He looked up as she appeared unhappily in the doorway. “Clare, have a seat.” He motioned to the oversized chair in front of his desk.
Clare looked at Ripley who was seating himself as well. “Why does he have to be here?”
“I know where the mop and bucket are.” Ripley smirked.
Ian put up his hands. “Look Clare, I can’t do this anymore. It’s over.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved a legal document in her direction and laid a pen on top of it. “I’m giving you a decision.”
“You don’t give me decisions.” Clare snarled. “I give you decisions.”
“Fine.” Ian reached forward and slowly began to pull the document back to his side of the desk. “The marriage is off then.”
That got her attention. Sitting up straight and trying not to drool. “What?”
“You’re pregnant Clare, not deaf. I said the marriage is off.”
“What marriage?”
“I was giving you what you wanted, but you blew it…again.”
“What?” Her head turned in several directions and her body came alive with energy. “What?”
“If marrying me was what you really wanted I was going to do it. All you had to do was sign the pre-nup.”
“Oh no. No pre-nup.”
“Then no marriage. Please leave.” Ian looked to Ripley. “Please help Clare pack. Give her twenty dollars and drop her off at that flea bag she came from.”
“With pleasure.” Ripley stood and began to help Clare to her feet. He stopped and looked at Ian. “Do I have to be gentle?”
“I don’t care. Just get her out of my sight and explain to her along the way exactly what will happen if she ever deigns to contact me or anyone in my family again.”
Clare smacked Ripley’s hands as he reached for her. “You can’t do this! This is your baby!” She screamed and pointed to her belly.
“You refuse to prove it.” Ian calmly folded his hands on the desk. “In fact other than the fact that you’re shaped like a cement mixer you’ve not even got proof you’re pregnant. Prove it, then prove it’s my baby and I’ll take care of it.”
“Wait!” Clare shoved Ripley off and turned back to Ian. “If I prove this is your baby, you’ll marry me?”
“You prove the baby is mine and I’ll have my lawyer take the child from you. I will raise it, cherish it and it will want for nothing, but you will never come near it for any reason.”
“This is my baby!”
“Not any more.” Ian said. “You refuse to co-operate, you refuse to even be civil Clare. You’ve lost any power or control you deluded yourself into having.”
“I will run straight to the press and tell them everything.”
“Not a problem.” Ian reached for the phone and started dialing. “I’ll call Blake. He’ll give you all the numbers of the important people in his little black book.”
“This will ruin you!” She hissed.
Ian didn’t blink. “I doubt it seriously, and if it does so what?”
“You’ll lose everything!” She threatened.
“No I won’t, but then you won’t get anything.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of journalists that would pay a lot of money for this story.”
“Dirt rags maybe a couple of bucks, but real journalists? I doubt it. Clare, in the past six months I’ve gone from lead anchor in a small Southern Market to second in command at a major television network. Along the way, I became a hero when I pulled two people from a fire, a martyr when my home was invaded and I was shot at, and a legend of the month when the whole mess embroiled itself in the old Darla Hutton legend.”
“And I’m sure all of that will come tumbling down when they discover you tossed your pregnant girlfriend on the streets and threatened her.”
Ian cocked his head. “Are you aware of how many public and pop culture figures have pregnant girlfriends they’ve treated worse? Not to mention the amount of lying whores who run to the press and claim to be the pregnant abused abandoned girlfriends of public and pop culture figures. That barely registers these days.”
“I’m sure that…”
“Clare, even if you had been dumb enough to make a sex tape I doubt you’d even get more than a couple hits on You Tube, and those would probably be from someone creepy who just wanted to see my penis.”
“I guess we’ll just see won’t we?”
“Either way. You get nothing and I get to keep what I have.” Ian motioned Ripley to remove her with a simple flick of his hand.
“Wait!” Clare held her ground. “What if we compromise?”
“No comprises Clare.” Ian remained calm. “You get choice one or choice two. That’s it, either or or out the door, no turning back.”
Clare smacked at Ripley’s hands one last time. “And my choices are?”
Ian nodded to Ripley who calmly cracked his knuckles and reseated himself. Ian picked up the pen and slid the document back within Clare’s reach. “Choice one, we get married. You sign the pre-nup and as soon as the house is finished we get married and that’s that.”
“You’re going to build me a new house?” Clare smiled and reached for the pen.
“Not exactly.” Ian leaned back in the chair. “Billy will fly back to Virginia and add a few rooms on to Aunt Hil’s house. We’ll be living there.”
“Yeah, that’ll happen.” Clare laughed. “Won’t it be a little difficult to run HRT from Lost Mountain?”
“Oh, if we get married I’ll resign effective immediately from HRT. I’m buying Fettersons Market. You will run that and I’ll farm the land.”
“Excuse me?” The pen dropped from Clare’s hand. “What about the money?”
“What money?” Ian’s eyebrow rose.
“All the money you’ve made at HRT?” She said. “Surely we can…”
“Clare that money is all tied up in this house, and medical expenses. I live well, but if those paychecks stop we’ll need income. I have enough to make a nice down payment on Fettersons.”
“But why do you have to leave HRT? Can’t we get married and you keep your job?”
“Unfortunately, it would be bad press for me to be married to a woman who is such a risk she can’t legally be allowed on HRT property. If we get married, I’m sorry I no longer have a job at HRT. That’s been made very clear.”
“Just get a job with another network.” Clare smiled.
“Your timing is way off, Clare. HRT was taking a huge risk putting me in such a position as it is. I’m unproven. The press and public like me, but as far as the other networks go I’m a snot nosed pain in the behind with nothing to show. If I had time to get a few successful schedules under my belt, I might have been a hot commodity.”
“So we wait a couple of months…” Clare bit her lip.
“Try years Clare.” Ian informed her. “Once again, you know not of what you speak. You want to get married. Sign the pre-nup, and we move to back to Virginia.”
“If we ain’t got nothing, why bother with a pre-nup?” Clare figured it out.
“The pre-nup has very little to do with money…darling. Although it does state that should the marriage end you leave financially with exactly what you came into the marriage with.”
“Well that’s not a whole lot.”
“And should the marriage end, the pre-nup takes care of custody.” Ian said matter of factly.
“Custody?”
“Of the baby. Should we divorce, you give up all rights and claims to the child and/or any other children we might have.”
“Well…if you think there’s going to be another baby you have absolutely lost your mind.”
Ian leaned forward. “There will be other children. I want lots of children and if you won’t give them to me…” Ian reached back and began to scoot the pre-nup away from Clare and towards him with a finger.
Clare threw the pen on the desk. It bounced from the force and hit Ian in the forehead. “Problem, dear?”
“What’s the other choice?”
“You stop being a freaking free loader and bitch and we get on with our lives.”
“What?” Clare tried hard to be offended.
“Clare let’s just raise this baby. Lots of people do it. They’re smart enough to know just because they’ll never work out as husband and wife doesn’t mean they can’t create a warm loving environment for a child as man and woman. Let’s learn to like each other. That will be a new one for us.”
“But we love each other.” She insisted.
“No, Clare. At most my sperm loved your egg. Sorry to be crude, but that’s the fact here.”
“Oh yeah?” Clare continued. “Then why were we together for so long?”
“You know, I’ve thought a lot about that.” Ian softened his line. “Believe it or not, if I thought either one of us could actually love the other I’d be willing to give marriage a shot.” He actually felt shamed as the words escaped his lips.
“Face it Clare, I was with you because no one had ever tried so hard to keep me around and I was used to the abuse. Hell, it was better than the abuse my Uncle heaped on me, and you that you loved me because I was the only thing you’d run across in life that really didn’t care about you one way or another.”
“That’s a disgusting thing to say.” Clare looked hurt.
“I’m sorry.” Ian dropped his eyes. “But you know it’s true. Clare I don’t even understand why you kept me around as long as you did. At first I thought it was because you lost your father and you thought you could mold me into his replacement. It made me feel like I was worth something. I’d never felt that way before.”
“Ian…” Clare pouted up.
“Just give me one good reason why Clare. Come up with one true reason for trying to be anything more than friends and I’ll do anything you want. Anything…”
“Oh this is ridiculous. There are plenty of reasons…” Clare began to search her brain.
“One, let me hear just one that makes sense.” Ian pleaded. “And good together in bed isn’t one of them. That leads right back to the sperm and egg thing and I really don’t want to go there again.”
“Just good in bed?” Clare smiled weakly.
“Clare, for me…just good.”
“Damn…” she said. At least that made Ian smile.
“Take your time, Clare. Let’s not rush into any thing. We’ve hurt each other enough, and we’ve both been hurt way too much. Nothing has to change until then except our attitudes.”
“Ian?” Clare looked desperate. “What about me? What do I get out of all this?”
“I keep forgetting it’s all about you.” He chuckled.
“Damn straight.” She smiled. “It’s what got us all in this mess in the first place, and I’ve always relied on you to get me out of it.”
“Clare, I’ll always take care of everything the baby needs, 100%”
“And what about what I need?”
“Clare, I think it’s time you learned to stand on your own to feet. You’re a strong, relatively smart woman…”
“Relatively?” Clare turned to Ripley who grunted. “Watch it, Ripples.”
“I left you with a rather healthy bank account, a car and a condo all paid for. Six months later you don’t have a dime to your name. Think about it.”
“I needed stuff.”
“Then learn to pay for it. I know you are going to be busy with a newborn, our newborn. I don’t expect you to get a job tomorrow, but we can work this out together. You are really bad at blackmail, so we can rule criminal out, but we can do this.”
She nodded her head. “By the way, David Turner stopped by earlier this afternoon.”
“He did?”
“Yes, he said to apologize to you for thinking you might need him to step in and solve the problem known as me.”
Ian smiled. “Oh?”
“He said you’d squash me like a bug.”
“Don’t make me.”
“You just did.”
“Clare…” Ian shook his head. “Call your mother.”
“Okay, you win.” Clare crossed her hands over her belly. “Don’t be mean.”
“I’m not being mean.” He handed her his cell phone. “I moved her to a facility not to far from here. She’s doing so well. They let me bring her home on weekends.”
Ian saw the tears form up in her eyes. “The room Billy’s been working on is for her. We’re hoping soon we can keep her here permanently.”
Ripley reached over and touched her on the shoulder and handed her a tissue. “She’s still struggles to speak, but her mind is sharp and she makes herself clear.”
“Ronnie has been teaching her sign language. He adores her, and she just lights up anytime he’s around. She asks about you everyday.”
“Call her. She wants to hear from you.” Ripley rubbed her shoulder. “She’s got one hand sign down I’m sure she’ll make very clear one too many times, but I think all she needs now is her daughter.”
Clare took the phone and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Speed dial seven.” Ian said. He got up from the desk and looked at Ripley. “Let’s give her some privacy.”
Ripley left the room, as Ian squatted down next to Clare. “When you’re through, give the old bat my love and then come in the living room and have cupcakes and watch “Minute to Win It” with us. Come. Just be a part of the family.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “May I speak with Gloria Humphreys, please? This is her daughter.”
Ian kissed her on the forehead. “Just stop fighting Clare, and let us heal each other. Oddly enough, we need you as much as you need us.”
Clare squeezed his hand. “Mama?”
Ian shut the den door behind him and leaned against the wall. He looked up at the sky and said reverently. “Thank you God. Let this work, please. For my baby’s sake.”
He took a deep breath and passed out.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Vignette #209: Baking Confections
Ronnie’s eyes grew watching the confections through the oven window.
“Ronnie, you’re going to burn off your nose.” His father chuckled as he put the last of the dinner dishes away.
“They look so good, Papa.” The boy turned to his father and asked, being sure not to plead. “Can I have a cupcake when they come out of the oven before you put the icing on?”
“They’re for dinner tomorrow, son.” Ian squatted down beside his boy and looked at the cupcakes rising. “But we’ve been good. I think we can all have just one. We made plenty.”
“Thanks, Papa.” Ronnie put his cheek against his father’s, then drew back quickly and looked at him. “You’re hot.”
“Some people seem to think so. I don’t really understand why.” Ian stood up, wiping sweat from his brow and then dabbing his face with the cooler dishtowel.
Ronnie put his hands on his hips and looked sternly. “I’m calling the doctor.”
“No need, Ronnie. I’m fine. I think now that I’ve been given an almost free reign, I’m doing just a little too much.”
“You go sit down.” Ronnie pointed toward the living room. “I’ll finish the cupcakes.”
“I’m almost…”
“Sit…now!”
Ian didn’t know whether to laugh at his son’s tone or quiver in his boots. He put up his hands. “Sitting down…” He pulled a chair out from the table and had a seat. “Happy.”
“Almost.” Ronnie went to his father, putting his arms around him and giving him a big squeeze. “Now I’m happy.”
He patted the boy on the head and sighed in his own contentment. Ronnie pulled the chair beside him and took a seat.
“Papa, I’ve been thinkin’…”
“Uh oh.”
“Stop.” Ronnie giggled. “When this baby comes. Where are we gonna put it?”
“We’re working on that. Billy is going to pick up some plans to the house tomorrow and then we can make a decision.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can.” Ian noted the smile on the boy’s face and his smile. “Ronnie, are you happy about this baby?”
Ronnie hesitated but nodded his head. “I’ve always wanted a baby brother. Looks like I’m finally gonna get my wish.”
“What if it’s a baby sister?”
“Well, a brother I can pal around with. If it’s a baby sister I reckon I’ll just have to adore her. I can live with that.” Ronnie noted the smile on his father’s face. “Are you happy about it?”
“Son, I am trying real hard to be. This isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I think maybe I more scared than anything.”
“I understand, but we’re in this together. We’ll make it work.”
Clare suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Ian, do you have a television in your bedroom?”
Ian looked up from his son. “Of course I have a television in my bedroom.”
“Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Because my bedroom is none of your business. Is there are problem?”
“No. I just…” Clare wobbled to leave.
“Miss Clare, why don’t you stay and have a cupcake with us. We’re about to take them out of the oven?” Ronnie smiled at her.
“No thank you dear. I’m the size of a house already. The last thing I need is a cupcake.”
“Sit with us then.” Ronnie pulled out a chair.
Clare’s eyes shot for approval from Ian. Ian nodded and Clare allowed Ronnie to help her sit. “Thank you, Sweet Boy.” She patted him on the hand. “You know, I think you should start calling me Mommy.”
Ronnie’s eyes grew to the size of Clare’s belly. He quickly gathered himself and to Ian’s surprise was extremely polite. “No thank you. That would make me very uncomfortable. Perhaps at some other time.”
“Fine.” Clare hissed then put up her hands, slammed them on the table and pushed herself away. “You can not say I didn’t try.” She pushed herself to a standing position and began to waddle out.
“Clare.” Ian said calmly. “It’s time we talked.”
“I thought we had nothing to say to each other except through our lawyers?” She snarled.
“Since yours doesn’t seem to exist, I’ll meet you in the den in five minutes.”
“Why not here? In front of a witness?” She grinned.
“That’s why we’re going to speak in my den. I’ll have a witness there…of legal age.”
“Whatever.” Clare followed the rolling of her eyes out of the room.
Ian waited for the woman to leave the kitchen before he turned to Ronnie and took his face in his hands. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being kind and loving when it’s extremely hard to do. You said you can handle the cupcakes?”
“Sure.”
“Good, run go tell Ripley to find Clare and yank her into the den. Then run back here and finish up the treats. Bring us all one when they’re ready.”
Ian kissed his son on the forehead before he bounded out of the kitchen. When he was alone, he dropped his head to the table and panted. “Oh God, just don’t let me pass out before I take care of the mess.”
“Ronnie, you’re going to burn off your nose.” His father chuckled as he put the last of the dinner dishes away.
“They look so good, Papa.” The boy turned to his father and asked, being sure not to plead. “Can I have a cupcake when they come out of the oven before you put the icing on?”
“They’re for dinner tomorrow, son.” Ian squatted down beside his boy and looked at the cupcakes rising. “But we’ve been good. I think we can all have just one. We made plenty.”
“Thanks, Papa.” Ronnie put his cheek against his father’s, then drew back quickly and looked at him. “You’re hot.”
“Some people seem to think so. I don’t really understand why.” Ian stood up, wiping sweat from his brow and then dabbing his face with the cooler dishtowel.
Ronnie put his hands on his hips and looked sternly. “I’m calling the doctor.”
“No need, Ronnie. I’m fine. I think now that I’ve been given an almost free reign, I’m doing just a little too much.”
“You go sit down.” Ronnie pointed toward the living room. “I’ll finish the cupcakes.”
“I’m almost…”
“Sit…now!”
Ian didn’t know whether to laugh at his son’s tone or quiver in his boots. He put up his hands. “Sitting down…” He pulled a chair out from the table and had a seat. “Happy.”
“Almost.” Ronnie went to his father, putting his arms around him and giving him a big squeeze. “Now I’m happy.”
He patted the boy on the head and sighed in his own contentment. Ronnie pulled the chair beside him and took a seat.
“Papa, I’ve been thinkin’…”
“Uh oh.”
“Stop.” Ronnie giggled. “When this baby comes. Where are we gonna put it?”
“We’re working on that. Billy is going to pick up some plans to the house tomorrow and then we can make a decision.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can.” Ian noted the smile on the boy’s face and his smile. “Ronnie, are you happy about this baby?”
Ronnie hesitated but nodded his head. “I’ve always wanted a baby brother. Looks like I’m finally gonna get my wish.”
“What if it’s a baby sister?”
“Well, a brother I can pal around with. If it’s a baby sister I reckon I’ll just have to adore her. I can live with that.” Ronnie noted the smile on his father’s face. “Are you happy about it?”
“Son, I am trying real hard to be. This isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I think maybe I more scared than anything.”
“I understand, but we’re in this together. We’ll make it work.”
Clare suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Ian, do you have a television in your bedroom?”
Ian looked up from his son. “Of course I have a television in my bedroom.”
“Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Because my bedroom is none of your business. Is there are problem?”
“No. I just…” Clare wobbled to leave.
“Miss Clare, why don’t you stay and have a cupcake with us. We’re about to take them out of the oven?” Ronnie smiled at her.
“No thank you dear. I’m the size of a house already. The last thing I need is a cupcake.”
“Sit with us then.” Ronnie pulled out a chair.
Clare’s eyes shot for approval from Ian. Ian nodded and Clare allowed Ronnie to help her sit. “Thank you, Sweet Boy.” She patted him on the hand. “You know, I think you should start calling me Mommy.”
Ronnie’s eyes grew to the size of Clare’s belly. He quickly gathered himself and to Ian’s surprise was extremely polite. “No thank you. That would make me very uncomfortable. Perhaps at some other time.”
“Fine.” Clare hissed then put up her hands, slammed them on the table and pushed herself away. “You can not say I didn’t try.” She pushed herself to a standing position and began to waddle out.
“Clare.” Ian said calmly. “It’s time we talked.”
“I thought we had nothing to say to each other except through our lawyers?” She snarled.
“Since yours doesn’t seem to exist, I’ll meet you in the den in five minutes.”
“Why not here? In front of a witness?” She grinned.
“That’s why we’re going to speak in my den. I’ll have a witness there…of legal age.”
“Whatever.” Clare followed the rolling of her eyes out of the room.
Ian waited for the woman to leave the kitchen before he turned to Ronnie and took his face in his hands. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being kind and loving when it’s extremely hard to do. You said you can handle the cupcakes?”
“Sure.”
“Good, run go tell Ripley to find Clare and yank her into the den. Then run back here and finish up the treats. Bring us all one when they’re ready.”
Ian kissed his son on the forehead before he bounded out of the kitchen. When he was alone, he dropped his head to the table and panted. “Oh God, just don’t let me pass out before I take care of the mess.”
Vignette #208: Turner's Pipebomb
“Ripples!” Clare craned her head in all directions and bellowed. “Are you gonna get that?”
