24. Deidre

DEIDRE

Iam still steaming mad. First, my car refused to start, and those assholes back there pushed it exactly ten feet away from the gates of Thunder McCall’s place of business and left. I had no money, and my phone was barely working out here, so who could I call to help me?

I sat in my car and stewed, imagining all the ways I was going to pay that bitch back for trying to snatch me bald. Who knew she had it in her? That mousy little bitch seems to think that because she has a powerful husband, she’s not the same doormat I’d walked all over before.

The woman back there doesn’t act anything like I remember not to mention her new husband isn’t anything like her idiot ex. But I’ve never run from a challenge and wasn’t about to start now. Maybe he was just acting that way because he knew she was about to show up?

I let myself drift along on that thought and what it could mean for a while, but I was still no closer to getting my car started. I’m not even sure what was wrong with the stupid thing since it’s the one thing I always make sure is in tip-top shape just in case I need to leave in a hurry.

I was surprised when, more than an hour later, the same guy who had thrown me out of Thunder’s office came to help me get it started. He didn’t even look at me or acknowledge me in any way as he did it, but at least I was able to get out of there.

I drove back to that dump with the door barely hanging on, feeling frustrated and out of sorts because yet another plan had fallen through. It seems like after getting together with Dan nothing in my life was going well.

I thought I had it made when we met that things were finally looking up for me. I was far enough away from my past, so there was no danger of running into anyone I knew in my old life. The fact that he was young, soon to be tenured, and was on the fast track to good things was the only reason I had chosen him in the first place because I didn’t have much time to put my plans in motion.

There were plenty of others I could’ve chosen back then, but now it’s too late. I’d made my bed with this asshole who now just sits on the couch drinking in sorrow and lashing out every so often when he’s not crying over his ex-wife, that is.

I don’t even know what happened today, how things went so wrong. I’ve always been able to get what I want, and what I wanted today was Thunder. With him, I could have the life I deserve. All the riches I’ve ever dreamed of would’ve been mine if that bitch hadn’t shown up to spoil things.

I guess since she’d already lost one husband, she stayed on her toes; I bet she never sleeps at night because she’s afraid of the same thing happening to her again. I laughed and slapped the steering wheel as I sped down the highway.

At least her pain will be everlasting, while mine will only last for a few days. My head hurt where she’d pulled on my hair, and I was sure there was a bruise on my stomach where he’d kicked me.

I wish I really could go to the cops, or at the very least sue, but that would only serve to get me arrested if things went too far, so for now, I’ll have to lick my wounds and think of a way to get back at the two of them.

There were other men to be had, and that little town was cute. Maybe I’ll still move there after all and try my luck. There’s no reason I can’t start over here still; I’d done it once before, and it wasn’t as hard as some would like to make you believe.

I still have all my tools for making new IDs, which is one of the only things I got away with when I had to make my escape in the middle of the night. So far, it has served me well, and I thought this would be the last time I’d have to use it.

I thought for sure Thunder would be under my skirt by now and he would’ve been had she not shown up. I’m not about to let that bitch get one over on me, not after I’d so utterly destroyed her once before.

* * *

DAN

* * *

Good,the bitch isn’t here, so I don’t have to look at her or listen to that screaming brat all day long. I thought she’d be gone by now. There was no more money, only a life insurance policy that only Mom knew about, so Deidre couldn’t get her hands on it by killing me, something I am very sure she’s capable of.

Speaking of which, I need to update the thing when I get a chance. Mom has been hounding me about it for so long that I ended up lying to her that I’d taken care of it, but I hadn’t gotten around to it because it wasn’t important right now, and there was time enough to change it down the line.

I must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, she was moving around the house, having another one of her fits. I opened my blurry eyes and yelled at her to turn off the light that was hurting my eyes.

