Chapter Eleven.
Shotgun
Rain paced back and forth, a nervous wreck. Since seven this morning, he’d been scrubbing his home and constantly tidying.
Shotgun had got annoyed when Rain repeatedly shooed him from place to place.
Hell, the man had screamed at him when he’d walked into the kitchen with his boots on, which were clean!
He’d even had Shotgun out mowing the lawn, which had only been done the previous day.
Allegra had seen the house in all its glory yesterday, so he really didn’t see the need, but if it kept Rain happy, Shotgun would play along—for now.
Rain was currently wearing a hole in the carpet and driving him quietly up the wall. They were both nervous, but Rain more than Shotgun. As he glanced out of the window, Shotgun saw a car pull up.
Thatch got out and scowled before Allegra appeared.
Shotgun smirked and shot Thatch the finger, improving Thatch’s mood no end.
Thatch and Allegra both opened the rear doors and bent down, and then Shotgun was transfixed.
Thatch approached first, holding a little girl.
Her hair and eyes were all Rain, but the beauty was Allegra’s.
She was noisily telling Thatch a story, who nodded even while he ground his teeth behind a forced smile.
Shotgun got a kick out of Thatch’s reaction. This was killing Allegra’s brother.
Allegra carried a boy who was Shotgun’s image. It was a mini him.
A knot formed in his throat. This was something Shotgun had desired but never believed he’d receive. Children. Wade was quieter than Darcy, who was still talking up a storm, but Wade’s eyes took everything in.
Rain rushed to the door and opened it. “Come in!” he beamed, and Thatch’s scowl darkened. But Darcy caught Rain’s attention, and Shotgun knew he’d fallen head over heels.
“Hi, I’m Rain,” he introduced himself, and Darcy grinned in reply.
“Darcy,” she stated plainly.
“Oh my God, did you hear that! She said her name!” Rain exclaimed.
Darcy, clearly having no fear, reached for Rain, who took her at once. “Hair!” Darcy declared and pointed to Rain’s.
“Yes, we’ve the same,” Rain agreed.
He moved back to let Thatch stomp inside, and then Allegra was in front of him, and Shotgun felt a kick to his stomach. This was his son. Wade stared at Shotgun with the same eyes and scrunched up his nose.
“I’m Shotgun,” he murmured.
“Bang! Bang!” Wade exclaimed, perking up, making a gun with his fingers.
“He’s obsessed with westerns,” Thatch offered sourly.
Shotgun opened his mouth to ask if Allegra remembered their movie marathons and then closed it. She wouldn’t.
“We used to sit down after dinner on a Sunday afternoon and watch hours of them. Wade gets his love of them from you,” he explained.
Allegra’s eyes showed she knew what he’d been about to say, but she offered a smile. “That’s nice to know. Can we come in?”
“Of course, it’s your home too,” Rain said, and then bit his lip.
“The yacht is Allegra’s home.” Thatch scowled.
“Okay, time for Uncle Thatch to leave. Say bye, kids,” Allegra said.
Thatch looked surprised, and Shotgun barely held a laugh back. That clearly hadn’t been Thatch’s plan.
“I warned you: play nice or get lost. You aren’t playing nicely, so bye-bye.” Allegra waved Wade’s hand at Thatch.
Shotgun turned away and glanced at Rain, who was also amused.
“I’ll be on my best behaviour,” Thatch ground out.
“No, you won’t. You’re giving off pissed-off vibes that even the twins are picking up on.
I heard your concerns; you’ve been very clear.
And I know I’m unaware of a great many things, but this is my life, and I’m capable of making decisions.
If they’re the wrong ones, then that’s on me,” Allegra stated.
“Preferred the old you; you were much more amenable,” Thatch hissed.
“No, she wasn’t!” Shotgun exclaimed and laughed. “Allegra was a damn ball-buster.”
Thatch’s lips twitched before he remembered he was pissed at Shotgun. Shotgun, in return, smirked.
“I mean it, I’ll make the effort,” Thatch promised.
“Fine. Last warning,” Allegra warned.
“Come on, we’ll go outside,” Rain said. “It’s a beautiful day, and the kids would probably enjoy playing in the yard.”
Rain put Darcy down, and she raced off to explore her surroundings.
“If you possess anything fragile, move it up high, lock any rooms you don’t want them in,” Thatch began, and Rain nodded.
“I’ve got socket covers, corner cushions for sharp edges. Baby gates on the stairs, door catches to stop them slamming on tiny fingers—”
“Rain toddler-proofed the house.” Shotgun rolled his eyes.
“Okay then,” Allegra said and put Wade back on his feet. He raced off after Darcy, and we stared at each other.
“And again, awkward!” Rain stated
Allegra laughed. “Isn’t it just?”
