The Gift Ch. 02

Sean walked out the door after a long look at me and I turned around to survey the apartment. Not bad, a little shabby, but for a bachelor it was in pretty good shape. Kind of reminded me of Pierce's downtown prison. I stopped suddenly and felt a sickness in my stomach.

"Hello, Dixie," Pierce said gently.

I whirled around to face Pierce. "What, how did you find me?" I trembled, my knees shaking.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I am going to tell you that Sean is in a great deal of trouble at the moment. You have to come with me now."

"Don't you hurt him," I screamed. "Pierce, damn it, don't hurt him!"

"Relax, Dixie. He's not in danger because he was with you. That was his job. However, he is in a great deal of trouble because he slept with my wife. I can't tolerate that. You understand, I'm sure? Don't make a fuss, Dixie. You aren't going to win this time. Let me ask you something."

I was silent, the tears rolling down my cheeks. Pierce had my arm and was leading me gently to his car.

"Did he protect himself, Dixie? Or did he fuck you indiscriminately? Are you going to have his child?" Pierce was white with anger.

I was still silent, but I knew now that Pierce's skill was much stronger than mine, and that he was reading my mind. I had thought I was expertly skilled, but even Sean had managed to get past me.

"Sean is an employee of mine, Dixie. But I think he loved you, dear, yes indeed I do. And that is why he's on his way to Metairie. He's going to face your grandmother. But I don't think you'll have the chance to see your lover, dear. You'll be upstairs while he's there." Pierce was stiff beside me on the seat.

"Pierce," I said, my voice small. "Honey, let me explain."

"Don't call me 'honey', please," he said. "You've insulted me beyond imagination. You ran away from our marriage. Christ, Dixie, you left your child. Your daughter. Or had you forgotten about her? What were you thinking, damn it? Did you think I wouldn't find you?"

I was sobbing again. "Pierce, please! I…I don't know what I thought. You didn't love me anymore. Grandmother didn't love me. You wouldn't let me be with Rona alone. I felt like an outsider! It was madness! When I met Sean, he was alone too. We were both alone, and it felt good to be close to someone again. Someone who I thought wouldn't betray me." My voice broke and then died.

"Well, your intuition is as fine-tuned as ever," Pierce said sarcastically. "Sean is married, Dixie. He brought you to a house he didn't own. He has two children already." He looked at me. "Three now, I guess."

"Come on, Pierce. You know as well as I do that I may not be pregnant."

Pierce didn't reply. We had reached Metairie and I noticed another dark sedan in the driveway. My heart skipped a beat as Pierce took my arm and led me around the back of the house. Sean was here. What were they doing to him?

"Don't worry about him, sweetheart," Pierce said. "You'd be better employed worrying about your own fate."

"You said you wouldn't hurt me, Pierce," I said, suddenly afraid.

"I won't. I can't speak for your grandmother. Did you ever think what this did to me, Dixie? I mean, as a person?" Pierce stopped and looked at me, and I suddenly noticed lines on his forehead I hadn't seen before. His eyes looked tired and worried, and I realized that he really did love me. What was I thinking, leaving this man? I melted inside and knew that I didn't have to answer, but I did anyway.

"I'm sorry, Pierce," I whispered softly, reaching up to touch his face. "Please, honey, take care of me. I'm so scared and lonely, I don't know who I am."

Pierce took me in his arms and cuddled me close to him, dropping his eyes to look me in the face. "Don't ever do that to me again, Dixie. Okay? I love you, honey."

"I love you too," I sobbed. "But why did you leave me for so long, why were you so distant?"

"It's a test… and unfortunately you failed," he smiled wearily. "We're supposed to see if you love this family for itself or love it simply because you're loved. You failed, Dixie, and I don't know what your grandmother thinks of that. But I know she'll take you back, honey. She really is fond of you. And Rona needs a mother. Camille has been here a bit for the past few days but it's not the same, of course."

"What about…if I'm pregnant?" I asked tentatively. I hated to bring it up, but I knew that it had to be discussed.

"Honey…I'm not in a position to say anything definite… but I can say this. If there is no question that it could be mine… then there is no question as to who the father is. However, I know your grandmother will stipulate that the money go to Rona, regardless of this baby's gift. You understand, of course?"

I was scared, but happy. I wanted my family back, and I was glad they would accept me, baby or no baby. It was of no concern to me what happened to Sean. It was his fault that I was corrupted, certainly. If I didn't believe that now, I knew I eventually would. I had my husband back, and that was all that mattered.