Twenty-Six
Vivienne
I knew the second I landed back in New York with Davis that this is not where I was meant to be. I left my heart and soul back in that barn and I can’t function here without Oliver. I’ve thrown myself into work, but it’s all meaningless. Physically, I’m there, but mentally, I’m back in Bellemere, worrying about Ollie, wondering if he’s as desperate for me as I am for him. If it wasn’t for Charles and Davis pulling my weight, my company would go belly-up. I show up to work as a means to pass the time until I can get home and call to check on Oliver. I do it every night, even though the calls don’t do anything to make me feel better about our current situation.
He’s reverted to the Oliver I first encountered when I came back home for Lulu’s funeral. I have to beg him to talk. He’s short with me, angry, and no closer to finding answers about his sister’s death than he was when I boarded the plane last month.
The only thing keeping me going - keeping the last thread of my sanity intact - is that he’s still saying, ‘I love you,’ before he ends our calls. He tells me without fail, and he always sends me a picture of him, Ace, and Cat as soon as we hang up for the night.
I want him to come up here for a visit, but he refuses to leave until he gets some answers. I want to go home, but he refuses to let me come. He can’t protect me if I’m there, he tells me.
Well, I can’t stay sane for much longer if I can’t be with him.
This is hard on both of us. I don’t see a way out of it.
A knock on my door startles me out of my nightly contemplation of where this is heading. It’s Davis, his briefcase in one hand and a bottle of my favorite wine in the other.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to have a come to Jesus.”
“By all means, come in.”
He makes himself at home, like always, and pours us each a liberal glass of wine before spreading papers all over my dining room table.
“Davis, I don’t have the energy or desire to discuss work right now. Whatever this is, I’m sure it can wait until Monday.” I barely made it through this week. For once in my life, the state of my company is the last thing on my mind. I could lose my business, lose every cent it puts in my bank account, and it would mean nothing. Ollie is all that matters to me now.
“I think you’ll want to talk about this.”
“New clients? Not interested.”
“I can’t deal with you anymore. This is not the Vivienne I know and love. Your heart isn’t here anymore. You don’t care about this company, which used to be your entire world. I have a way out.”
“What?”
“While you’ve been walking around like a zombie, I’ve been having some serious talks with Charles. He’s willing to buy you out. Take over. You can get out of it completely, make a shit ton of money, and go live the Little House on the Prairie life you’ve been dreaming about.”
“Are you kidding me?” I scan the documents. I’m shocked that he’s done all this behind my back.
I’m relieved that he’s done all this behind my back.
I don’t want to be the CEO of a marketing firm anymore. I want a simple life. I want the life I was born to live.
I can’t do that here while the love of my life is living across the country.
“Not kidding. You’re miserable here. It’s killing me to watch you.”
I keep flipping through the pages and reading through the contracts. They were drawn up by the attorneys that work for my company, so I know they’re ironclad. As I get deeper into them, a thought hits me.
“What about you?”
He laughs. “Baby girl, we both know country living isn’t for me. I belong in the city. I’m in my element here.”
“But what will you do?”
“Charles has agreed to hire me on and give me a raise. See, everybody wins.”
“I need some time to think about all this.” It’s pointless for me to say, really. I know what I want to do. Davis has made it easy for me.
“I can see it in your eyes. You’ve already given up.” He takes my hand and pulls me to the couch. “Let’s not sign anything until tomorrow. Let’s not think about work until tomorrow. There’s a “Real Housewives” marathon on and our time would be much better spent watching cat fights and drinking.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”
“Please,” he huffs. “You’ll be so busy with that man of yours, you won’t have time for me anyway.” I’ll always have time for Davis, and he knows that. I would have been lost without him all these years. He was one of the first people I met when I moved here, and I thank God for that every day. He’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I remind him of it often. It’s nothing I need to share with him right now.
“We have a problem with your plan.”
“And that is?”