“He and Ronnie are still out!” Came a voice from somewhere in the house.
“Are you gonna get the door then?” She yapped.
“Has Tippy broken your arms and legs?” The voice returned.
“No.”
“Then get the door. We’re kinda busy back here.”
“Fine.” Clare shoved herself up off the couch and waddled to the front door as the bell rang again. “I’m coming.”
Clare opened the door and looked at the dapper elderly gentlemen standing on the porch leaning on his cane with a smile on his face. “Good afternoon.”
“I already believe in Jesus. Now go away.” Clare started to slam the door.
“You must be Clare.” The man said.
The pregnant woman rolled her eyes. “That would be me. Ian’s not home. Go away and don’t ever come back.” She stepped back and started to slam the door, but the gentlemen was quick with his cane and kept it from shutting all the way.
“Hey!” Clare looked up at the man in shock.
“I’m David Turner.”
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Clare said and opened the door. “Please pardon the confusion.”
“We’ve never been formally introduced.”
“No, but as I’ve said Ian isn’t here. He’s supposed to be at still at the office, but I’ll tell him you dropped by.”
“Actually, Ian is in meetings and I came by to talk with you.”
“Oh?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course. Please do.” Clare stepped back allowing David Turner entry. She followed him like a puppy as he took a seat in a sofa chair by the couch.
“May I get you something?” When Turner thanked her politely and declined refreshment, Clare seated herself on the couch and informed him. “I gave the servants the day off.”
David Turner smiled wryly. “I’m sure that happened.”
“Ouch! Dammit, hold it tight son!” The duo heard the voice from the back of the house.
“I’m doing the best I can Jude.”
Clare blushed and tried to explain. “Renovations. We’re building a nursery on the first floor. It’s hard to find laborers with any couth.”
“You seem to be under the impression that I’ve never been here before.” Turner sat back in the chair as Rodie appeared from nowhere and jumped happily in his lap. “As you can see, you are mistaken.” He stroked the first purr out of the cat. “Hello, precious.” He said to her.
“That cat!” Clare leaned over and tried to swat her off the man’s lap.
David wrapped has arms tightly around the feline. “Rodie is fine, young lady. I look forward to sharing my lap with her every visit.” He looked up from the cat to Clare. “Which I do often.”
“Oh.” Clare folded her hands and rested them on her belly. “You wanted to see me about something?.”
“Yes.” Turner smiled. “How’s your mother?”
Taken aback, Clare stammered. “Uh….what…I…uh…”
“A simple question, young lady. How is your mother?”
Clare smiled. “Fine”
“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow.
“As fine as can be expected. I hated leaving her behind, but Ian wanted me…”
Turner cleared his throat and frowned.
“I do call every day.” Clare said. “Of course, she can’t speak, but the nurses hold the phone up to her ear so she can hear my voice. It’s so sad. Sometimes I think it would be better if the Lord just went ahead and took her home.”
“So she’s…?”
“In a facility back in Virginia. She needs constant care. She can’t do anything for herself, poor thing.”
“Yes.” Turner continued to deliberately stroke the cat and stare at Clare, making her increasingly uncomfortable. “Some of us are lucky in old age, others are not.”
“Is there something I can do for you, David?” Clare caught the look on the man’s face and immediately corrected herself. “Mr. Turner?”
“Young lady, I came here because I have been concerned about Ian.”
“Ian’s fine.” Her voice irritated at everyone’s concern over Ian, when she was the one who deserved all the concern. “He’s mad, of course, but as soon as he gets over it we can get married and I can start taking care of things. He makes such a mess of everything.”
“Miss Humphreys, Ian’s only problem right now seems to be you.”
“Excuse me?” Clare dug her nails into the arm of the couch. “I am not a problem for Ian. I’m the only one who can keep him in line.”
David Turner chuckled and looked down at the cat. “Since I’ve know Young Justyn, he has never once been late for a meeting, not had one idea that didn’t instantly turn everything gold or ever given HRT less than 250% of his attention when he was on the clock.”
He looked up at her. “Since you’ve thrown yourself on his doorstep, he is barely able to stay propped up in a corner and drool. I think your effect on him is quite different from the effect you believe you have on him.”
“Ian’s just…”
“Quiet.”
Clare’s eyes shot open at the soft, fearless power of the demand.
“My intention was to come here and give you a check.”
Clare smiled. “You think I can be bought?”
“Young lady, I know you can be bought but just in case I have an alternative way of getting you out of Ian’s life.”
“What? You gonna have me killed?” Clare laughed, then stopped when he smiled at her, never missing a stroke of Rodie’s gray fur.
“You know, Ian’s been abused, lied to, maligned and shot at. He survived it all, becoming even stronger. I feared he’d finally met his Kryptonite.” David Turner stood. “I was mistaken at my instinct to step in and take care of the problem.”
Clare looked at the old man with a look of satisfaction. “I don’t think Ian would take to kindly when he finds out you came here and threatened me.”
“You are absolutely right. He doesn’t need my help.” David Turner stroked Rodie one last time and slowly stood up. “You’re nothing. He’ll squash you like a bug. Please give him my apologies for thinking I needed to intervene on his behalf.”
He walked slowly toward the door, a dumbstruck Clare simply watching him leave.
Before David Turner closed the door behind him, he looked across the room and into Clare’s eyes. “If I were you, I’d figure out a way to save myself, but I doubt seriously you’re smart enough.” He smiled and tipped his hat. “You’re toast.”
Clare blinked as the old man shut the door behind himself. She turned her head slowly to the cat in the chair. Rodie licked her foot and then looked up at Clare. She hissed and dashed out of the room.
“Everything alright in here?” Billy appeared at the couch.
“Uh…yes…fine.”
“Have you seen my daughter?”
“Not since I gave her that little purse.”
“It was very sweet of you to think of her.” Billy smiled. “Thank you.”
“She’s a little wild, but she’s a good kid.” Clare managed to say with all the alarms going off in her head.
“Vonda Rae!” Billy shouted. “Where are you?”
Vonnie appeared at the top of the stair landing. “Right here, Daddy.”
“What are you doing up stairs?” He put his hands on his hips.
“I was watching TV in Uncle Ian’s room.” Vonnie grinned and pointed to Clare. “She was takin’ a nap…again…an’ I got bored. I dint wanna wake her up.”
“Alright, but you better not have messed in anything up there.”
“Me an’ Ralphie sat on the floor an’ played an’ watched cartoons.”
“We’ve finished up here for the day. Did you turn the TV off?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You and Ralphie come on. It’s time for all of us to go home.” Billy left the room, daughter and dog following not that far behind.
As Vonnie passed her, Clare grabbed her arm. “Ian doesn’t have a TV in his bedroom.”
Vonnie wrenched her arm back. “You’re not allowed in there. How would you know?”
“He and Ronnie are still out!” Came a voice from somewhere in the house.
“Are you gonna get the door then?” She yapped.
“Has Tippy broken your arms and legs?” The voice returned.
“No.”
“Then get the door. We’re kinda busy back here.”
“Fine.” Clare shoved herself up off the couch and waddled to the front door as the bell rang again. “I’m coming.”
Clare opened the door and looked at the dapper elderly gentlemen standing on the porch leaning on his cane with a smile on his face. “Good afternoon.”
“I already believe in Jesus. Now go away.” Clare started to slam the door.
“You must be Clare.” The man said.
The pregnant woman rolled her eyes. “That would be me. Ian’s not home. Go away and don’t ever come back.” She stepped back and started to slam the door, but the gentlemen was quick with his cane and kept it from shutting all the way.
“Hey!” Clare looked up at the man in shock.
“I’m David Turner.”
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Clare said and opened the door. “Please pardon the confusion.”
“We’ve never been formally introduced.”
“No, but as I’ve said Ian isn’t here. He’s supposed to be at still at the office, but I’ll tell him you dropped by.”
“Actually, Ian is in meetings and I came by to talk with you.”
“Oh?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course. Please do.” Clare stepped back allowing David Turner entry. She followed him like a puppy as he took a seat in a sofa chair by the couch.
“May I get you something?” When Turner thanked her politely and declined refreshment, Clare seated herself on the couch and informed him. “I gave the servants the day off.”
David Turner smiled wryly. “I’m sure that happened.”
“Ouch! Dammit, hold it tight son!” The duo heard the voice from the back of the house.
“I’m doing the best I can Jude.”
Clare blushed and tried to explain. “Renovations. We’re building a nursery on the first floor. It’s hard to find laborers with any couth.”
“You seem to be under the impression that I’ve never been here before.” Turner sat back in the chair as Rodie appeared from nowhere and jumped happily in his lap. “As you can see, you are mistaken.” He stroked the first purr out of the cat. “Hello, precious.” He said to her.
“That cat!” Clare leaned over and tried to swat her off the man’s lap.
David wrapped has arms tightly around the feline. “Rodie is fine, young lady. I look forward to sharing my lap with her every visit.” He looked up from the cat to Clare. “Which I do often.”
“Oh.” Clare folded her hands and rested them on her belly. “You wanted to see me about something?.”
“Yes.” Turner smiled. “How’s your mother?”
Taken aback, Clare stammered. “Uh….what…I…uh…”
“A simple question, young lady. How is your mother?”
Clare smiled. “Fine”
“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow.
“As fine as can be expected. I hated leaving her behind, but Ian wanted me…”
Turner cleared his throat and frowned.
“I do call every day.” Clare said. “Of course, she can’t speak, but the nurses hold the phone up to her ear so she can hear my voice. It’s so sad. Sometimes I think it would be better if the Lord just went ahead and took her home.”
“So she’s…?”
“In a facility back in Virginia. She needs constant care. She can’t do anything for herself, poor thing.”
“Yes.” Turner continued to deliberately stroke the cat and stare at Clare, making her increasingly uncomfortable. “Some of us are lucky in old age, others are not.”
“Is there something I can do for you, David?” Clare caught the look on the man’s face and immediately corrected herself. “Mr. Turner?”
“Young lady, I came here because I have been concerned about Ian.”
“Ian’s fine.” Her voice irritated at everyone’s concern over Ian, when she was the one who deserved all the concern. “He’s mad, of course, but as soon as he gets over it we can get married and I can start taking care of things. He makes such a mess of everything.”
“Miss Humphreys, Ian’s only problem right now seems to be you.”
“Excuse me?” Clare dug her nails into the arm of the couch. “I am not a problem for Ian. I’m the only one who can keep him in line.”
David Turner chuckled and looked down at the cat. “Since I’ve know Young Justyn, he has never once been late for a meeting, not had one idea that didn’t instantly turn everything gold or ever given HRT less than 250% of his attention when he was on the clock.”
He looked up at her. “Since you’ve thrown yourself on his doorstep, he is barely able to stay propped up in a corner and drool. I think your effect on him is quite different from the effect you believe you have on him.”
“Ian’s just…”
“Quiet.”
Clare’s eyes shot open at the soft, fearless power of the demand.
“My intention was to come here and give you a check.”
Clare smiled. “You think I can be bought?”
“Young lady, I know you can be bought but just in case I have an alternative way of getting you out of Ian’s life.”
“What? You gonna have me killed?” Clare laughed, then stopped when he smiled at her, never missing a stroke of Rodie’s gray fur.
“You know, Ian’s been abused, lied to, maligned and shot at. He survived it all, becoming even stronger. I feared he’d finally met his Kryptonite.” David Turner stood. “I was mistaken at my instinct to step in and take care of the problem.”
Clare looked at the old man with a look of satisfaction. “I don’t think Ian would take to kindly when he finds out you came here and threatened me.”
“You are absolutely right. He doesn’t need my help.” David Turner stroked Rodie one last time and slowly stood up. “You’re nothing. He’ll squash you like a bug. Please give him my apologies for thinking I needed to intervene on his behalf.”
He walked slowly toward the door, a dumbstruck Clare simply watching him leave.
Before David Turner closed the door behind him, he looked across the room and into Clare’s eyes. “If I were you, I’d figure out a way to save myself, but I doubt seriously you’re smart enough.” He smiled and tipped his hat. “You’re toast.”
Clare blinked as the old man shut the door behind himself. She turned her head slowly to the cat in the chair. Rodie licked her foot and then looked up at Clare. She hissed and dashed out of the room.
“Everything alright in here?” Billy appeared at the couch.
“Uh…yes…fine.”
“Have you seen my daughter?”
“Not since I gave her that little purse.”
“It was very sweet of you to think of her.” Billy smiled. “Thank you.”
“She’s a little wild, but she’s a good kid.” Clare managed to say with all the alarms going off in her head.
“Vonda Rae!” Billy shouted. “Where are you?”
Vonnie appeared at the top of the stair landing. “Right here, Daddy.”
“What are you doing up stairs?” He put his hands on his hips.
“I was watching TV in Uncle Ian’s room.” Vonnie grinned and pointed to Clare. “She was takin’ a nap…again…an’ I got bored. I dint wanna wake her up.”
“Alright, but you better not have messed in anything up there.”
“Me an’ Ralphie sat on the floor an’ played an’ watched cartoons.”
“We’ve finished up here for the day. Did you turn the TV off?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You and Ralphie come on. It’s time for all of us to go home.” Billy left the room, daughter and dog following not that far behind.
As Vonnie passed her, Clare grabbed her arm. “Ian doesn’t have a TV in his bedroom.”
Vonnie wrenched her arm back. “You’re not allowed in there. How would you know?”
Vignette #207: Ella's Hideaway
Jesse had his eyes on the road, but focused on Ian from the corner of his eye. Ian was trying hard to act normal, but he was sweating and white.
“Do you remember how to get there from here?” Ian was looking around at the scenery passing by.
“Of course I do.” Jesse rolled his eyes.
“Then why doesn’t any of this look familiar?”
Jesse flipped the turn signal on. “Because we are going somewhere else first.”
“Oh.” Ian sat back in the seat.
Jesse smiled as he watched him fidget a moment. “Don’t worry, there’s something I want to show you. It won’t take long…and you’ll be home in plenty of time to help make dinner.”
“Sorry.”
“S’okay, it’s the little brother’s job to make the big brother squirm.” Jesse grinned as he turned the jeep off the highway onto a small road.
“You’re doing a fine job then.”
“Lots of practice.”
They were silent a moment as Jesse finally put the jeep in four-wheel drive and took a barely noticeable dirt road.
“Uhm…Jesse…are you gonna take me off somewhere private and kill me?”
“Not today, but can I keep that option open?”
Ian smiled. “We really are brothers aren’t we?”
“Still just sinking in, but yeah.” Jesse wasn’t sure if Ian nodded or his head just bounced from the rough terrain.
“I’m not sure how to be a brother. What if I’m not good at it?”
“You’ve got to be better than Reese. He really sucks.” Jesse was sure Ian chuckled that time. “Look it’s simple. You’re the big brother. I’m the little brother. So I win every fight. You let me have my pick of all the pretty girls and I always get my way no matter what the cost to you.”
“Yeah. That’s gonna happen.”
“See?” You already got it down. The hard stuff we’ll work out later.” Jesse put the jeep in park and looked directly at Ian. “We’re here.”
Ian looked out of the windows skeptically. “Where are we?”
“My place.” Jesse unbuckled his seat belt. “Com’mon let me show you around.”
“Your place?” Ian said as he took a precarious step out of the jeep on to the sand.
“Yep. My own little place in the dunes.” He waited for Ian to catch up with him.
When Ian stepped beside him, Jesse spread his arms wide and smiled. “My little shack.”
What Ian saw was a nice, tidy little bungalow settled tightly in the dunes, about the size of his Aunt Hil’s house only overlooking a cliff and sound tracked with the roar of the ocean. Ian looked at what he was trying to remember was his brother. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but this place is yours? You’re barely twenty-one. You must get some allowance.”
“It was a gift.” Jesse motioned Ian to follow him up the spiraling rock footpath to the front porch. “Herman and Miss Elizabeth gave it to me for graduation.”
Ian grabbed Jesse’s arm and made him stop and turn around. “The neighbors gave you beach front property for graduating high school?” When Jesse nodded his head, he couldn’t help but ask, “What did Reese get?”
Jesse shrugged his shoulders and took the last few steps to the porch. “Don’t know. All I know is he got a little hideaway somewhere just like me. Mom and Dad don’t even know about it.”
“So this is a secret?”
“Yup.” Jesse opened the door with a key from his ring and motioned Ian in. “Didn’t you get a graduation gift from your neighbors?” He said as he motioned him in first.
“I…uh…got a card.” He stepped inside. “I still have it. It made me cry.”
“See, we have a lot in common.” Jesse said as he shut the door and walked past him. “We’re both sentimental…and big ol’ babies. Come enjoy the view with me.”
Ian followed his brother through a set of sliding glass doors and found himself on a deck that seemed to jut out into nowhere. Jesse squatted Indian style on the edge and looked out over the ocean. Ian sat beside him, leaning back on his arms and dangling his feet over the edge.
“Don’t lose a shoe.” Jesse pointed. “I ain’t goin’ after it.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, still staring out over the endless tides, Ian said. “If this is a secret. Why did you bring me here? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy?”
Jesse turned to his brother. “You don’t trust easy…and I’ve done something to make you doubt my loyalty.”
“No you haven’t.”
“Ian, I knew about the birth certificate. I knew there was a great possibility we were really brothers and I kept it from you.”
“Jesse, I understand. I would have done the same thing until I knew for sure. The world kind of exploded. You thought you were protecting all of us.”
“But I should have said something. I tried to figure it out…and I did tell you about it.”
“You did?”
“Your second night in the hospital. You were no help at all.”
“Next time I’m in a coma, I’ll try not to ignore you. It was terribly self centered and rude.”
“It would be greatly appreciated.” Jesse reached in his breast pocket and pulled out a silver key chain with a key. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“A key to this place. Leave a tie on the door if you’re getting laid.”
Ian laughed as he took the key. “Yeah. That’ll happen.”
“Ian, this is the place I always come when I need time to myself. Time to think…”
“Time to get some…”
Jesse grinned. “Yeah…well…I’ve only brought a couple of people here, so anytime you need to get away and think, this is the place. Promise me you’ll use it.”
“Why Jesse?”
“Because, things have been awful for you, and I not only know what went down today but what you’re planning. I know you may need an escape. Even if you don’t trust me enough to tell me about stuff, I know the time is coming where you’ll need to just get away. It will help me to know you’re safe, if there’s a possibility I know where you are.”
“Oh my God.” Ian moaned and lay flat on his back, feet still dangling over the edge. “Why do the pipe bombs always come in twos?”
Jesse shrugged and lay back, mocking Ian’s stance, putting his hands behind his head. “I didn’t know what Miss Elizabeth had done. I swear.”
“I believe you.” Ian said. “That explosion is my fault. I should have read the contract thoroughly. I was just so excited I only looked for all the spots with an ‘X’. It’s the second one that always really gets me.”
“At least this time, no one got hurt. I mean it’s hard to get hurt when the bombs explode and it starts raining money.” Ian was silent and Jesse chewed his lip a moment. “Of course, it’s raining enough money on you to actually smother you to death.”
“But why Jesse?” Ian stayed focused on the sky. “Why would Miss Elizabeth do that? And where did all that other money come from? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“You’re life would have been so much different. So many questions…”
Ian sat up quickly. “But this time, a lot of answers. Well at least a lot of things make sense.”
“Like?”
“Why Uncle Nate treated me the way he did. Why he never got rid of me. And why he never seemed to worry we’d lose the farm. I’d always wondered why that was the only thing he never threatened me with. Of course, after he died and I learned the property never belonged to him.”
“Didn’t you ever wonder how the taxes got paid?”
“Well, I knew there was a trust set up to take care of that until I turned thirty. As I understood it, there was a separate account set up for just that. I just assumed that Uncle Nate drank the other account dry.”
