Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Sydney
“No. Please don’t shoot me,” I cry as I look up at him. The gun is aimed at me.
The shot rings out, and I scream.
I come awake with tears rolling down my face and my throat raw from screaming in my sleep.
I hear Mari crying through the monitor on the nightstand and look over to see her lying in her crib.
I roll out of bed. Sweat beads across my skin, chilling me in the air of the room. It takes me right back to that night.
I take a moment to compose myself, upset that my screams woke up Mari.
I move across the house to her room and reach into her crib to pull her into my body.
I almost lost her and myself that night.
Sitting in the rocking chair, I gently rock her back to sleep, my eyes heavy, but I won’t be able to sleep again tonight.
Maybe it’s time I talk to someone, but I don’t know if I can yet.
I talked to a counselor at the hospital while I was recovering, but it’s time to really open up to someone.
Once Mari is back to sleep, I lay her back in her crib.
Stepping out of her room, I look across the hall to the closed door.
I haven’t unpacked that room yet. I step toward the door and open it.
Boxes line the wall along with camera bags and packs.
I stand there and take it all in for a moment.
Everything from my previous life is here. Everything that wasn’t with me on that last trek. I had an amazing career, traveling to locations that people dream of. I survived.
I step over the threshold and decide to start organizing the room.
Unboxing pictures from all my travels, I go around and finally make my house a home. I spend four hours unpacking and putting things away, and there are still boxes along the wall, but it’s less crowded and calms my nerves to finally see my photographs around the house.
Mari starts fussing from her room, and I look out the window to see the sun rising. Taking in my home now, I’m excited at what I’ve accomplished. I smile and feel better. I’ll be tired later, but coffee is becoming my new best friend.
A couple of hours later I dial my mom’s cell.
“Hello, baby girl, how are my favorite angels this morning?” She chuckles through the phone. “How was your date last night?”
“You can’t help yourself, can you?” Shaking my head, I smile at her comment.
“What? I just asked an innocent question.”
“I was raised by two attorneys. You taught me there are no innocent questions.” I laugh. “It was really nice. He helped me give Mari a bath, and I guess we are dating now.”
I remember his dominance and lift my hand to my throat, slightly dragging my fingers over where he held me.
“You guess?”
“Okay, he said we were exclusive and called me his,” I say, and she laughs at me. “Mom, stop. I have a few things I need to talk to you about.”
“Okay, what’s up?”
“First, can you watch Mari tonight? There is a party at the clubhouse Tucker wants me to go to with him.”
“Anytime, angel. What else?”
“Can I see a counselor?”
“Still having those nightmares?” Her voice is serious now. She instantly changes from playful to mom mode.
“A few.” I’ve been hiding my lack of sleep from her. “But mostly, I think it’s time to work through everything. It’s time to attempt to move on.”
“I think it would be an excellent idea. It’s time, sweetie. Time for you and Mari to stop living in fear all the time.”
“Thanks, Mom. Now, for the next issue. The zoo wants to bring over a conservation rescue group from Zimbabwe. They want me to meet with them.”
“I’ll notify the legal team and see what they suggest. But I don’t see the Brigade coming here to come after you. You know you can never return to Africa for your safety.”
“I know. Okay, I’ll let Lydia know I’ll be available to work with them.”
“What time do I need to be there, or do you want to bring her here?”
“How about you come here tonight?”
“Okay. I’ll see you at about six thirty.”
I hang up and proceed with my day. I spend the time cleaning the house up and playing with Mari. I love days like this when I can spend time with her. She’s grown so much in just five short months.
My cell phone rings, and I smile when I see Lydia’s name flash across the screen.
“Hey, Gir—”
“Syd, I need your help.” Lydia’s panicked voice comes across the line.
“What’s up, Ly?”
She was heading to Dallas today to meet up with her hubby, who’s there for business. She wanted to surprise him with a weekend for just the two of them. He’s been traveling there a lot over the last couple of years.
“He wasn’t alone,” she cries into the phone.
Oh shit. She can’t be saying what I think she’s saying.
“No. Colton wouldn’t do that to you.”
I’ll be honest, in all the years we’ve known each other, I’ve never really spent time with her husband. He’s always working or avoids me. Could this be why? He was cheating on her, and he figured I’d somehow know.
“He did. I knocked on his door in only a trench coat and negligee, and some blonde bimbo with big boobs answered in a robe.” I can hear the tears in her voice.
