Thank you for reading Enjoy
Chapter 7
Mia
Cleaning up the kitchen, I left the family to talk about this whole thing with Lindsey and the sheriff. I don't understand it. Why do they want to hurt this family? From everything I've experienced with Georgia she wants to help Moss Bluff as much as the rest of her family.
"Let me help you with that," Cole offers, taking the dish towel he begins to dry the dishes as I wash them.
"Oh, you don't have to. I'm sure you can help them in there more," and he makes me nervous. I don't understand why he keeps coming around me.
"They have it handled. I'm worried about you." Cole stops what he's doing and takes my hand. "Mia, you have gotten a delivery of flowers full of bees that you are allergic to. You had a break in at the flower shop and someone decided to vandalize it. I'm afraid you are the next victim of our local terrorist who is claiming to be your secret admirer."
"I'm in agreement with Cole," Georgia stands in the doorway, the door open to the dining room and everyone sitting at the table behind her. "Please come back in and join us. I can guarantee that the dishes won't be going anywhere. And you will have plenty of help when we are finished with this conversation."
Not being given much choice, I followed Georgia back into the room with Cole following me. He pulled out a chair for me and waited for me to sit before sitting in the chair next to me. A true gentleman. WOW. As I sat awestruck by Cole's manners, I noticed Aubrey at the end of the table.
My eyes drifted from person to person. Aubrey holding her baby, so afraid for what she thought she lost. Beckett, watching over them protectively hovering as if he is ready to swoop in to save them from anyone who might hurt those he loves.
Leo and Quinn snuggle together with Hope. One happy family. But not so long ago they were just like Beckett. And aren't they just a few weeks off from the same situation?
Brynn and Ethan, still trying to figure out who they are together. New but not, friends but more. And still they are in just as much danger as the others.
The other Bradford's are here because they were called. They aren't the core. It really revolves around those few. And yet it still is more. My eyes go back to Aubrey and stay there. The beginning of the story and the end. That's the truth of it, isn't it?
The trouble started with Aubrey and Beckett at Halloween a couple years ago. And here we are again. A year ago it was Leo and Quinn, six months ago it was Ethan and Brynn and now we're back to Aubrey and Beck. Back to the beginning. Why?
Poor Aubrey held Chance to her chest rocking him, not taking her eyes off him. I bet she's scared to death to take her eyes off him. For fear that she will lose him again. "She's second guessing herself."
"What was that, sugar?" Georgia asked not quite hearing me.
"I said Aubrey is second guessing herself. So is Beckett and Paige. If Aubrey left the stroller at the diner why didn't they see it? Or any of you? Of course you would have seen it. Of course Aubrey would have kept Chance with her. She's a good mother. The kidnappers want you to think you messed up. You didn't."
It was just that simple.
"You think that they're trying to make us question each other?" Paige brought the coffee pot over to the table. "If we're too busy accusing each other of not watching each other back then we aren't looking for the real perpetrators."
"That, unfortunately, makes sense." Brynn rubs Aubrey's shoulder. "As crappy as that is, it makes sense. If they are trying to get away with something, they need a distraction. What better way to disrupt an organized group than fighting amongst ourselves?"
It's horrible really but it's a perfect way to keep everyone occupied with their own agenda and not pay attention while the real person gets away with something without being noticed. By the time it was discovered it would be too late and possibly be blamed on the wrong person.
And isn't that the point?
The who, what, where and when of all of this is coming together right in front of us. We just don't know why.
"It's coming full circle. They are coming back around to you," I point out.
"No, they aren't," Beckett disagrees, taking the pot and pouring himself some coffee. "They are coming after you."
I don't understand how I'm involved in this. I'm not a Bradford. I'm not even in this family. I don't have a relationship with any of them beyond Georgia and that's just because she asked me to help her as an assistant.
"I don't understand."
"He's right," Quinn agreed.
As the others nod their heads, I'm lost. One by one they join in. Each one of them tells me another part of the story. Adding another layer of detail to the puzzle showing the pieces that I'm not seeing. And the fear that I didn't sense before begins to build.
"Lindsey's always been jealous of Brynn and Aubrey. Since high school she has been trying to be just like them but she just never hits the mark." Leo begins with the explanation.
"She tried first to get Ethan's attention in high school. Everything and anything to turn his head until she actually set up a situation that made it look as if Brynn was cheating on him, which of course she wasn't." Paige explained.
"But teenage boys are naive and stupid and he believed her. Sorry son, but you were. It broke them up for years and Lindsey made sure it stayed that way. She rubbed it into Brynn's face plenty when the opportunity came around." Will continued where Paige left off.
"When Beckett came to town Lindsey made a fool out of herself every chance she got." Ethan added, doctoring his coffee while he spoke.
"No one will forget her little display at Halloween but I have to say that Beckett had the best response to her that shut her down." Brynn grinned at her best friend, remembering the night as if it were yesterday.
Beckett smiled back at her, remembering the same thing, "I have to agree with Brynn."
Aubrey turned a bright shade of pink but didn't disagree. The memory of that night must have been quite memorable.
"She didn't go after Leo that way. It's like she just didn't like me because I was Beckett's sister. She didn't seem to care that Leo and I were dating."Quinn remembers her introduction to Lindsey. "She just didn't like us."
"No, but she knew you had money and Fitz held a key to getting his hands on your money if she had anything to say about it." Leo reminded her.
