Epilogue #4
I don’t doubt that. Giving her a curt nod, I lower myself into the driver’s seat. I can still make out Mairead’s voice. “Why don’t you ever threaten me like that?!” she whines to her partner.
Slamming the door before I’m subjected to more of their squabbling. They’re like oil and water, but somehow, they’re meant for one another. Looking at my future wife in the passenger seat, I remember something. Removing two uniquely shaped keys from my ring, I set them in her lap.
“What do these go to?” I throw the car into reverse, ignoring the initial request. Heading toward our apartment, I take corners with enough liberty that Cindel has to grab the ‘oh shit’ handle on a drifted turn.
“How else am I going to open the Lotus?” I confess. Her mouth falls open making it extremely difficult to keep my eyes on the road. I am greedy. Needing the prerequisites out of the way and my sweet Cindel beneath me. The ring was just a symbol. We’ve belonged to each other for a lifetime.
An extra thousand gets added on top of renting out the candy store, for ‘damages’ to inventory, along with cleaning expenses. I may have also added a thousand on top of that for discretion.
Cindel’s parents are still very powerful within this city, and they don’t exactly need to know what was entailed with their daughter’s proposal.
The Lombardi’s took back their full last name, since there was no longer a threat against their family.
They keep to themselves in the Catskills, although they come around a lot more than in recent years.
Most weekends they’ll make it a point to drive out to us, fabricating excuses about how they had a meeting, or the Murrays needed them.
I know why they really visit. With Eamon, Connor, Garron, Mairead, and I handling most business affairs these days, it allows the Lombardis to make up for lost time together.
When I initially told Eamon I planned to ask Cindel to marry me, he pulled me aside.
“Does she know…? About her ex-boyfriend?” I knew exactly what he was suggesting, but I shut it down before he could continue.
“She’s never asked and if you keep your mouth shut about it, I won’t have to tell her either.
” He’s been a little hot and cold with me over the past week, but we’ve worked it out in the ring.
He blames it on dehydration, but I knocked him out so hard that Garron had to crack open the smelling salts.
Consider it payback for kissing my future wife. Having siblings is fun.
With the Christmas holiday on the horizon, I have made it my seasonal duty to help Cindel enjoy the holiday again.
Even the idea of a tree in our home makes her on edge.
It’s not her fault what happened to her brother, was just after the holly-jolly date passed.
If I had known sooner, I probably would have killed my father that very day. Maybe my mother would still be alive.
I pack a string of lights in my duffle bag, in preparation for our stay in the Catskills.
Cindel loves staying at the cottage, so we’ve cleared our schedule to be there for a whole two months.
Scrolling through my phone calendar, I realize we’ll be away for my birthday.
I never really celebrated in the conventional way.
Thanks to my asshat father, I don’t think I’ve ever blown candles out on a cake before.
It was just another average day that passed each year, where I got older, and no one was the wiser.
Contrary to my desire to have another cycle around the sun go unnoticed, Cindel felt very different on the matter.
When she happened upon my license, learning that she missed the date, she swore the following year that we would celebrate properly. With us being shut away, in the snowy mountains this time, I just might escape the party wrath; she’s conjured up.
Continuing to pack, I layer sweatpants with wool socks on top of the compelling decoration, and zip the bag closed. I can hardly wait to string Cindel’s pretty little body up, in the colored lights. I plan to make her moan to the tune of; “Baby it’s Cold Outside.”
While we were away, Mairead volunteered to watch our place. It’s a fairly simple task for most people. Collect the mail… water the houseplants… but this is Mairead we’re talking about.
So, I wrote down explicit directions, along with friendly reminders. Such as, the koi fish do not need to be rescued. Last time we were away, she put two koi fish in our bathtub. She said they looked cold. Thankfully, the botanical garden did not press charges.
Patrick Murray surprised us all by announcing his retirement this past summer.
