Beauty and the Beast (38 page)

The operation was successful, but Bruce was still unconscious. Nefertiti continued to rest her head on the edge of the bed. She hadn’t stepped foot in the hospital since she had been released and had vowed never to return. At the time she’d thought the staff had treated her like a freak show exhibit, but having saved her fire ninja, they could do no wrong.

“Nef… Neferti… ti…”

She lifted her head and smiled when she saw Bruce was awake. “You scared the mess out of me.” She kissed him gently. “I love you so much.”

She heard Victoria scramble behind her. Her parents and Alexis had checked into a nearby hotel.

“Bruce, darling.” Victoria took his hand into hers. “If you ever do anything even half as crazy, I’ll kill you myself.” She gently stroked his cheek. “My poor baby.”

“I couldn’t let him hurt Nefertiti,” he said weakly.

“Of course you couldn’t, but you should have taken Silas and his guards with you. Look before you leap.” She glanced at her watch.

“You have somewhere to be?” he asked teasingly.

“No, darling. Alexis said she’d be here an hour ago.”

“Humph, she won’t show,” he said bitterly.

“I know you don’t want to hear this,” Nefertiti said, “but I’m going to say it anyway. Alexis was an awful mother and one of her men would have eventually killed you.”

Victoria cringed. Bruce chuckled. “Water ninja, you aren’t telling me anything I don’t know.”

“I haven’t gotten to the part you won’t like yet.” She brushed her lips over his forehead. “Yes, the way she abandoned you was all wrong, but she made a conscious choice to leave you with Auntie. She knew Auntie would be the mother you deserved.” He looked away, but she could tell he was still listening. “You know how jealous Auntie Alexis is. It had to kill her to think Auntie Vic could do a better job than her, yet she set her pride aside and did her version of what was best for you.”

“She didn’t care if the state took me.”

“Oh please. There is no way in hell Auntie Vic would have allowed you to stay in custody of the state. Auntie Alexis knew that and so do you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be angry and hurt. But I can tell you are working at being angry. Why? In trying to punish her, you’re punishing yourself. Forgiveness isn’t for the offender, but the victim. By honestly forgiving someone of the wrongs they’ve done to you, you are no longer held emotionally by those wrongs. Give her the bit of credit she deserves for providing you with a loving mother. If your heart wants to forgive her, then stop fighting it.”

He reached for Victoria. “I couldn’t have asked for a better mother.”

“I love you, too, baby boy.”

The door creaked open, and Catherine crept in. “May I come in?”

“Of course, darling.” Victoria waved her in.

Catherine’s gaze was to the floor, and her shoulders slouched as she approached. “I am so sorry about this.” She stopped at the edge of the bed. “I should have known…”

“It’s not your fault,” Victoria and Nefertiti said in unison.

She nervously picked at the blanket. “You don’t understand. You see… He’s always…” She shook her head. “According to Roy, nothing is ever his fault. The reason he sold his holdings in Dixon Textiles was because he was punishing our father. If he feels slighted, he always punishes the person he believes has wronged him. I was so upset, I didn’t want to think about him. I should have known he’d take after you two. I’m sorry. I’ll resign immediately.”

“No!” Bruce’s hushed yet stern voice startled the women. “You will remain the CEO of the Dixon Textiles unit of the business. Nothing has changed.”

Catherine bowed graciously. “Thank you. I guess I’ll let you get your rest. It’s almost noon, and I have to go meet my parents at the airport in a bit.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Victoria said. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Detectives Shorewood and Clemmons entered as Victoria and Catherine exited. Victoria hesitated in the doorway.

“It’s all right, Auntie Vic,” Nefertiti said. “We can handle it.”

Victoria pointed at the officers. “You upset my babies, I’ll make you curse the day you were born.”

Shorewood, the older of the detectives, smiled sweetly. For a second, Nefertiti thought she saw sparks between the two. “Don’t worry, ma’am.”

Come to think of it, she’d noticed something the day of the barbeque also, but was too angry to mention it.

Victoria flushed as she left the room with Catherine.

“Don’t even think about asking Auntie Vic out,” Bruce said.

Nefertiti laughed. Shorewood cleared his throat. Clemmons looked totally confused.

“I thought you could use a little good news today.” Shorewood stood beside the bed. “Jay stole the wrong guy’s car while in St. Louis and Dennis got caught in the middle. You’ve been cleared.”

