Always and Forever (25 page)

As Sinead headed out, Pat looked after him. “You’ll never guess where we’ve been.”

“At a strip joint?” Dylan offered.

Shaking his head, Pat sighed. “Looking at apartments around Fordham.”

“He’ll live off campus next year?”

“Yeah, he’s movin’ in with Laurie.”

Three sets of dark, Irish eyebrows rose.

“He never broke up with her. He lied to us, but I can see why. We were hard on him. Now we’re supporting them both in this.”

“Fine by me,” Dylan said.

“It oughtta be,” Aidan put in. “You and Rachel aren’t married.”

“When will you do the deed?” Liam wanted to know.

“I’m trying not to press her after the miscarriage.”

Pat clapped him on the back. “I guess you can’t rush things.”

“Did Bay tell you they’re going to Syria in September? To visit the first orphanage they’re building.”

“She’ll be okay, Dyl. All the Secret Service
will make sure of that.”

His brother’s expression lightened. “I got some other news, too. Our book will be out at Christmastime.”

They guys groaned because they’d all be in the story of Rachel Scott and Dylan O’Neil falling in love after several disastrous encounters with the now First Family. That conflict seemed far away to Pat. So he said, “Terrific,” and nodded to the table. “Gimme
a shot.”

“Yeah.” Dylan put the coffee cup on the bar. “I’m the best, so I’ll take you on.”

“Shit, you’re not the best.” Liam complained, but he vacated his chair.

After sitting down, Pat placed his arm upright and clasped Dylan’s hand. They pressed into each other. And pressed. Slowly, Dylan’s arm lowered.

“My turn,” Liam said.

This brother gave him more trouble, but Pat won.

He knuckled down Aidan in no time.

Pat scraped his chair back and took a bead on his brothers.

“You guys let me win?”

All innocence, Liam shook his head. “That’ll be the day.”

Dylan snorted. “When was the last time I was so unselfish?”

Aidan added, “Why would we do that?”

“Because of what I been through.”

They all fell silent. Then Liam asked, “How is she?”

“A lot better. We’ve had good family time together.”

“But?”

“She’s havin’ nightmares. I did convince her to go see the counselor you found, Liam. She won’t talk to me about what happened to her after she was taken.”

Dylan crossed to the table and sat down. “It doesn’t matter what happened, though. You got her back.”

Pat nodded. He needed his brothers’ support. “Only in how whatever
she went through makes her suffer.”

“She go yet?” Liam asked.

Pat checked her watch. “She’s there now. And having dinner with her parents afterward. They’re bringin’ her home.”

“You have a few hours, then?” Dylan’s tone had changed to mischief. That was never good.

“I do, why?”

“The pub’s closed for the afternoon. We got Sinead, Hogan and us four. How about some three-on-three
basketball in the backyard?”

“Maybe.” Pat snorted. “Just so you don’t let me win.”

Dylan raised his chin to them. “Me, Hogan and Aidan against you three.”

“You’re on.”

“We’re gonna whip your ass, big brother.”

Pat grinned. God, he’d missed this.

The counselor’s office on Park Avenue had a beautiful view of the city, white leather couches, high ceilings
and a wood floor. Carolyn Adams herself resembled a younger Susan Sarandon. Her red hair was curly, and she had dynamic brown eyes. Which were now filled with sympathy. “I read the news of your abduction, Brie. But I’d like you to explain it to me in your own words.”

“I really don’t want to do that.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I’m not going to let anybody ruin my life.”

“Good for you. Let’s start with an overview. If there’s anything you can’t say aloud yet, skip over it.”

She could do this. She could. In halting sentences, Brie began with how Jonathan Forbes called her the morning after her fight with Pat and she went out to Long Island alone. “After they drugged me, they said they thought I was Francesca, but only Jonathan believed that. Harlan was playing
along because he’d been hired by Phillip Carson to put this bizarre plot into play.”

“Do you feel sorry for Jonathan?”

“You know, I do. The poor man was on the edge of reality for a long time. His nephew capitalized on that. Manipulated him. That’s unforgivable.”

“The television said Jonathan was admitted to a psychiatric facility and is undergoing evaluation.”

“Yes. And Harlan’s
in jail, like Phillip.”

