Inevitable Sentences (31 page)

Max lifted the suitcase, took a strong hold of Celeste’s arm, and led her out. The two limped along together. “We look like the walking wounded.” Max chuckled.

“Don’t be silly,” Celeste said. “We are the walking wounded.”

They both laughed as they slowly made their way to Max’s car. He set the suitcase down near the trunk and then helped Celeste into the passenger seat. “Buckle up,” he said as though he were her father.

“Oh, Max, I’m not a total invalid. I still have my brain.” She thumped her head.

“Sorry. I guess I am being a little overprotective.”

Celeste gave him a radiant smile. “You? Never.”

Within minutes they were on the highway headed for the lighthouse.

Once out of the city Max had put a Yanni CD on; the music enhanced the serenity of the moment.

“Where did you find that?” Celeste asked. “I thought elevator-style music went out of fashion.”

“Not so. It’s become a big business again. There are companies that find the perfect music for a building or business. Believe it or not, I ordered this CD online.” Max proudly smiled. “I’m getting to be quite good with a computer.” Then his expression turned more serious. “Don’t you like the music?”

“Yes. It’s exactly what I need right now.” Celeste rested her head against the seat back and gazed dreamily at the scene drifting by. The winter sun lingered low on the horizon. Rays of soft pink light resisted winter’s claim by squeezing from under the clouds and streaking through the forest across the frozen ground. The snow shimmered in the frosty glow. “It’s really peaceful.” Celeste sighed. “Even I could get used to living here if every day came to us like this.”

Max reached across and took her hand in his. “We’ll have plenty of days like this soon. I promise—not only here, but in a much more forgiving climate.”

They rode for several miles without talking, until Max remarked, “I can’t believe we’re already in Big Bay.” He shook his head. “That night …” He paused. Should he dredge that up? “It seemed it took Eagle and me days to drive this far.” He quickly finished the comment, hoping Celeste would ignore it. He shouldn’t have said anything.

“You know, it always seems to take longer to get someplace if you want to get there in a hurry.” Celeste tightened her grip around his hand. “It makes no difference how long it took. I’m glad you got there.”

“Me, too.”

They passed the Thunder Bay Inn and Lake Independence and rode the rest of the way on the tree-lined, narrow road to the lighthouse. The pavement had been completely cleared of snow.

The closer they got to her home, the more anxious and excited Celeste became. What would it feel like, entering the scene of her nightmare? Could she ever think of the lighthouse as absolutely safe again? What about the women and children—how were they coping in the aftermath of having to flee their sanctuary?

She longed to see them. Perhaps they would all be able to help each other now.

She raised a hand to her head. “Do you think the children will be frightened by the way I look?”

“I think the children adore you—under any circumstance—no matter how you look,” Max reassured her in a tender voice. “By the way, in spite of your funny hairdo, you are still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, Granny Gun.”

“You do have an odd way of giving a compliment, but I’ll take it.” She gazed out the window for several minutes.

“Worried?”

She nodded. “I guess I’m afraid about how I will feel going back to …”

“You must try to dwell on all the happy moments you’ve had here like the first time I brought you to Big Bay. What about all the women you’ve helped since it became a safe house?” Though Max tried to comfort Celeste, his tone indicated concern. Did he also think it was too soon to come back?

“Of course, most of my memories are wonderful. Only … There’s a lot to think about.” She looked at Max. “I can’t help wondering what will happen to Priscilla.” Priscilla’s betrayal had almost overwhelmed Celeste. Yet Priscilla’s fate—one she had created herself—sometimes seemed too sad to bear. Had she been beyond help like Lorraine, and Celeste hadn’t seen it?

“She should be thankful she’s alive.” Max glanced at Celeste. He sounded harsh, no doubt in defense of Celeste. “She’ll have to face charges. I bet the prosecutor goes easy on her, though,” he added in a less harsh tone. “If she goes to trial, I doubt a jury will be too hard on her, either, despite her past with Dwayne. Or maybe because of it. She’ll portray a sympathetic, confused woman. She’ll do some time, and she should.”

“You’re right. I’ve got to let go of all that.” Celeste forced a smile. “Still, the motherly side of me wants only the best for her, even if she did disappoint me. Even if she did deeply hurt me. She really is a good person.” Celeste knew Priscilla had acted out of panic. “She couldn’t have guessed how Chad’s escape would turn out.”