“Why weren’t you told about it then? I mean about how much money there actually was?”
“Welcome to my world, little brother, one answer, another bigger question.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Ian looked down at Jesse, who had rolled over and was up on one elbow. “Tonight, I give Clare her choice, but I have to talk to Miss Glo first.”
“Why Miss Glo?”
“Because she may actually have a piece to that puzzle.” Ian drummed his fingers on the decking. “Her husband, as president of the bank, was trustee of the fund.”
Jesse sat up. “That would explain a lot.”
Ian nodded in agreement. “If nothing else, maybe she may have an idea where it all came from. The Ransom’s didn’t have that kind of money.”
“Obviously they did.”
“I get the feeling that everything, and I mean everything is all connected to something I inadvertently started when I came to California. Life was tough, but shortly after I showed up here people started stepping on land mines trying to get close to me. This all has to be connected.”
“You think this is about you coming to California?”
“Maybe, but I think this started a long time ago. Jude told me that Aunt Hil knew nothing about my mother, or said nothing about my mother for protection.”
“That sounds stupid.”
“To me too, but if you look at what’s happened since January and what happened in my life before HRT it makes sense.”
“You think that as long as you stayed in Virginia…?”
“Before I came here, anyone in my life who died died of natural causes.”
“Except maybe your mother…”
Ian looked at Jesse again. “I think that may be the best place to start. I don’t know where the beginning of the mess is, but obviously it was before I came to Hollywood and everything seems to point to a time before I was born.”
Jesse nodded and stood up. “If you need to speak with Miss Glo, we’d better get started back.”
Brushing themselves off, they headed for inside the bungalow. “So no one knows about this place.”
“Just you, me and a few people I brought up here to have a little privacy with.”
“I won’t ask.”
Jesse smiled as he walked out on the porch. “Good cause I’m a gentleman. I’ll fax you a list of conquests.”
Ian followed Jesse out to the porch. He stopped Jesse just before he locked the door. “Is that your mail?” Ian pointed to a large plastic box.
“Oh.” Jesse glanced at the large blue container. “Guess so. The mail main just piles it all there for me. Grab it and throw it in the back of the Jeep.”
Ian hefted the container up. “When was the last time you were here?”
“About a month before you…you know.”
“Yup. I know.”
Jesse stopped just short of the last step, turning to Ian. “I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“Ella, Ella was the last person I brought up here.”
“Ella?” Ian looked at Jesse. “You and Ella….?”
“No.” Jesse looked at his feet and blushed. “Well, not that time. Just before Thanksgiving she called me, all upset. I went a picked her up at her apartment and brought her here for a few days.”
“I didn’t realize you two were close.”
“Yes and no.” Jesse walked down the rock path. “I let her pick me up in a bar shortly after she moved to town. Actually I’m the one who talked Miss Elizabeth into getting her a job at HRT.”
“Do you remember what she was upset about?”
Jesse split off and rounded to the driver’s side of the Jeep and opened the door. “She had just started dating Blue and I think they had a big fight. I’m not really sure. I didn’t ask. I just brought her up here and told her she was welcomed to stay as long as she needed.”
“How long was she here?” Ian sat the blue box behind the passenger’s seat.
“She called me a few days later and thanked me, so probably just the weekend.” Jesse waited for Ian the push the seat back in place, get in and snap his seatbelt closed before putting the key in the ignition.
“Do you think that might be important?”
“Probably not.” Ian rubbed his hands together and brushed off the sand. “But why don’t you tell Kellen about it and see what he thinks.”
“I’ll catch him tonight.”
Jesse started the Jeep and pulled out, heading toward the dirt path back down the dunes. Several manila envelopes addressed with Ella’s handwriting jiggled in the box in the back as they headed toward the highway.
“Do you remember how to get there from here?” Ian was looking around at the scenery passing by.
“Of course I do.” Jesse rolled his eyes.
“Then why doesn’t any of this look familiar?”
Jesse flipped the turn signal on. “Because we are going somewhere else first.”
“Oh.” Ian sat back in the seat.
Jesse smiled as he watched him fidget a moment. “Don’t worry, there’s something I want to show you. It won’t take long…and you’ll be home in plenty of time to help make dinner.”
“Sorry.”
“S’okay, it’s the little brother’s job to make the big brother squirm.” Jesse grinned as he turned the jeep off the highway onto a small road.
“You’re doing a fine job then.”
“Lots of practice.”
They were silent a moment as Jesse finally put the jeep in four-wheel drive and took a barely noticeable dirt road.
“Uhm…Jesse…are you gonna take me off somewhere private and kill me?”
“Not today, but can I keep that option open?”
Ian smiled. “We really are brothers aren’t we?”
“Still just sinking in, but yeah.” Jesse wasn’t sure if Ian nodded or his head just bounced from the rough terrain.
“I’m not sure how to be a brother. What if I’m not good at it?”
“You’ve got to be better than Reese. He really sucks.” Jesse was sure Ian chuckled that time. “Look it’s simple. You’re the big brother. I’m the little brother. So I win every fight. You let me have my pick of all the pretty girls and I always get my way no matter what the cost to you.”
“Yeah. That’s gonna happen.”
“See?” You already got it down. The hard stuff we’ll work out later.” Jesse put the jeep in park and looked directly at Ian. “We’re here.”
Ian looked out of the windows skeptically. “Where are we?”
“My place.” Jesse unbuckled his seat belt. “Com’mon let me show you around.”
“Your place?” Ian said as he took a precarious step out of the jeep on to the sand.
“Yep. My own little place in the dunes.” He waited for Ian to catch up with him.
When Ian stepped beside him, Jesse spread his arms wide and smiled. “My little shack.”
What Ian saw was a nice, tidy little bungalow settled tightly in the dunes, about the size of his Aunt Hil’s house only overlooking a cliff and sound tracked with the roar of the ocean. Ian looked at what he was trying to remember was his brother. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but this place is yours? You’re barely twenty-one. You must get some allowance.”
“It was a gift.” Jesse motioned Ian to follow him up the spiraling rock footpath to the front porch. “Herman and Miss Elizabeth gave it to me for graduation.”
Ian grabbed Jesse’s arm and made him stop and turn around. “The neighbors gave you beach front property for graduating high school?” When Jesse nodded his head, he couldn’t help but ask, “What did Reese get?”
Jesse shrugged his shoulders and took the last few steps to the porch. “Don’t know. All I know is he got a little hideaway somewhere just like me. Mom and Dad don’t even know about it.”
“So this is a secret?”
“Yup.” Jesse opened the door with a key from his ring and motioned Ian in. “Didn’t you get a graduation gift from your neighbors?” He said as he motioned him in first.
“I…uh…got a card.” He stepped inside. “I still have it. It made me cry.”
“See, we have a lot in common.” Jesse said as he shut the door and walked past him. “We’re both sentimental…and big ol’ babies. Come enjoy the view with me.”
Ian followed his brother through a set of sliding glass doors and found himself on a deck that seemed to jut out into nowhere. Jesse squatted Indian style on the edge and looked out over the ocean. Ian sat beside him, leaning back on his arms and dangling his feet over the edge.
“Don’t lose a shoe.” Jesse pointed. “I ain’t goin’ after it.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, still staring out over the endless tides, Ian said. “If this is a secret. Why did you bring me here? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy?”
Jesse turned to his brother. “You don’t trust easy…and I’ve done something to make you doubt my loyalty.”
“No you haven’t.”
“Ian, I knew about the birth certificate. I knew there was a great possibility we were really brothers and I kept it from you.”
“Jesse, I understand. I would have done the same thing until I knew for sure. The world kind of exploded. You thought you were protecting all of us.”
“But I should have said something. I tried to figure it out…and I did tell you about it.”
“You did?”
“Your second night in the hospital. You were no help at all.”
“Next time I’m in a coma, I’ll try not to ignore you. It was terribly self centered and rude.”
“It would be greatly appreciated.” Jesse reached in his breast pocket and pulled out a silver key chain with a key. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“A key to this place. Leave a tie on the door if you’re getting laid.”
Ian laughed as he took the key. “Yeah. That’ll happen.”
“Ian, this is the place I always come when I need time to myself. Time to think…”
“Time to get some…”
Jesse grinned. “Yeah…well…I’ve only brought a couple of people here, so anytime you need to get away and think, this is the place. Promise me you’ll use it.”
“Why Jesse?”
“Because, things have been awful for you, and I not only know what went down today but what you’re planning. I know you may need an escape. Even if you don’t trust me enough to tell me about stuff, I know the time is coming where you’ll need to just get away. It will help me to know you’re safe, if there’s a possibility I know where you are.”
“Oh my God.” Ian moaned and lay flat on his back, feet still dangling over the edge. “Why do the pipe bombs always come in twos?”
Jesse shrugged and lay back, mocking Ian’s stance, putting his hands behind his head. “I didn’t know what Miss Elizabeth had done. I swear.”
“I believe you.” Ian said. “That explosion is my fault. I should have read the contract thoroughly. I was just so excited I only looked for all the spots with an ‘X’. It’s the second one that always really gets me.”
“At least this time, no one got hurt. I mean it’s hard to get hurt when the bombs explode and it starts raining money.” Ian was silent and Jesse chewed his lip a moment. “Of course, it’s raining enough money on you to actually smother you to death.”
“But why Jesse?” Ian stayed focused on the sky. “Why would Miss Elizabeth do that? And where did all that other money come from? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“You’re life would have been so much different. So many questions…”
Ian sat up quickly. “But this time, a lot of answers. Well at least a lot of things make sense.”
“Like?”
“Why Uncle Nate treated me the way he did. Why he never got rid of me. And why he never seemed to worry we’d lose the farm. I’d always wondered why that was the only thing he never threatened me with. Of course, after he died and I learned the property never belonged to him.”
“Didn’t you ever wonder how the taxes got paid?”
“Well, I knew there was a trust set up to take care of that until I turned thirty. As I understood it, there was a separate account set up for just that. I just assumed that Uncle Nate drank the other account dry.”
“Why weren’t you told about it then? I mean about how much money there actually was?”
“Welcome to my world, little brother, one answer, another bigger question.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Ian looked down at Jesse, who had rolled over and was up on one elbow. “Tonight, I give Clare her choice, but I have to talk to Miss Glo first.”
“Why Miss Glo?”
“Because she may actually have a piece to that puzzle.” Ian drummed his fingers on the decking. “Her husband, as president of the bank, was trustee of the fund.”
Jesse sat up. “That would explain a lot.”
Ian nodded in agreement. “If nothing else, maybe she may have an idea where it all came from. The Ransom’s didn’t have that kind of money.”
“Obviously they did.”
“I get the feeling that everything, and I mean everything is all connected to something I inadvertently started when I came to California. Life was tough, but shortly after I showed up here people started stepping on land mines trying to get close to me. This all has to be connected.”
“You think this is about you coming to California?”
“Maybe, but I think this started a long time ago. Jude told me that Aunt Hil knew nothing about my mother, or said nothing about my mother for protection.”
“That sounds stupid.”
“To me too, but if you look at what’s happened since January and what happened in my life before HRT it makes sense.”
“You think that as long as you stayed in Virginia…?”
“Before I came here, anyone in my life who died died of natural causes.”
“Except maybe your mother…”
Ian looked at Jesse again. “I think that may be the best place to start. I don’t know where the beginning of the mess is, but obviously it was before I came to Hollywood and everything seems to point to a time before I was born.”
Jesse nodded and stood up. “If you need to speak with Miss Glo, we’d better get started back.”
Brushing themselves off, they headed for inside the bungalow. “So no one knows about this place.”
“Just you, me and a few people I brought up here to have a little privacy with.”
“I won’t ask.”
Jesse smiled as he walked out on the porch. “Good cause I’m a gentleman. I’ll fax you a list of conquests.”
Ian followed Jesse out to the porch. He stopped Jesse just before he locked the door. “Is that your mail?” Ian pointed to a large plastic box.
“Oh.” Jesse glanced at the large blue container. “Guess so. The mail main just piles it all there for me. Grab it and throw it in the back of the Jeep.”
Ian hefted the container up. “When was the last time you were here?”
“About a month before you…you know.”
“Yup. I know.”
Jesse stopped just short of the last step, turning to Ian. “I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“Ella, Ella was the last person I brought up here.”
“Ella?” Ian looked at Jesse. “You and Ella….?”
“No.” Jesse looked at his feet and blushed. “Well, not that time. Just before Thanksgiving she called me, all upset. I went a picked her up at her apartment and brought her here for a few days.”
“I didn’t realize you two were close.”
“Yes and no.” Jesse walked down the rock path. “I let her pick me up in a bar shortly after she moved to town. Actually I’m the one who talked Miss Elizabeth into getting her a job at HRT.”
“Do you remember what she was upset about?”
Jesse split off and rounded to the driver’s side of the Jeep and opened the door. “She had just started dating Blue and I think they had a big fight. I’m not really sure. I didn’t ask. I just brought her up here and told her she was welcomed to stay as long as she needed.”
“How long was she here?” Ian sat the blue box behind the passenger’s seat.
“She called me a few days later and thanked me, so probably just the weekend.” Jesse waited for Ian the push the seat back in place, get in and snap his seatbelt closed before putting the key in the ignition.
“Do you think that might be important?”
“Probably not.” Ian rubbed his hands together and brushed off the sand. “But why don’t you tell Kellen about it and see what he thinks.”
“I’ll catch him tonight.”
Jesse started the Jeep and pulled out, heading toward the dirt path back down the dunes. Several manila envelopes addressed with Ella’s handwriting jiggled in the box in the back as they headed toward the highway.
Vignette #206: Blue's Clue
“This is so cool!” Vonnie whispered her squeal to Ralphie as they followed the beam from her little flashlight. “The mean fat lady was right. Every girl should have a purse. Daddy didn’t even know I swiped the flashlight from his tool box.”
Ralphie wagged his tail and carefully watched the toddler’s every step.
“It’s dirty in here.” She stopped in her tracks and turned to the dog. “You can’t tell on me. You been walking through walls longer than I have. You rat me out and you’re in just a much trouble as me.”
She began to walk forward again. “Well, I won’t be in too much trouble. Daddy said not to leave the house and we’re still in the house. Just in a part they can’t see cause they ain’t magic.”
Vonnie stroked Ralphie’s coat. “I feel just like Harry Potter, only pretty.”
They both froze as they heard something kick across the floor. Vonnie dropped the flashlight, still on, into her purse and snapped it shut. “Nobody’s here.”
She squatted down and put one arm around the dog’s middle and gently wrapped her other hand around his muzzle. “Shhh!” She whispered softly.
Vonnie waited to make sure she didn’t hear another noise. Letting go of Ralphie, she slowly stood up. “That was a close one. I thought we got caught.”
She pulled the flashlight back out of her purse and pointed it around in the dark. “Kay, move ‘em out.” She started to move and heard a crunch this time.
Again the girl and the dog froze. This time Vonnie lowered the flashlight to her feet. “Ooh, look Ralphie we got mail!”
In the little puddle of light at her feet, Vonnie could see a pile on the floor, one foot resting on some envelopes.
Placing the light on the floor, she sat cross-legged and opened the flap on the top envelope. She slipped the paper out of it and pretended to read it.
“It’s from Ronnie.” She told the dog. “He says he loves me and wants me to marry him.”
She folded the paper and slipped it back in the envelope as Ralphie licked his jowls and curled up beside her. She repeated the process with each envelope finally patting the dog on the head. “There all the same. Yep, he’s got it bad for me.” She sighed.
“Ooh!” She let out. “Brrrring…Brrrring!” She imitated and picked up the cell phone that she found in the pile. “It’s for me.” She told Ralphie, flipping it open and holding it to her ear.
“Yes, Ronnie?” She said. “I know you want to marry me, but I’m just not sure…Uh huh…well I can say I’ve narrowed it down between you, Justin Beiber and Santa Claus.”
Vonnie put her hand over the cell phone and whispered to Ralphie. “Gotta play hard to get. That’s what Hannah Montana would do.” She went back to cooing on the dead cell phone.
Ralphie sneezed and put his paws on the pile of clothes Vonnie’s new toys came from. As she jabbered into the cell phone, the dog finally laid his head on his paws and settled in.
Ralphie wagged his tail and carefully watched the toddler’s every step.
“It’s dirty in here.” She stopped in her tracks and turned to the dog. “You can’t tell on me. You been walking through walls longer than I have. You rat me out and you’re in just a much trouble as me.”
She began to walk forward again. “Well, I won’t be in too much trouble. Daddy said not to leave the house and we’re still in the house. Just in a part they can’t see cause they ain’t magic.”
Vonnie stroked Ralphie’s coat. “I feel just like Harry Potter, only pretty.”
They both froze as they heard something kick across the floor. Vonnie dropped the flashlight, still on, into her purse and snapped it shut. “Nobody’s here.”
She squatted down and put one arm around the dog’s middle and gently wrapped her other hand around his muzzle. “Shhh!” She whispered softly.
Vonnie waited to make sure she didn’t hear another noise. Letting go of Ralphie, she slowly stood up. “That was a close one. I thought we got caught.”
She pulled the flashlight back out of her purse and pointed it around in the dark. “Kay, move ‘em out.” She started to move and heard a crunch this time.
Again the girl and the dog froze. This time Vonnie lowered the flashlight to her feet. “Ooh, look Ralphie we got mail!”
In the little puddle of light at her feet, Vonnie could see a pile on the floor, one foot resting on some envelopes.
Placing the light on the floor, she sat cross-legged and opened the flap on the top envelope. She slipped the paper out of it and pretended to read it.
“It’s from Ronnie.” She told the dog. “He says he loves me and wants me to marry him.”
She folded the paper and slipped it back in the envelope as Ralphie licked his jowls and curled up beside her. She repeated the process with each envelope finally patting the dog on the head. “There all the same. Yep, he’s got it bad for me.” She sighed.
“Ooh!” She let out. “Brrrring…Brrrring!” She imitated and picked up the cell phone that she found in the pile. “It’s for me.” She told Ralphie, flipping it open and holding it to her ear.
“Yes, Ronnie?” She said. “I know you want to marry me, but I’m just not sure…Uh huh…well I can say I’ve narrowed it down between you, Justin Beiber and Santa Claus.”
Vonnie put her hand over the cell phone and whispered to Ralphie. “Gotta play hard to get. That’s what Hannah Montana would do.” She went back to cooing on the dead cell phone.
Ralphie sneezed and put his paws on the pile of clothes Vonnie’s new toys came from. As she jabbered into the cell phone, the dog finally laid his head on his paws and settled in.
Vignette #205: Sparky's Position
Sparky was sitting at Blake’s desk, covering for him while he took a long lunch. Her nose was deep into a file on the desk. She nodded and picked up a black Flair and drew a circle around a name on the page in front of her, shifted the page as she dropped the pen and compared information on the new page. “Ah hah! Gotcha!”
She picked up a red pen and drew lines through words on the second page. She double checked the dates and added those by the lines drawn, this time with a blue Flair. She looked over her jottings then slipped the first page back on top and began to read through the information again.
“What’cha doin’?” Came the voice from out of the blue.
Sparky tried to pretend not to panic, looking up and smiling. “Just some editing, a project for Ian.”
Clark Yancy nee Yancy Gordon grinned, laying a pile of files on top of Sparky’s work. “I’m a gofer. Hear me roar.”
“At least you’re staying out of trouble.” Sparky grinned.
“That wouldn’t be any fun now would it?” Yancy laid his hand on top of the files. “Lee sent this up for Ian’s perusal.”
“I’ll tell Blake when he gets back. Ian’s in a meeting.”
Yancy nodded his head. “Coffee later?” He gave her that look she understood immediately.
