My Brother-in-law Is My Ex

~Three~

Three Years Later:

Peyton tried to calm her nerves, which were on edge as the plane landed at West Virginia International Airport. She couldn't believe only three years ago it became a place she never wanted to return. That place is called Wickham Falls.

A week ago she recieved a long distance call from Wickham Falls. To hear her sister's voice was a shock! Since they hadn't spoken in years. Nadia asked her to come home it was urgent. Peyton didn't promise her that she would return. The second she ended the call she was torn mentally and emotionally on what she should do.

But days later she found herself on a flight heading to place that only reminded her of painful memories. The dread started from the day she got the call, all the way through the flight. The Fasten Seat Belt light came on as the aircraft fell several hundred feet below leveling off. Peyton grimanced at the sound of retching from someone seated behind her. Her fingers gripped the arms of her seat in a deathlike grip.

The pilot's voice came through the speakers. "We'll be experiencing some turbulence." Much as she hated going back home, now all she wanted was step foot on a solid surface, even if that place is Wickham Falls. Fifteen minutes later, it was now a calm flight. Why didn't she feel relax? There was another disturbance going on that had nothing to do with the flight. Peyton realized she felt a knawing pain of disturbance within her heart.

"Shoot! I spent three years in Europe struggling to put my life back together, only to feel it was starting to unravel apart again." Peyton sighed heavily knowing what it took to survived that tragic pain her family put her through. She shook her head taking in deep breaths unsnapping her seatbelt and readied herself to deplane. With frayed nerves she gather her handbag, making her way down the aisle and out to the terminal looking for Mr. Parker, the family chauffuer, who was to take her home.

“Welcome home, Ms. Peyton.”

“Thank you, Mr. Parker.”

Peyton slumped back against the seat, closing her eyes as disturbing memories rushed into her mind. She could hear her grandmother's voice trying to answer a crying little girl's broken heart why her mother left her.

"Liza your mother loves you in her own way. She's just so determined to live a life of luxury and wealth."

Peyton's grandmother explained how her mom was in pursuit of a very rich man named Marshall Jenkins. She left Peyton behind with her grandmother to be with this man. Mr Jenkins is a powerful, wealthy man who only seeks more power. But with fierce determination, Peyton’s mother won him over when she willingly sacrificed raising her child to be with him.

Peyton’s grandmother died, and it was only then Liza mom came to get her. Peyton was so happy when she arrived in Wickham Falls. Peyton at six finally had family, it was then she met her little four year old sister named Nadia. The two girls were equally beautiful. Nadia resembled their mother with fair skin, blonde hair, and striking blue eyes. Her personality also reflected their mother's. Peyton was a brunette with dark features with large hazel eyes and long lashes. She loved reading, was very quizzical, a straight-A student and had a ferocious appetite for knowledge. Mr. Marshall admired Peyton's intelligence, ambition. But Nadia, their love child, was the apple of her parents' eyes.

“What the…!” Peyton caught her tongue, startled as her eyes sprung open as she felt the car sharply swerve to avoid hitting a deer.

“Miss. Peyton, are you okay?” Mr. Parker glancing in the rearview mirror.

Peyton exhaled audibly. “I’m good,” she lied. Picking up the contents from her purse that slid off the seat onto the floor.

"What is it with me and near accidents today!" Was it a mistake to come back here? She settled in her seat, closed her eyes as her thoughts drifted to her teens years.

Peyton realized this was the second time she had been forced to leave home—of course, for different reasons. The first time she was conveniently sent to Europe to study abroad.

Nadia got to stay home attending Virgina College. While Peyton recalls begging not to be sent away.

“Please let me go to school here in Virginia. I can work for Dad's company part-time.”

“No! Why are you always questioning your parents' decisions and going against what we suggest is best for you?”

“I don’t mean to. I would love to be here with my family. Europe is so far away, and Virginia has a great College, and I got accepted to Virginia State University. Here is the letter.” Her mother tore it up without even reading it.

“No, you are going to study abroad. All the arrangements have already been made.”

“Mom! Do I have to go?”

“You heard your father!”

Peyton begged with tears to stay home, Marshall and her mother shuffled her out of the door as soon as they could. The excuse given she had the potential and the smarts to become something in the business world one day. Marshall always told her he admired her talents and abilities, but he never once said he loved her.

That’s when her eyes popped open again!

"Could that be why Marshall is requesting my urgent return home? Had something happened at his company? No…” Peyton shook her head no.

“Ms. Peyton, would you like to go up to the house first?”

“No, Mr. Parker. Please take me directly to the hospital.”

Minutes later, Peyton walked into the hospital lobby, trying to gather some calmness. She wore a gray pinstripe suit with a large white collar blouse and a matching pencil skirt. Patent leather gray stilettos, her pin-up in a bun with the front flowing slightly over one eye with dark cherry lipstick. She adjusted her dark sunglasses. She looked like one of those models out of a popular business magazine.