She ignored me as usual, which only pissed me off, and that started another argument. I never miss a chance to tell her how much I hated her or how lacking she was compared to my ex. “Look at this house, you fucking pig. And where’s the kid that you wanted so much? Did you pawn him off on my mother again, you worthless bitch?”

“Worthless? Worthless? At least I gave you a kid when that cold bitch couldn’t.”

“Don’t talk about her like that; she’s better than you in every way. It’s because of you, all because of you. I never should’ve touched you in the first place; look at you.”

I was feeling angry and hurt because Mandy had moved on, so I lashed out more and more against the woman I held responsible for taking her away from me. I don’t even know half of what I said, but it felt good to finally get most of it off my chest.

All the hate and anger I felt inside came pouring out in a drunken rage that seemed to go on forever. She came yelling and screaming at me with her eyes looking wild and crazy. No doubt she was high on something. I rolled over and faced the back of the couch to ignore her, and that must’ve been too much because she started screeching and punching me.

I was too drunk at first to realize that there was something in her hand, and by the time I did, it was too late. I felt myself going in and out of consciousness as I begged her to stop, but by then, it was too late. I thought I heard raised voices just as the darkness took me.

* * *

THUNDER

* * *

I had just droppedAmanda off at the bakery when my phone rang. “Yeah, Jake, what’s up?”

“What the fuck, Thunder, what the hell did you send me into?”

“What? Don’t you handle drug busts?”

“Yeah, but not attempted murder.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“She was in the middle of fucking killing him when we busted down the door. What the fuck? Who are these people?” It took me a minute to quell the laughter that would be so misplaced here, not that Jake would care; he’d seen it all. I guess he was pissed about the paperwork.

“Now I have to write this shit up, and it’ll take for fucking ever with court dates and bullshit.”

“Sorry, Summers, that you have to do your damn job.”

“Fuck you, say hi to Amanda for me, I gotta go.”

What the hell happened? Damn, now I have to scramble to get the rest of my shit done. She only attempted to kill the fuck, so he wasn’t dead, more is the pity. But what the hell happened in that house? I sent Jake after the drugs I’d had Kieran plant there, but I had no hand in whatever the hell he’d walked in on. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

If I cared, it might’ve put a crimp in my sails, but I was more of the mind to strike while the iron was hot. I called Kieran since he was the one closest to the situation and was good at this shit with his used car salesman bullshit.

“You ready? There’s been a bit of a development. They’ve been arrested, but he’s in the hospital fighting for his life.”

“Did you….?”

“No, you fuck. I was at home with my wife.”

“Okay, just asking to be sure. So we don’t need to call in the cleaner?”

“What did I just say? No, today is the mother’s turn. You have everything you need, right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. Things might be even easier now because she’s going to be distracted with her son in the hospital, so do your thing and call me when it’s done.”

“Will do, boss; I’ll call you when it’s done.”

Shit, DNA testing the baby will have to be moved up a bit with this turn of events, but there’s no rush. Cecile will have him in her care, no doubt, now that both his parents have been arrested, with one in the hospital fighting for his life.

Cecile’s deal was much easier. I could’ve left it at just taking the grandson she’d fought so hard for away from her, but that wasn’t enough, not after she accosted my woman. Now, I have to hurt her in a way that she’d always remember. She took everything away from Amanda; now it’s only fair that she face the same.

* * *

CECILE

* * *

Where is he?I looked down the hospital corridor for my husband, but he was nowhere to be found. I paced back and forth in the grimy little hallway of the hospital and bit my nails down to the nub. My head was in such a jumble that I couldn’t get anything to make sense.

Why is this happening? Why should I lose one more thing in this life? I’ve suffered through a loveless marriage with a man who cheated on me every day of our marriage, and I do mean every day. On our wedding night, he spent the night in the maid of honor’s bed.

All because I made one silly little mistake back when I was sixteen, I’ve had to spend the rest of my days in hell. I just told one little lie; it’s not like I knew things were going to turn out that way. How was I to know that the whole world would turn on its head over a silly little lie?

