For Keeps

24. Scarlett

Life with Luke is beyond perfect.
I love this man who has helped scare away the demons in my head.
He is my rock. I cannot imagine life without him which makes me giggle because Great Falls, Montana was not where I was meant to end up, but here I am, happier than I could have ever imagined.
This is where I belong.

I look around the dinner table, Brett and Luke talking about a game, Karianne making faces over the salad at Hope, Hope mimicking the faces.
My heart is whole because of these people with me right now.
I look again at Brett and have to silently thank him, because without him, I wouldn't be here.

Almost 2 years ago.
Where the fuck am I? Why is it snowing this bad in March?
'Welcome to Great Falls' the sign reads.
It's dark and I'm tired. I drive down the street until I see a Holiday Inn.
I go get a room, but I'm feeling unsettled. I see a bar across the street and decide to grab a drink before bed.

I enter and take in the dim place. It's mostly a casino. Machines lined up in rows over the purple carpet.
There are a few people playing, they don't even see me come in.
I walk up to the bar and order a cranberry vodka and take a seat. I see a younger guy at the end of the bar, just sitting alone. On the other end are a group of guys. I notice them looking at me and talking.
Shit. Maybe this was a bad idea.
I wait in silence until my drink arrives.
"Hey. What's a pretty girl like you doing alone here?" Drunk guy number one says. He is probably twenty one and he reeks of whisky.
"Waiting for my boyfriend actually." I say and turn.
"Fuck him. Come sit with us." Drunk guy two says.
"Thank you, but I'm fine here." I say and take a sip of my drink.
"Don't be like that baby. We can have a great time together." Drunk one says.
Their proximity to me is starting to make me panic until another voice further away tears through the room.
"The girl isn't interested." I turn to loner boy in the corner who is now standing with his fists clenched.
He is probably six feet tall, I can't see the color of his eyes, he is attractive, but there's something about him. He looks completely broken.
The guys laugh.
"What are you gonna do, Brett? Scare us off like you did your wife?" Drunk one says.
Loner boy, (was it Brett?) looks down at his feet then back at the drunk guys, rage filling his eyes.
"I think you boys better go." I say.
Drunk guys don't leave, they keep laughing and taunting Brett.
I can see he is about to blow so I weigh my options: let these guys have a blow out and get the hell out of dodge or...
I punch drunk guy one square in the face.
"Fuck." We both say in unison as I shake my hand and he holds his nose.
"Bitch." He says.
"Maybe now you won't be such an ass to a lady or to Brett here. Beat it fucktards before your balls have a meeting with my knee!" I yell.
Did I just say that? Apparently the new Scarlett doesn't take shit from anyone.
Drunk guys stumble off as I slide a $100 bill to the bartender.
"I apologize for the disturbance." I say to her.
"No problem." She says smiling.
"I fucking had that." A deep voice says behind me.
"I appreciate the attempt, but I can handle myself." I look at this man in front of me, his eyes filled with sadness.
"Can I give you a ride?" I ask.
"No I'm fine."
"Look tough guy, you need to sober up and get your shit together. I don't know you from Adam, but I'm pretty good at reading people and this-" I motion around the dim bar, "is not you."
Tears fill his eyes, that I can now see are blue. "I don't know what to do."
"Well do you have somewhere to be?"
"No, my sister is in town and is watching Hope."
"Who's Hope?"
"My daughter. I'm such a fuck up." He says as he wipes a stray tear.
"No you're not. You are just going through a rough streak." I say shrugging. "Come with me and you can get cleaned up. Get some sleep."
"I'm not homeless." He smiles.
"I didn't think you were, but as your new friend I can't allow this kind of behavior." I flip my hair over my shoulder and hold out my hand. "I'm Scarlett. "
"Hi Scarlett. I'm Brett." He shakes my hand.