“Sure. As soon as Blake gets back, maybe fifteen minutes?”
He looked at his watch. “Make it half hour. Text me, oh and…” He ran his hand along the files causing them to fan out slightly. “…If I’m not mistaken there are promos you may be interested in at 4 and 6”.
Sparky made eye contact with him and put her hand on top of his. “Stop that!” She scolded. “You know Blake is almost as bad about tidy little piles as Ian is. You trying to make me assistant gofer…again?”
“Sorry.” He reached to straighten the fanned out stack of files.
“I got it.” Sparky smacked at his hands. “I got it. Now just go away.”
Clark nee Yancy nodded and walked away. Sparky quickly read the file tabs and picked up the stack to straighten them with a quick tap. “Crap!” She moaned out loud as half the stack missed the desk and slid into her lap.
Bambi looked at her from across the room. “Need some help?”
“No, just a klutz.” Sparky picked up the files from her lap, allowing the tabs she remembered as fourth and sixth in the pile to remain in her lap. The others were carefully shifted into a neat stack and placed in the corner of the desk.
She picked up the small stack she had previously been working on, lay them in her lap to make sure she could slip the new files into the ones she’d been working on. When it all one pile she returned her work back to the blotter in front of her, the two new files securely in her work stack.
“Now,” She mumbled. “Were was I?” She checked to make sure her pens were all there and then slipped the bottom two files on top, flipped the first one open and began to read the new information.
The phone on the desk rang. Eyes still on the text she picked up the phone. “Ian Justyn’s office.”
“Miss Jarvis?” The voice on the line asked.
Sparky smiled. “Mr. Turner. Blake’s took an extended lunch. I drew the short straw.”
“I must say, I’m impressed young lady, already earning enough trust for Blake to allow you access to his phone and little black book.”
“Never mistake trust for desperation, Mr. Turner. It could just be the rest of the staff wants me dead. I dot one ‘T’ wrong and Blake will have my head on a spit.”
“I’s get dots, Miss Jarvis.” The old man reminded her. “T’s get crossed.”
“Uh oh.” Sparky hoped the man was smiling on his end. “Sing at my funeral?”
“I think you’ll survive.”
“Now, what may I do for you, sir?” She finally remembered to ask.
“Is Young Justyn available?”
“Actually, he’s in a meeting.”
“Still in the building?”
“No, actually. He’s gone for the day.” The phone was silent for a moment, but Sparky could almost hear David Turner calculating. “He just left if that’s any help and I heard him mention to Jesse there was one more place he wanted to stop before they went home.”
“Oh yes, that’s right. Ripley’s not his driver this afternoon?”
“No, grocery day. Ripley and Ronnie are probably hitting the ice cream aisle as we speak.”
“I must be getting old, as routine as Ian’s schedule is I just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“I would assume everyone will be home in time to make dinner at the usual time. I’m sure you can reach him then or I can text him if it’s urgent.”
“No, no need. Ronnie taught me how to text. I’ll do it myself. Thank you Miss Jarvis. You have a good day.”
David Turner hit the End button of his cell phone and leaned forward. “I was right. Ian’s house please.”
The driver nodded his head at Turner’s reflection in the rear view mirror. “Of course, Mr. Turner.”
“No need to hurry. He won’t be back for quite a while.”
“Of course, Mr. Turner.” The driver checked for traffic before pulling off the shoulder and back onto the highway.
She picked up a red pen and drew lines through words on the second page. She double checked the dates and added those by the lines drawn, this time with a blue Flair. She looked over her jottings then slipped the first page back on top and began to read through the information again.
“What’cha doin’?” Came the voice from out of the blue.
Sparky tried to pretend not to panic, looking up and smiling. “Just some editing, a project for Ian.”
Clark Yancy nee Yancy Gordon grinned, laying a pile of files on top of Sparky’s work. “I’m a gofer. Hear me roar.”
“At least you’re staying out of trouble.” Sparky grinned.
“That wouldn’t be any fun now would it?” Yancy laid his hand on top of the files. “Lee sent this up for Ian’s perusal.”
“I’ll tell Blake when he gets back. Ian’s in a meeting.”
Yancy nodded his head. “Coffee later?” He gave her that look she understood immediately.
“Sure. As soon as Blake gets back, maybe fifteen minutes?”
He looked at his watch. “Make it half hour. Text me, oh and…” He ran his hand along the files causing them to fan out slightly. “…If I’m not mistaken there are promos you may be interested in at 4 and 6”.
Sparky made eye contact with him and put her hand on top of his. “Stop that!” She scolded. “You know Blake is almost as bad about tidy little piles as Ian is. You trying to make me assistant gofer…again?”
“Sorry.” He reached to straighten the fanned out stack of files.
“I got it.” Sparky smacked at his hands. “I got it. Now just go away.”
Clark nee Yancy nodded and walked away. Sparky quickly read the file tabs and picked up the stack to straighten them with a quick tap. “Crap!” She moaned out loud as half the stack missed the desk and slid into her lap.
Bambi looked at her from across the room. “Need some help?”
“No, just a klutz.” Sparky picked up the files from her lap, allowing the tabs she remembered as fourth and sixth in the pile to remain in her lap. The others were carefully shifted into a neat stack and placed in the corner of the desk.
She picked up the small stack she had previously been working on, lay them in her lap to make sure she could slip the new files into the ones she’d been working on. When it all one pile she returned her work back to the blotter in front of her, the two new files securely in her work stack.
“Now,” She mumbled. “Were was I?” She checked to make sure her pens were all there and then slipped the bottom two files on top, flipped the first one open and began to read the new information.
The phone on the desk rang. Eyes still on the text she picked up the phone. “Ian Justyn’s office.”
“Miss Jarvis?” The voice on the line asked.
Sparky smiled. “Mr. Turner. Blake’s took an extended lunch. I drew the short straw.”
“I must say, I’m impressed young lady, already earning enough trust for Blake to allow you access to his phone and little black book.”
“Never mistake trust for desperation, Mr. Turner. It could just be the rest of the staff wants me dead. I dot one ‘T’ wrong and Blake will have my head on a spit.”
“I’s get dots, Miss Jarvis.” The old man reminded her. “T’s get crossed.”
“Uh oh.” Sparky hoped the man was smiling on his end. “Sing at my funeral?”
“I think you’ll survive.”
“Now, what may I do for you, sir?” She finally remembered to ask.
“Is Young Justyn available?”
“Actually, he’s in a meeting.”
“Still in the building?”
“No, actually. He’s gone for the day.” The phone was silent for a moment, but Sparky could almost hear David Turner calculating. “He just left if that’s any help and I heard him mention to Jesse there was one more place he wanted to stop before they went home.”
“Oh yes, that’s right. Ripley’s not his driver this afternoon?”
“No, grocery day. Ripley and Ronnie are probably hitting the ice cream aisle as we speak.”
“I must be getting old, as routine as Ian’s schedule is I just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“I would assume everyone will be home in time to make dinner at the usual time. I’m sure you can reach him then or I can text him if it’s urgent.”
“No, no need. Ronnie taught me how to text. I’ll do it myself. Thank you Miss Jarvis. You have a good day.”
David Turner hit the End button of his cell phone and leaned forward. “I was right. Ian’s house please.”
The driver nodded his head at Turner’s reflection in the rear view mirror. “Of course, Mr. Turner.”
“No need to hurry. He won’t be back for quite a while.”
“Of course, Mr. Turner.” The driver checked for traffic before pulling off the shoulder and back onto the highway.
Vignette #204: Vonnie's Gift
As usual, Vonnie began her evening strut through the living room. Tonight, Clare was prepared. She knew what she had to do. She didn’t like it, but if this were going to work it was what she had to do.
She cleared her throat and then called to her, “Verla? Verla, may I speak with you?”
The tot continued past her.
“Verla!” Clare said with more determination.
The four year old stopped and turned to face her. The child pointed at herself.
“Yes you.” Clare plastered on what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m talking to you.”
Vonnie put her hands on her hips and took a step towards her. “What’s up Clem?”
“My name’s not Clem.” Clare tried to avoid swatting the little monster.
“My name’s not Verla.”
“Oh…sorry.” Clare patted the couch beside her. “Come, sit with me a minute.”
“You got cash?” Vonnie raised a very stern eyebrow.
“I went shopping today.” Clare admitted. “I’m broke.” Vonnie shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave the room.
“But I have something for you.”
That got the child’s attention. Clare patted the couch again with a smile, knowing she’d just drawn the fly into her web.
As soon as the munchkin settled beside her, hands in lap, feet sticking straight out, ankles on the edge of the sofa Clare prefaced the box she reached for under the coffee table. “I saw this today and thought you’d like to have it. I had one when I was a little girl.”
Vonnie started to rip open the box, but stopped just short of taking the top off eyeing the giver suspiciously. “Something’s not gonna jump out of here and eat me, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Think about it Velma, if something jumped out of that box and ate you, wouldn’t it eat me, too?”
“I don’t know…”
“Just open the damn box!” Clare slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Your not very good at this being nice thing.” Vonnie then looked at Clare and grinned. “But at least you’re trying.” She could stand it no longer, flipped the lid from the box and pulled back the paper. Her eyes grew wide. “A purse! I been needin’ one a these.”
“I thought so.” Clare awkwardly patted the little girl on top of her head. “It’s not just any purse, it’s a ‘Hello Kitty’ Purse.”
“What’s a ‘Hello Kitty’?”
Clare frowned. “The Jonas Brothers of my day.”
“What’s a Jonas Brother?”
“Oh, God…” Clare trailed off. “Every girl needs a purse. See you can carry it as a clutch or unsnap it here and use it as a shoulder bag.”
“That is so cool!” Vonnie unzipped the top and looked inside.
“There’s even a special place in there to put your make up.” Clare said as she pointed out the feature.
“I don’t wear make up.” Vonnie looked up innocently at her. “I’m not a ‘ho.”
“Well…” Clare stammered a bit. “You can put whatever you like in there, and then it will always be at your side.”
“It’s great. Thank you, ma’am.”
“So what are you going to put in it?” Clare tried to sound like she was interested.
“Rocks.” Vonnie smiled. “I’m gonna fill it with rocks and hit Ronnie with it until he loves me.”
“Uh, sweetheart.” Clare looked down at the gleeful tot. “Hitting somebody with rocks isn’t going to make them love you.”
“No?”
“It doesn’t work.”
“They why do you do it?” Vonnie said, slipping the purse to her shoulder and hopping off the couch. She twisted around a moment and watched the purse swing then hopped over to Clare to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you Carla. It’s perfect.”
A dazed Clare watched Vonnie whisk out of the living room to Ralphie who was waiting for her by the door at the other end of the room. The last thing she heard Vonnie say before they trotted out of sight was “Hey, Ralphie, does this purse make my butt look big?”
She cleared her throat and then called to her, “Verla? Verla, may I speak with you?”
The tot continued past her.
“Verla!” Clare said with more determination.
The four year old stopped and turned to face her. The child pointed at herself.
“Yes you.” Clare plastered on what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m talking to you.”
Vonnie put her hands on her hips and took a step towards her. “What’s up Clem?”
“My name’s not Clem.” Clare tried to avoid swatting the little monster.
“My name’s not Verla.”
“Oh…sorry.” Clare patted the couch beside her. “Come, sit with me a minute.”
“You got cash?” Vonnie raised a very stern eyebrow.
“I went shopping today.” Clare admitted. “I’m broke.” Vonnie shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave the room.
“But I have something for you.”
That got the child’s attention. Clare patted the couch again with a smile, knowing she’d just drawn the fly into her web.
As soon as the munchkin settled beside her, hands in lap, feet sticking straight out, ankles on the edge of the sofa Clare prefaced the box she reached for under the coffee table. “I saw this today and thought you’d like to have it. I had one when I was a little girl.”
Vonnie started to rip open the box, but stopped just short of taking the top off eyeing the giver suspiciously. “Something’s not gonna jump out of here and eat me, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Think about it Velma, if something jumped out of that box and ate you, wouldn’t it eat me, too?”
“I don’t know…”
“Just open the damn box!” Clare slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Your not very good at this being nice thing.” Vonnie then looked at Clare and grinned. “But at least you’re trying.” She could stand it no longer, flipped the lid from the box and pulled back the paper. Her eyes grew wide. “A purse! I been needin’ one a these.”
“I thought so.” Clare awkwardly patted the little girl on top of her head. “It’s not just any purse, it’s a ‘Hello Kitty’ Purse.”
“What’s a ‘Hello Kitty’?”
Clare frowned. “The Jonas Brothers of my day.”
“What’s a Jonas Brother?”
“Oh, God…” Clare trailed off. “Every girl needs a purse. See you can carry it as a clutch or unsnap it here and use it as a shoulder bag.”
“That is so cool!” Vonnie unzipped the top and looked inside.
“There’s even a special place in there to put your make up.” Clare said as she pointed out the feature.
“I don’t wear make up.” Vonnie looked up innocently at her. “I’m not a ‘ho.”
“Well…” Clare stammered a bit. “You can put whatever you like in there, and then it will always be at your side.”
“It’s great. Thank you, ma’am.”
“So what are you going to put in it?” Clare tried to sound like she was interested.
“Rocks.” Vonnie smiled. “I’m gonna fill it with rocks and hit Ronnie with it until he loves me.”
“Uh, sweetheart.” Clare looked down at the gleeful tot. “Hitting somebody with rocks isn’t going to make them love you.”
“No?”
“It doesn’t work.”
“They why do you do it?” Vonnie said, slipping the purse to her shoulder and hopping off the couch. She twisted around a moment and watched the purse swing then hopped over to Clare to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you Carla. It’s perfect.”
A dazed Clare watched Vonnie whisk out of the living room to Ralphie who was waiting for her by the door at the other end of the room. The last thing she heard Vonnie say before they trotted out of sight was “Hey, Ralphie, does this purse make my butt look big?”
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Chapter 42: Three Four
As usual, Vonnie began her evening strut through the living room. Tonight, Clare was prepared. She knew what she had to do. She didn’t like it, but if this were going to work it was what she had to do.
She cleared her throat and then called to her, “Verla? Verla, may I speak with you?”
The tot continued past her.
“Verla!” Clare said with more determination.
The four year old stopped and turned to face her. The child pointed at herself.
“Yes you.” Clare plastered on what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m talking to you.”
Vonnie put her hands on her hips and took a step towards her. “What’s up Clem?”
“My name’s not Clem.” Clare tried to avoid swatting the little monster.
“My name’s not Verla.”
“Oh…sorry.” Clare patted the couch beside her. “Come, sit with me a minute.”
“You got cash?” Vonnie raised a very stern eyebrow.
“I went shopping today.” Clare admitted. “I’m broke.” Vonnie shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave the room.
“But I have something for you.”
That got the child’s attention. Clare patted the couch again with a smile, knowing she’d just drawn the fly into her web.
As soon as the munchkin settled beside her, hands in lap, feet sticking straight out, ankles on the edge of the sofa Clare prefaced the box she reached for under the coffee table. “I saw this today and thought you’d like to have it. I had one when I was a little girl.”
Vonnie started to rip open the box, but stopped just short of taking the top off eyeing the giver suspiciously. “Something’s not gonna jump out of here and eat me, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Think about it Velma, if something jumped out of that box and ate you, wouldn’t it eat me, too?”
“I don’t know…”
“Just open the damn box!” Clare slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Your not very good at this being nice thing.” Vonnie then looked at Clare and grinned. “But at least you’re trying.” She could stand it no longer, flipped the lid from the box and pulled back the paper. Her eyes grew wide. “A purse! I been needin’ one a these.”
“I thought so.” Clare awkwardly patted the little girl on top of her head. “It’s not just any purse, it’s a ‘Hello Kitty’ Purse.”
“What’s a ‘Hello Kitty’?”
Clare frowned. “The Jonas Brothers of my day.”
“What’s a Jonas Brother?”
“Oh, God…” Clare trailed off. “Every girl needs a purse. See you can carry it as a clutch or unsnap it here and use it as a shoulder bag.”
“That is so cool!” Vonnie unzipped the top and looked inside.
“There’s even a special place in there to put your make up.” Clare said as she pointed out the feature.
“I don’t wear make up.” Vonnie looked up innocently at her. “I’m not a ‘ho.”
“Well…” Clare stammered a bit. “You can put whatever you like in there, and then it will always be at your side.”
“It’s great. Thank you, ma’am.”
“So what are you going to put in it?” Clare tried to sound like she was interested.
“Rocks.” Vonnie smiled. “I’m gonna fill it with rocks and hit Ronnie with it until he loves me.”
“Uh, sweetheart.” Clare looked down at the gleeful tot. “Hitting somebody with rocks isn’t going to make them love you.”
“No?”
“It doesn’t work.”
“They why do you do it?” Vonnie said, slipping the purse to her shoulder and hopping off the couch. She twisted around a moment and watched the purse swing then hopped over to Clare to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you Carla. It’s perfect.”
A dazed Clare watched Vonnie whisk out of the living room to Ralphie who was waiting for her by the door at the other end of the room. The last thing she heard Vonnie say before they trotted out of sight was “Hey, Ralphie, does this purse make my butt look big?”
Sparky was sitting at Blake’s desk, covering for him while he took a long lunch. Her nose was deep into a file on the desk. She nodded and picked up a black Flair and drew a circle around a name on the page in front of her, shifted the page as she dropped the pen and compared information on the new page. “Ah hah! Gotcha!”
She picked up a red pen and drew lines through words on the second page. She double checked the dates and added those by the lines drawn, this time with a blue Flair. She looked over her jottings then slipped the first page back on top and began to read through the information again.
“What’cha doin’?” Came the voice from out of the blue.
Sparky tried to pretend not to panic, looking up and smiling. “Just some editing, a project for Ian.”
Clark Yancy nee Yancy Gordon grinned, laying a pile of files on top of Sparky’s work. “I’m a gofer. Hear me roar.”
“At least you’re staying out of trouble.” Sparky grinned.
“That wouldn’t be any fun now would it?” Yancy laid his hand on top of the files. “Lee sent this up for Ian’s perusal.”
“I’ll tell Blake when he gets back. Ian’s in a meeting.”
Yancy nodded his head. “Coffee later?” He gave her that look she understood immediately.
“Sure. As soon as Blake gets back, maybe fifteen minutes?”
He looked at his watch. “Make it half hour. Text me, oh and…” He ran his hand along the files causing them to fan out slightly. “…If I’m not mistaken there are promos you may be interested in at 4 and 6”.
Sparky made eye contact with him and put her hand on top of his. “Stop that!” She scolded. “You know Blake is almost as bad about tidy little piles as Ian is. You trying to make me assistant gofer…again?”
“Sorry.” He reached to straighten the fanned out stack of files.
“I got it.” Sparky smacked at his hands. “I got it. Now just go away.”
Clark nee Yancy nodded and walked away. Sparky quickly read the file tabs and picked up the stack to straighten them with a quick tap. “Crap!” She moaned out loud as half the stack missed the desk and slid into her lap.
Bambi looked at her from across the room. “Need some help?”
“No, just a klutz.” Sparky picked up the files from her lap, allowing the tabs she remembered as fourth and sixth in the pile to remain in her lap. The others were carefully shifted into a neat stack and placed in the corner of the desk.
She picked up the small stack she had previously been working on, lay them in her lap to make sure she could slip the new files into the ones she’d been working on. When it all one pile she returned her work back to the blotter in front of her, the two new files securely in her work stack.
“Now,” She mumbled. “Were was I?” She checked to make sure her pens were all there and then slipped the bottom two files on top, flipped the first one open and began to read the new information.
The phone on the desk rang. Eyes still on the text she picked up the phone. “Ian Justyn’s office.”
“Miss Jarvis?” The voice on the line asked.