What happened back then was just childhood mistakes. I wanted the boy next door so badly that I was willing to go to any lengths to get him. Even accusing him of things he hadn’t done. I didn’t know then that because of my age and his, it was a crime.

In order to keep him out of jail, his parents and mine made him marry me. He had to drop out of college when I got pregnant because I’d drugged and seduced him after he humiliated me on my wedding night. That just made him hate me more.

All my kids were conceived the same way by me fixing his drinks and lacing them with stuff. I learned very well how to time my periods and such and knew the right times. I only did this because he refused to stop seeing the woman he’d forced me to have as a maid of honor. His girlfriend from before.

Of all the women he’s screwed over the years, she’s the one I hate the most. I know the only reason he’s still with me is because of his parents and the business he wants to inherit one day. But even the fear of losing that, like they always threaten, hasn’t stopped him from seeing his one true love.

It’s broken my heart for almost forty years. People think we must have a wonderful relationship because of the six kids we have, but they’d be very wrong. My kids all hate me, especially the girls, but my son has always loved and worshiped me.

It could be because he was the only boy and the one I wanted the most. I didn’t like girls because they were only going to grow up and be like me, powerless. But sons would grow up to be like my husband.

I never stopped loving him after all these years and heartaches. Even though the only time he’d touched me was when I had drugged him first, those were the best times of my life. I’ve been able to find happiness amidst the hell.

That’s why I can never forgive Amanda for what she did to my son. I had lived through it so I know it can be done. Why is she too good to endure the same things I had?

Besides, she was the one my son loved, wasn’t she? Not like me, who never knew my husband’s love. My poor boy had grown up and suffered the same fate as me, being hated by the people we loved.

Now I’m standing out here waiting to find out if my baby is going to live or die, and his father isn’t even here. “Miss. Stewart?” I turned to the nice young man with a smile.

“Yes, is the operation over? How is my son?”

“We’re still working on him, ma’am. I do need you to sign these papers here.”

“And what is this for? I already gave them the go-ahead for everything.”

“Yes, well, you didn’t sign the do not resuscitate.”

“That’s because I want him to be resuscitated.”

“I know, that’s why you have to sign this last form. The last one only states that you want him to be resuscitated but not that you don’t want him to be not resuscitated.”

“I don’t even understand what you just said; just give me the papers. You doctors speak the way you write.” I signed the papers, glad that at least this young man took his job seriously. None of those others mentioned this form to me.

At least I know now that these vultures can’t kill my baby. They have no choice but to keep him alive, or I’ll sue them for all they’re worth. Money is about all I have left in this world now.

My husband is still holding a grudge all these years later and has hardly even sat down to a meal with me. The only time that ever happened was when we went to his parents for the holidays with the kids, whom they loved and adored.

I would say one thing, though, as much as he hates me, he does love his kids. He never had any with the other woman, which is one of the only reasons why I think things weren’t much worse for me. He may have neglected me, but he never neglected the kids.

And I used to rub the fact that his bitch couldn’t give him kids like I could in her face every chance I got. In fact, I got most of the good things in life thanks to her. Like how I convinced my in-laws that because of how tenuous things were in our lives, it was best to put the house in my name.

I assured them that if something happened to them, the other woman would make me and their grandchildren suffer, and since they only had one son, my husband, their grandkids were the only ones they had left.

I still get a stipend each month from my in-laws to upkeep the house and I make sure that every penny he spends on that woman, I get back twice as much. No one knows, except maybe the children, how horrible life was in that house.

But things only got worse when my husband, in a drunken rage, let slip the truth behind our union. Thankfully, Dan wasn’t there, but the girls all heard and were furious.

I thought they would be mad at their dad for cheating on me, but instead, they called me toxic and manipulative and haven’t had anything to do with me since then. So I only have Dan and my beautiful grandson, who I will now have to raise because his mother was going to be in jail for a long, long time.