“Mommy? Why are we going to grandma’s house? I thought we don’t live there anymore.” Lily looked at her quizzically from her booster seat in the back of the town car. Her grandmother’s quilt was draped over her legs, keeping her warm from the early autumn chill.
“We’re just going to stop over there for a couple minutes and meet with Great Aunt Catherine. She has something to discuss with me. But in the meantime, you can go outside and play in the backyard.”
Bailey had no idea what Catherine had wanted. It had been months since they had spoken to one another. And with Catherine’s daughter and son-in-law living in the place she once called home, Bailey really had no reason to return. But when Catherine had emailed Bailey about setting up a meeting, she couldn’t say no. Family was family, no matter how badly they may have treated her in the past.
Lily asked excitedly, “Can I see my old room? Maybe it’s still purple.”
Bailey held her breath as she answered, “Honey, we’re just going to run in and run out. I don’t want you going inside. Dan will be with you, so you can play with him. Right, Dan?”
Dan, Leo’s head security officer, had been listening in. It was his job to know what was going on in his protectees’ lives. Bailey and Lily were no exception. If he was going to keep them safe, he had to understand what was going on. And occasionally, that meant hanging out in a stranger’s yard while he played entertainer for a kid. “I think I've got a soccer ball in the trunk from a vacation I took with my daughter.” He looked at Lily in the rearview mirror as he continued to drive, “Do you like playing soccer?”
She squealed, “I don’t know! I’ve never played soccer before.”
“Well, today is a good day to learn!” Dan turned reassuringly towards Bailey, who eased back in her passenger seat. She had enough on her plate, never mind having to soothe Lily on top of it all. Dan being around made it ever-so-slightly easier to manage, even if she thought his services were really unneeded.
The car pulled up to the Victorian home with the red and navy shutters. It appeared empty, no lights on, no cars in the garage. Even the door appeared to be boarded up with a sheet or two of plywood. In the unkempt yard stood a tired old woman looking out at the street.
Bailey walked slowly towards the home as Lily raced into the yard. The older woman watched as she zoomed past her towards the green grassy fields. She called out as she approached, “Hello, Lily. My, my, aren’t you just the spittin’ image of my sister.”
Bailey interjected, “Lily, go help Dan get the soccer ball while I talk to Great Aunt Catherine. Okay?”
Both women watched as Lily headed back towards the empty street where Dan was opening his trunk and pulling out a black and white ball. He led the girl to the back opening, just enough so they were able to allow the women to speak privately, but close enough that Dan could still keep his eyes out on both of his charges.
“What do you want? Why did you ask me to meet you here so urgently?” Bailey couldn’t bear to look at her. She looked just as her grandmother did when she passed with her longer white hair and her pressed sundress and shawl. She was a ghost, a mirage. But she was still the woman who kicked her out of her childhood home months earlier.
“Oh, Bailey, I didn’ call yer here t’ fight. I called ya’ here t’ make a peace offerin’.” She pulled out a yellow folder from her large tote bag and handed it to Bailey.
“I think it’s a little late for peace offerings. And I’m in no mood to be playing guessing games. Tell me what you want.”
Catherine sighed deeply, “It’s the deed, Bailey. The house is yours, if you want it.”
Bailey looked at her stunned. Part of her was shocked; the other part wasn’t sure where the trap laid. Her great aunt had fought so hard for this house and had no qualms about kicking her grandmother’s only grandchild out. There head to be a catch. “What happened to Rebecca and her husband? I thought you gave them the house?”
“They’re gone. His job let ‘im go, and they moved back to Mississippi, to my house. But I need this house gone ASAP. I can’t afford two mortgages, let alone supporting them on top of everything. So I’m offering it to you. If you want it, I’ll give it to you at market price.”
Bailey opened the folder and pulled out a contract. On top was the price written out in red ink. At the bottom of the paper were two sticky tabs indicating where she could sign her name.
“I’m not stupid. I know who you’re with now. I know you probably got some money, as well. But I know you’re smart. Your grandma didn’t raise you to be a fool. Ya have to know that whatever you got goin’ on with that man ain’t gonna last for long. Ya gonna need a home for Lily when it’s over.”
