s words cut deep. She knew Hailey didn’t want to be seen as the woman who needed a man to save her. The fact that her sister would throw it in her face proved to Hailey that Sara was still the manipulator she’d always been.
Sara rolled her eyes. “That’s irrelevant, don’t you think? You don’t get to keep secrets when they put other people’s lives in danger. It’s the right thing to do and you know it.”
Right. Like Hailey was about to take morality advice from the girl who had just been locked up for the last decade. Hailey snorted. “That’s rich coming from you.”
Sara quickly leaned forward. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means-”
“That’s enough,” Trey interjected. “I know you two have your own issues to work through, but I don’t want it happening in my truck.”
Hailey turned back around in her seat, crossing her arms as she scowled. Sara sat back and did the same.
Hailey hated that Sara wouldn’t mind her own business. If she wanted Trey to know what happened, she would have told him. She felt like she’d just been tattled on to her parents.
She wanted the terror of that night erased from her memory. She hoped it would slowly fade into darkness if she pretended it never happened.
Sighing inwardly, she pushed those thoughts aside as they pulled into Genevieve’s driveway. Both Sara and Hailey slammed the truck doors as they got out, Trey shaking his head at their childish behavior.
Hailey took in the white farm-house style home and its beautiful wrap-around porch. It had been one of Hailey’s favorite places to go as a child; an escape from her own house of horrors. She noticed that Sara didn’t move toward the house either, both reminiscing.
Finally, Hailey walked up the steps and Trey and Sara followed. She didn’t bother knocking. “Gen? It’s Hailey. I have visitors,” she yelled.
The older woman appeared and when Genevieve saw Trey at the door, her face lit up and she smiled ear to ear. It was apparent they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, which made Hailey a little sad.
“Trey, what a pleasant surprise!” Genevieve greeted him with a kiss on the cheek as if she was his own mother. She waved for him to come inside. “Sit at the table and I’ll make coffee.”
Genevieve then looked at Hailey and raised a brow, eager to hear the juicy story of the possible rekindling of their relationship.
When Trey moved out of the doorway, Genevieve saw Sara standing behind him. Genevieve stilled. Sara awkwardly played with her hair, unsure if she would be welcomed with open arms.
Genevieve slowly walked to Sara and cupped her face, studying every detail. And then Genevieve cried and embraced the woman she had once taken care of as a little girl.
Sara stiffened. At that moment, Hailey realized her sister hadn’t been hugged in the last thirteen years. Not even Hailey had hugged her yet.
Genevieve then traced the scar on Sara’s neck. “What happened?”
Sara shrugged. “It’s a long story, but I’m okay.”
She held Sara at arm's length. “I’m so sorry, Sara.”
Sara tried to hide the tears, but when Genevieve pulled her close again, Sara let out a sob and cried into the woman’s neck.
Hailey nearly cried herself. She glanced at Trey who nodded her toward the kitchen. She followed him, giving Sara and Genevieve some privacy.
Hailey went to find Trinity as Trey helped himself to the coffee and brewed a fresh pot. Though Trinity didn’t need to know the details of what Hailey was doing, she needed to know her aunt was innocent; especially because she was about to meet Sara.
Hailey gently knocked on Cecilia’s bedroom door. She heard giggles as the doorknob turned. Cecilia answered the door but Trinity, sitting on the bed, said, “Mom, what are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you, but I also need to talk to you.” Hailey looked at Cecilia. “Can I have a minute with Trinity?”
The girl nodded, her dark curls bouncing, and left Hailey and Trinity alone.
Hailey sat on the bed with Trinity, facing her. The two teens must have been doing each other’s makeup, Trinity sporting a red lip and blush much too bright. Hailey inwardly chuckled, remembering when she and Sara used to do the same.
“What’s up?”
“I need to talk to you about my sister.”
Trinity raised a brow. “Okay?”
“Since you were born, I’ve made her out to be this awful person. I was selfish to do that. And I was wrong about her guilt, too. She didn’t kill my mother. And the friend I mentioned the other day said he would help us.”