“That’s great!” Nefertiti wanted to jump for joy. Finally, the mystery was solved.

“I was serious about Auntie Vic.”

“Be quiet, Bruce. Auntie is a grown woman with needs,” she teased. “If Detective Shorewood can fulfill—”

“Aw, hell, naw.” Bruce tried to sit up, grimaced in pain and lay back. “Don’t even play like that.”

“And what about Roy?” Nefertiti asked.

“He was admitted to Loyola Hospital, and is still unconscious. He will be charged with two counts of attempted murder.”

Nefertiti bowed toward the detectives. “Thank you for bringing us the news. We appreciate it.”

“The only thing I’d appreciate is him staying away from Auntie Vic.”

“Ignore him. Someone shot him last night, and now he’s talking out of his head. You know, the painkillers. May I escort you gentlemen out?” She looped an arm with each of them. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’m not playing, Nefertiti,” Bruce called from the bed.

“So, Detective Shorewood. Tell me about your family.” She glanced over her shoulder at Bruce and winked.

“Aw hell, could this day get any worse?” Bruce grumbled when Alexis entered his room. “Where’s Nefertiti?”

“She’s in the lobby with those detectives. That young one is kind of cute.” She sat in the chair Nefertiti had set close to the bed. “There was a day I could pull any man.” A reverent sigh humbled her. “Days long gone.”

“What do you want?”

After a long while, she said, “My sister barely tolerates me, and my son…” She looked away, but he could swear he’d seen authentic tears in her eyes. “I’m lonely.”

 
With a dismissive shrug of his shoulders, Bruce pretended to be unaffected by what Alexis had said. Pain and anger were emotions he felt comfortable associating with Alexis, not sympathy. “You want lonely? Try being a three-year-old left on a porch by your mommy. You said you’d come back for me.” The comfort of the all too familiar pain and anger embraced Bruce. “I waited and waited.”

Alexis sniffed and dabbed below her nose with a tissue. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, sorry is reading that your mother doesn’t care if you are dropped into the overworked, understaffed, non-caring custody of the state.”

“How could she?” She turned her puffy eyes on him. “How could she tell you about my letter?”

“How could she?” The physical pain Bruce felt was nothing compared to the emotional pain his mother had put him through all of these years. But the more he released the feelings he’d bottled up for the sake of his Auntie Vic, the better he felt. “First off, Auntie Vic has never seen the note. I found it in my things when I was three and kept it to myself.”

“Oh my God!” She drew her shaky hands to her mouth.

“Secondly, how could you have written it?”

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“You were in your right mind, all right. The problem is, your mind has always been and will always be selfish. Hell, you said it yourself. You aren’t here for me, but because you’re lonely. Well, I don’t need or want you in my life.”

“But Bruce!”

He held his hands up. “For some strange reason, Nefertiti has taken a liking to you. I’ll continue to tolerate you for her and Auntie’s sake, but stay out of my way.”

Tears flowing profusely, she lowered her gaze to her lap. “I’m so ashamed for how… You’re right. But I didn’t realize what I’d given up until—”

“Until I made my first million.”

“No!”

“Yes. Stop forcing yourself into my life. I don’t want or need you. I have a mother.” He turned from her.

“I know I haven’t been there for you, but I do love you,” she said softly as she caressed his hand. To his own shock and probably hers, he didn’t jerk away. No matter how much he tried to make himself believe he didn’t want her love and acceptance, he did.

“I knew Victoria would never give you away. I knew she’d be the mother you needed. I was too weak. I thought I needed a man to survive and you needed a real mother.” She gently grasped his chin and turned him to face her. “I didn’t want to give you up, but I wasn’t ready for children.”

The sincerity in her voice and regret in her eyes slowly chipped away at his protective shields. “Thank you for giving me to Auntie Vic.”

“If you don’t believe anything else I tell you, please believe I knew Victoria would be the mother you deserved. I knew she wouldn’t give you to the state.”

He sighed. “I know. And I’ll try not to totally shut you out.”

A sad smile tipped her lips. “I love you so much, Bruce. I just pray someday you believe me.” She patted his hand. “You need your rest. I’ll visit again this evening.”

“I’d like that,” he said honestly.

Nefertiti returned to the room, rested in the chair beside the bed and watched Bruce sleep. The sound of him being his ol’ grumpy, protective self had been music to her ears.