After I Fall (22 page)

“Yeah,” Eric said as he shifted uncomfortably. “No problem.”

Mom bit her lip and gave him a little nod. She turned again and this time she hurried to the house as quickly as her high heels would take her.

An entire trio of ‘thank-yous’ from my mother, that was rare. So rare that I thought they were probably non-existent before this moment.

“At the risk of sounding repetitive,” I started, “thank you. You were…that was…I was so scared. You jumped right in and…” I sucked in a strained breath of air as Eric reached over to wipe a tear off of my face. My head was such a mess that I hadn’t realized I was crying.

Eric’s hands drifted down my arms, landing on my elbows. He pulled me toward him, just a tiny tug, but stopped and cringed. I realized he didn’t want to get me wet.

I didn’t care. I stepped into him, instantly feeling the cold chill from his wet clothes seep into me. I didn’t care about that either. All I cared about was the fact that my sister was safe. And Eric’s arms were around me. His chest solidly against mine. I could feel his heart, still hammering as the adrenaline rush slowly faded.

We stood that way for a few moments.

“I’m glad she’s okay,” he finally said. “I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just remembered this video from health class. I remember them turning the victim over.”

Victim
.

I shuddered as I realized how close my little sister had been to becoming a drowning victim. I stepped away from Eric and glanced at the house. My fingers tingled with nervous energy and my own heartbeat had yet to still.

“I don’t want to worry anyone but you should tell your mom that she should bring Madison in to get checked out. Maybe she’s planning on it anyway,” he said. “But just be sure that she does. I heard about this thing, secondary drowning, it was on the news the other day. I’m sure Madison is fine but just to be safe…”

I nodded as I swung my gaze back to him.

“I should go in and check on them,” I said.

He hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, yeah you should. I should head home. I need to get some dry clothes on.”

We stood there in awkward silence for a moment. I knew I should say more but I wasn’t sure what. My thoughts were tangled, too jumbled to make it to my mouth. I was reluctant to leave him but I was also anxious to check on Madison.

“Right,” he said. “You should go. If you get a chance could you just let me know how she’s doing?”

“Absolutely,” I agreed.

Eric didn’t budge. I realized he was waiting for me to make the first move. Finally, I did. My need to check on Madison outweighed my need to stay with Eric right then.

I backed away saying, “I’ll give you a call later. To let you know, I mean.” I spun on my heel and hurried off to the house before he could respond. I glanced over my shoulder as I left the pool area through the gate. He was still rooted to the same spot. He was gazing out at the pool. A puddle of water had collected at his feet. He looked as stunned as I felt.

By the next afternoon, Madison’s traumatic experience already seemed to be fading its way into a distant memory. I had stayed home with Natalie while Mom finagled an appointment with the girls’ very booked up pediatrician. We were all relieved that she’d come away from the ordeal with a clean bill of health.

As promised, I had called Eric to let him know that Madison was going to be okay. The conversation was stilted, awkward, and as much as I had wanted to talk to him, I had also been anxious to cut the conversation short.

Already my anger was fading. I didn’t entirely understand why he’d chosen to keep the truth from me. But hour by hour, it was becoming less important. Unfortunately at the moment it didn’t matter how I felt about that.

I’d committed myself to a dinner with Jace. I had to follow through. It was the least I could do considering what Phillip had done for me.

So now, here I was, sitting on the patio with Jace. The day had been a scorcher. I was wearing a lightweight, sleeveless dress. He’d shown up in dress pants, long sleeve shirt and tie. I fought back a smug smile as a bead of sweat scurried down his temple. I leaned back in the rattan patio chair and sipped my iced tea. My back was to the sun, leaving Jace to squint into it. For once, he looked as miserable as I felt.

If it were anyone else, I’d feel bad about that. But it wasn’t just anyone. It was Jace. And as far as I was concerned, it was good for him to feel miserable once in a while.

Our parents were inside, undoubtedly relishing the chill of the air conditioner.

My sisters were most likely in the den, where I’d seen them last. The pediatrician had said that Madison should take it easy for a few days. Madison’s idea of taking it easy was to boss Natalie around. Natalie willingly complied. She seemed anxious to take care of her twin. She scurried after juice boxes, channel changes, Madison’s favorite blanket and whatever else our sister’s heart desired.

Madison had spent the day lounging on the sofa. She was sprawled out imperiously, like the princess she deemed herself to be.

“So,” Jace said and I reluctantly lifted my eyes to meet his. “Heard your sister took a little tumble into the water yesterday.”

I tried to ignore the fact that he looked more amused than concerned.