“She’s a psychologist. She should have had some idea about how Chad would behave.” Max showed no sympathy for the woman who nearly had Celeste murdered.

“Yes. She should have,” Celeste said pensively. “Yet we don’t always have clear insight into someone’s motives and conduct.” She thought of herself the night she killed Chad. “We are all capable of surprising ourselves.”

M
AX PULLED THE CAR
onto the driveway and parked beside the main door to the lighthouse. He and Celeste stayed put for a few moments. Both stared at the red-brick building that looked as inviting as Celeste had always thought it.

Celeste smiled and her eyes became teary. “The day you brought me here was the day I fell in love with you, although I didn’t realize it then.”

“Umm. That’s not when it happened for me,” Max said as he faced Celeste. “I fell in love with you at the prison gate. Can’t beat that for a romantic setting, can you?” He laughed with such a genuine spirit, Celeste had no choice but to join in. He always had the remarkable ability to bring cheerfulness into a situation and to see life as a glass half full.

“I can still remember how you took my breath away.” Max’s eyes misted over. “I felt awkward. I knew the timing was bad for me to rush you into a relationship, but I certainly didn’t want you to get away from me, either.”

“Look what I’ve gotten you into.” Celeste giggled. “I bet it’s more than you bargained for.”

“If it has to do with you, any situation is worth my being involved.” He kissed her. “Let’s go in and start the festivities.”

Max slid out the door and went to the passenger side. He held his hand to Celeste like a gallant knight and helped her out.

Today, Lake Superior’s calm waters lapped the shoreline in barely discernible waves. The lake appeared like a mirror, in stark contrast to the last time Celeste and Max had been at the house.

Max offered Celeste his arm and they walked to the door as they had many times in the past.

C
HILDREN’S GIGGLES COMING FROM
the kitchen sounded like music to Celeste as she pushed the door open and she and Max stepped over the threshold. The scent of roasting turkey mixed with the aroma of apple pie and cinnamon embraced her. Home. Her appetite surged and her mouth watered. No more of that mush the hospital had the nerve to call food. She could hardly wait to devour the savory meal that was waiting.

Max raised his nose into the air and inhaled deeply. “Yum. I can taste it already.”

“Hey!” Adrian called from the kitchen. “Look who’s here.”

Suddenly seven pairs of eyes were focused on Celeste and Max. Then the children rushed to them, screeching, “You’re here! You’re home!” This was followed by hugs and kisses all around.

Marcy took Celeste and Max’s coats and handed them to Doug. Celeste smiled warmly to herself to see that Doug had been included in their Thanksgiving celebration. Adrian apparently had decided to take a daring step toward a relationship of some sort with him. She smiled coyly, acknowledging Celeste’s gaze.

Celeste tentatively took off her cap and waited for the children’s reactions. All of them stood still and gawked.

“Does it hurt?” McKenna dared to ask.

“A little. But it probably looks funnier than it hurts.” Celeste smiled.

“Let Max and Celeste sit down.” Adrian shooed the children away from the couple so they could get away from the door and into the living room. “You can bombard them with questions once they get settled.” Then she smiled at Celeste and said, “It’s good to have you home.”

“It’s good to be here.” Celeste really meant it, too. She sat in a wingback chair. Max followed close behind and stood at her side like a guard. His protective behavior tickled her.

“The chairs and couches have been reupholstered,” Celeste said cheerfully as she surveyed the room. “And the walls are painted. When did you have the time to get this done?” She ran her hand over the chair, admiring the fabric. But it was difficult not to recall the blood splatters, no matter how carefully they’d been cleaned away.

“You have a lot of good friends in Marquette,” Adrian said. “The upholstery shop put a priority on the job.”

“Well,” Celeste sighed, “I’m overwhelmed.”

“We chose a pattern for both the chairs and the couch that kept it a nautical theme,” Tomika announced proudly. We, Celeste noted, was a much easier word for the woman who had once thought she’d have to survive alone.

“But,” Adrian added, “we also wanted to maintain a casual but elegant look. What do you think?”

Celeste studied the navy lattice damask upholstery on the wingback chairs. She fingered the beige accent. Then she eyed the repeated stripe pattern of navy, beige, and red of the two couches.

