The Apple Tree (29 page)

Bianca closed her eyes. She should’ve known. He’d been alive for-friggin’-ever, of course there’d been other women. It just wasn’t something she’d wanted to think about. “And you two, were never able to have…”

He shook his head. “No, but first, I want you know, I never loved her like I love you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “How could you marry someone you didn’t love?”

He sighed. “I needed a wife. There weren’t a lot of women to choose from and everyone assured me that she was the best choice… I did care about her. I wanted to be a good husband.” He turned his head, watching something out the window. “We were more like friends and not very good friends.”

She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. “How do you know she wasn’t the one who couldn’t have a baby?”

“
Because none of the people I know who’ve eaten an apple had kids afterward. My friends, Wiley and Margaret, lost two children because of the curse and they tried for years after to have another one. I think we’re… frozen.”

She bit her lip and focused on the raindrops streaming down the windshield. “I have Owen—”

“
No, don’t say you don’t care, because I know you do. I know you want to be a mother and you’d make a great mother. The greatest... I can’t take that from you.” Levi finally turned to look at her.

“
We could adopt—”

“
Too risky for me.”

Bianca closed her eyes. How had things fallen apart so quickly? “I should go then.” She opened the door, taking one last look at him.

His bloodshot eyes watched her as he squeezed the steering wheel.

She jumped out and slammed the door before her tears began to fall, mixing with the rain on her face.

B
ianca entered her apartment, trudged upstairs and took off her uniform, throwing it on the floor. Why bother keeping things clean when her heart was broken? She pulled open the dresser, shoved her lacy tanks aside and grabbed an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants, then plopped down on the bed and brought the covers up over her shoulders. Damn Levi and his reversible marriage proposal. Her knees pressed against her stomach as a sob tore through her.

In the morning, noises of her mother making breakfast for Owen drifted into her room. It sounded like everything was being cared for downstairs, no point in getting out of bed. Instead, she laid with her head on the pillow, stared at the plaster bumps on the ceiling and blinked, her eyelids scratchy and irritated.

Her mother poked her head in the door around noon. “You okay in here, Bee?”

She made a non-committal grunt.

Her mother leaned against the door and narrowed her eyes. “Oookay, do you need anything?”

The words,
No, go away
, left her tongue, but it came out as just another grunt.

“
Right.” Her mother crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing Bianca’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Bianca shook her head. What was she doing? Lying around all day was exactly what her mother would do and she wasn’t her mother. Not if she could help it. She rubbed her forehead and sat up, finding her voice. “I’m a little upset, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Her mother nodded and stood. “Okay, just let me know if you do.” She hovered for moment, like she wanted to say something else, but then turned and left the room.

Bianca took a deep breath, swinging her feet down onto the carpet. So, she wouldn’t be marrying a wonderful man like Levi, she’d get over it. She clenched her jaw and grabbed her hairbrush off the dresser, throwing it across the room.

Her eyes squeezed shut and she rubbed the bridge of her nose. That was so uncalled for. Pull it together. She retrieved the brush and set it on the dresser and then bent to clean up the clothes she’d tossed on the floor the night before.

Levi filled the hanging silver basket with chicken feed then stood with his arms crossed, watching the hens peck around the yard. He hadn’t wanted to get off the couch, but living things depended on him. The fresh air refreshed his skin, but irritated his heart. He didn’t want to feel good, he wanted to sit on the couch and wallow in misery.

This was best, though. It wouldn’t do either one of them any good to enter into a marriage that would only lead to resentment and regret in a few years when the initial tingles wore off and she realized what she gave up.

A yellow hen approached, pecking his boot. He gave his foot a gentle swing to get it off. What was Bianca doing today? Hopefully, she’d eventually get on with her life. He should’ve just left her alone after he confirmed she hadn’t eaten a red apple, saving them both a lot of heartache.

He sighed and walked around to the front of the house. A deep groove remained in the gravel where Peter’s car squealed out on his last visit. Levi’s nostrils flared and he kicked the rocks, trying to refill the hole.

Peter! With all the drama between him and Bianca, he’d almost forgotten about his cousin’s threats. He gave the gravel a harder kick. How was he supposed to protect her if they weren’t together?

