“Don’t pay attention to them,” Sam called over his shoulder. Tessa didn’t answer. She just wanted out of the SUV and a few minutes alone; though with Sam acting as her guardian, she wondered if she would ever have a few minutes to herself. For a moment, she wished she were back in the confines of her prison cell, where she had had all the time in the world to herself.
“People are standing in the street, Tessa. Stay down. Looks as if the entire neighborhood has stepped out for a view. Cal, drive around the block, get out of here, and let’s see if these gawkers are willing to stand outside for a while. If we drive around for half an hour, they’ll get tired of waiting.”
Tessa heard Sam.
“The only way out of this neighborhood is the way we came in. Go to the house, please. I can’t put this off forever,” Tessa said. “And I’m getting up. My back isn’t used to this.” She got off the floor, then scooted onto the middle seat. “Go to the house, Cal. I want to get this over with.”
And she did. What had she expected? This had been a major news story; her release, albeit temporary, was a big deal. People liked to gossip, and her return to the exclusive neighborhood was going to bring a lot of nutcases out of the cracks.
“Sam?” Cal inquired.
“Go to the house. Tessa’s right. There’s no point trying to avoid the neighbors,” Sam said. “She’ll have to face them sooner or later.”
“Sam, stop talking like I’m not here.”
“Sorry, I just want to make this as easy as possible.” Sam did sound a little bit contrite.
“I know, and I do appreciate it. But I’m not a delicate little flower. I know people are curious. This was a tight-knit community once upon a time, though I’m not sure that it still is. Many of the people who lived here were snowbirds, and I barely knew them. I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will,” Sam responded.
As they were driving through her former neighborhood, she could not help but think that this was the place where her girls had spent their entire lives, where they’d celebrated birthdays, had pool parties, where they’d all lived out their lives as a family. Tears filled her eyes when they made the turn onto Dolphin Drive. Several people stood on their professionally manicured lawns as though a circus had come to town, and they were waiting patiently to see the star performer show up.
What had she expected? A welcome home party? Homemade casseroles? An offer to house-sit when she returned to prison?
She tried to keep her focus on the back of the front seat, but her eyes kept darting to the people who came out to witness her homecoming.
“This was expected,” Sam said, and nodded to the small groups gathered around the gates to the private entrance of her former home. “Take a deep breath, Tessa.”
She nodded but said nothing. Cal punched in the code and the gates swung open. More shouting could be heard as the gates closed behind them. He drove slowly up the drive, and what she had expected to see wasn’t there.
Her memory of her former home had been erased. Gone were the eight full-grown coconut palm trees that had flanked the driveway, the emptiness obvious as there were no plants or shrubs replanted in their place. The outside of the house, formerly a soft antique white, had been painted a pale blue. Black shutters had been added, and it appeared as though the glass in the windows had been replaced with something darker, possibly to prevent anyone brave enough to chance a glimpse inside. The automatic garage door opened, and Cal pulled the SUV into the garage. Before she could slide across the seat, the giant door closed, blocking her view of the other changes made to the exterior of the house.
Tessa opened her door and stood next to the vehicle. Waiting. Cal remained in the SUV, and Sam was at her side before she even gave him a thought. This was all so familiar, yet odd. Four cars could fit in the garage along with a million other things, yet it was empty. Hollow. Like her.
Had she expected to see Poppy’s and Piper’s bicycles leaning next to the door that led to the kitchen? Hers and Joel’s, too? The crates of toys she had stacked neatly against the wall ready to be donated to charity? She saw nothing remotely familiar. As though the life she had shared with her husband and daughters had been totally and completely wiped away. Like a stain. One minute it was visible, then, with the swipe of time, gone.
Only memories remained.
Images flashed before her. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to block them out, as they were not memories of their life as a happy family.
Blood.
Streams of blood.
Aqua water turned a garish red.
Bloated bodies.
Two small white caskets beside a larger, dark casket.
The overwhelming scent of roses.
“No!” she yelled, then realized what she had done. She took a deep breath. “I’m okay.” She directed her words to Sam. She would never be okay again, and surely anyone in their right mind would know these were simply words to appease those whose sympathetic offerings were given as though they could actually ease the burden of this horrific tragedy that was her life. Tessa truly appreciated any kind words, but they would not change the past, could not change it.
Nothing could right the wrongs of the past. There was no magical potion to reverse the clock. If it were possible, she would have given her soul to save her daughters. And Joel, too.
“Tessa?” Sam asked.
Shaking her head to clear the path down which her thoughts were going, she gave up what she hoped would pass for a half-ass smile.
In a no-nonsense voice, she
