CHAPTER 23
Christ - what the hell happened? One minute Tylar and I are getting ready to cross the street; the next moment I spot that crazy bitch steering her car on a deadly path towards my wife! The crazy look in her dark, beady eyes was enough to make me spring into action.
I am flat on my stomach in the street. That much I can tell. I hear people yelling and on top of that, there is a long, plaintive wail in the distance. What the fuck? That sounds like Tylar. Christ! That is Tylar. I need to get to her and get to her right now. There is a problem. I can't move - at all. This is fucking crazy! I can'-t move a muscle but I can hear everything that is going on around me. I need to get to my wife! I need to get to Tylar!
Things are getting weirder by the second. It is as if I am watching a recap of the last couple of years through a colorful kaleidoscope. I relax to enjoy the show as it unfolds in my mind. Perhaps I am dreaming . . .
There is Tylar, in the barn with Derringer. I see her slim body brushing away at him. He is so fucking calm for her. That is not Derringer at all. I realize that he likes her. Who the fuck is she? I have no time to ponder that as I try like to hell to get that mongrel 'Rusty' out of the barn. Christ, he is sending Derringer into a tizzy and the petite girl brushing him is going to go flying!
I manage to get Rusty out of the barn. I catch her before she is knocked to the floor. I lift her and place her safely away. When I turn to look at her I see how exquisite she is. I want to chuckle as I see her taking inventory of me. Uh-oh her eyes have seen the fact that I am excited for her. Christ! Am I in junior high school again? She is embarrassed that I've busted her. That's fine. I need the upper hand here.
We introduce ourselves - she has a boy's name of all things. She makes a crack on my name after I point that out to her. I see; I have a smart-ass on my hands here. I can put her in her place in no time. I set out to do so.
I laugh as I leave the barn and head for my car. 'Little Miss Susie Sorority' has been put in her place quite nicely. She is fucking fuming!
I glance over as I put my Lamborghini into full throttle heading past the field where she is walking toward the cottages. There is something very different about her. I might be interested in exploring it but Charlotte is waiting. Horny, ready Charlotte - what the fuck?
My kaleidoscope imagery has fast-forwarded. It is going quicker now - too quickly to suit me. There is Tylar in the saddle in front of me while we ride Derringer together, so soft as she leans back against me. Christ - I want to take her right then like some rutting stag…then in the meadow together. She blurts out that she's a virgin of all things.
There we are together at Morelli's. Tylar 'pretending' not to know Italian as I admit to Carmelita that I love her right off the bat! The little shit knew it the whole time. I'm walking her to her cottage. I want her safe. Now she is screaming on the porch of her cottage; those fucking silk pajamas have set her off. I comfort her and ease her fears; God, I love her.
Fast forwarding again; it is her 21st birthday in Atlanta. I feel like a jealous, pimply-faced teenager watching her dance with Rodney. I will rip his throat out if he touches any part of her magnificent body. This feeling of jealousy is new to me. I don't like it. He glances over and senses my rage. He's out of there leaving her alone on the floor. Smart move, Rodney. She has been under my skin from the moment I laid eyes on her.
Next up on the kaleidoscope, it is Tylar and Derringer taking the dressage cup with their superb performance in Malvern Park; then I watch as she tosses her cookies all over my new Bruno Magli shoes, as we collect our trophy.
Pictures flash by me of Tylar giving birth to Preston. She does it with her usual flair for trying to be brave (except for the cussing and yelling.) I chuckle in my dream at how she held her own during all of it. Now I can see my little Preston at her breast and the way Tylar is looking at her. I see the way my newborn daughter is looking at Tylar. The love between them is unmistakable. Preston looks just like me but her personality is my Tylar's. I adore them both.
There are Tylar and me sitting together in that court room in Baton Rouge. Wow! Tylar is giggling in the stone cold silence as Judge Tylar banishes Mr. Louderdick from the room.
I am watching now as Tylar views the open casket of her mother; seeing her for the first time ever and trying to make sense of it all. Her mother is beautiful in that red knit dress. It disarms me at how much Tylar resembles her mother.
Tylar and me at the cemetery as they lower Marley's casket into the cold earth; standing so close to each, but yet so far apart. These pictures bring me discomfort as they flash in front of me.
Oh God, I am at Judge Tylar's home. I want my wife to come home with me. She comes into the room and I almost don't recognize her! She has her hair dyed and cut like Amber's?? What the hell?
There I am waiting in Tylar's room for her to get home. I will make love to her; I will fix all of this between us. She comes through her bedroom door and hears my voice. She looks over at me and I can see that she is disheveled; she has that 'just fucked by a stranger' look. My heart breaks into pieces; I want to vomit but I know deep down I helped her get to where she is at the moment. I watch myself bathe her; I need to wash that random guy's scent from her and get her to bed.
Finally! These pictures unfold to more recent - happier times! I watch in amazement as we comb the beaches of Montego Bay together; we laugh and talk; we love and explore. We take all of those pictures to share with Tristan and Gina.
My God! That's where we were going when all of this happened! Why the hell am I unable to move? I've got to find my Tylar. I hope like hell I was able to get her clear of the lunatic's car! I don't want to live my life without her. I know that now. I've always known that.
Sirens are in the distance. Thank God. They will help us get off this cold pavement and send us on our way. I feel something deep within my chest. Someone is pounding on my freaking chest. What the?
Blackness . . . the wailing from the short distance away has not stopped. For me everything goes blessedly silent in my mind.