Epilogue
Months later...
Leaves from an oak tree fluttered in the wind, and the sky appeared to be overcast and grey. It was something about Fall that I loved. Maybe it was because my mother had loved fall and it was something that made me feel close to her at a certain point in the year.
I still missed her deeply and wished that she was still here with me. Some days, I imagined she was checking in on me just to see what I was doing. I hoped that I was making her proud.
Adjusting the rearview mirror, I found Maggie and her zigzag pigtails.
She sat bopping along in the backseat to music in her Air Pods as turned into the school parking lot.
I smiled at her in the mirror when she realized we had arrived at our destination. She had discovered some pop classics like N’SYNC and the Backstreet Boys and my little heart ached to know which one she thought was better.
“Do you think we’re going to win this?” Her face had turned serious as she put her airpods away. Sometimes she could be the most serious little girl I’d ever met, as if she’d been here before.
“I think we have a strong chance,” I smiled.
They were having a Halloween carnival at school and Maggie was determined to with the B.Y.O.P. contest.
Bring your own pumpkin.
“Good,” she said already hoping out and leaving me to tote the two huge pumpkins inside.
Ashton had taken her to a pumpkin patch out in the country rumored to have prize-winning pumpkins.
When they’d returned, both Luna”s and my mouth had been wide open. The pumpkins had been huge and I worried they were going to break open before we got them to the school.
Struggling, I managed to carry both pumpkins inside even though it felt as if I were carrying anchors.
The school gym had been set up earlier in the day, and Luna had stayed to help as she was on the Upper School Activities Committee this year. Watching her bloom was becoming a favorite pastime of mine.
I scanned the room searching for my nieces and found Maggie stuffing her face with sweets while Luna was talking to the headmaster of her school.
The room was filled with students dressed in costumes and loud laughs filled the air. A popcorn machine in the corner had my mouth watering as the scent radiated into the atmosphere.
Once I found the table to set down for the carving that would start in a half hour, I made my way over to the popcorn machine.
The closer I got to the popcorn machine, I found the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. It was as if someone were watching me.
Taking a deep breath, I brushed it off.
Ashton had eased back on security but Mark was nearby. He’d even canceled his date with Sheamus. The two of them were getting pretty serious and it was insane to see such a stern guy blush whenever I mentioned his boyfriend.
The popcorn operator was Luna’s little blonde guy friend. “Mrs. Tanaka, how are you?”
He was so cute and respectful.
“I’m doing good Bradley, how are you?”
He smiled. “I’m doing okay. Luna made me volunteer. Can I get you some popcorn?”
I nodded already digging in my purse for money. “Yes, how much?”
Before Bradley could reply, a pale hand with red nails darted out. “Let me…”
A shiver ran its way down my spine. I hadn’t thought I’d see her any time soon. I’d been hearing that she was laying low.
Jade Nakamura was standing beside me looking pale with long dark tresses pulled into a low bun. Her steely gaze turned to me as Bradley handed me my popcorn.
“Anything for you?” He asked.
“No,” she snapped.
Bradley’s face betrayed fear and he went about serving the other students and parents that had lined up.
“Mmm, thank you?” I asked about to walk away, feeling as if I were about to be caged up.
“You’re so….I don’t see the appeal,” Jade smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re no great beauty.”
“Excuse me?”
The smile lingered. “I offered Ashton power and an alliance. But he chose you….for some strange reason.”
Taking a breath, I stared at her. “Ashton would never want you. Not after what you did.”
She leaned in and brought her stank perfume with her. “Watch your mouth, you filthy piglet.”
Words couldn’t hurt me anymore and Jade didn’t scare me either. I looked over her shoulder and spotted Mark. I’d been preparing for this moment for in case we saw each other again. Ashton had prepared me to tango with death itself if I needed to.
You don’t need to be afraid anymore, Sakura. His words seemed to echo around in my head, and I wished he were here with us tonight but he was hopping on a flight from San Francisco as soon as his meeting was done.
“No bitch, you need to watch your back. You’re on borrowed time, Mrs. Nakamura. My husband knows what you did to his sister. And he knows why you did it.”
Her lips were so close to me that I thought she might kiss me. “When did you become so brave?”
“When I realized your fucking perfume was more deadly than your pale self,” I pinched my nose and stepped away.
“And what does your husband think he knows by the way?” She licked her red lips, the lipstick never slid or budged out of place.
“He knows exactly who Maggie and Luna’s father is, Mrs. Nakamura. And condolences on the death of your husband, by the way.”
Jade let out a cackle before walking away. “Tell your husband I’ll be seeing him.”
I watched as she slunk away to go do whatever it was vampires did taking that God-awful scent with her. She made my skin crawl and I hated it.
The woman moved like she was some sort of serpent in a garden. Shoving a handful of popcorn into my mouth, I knew the second Mark slid up beside me. It was like having a big giant shadow looming down on you. He made himself visible and invisible with what seemed to be the snap of a finger.
“What did she say?” he asked.
Jade wove herself in and around all the children before finding her own.
“A whole bunch of nothing, but I did as Ashton instructed.”
Mark offered me a smile, something he never did. “When Mr. Tanaka takes revenge on someone it’s not a pretty thing.”
A shiver ran down my spine. Jacob Whitley had disappeared months ago and the cops had knocked on our door. While Ashton had been away on business for a few days I’d managed to deal with them.
Going through the motions.
Acting surprised I offered them hot cha from my husband’s company while they took statements.
They were never going to find Jacob and I think even they knew that.
The police had asked questions about my stepfather Carl and his involvement in the attacks on me. Carl Bearstein had also up and vanished in the middle of the night from his home in Clear Lake, Georgia. No one could tell me where he was or where he’d gone. Part of me wondered if he and Jacob Whitley were in a gator’s belly somewhere off the coast, placed there by my husband.
“I know,” I murmured.
“Don’t worry about Jade either,” he whispered. “She’ll never get close enough to hurt you.”
Shooting Mark a look, I replied. “Just now was too close.”
“Understood but it was needed. The trap has been laid for her and when it’s all said and done…she’ll fall into it like the black widow she is.”
Mark’s words hung heavy in the air like sweet summer grapes on a vine. I almost felt sorry for Jade but I knew her days were numbered.
An alarm went off on my phone and I handed my popcorn over to Mark. “I’ve got to go carve a pumpkin.”
He nodded and I went off to find Maggie, as the sounds of the carnival overtook my senses once more. We were going to win this contest if I had to bribe someone.
While Maggie and I worked on gutting out pumpkins, my phone began to vibrate.
“Who is it?” She asked as she carefully began to cut her pumpkin’s triangle eyes.
I grinned at her, before sitting my carving knife down. “Your uncle.”
Swiping over the peacock feather lock screen, I opened the text message. Ashton had me smiling like a fool at his words, my stomach fluttering with excitment. Sakura, be wet and waiting. I’ll be home shortly.
I typed up my reply before putting my phone away feeling content, happy and loved. Yes, husband.