“It’s called Americana,” Tomika said as she brushed her hand over one of the couches.

“It’s absolutely lovely,” Celeste said. She was overwhelmed by the care and pride displayed by the women. “I couldn’t have done better myself.” Then her eyes wandered to the freshly painted walls. “You’ve also chosen the perfect color for the walls.”

“We picked colors that we thought went well with the tradition of the house,” Adrian explained, appearing anxious for Celeste’s approval. “Doug helped paint.”

Celeste smiled and nodded.

“We also liked the names of the paint,” Marcy added.

“What are the names?” Celeste asked.

“The walls are Sheer Ice and the woodwork and wainscoting are in Pleasant Lake,” Marcy answered. “Pale blue and deep blue. Aren’t the names perfect?”

“Perfect,” Celeste answered. “I love it all.”

Marcy hardly waited for Celeste to comment before she blurted out, “We painted the kitchen, too, and hung new curtains.”

All three women beamed. They probably had never had the opportunity in their former lives to act independently or to show how creative they could be.

Celeste glanced around the women to get a peek at the kitchen. The walls had been painted in a bright yellow that reminded her of a summer morning. The multicolored flowers that danced across the curtains seemed so real they could be picked for a spring bouquet. “You’ve filled this home with sunshine and warmth.” Celeste not only meant that for their efforts, but also for the women’s love and compassion. She truly felt blessed to have their friendship and Max’s love. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to have Lorraine and her children here.

The children had stayed together at the side of the room. Their unusually quiet behavior troubled Celeste. When she grinned at them, McKenna, the talkative one of Adrian’s twins, edged forward and asked, “How did you hurt your head?”

“And your cheek?” Logan, McKenna’s twin, chimed in.

Celeste laughed. “It’s a long story and one day I’ll tell it to you.”

“Well,” Max interrupted, “let me tell you that Celeste fought off a very bad man who came here to hurt her.”

“The man that came the night we went to the inn?” McKenna asked.

“Yes.” Max smiled. “Celeste was very brave. Today we have a lot to be thankful for, don’t we?”

“Yes,” the children said.

“Who wants to eat?” Adrian shouted from the kitchen.

“I do,” yelled the children.

“I do,” Max said and rubbed his stomach.

“I do, too,” Celeste said. “I’ve looked forward to a good home-cooked meal for a long time.”

“Wait, Mom,” McKenna shouted. “You forgot something.”

“Oh, you’re right. Go get them.”

McKenna and Logan raced from the room, creating a breeze as they passed. Shortly they reappeared with crowns of paper feathers on their heads. “We made them in school for Thanksgiving,” McKenna announced and twirled around. Then she gave each of the adults a similar headdress.

Since the location of the safe house had been discovered thanks to the news coverage of Chad’s death, the children now attended public school. Everyone agreed that unless they left the area to go into hiding somewhere else, they had no reason not to attempt normal lives right where they were. Not one of their abusers had tried to contact them, not even Adrian’s husband—for Celeste, an additional reason to be thankful.

McKenna crowned Celeste. “You can be the Indian princess.”

“I’d be honored.” Celeste adjusted the cap over her scars.

“This suits me fine.” Max laughed as he donned the colorful feathers. “Did you know I am a real Indian?”

All the children’s mouths hinged open in amazement and they said in unison, “Wow.”

“Awesome. A real Indian for our Thanksgiving party,” McKenna added.

Celeste placed both hands on the arms of the chair and pushed herself to her feet. She had much less stamina than she had thought she would by now.

Max offered her one of his arms and the other he offered to McKenna. “May I escort you two charming ladies to the dinner table?”

“We’d be delighted,” Celeste said. “Wouldn’t we, McKenna?”

McKenna pulled her shoulders back, stood tall, and beamed. “Yes.”

Celeste believed this would be a moment McKenna would remember the rest of her life—a time when she was treated like a princess and a time she truly felt safe. In fact it was a time they all felt safe again. How Celeste prayed the rest of McKenna’s life would be as pleasant.

The three led the group to the table—or more correctly, tables. The women had pushed several tables together so all ten of them could eat at one, including Matthew in his high chair. Gemma dozed in her cradle next to the fireplace.