We go back across the street to the hotel and get ready for bed.
When he is in his bed and I'm in mine he takes in the room.
"So you live in a hotel?" He asks
"No. I'm just passing through." I say.
"Oh. You're not staying in Great Falls?"
"Doubtfully. "
"Why not?" He asks.
"I don't know. I've only been here two hours. I'm more of a big city kind of girl."
"We aren't that small." He says and I'm pretty sure he is smiling.
"I need a decent job."
"You can apply where I work. I'm sure I can get you in."
"I don't know. I have a lot of... baggage." I say.
"Oh you mean like a wife who up and leaves you for meth, leaving behind a six month old? That kind of baggage."
I turn towards him. It's pretty dark, but I can see him on his back, with his arms crossed behind his head.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. I really am." I say sincerely.
"It's not your fault." He says.
"I know." For the first time, I just want to spill my secret to someone, and this broken boy next to me seems like a good someone. I roll to my back and look up at the popcorn ceiling.
"I'm on the run." I whisper and hear him shift. "He beat me a lot. He is very well off and I could never get away. Now here I am in a place I've never heard of talking to someone I don't even know, spilling a secret I've never told a soul. That's my baggage."
He sits for a bit and doesn't say anything.
"Well Scarlett, if you haven't heard of it here, maybe he never will. Besides, I feel like we will be great friends and I would have your back if you needed it. No woman deserves that. I'm sorry."
"Thank you." I wipe a stray tear away. Any uneasiness from Brett melts away. I like him. "So friend, what do you do?" I smile in the dark room.
"Well friend," he laughs, "I'm a vampire."

Meeting Brett made me give Great Falls a chance. Having him, Hope, and Karianne in my life made me stay. It's funny how life works out.

Tonight we all sit together while snowflakes blanket the frozen ground.
Karianne and I are pinning wedding ideas for her and Brett's upcoming wedding, Hope is tucked snugly in her warm bed, and Brett and Luke are talking about manly things while watching TV.
"So have you picked a date?" I ask as she shows me a bridesmaid dress style.
"We are thinking early June." She says tapping on her screen.
"I'm so happy for you." I say and smile.
She looks at Brett and back to me. "I am so happy, Scar. I can't believe this is finally happening." Her eyes tear up. I smile and rub her shoulder.
"Well you two are perfect for each other."
"So are you and Luke." She grins.
"Ha ha. I hope so. I feel like we are at least." I say.
"How's the sex?" She whispers. My eyes go wide and I look over towards our guys. When I look back at Kare, I'm grinning.
"It's amazing. Like really amazing." I feel my cheeks heat up.
"Oooh. I want all the details." She giggles.
"I don't know if you can handle them." I wink and we both laugh.
"Handle what?" Brett asks behind us.
We look at each other and just keep laughing.
"I think our gals have lost their minds." Brett says to Luke.
"I think you're right." Luke laughs.
"How about you girls stop with Pinny thing and come hang out with us." Brett says putting his arms around Karianne, kissing the top of her head.
"Fine fine." She says . "Want to pin in the living room Scar?"
"Of course." I giggle.
"No no no. Now that everyone is here I think Scarlett should finally tell us the story of her escape." Brett suggests.
Three pairs of eyes look at me.
"Ummm-I can do that I guess." I say tucking a hair behind my ear.
"If you want..." Karianne and Luke say in unison.
"Jinks!" Karianne yells.
They laugh while we walk to the living room.
I take a deep breath.
"First I suppose I should start with Asher." I say looking down while I twist my fingers anxiously.
"Who is Asher?" Karianne asks.
I pick at my nails before responding
"He was my son. Well he would have been my son. We were hit by a drunk driver when I was almost five months pregnant. He didn't make it." I whisper that last part.
"Scarlett."
"Scar."
They all mutter.
"I'm sorry, Scar, I shouldn't have pushed." Brett says putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Don't be. I needed to tell you all." I smile at my friends. "After the wreck I met Detective Angela Portwood. She changed my life."