Who was the first person she saw? Her sister Nadia. Intense heat flared up in Peyton’s face. Nadia still looked pretty as a picture with her amazing figure. Nothing was ever out of place, from Nadia's hair to her makeup to her nails to her designer clothes. All of their mother’s grooming and training seemed to have paid off looking at the sisters.

When their eyes met, Nadia's incredible shade of blue eyes looked tired and filled with worry. A sense of relief entered them when she saw her older sister Peyton approaching. Nadia extended her arms out toward Peyton, but she wasn’t moved to embrace Nadia. Out of mere courtesy, she quickly did.

“Oh, Peyton, I’m so glad you are here. I didn’t expect you to get here until sometime tonight.”

“I was fortunate to get a flight leaving this morning.”

Nadia gave Peyton a lingering stare.

“How are Mom and Marshall?” Peyton asked, breaking Nadia's uncomfortable stare.

“Mom is in the waiting room. Dad had me so worried he asked his doctors not to sedate him. He told them he was waiting for his eldest daughter to arrive. I'm so glad you're here.”

Peyton let out a deep sigh. “Is it visiting hours? I want to see him as soon as possible before I head back to England in a couple of days.”

“So soon, are you still upset after all of these years? Why can’t you forgive and forget and move on? Send Dad away in peace. I don’t think he’s going to make it. At least stay to see if he gets medically cleared.

“It’s not about forgiveness. You people are who you are, and I am who I am. I’ll stay until he’s medically cleared by the doctors, then I’m going back to Europe.”

Nadia shook her head, agitated. Peyton rolled her eyes. “What is his room number?”

“He’s in ICU, on the fifth floor.”

They rode the elevator up together. You could hear a pin drop.

Nadia asked, flashing a fake grin. “Are you dating anyone?”

Peyton lowered her sunglasses. Side eyeing Nadia with a derisive, sneer, twisted expression. “Don’t ask me about my personal business, and I won’t ask you about yours.”

“For heaven's sake, Peyton, we are still sisters and family, like it or not. I haven’t seen you in God knows when. I’m just catching up.”

“You abused and lost those privileges a long time ago. I’m here only, and I mean only because Marshall is on his deathbed. So don’t go there with me. Got it?”

Nadia smacked her lips and folded her arms across her chest. “Alright!” The elevator opened. “I’m going to the waiting room with mom.

“I’ll see her shortly.” Peyton said as she kept walking.

“You are not going to stop for a second and say hello first to Mom. That’s the least you can do.”

“Nope. I’ll see Mother when I’m done.” Peyton says, exhaling an audible breath as she heads to Marshall’s room.

Peyton had promised herself during this short visit she would avoid confrontation.

Peyton entered Marshall's room pausing, seeing all those tubes hooked up to him. This was the only man she had known as her father, since she was six years old. If it wasn’t for that, she would never have returned to Wickham Falls as long as Marshall Jenkins had his health and strength.

“Peyton, is that you? Come in.”

Removing her sunglasses finally. “Yes, it’s me.”

Marshall sounded so weak and frail. He was once so strong and confident. Now flat on his back, struggling to hold on to life was shocking. Peyton sat beside the bed and stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. She didn’t feel sad, but it was something unfamiliar she inwardly was graveling with.

“I'm happy to see you, Peyton. I know you left on bad terms, which couldn’t be helped.”

Peyton rolled her eyes as the words were on the tip of her tongue. But before she could utter her ill thoughts, Marshall told her, “I need you to stay until I can get on my feet again. I don’t trust Tony Lanaro and my son-in-law. You know that young man pretty well, don’t you?”

Peyton rolled her eyes again at his question. She couldn’t believe her ears but nodded her head yes to his question. She didn't feel she knew any of them anymore.

“I need you to watch Maxence. Keep an eye on him like I did his father, Tony. They may try to take everything from us."

“What? Marshall, this is your family. Nadia's husband... Why ask me of all people to do this?”

“Peyton, Peyton, you are always questioning and digging deeper. That’s why I need you here. You are a smart and talented girl. I love Nadia, but she doesn’t have your smarts, and I know I can trust you to do what's right. What happened between us was water under the bridge.” Marshall started hacking and coughing terribly nonstop. It scared Peyton, so she quickly went to get a nurse or doctor. But when she opened the door, who did she see standing there?

It was Max Lanaro!

Everything came to a screeching halt!

“Peyton… Oh my God, is it you?!”

“I have to get help!” She said, moving past him. Max grabbed her by the arm.

“Wait! Peyton!"

“Marshall needs help!” She said, breaking free and running to the nurse's station.