Page 43 of One Big Lie

"You know, Court," I found myself saying, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, "now that we're getting married, I think it's time we made this place truly ours. We can remodel, bring in a little bit of you, a little bit of me. Make it a reflection of us."

Her smile bloomed, reaching her eyes as she nestled her head against my shoulder. "That sounds perfect, Brad," she murmured, her voice infused with contentment. "You're right. A splash of my penchant for vintage classics, perhaps a dash of your modern aesthetics. It'll be... us."

My arm instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her closer into the protective circle of my embrace. As we sat there, cocooned in shared silence, the essence of 'home' filled us up. It was more than just a place—it was a feeling, a profound sense of belonging that we had discovered within each other, a realization that our unity was indeed our strength.

"I can already see it," she whispered, her voice echoing the light in her eyes, "Our home."

Suddenly, the scent of apple pie baking made me sit up straight. "Court, what's that smell!"

"Oh my God!" she gasped, scrambling to her feet, "The pie!" She raced toward the kitchen, her feet skidding on the tiled floor. Laughter bubbling up inside me, I followed her, the simple joy of watching Courtney becoming domestic warmed my heart.

She yanked open the oven, and a wave of heat hit us, carrying the unmistakable scent of a decidedly well-done apple pie. Courtney's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of the charred dessert. "Oh no, it's ruined," she cried, pulling the pie out with an oven mitt.

"Hey, hey, it's not that bad," I chuckled, trying to console her. "A little...overcooked, maybe. But it smells fantastic. Everything tastes better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, right?"

I reached for the freezer, pulling out the carton of ice cream we'd stashed away. But when I turned around, I found Courtney sobbing, the apple pie forgotten on the counter.

"Oh, Court," I said, my heart sinking at her tears. I drew her into my arms, holding her close as she cried into my shoulder. "Shhh... it's just a pie. We can make another one or ten until we get it perfect."

"It's not the pie," she hiccuped, clinging to me. "It's just...everything. The nerves, the relief... I guess I hadn't realized how tense I'd been until now and the pie just pushed me over the edge.”

I held her tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We're safe now, Court," I murmured. "We're home. And no matter what, I'll be right here with you.”

As her sobs quieted, she remained in my arms, trembling slightly. "There's something else, Brad," she said, her voice muffled against my chest.

I drew back slightly, looking down at her. Her eyes glistened with fresh tears, but there was a determined set to her jaw that hadn't been there before.

"I need to call my dad," she confessed, biting her lip nervously.

"Is everything okay, Court?" I asked, concerned.

She nodded, pulling away completely now and wiping her eyes. She drew in a shaky breath, steeling herself before meeting my gaze. "Yes, it's just... when I left school to help with the investigation here, I never told him. I planned to when I told him we were getting married. But I just... I couldn't tell him about school. And now, with everything that's happened," she paused, a small smile crossing her face at the last words, "I think it's time I told him the truth about dropping out of school.”

Her confession hung in the air between us, another layer to the many emotions that had been wrapped around our day. I reached out, taking her hands in mine. "Court, you're one of the bravest people I know," I said, reassuringly squeezing her hands. "Your dad will understand and be proud of you, just like I am."

The phone call connected after the second ring. I watched Courtney's face as her father's familiar voice echoed through the speaker, calling her "pumpkin". I could see a spark of strength igniting in her eyes.

"Hey, Dad. I have something to tell you," she began, her voice steady despite the turbulence of emotions I knew she was experiencing.

After a brief pause, her father's voice filled with love. "Is everything alright?"

Courtney nodded, an automatic response even though he couldn't see her. "Yes, Dad, everything's fine. It's just... I need to confess something." She took a deep breath before diving into her confession, her voice carrying the weight of the secret she had been holding onto for too long.

"I... I dropped out of school, Dad. To help with an investigation here at Rosedale. It was important, and I... I just couldn't tell you then.”

The silence that followed felt like a chasm widening between them. I watched her, heart pounding in empathy, as she braced herself for his response. The words that eventually came, though heavy, carried a grudging acceptance.

"Oh, Courtney," he sighed. "I won't lie and say I'm not disappointed about the school, but I always raised you to do what you believe is right. And if this was important to you, then I trust you made the right decision."

Relief dawned over her face like the gentle caress of a summer breeze, bringing softness to her features that hadn't been there moments before.

"But you should've told me, pumpkin," he added softly. "No matter what, I'm your dad and will always support you."

Her voice was thick with emotion as she responded, "I know, Dad, and I'm sorry. I promise, no more secrets."

He chuckled then, a sound that seemed to lift some of the weight from her shoulders. "That's my girl. You've always had a strong sense of justice. I'm... I'm proud of you, Courtney. Always have been. I’ll be here to support you if you decide to continue with your degree.”

“Oh, that’s so awesome….”

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