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“Lemon Tree”—when love gets sour
“You Oughta Know”—bitter breakup
The final go-to-curtain scene has yet to be written, but I can tell you this, it’s either going to be “Livin’ on a Prayer” (we can get through anything, baby, as long as we have each other) or “I Will Survive” (that’s my boot on your butt kicking you out).
I’m on pins and needles as I eagerly await the outcome!
Dish,
Ferris Biltmore
* * *
“Brett, what are you doing here? Where are the kids?” Panic washes over me as sure as if I’ve been hit with a bucket of ice water.
“The kids are fine. They’re up at the house sleeping. I just came down to grab a quick drink.” He insinuates himself in between me and Digger.
“You don’t leave children alone in a house while they’re sleeping—especially a house they don’t know. What were you thinking?” I demand.
“I was thinking my wife just screwed me over in the biggest way possible and I could use a drink,” he hisses, narrowing his eyes at me. “You just cost me twenty-six million dollars, you know that, right?”
I straighten my spine, too angry at him for leaving our kids alone to care what accusations he lobs at me. Scoffing, I tell him, “You cost yourself that money. Don’t you dare blame me for neglecting our kids. This is all on you.”
“‘Cause you’re so worried about them. You’re here sticking your tongue down some local yokel’s throat?” he sneers, getting right in my face.
Digger pushes him away from me with a flick of his fingers. “Back up, pal, or you and I are going to have a problem.”
“Stay out of this, you dumb hick. This is between me andmy wife.”
I’m not going to stand here while they fight. Not while my kids are all alone God knows where. “Where is the house, Brett?”
“I told you, it’s just up the road.” He drops his phone and the keys on the bar and signals the bartender. “Boilermaker.”
“Give me the address right now,” I yell at him, snatching the keys off the bar top.
“I know where it is,” Digger says, grabbing my purse for me. “Let’s go.”
I rush out, with him right behind me. My hands are shaking so badly, I can barely hold onto the keys.
“I’ll drive,” Digger says, seeming to understand I’m too upset to manage it.
By the time I open the passenger door and get in, he already has the car running. “It’s going to be okay, Harper,” he tells me.
“He left our children alone in a strange house in a town where they barely know a soul. Who does that?” My heart is beating triple time.
Digger throws the car into reverse and circles around so he’s facing the road. Then he takes a hard left and guns it. “I’m guessing Brett didn’t have much to do with child rearing.”
“Nope. That was my domain. I took care of the household and Brett took care of himself. Dear God, what was he thinking coming down here?” I turn and look behind us, but it seems my husband has decided to stay and have his drink.
Digger takes a sharp left up by the Jiffy Stop and we start to climb a hill. “Brett’s staying at the Halloways’ place. They built their dream home and then their daughter got married and had kids, so they moved to Fairbanks to be near them.”
He pulls into a driveway with a steep incline. I have a horrible image of my kids waking up and not knowing where they are. I open the passenger door before the car even comes to a full stop. Racing to the entrance of a large two-story log house, I immediately ram the key into the lock. I’m inside the house in seconds.
Standing at the foot of the steps, I listen for any signs of distress. Digger follows me in. “You check upstairs, I’ll look downstairs.” As we part ways in search of my kids, I’m once again hit by the fact that Digger would be an amazing father. I know he wouldn’t abandon them to go out drinking.
As I hit the top step, I hear quiet sobbing coming from down the hall. I move as fast as my feet will carry me. Outside the door at the end of the hallway, I hear Liam consoling his sister. “It’s okay, Lily. I’m here. Did you have a nightmare?”
“I dreamed I was flying in a plane, and I fell out,” she hiccups.