“She did. She was playing dress up and her shoe got caught on the edge of her dress. She fell into the pool.” My tone had a definite defensive edge. “It could’ve been serious. If Eric hadn’t gotten to her as quickly as he did, it could’ve been really bad.”

Only a few more seconds…her small lungs filling with water…I pushed the thought away.

Jace shifted in his chair. “Eric? Eric was here?” He frowned at me.

I realized I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that. I didn’t want anything to jeopardize the deal Phillip had made. No need to antagonize the Deveroux family.

I shrugged. “He stopped by to talk. It was no big deal.” Actually, it had been a very big deal. To me, anyway. I hadn’t been able to get our conversation out of my head. I’d been obsessing about everything he’d said.

He had lied. But just maybe I could understand why. If I tried hard enough. If I gave it enough time.

“Hello, Earth to Em,” Jace said. He nudged my foot with his.

I realized then he’d been talking while my mind wandered off on another tangent.

“What?” I asked distractedly.

“I was just saying I told you Lover Boy was a loser.”

His smugness made me want to kick him. Or worse.

He’d pulled me back to reality for that?

The French door swung open and I’d never been so happy to see my mom.

“Dinner is ready. Please come join us,” she said.

Her timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

*  *  *

After a meal full of pretentious chatter I found myself relieved when Jace excused himself. I didn’t particularly care where he’d gone. I was just relieved to have him gone.

Now that the sun had gone down, pulling the summery temps with it, my parents and Jace’s moved out onto the patio for after dinner drinks. I moved with them for no other reason than to avoid Jace. The twins were playing in the yard. Or at least, we thought they were until Natalie crept onto the deck. She tiptoed up to me, keeping a wary eye on the Deverouxs, who she still regarded as strangers.

“I can’t find Madison,” she whispered.

Mom and Phillip were providing obligatory laughs over something that Carl had said. It was clear that Mom wasn’t really paying attention to Jace’s dad. The moment Natalie’s words were out, Mom’s smile slipped away. She leaned forward, placing her wine glass on the table.

“Natalie, what do you mean you can’t find your sister?” Mom’s eyes began scanning the yard. Her body was tense. She looked ready to fly out of her chair.

“We were playing hide and seek. I don’t know where she went,” Natalie said in her quiet, barely there voice.

Mom did fly out of her chair then. Phillip was only a second behind her.

“Madison!” Mom shouted as she hurried into the yard.

“I’ll check the pool,” Phillip said. Already an edge of fear had crept into his tone.

“Madison! Come out right now!” Mom shouted.

I glanced at Jace’s parents. They wore looks of irritation, as if they couldn’t believe their fancy dinner was now being ruined by a pesky child.

It was easy to see where Jace inherited his lack of compassion.

I pushed back my own chair and darted into the house. The girls had been playing in the yard, but maybe Madison had needed to use the bathroom. I checked the first bathroom I came to, it was empty. I hurried down the hallway, past Phillip’s study.

I poked my head inside the den. The television was on, a Disney movie playing. The last person I expected to find in here was Jace. He didn’t look like he expected to see me either.

His eyes widened and he clenched the phone he held to his ear. “Uh, I gotta go. I’ll call you back.”

When his hand fell to his side I took a step into the room. “I’m just looking for Madison. Have you seen her?”

“Which one is she?”

I resisted the urge to smack him alongside the head. He’d met the twins on several occasions and couldn’t be bothered to remember their names?

He shrugged. “Guess it doesn’t matter. I haven’t seen either one of them.”

“I’m right here.”

I followed the sound of her voice. She poked her head out of the tent that Eric had made. Mom had agreed they could keep it up as long as they still played in it. So far, they still used it daily.

“Natalie has been looking everywhere for you, you little trouble maker!” I was half-teasing, half-scolding as I sidestepped Jace. “I thought you hadn’t seen her.”

He cleared his throat as I treated him to an irritated look. “I, uh, I didn’t know she was in here. I thought the room was empty.”

“I was in Eric’s tent,” Madison explained. “I came out when you were looking for me.”

She came all the way out and made her way over to me. I picked her up and gave her a squeeze, grateful she was okay. She squirmed and I let her slide back to her feet.

“What does trashed mean?” she asked.

“You know what?” Jace said loudly. “I bet it’s time for dessert. Hey, kid, should we go see what they have? Maybe they have cake. Or something. I bet you like cake. Every kid likes cake, right?”

My sister and I both looked at him as if he’d momentarily lost his mind. Then my mind shot back in reverse.

“Wait, Madison, what did ask?”

“Oh, come on!” Jace said. “We don’t want to miss dessert!”

“What’s wrong with you?” I scolded him. “If you want dessert, go get it!” I turned my attention back to my sister.