“Pool!” Darcy screeched, and Rain paled as we heard a splash. Without a second thought, he took to his heels with Shotgun right behind him.
“Wait!” Allegra called as they raced into the backyard as Wade dive-bombed the swimming pool at the deep end.
Rain didn’t hesitate but jumped straight in after the kids.
“They can swim!” both Thatch and Allegra yelled, and Shotgun paused.
“They can?” he asked.
“Yes!” Thatch said, smirking at Rain before beginning to frown. Shotgun yanked his boots off and dumped his phone, and dived in and grabbed Rain around the neck.
“Stop panicking!” he ordered as the twins swam over and splashed them. He got Rain to the edge of the pool, and Rain caught hold, gasping.
“What the hell?” Thatch demanded, peering at Rain.
“Can’t swim,” he spluttered.
“Then why the fuck jump in?” Thatch asked, bemused.
“Because I thought the kids were in danger!” Rain spat as he hauled himself out.
Shotgun shook his head and followed suit.
He watched as the twins swam around like fish.
His tee and jeans clung wetly, and Shotgun caught Allegra checking him out.
Shotgun casually wrung his tee out before letting it slap back against his abs.
Keep watching, baby!
“They grew up on a yacht. The twins learned to swim as babies in the sea,” Thatch explained, a bit kinder.
Shotgun shook his head. Shit. The kids were naturals. He noted Allegra seemed a little tense as she ordered them out of the pool, as they were still fully dressed. Thatch was laughing as he scooped Darcy out.
“Welcome to being a dad,” Thatch hissed at Shotgun, who grinned. Thatch bristled and marched off to dry Darcy. Score one for him!
Allegra
As I walked down the street, I reflected on how well or not yesterday had gone.
Rain had earned Thatch’s respect and derision at the same time for jumping into the pool to save the twins.
The rest of the day had been a little stiff.
Several times, Rain or Shotgun caught themselves from saying the dreaded phrase, ‘Do you remember?’ Thatch also bit his tongue a bit.
Everyone struggled because they had their memories, and I didn’t.
I couldn’t argue with anyone’s opinions or recollections because I had none of my own.
Some would think amnesia a blessing; all those embarrassing and stupid moments were forgotten.
But weighed up against everything else I’d lost, I’d rather have them.
A fresh start isn’t what people believe it to be. It’s harsh, cruel, and lonely.
I mean, my family, they’ve tried so hard, but they laugh about things, and I’m left out.
There are pictures all over my grandparents’ house, and I’m seeing people I don’t recognise in them, even in photos of the children and me.
I’m viewing the life of a woman who was loved, and that Allegra isn’t me.
Everyone expects me to be their Allegra.
I eat pizza, she didn’t. I enjoy classical music; she liked rock.
Apparently, old Allegra never would have cut her hair as I had.
Old Allegra would have had extensions inserted until it grew back.
Me? I shaved it all off. The differences were astronomical.
Old Allegra preferred bold colours, and I like pastels.
What if my memories returned? Would that cause me to lose my current self?
Not watching where I was going, I bumped into someone. “Oh God, apologises!” I exclaimed.
Her disgusted and hate-filled gaze caught my eyes as I went to go around her.
“Can’t believe you’re back,” she spat.
Ah, shit, and this was amnesia kicking me right in the butt. “Sorry, I don’t know who you are.”
“Really?” she demanded. “That’s the route you’re taking?”
“No, honestly, I have amnesia, I’ve no idea who you are.”
“What a load of bullshit. Can’t take accountability for your actions, and now you’re lying to escape the consequences?” The bitch was furious, which triggered my temper too.
Angrily, I yanked the headscarf off, and the stranger’s eyes flew to my bald scalp and the raised scar.
“As you were fuckin’ saying?” I hissed.
“Oh my God,” she muttered in horror.
“Shut the fuck up. You don’t get to apologise after the vile shit that just came from your lips.
Any idea how upsetting it is not to recognise people and pass them by?
Or have assholes, like you, approach and accuse me of crap I can’t defend because I don’t remember!
” My voice rose, and the woman flinched.
“You could be a cousin, my best friend, hell, even the girlfriend of an ex-boyfriend, and I don’t know you. Shove the fake sympathy up your ass and understand that not every fucker out there is a liar!”
“Allegra, I’m Polly, Rain’s sister.”
“Well, whoop-de-doo! Can’t say it was a pleasure to meet you!” I moved past and began wrapping the scarf to hide the scar. People were staring, and not because of my outburst. My hands were shaking so much that I was making a real mess of the headscarf.
“Here,” Polly said and snatched it. “Lower your head.”
Grinding my teeth, I did as she ordered, and Polly expertly wrapped my head again.
“Thank you,” I gritted out.
“Allegra, let’s go get a coffee.”
“No, thanks. I’ve spent enough time in your company already!”