TRUTH (16 page)

I glanced over at Diane, unsure if I should answer or not. Stephan was still in the other room with Jimmy and Dr. Cooper. I wished he were with me, but I knew he wanted me to try, so I would do my best.
 

“Yes.”

“Maybe I should get us all some more coffee,” Diane suggested, standing to walk over to the buffet table where a pot of coffee sat warming.
 

Unfortunately, Samantha didn’t acknowledge Diane. She was completely focused on me, which made me even more nervous.
 

I closed my eyes briefly and thought about where I was. Stephan told me to let him know if I reached a five or higher. I wasn’t there yet.
 

“Does he give you things often?” she probed.

 
“Samantha!” Diane snapped.
 

Finally Samantha turned her gaze away from me and looked at Diane as she walked back to the table with the coffee.
 

“Would you like some coffee, Brianna?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

She nodded and proceeded to top off Samantha’s cup along with her own. “Samantha, dear, let’s get one thing perfectly straight. I will not have you interrogating anyone in my home, especially a sweet girl like Brianna. If you continue to do so, then I will have to politely ask you to leave. It is your choice.”

Samantha didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she glanced back and forth from me to Diane as if searching for some answer.
 

“I meant no disrespect, Diane. I’m just concerned.”

Diane picked up her coffee and took a sip. “While I’m sure Brianna appreciates your concern over where she acquires her clothing and jewelry, you and I both know that isn’t the reason behind your inquiries. I don’t know what my husband has told you, and I don’t care. You are making Brianna uncomfortable, and I won’t tolerate it. Are we clear?”

Samantha didn’t comment.

“Are we clear?” Diane asked again. At that moment, I could see Stephan in the way she held herself, the tone of her voice. It made me miss him, even though he was only a few feet away. I glanced toward the opening that led to the kitchen, and willed him to walk through.
 

I was so focused on the doorway that I jerked when Jimmy appeared. Disappointment settled into the pit of my stomach when I realized it wasn’t Stephan. Jimmy walked over to where his wife stood and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and stood.
 

“Thank you for the delicious meal, as always, Diane. I’m afraid the hospital called, though, and we need to go.” He turned to me. “It was nice seeing you again, Brianna.”

I nodded, not sure what to say back. He seemed like a nice man.
 

Movement drew my attention away from Jimmy and Samantha and back to the doorway. I smiled when I saw Stephan.
 

He strolled over to me and kissed my cheek before trailing his lips up to my ear. “Come. I want to show you something.”

As we left the room, I saw Dr. Cooper reenter the dining room. He looked pensive but not angry. I was hoping that meant he and Stephan hadn’t fought again. I wasn’t crazy about Dr. Cooper, but he was Stephan’s family. They should get along.
 

We entered the foyer as Jimmy and Samantha were walking out the door. Jimmy waved good-bye. Samantha managed a tight smile. I wasn’t stupid. I knew what she’d been doing. For some reason, some people wanted to make Stephan look like he was hurting me. He wasn’t. Ian had hurt me. All those men he’d given me to had hurt me.
 

Even my father.
 

Stephan was the most wonderful man I’d ever met. He cared for me, and he never forced me to do something I was uncomfortable doing. People might not understand, but that didn’t make them right.

“Everything all right, Brianna?” Stephan asked as we stopped in front of a large picture. It was the same one I’d noticed when we’d arrived.
 

“Yes, Sir. I’m fine.”

He hugged me close to his side before moving me to stand in front of him. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulled me back against him and laid his chin on top of my head. “This picture was taken two years before my parents died. I was twelve.” He paused. “I remember not wanting to get dressed up, but my mom insisted. Now I’m glad.”

“You miss them.”

“Very much.” He paused. “Their names were Katharine and Ronald.”
 

We stood there for a long time looking at the picture of his family. He didn’t say any more, and I didn’t ask. There was something about just standing there together that was comforting. I didn’t want to do anything to change that.

Chapter 12

Brianna

We ended up staying at Dr. Cooper and Diane’s house until almost seven. After we finished looking at the picture of his family, Stephan offered to give me a tour of the rest of the house. The last two times I’d been there, things had ended badly with Stephan and his uncle fighting. This time, things seemed to be better between them, even if everything wasn’t perfect.
 

My favorite room had to be his old bedroom. It was at the back of the house, and outside one of the windows was a large oak tree. He explained to me how he used to climb down the tree and sneak out to meet Logan. I tried to imagine it, but all I kept seeing was a younger Stephan, all dressed up in a suit and tie, trying to climb down the tree. The image caused me to giggle, and Stephan made me tell him what was so funny.
 

We were standing at his bedroom window laughing when Diane found us. She’d brought photo albums with her. “I thought you might like to see these, Brianna.”
 

I looked up at Stephan, making sure it was all right, before going to sit beside her on the bed. Stephan sat down on the other side of me, placing a hand on my back. Eventually, Dr. Cooper joined us.
 

I loved seeing pictures of Stephan as a little boy. The stories Diane told helped me get to know Stephan better, too.
 

It was beginning to get dark by the time we said good-bye. His aunt and uncle walked us to the door. Diane hugged us both and asked us to please come back soon. For the first time, everyone seemed happy.
 

