An Unwelcomed Guest
Wrenly
I just got off the phone with Stone. Neither of us were thrilled with our assignments. We had been together for two years and they were separating us. Stone was to go to New York and work on a case with the ATF, and I was being reassigned to Northern California to lend a hand to the state police on a murder case that was a few years old. I still had three weeks left until I had to leave. I had no desire to live in California.
I looked in the mirror and thought I saw a gray hair. “Shit.” I plucked it out. It hadn’t been that long since I went back to blond, so how in the hell?
Before I got the call from Stone, I was at the diner with Jill and Tia. They told me we went to high school with the girl Matt married. I couldn’t for the life of me remember the girl, so I went to my closet to pull out my year book. Her name was Kaydee Ison. So stupid, why couldn’t they just spell it Katie? Why try to be so special?
I opened the first yearbook I saw, which was freshman year and went to the pages for our class, then went down the alphabet.
Rebecca Ingle
Benjamin Ingram
My finger stopped on Travis Irons. I dared take a peek at his picture, and I took a sharp breath. Just seeing those eyes hit me hard. The last time I saw those eyes there were tears in them.
Fifteen Years Ago
I was scared as I walked down the hall of the hospital. I didn’t want to see Travis hurt, and things were still weird with us, but I didn’t want him to feel alone. I was so mad at his parents. Couldn’t they see he was just screaming for their attention? He needed them, and they turned their noses up at him. He just lost Tony, and he felt alone in this world. They left and went out of town as soon as the funeral was over, which was awful to do to Travis and Robert’s parents. At least Travis’s grandparents still had their daughter, but Travis was just a boy and was all alone and scared.
Dad stopped in front of his room, and I took a deep breath. He gave me a side hug then a nod saying it was okay to go inside. Reluctantly, I stepped inside and saw he was sleeping. I felt the burn behind my eyes the moment I saw his bruises. Quietly, I made it to his bedside then gave him a kiss on the cheek before I took a seat. Dad didn’t know, but I wasn’t leaving that hospital. I didn’t care what he said, I was not going to leave Travis alone for a minute.
Dad got tired of sitting around after about an hour and went down to get some coffee. Once he was gone, I pulled my chair up closer to Travis and started running my fingers through his hair. I studied every single feature on his face. Everything from his sandy hair, to the scar on his forehead from when we were wrestling around and he hit his head on the concrete step in front of my house. Even his eyebrows were perfect. Then I noticed how long his eye lashes were and admired how his nose was the perfect size for his face. It turned down and was perfectly straight. Even his cheeks were a little rosy. I was jealous because he didn’t have one blackhead or zit. He was blessed with better skin than me. Weren’t all teenagers supposed to have at least a little bit of acne? I was so jealous. His lips were parted as he slept and I took in the entire picture.
I couldn’t imagine a life without Travis. I also couldn’t understand his parents and how they could turn their backs on such an amazing person. I laid my head on the mattress as I continued to run my fingers through his hair. I wanted to sooth him like his mother should have been doing. I wasn’t mad or disappointed in him. I knew his behavior was because of his crappy upbringing. Losing Tony was just what threw him off the edge. He needed help, not tough love.
I began humming the song my mom used to sometimes when I was little. When she wasn’t high or drunk. I didn’t know the name of the song, or the lyrics, I just remembered how it sounded.
Why couldn’t he see how much I loved him? That I needed him and how perfect he was in my eyes? Why wasn’t I enough for him?
I continued to hum until I saw his eyes move then slowly flutter open.
“Wrenly?” He whispered.
“I was so scared.” I started to cry then felt his hand on my cheek.
“Please don’t cry.” He whispered.
“I almost lost you.”
He wiped a tear away from under my eye. “I’m so sorry, please stop crying.”
I shook my head. “I will never turn my back on you. No matter how hard you try to get rid of me.” I sniffled.
“I don’t want to get you in trouble. You’re the most special person in the world and being my friend isn’t good for you.” His voice sounded really hoarse.
That made me sob. “You wouldn’t do that, Travis. You couldn’t ever make me do things I don’t want to do. Being with me won’t ever hurt me.”
He started crying. “I’m scared.”
I nodded. “Me too, but everything will be okay. You just have to promise you’ll come home. My dad will let you live with us. I know he will.”
He shut his beautiful blue eyes, and a tear fell before he opened them again. “I’m in a lot of trouble. I hurt someone, Wrenly. She’s really hurt bad because of me. I don’t ever want that to be you. They’re coming to take me away tomorrow and I’ll be gone for a long time. You have to promise me that you’ll be good and win every race and game you play. Can you do that for me?”
I reached next to his bed and got a tissue, then wiped my nose then threw the tissue away before I pulled out one for him. I dabbed his tears away. “I promise I will, but please come back. Please don’t forget about me.”
“I won’t ever forget about you, I don’t think I could if I tried, Wrenly.”
I leaned my head in and pressed my lips against his as I sobbed. “I’m always going to love you.” I whispered against his lips.
Present Day
I reached to my nightstand and pulled out a tissue. My dad and I stayed all night with him. The only time I left was when my dad made me so they could talk to the attorney my dad hired.
