109. On Cloud Nine

Barnacle Bay...

“Please sign here, here, and here,” John, her new landlord tapped his fingers lightly on the lease document attached to the clipboard, showing Tamsyn where to put her signature.

With a quick flourish of her hand she made a twelve month commitment to Barnacle Bay. She’d be staying at the tiny cottage overlooking the beach for a year, and she had the option of renewing the lease. But she knew she wouldn’t be making that mistake. She wasn’t planning on staying in one place for more than a year.  She had to keep moving and never settle down until she was absolutely sure the heat was off her.

She glanced at the lease once more, wondering if she’d made a mistake by coming here. She should have chosen a big city where she wouldn’t draw any attention to herself. Barnacle Bay was small, surely everybody knew everyone around here, and she’d stick out like a sore thumb, being a new comer in a small community. But…It was too late to be having second thoughts. She’d just signed the lease binding her to the bay; she really hoped it wouldn’t prove to be the biggest mistake of her life.

“Thank you. Rent is due on the first of the month, water and lights are not included.  I’ll send you a separate invoice for that,” John smiled at her as he slipped from his seat. His attention was soon stolen by the baby sleeping in the pram.

Something about his new tenant and the baby seemed familiar, he couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was there, lurking in the surface, screaming for release. He knew if he thought about it long and hard, he’d remember where he knew them from.

“Do you have any?” Tamsyn asked when she caught him looking at Blake.

“Four, two are married and the youngest two are in college,” John answered, an uncertain, almost confused smile on his lips. “Been married for thirty-five years!” He announced proudly, and Tamsyn winced.

Once upon a time she’d wanted that for herself…with Devon. But now she had something better, his son. Blake would never leave her. Blake was hers forever. He’d love her forever, and she’d do the same. She’d kill anyone who tried to come between them.

Tamsyn touched her handbag for reassurance; she relaxed when she found the outline of the small .38 caliber pistol Shark had thrown in as a goodwill gesture after he’d totally ripped her for more money to buy his silence.

She’d never fired a gun in her life, but for Blake, she’d use it without any hesitation.

“Thanks for everything,” she ushered John out of her new home, eager to settle in and think about her fresh start.

When she was alone at last, she leaned against the door and surveyed her surroundings. She didn’t like the walls and the furniture looked old and drab.

I’ll have to do something about it, she thought, as she pushed Blake’s pram to the only bedroom in her new home.

She wanted bright walls, and bright furniture. Things that would remind her of the happiness still to come in her new life with her son. She wanted something happy…Something lovely. She made a mental note to hit the DIY section of the local DION store first thing tomorrow morning.

After four days of traveling, on and off, she was exhausted. She changed into her PJs, changed Blake’s diaper and fed him before she climbed on the bed.

“I love you Blake Chad,” she mumbled, but quickly caught herself. She had to remember his name was Chad. Blake Starlington was dead, along with Tamsyn Smith. Only Joanne and Chad Brown existed now...

For the first time in a long time, with her son sleeping soundly beside her, she dreamed happy dreams, of rainbows and puppies, of babies and playing in the park, and building sandcastles. For the first time in a long time, she was truly happy.

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Note: The Tamsyn poll results are in, luckily I scraped the votes that came in before Blogger chewed up the poll-

26 people think Tamsyn should be locked up in a white padded room.
8 people think she deserves Death by Devon.
And no one is in favor of jail time!

Thank you all for voting! You have changed Tamsyn's fate!