"He almost did. I would have given him every dime as long as he gave Hope back to me." Quinn whispered as Leo wrapped his arm around her.
The first time Lindsey took advantage of a child to exploit the parents. It wouldn't stop there. Taking Hope to a cabin where everyone was in danger and Charlie waited too long to help them and Lindsey managed to escape.
"She almost killed Brynn when she went for round two with us." Ethan growled, obviously recalling this isn't helping matters for him. But it is putting things into perspective for me.
She failed a second time with them and a second time with Beckett and Aubrey and this little kidnapping of their son. We've caught on to the game but we don't know all the players yet. So how do we find out who all is in the game?
We need to set up a game of our own.
"We need a plan. Before they can act again we need to be prepared for the next move," Georgia is a good strategist. She did well in the Mayor's race. She knew exactly what to do and how to win over voters.
"We need to know who is coming after her!" Cole has a good point.
Lindsey? Charlie? Her twin sister? Who was it that really died in that fire? I'm even confused at this point. Are they the only ones in this? What about Mitzi? She's in everyone's business. Or Mr. Wilson, no, he's too old for this.
"Let's just make this happen on our terms. I don't want to put any of us in danger. I want that perfectly clear," Georgia declares, standing at the head of the table.
"He wants me," I whisper, knowing that I'm the one who has to do this. "He has sent me the letter. And the flowers. I don't have any family to risk..."
"No!" Cole shoved his chair back and stood up. "You can't ask her to put herself in danger just because she's not family or doesn't have a baby! That's not okay with me!"
"That's not okay with me either, Cole," Georgia agreed, but he wasn't wrong in what he was saying. I don't have a child and I'm not a part of this family. I'm expendable and that's the truth of it.
"Mia, we won't let anything happen to you," Beckett tried to assure me.
"You won't be alone," Leo echoed his sentiment.
I don't feel any better.
"No, you won't be alone," Cole agrees, "Because I'm going to be with you the entire time!"
"What?" Brynn asked curiously.
"Really?" Aubrey smiled.
"Oh?" Quinn sat up straighter.
"You what?" Beckett wasn't sure if he liked that.
"Say again?" Leo asked.
"About damn time!" Ethan muttered.
Everyone spoke at once, arguing with Cole about how he was going to be with me if I was the bait. I couldn't really be the bait if I wasn't alone. Not that I was alone, no, everyone agreed, I definitely wasn't going to be alone. Yet that was definitely the idea, wasn't it?
Georgia said nothing, she sat back at the end of the table and smiled, listening to everyone else arguing about Cole's intentions to defend me against this faceless menace who is going to attack me. She looks very smug. Did she plan this?
"QUIET!" Standing up, I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Getting everyone's attention, I sat down again and took a long drink of the amber liquid in the glass of whatever was in front of me. I thought it was ice tea but the burn at the end said no. But it is tasty.
Taking another long drink I feel a little fuzzy but not all bad. Maybe I'm a little bit off balance and more outgoing than normal. Maybe it's what I need for tonight.
Taking another drink, I let the amber liquor burn down through my chest. It warms me up head to toe. That feels.... Good. Cozy.
Seeing another glass that no one has touched sitting there, I slide it to me and drink it down as well. Heat, burn, warmth... a little tilt of the room but I'm good. I'm okay.
A little boost to help me with my anxiety. I'm not good with being the center of attention. And for this plan they're making to revolve around me. That doesn't make me comfortable.
Taking another sip. I keep thinking about it. I have to do this, they're relying on me. I'm the bait. I'm the bait. Can't fish without bait. Taking another drink, I keep repeating those words to myself.
That's okay.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
"I'm the bait. I have to be alone." Even as I state this out loud, Cole starts to argue with me. Pushing two of my fingers against his lips, I silence him. Leaning down, I get nose to nose with him. "Hush. You talk too much."
Sitting back in his chair, Cole pouts as if I've taken away his man card. Not like he has any reason to be butt hurt. It's not like he's interested in me or anything.
Chuckling on the other side of the table, Leo and Ethan nudge each other. "Maybe you should listen to the lady."
"Shut up before I kick your ass!" Cole growls from between his teeth.
"They're right. You should listen to the lady, me. I'm right. I'm the bait. You can't fish without bait. You can't talk too loud when you fish or you scare away the fish." Pointing to myself as I refer to the bait as I pretend to toss a fishing pole into the water, I finish the glass and realize I feel light headed and dizzier than I ever have. "What was that?"
"Whiskey," Beckett answered, "Do you fish?"
"No..." Curious, I smell the glass. It smells good. Sticking my finger into the glass, I run my finger around the edge and lick it, it tastes good. I think I like it. Before I can ask for another, Beckett takes the glass away from me.
"Don't give her any more," Cole warned him.
"I haven't had that before," Frowning, I wonder if he might be right, not that I'm going to admit it right now. I won't say he's right about anything when he's being so bossy.
"Then you should slow down," Georgia smiles, pushing a glass of water on me. "You don't want a boggled head tomorrow. If you do, we can take care of that too. My Blake has had more than his fair share of those."
Beckett laughs at her comment, apparently Blake's antics with whiskey are well documented. I don't think I want to know how they know this. Sipping on the water, I know that I need a clear head for what I'm getting into.
But accepting my fate, I prepare for my first fishing trip. "Then let's get the tackle box ready! We're going fishing, boys!"
Please remember to vote comment and share