The women didn’t turn to each other. Somehow looking at a reflection felt safer than actual eye contact. Sienna’s heart pounded, and she decided not to ask her why, even though she was tempted.
Angela turned off the tap and shook her hands into the sink a few times as if flicking off the very last remnants of her soon-to-be ex-husband. Then she picked up a rolled-up hand towel from a silver tray on the counter. “He’ll do it to you too. You won’t believe me because he’s telling you how special you are, how he can’t breathe without you. He’s making you feel like you’re the only woman in the world, and you’re wondering how on earth you could’ve gotten solucky that Zane McCreight would choose you. But trust me, it’s an act.”
Sienna’s neck felt hot. Three other women were in the lavish bathroom, all of whom were silently taking in the show. She wished Kitty would come in and defend her. But Kitty had gone home an hour earlier, citing her swollen feet as the reason. “I’m sorry. I am. Sorry about … how everything happened.”
Angela shrugged. “Don’t be. It’s better that it happened before we managed to get pregnant. Now I can have a clean break.”
“Right.”
She patted her hands dry with the towel. “I’m sure he told you our marriage had been over for months, but that’s a lie. We were trying for a baby. Even after he met you.”
Her words felt like a spray of shotgun pellets, hitting Sienna everywhere at once. When she answered, her voice was a wisp of what it had been just moments earlier. “Oh.”
Sniffing, Angela said, “You’re a child so you won’t understand this, but I’ll tell you anyway in case you’re smarter than I was.” She straightened her back to make herself taller, but she still only managed to come up to Sienna’s collarbone. Lowering her voice, she said, “The only person who matters to Zane is Zane. He wasn’t always this way, but he is now and there’s no going back. If you stay, prepare yourself for a lifetime of heartache.”
An indignant rage came over Sienna. How dare this woman say such things about the man she loved? She didn’t know what they had together. She didn’t understand who Zane was with her. Everything they shared. What they felt. It was all as real as the stars in the sky. She was just trying to break them up so she could get him back. And it wasn’t going to work. She opened her mouth to speak, but Angelasilenced her with a shake of her head. “You don’t believe me. I already know that. Because it’s different with you.” She offered her a sad smile. “It was different with me too.”
Angela tossed the towel into the basket near the counter and walked out, calling over her shoulder, “Oh, and you’ve got some lipstick on your teeth.”
Sienna lifted her top lip only to see Angela was right. Embarrassment crept over her as she scrubbed her front teeth with the pad of her index finger. The other women shared glances that said, ‘Isn’t this oh so juicy?’ and Sienna wanted to disappear into the floor. Since that wasn’t an option, she put the lipstick tube back in her clutch, pulled her shoulders back and walked out. By the time the door closed behind her, she decided to forget all about Angela, who was clearly just a bitter old woman.
Zane, who had shaken off the talkative man, was waiting for her with an expression that made her positive that she was now, and would always be, the only one for him. And if his eye started to wander, she would damn well make sure the rest of him didn’t follow. Because if she knew nothing else, Sienna understood what real beauty could do to a man. It could bring them to their knees. In fact, it had earlier that day. She slipped her hand into his. “Let’s go home and get naked.”
THE CONCERT
CLAUDIA —11 P.M.
The crooked-nose cop lets out a ‘well this isn’t what I need right now’ sigh. He gives Lisa a hard look. “You’re positive the kids aren’t in there with the other VIPs?”
“It’s a small section,” she answers.
Trish nods. “They’re definitely not there.”
He pulls his walkie-talkie out of its holster. Within minutes, Claudia finds herself surrounded by four police officers, two paramedics, twelve security guards, and a growing crowd of crew members and celebrities, none of whom have seen the children and all are wearing facial expressions that make Claudia feel much, much worse. As if the outcome is inevitable, but they don’t dare say it out loud.
No, she won’t think like that. They’re fine. She’s sure they’re fine. She suddenly feels stupid, like she has, in fact, overreacted over a situation that will turn out to be nothing.
Another police officer joins them. He introduces himself as Sergeant Chambers and appears to be in charge, basedon how the other officers are looking at him for instructions. Claudia smiles weakly and apologizes. “I’m sure there’s been a mix-up and the kids will turn up any moment. There’s probably no need to make such a fuss.”
Sienna and Kitty appear, wide-eyed with concern. Upon seeing them, Claudia’s rage returns. It’stheirfault for raising irresponsible humans. She shouts that Elliott is missing, and that Ivy and Poppy had him, her voice strained and screeching. “They’re missing too.”
Parker hurries over, looking as if he’s trying not to worry. Then Dean arrives, and Claudia collapses into his arms, sobbing. Dean is calm and in control, as usual. Dean has a plan. They’ll go back to the trailers. Fan out and search every inch of them. The police and security team will come along. Dean reassures Claudia that the children are in one of the trailers, safe and sound. Everything will be fine. She nods and fights to regain control of her emotions.
Sergeant Chambers agrees to Dean’s plan but says they’re going to need descriptions of the children. Full name, age, hair and eye color, clothing when last seen. Even just hearing the questions causes the air to be sucked from Claudia’s lungs. Her mind shuts down, and she winds up feeling incredibly dumb because she can’t remember which sleeper he was in when she left him. “It was the navy blue one without feet. No, it was the one with the monkeys on it. No, definitely the blue one.”
Sienna knows exactly what both Poppy and Ivy were wearing. Of course she does. She’s not a new mom. She’s an expert. Sienna acts like Claudia isn’t even there, and Claudia wants to grab her and shake her while screaming an apology at her, immediately followed by begging her to make her daughters bring Elliott back. She doesn’t do it. Butshe thinks about it while she watches Sienna calmly describe the jean jacket Poppy had on.
The second she finishes, all the lights at the venue go out at once and everything goes black.
TEN DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT
“Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.” ~ Aretha Franklin
MARCH 12, 1997
RESEDA, CALIFORNIA
SIENNA
