The Remarried

Chapter twelve

Tragedies never come alone. My aunt used to say that they always come in three, and if I count myself almost dying and Becca's death, I know that I should expect the third any day now.

I am arranging flowers in a vase when I hear the car stop in front of the house. I continue to cut the stems, waiting for Saul to enter the room at any given moment. But instead, Gemma runs inside the room without even knocking on the door, her cheeks red and hair all messy. "Ma'am," she blurts out. "Ma'am, come, something terrible has happened."

"What do you mean?" I frown, putting down the scissors.

"Your husband, ma'am," she says. "He..."

I stand up abruptly. "He what?"

"Apparently he shot his friend by accident," Gemma breathes out.

At first I'm sure that she is exaggerating as usual. But when she doesn't correct herself, I start to worry. "How did it happen?"

"I don't know much, just that they were checking the guns or what.... and the gun went off and it hit Mr. Wintercourt's friend... he's in hospital and it doesn't look well."

"Is my husband here?" I ask.

"Yes, he's downstairs, in the study room. With his parents."

"Thank you," I say and walk out of the room.

I can hear their voices from afar as the door is not closed. I walk in, but I remain standing at the wall, just watching the scene. Saul is standing in the middle of the room like a child being scolded by parents for stealing cookies. Mrs. Wintercourt is crying in one of the armchairs while Senator Wintercourt is circling the room and by the color of his face I can tell that he's fuming.

"Such a shame!" he barks at Saul. "My son, my own son... How can you be so stupid? The family could sue us! The army could suspend you, if it proves that it was your fault!"

Saul looks like he would prefer to be the one shot. He looks around desperately. "I didn't want to do it," he cries. "I didn't... Lea!"

He throws himself at me because in this hostile environment that his parents have managed to create, I'm the only friendly face. I'm the one not accusing, not judging, not despising. He hides his face in the tweed of my jacket and suddenly my hand is in his hair, caressing comfortingly. It must be some mother instincts that I've been suppressing for years because a child was one of the many things I gave up for Edmond. "I know you didn't," I whisper. "I know you didn't, love."

"Oh, yes, hide in a woman's arms," Senator Wintercourt says derisively. "That says a lot about what kind of a soldier you are!"

"That says a lot about his humanity," I retort, patting Saul's back gently. "And a lot about yours, too. You should be concerned about the poor boy's life, not about his family suing yours!"

"This could destroy us, don't you understand?" Mrs. Wintercourt hisses.

"Of course it could," I nod. "But not more than the other family, if their son dies. And not more than Saul. Imagine yourselves in their place."

"Well, you clearly have an idea about what to do," Senator Wintercourt says. "So we are not needed here anymore."

"No, you aren't," I say calmly. "I will stand by my husband, no matter what happens."

"You have experience with that, don't you?" Mrs. Wintercourt asks, the venom dripping from her lips.

"Yes. And because of that, I can still look at myself in the mirror. I wonder if you can do the same." I glare at them until they bang the door behind them. Then I pull back and look at Saul. "Tell me what happened," I say and takes his hands in mine.