Trinity threw up her arms, her eyes wide, as she said, “Are you serious right now? You come back to this place and now all of a sudden you think she’s innocent?” She rolled her eyes. “You were right, this town does make you crazy.”
Hailey narrowed her eyes. “First of all: lose the attitude, Trinity Rae. Second of all: This has nothing to do with being back in town.”
Trinity let out a huff, annoyed that her mother reprimanded her.
Hailey couldn’t blame her daughter for feeling jaded about Sara. After all, Hailey hadn’t painted her sister in the kindest light over the years.
Hailey sighed. “Look, I’ve always tried to do what I thought was best, but your Aunt Sara-”
“She’s not my aunt,” Trinity spat out and crossed her arms.
Hailey let out a deep breath, trying to gain patience with her teenager. She ignored the comment. “Your Aunt Sara and I have a really complicated relationship. We had our issues growing up and I let those things dictate the way I talked about her to you.”
“But Mom, she killed your mother. Her mother. She doesn’t exactly sound like a nice person.”
“I thought she killed my mother. I was wrong, Trinity. And that breaks my heart.”
“Well, you must have been pretty convinced since you let her rot for all those years.” Trinity quipped.
Trinity was right, but she had said it to hurt Hailey.
Trinity wiggled a finger at Hailey. “You spent my whole life convincing me she was a bad person and now all of a sudden, I’m supposed to forget everything? I don’t think so.”
Trinity crossed her arms and turned around on the bed, no longer wanting to talk to Hailey.
A pang of guilt rippled through Hailey. Leave it to her thirteen-year-old to unknowingly put life into perspective. Her daughter was right. It wasn’t fair for Hailey to expect Trinity to forget the last thirteen years of Hailey’s claims that Sara was guilty.
Hailey said, “You're right, I’m sorry. This is a lot to take in and I shouldn’t expect you to change your mind at the snap of a finger. Honestly, even I’m having a hard time making sense of everything. But she’s my sister and I owe this to her.”
“You told me she wasn’t a good sister, so why do you even care?” Trinity snapped.
Hailey calmly got up and walked to the other side of the bed. She kneeled down on the floor, looking into her daughter’s eyes. “Honey, there’s a lot of stuff that happened between Sara and I that really strained our relationship. And maybe she wasn’t always a good sister, but I wasn’t either. There were plenty of times I was awful to her. But the fact of the matter is that I love her, and she needs me right now. She needs us .”
Trinity looked away and scowled. “Yeah, well, I don’t like her.”
Hailey smiled at Trinity and cupped her face. “I don’t expect you to understand everything that’s going on, but I do expect you to be respectful. Sara is downstairs and I’d like for you to meet her.”
Trinity pulled her face from Hailey’s grasp. “No way! I don’t want to meet her!”
Hailey tilted her head. “How about we talk about this again when you’re ready and we’ll see how you feel then.” She added, “Just give her a chance, okay?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Trinity said as she rolled her eyes.
Hailey simply nodded, not wanting to rush her daughter’s decision. And really, at the end of the day, she couldn’t make Trinity love Sara. To the naked eye, Trinity appeared to be a rebellious teenager who didn’t want to listen to her mother, but Hailey knew better. She was being protective of Hailey. She appreciated the sentiment, but it was time for the two of them to move forward.
Hailey left the room and joined everyone in the kitchen.
Sara was telling Genevieve a story, making the woman and Trey laugh. Hailey smiled, happy to hear laughter. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she’d ever hear such a beautiful sound. Nor did she think she and Sara would make amends, or that she and Trey would be able to be in the same room together.
But as much as she wanted time to stand still and live in this moment for a little while longer, Hailey knew she needed to address her mother’s diaries. She hadn’t planned to ask Genevieve about her father’s affair, but now that they were all together, the opportunity was right in front of her. They needed answers.
Once the laughter died down, Hailey said, “Gen, did you know about my father’s affair?”
Everyone at the table stopped and looked at her, caught off guard. Genevieve almost spit out her coffee. “Excuse me?” She shifted nervously in her chair.
