Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) (34 page)

“So, Tyler, while you’re here,” Will begins. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Sure man…what’s up?” Tyler grabs a soda from the fridge and plops down on a bar stool at the counter. I love how they have just picked right back up where they left off in their friendship.

“There just never seemed to be a perfect time when you were here for my birthday, but…I wanted to know…will you be my best man?” Will’s eyes are soft. It means so much to me that he has the opportunity to even ask Tyler. With the way our lives are now, having someone as important as Tyler in our wedding wasn’t a possibility until now. I know Will wants our wedding day to be all about what I want, but it wouldn’t be complete without having Tyler stand with Will.

“Wow.” Tyler is immediate choked up. They’ve been best friends since forever so I don’t know why it would catch him off guard. But clearly it’s as meaningful to Tyler as it is to Will. “Of course! Thank you!” Tyler and Will embrace and now I’m choked up.

When I asked Caroline to be my maid of honor, the water works exploded with both of us. Knowing that our best friends will be able to be a part of our special day is the best wedding gift ever. When Will and I got engaged, I was admittedly sad at times knowing that there will be people missing who should have been an integral part of our day. While Gwen and Chris won’t be there, it will still be an amazing day.

The weekend with Tyler passes all too quickly, and as we finally say goodbye it’s sadder than I imagined it would be. The ride to the airport is filled with second reminders of what he can and cannot say. This is how it was when Caroline came to visit, too. It’ll get easier with each visit.

“Are you ok?” I ask Will as we pull away from the terminal.

“Yeah, actually. I’m great. Thank you so much for bringing him back into our lives. It’s been incredible.” Will pulls my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “How did things go with Agent Croft. Anything new?”

“Yes! He said that he wouldn’t be visiting again because Luke and Wes had given them enough evidence that, combined with what they already had, they’d be ready to file charges soon. Isn’t that great?”

Will is silent for a few long moments, contemplating the joy I’ve just expressed at his father’s ultimate demise.

“Honey, are you ok?” I ask.

“Yeah, yeah…I’m fine. I don’t know…it’s just weird. It’s not like we haven’t talked a hundred times about him getting what he’s due…it’s just…so real. When did Croft say they’d be filing the charges? I think I should warn my mother since it’ll make national news.”

“He didn’t say when, exactly. He just said soon. So, I would guess in a month or so. I know it seems a bit surreal right now, but…it’s going to be ok. He’s not going to be able to hurt anyone ever again.”

My idea of
soon
and the FBI’s idea of
soon
are apparently two different things.

It’s been three months since Agent Croft stood in our kitchen and told us that they’d be filing charges
soon
. I’ve tried to let the days go by as normal and uneventful as possible. My job right now is to go to school and plan a wedding.
My
wedding. As consuming as those two things are supposed to be in a young girl’s life, I can’t help but be constantly distracted by the thought of Gregory Meyer being found guilty on countless charges of crimes against humanity.

I keep waiting for Luke to announce that Agent Croft arrested Gregory Meyer himself and the court proceedings against him are scheduled to begin. I’ve been waiting and waiting and can wait no more.
That’s it! I’m setting up a Google Alert.

I’ve been obedient in not doing any searches for Gregory Meyer. Luke and Will both said it would only frustrate me since there are a ridiculous number of glowing reviews of him in publications across the country. But I can’t wait any longer! No sooner have I typed in his name than a hundred links appear in the box to the right.
This
is
ridiculous!

My eyes scan the box of links and lock on the third one from the top:

Gregory Meyer of Meyer, Fincher, and Marks charged with 37 counts of conspiracy…

It’s dated six weeks ago.

My temperature begins to rise and I can feel my face start to burn. They didn’t tell me. No one said anything. I’ve been sitting here like an idiot while they’ve all been privy to the progress being made in taking down the Destroyer of Lives.

“When were you going to tell me that he had been arrested?” I say, marching into the kitchen where Luke and Claire are making dinner.

“What are you talking about?” Claire asks.

“C’mon, Mom, it’s really not your style to act dumb! I Googled him and found, like, a dozen articles on his arrest already!”

“You owe me $100!” Luke says to Claire. “I had her at no more than four months…pay up!”

“Alright, alright!” she says laughing. “You just cost me a new pair of shoes!”

“What…what are you talking about?” My face scrunches together out of confusion. “Did you bet on how long it would take me to find out what you were keeping from me?”

“We bet on how long it would take you to take matters into your own hands. And I won! So, thanks! You just bought me an upgraded Roku for the Great Room!” Luke is so blasé. Why is he not taking this seriously?

“Why are you not taking this seriously?” I demand.

“Layla, the trial started last week. You knew he was being arrested. There was nothing to tell you. We literally just have to sit and do nothing but wait. They’re not televising the trial but there has been some news coverage.” Claire wipes the counter where she was working and puts the remaining ingredients back into the fridge.

“It’s late and court is closed, so there’s nothing happening. We’ll put it on tomorrow and see what they have to say.” Luke’s tone is a little condescending but I try not to take it personally. He knows more about what this process is like and if he says there’s nothing exciting happening, then I believe him.

“Ok…I’m sorry. I just…I just thought you would have told me,” I sigh. “Am I really that predictable? You
knew
I would start my own search for information?”

“Yes,” they answer in unison.

*****

I’ve let the weeks go by with barely a search on the internet or news about the trial. I deleted my Google Alert so I’m not bombarded with information either. If we’re supposed to be moving forward with our lives, then staying updated on even the demise of Gregory Meyer is stunting that growth.

I am now getting married in four months, which means I’m turning 20 in three. When I set this wedding date it was over a year away. Where has the time gone?

