Center Stage
Page 39

Arianna wrapped her arms around her sister and held her tight. With all that was going on in her life, she hadn’t been too panicked about things, but obviously her sister had—with good reason.
She took her nephew’s seat from her sister and sat down, balancing the seat on her lap. Slowly she removed the blanket that had been draped over the carrier and peered down at Spencer, all bundled up and sleeping.
Could anything be more precious?
Then she looked up at Simone who had pulled a very alert Avery from her seat. She was dressed in a little pink dress with pink tights and a matching headband.
Arianna felt the sting of tears in her eyes, and she went about setting Spencer down between her and Regan and then walking around the table to reach for Avery.
Simone looked up at her as she picked up her niece. “Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just a little emotional.”
Avery’s eyes tried to focus on her and a small smile formed on her lips. That was what it was all about—the love of her sisters and their children. Oh, this sweet, little angel was going to be as spoiled as the others. Arianna felt it burning in her to give her anything she’d ever need.
She walked back around the table and sat down with Avery in her arms.
Madeline reached for another breadstick. “So, are you getting excited for your trip?”
“Trip? Oh, San Francisco? Yes, I think it will be good for us to have some alone time.”
“A honeymoon, in a way?”
Arianna hadn’t really thought about that, but she supposed it was. After all, she had the ring and the man. “Maybe. I told him we should have sex on Alcatraz.”
Simone’s eyes shot open wide, Regan shook her head, and Madeline busted out laughing and had to cover her mouth to keep the bite she’d taken from falling out.
Regan readjusted the blanket at Spencer’s feet. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“Yes you can. C’mon, you’re getting soft on me.”
“Motherhood will do that to you.”
Arianna could see that. Madeline was a bit more free. Her brush with death and the fact that her children were older allowed her to not be so uptight. Regan and Simone, on the other hand, were a bit more ridged.
Avery watched Arianna as she fussed with her dress. “Simone, how are plans going for your new business?”
“It is not a business, really. More of an organization to help.” She sipped her water. “It is going well. We are still in the planning stages, but I am very proud of it. In fact…” She stopped and picked up her purse. After searching, she pulled out three business cards and handed them to everyone.
“A Better Day. That is the name of your organization?”
“Yes.”
“I like it.” Arianna ran her finger across the raised print. “You know, maybe we can mix my grand opening with your organization. We can fundraise for you and build a community for me. Who knows, by then I might even have some job openings.”
Simone’s eyes lit up, though she remained poised. “I think that would be wonderful.”
Madeline held up the card. “This card reads Simone Keller.”
Simone smiled. “Pierpont no longer holds any value for me. The connections that I have, and those I will make, will know me as a Keller, so I thought it appropriate.”
Arianna felt those tears again. Keller. It was a name of pride, and it was hers. And if someone like Simone Pierpont wanted to give up a name that meant prestige and wealth all over the world in order to take on the name Keller, Arianna knew for sure she didn’t want to ever give it up.
The evening had been just what Arianna had needed. A night with the women she loved, and Simone fit right into their group.
She thought it was wonderful to hear Madeline talk about Clara’s excitement about performing with her aunt. And when Arianna had told her about the office Eduardo had built for her, Madeline had broken down into tears.
Arianna had also been filled in on just how good Christian was at baseball. College scouts were already looking at him, and he had years of high school left.
It floored her that any of their children would be athletic. She knew Zach ran, but really, that was the extent of athleticism in the family. Christian was changing that. Madeline said his dream was to go pro, and from the sounds of it, he’d make it.
The rest of the night had been spent cuddling her niece and nephew and trying to get Simone to spill wedding plans. They’d had no luck. Simone and Curtis were planning a secret elopement with a big party after. Not one detail had been dropped.
The house was still dark when she pulled into the driveway. It was almost nine-thirty. She was sure John would have been home already.
Arianna parked the car and walked up to the door. She slipped the key into the lock and the door pushed open.
How could she have forgotten to lock the door?
She closed the door and locked it behind her and then proceeded to turn on the lamp in the living room. There was a moment when she decided her mind must be slipping. The house was freezing. Had she forgotten to turn the heat up, too?
Arianna walked through to the kitchen and turned on the light.
Her heart began racing when she noticed the back door wide open.
“John! John!” Her voice shook. She was frantic and frozen in place.
Someone had broken into the house. What if someone was still there?
She heard noise in the basement—in John’s place.
Arianna took a breath to yell for him again, but her voice had stilled in her throat. She heard footsteps on the stairs.
With the only moment of clarity she’d had, she realized her purse was still on her shoulder.
She patted the side of it and could feel the shape of the gun. Slowly she unlatched the hook and pulled the gun from her purse.
She shook as she gripped the gun. Her feet planted firmly, she took aim at the basement door as the footsteps grew closer.
As the person in the basement neared the top of the stairs, she swallowed hard and cocked the gun.
“Arianna? Are you home? The heater is…” John stopped in the doorway and looked at her standing there with the gun pointed right at his head.
Her body shook until she thought the gun might fall from her hands. John walked slowly to her, and tears began to pour down her cheeks.
“Sweetheart,” he said softly as he walked slowly toward her. “Put the gun down.”