Her brow was furrowed causing deep creases in her forehead. Our mother would not be pleased to see that. Her eyes were narrowed and she was looking at Jace with more than her usual amount of grumpiness.

“You,” I said as I pointed at him. “Either get your cake or be quiet. My sister has something to say.” I turned back to Madison, kneeling down in front of her, giving her my full attention.

“Him.” She pointed Jace’s direction. “He said it.”

“Said what?” I glanced over my shoulder at Jace. His expression was livid and he was fidgeting.

“The movie was on,” he said. “I don’t know what she thinks she heard but I’m sure she didn’t hear anything.”

“He said he trashed his house but everyone thinks Eric did it. He said it’s too bad he didn’t go to jail but it all worked out even better than he planned.”

I flew to my feet. “You said what?”

His eyes shot daggers at my little sister. I stepped in between them.

“She’s full of it. She just made that up.”

“She’s barely even five!”

“I am five!” she grumped.

“She wouldn’t know to make something like that up!” My hand flew to my mouth.

“Am I in trouble?” she asked quietly. “You said no more tattling. I was tattling.”

“No,” I said as I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “You’re not in trouble. But you,” I said as I swung back around to Jace, “I think you have some explaining to do.”

His expression hardened. “I don’t have to tell you anything. That little shit doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

Madison pulled in an indignant gasp and then she burst into tears. “He said a bad word, Emmm! He called me a naughty name!”

“Happy now?” I asked Jace.

Madison darted between us. “I’m telling!” she sobbed. “I’m telling Daddy what he called me!”

“Shit!” Jace ground out again. He raked his hands through his hair, leaving it standing on end. The messy look, paired with the panicked look on his face left him looking slightly unhinged.

I looked at him and shook my head, unable to comprehend what I’d just heard.

“She has no idea—”

I didn’t let him finish spewing whatever lie was about to come forth. I sidestepped him and rushed out of the den. I hurried toward the front door when I realized Madison must’ve left it open. I reached the bottom of the steps before Jace caught up with me.

He grabbed me, an iron grip on each of my biceps. He squeezed and then shook me hard. “I didn’t do anything!
Understand
?” he growled.

Large hands grasped Jace’s.

“Get your hands off of my daughter.
Understand
?” Phillip grated out. He tugged on Jace’s clenched fists and they fell away from me. My hands instantly crossed over my chest, messaging what I was sure would be finger shaped bruises within the hour.

“Don’t you ever,” Phillip said slowly, “lay a hand on her again. Or any other female. Is…that…
clear
?”

Jace swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Yes, sir.”

“What’s going on out here?” Mr. Devereux demanded.

“Here she is,” Mom said as she rushed around the side of the house. She was towing the twins along behind her. Her steps slowed as she drew closer to us. “What’s wrong?”

Janette was the last one to join our small group. She looked as confused as the rest of the adults.

“He called me a naughty name!” Madison accused again. Her lower lip trembled as she pointed at Jace. “And he did bad things to Eric. He said mean things about EmLynn.”

“Oh, come on!” Jace griped as his hands flew up in exasperation. “I didn’t realize she was in the room. I made a phone call. She was watching a movie. It was on pretty loud. I’m sure she didn’t hear whatever the hell it was that she thought she heard.”

“Watch your mouth in front of my daughters,” Mom said in a hard tone.

Phillip went to Madison and crouched down in front of her. “What did Jace say? Why are you so upset?”

Her lip continued to tremble. Her eyes were narrowed at Jace, showing the utmost dislike for him. “He said he set Eric up. He said he trashed his house and blamed Eric. He said he was lucky that he stole Eric’s keys when he did. He called everyone stupid, even the police.”

“You,” I said as I pointed an accusatory finger at him, “I
knew
you stole Eric’s keys from the country club.”

“Why on earth would he steal someone’s keys?” Janette asked. She appeared appalled at the thought.

“Because honestly? He’s not a nice person. He’s hated Eric since the first time he saw him.” I paused as I reconsidered that. “Or maybe he only did it because, like I said, he’s just not a nice person.”

Jace scoffed but his face was flushed, red as the setting sun. I had a hunch the coloring was from anger rather than embarrassment.

“Is this true?” Phillip asked as he rose to his full height again. “Did you take Eric’s keys? Did you steal from your own parents? Trash their house? Set that boy up?”

An unpleasant sound erupted from Jace’s mouth. It was somewhere between a growl and a contemptuous laugh. “She’s just a kid! She made that up!”

I shook my head. “No, she didn’t. It all makes sense. What I don’t get is why you ever pretended to be interested in me in the first place.” I felt stupid for having brought it up. With everything else that had been admitted, that should really be the smallest of my concerns.