Sparky smiled. “Mr. Turner. Blake’s took an extended lunch. I drew the short straw.”
“I must say, I’m impressed young lady, already earning enough trust for Blake to allow you access to his phone and little black book.”
“Never mistake trust for desperation, Mr. Turner. It could just be the rest of the staff wants me dead. I dot one ‘T’ wrong and Blake will have my head on a spit.”
“I’s get dots, Miss Jarvis.” The old man reminded her. “T’s get crossed.”
“Uh oh.” Sparky hoped the man was smiling on his end. “Sing at my funeral?”
“I think you’ll survive.”
“Now, what may I do for you, sir?” She finally remembered to ask.
“Is Young Justyn available?”
“Actually, he’s in a meeting.”
“Still in the building?”
“No, actually. He’s gone for the day.” The phone was silent for a moment, but Sparky could almost hear David Turner calculating. “He just left if that’s any help and I heard him mention to Jesse there was one more place he wanted to stop before they went home.”
“Oh yes, that’s right. Ripley’s not his driver this afternoon?”
“No, grocery day. Ripley and Ronnie are probably hitting the ice cream aisle as we speak.”
“I must be getting old, as routine as Ian’s schedule is I just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“I would assume everyone will be home in time to make dinner at the usual time. I’m sure you can reach him then or I can text him if it’s urgent.”
“No, no need. Ronnie taught me how to text. I’ll do it myself. Thank you Miss Jarvis. You have a good day.”
David Turner hit the End button of his cell phone and leaned forward. “I was right. Ian’s house please.”
The driver nodded his head at Turner’s reflection in the rear view mirror. “Of course, Mr. Turner.”
“No need to hurry. He won’t be back for quite a while.”
“Of course, Mr. Turner.” The driver checked for traffic before pulling off the shoulder and back onto the highway.
“This is so cool!” Vonnie whispered her squeal to Ralphie as they followed the beam from her little flashlight. “The mean fat lady was right. Every girl should have a purse. Daddy didn’t even know I swiped the flashlight from his tool box.”
Ralphie wagged his tail and carefully watched the toddler’s every step.
“It’s dirty in here.” She stopped in her tracks and turned to the dog. “You can’t tell on me. You been walking through walls longer than I have. You rat me out and you’re in just a much trouble as me.”
She began to walk forward again. “Well, I won’t be in too much trouble. Daddy said not to leave the house and we’re still in the house. Just in a part they can’t see cause they ain’t magic.”
Vonnie stroked Ralphie’s coat. “I feel just like Harry Potter, only pretty.”
They both froze as they heard something kick across the floor. Vonnie dropped the flashlight, still on, into her purse and snapped it shut. “Nobody’s here.”
She squatted down and put one arm around the dog’s middle and gently wrapped her other hand around his muzzle. “Shhh!” She whispered softly.
Vonnie waited to make sure she didn’t hear another noise. Letting go of Ralphie, she slowly stood up. “That was a close one. I thought we got caught.”
She pulled the flashlight back out of her purse and pointed it around in the dark. “Kay, move ‘em out.” She started to move and heard a crunch this time.
Again the girl and the dog froze. This time Vonnie lowered the flashlight to her feet. “Ooh, look Ralphie we got mail!”
In the little puddle of light at her feet, Vonnie could see a pile on the floor, one foot resting on some envelopes.
Placing the light on the floor, she sat cross-legged and opened the flap on the top envelope. She slipped the paper out of it and pretended to read it.
“It’s from Ronnie.” She told the dog. “He says he loves me and wants me to marry him.”
She folded the paper and slipped it back in the envelope as Ralphie licked his jowls and curled up beside her. She repeated the process with each envelope finally patting the dog on the head. “There all the same. Yep, he’s got it bad for me.” She sighed.
“Ooh!” She let out. “Brrrring…Brrrring!” She imitated and picked up the cell phone that she found in the pile. “It’s for me.” She told Ralphie, flipping it open and holding it to her ear.
“Yes, Ronnie?” She said. “I know you want to marry me, but I’m just not sure…Uh huh…well I can say I’ve narrowed it down between you, Justin Beiber and Santa Claus.”
Vonnie put her hand over the cell phone and whispered to Ralphie. “Gotta play hard to get. That’s what Hannah Montana would do.” She went back to cooing on the dead cell phone.
Ralphie sneezed and put his paws on the pile of clothes Vonnie’s new toys came from. As she jabbered into the cell phone, the dog finally laid his head on his paws and settled in.
Jesse had his eyes on the road, but focused on Ian from the corner of his eye. Ian was trying hard to act normal, but he was sweating and white.
“Do you remember how to get there from here?” Ian was looking around at the scenery passing by.
“Of course I do.” Jesse rolled his eyes.
“Then why doesn’t any of this look familiar?”
Jesse flipped the turn signal on. “Because we are going somewhere else first.”
“Oh.” Ian sat back in the seat.
Jesse smiled as he watched him fidget a moment. “Don’t worry, there’s something I want to show you. It won’t take long…and you’ll be home in plenty of time to help make dinner.”
“Sorry.”
“S’okay, it’s the little brother’s job to make the big brother squirm.” Jesse grinned as he turned the jeep off the highway onto a small road.
“You’re doing a fine job then.”
“Lots of practice.”
They were silent a moment as Jesse finally put the jeep in four-wheel drive and took a barely noticeable dirt road.
“Uhm…Jesse…are you gonna take me off somewhere private and kill me?”
“Not today, but can I keep that option open?”
Ian smiled. “We really are brothers aren’t we?”
“Still just sinking in, but yeah.” Jesse wasn’t sure if Ian nodded or his head just bounced from the rough terrain.
“I’m not sure how to be a brother. What if I’m not good at it?”
“You’ve got to be better than Reese. He really sucks.” Jesse was sure Ian chuckled that time. “Look it’s simple. You’re the big brother. I’m the little brother. So I win every fight. You let me have my pick of all the pretty girls and I always get my way no matter what the cost to you.”
“Yeah. That’s gonna happen.”
“See?” You already got it down. The hard stuff we’ll work out later.” Jesse put the jeep in park and looked directly at Ian. “We’re here.”
Ian looked out of the windows skeptically. “Where are we?”
“My place.” Jesse unbuckled his seat belt. “Com’mon let me show you around.”
“Your place?” Ian said as he took a precarious step out of the jeep on to the sand.
“Yep. My own little place in the dunes.” He waited for Ian to catch up with him.
When Ian stepped beside him, Jesse spread his arms wide and smiled. “My little shack.”
What Ian saw was a nice, tidy little bungalow settled tightly in the dunes, about the size of his Aunt Hil’s house only overlooking a cliff and sound tracked with the roar of the ocean. Ian looked at what he was trying to remember was his brother. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but this place is yours? You’re barely twenty-one. You must get some allowance.”
“It was a gift.” Jesse motioned Ian to follow him up the spiraling rock footpath to the front porch. “Herman and Miss Elizabeth gave it to me for graduation.”
Ian grabbed Jesse’s arm and made him stop and turn around. “The neighbors gave you beach front property for graduating high school?” When Jesse nodded his head, he couldn’t help but ask, “What did Reese get?”
Jesse shrugged his shoulders and took the last few steps to the porch. “Don’t know. All I know is he got a little hideaway somewhere just like me. Mom and Dad don’t even know about it.”
“So this is a secret?”
“Yup.” Jesse opened the door with a key from his ring and motioned Ian in. “Didn’t you get a graduation gift from your neighbors?” He said as he motioned him in first.
“I…uh…got a card.” He stepped inside. “I still have it. It made me cry.”
“See, we have a lot in common.” Jesse said as he shut the door and walked past him. “We’re both sentimental…and big ol’ babies. Come enjoy the view with me.”
Ian followed his brother through a set of sliding glass doors and found himself on a deck that seemed to jut out into nowhere. Jesse squatted Indian style on the edge and looked out over the ocean. Ian sat beside him, leaning back on his arms and dangling his feet over the edge.
“Don’t lose a shoe.” Jesse pointed. “I ain’t goin’ after it.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, still staring out over the endless tides, Ian said. “If this is a secret. Why did you bring me here? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy?”
Jesse turned to his brother. “You don’t trust easy…and I’ve done something to make you doubt my loyalty.”
“No you haven’t.”
“Ian, I knew about the birth certificate. I knew there was a great possibility we were really brothers and I kept it from you.”
“Jesse, I understand. I would have done the same thing until I knew for sure. The world kind of exploded. You thought you were protecting all of us.”
“But I should have said something. I tried to figure it out…and I did tell you about it.”
“You did?”
“Your second night in the hospital. You were no help at all.”
“Next time I’m in a coma, I’ll try not to ignore you. It was terribly self centered and rude.”
“It would be greatly appreciated.” Jesse reached in his breast pocket and pulled out a silver key chain with a key. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“A key to this place. Leave a tie on the door if you’re getting laid.”
Ian laughed as he took the key. “Yeah. That’ll happen.”
“Ian, this is the place I always come when I need time to myself. Time to think…”
“Time to get some…”
Jesse grinned. “Yeah…well…I’ve only brought a couple of people here, so anytime you need to get away and think, this is the place. Promise me you’ll use it.”
“Why Jesse?”
“Because, things have been awful for you, and I not only know what went down today but what you’re planning. I know you may need an escape. Even if you don’t trust me enough to tell me about stuff, I know the time is coming where you’ll need to just get away. It will help me to know you’re safe, if there’s a possibility I know where you are.”
“Oh my God.” Ian moaned and lay flat on his back, feet still dangling over the edge. “Why do the pipe bombs always come in twos?”
Jesse shrugged and lay back, mocking Ian’s stance, putting his hands behind his head. “I didn’t know what Miss Elizabeth had done. I swear.”
“I believe you.” Ian said. “That explosion is my fault. I should have read the contract thoroughly. I was just so excited I only looked for all the spots with an ‘X’. It’s the second one that always really gets me.”
“At least this time, no one got hurt. I mean it’s hard to get hurt when the bombs explode and it starts raining money.” Ian was silent and Jesse chewed his lip a moment. “Of course, it’s raining enough money on you to actually smother you to death.”
“But why Jesse?” Ian stayed focused on the sky. “Why would Miss Elizabeth do that? And where did all that other money come from? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“You’re life would have been so much different. So many questions…”
Ian sat up quickly. “But this time, a lot of answers. Well at least a lot of things make sense.”
“Like?”
“Why Uncle Nate treated me the way he did. Why he never got rid of me. And why he never seemed to worry we’d lose the farm. I’d always wondered why that was the only thing he never threatened me with. Of course, after he died and I learned the property never belonged to him.”
“Didn’t you ever wonder how the taxes got paid?”
“Well, I knew there was a trust set up to take care of that until I turned thirty. As I understood it, there was a separate account set up for just that. I just assumed that Uncle Nate drank the other account dry.”
“Why weren’t you told about it then? I mean about how much money there actually was?”
“Welcome to my world, little brother, one answer, another bigger question.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Ian looked down at Jesse, who had rolled over and was up on one elbow. “Tonight, I give Clare her choice, but I have to talk to Miss Glo first.”
“Why Miss Glo?”
“Because she may actually have a piece to that puzzle.” Ian drummed his fingers on the decking. “Her husband, as president of the bank, was trustee of the fund.”
Jesse sat up. “That would explain a lot.”
Ian nodded in agreement. “If nothing else, maybe she may have an idea where it all came from. The Ransom’s didn’t have that kind of money.”
“Obviously they did.”
“I get the feeling that everything, and I mean everything is all connected to something I inadvertently started when I came to California. Life was tough, but shortly after I showed up here people started stepping on land mines trying to get close to me. This all has to be connected.”
“You think this is about you coming to California?”
“Maybe, but I think this started a long time ago. Jude told me that Aunt Hil knew nothing about my mother, or said nothing about my mother for protection.”
“That sounds stupid.”
“To me too, but if you look at what’s happened since January and what happened in my life before HRT it makes sense.”
“You think that as long as you stayed in Virginia…?”
“Before I came here, anyone in my life who died died of natural causes.”
“Except maybe your mother…”
Ian looked at Jesse again. “I think that may be the best place to start. I don’t know where the beginning of the mess is, but obviously it was before I came to Hollywood and everything seems to point to a time before I was born.”
Jesse nodded and stood up. “If you need to speak with Miss Glo, we’d better get started back.”
Brushing themselves off, they headed for inside the bungalow. “So no one knows about this place.”
“Just you, me and a few people I brought up here to have a little privacy with.”
“I won’t ask.”
Jesse smiled as he walked out on the porch. “Good cause I’m a gentleman. I’ll fax you a list of conquests.”
Ian followed Jesse out to the porch. He stopped Jesse just before he locked the door. “Is that your mail?” Ian pointed to a large plastic box.
“Oh.” Jesse glanced at the large blue container. “Guess so. The mail main just piles it all there for me. Grab it and throw it in the back of the Jeep.”
Ian hefted the container up. “When was the last time you were here?”
“About a month before you…you know.”
“Yup. I know.”
Jesse stopped just short of the last step, turning to Ian. “I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“Ella, Ella was the last person I brought up here.”
“Ella?” Ian looked at Jesse. “You and Ella….?”
“No.” Jesse looked at his feet and blushed. “Well, not that time. Just before Thanksgiving she called me, all upset. I went a picked her up at her apartment and brought her here for a few days.”
“I didn’t realize you two were close.”
“Yes and no.” Jesse walked down the rock path. “I let her pick me up in a bar shortly after she moved to town. Actually I’m the one who talked Miss Elizabeth into getting her a job at HRT.”
“Do you remember what she was upset about?”
Jesse split off and rounded to the driver’s side of the Jeep and opened the door. “She had just started dating Blue and I think they had a big fight. I’m not really sure. I didn’t ask. I just brought her up here and told her she was welcomed to stay as long as she needed.”
“How long was she here?” Ian sat the blue box behind the passenger’s seat.
“She called me a few days later and thanked me, so probably just the weekend.” Jesse waited for Ian the push the seat back in place, get in and snap his seatbelt closed before putting the key in the ignition.
“Do you think that might be important?”
“Probably not.” Ian rubbed his hands together and brushed off the sand. “But why don’t you tell Kellen about it and see what he thinks.”
“I’ll catch him tonight.”
Jesse started the Jeep and pulled out, heading toward the dirt path back down the dunes. Several manila envelopes addressed with Ella’s handwritting jiggled in the box in the back as they headed toward the highway.
“Ripples!” Clare craned her head in all directions and bellowed. “Are you gonna get that?”
“He and Ronnie are still out!” Came a voice from somewhere in the house.
“Are you gonna get the door then?” She yapped.
“Has Tippy broken your arms and legs?” The voice returned.
“No.”
“Then get the door. We’re kinda busy back here.”
“Fine.” Clare shoved herself up off the couch and waddled to the front door as the bell rang again. “I’m coming.”
Clare opened the door and looked at the dapper elderly gentlemen standing on the porch leaning on his cane with a smile on his face. “Good afternoon.”
“I already believe in Jesus. Now go away.” Clare started to slam the door.
“You must be Clare.” The man said.
The pregnant woman rolled her eyes. “That would be me. Ian’s not home. Go away and don’t ever come back.” She stepped back and started to slam the door, but the gentlemen was quick with his cane and kept it from shutting all the way.
“Hey!” Clare looked up at the man in shock.
“I’m David Turner.”
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Clare said and opened the door. “Please pardon the confusion.”
“We’ve never been formally introduced.”
“No, but as I’ve said Ian isn’t here. He’s supposed to be at still at the office, but I’ll tell him you dropped by.”
“Actually, Ian is in meetings and I came by to talk with you.”
“Oh?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course. Please do.” Clare stepped back allowing David Turner entry. She followed him like a puppy as he took a seat in a sofa chair by the couch.
“May I get you something?” When Turner thanked her politely and declined refreshment, Clare seated herself on the couch and informed him. “I gave the servants the day off.”
David Turner smiled wryly. “I’m sure that happened.”
“Ouch! Dammit, hold it tight son!” The duo heard the voice from the back of the house.
“I’m doing the best I can Jude.”
Clare blushed and tried to explain. “Renovations. We’re building a nursery on the first floor. It’s hard to find laborers with any couth.”
“You seem to be under the impression that I’ve never been here before.” Turner sat back in the chair as Rodie appeared from nowhere and jumped happily in his lap. “As you can see, you are mistaken.” He stroked the first purr out of the cat. “Hello, precious.” He said to her.
“That cat!” Clare leaned over and tried to swat her off the man’s lap.
David wrapped has arms tightly around the feline. “Rodie is fine, young lady. I look forward to sharing my lap with her every visit.” He looked up from the cat to Clare. “Which I do often.”
“Oh.” Clare folded her hands and rested them on her belly. “You wanted to see me about something?.”
“Yes.” Turner smiled. “How’s your mother?”
Taken aback, Clare stammered. “Uh…what…I…uh…”
“A simple question, young lady. How is your mother?”
Clare smiled. “Fine”
“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow.
“As fine as can be expected. I hated leaving her behind, but Ian wanted me…”
Turner cleared his throat and frowned.
“I do call every day.” Clare said. “Of course, she can’t speak, but the nurses hold the phone up to her ear so she can hear my voice. It’s so sad. Sometimes I think it would be better if the Lord just went ahead and took her home.”
“So she’s…?”
“In a facility back in Virginia. She needs constant care. She can’t do anything for herself, poor thing.”
“Yes.” Turner continued to deliberately stroke the cat and stare at Clare, making her increasingly uncomfortable. “Some of us are lucky in old age, others are not.”
“Is there something I can do for you, David?” Clare caught the look on the man’s face and immediately corrected herself. “Mr. Turner?”
“Young lady, I came here because I have been concerned about Ian.”
“Ian’s fine.” Her voice irritated at everyone’s concern over Ian, when she was the one who deserved all the concern. “He’s mad, of course, but as soon as he gets over it we can get married and I can start taking care of things. He makes such a mess of everything.”
“Miss Humphreys, Ian’s only problem right now seems to be you.”
“Excuse me?” Clare dug her nails into the arm of the couch. “I am not a problem for Ian. I’m the only one who can keep him in line.”
David Turner chuckled and looked down at the cat. “Since I’ve know Young Justyn, he has never once been late for a meeting, not had one idea that didn’t instantly turn everything gold or ever given HRT less than 250% of his attention when he was on the clock.”
He looked up at her. “Since you’ve thrown yourself on his doorstep, he is barely able to stay propped up in a corner and drool. I think your effect on him is quite different from the effect you believe you have on him.”
“Ian’s just…”
“Quiet.”
Clare’s eyes shot open at the soft, fearless power of the demand.
“My intention was to come here and give you a check.”
Clare smiled. “You think I can be bought?”
“Young lady, I know you can be bought but just in case I have an alternative way of getting you out of Ian’s life.”
“What? You gonna have me killed?” Clare laughed, then stopped when he smiled at her, never missing a stroke of Rodie’s gray fur.
“You know, Ian’s been abused, lied to, maligned and shot at. He survived it all, becoming even stronger. I feared he’d finally met his Kryptonite.” David Turner stood. “I was mistaken at my instinct to step in and take care of the problem.”
Clare looked at the old man with a look of satisfaction. “I don’t think Ian would take to kindly when he finds out you came here and threatened me.”
“You are absolutely right. He doesn’t need my help.” David Turner stroked Rodie one last time and slowly stood up. “You’re nothing. He’ll squash you like a bug. Please give him my apologies for thinking I needed to intervene on his behalf.”
He walked slowly toward the door, a dumbstruck Clare simply watching him leave.
Before David Turner closed the door behind him, he looked across the room and into Clare’s eyes. “If I were you, I’d figure out a way to save myself, but I doubt seriously you’re smart enough.” He smiled and tipped his hat. “You’re toast.”
