Oh my God--dear Lord, why? This thought flashed across her brain because no other thought or expression came to mind. Standing in the hallway were Noah and Caleb. Noah--who was supposed to be in another state constructing a bridge and Caleb--who was supposed to be in Africa with their parents; but he wasn’t. They were here--and so was she and Lucien Delors.
Eyes bounced on faces but no words were exchanged.
Noah clinched his jaw, but Caleb was the first to speak.
“Step away from my sister.”
Ona lowered her eyes, taking stock of her body. When they’d heard the noise, their lips had parted, but their arms--they were still touching and the contact was inappropriate for an unmarried Samaritan woman.
Ona’s voiced sounded hoarse when she said...
“Noah--Caleb... What...what are you doing here?”
Noah was stoic and his restrained calm was a testament to a lifetime spent never straying from the Creeds. He addressed Ona, in an even voice.
“We’ve planned this for weeks and we’d hoped to surprise you. Actually it was mother’s idea. I spoke with our parents and I expressed my desire to offer Ester Downey my band. Her parents were assigned to my bridge project and they favored the union.”
Noah paused and for brief moment, he considered Lucien but the glance had been fleeting and he averted his eyes back on Ona.
“Ester’s parents are returning to Virginia to arrange for the family dinner when the engagement will become official.”
Along the crease of Noah’s mouth, she watched when his jaw clenched. There was more to be said...yet, Noah wouldn’t speak his mind with Lucien standing by her side. He would remain silent, and containing his judgment wouldn’t be easy. Sect matters were private and never discussed in the presence of outsiders. Lucien was an outsider and her heart ached because she couldn’t defend him. She couldn’t ask her brothers to be polite, because she was to blame for their behavior. Ona watched the bob on Noah’s throat, and when he swallowed he said...
“Geff was with me when I spoke to our parents and he asked if I would allow him to speak to them. He reminded them about the dinner--the dinner that had not occurred due to your accident. He requested that our families reschedule the dinner for a very important reason.”
Ona felt as if she would faint, because she knew what the important reason was, and when she felt Lucien’s arm brush hers, she knew that he understood as well.
Noah continued.
“With my upcoming engagement--and Geff’s dinner invitation; our parents didn’t want to delay any of these events.”
Ona swayed and if Lucien had not been standing so close to her, she would have toppled like a lumber-jacked tree. She didn’t even notice the added frown lines on Caleb’s face when she did this because she already knew what would follow.
Noah said...
“Our parents are at home--and so is Geff.”
Caleb had caged his anger as long as he could.
He shifted off the brake that had parked his tongue, and it was zero to fifty in under five-seconds.
“Geff and his parents are planning a dinner for YOU--and here you are, making a mockery of a good man and his family. Do you have any idea how difficult it had been when mom and dad left their project six weeks early. It broke their hearts saying goodbye to the villagers. Sure--the project was practically finished and the villagers can complete the rest--but it’s the principle. We came home, for you.”
Caleb’s eyes fixed on Lucien when he said...
“I knew I shouldn’t have left. This wouldn’t have happened had I stayed.”
Maybe--maybe not, she thought but she wouldn’t say that because she’d never seen her brother’s so visibly disappointed, angry and hurt. Especially, Noah. On the outside, her brother showed very little emotion but she’d grown up with him and his eyes always told the tale. She’d seen it and she also knew that nothing good would come from remaining here. She’d made this mess, she didn’t want Lucien, Rachel or Sahara to witness the downfall.
Ona lowered her head, avoiding eye contact when she addressed Lucien.
“I have to go.”
Lucien looked up, and in the background he spotted Sahara and Rachel; each of their expression said different things. Rachel’s expression said, “Come on Caleb, give your sister a break”. And Sahara’s smirk said, “The jig is up.”
When Ona stepped away from him, she was flanked by her brothers. As they walked away, Rachel joined Caleb, walking beside him and he couldn’t discern if she was trying to reason with him or if she was talking to Ona.
Lucien stood paralyzed and his inaction churned his gut like a grater. Every protective instinct entreated him to engage Noah and Caleb in conversation, and had it not been for Ona’s expression, he would have cornered them both, insisting that they talk. He stood idle for the sake of being in love with her. When he’d stared into her eyes, her rapidly batting eyes scuttled ideas that would end with Ona remaining with him. For months, he’d deceived himself to believe reason would prevail. Lucien still believed that but people have to talk if reason is to be had; and that was the problem. Ona’s brothers had arrived, and their return had been unexpected. They had found him with their sister and that had not occurred by design. In fact, their impromptu visit had complicated a situation unbalanced by countless sensitive topics. He blamed himself because he’d been lulled into a false sense of enchantment. His time spent with Ona had been wonderful; the best days of his life and he wasn’t ready for all that to end.
“This is all your fault”
The accusation came from his side. He lowered his gaze, seeing Sahara standing next to him. Her expression was fixed and hard. He furrowed his brows because he’d been lost in thought.
“Excuse me?” he said. Sahara pursed her lips, restating her words in terms that he would grasp.
“Whatever happens to her--you are to blame.”
Lucien was no fool. He’d seen Sahara’s attentions in the hospital and her fondness snowballed the longer she remained in Ona’s company. But on a day like today, he couldn’t be bothered with crushes or any other jealous nonsense.
He expelled a sudden force of air, then he said...
“Sahara...if you have something to say, then say it.”
This had been exactly what she’d wanted. For months she’d watched Lucien cozying up to Ona and the thought had made her sick.
She perched a hand on her hip, when she said...
“What did you think would happen when her family returned? You’d ride in on your white horse--or one of your limos. You’d hoist her up side saddle, then ride off into the sunset, and her family would share a meal with you at the dock?”
“I had imagined another scenario.”
“Oh yes--you’d thought that you would charm them--just like you charmed Ona.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed and he didn’t dignify her comment with a response. Sahara snorted when she said...
“You’re delusional.”
“And what are you?” he should have left well enough alone because there were no winners in this game but he couldn’t abide her point of view.
Sahara rose one brow when she said...
“I’m thinking about converting.”
“What?!” he’d heard her but the word burst free without a second thought.
Sahara said...
“Ona and I have talked about it--and she says that it isn’t as difficult as one might think. Of course--one of the Samaritan families will have to adopt me...but I’m a brilliant musician and that shouldn’t be difficult to achieve.”
Lucien had thought, that she might be a brilliant musician but to his ears, she was beginning to sound a little crazy. She was uttering nonsense, and her fantasies weren’t worth his contemplation. Lucien began to walk away, but he stopped when she said...
“If they talk to you--I'm sure you know that it’ll only be a pity invite.”
Lucien turned on his heels, and he didn’t hide his anger.