He stomped up the porch and sat on the top step with his head between his hands. The only way to really protect her would be to cut down the tree. And that might kill him, but then again, what was the point of life without someone to share it with? He rubbed his left hand where a ring would have gone.

If they all survived the destruction of the tree, he could finally tell Peter and his father the root of the curse. At that point there’d be nothing they could do about it and they’d have no reason to bother Bianca.

He ran his hand through his hair, the idea solidifying in his mind. Peter and Uncle Charles would be pissed and probably kill him, then he’d come back to life and kill them. But, eventually, they’d have to get past it.

Relieved to have a plan, he stood and walked inside.

The next day, Bianca stretched herself across the couch and flipped through channels, starring at the TV, but comprehending nothing. Maybe she should call Stephanie. She sighed. So much happened since the last time they’d talked and she was exhausted just thinking about explaining it all.

Her mother came and sat beside her. “Bee, can I talk to you for a minute?”

She’d rather slam her head against a brick wall, but she found herself nodding anyway.

“
I know you’re not in a very good mood right now, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve been trying really hard the last week to be a good mother. So, since you’re having a hard time right now, I just wanted to tell you, it’s okay. You always pick up my slack around here and it’s time I pulled my head out of my butt.” Her hand patted Bianca’s leg. “You just watch TV, I’ll take care of everything.”

Bianca sighed. “That’s great mom… really.” She tried to smile, but she only got halfway. It was good news, she just couldn’t seem to summon the proper level of enthusiasm.

“
Okay.” Her mother stood. “Good talk.” She returned to the kitchen.

Bianca continued to flip through the channels. It was just her luck that her mother would decide she didn’t need her anymore, exactly when she had no one else. Well, except Steph. She rubbed her face between her palms and then grabbed her laptop from the top of the TV stand, opened it on the coffee table and clicked on her email.

Junk, junk and more junk.

A message from her dad caught her eye. She clicked it open and found herself staring at a photograph of a tiny baby boy with the same brown eyes as hers. Her new brother. Everyone was having babies. Was this some sort of cruel joke from the universe?

A knock at the door made her jump. She rolled her eyes and plopped her head back down on the couch cushion, planning to ignore the door.

Her mother, on the other hand, skipped over and pulled it open with a smile on her face.

“
Good afternoon, my dear,” said a smooth, rich voice from the porch.

Bianca’s stomach dropped.

“
Is Bianca home?”

“
Sure, come on in,” her mother said, oblivious to Bianca’s furious head shaking and hand waving from the couch. Apparently, Peter’s charm worked on women of all ages.

He stepped through the door and his beautiful sapphire eyes grew wide.

She sat and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to remember the last time she’d actually brushed it. Must have been the morning Levi came over for breakfast. Her stomach nosedived at the memory.

“
What happened to you?” Peter raised a dark brow.

“
That’s what I’d like to know.” Her mother shut the door. “So please, if you find out, let me in on the secret.”

Bianca groaned. “Why are you here, Peter?”

He held up his hands and then pulled a flash drive from his pocket. “I brought your photos.”

“
Oh, thanks.” She took the stick and set it on the TV stand.

“
I also wanted to talk to you, and I promise,” his eyes darted to her mother and he lowered his voice, “to keep my hands off you… until you ask.” He winked.

After everything that had happened with Levi, Peter was not the last person she wanted to see. Actually, it felt pretty good that he was still interested. She glanced at her mother and then back to Peter. “Let’s talk in my room.”

He raised his eyebrows and grinned, but kept silent as he followed her up the stairs.

She must have really gone off the rocker if she was bringing Peter, of all people, up to her bedroom.

When they stepped through the door, his head tilted toward the unmade bed. “So, what happened to you? You look like shit.” He sat on the edge of her blue quilt.

“
Gee, thanks.” She plopped next to him.

“
What I mean is, every other time I’ve seen you, you’ve been so put together and today…” He waved his hand as if what he meant was obvious.

“
So, you’re like really old, huh?” she said in a sarcastic tone.

He chuckled. “You know my little secret, but you didn’t answer my question. What’s going on?”

She pressed her lips together and her gaze swept over the black strands of hair that fell over his forehead.