Chapter Eight

Lighthouse

"Now I want you to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and as you exhale just feel your body relax," Kevin instructed Rafe. His eyes danced over his son-in-law's body as Rafe lay on the bed in his and Lucy's room, noting the way he had his hands folded on top of his stomach and his brow pinched together. "Just clear your mind of all thoughts-"

Rafe uncrossed one ankle from the other and then re-crossed it, let out a huge sigh, and then threw one forearm over his forehead as he groaned, "I don't think this is going to work, Dr. Collins."

"Well, it won't unless you follow my instructions to the T, Rafe. You just have to allow yourself to relax fully, listen to the sound of my voice, and rid your mind of any other thoughts." As Kevin tucked his hands behind his back, he inhaled a slow breath and then urged, "Let's start again."

Meanwhile…

Livvie cast a nervous glance up toward the ceiling and then groaned as she flew off the couch she was sitting on. "What do you think is going on up there?"

Lucy smirked as she casually leaned back in her chair. "My guess, Livvie, is your father is helping Rafe discover the full truth about his past. You know the past that is free from your lies."

Her eyes narrowed into a brief glare before Livvie looked at the stairs. "I haven't lied about my past with Rafe."

"Of course you have," Lucy replied simply. "If you hadn't you wouldn't be wearing down a path in my carpet. You would have supported Rafe immediately when I suggested hypnosis. You'd have immediately let Rafe's family and friends know he was back the moment he returned." Lucy slowly rose from her chair and moved over to where Livvie stood near the stairs. "When did you become so hurtful and vindictive?"

Livvie kept her eyes averted from Lucy, as she remarked, "I haven't the slightest idea of what you mean."

Shaking her head slowly, Lucy let her eyes rove over her stepdaughter. "Somewhere along the road you changed from that sweet girl I took in and became this person before me."

"Oh, what do you know?" Livvie questioned as she whirled about to fully face Lucy. "You read tarot cards, believe the universe talks to you, and that you have some psychic connection to anything that emits a pulse." Anger surged through her as she gave into the annoyance she buried over having Lucy dog her every footstep since she announced she and Rafe were married. "You and Alison both believe and act upon this well intentioned goodness that you think will give back what you put out."

"Are you saying you don't?"

Livvie placed a hand upon the stairwell and looked up the steps leading toward where her husband was being hypnotized. "I believe in action. I believe in reaching out and grabbing what you want-"

"And taking things that don't belong to you," Lucy interrupted in an even voice. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and watched Livvie. "You're a spoiled little girl, Livvie, that's all you are. You play on your father's guilt of not being there for you when you were young. And when you aren't manipulating him into feeling badly for you, you stomp your feet and throw tantrums when things don't go your way."

Inhaling a calming breath, her temper getting somewhat the best of her, Lucy let her words sit in the air a moment hoping that they would have an effect on Livvie. "I may believe in the universe, things that aren't certain and things that most people don't, but I know one thing that is for sure. Lies always come back to haunt you. Lies always have a way of being exposed. And Livvie -- your lies are about to be discovered," she announced and then pointed towards the ceiling.

Outside…

Alison rubbed her hands together while she tried to contain the giddiness that flowed through her as she stared at the Lighthouse door. Since Jack had told her Lucy hired a private investigator she had been floating about on cloud nine. It had been a long time since she had been able to feel this light and free. Not since being with Rafe had she known this kind of happiness. It was almost as though everything was now in reach, like things were going to start to return to normal once again.

Lifting her hand away from herself, Alison reached out and knocked upon the door before her. It took longer than normal for someone to answer the door, which made Alison think that there was no one home. That was until the object before her swung open and Livvie was standing there staring at her as though she were the cause of world hunger. The woman who had once been her best friend and now was her enemy sat reclined in the doorway, with the door partially closed behind her.

"Livvie," Alison greeted in a cool voice and then gazed passed her shoulder. "Lucy home?"

Her eyelids narrowed slightly as she answered, "We're slightly busy at the moment. So if you don't mind going away-"

The door flew open and Lucy stood behind Livvie, and smiled warmly at Alison after shooting Livvie an annoyed look. "Come on in, Alison. What brings you by? Actually, I'm glad you're here. I have some wonderful news for you."

Alison looked between Lucy and Livvie, and then slid passed the latter to come to stand indoors. "News?" She questioned carefully, not sure what it was that Lucy was about to share with her. "What about?"

Lucy cleared her throat and grinned like the bird that had finally swallowed the canary. She then took Alison by the shoulders and guided her towards the couch. When both were seated she announced, "Doc is upstairs with Rafe right now."