“In the diaries you gave me, my mother said he had an affair with someone, and they had a baby together. She never said who it was.”
Genevieve stood up. “I don't know what you're talking about.” She went back into the kitchen to get creamer.
When the woman sat back down, Hailey gently touched her hand. “Sara is innocent and that means we have to look at every angle to figure out who really killed my mother. I know you love my father like a brother, but if you want to help Sara, you’ll be honest with us.”
Genevieve looked at Trey for confirmation. He nodded, despite not fully believing Sara to be innocent.
Sara was holding her breath.
Hailey heard the soft beat of a song as Trinity and Cecilia listened to music, not realizing the depth of the conversation that was happening below them.
Genevieve glanced at Hailey, then at Sara, studying their faces for a few moments before saying, “Your mother was a week past her due date. We were out getting some last-minute outfits when her water broke.”
Genevieve’s smile slowly faded away. “No one could get a hold of your father, so I rushed over to his office and when I opened the door, I found him kissing another woman.” She shook her head. “I’ve never been so angry in my life.”
She paused and put more cream in her coffee. “While we were in the waiting room at the hospital, he begged me not to tell your mother about the affair. And he did it while we waited for the doctor to tell us if your mother was going to live or die. She was dying on the table, and he was more concerned with me keeping my mouth shut.” She shrugged. “I half expected him to threaten me, but he didn’t. He just…begged.”
“Did you tell Morgan?” Trey asked.
A single tear escaped Genevieve’s eye and fell to the table, the weight of a decades long secret finally lifting off her shoulders. Genevieve quickly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “I couldn’t be the one to break up their marriage, I couldn’t do that to you two girls. He told me Morgan already knew and had threatened to leave if he ever saw the woman again. He promised to end things, and we never spoke about it again.”
Genevieve looked at Hailey and Sara and took each of their hands. “I have regretted that choice for the last thirty-one years. I should have told your mother.” She looked away. “Maybe it would have changed what happened to you girls in that house.”
Sara’s eyes darted up to Genevieve as she pulled her hand away. “You knew?”
The woman began crying again. “Yes. I never saw it first-hand, but I had a feeling he might have been hurting you.”
Hailey furrowed her brows. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you help us?”
“Does it matter?” Sara snapped. She stood and began pacing the dining room. “The bottom line is she knew and didn’t do anything about it.”
Genevieve shrunk at Sara’s words but then nodded. “She’s right.” She wiped her face. “There isn’t an excuse in the world that will make it okay.”
Hailey angrily pointed to herself. “ I need to know. You at least owe me that truth.”
Genevieve looked away and shrugged. “I didn’t want it to be true. I saw a different side of David that no one else saw and I wanted to believe that’s who he was. So, I pretended it was. And I didn’t want to betray him. It’s so stupid now, but we had been so close growing up and I couldn’t betray that friendship. It was easier to stick my head in the sand, especially when it came to his affair.”
The room fell silent as everyone retreated to their thoughts. Sara was seething and Hailey was trying to make sense of all that Genevieve had confessed to.
Then, Trey asked the question that was hanging over everyone. “Gen, who was he seeing?”
“It was that Nicole House woman. The waitress at the pizza place.” Genevieve spoke her name as if it tasted like vinegar.
Hailey froze, her breath caught in her lungs. “What did you say?”
“Nicole House. The waitress.”
That wasn’t right. It couldn't be Nicole House.
That would mean Ryan was her half-brother.
She recalled the way Ryan’s eyes had darkened that night and she was instantly transported in time. He hated her and now she understood why.
Ryan had made good on his threat, his fists pounding on her body. She had tried to fight back but it had only fueled his anger, giving him a sick satisfaction with every punch she landed. It was as if he welcomed her fear, fed off her terror.
She had somehow managed to guard her stomach, aware she would likely lose her baby. He had continued to rain down his fury as he kicked and punched her. And then he had wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed, watching her life slowly dissipate.
Her own brother had tried to kill her, and their father swept it under the rug to keep his own secrets hidden. How could her father turn a blind eye to all of the torment she’d endured over the years? She found it hard to breathe.
