AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hal, who had one hand on the wheel and the other resting on Valentina’s thigh, felt her tense up.
“You okay?” Hal looked at her.
“Yeah. It’s just that…have the windows and door been fixed?”
“Ahh shit. Yeah, they were fixed right away. My bad, babe. Should have thought about that, about the fact that you haven’t been here since that night. I thought we’d have a couple of drinks on the dock, but we can go somewhere else.”
“No. I’m fine. I really am.” And when Valentina said it, she realized with relief that it was true. From that first day at the lake house, she had fallen in love with the serene, bucolic setting. She was glad to find that the good feeling she got when they crested that hill, eclipsed that one bad memory—the one of almost being shot to death here. When the Grateful Dead’s song,Truckin’came over the old time FM radio, Valentina couldn’t help but concur with the incomparable Jerry Garcia—what a long strange trip it’s been.
Hal and Valentina walked hand and hand out to the dock. They settled themselves into deep Adirondack chairs while the full moon sat high over the lake and cast a shimmering light over the still water. Hal reached into the cooler, twisted the top off a beer and handed it to Valentina. As Valentina watched on in fascination, Hal finished off his own beer in one long draw. Then without looking at her, he reached into the cooler and got himself another one. Hal chugged that one down too. Valentina didn’t say a word but raised an eyebrow because Hal was acting—nervous?
“Tia?”
“Yes, Hal?”
“I got something I want to talk to you about.”
“Okay,” Valentina said without a moment’s hesitation, “and when you’re done, I have something I want to tell you too.”
There was a long moment of tense silence before Hal scrubbed a hand over his face in that tell-tale gesture of frustrated self-control. Then he lifted his chin to her. “Ladies first.”
“No, it’s okay. You go first.”
Hal set his jaw and settled in to wait her out.
“Okay.” She sighed. “I guess I’ll go first.”
After a slight pause Valentina blurted out, “I’m going back to Haiti.”
Not at all what he had expected her to say…not by a long shot. The diamond ring that two minutes ago was burning a hole in his pocket now felt like a lead weight.
She was leaving him.
She was leaving him.
Hal was filled with so many strong and crushing emotions that it took him a while to speak. He pulled out his smokes, lit one up, took a few long pulls then looked at Valentina again.
“Why the fuck would you do that?” His voice was filled with anger. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”
“Unfortunately, that ship has already sailed once.” She gave him a sad smile. “Been there, done that.” Then she added softly, “Don’t be mad, Hal. At least not until you hear me out.” She reached out and placed her hand in his and repeated. “Please, just hear me out.”
The touch of Valentina’s hand immediately warmed him and that pissed Hal off even more. He held Valentina’s hand in a hard and punishing grasp determined not to let it go. She didn’t wince or pull away. Instead she leaned in and placed her free hand over the one that held hers in a death grip. “It’s not that I want to leave you, and I won’t be gone forever. It’s something I need to do, and if you give me a chance, I’ll explain why and I think—I hope—you’ll understand. This isn’t about you and me, Hal.”
Since fucking when?Hal wanted to shout out at Valentina.From the moment I saw you standing in your father’s damn kitchen everything for me has been about you.But the soft tone of her voice, the gentleness of her touch, and the earnest look in her eyes made Hal lessen the bone-crushing grip he had on Valentina’s hand.
I won’t be gone forever. She had said to him.Hal narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw.You at least got that part right, because you won’t be going at all.
“Explain.” He scowled.
“It has to do with the death of Amelia Louise.”
“Who the fuck…?”
“She was Rooster’s mother.” Valentina reminded him.
“That asshole?” Hal huffed.
“Yes.” Valentina affirmed “Rooster deserves everything that happens to him from this point on, I don’t disagree with you—definitely an asshole. But by all accounts, his mother was a sweet, quiet woman who always did the best she could. She was sick most of her adult life but still worked hard…”