Bailey looked at her, stunned. “How dare you!” It was the only thing she could think of saying to the woman.
“Oh, don’t be daft, girl! You gotta know he ain’t staying loyal for long. This is how these things go. Men like him have too many outside distractions in their way. They’re certainly not the settlin’ type.” She looked at her with pity. Bailey couldn’t possibly be in love with Leo, let alone think that he was going to be a part of her future for long.
Bailey couldn’t blame her for bringing it up. After all, everyone knew his reputation with the drinking and the women. And knowing Bailey, she wasn’t exactly the best picker of men. They all knew how terrible Joe was; hell, he was abusive and kidnapped Lily. Leo was just another in the long string of bad decisions and choices that made up Bailey’s history. She had let her heart open the wrong ways and now there was nothing keeping it from spinning out of control.
Catherine took the folder from Bailey’s hand and opened up to the last page, “Listen, you've got a few days to think about it. But I’m only gonna be in town for the next week. I plan on putting it on the market the day I head back home. So if you decide to buy it, you call this number for the realtor. He’ll set you up and get the paperwork to me. I’m not gonna fight you on it. I’m not gonna try to take it away. It’s yours when you sign that bottom line.”
Bailey nodded, speechless, as she took back the paperwork and placed it carefully in her bag. Her hands shook as she nervously searched for the words to say next. But there was nothing she could think of worth saying to the woman who once accused her of stealing her grandmother’s precious pearl necklace.
Catherine looked out towards where Lily played with Dan. “You know, I remember when your granddaddy built this home. I came out to visit her shortly she had your father. I told her that this home was a deathtrap, that they should have gotten professionals to build it. But your gran just laughed and said, ‘Catie, this is my home. Ain’t nothing more perfect than a home.’” Catherine touched her hands to her lips, holding back the emotions that were suddenly spilling out of her mouth. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she pointed out towards Bailey’s daughter, “You know, that girl of yours sure does look like Josephine. Your gran would've loved to see her, and you, in this home. I do hope you’ll consider it.”
As she walked out of the gate, Bailey murmured under her breath, “We were in this home. This was our home.”
Bailey looked up at the deserted Victorian with the white paint peeling and the ivy climbing up the siding. It wasn’t anything like the estate she lived in with Leo. But it was home. It was the place she nursed broken hearts, recovered from losing both her mom and dad, and sought shelter from her ex. She had an opportunity now to make it hers for the rest of her life.
The month of working for Leo had been extremely lucrative. It padded her bank account enough to make a sizable down deposit. With another cleaning job, she could pay the rest off in no time and still have money to spare. Then she could focus on giving Lily everything she needed on her own, without the help of a wealthy boyfriend. She could be the mother, the provider, the supporter—everything she had struggled to be in the past.
The wheels turned as a plan formed. She could see this old home coming to life again. She could see Lily playing out in the field with her dog. Bailey could spend her time studying for her college degree in the expansive first floor library office. Leo could cook steaks on the wraparound deck as Jonathan sipped ice tea on a brand new swing.
The image hit her. There was no Leo in this equation. If she bought this home, there would be no cookouts, no cars in the garage, nor long nights in bed together. There would be no man for Lily to call her father—no one to kill the insects or chase a monster out of the closet. Picking this life meant leaving him and the security of his family mansion behind for good.
Bailey resigned herself that this was not a decision she could make without him. He had to be a part of the decision, even if it was to yell and scream that she couldn’t leave him. She wasn’t going to make it alone in that field. The early setting sun would soon be disappearing into the sky and she still had to head to the police station before long.
She called out to her daughter who was busy running circles around Dan, a soccer ball in her arms. “Lily! Come on! Let’s get going before it rains!” Lily ran towards her with Dan following shortly behind her, both laughing as they waded through grass up to their calves.
That was until Lily stopped in the middle of the field with her small eyes wide open in terror. Bailey looked in their direction for what made her freeze. Dan was on his knees, pulling at something strapped to his waist.
Lily screamed, “Mommy! Look out!” Bailey watched as Dan pulled Lily to the ground with one swift knock. A sound of a bullet crackled through the afternoon air. She barely pulled in a breath before blackness overtook her.