Clare blinked as the old man shut the door behind himself. She turned her head slowly to the cat in the chair. Rodie licked her foot and then looked up at Clare. She hissed and dashed out of the room.
“Everything alright in here?” Billy appeared at the couch.
“Uh…yes…fine.”
“Have you seen my daughter?”
“Not since I gave her that little purse.”
“It was very sweet of you to think of her.” Billy smiled. “Thank you.”
“She’s a little wild, but she’s a good kid.” Clare managed to say with all the alarms going off in her head.
“Vonda Rae!” Billy shouted. “Where are you?”
Vonnie appeared at the top of the stair landing. “Right here, Daddy.”
“What are you doing up stairs?” He put his hands on his hips.
“I was watching TV in Uncle Ian’s room.” Vonnie grinned and pointed to Clare. “She was takin’ a nap…again…an’ I got bored. I dint wanna wake her up.”
“Alright, but you better not have messed in anything up there.”
“Me an’ Ralphie sat on the floor an’ played an’ watched cartoons.”
“We’ve finished up here for the day. Did you turn the TV off?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You and Ralphie come on. It’s time for all of us to go home.” Billy left the room, daughter and dog following not that far behind.
As Vonnie passed her, Clare grabbed her arm. “Ian doesn’t have a TV in his bedroom.”
Vonnie wrenched her arm back. “You’re not allowed in there. How would you know?”
Ronnie’s eyes grew watching the confections through the oven window.
“Ronnie, you’re going to burn off your nose.” His father chuckled as he put the last of the dinner dishes away.
“They look so good, Papa.” The boy turned to his father and asked, being sure not to plead. “Can I have a cupcake when they come out of the oven before you put the icing on?”
“They’re for dinner tomorrow, son.” Ian squatted down beside his boy and looked at the cupcakes rising. “But we’ve been good. I think we can all have just one. We made plenty.”
“Thanks, Papa.” Ronnie put his cheek against his father’s, then drew back quickly and looked at him. “You’re hot.”
“Some people seem to think so. I don’t really understand why.” Ian stood up, wiping sweat from his brow and then dabbing his face with the cooler dishtowel.
Ronnie put his hands on his hips and looked sternly. “I’m calling the doctor.”
“No need, Ronnie. I’m fine. I think now that I’ve been given an almost free reign, I’m doing just a little too much.”
“You go sit down.” Ronnie pointed toward the living room. “I’ll finish the cupcakes.”
“I’m almost…”
“Sit…now!”
Ian didn’t know whether to laugh at his son’s tone or quiver in his boots. He put up his hands. “Sitting down…” He pulled a chair out from the table and had a seat. “Happy.”
“Almost.” Ronnie went to his father, putting his arms around him and giving him a big squeeze. “Now I’m happy.”
He patted the boy on the head and sighed in his own contentment. Ronnie pulled the chair beside him and took a seat.
“Papa, I’ve been thinkin’…”
“Uh oh.”
“Stop.” Ronnie giggled. “When this baby comes. Where are we gonna put it?”
“We’re working on that. Billy is going to pick up some plans to the house tomorrow and then we can make a decision.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can.” Ian noted the smile on the boy’s face and his smile. “Ronnie, are you happy about this baby?”
Ronnie hesitated but nodded his head. “I’ve always wanted a baby brother. Looks like I’m finally gonna get my wish.”
“What if it’s a baby sister?”
“Well, a brother I can pal around with. If it’s a baby sister I reckon I’ll just have to adore her. I can live with that.” Ronnie noted the smile on his father’s face. “Are you happy about it?”
“Son, I am trying real hard to be. This isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I think maybe I more scared than anything.”
“I understand, but we’re in this together. We’ll make it work.”
Clare suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Ian, do you have a television in your bedroom?”
Ian looked up from his son. “Of course I have a television in my bedroom.”
“Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Because my bedroom is none of your business. Is there are problem?”
“No. I just…” Clare wobbled to leave.
“Miss Clare, why don’t you stay and have a cupcake with us. We’re about to take them out of the oven?” Ronnie smiled at her.
“No thank you dear. I’m the size of a house already. The last thing I need is a cupcake.”
“Sit with us then.” Ronnie pulled out a chair.
Clare’s eyes shot for approval from Ian. Ian nodded and Clare allowed Ronnie to help her sit. “Thank you, Sweet Boy.” She patted him on the hand. “You know, I think you should start calling me Mommy.”
Ronnie’s eyes grew to the size of Clare’s belly. He quickly gathered himself and to Ian’s surprise was extremely polite. “No thank you. That would make me very uncomfortable. Perhaps at some other time.”
“Fine.” Clare hissed then put up her hands, slammed them on the table and pushed herself away. “You can not say I didn’t try.” She pushed herself to a standing position and began to waddle out.
“Clare.” Ian said calmly. “It’s time we talked.”
“I thought we had nothing to say to each other except through our lawyers?” She snarled.
“Since yours doesn’t seem to exist, I’ll meet you in the den in five minutes.”
“Why not here? In front of a witness?” She grinned.
“That’s why we’re going to speak in my den. I’ll have a witness there…of legal age.”
“Whatever.” Clare followed the rolling of her eyes out of the room.
Ian waited for the woman to leave the kitchen before he turned to Ronnie and took his face in his hands. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being kind and loving when it’s extremely hard to do. You said you can handle the cupcakes?”
“Sure.”
“Good, run go tell Ripley to find Clare and yank her into the den. Then run back here and finish up the treats. Bring us all one when they’re ready.”
Ian kissed his son on the forehead before he bounded out of the kitchen. When he was alone, he dropped his head to the table and panted. “Oh God, just don’t let me pass out before I take care of the mess.”
He looked up as she appeared unhappily in the doorway. “Clare, have a seat.” He motioned to the over sized chair in front of his desk.
Clare looked at Ripley who was seating himself as well. “Why does he have to be here?”
“I know where the mop and bucket are.” Ripley smirked.
Ian put up his hands. “Look Clare, I can’t do this anymore. It’s over.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved a legal document in her direction and laid a pen on top of it. “I’m giving you a decision.”
“You don’t give me decisions.” Clare snarled. “I give you decisions.”
“Fine.” Ian reached forward and slowly began to pull the document back to his side of the desk. “The marriage is off then.”
That got her attention. Sitting up straight and trying not to drool. “What?”
“You’re pregnant Clare, not deaf. I said the marriage is off.”
“What marriage?”
“I was giving you what you wanted, but you blew it…again.”
“What?” Her head turned in several directions and her body came alive with energy. “What?”
“If marrying me was what you really wanted I was going to do it. All you had to do was sign the pre-nup.”
“Oh no. No pre-nup.”
“Then no marriage. Please leave.” Ian looked to Ripley. “Please help Clare pack. Give her twenty dollars and drop her off at that flea bag she came from.”
“With pleasure.” Ripley stood and began to help Clare to her feet. He stopped and looked at Ian. “Do I have to be gentle?”
“I don’t care. Just get her out of my sight and explain to her along the way exactly what will happen if she ever deigns to contact me or anyone in my family again.”
Clare smacked Ripley’s hands as he reached for her. “You can’t do this! This is your baby!” She screamed and pointed to her belly.
“You refuse to prove it.” Ian calmly folded his hands on the desk. “In fact other than the fact that you’re shaped like a cement mixer you’ve not even got proof you’re pregnant. Prove it, then prove it’s my baby and I’ll take care of it.”
“Wait!” Clare shoved Ripley off and turned back to Ian. “If I prove this is your baby, you’ll marry me?”
“You prove the baby is mine and I’ll have my lawyer take the child from you. I will raise it, cherish it and it will want for nothing, but you will never come near it for any reason.”
“This is my baby!”
“Not any more.” Ian said. “You refuse to co-operate, you refuse to even be civil Clare. You’ve lost any power or control you deluded yourself into thinking you had.”
“I will run straight to the press and tell them everything.”
“Not a problem.” Ian reached for the phone and started dialing. “I’ll call Blake. He’ll give you all the numbers of the important people in his little black book.”
“This will ruin you!” She hissed.
Ian didn’t blink. “I doubt it seriously, and if it does so what?”
“You’ll lose everything!” She threatened.
“No I won’t, but then you won’t get anything.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of journalists that would pay a lot of money for this story.”
“Dirt rags maybe a couple of bucks, but real journalists? I doubt it. Clare, in the past six months I’ve gone from lead anchor in a small Southern Market to second in command at a major television network. Along the way, I became a hero when I pulled two people from a fire, a martyr when my home was invaded and I was shot at, and flavor of the month when the whole mess embroiled itself in the old Darla Hutton legend.”
“And I’m sure all of that will come tumbling down when they discover you tossed your pregnant girlfriend on the streets without a dime and threatened her.”
Ian cocked his head. “Are you aware of how many public and pop culture figures have pregnant girlfriends they’ve treated worse? Not to mention the amount of lying whores who run to the press and claim to be the pregnant abused abandoned girlfriends of public and pop culture figures. That barely registers these days.”
“I’m sure that…”
“Clare, even if you had been dumb enough to make a sex tape I doubt you’d even get more than a couple hits on You Tube, and those would probably be from someone creepy who just wanted to see my penis.”
“I guess we’ll just see won’t we?”
“Either way. You get nothing and I get to keep what I have.” Ian motioned Ripley to remove her with a simple flick of his hand.
“Wait!” Clare held her ground. “What if we compromise?”
“No comprises Clare.” Ian remained calm. “You get choice one or choice two. That’s it, either or or out the door, no turning back.”
Clare smacked at Ripley’s hands one last time. “And my choices are?”
Ian nodded to Ripley who calmly cracked his knuckles and reseated himself. Ian picked up the pen and slid the document back within Clare’s reach. “Choice one, we get married. You sign the pre-nup and as soon as the house is finished we get married and that’s that.”
“You’re going to build me a new house?” Clare smiled and reached for the pen.
“Not exactly.” Ian leaned back in the chair. “Billy will fly back to Virginia and add a few rooms on to Aunt Hil’s house. We’ll be living there.”
“Yeah, that’ll happen.” Clare laughed. “Won’t it be a little difficult to run HRT from Lost Mountain?”
“Oh, if we get married I’ll resign effective immediately from HRT. I’m buying Fettersons Market. You will run that and I’ll farm the land.”
“Excuse me?” The pen dropped from Clare’s hand. “What about the money?”
“What money?” Ian’s eyebrow rose.
“All the money you’ve made at HRT?” She said. “Surely we can…”
“Clare that money is all tied up in this house, and medical expenses. I live well, but if those paychecks stop we’ll need income. I have enough to make a nice down payment on Fettersons.”
“But why do you have to leave HRT? Can’t we get married and you keep your job?”
“Unfortunately, it would be bad press for me to be married to a woman who is such a risk she can’t legally be allowed on HRT property. If we get married, I’m sorry I no longer have a job at HRT. That’s been made very clear.”
“Just get a job with another network.” Clare smiled.
“Your timing is way off, Clare. HRT was taking a huge risk putting me in such a position as it is. I’m unproven. The press and public like me, but as far as the other networks go I’m a snot nosed pain in the behind with nothing to show. If I had time to get a few successful schedules under my belt, I might have been a hot commodity.”
“So we wait a couple of months…” Clare bit her lip.
“Try years Clare.” Ian informed her. “Once again, you know not of what you speak. You want to get married. Sign the pre-nup, and we move to back to Virginia.”
“If we ain’t got nothing, why bother with a pre-nup?” Clare figured it out.
“The pre-nup has very little to do with money…darling. Although it does state that should the marriage end you leave financially with exactly what you came into the marriage with.”
“Well that’s not a whole lot.”
“And should the marriage end, the pre-nup takes care of custody.” Ian said matter of factly.
“Custody?”
“Of the baby. Should we divorce, you give up all rights and claims to the child and/or any other children we might have.”
“Well…if you think there’s going to be another baby you have absolutely lost your mind.”
Ian leaned forward. “There will be other children. I want lots of children and if you won’t give them to me…” Ian reached back and began to scoot the pre-nup away from Clare and towards him with a finger.
Clare threw the pen on the desk. It bounced from the force and hit Ian in the forehead. “Problem, dear?”
“What’s the other choice?”
“You stop being a freaking free loader and bitch and we get on with our lives.”
“What?” Clare tried hard to be offended.
“Clare let’s just raise this baby. Lots of people do it. They’re smart enough to know just because they’ll never work out as husband and wife doesn’t mean they can’t create a warm loving environment for a child as man and woman. Let’s learn to like each other. That will be a new one for us.”
“But we love each other.” She insisted.
“No, Clare. At most my sperm loved your egg. Sorry to be crude, but that’s the fact here.”
“Oh yeah?” Clare continued. “Then why were we together for so long?”
“You know, I’ve thought a lot about that.” Ian softened his line. “Believe it or not, if I thought either one of us could actually love the other I’d be willing to give marriage a shot.” He actually felt shamed as the words escaped his lips.
“Face it Clare, I was with you because no one had ever tried so hard to keep me around and I was used to the abuse. Hell, it was better than the abuse my Uncle heaped on me, and you thought you loved me because I was the only thing you’d run across in life that really didn’t care about you one way or another.”
“That’s a disgusting thing to say.” Clare looked hurt.
“I’m sorry.” Ian dropped his eyes. “But you know it’s true. Clare I don’t even understand why you kept me around as long as you did. At first I thought it was because you lost your father and you thought you could mold me into his replacement. It made me feel like I was worth something. I’d never felt that way before.”
“Ian…” Clare pouted up.
“Just give me one good reason why Clare. Come up with one true reason for trying to be anything more than friends and I’ll do anything you want. Anything…”
“Oh this is ridiculous. There are plenty of reasons…” Clare began to search her brain.
“One, let me hear just one that makes sense.” Ian pleaded. “And good together in bed isn’t one of them. That leads right back to the sperm and egg thing and I really don’t want to go there again.”
“Just good in bed?” Clare smiled weakly.
“Clare, for me…just good.”
“Damn…” she said. At least that made Ian smile.
“Take your time, Clare. Let’s not rush into any thing. We’ve hurt each other enough, and we’ve both been hurt way too much. Nothing has to change until then except our attitudes.”
“Ian?” Clare looked desperate. “What about me? What do I get out of all this?”
“I keep forgetting it’s all about you.” He chuckled.
“Damn straight.” She smiled. “It’s what got us all in this mess in the first place, and I’ve always relied on you to get me out of it.”
“Clare, I’ll always take care of everything the baby needs, 100%”
“And what about what I need?”
“I think it’s time you learned to stand on your own to feet. You’re a strong, relatively smart woman…”
“Relatively?” Clare turned to Ripley who grunted. “Watch it, Ripples.”
“I left you with a rather healthy bank account, a car and a condo all paid for. Six months later you don’t have a dime to your name. Think about it.”
“I needed stuff.”
“Then learn to pay for it. I know you are going to be busy with a newborn, our newborn. I don’t expect you to get a job tomorrow, but we can work this out together. You are really bad at blackmail, so we can rule criminal out, but we can do this.”
She nodded her head. “By the way, David Turner stopped by earlier this afternoon.”
“He did?”
“Yes, he said to apologize to you for thinking you might need him to step in and solve the problem known as me.”
Ian smiled. “Oh?”
“He said you’d squash me like a bug.”
“Don’t make me.”
“You just did.”
“Clare…” Ian shook his head. “Call your mother.”
“Okay, you win.” Clare crossed her hands over her belly. “Don’t be mean.”
“I’m not being mean.” He handed her his cell phone. “I moved her to a facility not to far from here. She’s doing so well. They let me bring her home on weekends.”
Ian saw the tears form up in her eyes. “The room Billy’s been working on is for her. We’re hoping soon we can keep her here permanently.”
Ripley reached over and touched her on the shoulder and handed her a tissue. “She’s still struggles to speak, but her mind is sharp and she makes herself clear.”
“Ronnie has been teaching her sign language. He adores her, and she just lights up anytime he’s around. She asks about you everyday.”
“Call her. She wants to hear from you.” Ripley rubbed her shoulder. “She’s got one hand sign down I’m sure she’ll make very clear one too many times, but I think all she needs now is her daughter.”
Clare took the phone and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Speed dial seven.” Ian said. He got up from the desk and looked at Ripley. “Let’s give her some privacy.”
Ripley left the room, as Ian squatted down next to Clare. “When you’re through, give the old bat my love and then come in the living room and have cupcakes and watch “Minute to Win It” with us. Come. Just be a part of the family.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “May I speak with Gloria Humphreys, please? This is her daughter.”
Ian kissed her on the forehead. “Just stop fighting Clare, and let us heal each other. Oddly enough, we need you as much as you need us.”
Clare squeezed his hand. “Mama?”
Ian shut the den door behind him and leaned against the wall. He looked up at the sky and said reverently. “Thank you God. Let this work, please. For my baby’s sake.”
He took a deep breath and passed out.
She cleared her throat and then called to her, “Verla? Verla, may I speak with you?”
The tot continued past her.
“Verla!” Clare said with more determination.
The four year old stopped and turned to face her. The child pointed at herself.
“Yes you.” Clare plastered on what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m talking to you.”
Vonnie put her hands on her hips and took a step towards her. “What’s up Clem?”
“My name’s not Clem.” Clare tried to avoid swatting the little monster.
“My name’s not Verla.”
“Oh…sorry.” Clare patted the couch beside her. “Come, sit with me a minute.”
“You got cash?” Vonnie raised a very stern eyebrow.
“I went shopping today.” Clare admitted. “I’m broke.” Vonnie shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave the room.
“But I have something for you.”
That got the child’s attention. Clare patted the couch again with a smile, knowing she’d just drawn the fly into her web.
As soon as the munchkin settled beside her, hands in lap, feet sticking straight out, ankles on the edge of the sofa Clare prefaced the box she reached for under the coffee table. “I saw this today and thought you’d like to have it. I had one when I was a little girl.”
Vonnie started to rip open the box, but stopped just short of taking the top off eyeing the giver suspiciously. “Something’s not gonna jump out of here and eat me, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Think about it Velma, if something jumped out of that box and ate you, wouldn’t it eat me, too?”
“I don’t know…”
“Just open the damn box!” Clare slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Your not very good at this being nice thing.” Vonnie then looked at Clare and grinned. “But at least you’re trying.” She could stand it no longer, flipped the lid from the box and pulled back the paper. Her eyes grew wide. “A purse! I been needin’ one a these.”
“I thought so.” Clare awkwardly patted the little girl on top of her head. “It’s not just any purse, it’s a ‘Hello Kitty’ Purse.”
“What’s a ‘Hello Kitty’?”
Clare frowned. “The Jonas Brothers of my day.”
“What’s a Jonas Brother?”
“Oh, God…” Clare trailed off. “Every girl needs a purse. See you can carry it as a clutch or unsnap it here and use it as a shoulder bag.”
“That is so cool!” Vonnie unzipped the top and looked inside.
“There’s even a special place in there to put your make up.” Clare said as she pointed out the feature.
“I don’t wear make up.” Vonnie looked up innocently at her. “I’m not a ‘ho.”
“Well…” Clare stammered a bit. “You can put whatever you like in there, and then it will always be at your side.”
“It’s great. Thank you, ma’am.”
“So what are you going to put in it?” Clare tried to sound like she was interested.
“Rocks.” Vonnie smiled. “I’m gonna fill it with rocks and hit Ronnie with it until he loves me.”
“Uh, sweetheart.” Clare looked down at the gleeful tot. “Hitting somebody with rocks isn’t going to make them love you.”
“No?”
“It doesn’t work.”
“They why do you do it?” Vonnie said, slipping the purse to her shoulder and hopping off the couch. She twisted around a moment and watched the purse swing then hopped over to Clare to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you Carla. It’s perfect.”