That had Alison's eyes widening. "Is something wrong with him?"

Her head shook briefly and then she cast Livvie a quick glance. "Nope, not in the least. Doc is hypnotizing Rafe to see if he can recall his memories."

"Oh, my God," Alison breathed out from her hands that she pressed against her mouth. "Do you think it will work?"

Livvie sighed with annoyance at having Alison occupy the same space as her. Could she not have a day when she wasn't free from the sweet, innocent Alison whom everybody loves? Did she have to worm her way into every situation that didn't involve her?

"No, Alison, I don't think it's going to work," Livvie piped in before Lucy could answer. "I think this is just a waste of my husband's time, as well as my father's. Everyone should just accept that Rafe won't get his memory back and move on with creating new memories for him."

Both Alison and Lucy turned to look at Livvie as she spoke from her position by the stairs, but it was Lucy who spoke up. "You had better pray Rafe not regain his memories, Livvie. Because once he does he will expose you for the liar and schemer that you are and will leave you in a heartbeat for Alison."

As she slipped a hand to her stomach, Livvie bit back, "Rafe wouldn't leave me or our child."

Lucy snickered softly before a soft laughter bubbled up her throat. "'Our child' … what a joke. Livvie you are no more pregnant than I am and I intend to prove as such."

That had Livvie slinking away from the stairs and toward Lucy. "What would my father think about this attack upon his daughter? That you repeatedly call me a liar and are out to get me?"

"I would be more concerned about what your father will think of you when he learns the truth about you. I hate to see him hurt, but I refuse to have him hurt any further by you or anyone. And there is no mistaking that Kevin will be and he'll feel betrayed by the outcome of this entire situation."

Lucy stood up from the couch and took a few steps so she was face-to-face with Livvie. Looking the woman square in the eyes, she asked, "And what do you think will hurt him more: a wife who did everything she could to stop his daughter from hurting him further or a daughter who manipulated him endlessly to get him to keep his faith in her?"

Upstairs…

Kevin sat comfortably in a chair near his bed, which Rafe lay upon, and watched his son-in-law. It had taken some doing, but he was finally to a point where he was relaxed enough to be open to suggestions or helpfully guided through lost memories. After folding his hands into his lap, Kevin sat up a bit straighter and thought over the questions he had in mind to ask Rafe. There were so many he personally had, but this quest for answers wasn't for him, but for the man before him.

"Alright, Rafe, I instructed you to go to a place you find safe. Do you have that place?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

"Good," Kevin murmured softly. "Can you tell me about it?"

There was a slight pause in the room, as if Rafe had fallen asleep instead of trying to find the words to describe where he was in his thoughts. But the lapse in talking was only brief because Rafe opened his mouth and began speaking.

"It's warm and happy. I feel safe here, completed. I know that if I were ever troubled I could come here and feel all right again. Mostly -- I feel loved."

Kevin nodded his head, as though Rafe could see it, and made some notes upon the tablet he had brought with him upstairs. Once things were recorded, he absently asked, "What else can you tell me about this place? Any sights, smells or colors?"

The corners of Rafe's mouth curled upward as he relayed, "Candles. Burning candles permeate the air and it's almost as comforting as the atmosphere. I see benches -- no, pews that all face the altar."

"Are you in a church?" When his son-in-law nodded, Kevin made a note of it upon his tablet and then tapped the eraser against the sheet of paper. "Why is it that you feel safest in a church?" Kevin knew he should be directing Rafe towards the memories he couldn't reclaim, but this intrigued him.

His brow drifted together as he answered, "It brings me closer to God. Some put their faith in weapons to keep them safe from harm, I put mine into the Man above because I know he would never lead me astray."

Kevin's pencil stilled upon the tablet as he instructed, "Now, Rafe, imagine you are outside of the church. It's a warm day, the sun is shining, the birds are out in force, and you are having a wonderful time. You find yourself feeling as safe as you do in the church, not because of where you are, but who you are with. You feel them take your hand and you look toward them -- who is it that you see?"

In his mind's eye Rafe drew the picture Kevin's words had painted for him, and he found himself looking towards the person next to him in this little dream world he had created. Right off he couldn't see their face, for the bright light of what could only be the sun was shining behind them blocking it out. But it didn't unsettle him that he could see who he was with, because he knew he was safe with -- her.

"An angel," Rafe answered Kevin finally, his voice filled with happiness.

That had Kevin frowning slightly. "You see an angel?"

"My angel."

~*~