“He doesn’t want me there until they find the killer.”
“Don’t tell him you’re coming. Your house is a damn fortress. Nobody’s getting in there without you knowing. Besides, you show up in some new lingerie from Agent Provocateur, he’ll forget to be pissed.”
While the television stops our talking, I run through different scenarios in my head about my homecoming. I don’t know how he’ll feel about me being there. He’s specifically told me it’s not a good idea. I spend the entire evening going back and forth trying to justify my decision to go or to stay. I’ve made my mind up about selling the company over to Charles; that was an easy one for me, but I just don’t know if I should risk going back home.
Sunlight hits my face and the buzzing of my phone wakes me up the next morning. It’s hitting against wine bottles that are littering my coffee table. One bottle turned into three, and a “Real Housewives” marathon turned into a slumber party on the couch with Davis.
All of my reluctant thoughts are wiped out when I see the text message across my screen. He never makes contact first, and he’s never been this open and honest.
I miss you so much it’s hard to breathe. You’re my lifeline. I need you.
I might have a massive headache from all the wine I drank last night, but I hop off the couch and head to the shower. He needs me. It will take me a few days to settle things here and fly home, but I’m more determined than ever to go back to Bellemere and start a life with Oliver Bishop.
_____
The timing of my arrival back home couldn’t have worked out better. Ollie told me last night that he was finally able to track down Daniel. Evidently, he’s been working in North Louisiana, about three hours away from Bellemere. His employer claims he was with him the Sunday of the carnival, but Ollie won’t be satisfied until he rides up there with one of Taylor’s men to question him. My flight landed with enough time for me to get home, get the house ready, and slip into some of the lingerie I picked out for the occasion. I contemplated calling Ollie to let him know I’m back, but then I’d probably have a fight on my hands. Instead, I’ll have to get him over here another way. Davis thinks the best thing to do would be to call him when I see his truck pull up and tell him I need him to look for some papers I left behind in my office. When he opens the front door, I’ll be in the living room, surrounded by candlelight, decked out in my Agent Provocateur goodness. He’ll be so stunned, there won’t be any time for him to pick a fight.
Time goes by impossibly slow as I sit by the kitchen window waiting for him to get home. I pick up the phone and pull up his number several times, only to clear the screen before I can hit the ‘talk’ button. If I call him too soon, he might ask questions. I might blurt out that I’m back at home waiting for him.
Just as the suns starts to fade for the day, I hear a knock at the door. Odd, considering Davis is the only person that knows I’m here. Since I can’t open the door in my current state of dress, I slip on the silk robe that came with my outfit and check the peephole. I’m surprised, and worried, to see Taylor at the front door. My thoughts immediately go to the worst-case scenario.
“Is Ollie all right?” I ask when I open the door.
“Can I come in?” He walks past me instead of waiting for me to answer.
“Is Oliver okay? Did something happen with Daniel?”
He laughs and his eyes roam up and down my body. I pull at the robe, making sure it’s closed up tight. “Bishop’s fine. He know you’re here?”
Alarm bells start going off in my head. “How did you know I was home?”
“I saw the cab drop you off.” He steps in closer. I wish I would have gone next door to pick up Ace. I don’t feel right about Taylor being here. He’s looking at me strangely. There’s a funny, dark look in his eyes. It’s something that I’ve never noticed before. “Answer me, Vivienne, does he know you’re here.”
I swallow past the lump that formed in my throat. “I just called him. He’s on his way back and will be here any second.”
He laughs again as he steps closer. “Liar,” he whispers in my ear. “I just talked to him. He has no idea you’re here.” His hand comes up to touch my cheek and a wave of nausea hits me. I turn and run to the kitchen, desperate to get to the panic button Ollie installed under the top cabinets, but I’m not fast enough. Before I can even step over the threshold, Taylor grabs me and covers my mouth with a damp, sweet smelling cloth. My last thought before I lose consciousness is that I should have listened to Ollie.