A dazed Clare watched Vonnie whisk out of the living room to Ralphie who was waiting for her by the door at the other end of the room. The last thing she heard Vonnie say before they trotted out of sight was “Hey, Ralphie, does this purse make my butt look big?”
Sparky was sitting at Blake’s desk, covering for him while he took a long lunch. Her nose was deep into a file on the desk. She nodded and picked up a black Flair and drew a circle around a name on the page in front of her, shifted the page as she dropped the pen and compared information on the new page. “Ah hah! Gotcha!”
She picked up a red pen and drew lines through words on the second page. She double checked the dates and added those by the lines drawn, this time with a blue Flair. She looked over her jottings then slipped the first page back on top and began to read through the information again.
“What’cha doin’?” Came the voice from out of the blue.
Sparky tried to pretend not to panic, looking up and smiling. “Just some editing, a project for Ian.”
Clark Yancy nee Yancy Gordon grinned, laying a pile of files on top of Sparky’s work. “I’m a gofer. Hear me roar.”
“At least you’re staying out of trouble.” Sparky grinned.
“That wouldn’t be any fun now would it?” Yancy laid his hand on top of the files. “Lee sent this up for Ian’s perusal.”
“I’ll tell Blake when he gets back. Ian’s in a meeting.”
Yancy nodded his head. “Coffee later?” He gave her that look she understood immediately.
“Sure. As soon as Blake gets back, maybe fifteen minutes?”
He looked at his watch. “Make it half hour. Text me, oh and…” He ran his hand along the files causing them to fan out slightly. “…If I’m not mistaken there are promos you may be interested in at 4 and 6”.
Sparky made eye contact with him and put her hand on top of his. “Stop that!” She scolded. “You know Blake is almost as bad about tidy little piles as Ian is. You trying to make me assistant gofer…again?”
“Sorry.” He reached to straighten the fanned out stack of files.
“I got it.” Sparky smacked at his hands. “I got it. Now just go away.”
Clark nee Yancy nodded and walked away. Sparky quickly read the file tabs and picked up the stack to straighten them with a quick tap. “Crap!” She moaned out loud as half the stack missed the desk and slid into her lap.
Bambi looked at her from across the room. “Need some help?”
“No, just a klutz.” Sparky picked up the files from her lap, allowing the tabs she remembered as fourth and sixth in the pile to remain in her lap. The others were carefully shifted into a neat stack and placed in the corner of the desk.
She picked up the small stack she had previously been working on, lay them in her lap to make sure she could slip the new files into the ones she’d been working on. When it all one pile she returned her work back to the blotter in front of her, the two new files securely in her work stack.
“Now,” She mumbled. “Were was I?” She checked to make sure her pens were all there and then slipped the bottom two files on top, flipped the first one open and began to read the new information.
The phone on the desk rang. Eyes still on the text she picked up the phone. “Ian Justyn’s office.”
“Miss Jarvis?” The voice on the line asked.
Sparky smiled. “Mr. Turner. Blake’s took an extended lunch. I drew the short straw.”
“I must say, I’m impressed young lady, already earning enough trust for Blake to allow you access to his phone and little black book.”
“Never mistake trust for desperation, Mr. Turner. It could just be the rest of the staff wants me dead. I dot one ‘T’ wrong and Blake will have my head on a spit.”
“I’s get dots, Miss Jarvis.” The old man reminded her. “T’s get crossed.”
“Uh oh.” Sparky hoped the man was smiling on his end. “Sing at my funeral?”
“I think you’ll survive.”
“Now, what may I do for you, sir?” She finally remembered to ask.
“Is Young Justyn available?”
“Actually, he’s in a meeting.”
“Still in the building?”
“No, actually. He’s gone for the day.” The phone was silent for a moment, but Sparky could almost hear David Turner calculating. “He just left if that’s any help and I heard him mention to Jesse there was one more place he wanted to stop before they went home.”
“Oh yes, that’s right. Ripley’s not his driver this afternoon?”
“No, grocery day. Ripley and Ronnie are probably hitting the ice cream aisle as we speak.”
“I must be getting old, as routine as Ian’s schedule is I just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“I would assume everyone will be home in time to make dinner at the usual time. I’m sure you can reach him then or I can text him if it’s urgent.”
“No, no need. Ronnie taught me how to text. I’ll do it myself. Thank you Miss Jarvis. You have a good day.”
David Turner hit the End button of his cell phone and leaned forward. “I was right. Ian’s house please.”
The driver nodded his head at Turner’s reflection in the rear view mirror. “Of course, Mr. Turner.”
“No need to hurry. He won’t be back for quite a while.”
“Of course, Mr. Turner.” The driver checked for traffic before pulling off the shoulder and back onto the highway.
“This is so cool!” Vonnie whispered her squeal to Ralphie as they followed the beam from her little flashlight. “The mean fat lady was right. Every girl should have a purse. Daddy didn’t even know I swiped the flashlight from his tool box.”
Ralphie wagged his tail and carefully watched the toddler’s every step.
“It’s dirty in here.” She stopped in her tracks and turned to the dog. “You can’t tell on me. You been walking through walls longer than I have. You rat me out and you’re in just a much trouble as me.”
She began to walk forward again. “Well, I won’t be in too much trouble. Daddy said not to leave the house and we’re still in the house. Just in a part they can’t see cause they ain’t magic.”
Vonnie stroked Ralphie’s coat. “I feel just like Harry Potter, only pretty.”
They both froze as they heard something kick across the floor. Vonnie dropped the flashlight, still on, into her purse and snapped it shut. “Nobody’s here.”
She squatted down and put one arm around the dog’s middle and gently wrapped her other hand around his muzzle. “Shhh!” She whispered softly.
Vonnie waited to make sure she didn’t hear another noise. Letting go of Ralphie, she slowly stood up. “That was a close one. I thought we got caught.”
She pulled the flashlight back out of her purse and pointed it around in the dark. “Kay, move ‘em out.” She started to move and heard a crunch this time.
Again the girl and the dog froze. This time Vonnie lowered the flashlight to her feet. “Ooh, look Ralphie we got mail!”
In the little puddle of light at her feet, Vonnie could see a pile on the floor, one foot resting on some envelopes.
Placing the light on the floor, she sat cross-legged and opened the flap on the top envelope. She slipped the paper out of it and pretended to read it.
“It’s from Ronnie.” She told the dog. “He says he loves me and wants me to marry him.”
She folded the paper and slipped it back in the envelope as Ralphie licked his jowls and curled up beside her. She repeated the process with each envelope finally patting the dog on the head. “There all the same. Yep, he’s got it bad for me.” She sighed.
“Ooh!” She let out. “Brrrring…Brrrring!” She imitated and picked up the cell phone that she found in the pile. “It’s for me.” She told Ralphie, flipping it open and holding it to her ear.
“Yes, Ronnie?” She said. “I know you want to marry me, but I’m just not sure…Uh huh…well I can say I’ve narrowed it down between you, Justin Beiber and Santa Claus.”
Vonnie put her hand over the cell phone and whispered to Ralphie. “Gotta play hard to get. That’s what Hannah Montana would do.” She went back to cooing on the dead cell phone.
Ralphie sneezed and put his paws on the pile of clothes Vonnie’s new toys came from. As she jabbered into the cell phone, the dog finally laid his head on his paws and settled in.
Jesse had his eyes on the road, but focused on Ian from the corner of his eye. Ian was trying hard to act normal, but he was sweating and white.
“Do you remember how to get there from here?” Ian was looking around at the scenery passing by.
“Of course I do.” Jesse rolled his eyes.
“Then why doesn’t any of this look familiar?”
Jesse flipped the turn signal on. “Because we are going somewhere else first.”
“Oh.” Ian sat back in the seat.
Jesse smiled as he watched him fidget a moment. “Don’t worry, there’s something I want to show you. It won’t take long…and you’ll be home in plenty of time to help make dinner.”
“Sorry.”
“S’okay, it’s the little brother’s job to make the big brother squirm.” Jesse grinned as he turned the jeep off the highway onto a small road.
“You’re doing a fine job then.”
“Lots of practice.”
They were silent a moment as Jesse finally put the jeep in four-wheel drive and took a barely noticeable dirt road.
“Uhm…Jesse…are you gonna take me off somewhere private and kill me?”
“Not today, but can I keep that option open?”
Ian smiled. “We really are brothers aren’t we?”
“Still just sinking in, but yeah.” Jesse wasn’t sure if Ian nodded or his head just bounced from the rough terrain.
“I’m not sure how to be a brother. What if I’m not good at it?”
“You’ve got to be better than Reese. He really sucks.” Jesse was sure Ian chuckled that time. “Look it’s simple. You’re the big brother. I’m the little brother. So I win every fight. You let me have my pick of all the pretty girls and I always get my way no matter what the cost to you.”
“Yeah. That’s gonna happen.”
“See?” You already got it down. The hard stuff we’ll work out later.” Jesse put the jeep in park and looked directly at Ian. “We’re here.”
Ian looked out of the windows skeptically. “Where are we?”
“My place.” Jesse unbuckled his seat belt. “Com’mon let me show you around.”
“Your place?” Ian said as he took a precarious step out of the jeep on to the sand.
“Yep. My own little place in the dunes.” He waited for Ian to catch up with him.
When Ian stepped beside him, Jesse spread his arms wide and smiled. “My little shack.”
What Ian saw was a nice, tidy little bungalow settled tightly in the dunes, about the size of his Aunt Hil’s house only overlooking a cliff and sound tracked with the roar of the ocean. Ian looked at what he was trying to remember was his brother. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but this place is yours? You’re barely twenty-one. You must get some allowance.”
“It was a gift.” Jesse motioned Ian to follow him up the spiraling rock footpath to the front porch. “Herman and Miss Elizabeth gave it to me for graduation.”
Ian grabbed Jesse’s arm and made him stop and turn around. “The neighbors gave you beach front property for graduating high school?” When Jesse nodded his head, he couldn’t help but ask, “What did Reese get?”
Jesse shrugged his shoulders and took the last few steps to the porch. “Don’t know. All I know is he got a little hideaway somewhere just like me. Mom and Dad don’t even know about it.”
“So this is a secret?”
“Yup.” Jesse opened the door with a key from his ring and motioned Ian in. “Didn’t you get a graduation gift from your neighbors?” He said as he motioned him in first.
“I…uh…got a card.” He stepped inside. “I still have it. It made me cry.”
“See, we have a lot in common.” Jesse said as he shut the door and walked past him. “We’re both sentimental…and big ol’ babies. Come enjoy the view with me.”
Ian followed his brother through a set of sliding glass doors and found himself on a deck that seemed to jut out into nowhere. Jesse squatted Indian style on the edge and looked out over the ocean. Ian sat beside him, leaning back on his arms and dangling his feet over the edge.
“Don’t lose a shoe.” Jesse pointed. “I ain’t goin’ after it.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, still staring out over the endless tides, Ian said. “If this is a secret. Why did you bring me here? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy?”
Jesse turned to his brother. “You don’t trust easy…and I’ve done something to make you doubt my loyalty.”
“No you haven’t.”
“Ian, I knew about the birth certificate. I knew there was a great possibility we were really brothers and I kept it from you.”
“Jesse, I understand. I would have done the same thing until I knew for sure. The world kind of exploded. You thought you were protecting all of us.”
“But I should have said something. I tried to figure it out…and I did tell you about it.”
“You did?”
“Your second night in the hospital. You were no help at all.”
“Next time I’m in a coma, I’ll try not to ignore you. It was terribly self centered and rude.”
“It would be greatly appreciated.” Jesse reached in his breast pocket and pulled out a silver key chain with a key. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
“A key to this place. Leave a tie on the door if you’re getting laid.”
Ian laughed as he took the key. “Yeah. That’ll happen.”
“Ian, this is the place I always come when I need time to myself. Time to think…”
“Time to get some…”
Jesse grinned. “Yeah…well…I’ve only brought a couple of people here, so anytime you need to get away and think, this is the place. Promise me you’ll use it.”
“Why Jesse?”
“Because, things have been awful for you, and I not only know what went down today but what you’re planning. I know you may need an escape. Even if you don’t trust me enough to tell me about stuff, I know the time is coming where you’ll need to just get away. It will help me to know you’re safe, if there’s a possibility I know where you are.”
“Oh my God.” Ian moaned and lay flat on his back, feet still dangling over the edge. “Why do the pipe bombs always come in twos?”
Jesse shrugged and lay back, mocking Ian’s stance, putting his hands behind his head. “I didn’t know what Miss Elizabeth had done. I swear.”
“I believe you.” Ian said. “That explosion is my fault. I should have read the contract thoroughly. I was just so excited I only looked for all the spots with an ‘X’. It’s the second one that always really gets me.”
“At least this time, no one got hurt. I mean it’s hard to get hurt when the bombs explode and it starts raining money.” Ian was silent and Jesse chewed his lip a moment. “Of course, it’s raining enough money on you to actually smother you to death.”
“But why Jesse?” Ian stayed focused on the sky. “Why would Miss Elizabeth do that? And where did all that other money come from? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“You’re life would have been so much different. So many questions…”
Ian sat up quickly. “But this time, a lot of answers. Well at least a lot of things make sense.”
“Like?”
“Why Uncle Nate treated me the way he did. Why he never got rid of me. And why he never seemed to worry we’d lose the farm. I’d always wondered why that was the only thing he never threatened me with. Of course, after he died and I learned the property never belonged to him.”
“Didn’t you ever wonder how the taxes got paid?”
“Well, I knew there was a trust set up to take care of that until I turned thirty. As I understood it, there was a separate account set up for just that. I just assumed that Uncle Nate drank the other account dry.”
“Why weren’t you told about it then? I mean about how much money there actually was?”
“Welcome to my world, little brother, one answer, another bigger question.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Ian looked down at Jesse, who had rolled over and was up on one elbow. “Tonight, I give Clare her choice, but I have to talk to Miss Glo first.”
“Why Miss Glo?”
“Because she may actually have a piece to that puzzle.” Ian drummed his fingers on the decking. “Her husband, as president of the bank, was trustee of the fund.”
Jesse sat up. “That would explain a lot.”
Ian nodded in agreement. “If nothing else, maybe she may have an idea where it all came from. The Ransom’s didn’t have that kind of money.”
“Obviously they did.”
“I get the feeling that everything, and I mean everything is all connected to something I inadvertently started when I came to California. Life was tough, but shortly after I showed up here people started stepping on land mines trying to get close to me. This all has to be connected.”
“You think this is about you coming to California?”
“Maybe, but I think this started a long time ago. Jude told me that Aunt Hil knew nothing about my mother, or said nothing about my mother for protection.”
“That sounds stupid.”
“To me too, but if you look at what’s happened since January and what happened in my life before HRT it makes sense.”
“You think that as long as you stayed in Virginia…?”
“Before I came here, anyone in my life who died died of natural causes.”
“Except maybe your mother…”
Ian looked at Jesse again. “I think that may be the best place to start. I don’t know where the beginning of the mess is, but obviously it was before I came to Hollywood and everything seems to point to a time before I was born.”
Jesse nodded and stood up. “If you need to speak with Miss Glo, we’d better get started back.”
Brushing themselves off, they headed for inside the bungalow. “So no one knows about this place.”
“Just you, me and a few people I brought up here to have a little privacy with.”
“I won’t ask.”
Jesse smiled as he walked out on the porch. “Good cause I’m a gentleman. I’ll fax you a list of conquests.”
Ian followed Jesse out to the porch. He stopped Jesse just before he locked the door. “Is that your mail?” Ian pointed to a large plastic box.
“Oh.” Jesse glanced at the large blue container. “Guess so. The mail main just piles it all there for me. Grab it and throw it in the back of the Jeep.”
Ian hefted the container up. “When was the last time you were here?”
“About a month before you…you know.”
“Yup. I know.”
Jesse stopped just short of the last step, turning to Ian. “I just remembered something.”
“What?”
“Ella, Ella was the last person I brought up here.”
“Ella?” Ian looked at Jesse. “You and Ella….?”
“No.” Jesse looked at his feet and blushed. “Well, not that time. Just before Thanksgiving she called me, all upset. I went a picked her up at her apartment and brought her here for a few days.”
“I didn’t realize you two were close.”
“Yes and no.” Jesse walked down the rock path. “I let her pick me up in a bar shortly after she moved to town. Actually I’m the one who talked Miss Elizabeth into getting her a job at HRT.”
“Do you remember what she was upset about?”
Jesse split off and rounded to the driver’s side of the Jeep and opened the door. “She had just started dating Blue and I think they had a big fight. I’m not really sure. I didn’t ask. I just brought her up here and told her she was welcomed to stay as long as she needed.”
“How long was she here?” Ian sat the blue box behind the passenger’s seat.
“She called me a few days later and thanked me, so probably just the weekend.” Jesse waited for Ian the push the seat back in place, get in and snap his seatbelt closed before putting the key in the ignition.
“Do you think that might be important?”
“Probably not.” Ian rubbed his hands together and brushed off the sand. “But why don’t you tell Kellen about it and see what he thinks.”
“I’ll catch him tonight.”
Jesse started the Jeep and pulled out, heading toward the dirt path back down the dunes. Several manila envelopes addressed with Ella’s handwritting jiggled in the box in the back as they headed toward the highway.
“Ripples!” Clare craned her head in all directions and bellowed. “Are you gonna get that?”
“He and Ronnie are still out!” Came a voice from somewhere in the house.
“Are you gonna get the door then?” She yapped.
“Has Tippy broken your arms and legs?” The voice returned.
“No.”
“Then get the door. We’re kinda busy back here.”
“Fine.” Clare shoved herself up off the couch and waddled to the front door as the bell rang again. “I’m coming.”
Clare opened the door and looked at the dapper elderly gentlemen standing on the porch leaning on his cane with a smile on his face. “Good afternoon.”
“I already believe in Jesus. Now go away.” Clare started to slam the door.
“You must be Clare.” The man said.
The pregnant woman rolled her eyes. “That would be me. Ian’s not home. Go away and don’t ever come back.” She stepped back and started to slam the door, but the gentlemen was quick with his cane and kept it from shutting all the way.
“Hey!” Clare looked up at the man in shock.
“I’m David Turner.”
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Clare said and opened the door. “Please pardon the confusion.”
“We’ve never been formally introduced.”
“No, but as I’ve said Ian isn’t here. He’s supposed to be at still at the office, but I’ll tell him you dropped by.”
“Actually, Ian is in meetings and I came by to talk with you.”
“Oh?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course. Please do.” Clare stepped back allowing David Turner entry. She followed him like a puppy as he took a seat in a sofa chair by the couch.
“May I get you something?” When Turner thanked her politely and declined refreshment, Clare seated herself on the couch and informed him. “I gave the servants the day off.”
David Turner smiled wryly. “I’m sure that happened.”
“Ouch! Dammit, hold it tight son!” The duo heard the voice from the back of the house.
“I’m doing the best I can Jude.”
Clare blushed and tried to explain. “Renovations. We’re building a nursery on the first floor. It’s hard to find laborers with any couth.”
“You seem to be under the impression that I’ve never been here before.” Turner sat back in the chair as Rodie appeared from nowhere and jumped happily in his lap. “As you can see, you are mistaken.” He stroked the first purr out of the cat. “Hello, precious.” He said to her.
“That cat!” Clare leaned over and tried to swat her off the man’s lap.
David wrapped has arms tightly around the feline. “Rodie is fine, young lady. I look forward to sharing my lap with her every visit.” He looked up from the cat to Clare. “Which I do often.”
“Oh.” Clare folded her hands and rested them on her belly. “You wanted to see me about something?.”
“Yes.” Turner smiled. “How’s your mother?”
Taken aback, Clare stammered. “Uh…what…I…uh…”
“A simple question, young lady. How is your mother?”
