Chapter 8 - The Slap That Changed Everything
By four thirty, the Grand Bellamy Hotel looked like something out of a magazine.
White roses covered the staircase.
A string quartet played near the ballroom entrance.
Servers carried silver trays of champagne between guests dressed in designer suits and evening gowns.
Everything was beautiful.
And almost everything was a lie.
I arrived wearing a dark suit.
Rebecca stood near the entrance, speaking quietly with a colleague.
Detective Morales was nearby, though she had made it clear that she would not intervene without appropriate legal grounds.
There were uniformed hotel security guards at each door.
Guests smiled when they saw me.
Some offered condolences.
One woman touched my arm.
"James, I'm so glad you're here. Emily would've wanted everyone to move forward."
I looked at her.
"Would she?"
The woman blinked.
Then walked away.
I found Lily near the front of the ballroom.
She wore a white flower-girl dress with a pink ribbon around her waist.
Her hair had been curled.
Someone had placed a small tiara on her head.
But she was sitting alone.
Holding her stuffed rabbit.
I knelt beside her.
"Hey, Peanut."
Her face lit up.
"Uncle James!"
She threw her arms around my neck.
I hugged her.
"How's my favorite girl?"
She pulled back.
"Bad."
"Why?"
She looked toward the altar.
"Daddy says I have to call Vanessa Mommy after today."
My heart sank.
"What do you want to call her?"
"Vanessa."
"Then that's what you should call her."
Lily looked around.
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Always."
She leaned close.
"I had a dream about Mommy."
I brushed her hair behind her ear.
"What happened?"
"She came into my room and told me she loved me."
My throat tightened.
"That sounds like a good dream."
Lily shook her head.
"It wasn't a dream."
I stared at her.
"What?"
"Last night, I woke up and somebody was at the window."
I felt a sharp jolt of fear.
"Who?"
"Mommy."
"Are you sure?"
Lily nodded.
"She put her finger on her lips. Then she waved."
I looked toward the ballroom entrance.
Emily had found a way to see her daughter.
Even if only for a moment.
"Did you tell Daddy?" I asked.
Lily's face darkened.
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"He said I was making up stories."
I closed my eyes.
"And then?"
"He got mad."
"Did he hurt you?"
She looked down.
"He grabbed my arm."
I noticed a faint mark near her wrist.
My stomach turned.
I kept my voice gentle.
"Lily, you did the right thing telling me."
She searched my face.
"Is Mommy really coming?"
I could hear the music growing louder.
The ceremony was about to begin.
I looked toward Rebecca.
She gave a small nod.
Emily had reached the hotel and was waiting in a secure area with her attorney.
I turned back to Lily.
"Yes, sweetheart."
Her whole face changed.
"Really?"
"Really."
She grabbed my hand.
"Can I tell everyone?"
"Let's wait just a little longer."
But Lily couldn't contain herself.
She stood.
"Mommy's coming!"
Several guests turned.
Ryan was speaking with the officiant.
He looked toward us.
His smile faded.
"Lily."
She ran toward him.
"Daddy! Uncle James says Mommy's coming!"
Ryan's expression hardened.
I moved after her.
"Lily, come back here."
But she had reached the platform.
She grabbed Ryan's sleeve.
"Can we wait for Mommy before you get married?"
A few people laughed nervously.
Ryan crouched in front of her.
"Sweetheart, we've talked about this."
"I know. But Mommy's coming."
"No, she isn't."
"She is!"
His smile tightened.
"Stop it."
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
"But I saw her!"
Vanessa stood beside him.
Her face looked drained of color.
"Ryan," she whispered, "maybe we should—"
He silenced her with a glance.
Then he turned back to Lily.
"Your mother is gone."
"No!"
"Lily."
"She isn't gone!"
The ballroom grew quiet.
Lily was crying now.
"I don't want Vanessa to be my mommy!"
A guest lowered his champagne glass.
Another turned toward the doors.
Ryan grabbed Lily by the shoulders.
"Enough."
She tried to pull away.
"I want Mommy!"
And then he hit her.
One sharp slap.
Across the cheek.
The sound echoed through the ballroom.
Lily stumbled backward.
Her rabbit fell to the floor.
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Then I crossed the space between us.
I pulled Lily into my arms.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Ryan raised his hands.
"She was hysterical."
"She's a child!"
"She's my daughter!"
"That doesn't give you the right to hit her!"
Vanessa stepped back.
Her lips were trembling.
A woman near the front gasped.
Someone said, "Did he just slap that little girl?"
Lily clung to my jacket.
"Uncle James, please bring Mommy back."
I held her tightly.
Then I looked at Ryan.
He was still angry.
Still convinced he could make everyone accept his version of events.
But he hadn't noticed Rebecca moving toward the entrance.
He hadn't noticed Detective Morales speaking into her phone.
And he hadn't noticed the ballroom doors beginning to open.
I lowered my head toward Lily.
"Sweetheart, look behind you."
She turned.
Emily stood in the doorway.
Alive.
Trembling.
And looking directly at her daughter.
Lily's mouth fell open.
"Mommy?"
Emily began crying.
"Hi, baby."
Lily ran.
And when Emily caught her, the entire ballroom seemed to exhale.
Ryan staggered backward.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I heard someone whisper, "Oh my God."
Emily held Lily against her chest.
"I'm here."
Lily sobbed.
"Daddy said you died!"
Emily kissed her hair.
"I know."
"Are you going to heaven again?"
"No, sweetheart."
Emily's voice broke.
"I'm right here."
Ryan suddenly shouted.
"She's not supposed to be here!"
Every head turned toward him.
He stopped.
Too late.
I'd heard it.
Rebecca had heard it.
And from the expression on Detective Morales's face, she had heard it too.
Emily looked up.
"What did you say, Ryan?"
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Margaret Price appeared beside the ballroom entrance.
And everything became more dangerous.
Because she wasn't surprised to see Emily.
Not even a little.
She looked directly at my sister and said, "You should have accepted the arrangement."
Emily held Lily tighter.
"What arrangement?"
May you like
Margaret opened her briefcase.
"The one that would've kept everyone safe."