“That must give you some comfort.”

“I feel safe anyway.” She scanned the room. “The worst part was being drugged, being out of control.”

“Tell me about that.”

“I’m not sure I remember everything. I was in a daze a lot.”

“How awful.”

She told Carolyn that they dressed her in Francesca’s clothes. And she had no memory of who did it. She shivered as
she recalled waking up in satin and lace.

“That must have been terrifying.”

After about fifteen minutes of relating more details, Brie sagged back into the couch. “I can’t go further today, Carolyn. I’m sorry.”

“This is plenty for the first session.” She glanced at the clock. “We still have time left. Fill me in on Patrick and the kids. The good things in your life.”

That was something
Brie could do.

Since the session ended on a happy note, Brie did feel better. She made an appointment for three days later. “Maybe I’ll be stronger.”

“Don’t say that. You’re strong now. But talking about this might get easier.”

Brie had agreed to meet her parents at a little bistro around the corner from the counselor’s office. She walked into the long narrow space, alive with chatter
and clanking dishes, and saw her mother and father sitting at a table off to the side. She approached them. “Hi, Mom and Dad.”

Her father stood and kissed her on the cheek. “Hello, honey.”

She hugged her mother, then sat.

“So, did the counseling go well?” her dad asked. She was surprised at the question. Usually, they avoided difficult topics.

“It did. I’m going back for as long
as it takes.”

“That’s good.” Her mother searched her face. “You look better.”

“Food, family and rest, I guess.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes. Let’s order.”

Brie chose a turkey burger and a salad. They ate, talking about the kids, new Broadway plays, nonsense. When dinner was finished, Mariana set down her fork and patted her mouth with a napkin. Brie noticed lines around that mouth—and
her eyes—today. “We’d like to discuss something with you.”

“I’m not moving in with you, Mom.”

“No, it isn’t that. We were foolish to ask you to leave Patrick and the kids.”

Bracing his elbows on the table, her dad leaned forward. “Your mother and I found a place on Rockaway Beach we’d like to buy. Before you say anything, we won’t live there all the time. We’re keeping our house in
the Hamptons and will visit the beach to be close to you. When we’re not in residence, we thought maybe you and the kids and Pat could use it as a getaway.”

“What a great idea!”

Her mother’s eyes teared. “Do you really think so?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Don’t you want to discuss it with Patrick?”

“Should I?”

“He might not want us so close.” Her mother glanced away. “We haven’t
been kind to him over the years.”

She took her mother’s hand. If there was good that came out of the kidnapping, it was Brie’s realization not to waste time. “Then you’ll need to work on that. We’ve all made mistakes.” She thought about Phillip and her history with him. “What’s important is to go on from here.”

“You’re a lovely woman, Brie, to forgive.” Her dad’s eyes glistened. He pulled
out his phone. “Want to see the house?”

“I’d love to.”

Another positive thing in her life, Brie thought as she scrolled though the pictures and listened to the familiar lilt her father’s voice.

Patrick felt like a new man after a good dose of his family, some heavy-duty exercise and a dip in the pool with the kids. He’d ordered a pizza for them, then gotten the kitchen
cleaned up. Sinead and Sean had offered to have movie night with Kathleen, and Isabella was in bed when Pat saw Brie’s parents’ car pull into the driveway. All three got out, and he stepped onto the porch to greet them. “Hey,” he said to Brie, kissing her cheek. “How’d it go?”

“The session was good. Mom, Dad and I had a nice meal. They wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

He braced himself.
Having vowed to be nicer to her parents, he gestured to the porch. “Take the swing.” He pulled a chair over from the other side for Brie, then leaned his backside against the railing.

Joseph began. “I’m just going to say this out loud, Patrick. You were stalwart the whole time Brie was gone and never once were you unkind to us. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for ourselves, then and in
the past. I’m sorry we haven’t shown you that kind of generosity since you married Brie.”

Pat nodded. He wasn’t going to say they weren’t unkind, because they had been.

“We’re here to tell you how much we regret our behavior, and we’d like your forgiveness.”

He didn’t even hesitate. “You have it. In spades. And, Joseph, as a father of a young man who’s got a serious girlfriend, I understand
more your concerns for Brie back then.”