Once his affairs were in order, he returned to Ireland, leaving his legacy in the capable hands of his children.
Eamon has already been at this for years.
He was more than capable, where our sister needed to be ‘reeled in’ every now and then.
Somehow, she’s become more renowned than The Barber, inheriting her own name on the street, Red Smile.
Patrick hasn’t quite closed this chapter of his life.
Recently, we discovered Moyra flew out to spend some time with him in the countryside.
What started off as commiseration, Patrick’s once vengeful heart softened for her sister.
Not too long ago, the ornery man called me.
Mostly he reminisced about his younger years between sips of scotch, eventually confessing that he always knew Mary had a child out of wedlock.
Moyra told him. He loved Mary and respected her privacy but he never knew who I was, nor who my father was.
I listened quietly as he let go of shame; understanding that he can’t change what has passed but is willing to work toward building relationships with the ones still in his life.
Cindel and I agreed… we want to hyphenate our names once married, acknowledging both sides of our lineage.
Never wanting for more, I’m pleasantly surprised each day with the amount of understanding and compassion Cindel has for everyone around her.
It makes me want to do better and be better.
No one knows what the future holds, but as long as she’s with me, little else matters.
Realizing I haven’t packed my toothbrush, I cross the bedroom to our connecting bathroom.
It’s not by the sink or on the small shelf beneath the mirror.
As I scan the room, spotting it teetering on the edge of the tub.
Stepping closer, I reach for the toothbrush, when suddenly the curtain is jerked open.
A figure in all black stands before me, face hidden by tinted goggles and a mask!
“What the—?” Before I’m able to react, the mystery person lunges forward with a taser.
The intense burning sensation shot through my body, as the current seized my muscles, causing my knees to buckle.
I fall to the tiled floor, as I watch the shadowy form withdraw from the shower.
The inky silhouette crouches low before me.
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” A breathy, sultry voice coos.
I know that voice. My eyes once again focusing, I turn my head slightly to see the figure is much smaller than I first thought.
“No secrets! Remember?!” Shit. Where’d she get the…
? “Mairead was more than happy to lend me her taser.” As if she could hear my thoughts.
She’s always been a whizz at reading me.
“And don’t you dare blame your siblings!
One of the girls over at Cha -Cha’s found me.
They got worried when Brodi stopped coming around.
Garron also confirmed he was with you that night. ”
Fuck me. Garron can’t keep his mouth shut for anything.
“What happened that night is obviously something you’ll never forget, but I’m pissed I had to find out what really happened from a hooker instead of you.” She raises to her full height, looking like a sexy villain in her dark form-fitted outfit.
I may feel tingly at this moment, but I know blood is rushing to my dick.
“You should have told me. I would have liked to teach him a lesson myself. Maybe stitch a hundred anchovies to his cheating ass and drop him off in the middle of the Montana woods. Just like he always wanted.”
The sensation of pin pricks travels through my hands and feet.
Cindel pulls off the goggles and balaclava; right hand glinting with the giant stone that looks closer to a watermelon candy.
Her hands disappear into her long hair, then she gazes down at me.
“I’m looking forward to our time in the mountains, my love.
Be sure to pack the plug with the tracker inside and an extra string of lights. ”
Wait… how does she know—
“It’s my turn to pursue you. Then once I find you, I will make it a birthday you will always remember.”
Fuuuuck... definitely hard, although there’s a hint of sarcasm laced in there. My little vixen drops the taser onto my crouch, hitting her mark. I curl inward, grimacing in pain. Left with only the image of her backside sashaying away.
Once the dizzying nausea subsides and my limbs regain their strength, I pull myself up beside the toilet. There in the bowl… floats my toothbrush. I can’t help but grin ear to ear.
Despite everything…. the hardships, pain, and loss… Cindel emerged not with a darkened heart, but with the strength of a polished stone. She’s a diamond. If one day she decides to participate in the game her ancestors started, she would make a ruthless queen.