Jake took up the narrative. “At first I thought about getting you a closet for your clothes. Then it dawned on me, what clothing could you possibly need in a place like this. I decided that the chest over there,” Jake indicated with his chin, “should more than meet your requirements.”
It was now Jason’s turn to speak. “Everything else is my idea. Especially the steel door and the bars on the windows. I would have paid for it too, but our father insisted that he foot the bill.”
“Don’t do this to me, Jackson,” Diana pleaded, turning towards her ex-husband. “I won’t survive!”
“I’m past caring whether you survive or not,” Jackson replied, weariness seeming to weigh heavily on him. “If I had the stomach for it, I’d ensure that you were wiped off the face of the earth. You have hurt the people I hold dear for the last time. You can scream as much as you like. Out here nobody will care. You see, Diana this place is full of poor souls who are beyond the help of others. I suppose you will attempt to escape at some point. With that, I wish you well. Without your lotions and potions I suspect you will not look as you do for much longer.”
“Who do you people think you are to treat me like this? I demand that you release me because God help you all if you don’t!” Diana threatened her eyes glassed over with rage.
“Goodbye, Diana,” Jackson said with a look of resignation before he turned his back on her.
“I should have killed you all at birth,” she screamed.
“Oh, you certainly tried with one of us. However, as you can see we are all here. ‘If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely’.
I remember reading that when Jake and I were stuck at your house, it’s by Roald Dhal. You, Diana are the ugliest person I have ever known. It is my wish that I never have to set eyes on you for the rest of my life!” With a slight incline of his head, Josh also left.
The twins looked at each other. When Jake glanced over at Diana, he knew that he should be the one to speak first. His words were simple. “This is for my brothers, Noelle and MacKenzie. Thank God there are some women in the world who know how to be a good mother. Oh, and before I forget, your little friend who was brought in with you. He too will remain here, his punishment for giving my girls three minutes of distress.”
As soon as Jake finished, Jason began to speak. “I came to terms with the beginning of my life because of the love I’ve found over the last year. I suspect that out of all my brothers I may have the biggest capacity for revenge, and I accept that. You are a very lucky woman, Diana. If not for Aviva being in my life, I would kill you,” Jason paused for impact.
“Thankfully, I’m a much better man because of her. You sealed your fate when you moved against her. My personal quest for the rest of your life is to ensure that you never again see the light of day outside of this space,” Jason’s head inclined towards the barred windows, but his eyes remained fixed on the woman still dressed in her fur coat.
With that, the twins turned their backs on the woman who had given them life. Jake couldn’t help looking back. Diana stood in the middle of the twenty foot room still dressed in mink with horror written across her face.
The room was a perfect replica of the bedroom he and Josh had been summoned to each morning in her old home all those years ago. Her house had been their hell. If the fates were kind, this room would now be hers.
**********
They had left the van in an aircraft hangar near the asylum. As pre-arraigned a helicopter was waiting for them. When they were all buckled in, Josh carried out the necessary checks and flew them home. Through mutual silent agreement, nobody spoke. All were lost in quiet contemplation of the night’s events and what it would mean to their lives.
When they arrived home, Jason wasn’t surprised to see his wife was still awake and rushing towards him. Opening his arms, he hugged her close and drew in her scent. For him, the last fragmented piece of his life had been disposed of.
“Are you okay, baby?” Aviva asked.
“I’m fine. I don’t know about Jackson, but the rest of us are in no doubt that we did the right thing.”
Pulling away from her husband, Aviva made her way to the older man. Linking arms with Jackson, she drew him gently towards the family room. The rest of them followed, Jake with his arm around MacKenzie’s shoulder.
While Aviva poured the men drinks, MacKenzie handed them out.
“After tonight, I do not want that woman’s name mentioned in this house ever again,” Jackson said as he looked around at his family. “If any of you have something to say, this is your last opportunity to speak.”
Jason saw Aviva surreptitiously glance around. “Umm, what happened to Farrah?” She asked with a nonchalant air that didn’t fool Jason for a moment.
Jason smiled at his wife. He should have guessed Farrah would still be on her mind. If he hadn’t been so preoccupied with the issues surrounding Diana, he would have thought to put her mind at ease days ago.
“Farrah is back in Vegas with her husband, and–”