Mariana’s eyes filled. “That’s nice of you to say.”

“One more thing,” Joseph put in. “We want to purchase a house on Rockaway Beach.” He explained that they vowed not to interfere when they were in town and offered it for use to him.

“Well, Sinead’s been dying to learn how to surf, so it all sounds good to me.”

After a few more minutes of
conversation, Brie’s parents stood—and shocked the hell out of Pat by hugging him. He realized that was the first time they’d ever shown any affection for him. It felt good.

When they left, he and Brie took the swing. “Thank you for that,” she said, grasping his hand.

“It makes me feel better to have a truce with them. Our differences have been so petty. You’re right, I’ve had grudges
against them.”

“They didn’t treat you well, Pat.”

“Water under the bridge, darlin’.” He kissed her head. “Now tell me about the counselor.”

She’d made progress, he thought as she explained her feelings and her intent to go back. “I’m glad, Brie. Really glad.”

“Me, too.”

They held hands for a while, watching dusk descend. Pat said, “Want to go in and watch some
House of Cards
?
”

She grinned at him. “And some
Friday Night Lights
.”

“You’re on, doll.”

“But one thing before we go.” Standing, she maneuvered herself onto his lap and looped her arms around his neck. Her body pressed against his, and he welcomed the embrace. “I want a kiss. Not a peck on the cheek. A real Patrick O’Neil kiss.”

He could have wept with relief. He knew she wasn’t up to making love
with him, which was understandable. But a kiss would be just fine, he thought as he lowered his head to hers.

Ten days later

“I’m ready,” Brie told Carolyn at their third session.

“To tell me all of it?”

“Yes.” She bit her lip. “I wasn’t raped. It never went that far, though right at the end, I was terrified it would. And once, Harlan touched me.”

“What did
he do?”

“He unlaced one of those awful nightgowns and splayed his hand over my chest. Then Jonathan came in.”

“That must have been awful.”

“It was. I thought for sure he’d go further if I was there much longer.”

“It didn’t?”

“Not with him. But the day Pat and Jack Masters came to the house, Phillip must have had a sense that he was going to be caught. Before they arrived, he
touched me intimately.”

“Everywhere?”

“Just my breasts. I was drugged but when I woke up, he was in the act.”

“Could you fight back?”

“I started screaming bloody murder and scratched the hell out of his face. Harlan came running up so nothing happened.” Her eyes teared. “But it could have.”

Carolyn leaned forward to grasp Brie’s hands. “Look at me, Brie. Nothing
happened
. But
even if it had, you would have been strong enough to deal with it. Truly, it’s foolish to suffer over something that didn’t happen.”

“I know.” She remembered Pat’s words.
Sometimes, you gotta get the demons out in the open to get rid of them.
“Now that I say it aloud, it isn’t even that bad.”

“It was bad for you. Given the circumstances, you were in real danger.”

“I was. But I don’t
want to suffer over the ordeal anymore. That’s why I told you.”

“Good. What did Patrick say?”

“He hasn’t pushed me to talk about anything, but I can tell sometimes by the way he looks at me that he wonders.”

“Ah.”

“And we haven’t made love since I came home, though we’ve had a couple of pretty hot kisses.”

The counselor smiled. “That’s nice. You should make love only when you’re
ready.”

“Yes, I know. But I miss him.”

“Something to think about, then. So, do you want another session?”

“Uh-huh. Let’s make it longer in between, though.”

“Fine. I’d like to discuss some PTSD symptoms that you should look out for.”

Brie’s brows rose.

“A lot of people have PTSD after they’ve experienced a trauma like yours.” It made sense, Brie guessed.

As she drove
to Sophie’s house, she was still thinking about nightmares, certain smells which triggered a panic and uncommon outbursts of anger.

She considered the two weeks she’d been home. She’d had nightmares that scared Patrick. Once, she dropped a jar of peanut butter on the floor and swore like a trooper. And when Irene made tea, Brie’s stomach cramped at the familiar scent of citrus.

She turned
her thoughts to her sisters-in-law. The O’Neil women were having a late lunch, and Brie was anxious to be with them as a group, as they’d done so many times before. Right now she needed normalcy.