Clare smiled. “Fine”
“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow.
“As fine as can be expected. I hated leaving her behind, but Ian wanted me…”
Turner cleared his throat and frowned.
“I do call every day.” Clare said. “Of course, she can’t speak, but the nurses hold the phone up to her ear so she can hear my voice. It’s so sad. Sometimes I think it would be better if the Lord just went ahead and took her home.”
“So she’s…?”
“In a facility back in Virginia. She needs constant care. She can’t do anything for herself, poor thing.”
“Yes.” Turner continued to deliberately stroke the cat and stare at Clare, making her increasingly uncomfortable. “Some of us are lucky in old age, others are not.”
“Is there something I can do for you, David?” Clare caught the look on the man’s face and immediately corrected herself. “Mr. Turner?”
“Young lady, I came here because I have been concerned about Ian.”
“Ian’s fine.” Her voice irritated at everyone’s concern over Ian, when she was the one who deserved all the concern. “He’s mad, of course, but as soon as he gets over it we can get married and I can start taking care of things. He makes such a mess of everything.”
“Miss Humphreys, Ian’s only problem right now seems to be you.”
“Excuse me?” Clare dug her nails into the arm of the couch. “I am not a problem for Ian. I’m the only one who can keep him in line.”
David Turner chuckled and looked down at the cat. “Since I’ve know Young Justyn, he has never once been late for a meeting, not had one idea that didn’t instantly turn everything gold or ever given HRT less than 250% of his attention when he was on the clock.”
He looked up at her. “Since you’ve thrown yourself on his doorstep, he is barely able to stay propped up in a corner and drool. I think your effect on him is quite different from the effect you believe you have on him.”
“Ian’s just…”
“Quiet.”
Clare’s eyes shot open at the soft, fearless power of the demand.
“My intention was to come here and give you a check.”
Clare smiled. “You think I can be bought?”
“Young lady, I know you can be bought but just in case I have an alternative way of getting you out of Ian’s life.”
“What? You gonna have me killed?” Clare laughed, then stopped when he smiled at her, never missing a stroke of Rodie’s gray fur.
“You know, Ian’s been abused, lied to, maligned and shot at. He survived it all, becoming even stronger. I feared he’d finally met his Kryptonite.” David Turner stood. “I was mistaken at my instinct to step in and take care of the problem.”
Clare looked at the old man with a look of satisfaction. “I don’t think Ian would take to kindly when he finds out you came here and threatened me.”
“You are absolutely right. He doesn’t need my help.” David Turner stroked Rodie one last time and slowly stood up. “You’re nothing. He’ll squash you like a bug. Please give him my apologies for thinking I needed to intervene on his behalf.”
He walked slowly toward the door, a dumbstruck Clare simply watching him leave.
Before David Turner closed the door behind him, he looked across the room and into Clare’s eyes. “If I were you, I’d figure out a way to save myself, but I doubt seriously you’re smart enough.” He smiled and tipped his hat. “You’re toast.”
Clare blinked as the old man shut the door behind himself. She turned her head slowly to the cat in the chair. Rodie licked her foot and then looked up at Clare. She hissed and dashed out of the room.
“Everything alright in here?” Billy appeared at the couch.
“Uh…yes…fine.”
“Have you seen my daughter?”
“Not since I gave her that little purse.”
“It was very sweet of you to think of her.” Billy smiled. “Thank you.”
“She’s a little wild, but she’s a good kid.” Clare managed to say with all the alarms going off in her head.
“Vonda Rae!” Billy shouted. “Where are you?”
Vonnie appeared at the top of the stair landing. “Right here, Daddy.”
“What are you doing up stairs?” He put his hands on his hips.
“I was watching TV in Uncle Ian’s room.” Vonnie grinned and pointed to Clare. “She was takin’ a nap…again…an’ I got bored. I dint wanna wake her up.”
“Alright, but you better not have messed in anything up there.”
“Me an’ Ralphie sat on the floor an’ played an’ watched cartoons.”
“We’ve finished up here for the day. Did you turn the TV off?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You and Ralphie come on. It’s time for all of us to go home.” Billy left the room, daughter and dog following not that far behind.
As Vonnie passed her, Clare grabbed her arm. “Ian doesn’t have a TV in his bedroom.”
Vonnie wrenched her arm back. “You’re not allowed in there. How would you know?”
Ronnie’s eyes grew watching the confections through the oven window.
“Ronnie, you’re going to burn off your nose.” His father chuckled as he put the last of the dinner dishes away.
“They look so good, Papa.” The boy turned to his father and asked, being sure not to plead. “Can I have a cupcake when they come out of the oven before you put the icing on?”
“They’re for dinner tomorrow, son.” Ian squatted down beside his boy and looked at the cupcakes rising. “But we’ve been good. I think we can all have just one. We made plenty.”
“Thanks, Papa.” Ronnie put his cheek against his father’s, then drew back quickly and looked at him. “You’re hot.”
“Some people seem to think so. I don’t really understand why.” Ian stood up, wiping sweat from his brow and then dabbing his face with the cooler dishtowel.
Ronnie put his hands on his hips and looked sternly. “I’m calling the doctor.”
“No need, Ronnie. I’m fine. I think now that I’ve been given an almost free reign, I’m doing just a little too much.”
“You go sit down.” Ronnie pointed toward the living room. “I’ll finish the cupcakes.”
“I’m almost…”
“Sit…now!”
Ian didn’t know whether to laugh at his son’s tone or quiver in his boots. He put up his hands. “Sitting down…” He pulled a chair out from the table and had a seat. “Happy.”
“Almost.” Ronnie went to his father, putting his arms around him and giving him a big squeeze. “Now I’m happy.”
He patted the boy on the head and sighed in his own contentment. Ronnie pulled the chair beside him and took a seat.
“Papa, I’ve been thinkin’…”
“Uh oh.”
“Stop.” Ronnie giggled. “When this baby comes. Where are we gonna put it?”
“We’re working on that. Billy is going to pick up some plans to the house tomorrow and then we can make a decision.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course you can.” Ian noted the smile on the boy’s face and his smile. “Ronnie, are you happy about this baby?”
Ronnie hesitated but nodded his head. “I’ve always wanted a baby brother. Looks like I’m finally gonna get my wish.”
“What if it’s a baby sister?”
“Well, a brother I can pal around with. If it’s a baby sister I reckon I’ll just have to adore her. I can live with that.” Ronnie noted the smile on his father’s face. “Are you happy about it?”
“Son, I am trying real hard to be. This isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I think maybe I more scared than anything.”
“I understand, but we’re in this together. We’ll make it work.”
Clare suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Ian, do you have a television in your bedroom?”
Ian looked up from his son. “Of course I have a television in my bedroom.”
“Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Because my bedroom is none of your business. Is there are problem?”
“No. I just…” Clare wobbled to leave.
“Miss Clare, why don’t you stay and have a cupcake with us. We’re about to take them out of the oven?” Ronnie smiled at her.
“No thank you dear. I’m the size of a house already. The last thing I need is a cupcake.”
“Sit with us then.” Ronnie pulled out a chair.
Clare’s eyes shot for approval from Ian. Ian nodded and Clare allowed Ronnie to help her sit. “Thank you, Sweet Boy.” She patted him on the hand. “You know, I think you should start calling me Mommy.”
Ronnie’s eyes grew to the size of Clare’s belly. He quickly gathered himself and to Ian’s surprise was extremely polite. “No thank you. That would make me very uncomfortable. Perhaps at some other time.”
“Fine.” Clare hissed then put up her hands, slammed them on the table and pushed herself away. “You can not say I didn’t try.” She pushed herself to a standing position and began to waddle out.
“Clare.” Ian said calmly. “It’s time we talked.”
“I thought we had nothing to say to each other except through our lawyers?” She snarled.
“Since yours doesn’t seem to exist, I’ll meet you in the den in five minutes.”
“Why not here? In front of a witness?” She grinned.
“That’s why we’re going to speak in my den. I’ll have a witness there…of legal age.”
“Whatever.” Clare followed the rolling of her eyes out of the room.
Ian waited for the woman to leave the kitchen before he turned to Ronnie and took his face in his hands. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being kind and loving when it’s extremely hard to do. You said you can handle the cupcakes?”
“Sure.”
“Good, run go tell Ripley to find Clare and yank her into the den. Then run back here and finish up the treats. Bring us all one when they’re ready.”
Ian kissed his son on the forehead before he bounded out of the kitchen. When he was alone, he dropped his head to the table and panted. “Oh God, just don’t let me pass out before I take care of the mess.”
He looked up as she appeared unhappily in the doorway. “Clare, have a seat.” He motioned to the over sized chair in front of his desk.
Clare looked at Ripley who was seating himself as well. “Why does he have to be here?”
“I know where the mop and bucket are.” Ripley smirked.
Ian put up his hands. “Look Clare, I can’t do this anymore. It’s over.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved a legal document in her direction and laid a pen on top of it. “I’m giving you a decision.”
“You don’t give me decisions.” Clare snarled. “I give you decisions.”
“Fine.” Ian reached forward and slowly began to pull the document back to his side of the desk. “The marriage is off then.”
That got her attention. Sitting up straight and trying not to drool. “What?”
“You’re pregnant Clare, not deaf. I said the marriage is off.”
“What marriage?”
“I was giving you what you wanted, but you blew it…again.”
“What?” Her head turned in several directions and her body came alive with energy. “What?”
“If marrying me was what you really wanted I was going to do it. All you had to do was sign the pre-nup.”
“Oh no. No pre-nup.”
“Then no marriage. Please leave.” Ian looked to Ripley. “Please help Clare pack. Give her twenty dollars and drop her off at that flea bag she came from.”
“With pleasure.” Ripley stood and began to help Clare to her feet. He stopped and looked at Ian. “Do I have to be gentle?”
“I don’t care. Just get her out of my sight and explain to her along the way exactly what will happen if she ever deigns to contact me or anyone in my family again.”
Clare smacked Ripley’s hands as he reached for her. “You can’t do this! This is your baby!” She screamed and pointed to her belly.
“You refuse to prove it.” Ian calmly folded his hands on the desk. “In fact other than the fact that you’re shaped like a cement mixer you’ve not even got proof you’re pregnant. Prove it, then prove it’s my baby and I’ll take care of it.”
“Wait!” Clare shoved Ripley off and turned back to Ian. “If I prove this is your baby, you’ll marry me?”
“You prove the baby is mine and I’ll have my lawyer take the child from you. I will raise it, cherish it and it will want for nothing, but you will never come near it for any reason.”
“This is my baby!”
“Not any more.” Ian said. “You refuse to co-operate, you refuse to even be civil Clare. You’ve lost any power or control you deluded yourself into thinking you had.”
“I will run straight to the press and tell them everything.”
“Not a problem.” Ian reached for the phone and started dialing. “I’ll call Blake. He’ll give you all the numbers of the important people in his little black book.”
“This will ruin you!” She hissed.
Ian didn’t blink. “I doubt it seriously, and if it does so what?”
“You’ll lose everything!” She threatened.
“No I won’t, but then you won’t get anything.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of journalists that would pay a lot of money for this story.”
“Dirt rags maybe a couple of bucks, but real journalists? I doubt it. Clare, in the past six months I’ve gone from lead anchor in a small Southern Market to second in command at a major television network. Along the way, I became a hero when I pulled two people from a fire, a martyr when my home was invaded and I was shot at, and flavor of the month when the whole mess embroiled itself in the old Darla Hutton legend.”
“And I’m sure all of that will come tumbling down when they discover you tossed your pregnant girlfriend on the streets without a dime and threatened her.”
Ian cocked his head. “Are you aware of how many public and pop culture figures have pregnant girlfriends they’ve treated worse? Not to mention the amount of lying whores who run to the press and claim to be the pregnant abused abandoned girlfriends of public and pop culture figures. That barely registers these days.”
“I’m sure that…”
“Clare, even if you had been dumb enough to make a sex tape I doubt you’d even get more than a couple hits on You Tube, and those would probably be from someone creepy who just wanted to see my penis.”
“I guess we’ll just see won’t we?”
“Either way. You get nothing and I get to keep what I have.” Ian motioned Ripley to remove her with a simple flick of his hand.
“Wait!” Clare held her ground. “What if we compromise?”
“No comprises Clare.” Ian remained calm. “You get choice one or choice two. That’s it, either or or out the door, no turning back.”
Clare smacked at Ripley’s hands one last time. “And my choices are?”
Ian nodded to Ripley who calmly cracked his knuckles and reseated himself. Ian picked up the pen and slid the document back within Clare’s reach. “Choice one, we get married. You sign the pre-nup and as soon as the house is finished we get married and that’s that.”
“You’re going to build me a new house?” Clare smiled and reached for the pen.
“Not exactly.” Ian leaned back in the chair. “Billy will fly back to Virginia and add a few rooms on to Aunt Hil’s house. We’ll be living there.”
“Yeah, that’ll happen.” Clare laughed. “Won’t it be a little difficult to run HRT from Lost Mountain?”
“Oh, if we get married I’ll resign effective immediately from HRT. I’m buying Fettersons Market. You will run that and I’ll farm the land.”
“Excuse me?” The pen dropped from Clare’s hand. “What about the money?”
“What money?” Ian’s eyebrow rose.
“All the money you’ve made at HRT?” She said. “Surely we can…”
“Clare that money is all tied up in this house, and medical expenses. I live well, but if those paychecks stop we’ll need income. I have enough to make a nice down payment on Fettersons.”
“But why do you have to leave HRT? Can’t we get married and you keep your job?”
“Unfortunately, it would be bad press for me to be married to a woman who is such a risk she can’t legally be allowed on HRT property. If we get married, I’m sorry I no longer have a job at HRT. That’s been made very clear.”
“Just get a job with another network.” Clare smiled.
“Your timing is way off, Clare. HRT was taking a huge risk putting me in such a position as it is. I’m unproven. The press and public like me, but as far as the other networks go I’m a snot nosed pain in the behind with nothing to show. If I had time to get a few successful schedules under my belt, I might have been a hot commodity.”
“So we wait a couple of months…” Clare bit her lip.
“Try years Clare.” Ian informed her. “Once again, you know not of what you speak. You want to get married. Sign the pre-nup, and we move to back to Virginia.”
“If we ain’t got nothing, why bother with a pre-nup?” Clare figured it out.
“The pre-nup has very little to do with money…darling. Although it does state that should the marriage end you leave financially with exactly what you came into the marriage with.”
“Well that’s not a whole lot.”
“And should the marriage end, the pre-nup takes care of custody.” Ian said matter of factly.
“Custody?”
“Of the baby. Should we divorce, you give up all rights and claims to the child and/or any other children we might have.”
“Well…if you think there’s going to be another baby you have absolutely lost your mind.”
Ian leaned forward. “There will be other children. I want lots of children and if you won’t give them to me…” Ian reached back and began to scoot the pre-nup away from Clare and towards him with a finger.
Clare threw the pen on the desk. It bounced from the force and hit Ian in the forehead. “Problem, dear?”
“What’s the other choice?”
“You stop being a freaking free loader and bitch and we get on with our lives.”
“What?” Clare tried hard to be offended.
“Clare let’s just raise this baby. Lots of people do it. They’re smart enough to know just because they’ll never work out as husband and wife doesn’t mean they can’t create a warm loving environment for a child as man and woman. Let’s learn to like each other. That will be a new one for us.”
“But we love each other.” She insisted.
“No, Clare. At most my sperm loved your egg. Sorry to be crude, but that’s the fact here.”
“Oh yeah?” Clare continued. “Then why were we together for so long?”
“You know, I’ve thought a lot about that.” Ian softened his line. “Believe it or not, if I thought either one of us could actually love the other I’d be willing to give marriage a shot.” He actually felt shamed as the words escaped his lips.
“Face it Clare, I was with you because no one had ever tried so hard to keep me around and I was used to the abuse. Hell, it was better than the abuse my Uncle heaped on me, and you thought you loved me because I was the only thing you’d run across in life that really didn’t care about you one way or another.”
“That’s a disgusting thing to say.” Clare looked hurt.
“I’m sorry.” Ian dropped his eyes. “But you know it’s true. Clare I don’t even understand why you kept me around as long as you did. At first I thought it was because you lost your father and you thought you could mold me into his replacement. It made me feel like I was worth something. I’d never felt that way before.”
“Ian…” Clare pouted up.
“Just give me one good reason why Clare. Come up with one true reason for trying to be anything more than friends and I’ll do anything you want. Anything…”
“Oh this is ridiculous. There are plenty of reasons…” Clare began to search her brain.
“One, let me hear just one that makes sense.” Ian pleaded. “And good together in bed isn’t one of them. That leads right back to the sperm and egg thing and I really don’t want to go there again.”
“Just good in bed?” Clare smiled weakly.
“Clare, for me…just good.”
“Damn…” she said. At least that made Ian smile.
“Take your time, Clare. Let’s not rush into any thing. We’ve hurt each other enough, and we’ve both been hurt way too much. Nothing has to change until then except our attitudes.”
“Ian?” Clare looked desperate. “What about me? What do I get out of all this?”
“I keep forgetting it’s all about you.” He chuckled.
“Damn straight.” She smiled. “It’s what got us all in this mess in the first place, and I’ve always relied on you to get me out of it.”
“Clare, I’ll always take care of everything the baby needs, 100%”
“And what about what I need?”
“I think it’s time you learned to stand on your own to feet. You’re a strong, relatively smart woman…”
“Relatively?” Clare turned to Ripley who grunted. “Watch it, Ripples.”
“I left you with a rather healthy bank account, a car and a condo all paid for. Six months later you don’t have a dime to your name. Think about it.”
“I needed stuff.”
“Then learn to pay for it. I know you are going to be busy with a newborn, our newborn. I don’t expect you to get a job tomorrow, but we can work this out together. You are really bad at blackmail, so we can rule criminal out, but we can do this.”
She nodded her head. “By the way, David Turner stopped by earlier this afternoon.”
“He did?”
“Yes, he said to apologize to you for thinking you might need him to step in and solve the problem known as me.”
Ian smiled. “Oh?”
“He said you’d squash me like a bug.”
“Don’t make me.”
“You just did.”
“Clare…” Ian shook his head. “Call your mother.”
“Okay, you win.” Clare crossed her hands over her belly. “Don’t be mean.”
“I’m not being mean.” He handed her his cell phone. “I moved her to a facility not to far from here. She’s doing so well. They let me bring her home on weekends.”
Ian saw the tears form up in her eyes. “The room Billy’s been working on is for her. We’re hoping soon we can keep her here permanently.”
Ripley reached over and touched her on the shoulder and handed her a tissue. “She’s still struggles to speak, but her mind is sharp and she makes herself clear.”
“Ronnie has been teaching her sign language. He adores her, and she just lights up anytime he’s around. She asks about you everyday.”
“Call her. She wants to hear from you.” Ripley rubbed her shoulder. “She’s got one hand sign down I’m sure she’ll make very clear one too many times, but I think all she needs now is her daughter.”
Clare took the phone and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Speed dial seven.” Ian said. He got up from the desk and looked at Ripley. “Let’s give her some privacy.”
Ripley left the room, as Ian squatted down next to Clare. “When you’re through, give the old bat my love and then come in the living room and have cupcakes and watch “Minute to Win It” with us. Come. Just be a part of the family.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “May I speak with Gloria Humphreys, please? This is her daughter.”
Ian kissed her on the forehead. “Just stop fighting Clare, and let us heal each other. Oddly enough, we need you as much as you need us.”
Clare squeezed his hand. “Mama?”
Ian shut the den door behind him and leaned against the wall. He looked up at the sky and said reverently. “Thank you God. Let this work, please. For my baby’s sake.”
He took a deep breath and passed out.
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