Stephan only drove about a mile down the road before he pulled off to the side, unbuckling his seatbelt and mine. He took my face in his hands and kissed me hard. “I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.” He pressed his fingers into the back of my scalp, holding my head firm in his hands. With every exhale, I felt his breath brush against my cheek in heated waves. “I’m so proud of you. You were amazing today.”

I smiled at his praise. Pressure built in my chest to the point where it was almost painful, but somehow pleasant at the same time.
 

Headlights broke through the fog that seemed to have enveloped us, bringing us back to the present. Without the interruption, we might have remained there, frozen in time in our own perfect world until morning. Stephan sat back in his seat, sighing. “We should get home before someone stops, wondering if we’re having car trouble or something.”

I didn’t say anything, only nodded.
 

“Put your seatbelt back on, sweetheart. Let’s go home.”

On Monday morning, before Stephan left for the office, he said he wanted me to think of three things about the weekend that stuck out to me and why. He didn’t have to explain we’d be talking about them when he got home. I knew him well enough to know that.

I avoided coming up with my three things and instead cleaned every square inch of the condo, with the exception of the one room upstairs that was locked. Stephan had never said what was behind that door. I’d never asked. Some part of me was afraid of the answer, even though I knew eventually, if I continued to stay with him, I’d have to find out.
 

Cal called right after lunch. We talked for almost an hour, which had helped get my mind off the assignment I’d been given. Cal asked if I wanted to go see a concert with him and a couple of friends. “It’ll be fun.”

“I don’t know.”

“Consider it a birthday present.” He paused. “Coleman can come, too, if you want.”

I knew Cal wasn’t Stephan’s biggest fan, but I was glad he was trying. My mom had taken me to a concert right after she’d been diagnosed with terminal cancer, before she’d started getting really sick. It had been fun, but there’d also been crowds of people, and it was really loud.

“I’ll think about it, okay?”

I knew he was disappointed that I hadn’t immediately agreed, but I did need to think about it. While it was getting easier to talk to Cal, to be myself around him, I wasn’t sure I could go to a concert with him and his friends by myself. I didn’t know if I was ready for that.
 

It was three thirty. Stephan would be home in less than two hours, and I still had to make dinner. Pulling out the ingredients I needed from the refrigerator, I chopped the vegetables for tonight while I thought about the weekend. I couldn’t put it off any longer.

The first thing that came to mind was my panic attack. He’d already said we would be revisiting the subject, so it seemed fitting to include it on the list. Even though I didn’t want to think about it, I knew he wasn’t going to let it go. That wasn’t how he was.
 

What happened with Samantha and Diane stuck out as well. Her questions made me uncomfortable, but talking to people I didn’t know usually did. What struck me more was why she wanted to know if Stephan had bought me things, and why she perceived that as a bad thing. Did she also think Stephan was hurting me? And if she did, why did she think that?

I was putting the casserole into the oven when I realized what the third thing was. Stephan hadn’t qualified that the things had to be negative, only that they needed to be events that stuck out in my mind. Standing in front of his family’s portrait certainly qualified. He had shared something with me, something special to him. That, in turn, had made me feel special. I was important to him, therefore he shared a part of himself with me. Warmth spread through me, and I smiled.
 

The table was set. Everything was ready but the food.
 

It was only a little after five, so I knew I had some time before Stephan arrived. I decided I should surprise him. Practically skipping across the living room to my bedroom, I walked quickly to my closet and retrieved one of my dresses. It was what Lily had called a wraparound dress, and it fell almost to my knees. I thought Stephan would like it, because it dipped low between my breasts and was loose enough to be pushed out of the way.
 

I left my feet bare as I walked back into the main room. Just as I was nearing the door, I saw the monitor turn on, and Stephan’s image appeared on the screen. In a split second, I made a decision and dropped to my knees.
 

He opened the door. I heard him take two steps, then stop. There was a long pause, then the sound of the door being shut and locked.
 

I kept my head bowed and my hands resting in my lap as I waited. Still he didn’t say anything. Didn’t move from his spot near the door. My heart raced as I waited to see what he would do.

Finally, he took a step, then another, before stopping less than a foot in front of me.
 

He reached out with his right hand and tilted my chin up until I was looking at him. “You look stunning like this, sweetheart. What have I done to deserve such a beautiful gift?”

“I wanted to say thank you. For taking care of me. For sharing with me . . . about your mom and dad.”

He took his other hand and threaded his fingers through my hair, lightly scratching my scalp. I closed my eyes automatically. A feeling of complete peace and relaxation flowed from my head down to the tips of my toes. I’d missed this.

The sound of the oven beeping startled me out of my trance. He chuckled. “Stay where you are, pet. I’ll get the food.”

Taking a deep breath, I tried not to miss the feeling of his hands in my hair. The way he’d rubbed his thumb along my cheek, my lips. I was beginning to think I could sit for hours while he ran his fingers through my hair.
 

I heard him moving around in the kitchen, but I didn’t glance up to see what he was doing. Instead, I waited. Waited to see what would happen next. There was a voice inside me screaming, telling me that this was wrong, but it was overruled by how right it felt to be where I was. I was a little nervous, yes. I didn’t know what he was going to do. However, my trust in Stephan kept that small voice from growing louder. I trusted him more than anything, anyone.