I never cried as hard as I did when they took him away in handcuffs the next day. It took me a long time to accept that he really did have to go away for a long time. I was so depressed and for weeks I didn’t even want to go to school. Dad wouldn’t take me to see Travis because he didn’t want to see me. That hurt and the one time I tried, he declined my visit. I never saw him again after that day.
I had to shake off the emotions I was feeling. I went to my bathroom and got a quick drink of water then ran some cold water over my face. I was supposed to be doing something else, so I walked back over to my bed and looked at the photo of Matt’s wife. I remembered the face but really nothing else.
My dad was on a shift and Heather was at work. Jacob was at school, so when the doorbell rang I was a bit surprised. I made my way downstairs and looked through the small window next to the door and it was a Federal Express driver. I opened the door, and the man was holding a white cardboard envelope.
“Wrenly Carlson?”
I nodded. “Yes?”
“I have a package, but this one requires identification and a signature.”
That wasn’t uncommon for the FBI. “Sure, I’ll be right back.” I shut the door and locked it before getting my wallet and pulling out my ID. I took a peek outside again before I opened the door and showed him my license. He then had me sign something and he tore the slip off the envelope and handed it to me. “There you go. Have a nice day, Miss Carlson.”
“Thank you.”
He went to turn, and I was about to look down at the envelope when someone else came into view. He was walking through the front yard toward me.
“Matt?” I felt the panic starting. Flashes of the first time I heard the heartbeat, my first ultra sound, then him holding our tiny baby about sent me into an anxiety attack.
He stopped in front of me with his hands in his front pockets. “It’s great to see you again, Wrenly.”
I was confused. “Why are you here, Matt?”
He looked off to the side then at me. “I’d like to talk.”
“We really don’t have anything to talk about.” I went to shut the door, but he stopped it with his hand.
“You may not, but I do.”
It was so painful to look at him. His eyes were practically pleading with me. I stepped outside and shut the door behind me. “I don’t have long. My family will be home soon, and we have dinner plans.”
He nodded then looked up at the sky before looking at me. “I feel like you should know a few things.”
“I know I hurt you and I’m sorry, Matt. We’ve both moved on with our lives and there really isn’t anything left to say.”
“I wanted you to know that I prayed for you every single day since I last saw you. Your dad said you joined the Marines, and I have to admit, that was scary.” He looked down at his feet. “I have a son now.”
That made me angry. “So, you came over here to remind me of my failure as a mother?”
His eyes grew quickly. “Oh my God, no! Dammit, I don’t know how to do this, and I’ve missed you and it’s not been easy. I am married and I still think about you, and I know we can never go back, but seeing you the other night…It was hard.”
I shook my head. “There really is no sense in your visit. Have a nice day.” I turned to open the door, but he put his hand on my shoulder.
“I just wanted you to know that it was hard to move on. That you’re not easily forgotten, and I will still always love you. I figured people might have told you about my wife and son and I thought it should come from me, not them. Also, our baby still lives on in my heart and I will always love him as much as I love his brother. He isn’t replaceable and will always be special to me. You weren’t a failure as a mother. It was an accident, and it was never your fault.”
I turned my head but didn’t look at him as he stood behind me. “Thank you, I need to get ready for my family. Have a nice life, Matt.” I opened the door and stepped inside before I broke down and sobbed. He was saying my name as the door shut, but I couldn’t look at him for another second. It hurt too bad. I already knew my baby was loved and missed. I didn’t need him to remind me.
I couldn’t stop crying until my eyes landed on the envelope and I saw the senders name. I tilted my head. “Creed’s Motorsports?” I whispered.
Creed? My mind spun because I heard of it. There was chatter about Creed a few years back. He was part of Delta Force, and I served in a specialized tactical unit and one of the guys had a mission with him. He told me he built a community in Indiana for veterans and they built bikes, but it was special invitation only. Later, I served with another guy who said they were a civilian special ops group. Could it be the same man?
I wiped my tears away with the palms of my hand then picked up the envelope with my still shaking hands. After pulling the tab across the cardboard I looked inside and saw another black envelope. It looked like a wedding invitation.
I pulled it out and it had a bike shop logo written in silver. Creed? There was something really familiar to that name.
I slid my finger along the seam and pulled out a black business card and a letter.
To: Sergeant Major/ Special Agent Wrenly Carlson
From: Alistair Creed II
Congratulations! You have been chosen as a candidate to join Creed’s Lake MC.
Recently, we learned of your success with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and your exemplary service record with the United States Marine Corp. We are more than just your ordinary Motorcycle Club. We offer services to many outreach programs, provide private security, and private investigations. We have chosen you to visit our beautiful private lakeside community in Cold Springs, Indiana, to learn more about the amazing opportunity we would like to extend to you. Please call the phone number on the attached card for more information.
Alistair Creed II
President and CEO
Creed’s Lake Inc.
My heart was racing, it was something big. There were rumors about that place and getting an invite was like an opportunity of a lifetime.
Alistair Creed? Holy shit! I jumped up and ran to my phone and looked him up. He was married to Morgan Rossi. There was a link to the motorcycle business, so I hit the about button and read a little about it.
Then I read a note from the Executive Vice President of Creed Lake Motorsports and gasped when I scrolled to the bottom and saw the name.
Travis Irons
Executive Vice President
Creed’s Lake Motorsports
I dropped my phone when my hands went to cover my mouth. I almost hit the floor as fast as my phone.