Claire and Eliana have handled most of the arrangements. We’re having a sunset ceremony at the gardens where my parents were married. We decided to go ahead and have the reception in the Gardener’s Cottage since there’s a bridal dressing room and the place holds less than 60 people. Right now our guest list is at 30, and that’s only because Will and I invited our professors and told everyone they could bring a date.

Today is the day that I’ve been most looking forward to in all the planning. Today Claire and I have an appointment with a seamstress. Today I am going to put on my mother’s wedding dress. I am hoping with everything in me that she can nip and tuck and adjust it so that it looks just as beautiful on me as it did on my mother 26 years ago.

I emerge from the dressing room with Claire’s help and stare at the reflection in the mirror. I’m not sure I know who this person is. The girl in the mirror isn’t a girl anymore. She’s a woman, and in this wedding dress, she’s…beautiful.

“Oh, Layla.” Claire pulls a tissue from her purse and dabs the corners of her eyes. “You are stunning.”

I don’t know what to say. It’s all so surreal. I fight the feelings of guilt that emerge for being so happy in my dead mother’s wedding dress. I know I’m going to have to put this dress on a few more times before I wear it for the last time, so I pull myself together and decide not to cry…just for today.

The seamstress begins to pull and tug and pin the dress all over. It doesn’t seem to take too much effort to get it into a place where it fits me as if it were made for me. Its Grecian design is very forgiving, so even though I’m small to begin with, I don’t feel the twinge of fear that many brides do in making sure they starve themselves so they fit into the dress on their wedding day.

When the seamstress is done poking and pulling at me, I take another look at myself in this now perfectly fitted dress. I have to admit, the dress is stunning, and I feel the same way in it. I think about Will and how handsome he’ll be in his suit and
this
is what brings the tears. Despite everything that we have been through, in just four short months I am going to be Will’s wife. There was a time I thought that would never happen and knowing that it’s just on the horizon, it feels like nothing short of a miracle.

“Layla, are you ok?” Claire says as she hands me a tissue.

“Yes, actually. I’m just so happy. I can’t believe I’m standing here. When I thought Will was dead, I knew I’d never wear this dress. But here I am, standing in my mother’s wedding dress, looking ahead at marrying the most incredible man on the planet in just four months.”

“
I understand how you feel. I never thought I’d be standing here with my daughter, helping her prepare for the most important day of her life. I’m so happy to be a part of this.” Claire speaks softly as she reflects on a day she knew would never come after Penny died. This has turned into a much more meaningful day for us that I had imagined. I knew it would be special, but it has far exceeded my expectations.

When Claire and I return home, she calls me to her bedroom and sits me on the bed.

“I have something I want to give you,” she begins. “After Penny was born, I wrote her a series of letters. Some were in response to something she had done. Others I wrote when I had been thinking about her life, what she would become, her future. I want you to have this.”

Claire hands me a sealed letter labeled
Wedding Dress
on the front in beautiful script. The cream stationary is thick and feels texturized in my hands.

“Oh, no, I can’t…” I try to decline the letter, but Claire won’t let me.

“We’re mother and daughter, are we not?” she says softly.

“We are.” An automatic smile spreads across my face.

“Then let me give this letter to my daughter.” She closes my hand around the envelope and smiles. “Read it and know that every word and sentiment in there was meant for my daughter, and that’s you.”

Claire leaves the room and I’m left with this letter that was meant for another daughter, given to me by a mother I never thought I’d have again. It’s amazing to me how our family, all of us, so perfectly meets a need and desire in each person. Luke and Claire are the parents I so desperately needed, and I have become the daughter they never thought they’d have. Wes has shown Eliana what it means to be truly loved by a man, and she has given him the courage to be vulnerable again. Will and I gave each other the strength we needed to break free from the chains of our past and forge a new path to the future we deserve. I’m overwhelmed with how loved and blessed I am.

I wipe the tears from my face and gingerly open the letter and begin to read. At first I don’t think I can get through it, but I hear my mother’s and Claire’s voices together in my head and realize that I have been given a great gift. I get to say that I have two mothers who love me with every fiber of their being. My first mother was taken from me too early, but my second mother came to me just in the nick of time. With this newfound elation, I read.

To my beautiful daughter,

Today we chose your wedding dress. As you stood there, looking more stunning than I ever dream, I couldn’t help but well up with pride. You’ve endured struggles and celebrated joys. You’ve worked hard for what you’ve earned, but have also been so blessed by others. And you’ve chosen a man who your father and I know will love and cherish you all the days of your life.

Today was just the first of many days that I am realizing just how difficult it’s going to be to let go of my precious little one. I’ve watch you grow into a remarkable young woman and beam with joy knowing that you are embarking on an incredible journey filled with ups and downs, trials and errors, but most of all, love and joy.

In a few short months, I’ll watch your father walk you down an aisle and place your life into the hands of another. I know that those hands will keep you and protect you. But always know that my hands are never far away. My hands will always be there to applaud you, to embrace you, and whether it be from joy or sorrow, to wipe every tear.

Today we take another step in our journey as well. We’re crossing a threshold together, not leaving behind mother and daughter, but adding friend. I’ll always be your mother, but now I’m so happy to call you my friend as well.

I love you,

Mom

The tears streaming down face I dart from their bedroom and almost tackle Claire in the Great Room. She doesn’t say anything as she wraps her warm arms around me. I hear the sound of her soft sobs mixed with mine and know that we have, indeed, crossed a threshold. I thought I had granted her entry into my heart before, but today it’s been taken to a whole new level. I love Claire as dearly as if she had given birth to me herself.