“No. No, no, no.” Hailey stood abruptly and began pacing. Heat rushed over her as darkness threatened to take her under. Her heart pounded and she wondered if everyone else could hear it. The room swayed as her body fought off panic and she tried and failed to fill her lungs.
Trey stood up, alarmed by her reaction. He called her name, but his voice was muffled. She tried reaching for him, her hands grasping at the air.
Why couldn’t she get to him?
Before she could say anything more, she hit the floor.
“Hailey?”
Why was Sara so far away?
“Momma! Wake up!”
Trinity?
Hailey’s head throbbed. As she came to, she slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the light. Trey was holding her and blotting her forehead with a wet towel as Trinity, Sara, Cecilia, and Genevieve gathered around her. She steadied herself against Trey, but a jolt of pain ricocheted through her skull, and she winced.
“You okay, Princess?” She looked up to see Trey, his brows furrowed in worry.
“Don’t call me that,” she muttered.
Trey chuckled. “Glad you’re back in full force.”
Hailey immediately sat up once she realized Trey was holding her in front of Trinity. Her body swayed and he gently placed his hand on the small of her back. “Whoa, slow down. You’re gonna pass out again. Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“Seriously, Mom, what happened?” Trinity asked.
“Nothing, I think I just haven't eaten enough the last few days.”
Trey eyed her and she looked away. Hailey was running out of excuses. “I think I was just in shock. I mean, we ate at that place all the time...it’s just weird to think about.”
Genevieve was the only one buying Hailey’s story, but neither Trey nor Sara called her on it. Finally, the dizziness subsided, and Trey helped her off the floor.
Sara opened her mouth to say something, but Trinity looked directly at Trey and said, “You must be my father.”
Genevieve’s eyes widened. “Oh, my heavens.”
Hailey’s face paled as she watched Trey glance from her to Trinity. She wondered if she should feign passing out again.
“Well, this is awkward,” Sara said.
“Hush, Sara,” Genevieve chastised.
Hailey shot Sara a look. Normally, Hailey would have berated her, but she was too focused on holding her breath.
“What did you just say?” Trey asked Trinity.
“You must be my dad,” she said slowly, mocking him. “You’re my mom’s old fling, right?”
Hailey cut in quickly, “That’s enough, Trinity.” She wanted to strangle her daughter for saying such a thing. How did she even know Trey was her father?
This time he was looking directly at Hailey, that old fire burning behind his eyes. “No, I think I want to hear more, Hailey,” Trey said sternly. He was livid and wasn’t trying to hide it, though Trinity didn’t seem to notice. Or if she did, she didn’t care.
Hailey hung her head and sighed. “Why don’t we talk outside.”
“Yes. Why don't we?” he said through gritted teeth.
Sara lifted a brow but thankfully held her tongue.
Genevieve intervened with Trinity and told her they would make some sandwiches. Trinity wanted to protest but then nodded in agreement.
Hailey and Trey walked out the front door together. Hailey sat on the porch swing, the one she had sat on many times as a child. Trey stood in front of her, legs spread, arms folded across his chest. His anger was almost tangible. She thought she might feel the heat come off him if she got close enough. She couldn’t blame him, though. He had every right to be infuriated.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” he demanded.
Hailey let out a breath. Not knowing how to tell him the truth, she simply blurted out, “Trinity is your daughter.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
“I don’t know-”
He threw his arms in the air. “You don’t know?! What do you mean ‘you don’t know?’”
Hailey stood as her own anger began to rise. “I didn’t know when I was going to tell you because I was protecting her. I didn’t want her to get hurt.”
“Protecting her from what? A father who would love her? A father who loved her mother so much it hurt? You left me , remember? And you have the audacity to say you didn’t want her to get hurt?”
Hailey tried to calm down, but his last comment had her seeing red. How dare he act like he hadn’t betrayed her and broken his vow to love her forever. How dare he act like a hero when he never rescued her, never came for her.
She now stood toe-to-toe with him. “I left because of you. You hurt me and I wasn’t going to let you do that to her ! You promised to love me, and you broke that promise.”