“I thought I had the wrong room until he stepped around the corner. When he saw me, that fucker said it wasn’t what I thought. Can you fucking believe that?”
“Where are you now, sweetie?”
“I’m on my way to the airport. I told him not to come home. That bitch said he was already home. She showed me a ring on her finger.”
Oh fuck. “What? Is he engaged to her while married to you?”
“I don’t know. I just ran. I need a place to hide out for a bit.”
“I’ll see if my mom has a suggestion.”
“Get her to find me the best divorce attorney on the planet. I’m going to buttfuck that asshole.”
I try not to chuckle because, granted, Lydia has dropped lots of cuss words in this short conversation, but that isn’t her at all. She’s the epitome of a perfect Southern belle.
“I’ll ask her when she gets here.”
“Is she babysitting for you again?”
“Yeah, Tucker is taking me to a club party.”
“That’s what I need, a hot dirty biker. Set me up with one.”
“No, sweetie. You need to heal you and your kids right now.”
“Okay. I’ll call as soon as I land. The kids are at the house.”
“I’ll call my mom and have her go get them so they aren’t there, just in case.”
“Thank you. You’re the best friend a bitch could ask for.”
“I’d bury his body for you if you needed me to.” I chuckle as I hang up.
Me
Mom, can you go pick up Micah and Michelle? Bring them here when you come. Lydia is having some issues. She’ll pick them up from here.
Mom
Sure. Is there anything else I can do?
Me
She needs a shark. Colton is cheating on her.
Mom
I know just who to call. I’ll give her suggestions tonight when she picks up the kids. She can stay at my place or in the rental.
My mom turned Gram’s old farmhouse into a rental property. Colton doesn’t know about it, so it would be the perfect place for her to hide out with the kids.
Mom
Tell her I’ll get a restraining order processed if she wants.
Me
I don’t think she needs that yet, but I’m worried he’ll come after the kids.
Mom
I’ll get a hold of a friend who can get things rolling.
Me
On a Saturday?
Mom
I’ll explain more later. See you in a few.
I set my phone down on the nightstand, then go back to looking through my closet to figure out what to wear tonight. I decide on a skirt since Tucker said he was going to bring the truck to pick me up. Something about wanting to enjoy looking at me before he has to share me with everyone else.
I jump into the shower and take a quick one, washing my hair to bring out the natural waves and loose curls. I hear Mari on the monitor as I’m stepping out of the bathroom after scrunching my waves. Slipping on my robe, I make it across the house to Mari’s room where she was napping.
“Hello, beautiful.” I smile at her chubby, smiling face.
Her little arms are flapping around as she sits up, waiting for me to come pick her up.
I lift her into my arms, and she nuzzles into me.
On our way back to my room, I grab her saucer walker and set her down in it while I finish getting ready.
She grumbles that I’m not holding her, but then starts jumping and playing with her toys.
It’s so nice to be able to wear my sexy undergarments again now that I’ve stopped nursing.
After digging through my closet, I find the tan safari pleated skirt that falls mid-calf, with a slit to my knee.
I pair it with my black Doc Martens and a denim long-sleeved shirt I leave mostly unbuttoned over a white lacy camisole.
Thin leather suspenders complete the look.
Spinning in front of my full-length mirror, I like the full effect and hope Tucker does too.
Again, my makeup is a mask to hide the ever-present dark circles.
I’m lacing up my boots when I hear the alarm system disengage and then my mom’s voice.
“Angels, I’m here.”
Mari coos, recognizing her voice, and I let her know where we are.
“In here, Mom.”
“Wow! You unpacked your photos,” she comments when she steps into the room with Micah and Michelle behind her. She looks over my bed at one of my favorite pictures of a female rhino and her calf in the grass.
“Hey, kiddos.” I greet them and ignore my mom’s comment.
I don’t need to acknowledge what she said.
I know how she’s felt about me not showing my pictures.
But it was too hard before. Just looking at the images reminded me of everyone I lost. Of the pain and loss from that night.
It makes me feel despair that I’m still alive, living my life, while they aren’t.
I should have done more. But I know I need to move on.
Therefore, I really need to start seeing someone and discuss what happened to me.
Maybe I can honor their lives in another way.
“Aunty Syd, why are we here? Mom said we would get the weekend with Krystal,” Michelle asks me.