Hailey paused, trying to compose herself but was instead met with a flow of tears. “You didn’t come for me. You didn’t come for us . You were supposed to be there, and you weren’t. You let me leave without so much as a fight and I hated you for it.”
“How was I supposed to know that? I had no idea what the right choice was. I thought giving you your space was the best thing for you.” Trey sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I figured you’d come back when you were ready. And when you didn’t, I thought you moved on. All I ever wanted was the best for you, whether that was with or without me. So, when you didn’t come back, I thought it was the universe telling me you found something better.”
Hailey wiped at her tears and sat back down on the swing. She was outraged at how cruel the universe was. They had both loved each other so deeply and endlessly. Yet, here they were, trying to mend their shattered relationship and broken hearts.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I should have told you about Trinity. I mean, I was going to but then everything happened with my mother…I just couldn't bring myself to face you. We had just broken up and I didn’t want you to feel trapped and resent me years later.” She shrugged. “Honestly, I was angry at you. And when I finally wasn't, so much time had passed I didn’t think I should bring it up.”
A vein throbbed on Trey’s temple. He sat next to her then took a breath as he gently said, “I only broke things off because your father convinced me you deserved better than I could give you and I knew he was right. It just wasn’t in the cards for me. I loved you too much to hold you back, so I let you go. And you left without ever looking back.”
“I couldn’t be here anymore,” she cried out. “I felt like every piece of me had been broken and I didn’t think I would be able to make it out alive.” She paused for a moment and then quietly said, “I just never thought you wouldn’t come for me.”
As an olive branch of sorts, Trey took her hand. Hailey laid her head on his shoulder as Trey began rocking the swing. The two sat silently, neither knowing what else to say.
As much as she felt like her whole life had gone up in flames since coming back to Auburndale, Hailey had to admit it seemed as if something good may come out of it. Not that it would be easy, but maybe it was time for her to deal with her many demons that haunted her from this place.
Soon after, Trinity came out of the house to join them. She stood tall with her arms crossed, pushing out her hip. “It’s about time y’all worked it out. The neighbors could hear you screaming at each other.”
“Hush, Trinity,” Hailey said. Then she scooted over and patted the space in between her and Trey. “Sit.”
Trinity hesitated, then complied.
“How did you know?” Hailey asked.
Trinity shrugged. “At first, I didn’t. I noticed the way you two looked at each other at the wedding…or were trying to avoid looking at each other. I thought he looked like me but didn’t read too much into it. It was also weird that some guy seemed extra protective over you when that jerk-off was threatening you. What a creep. Then Lauren mentioned it was someone you really loved. So when I saw the way he held you inside, I just knew.”
“What else did Lauren say?” Hailey was irritated that the woman would overstep. She had no business telling Trinity anything.
Not noticing her mother’s concern, Trinity said, “Nothing. I asked her if she knew who he was, and she said you loved him. She wouldn’t tell me anything else.”
Hailey nodded and the three of them let the silence fall between them as the sounds of summer echoed in the distance.
“So- uh- what now?” Trey finally asked.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out as we go, I guess,” Hailey replied. She honestly hadn’t thought much about what would happen if Trey found out about Trinity. She supposed that’s because she never actually planned on telling him. Though she told herself she would, she never thought she’d have to.
“How about dinner or something?” Trinity suggested. “Mom made this super awkward by not telling us about each other, so we have a lot of catching up to do.”
Trey chuckled. “I see she got your attitude.”
Hailey made a face at him. “She got your bullheadedness.”
Trey smiled. “Dinner sounds like a great idea. My place tonight?”
“Fine,” Trinity said. She wanted everyone to think she didn’t care about meeting her father, but Hailey knew she was trying to hide a smile and her excitement.
“Unfortunately, I have to go get an update on an investigation, but I will see you ladies later.”
The three stood up, staring at each other, not knowing how to say goodbye.
Finally, Trinity wrapped her arms around Trey. But as quickly as she held on, she released her grip and then hurried inside.