Don’t feel like you have to answer this. It helps to clear my head just setting it all out like this. I can convince myself that you’re reading it.
I miss you.
Taylor
Chapter 49
Sleeping late was one of the advantages of being her own boss, Laura thought when she woke. The luxury of sleeping in after last night’s late flight from California was wonderful.
On the other hand, paying the bills was one of the disadvantages. She couldn’t afford to turn down any work right now and had been forced to accept when Robert had asked her to write an article about Catalina Island for a special travel supplement that was coming up. Ironically, it had been her last article about the tour that had given him the idea, an article written before she’d learned of Taylor’s betrayal.
It had been hard to go back. There were memories everywhere she looked and people who had remembered her, asking endless questions about Taylor and his marriage. Kicking off the blanket, she resolved to get the article written and done today. Then she could stop thinking about it—stop thinking about him.
An hour later, showered and dressed, she went to the computer, turned it on, and found her book with her notes on Catalina. The article should be easy to write if she just stuck to the facts.
Before she started, she opened her email and quickly scanned the list of messages, swearing she wasn’t going to be distracted by any of them. Her resolution went out the window when she saw the message from “Barnum”.
Why was he there? What could he want? Other than a formal letter from his lawyer acknowledging her letter of resignation, enclosing a final paycheck and bonus, she’d heard nothing. Why now when she was trying to get on with her life? He’d already broken her heart twice. She’d have to be crazy to let him into her life again. Her fingers reached for the delete key, touching it gently, playing with it, not sure what she wanted to do.
* * *
Taylor was surprised when he woke up to find it was already nine o’clock. Annie would have had to be at the studio by now. She should have wakened him, but when he looked out the window, her car was gone. She’d obviously gone on without him.
Still not completely awake, he opened the refrigerator and found a note from Annie leaning up against the juice bottle.
Good morning, lazy!
You were sleeping so soundly I couldn’t bear to wake you. You’re doing too much and getting too little rest, Taylor. It’s time you quit taking care of me and took a little care of yourself.
I have some errands to do this afternoon after my class. I’ll pick Meg up at school, and then we’ll be home.
Enjoy the quiet!
Love,
Annie
She was right, of course. He hadn’t been sleeping well. Evidently his body had decided that he needed some rest. Opening the door to the deck, he stepped out into the tropical morning.
There were times he really missed having well-defined seasons. Spring, when he was growing up, had meant the return of real green. He could still hear his mother calling him and his father to come out and see the first daffodil of the season. They would come grumbling out to look at the flower, and the joy on her face had never failed to cheer them out of their winter doldrums.
He remembered then that he’d written to Laura last night, crying on her shoulder. How could he have done something so stupid? He missed her terribly, but he had no right to be barging back into her life. He went back inside, going to the computer and turning it on. Nothing. Of course there was nothing. He’d sent the message at one a.m. Laura would have long been asleep and was probably not up yet this morning. Even then she would be rushing around to get ready to go to work. Checking his sent-mail file, he re-read his message. It sounded so pathetic in the bright light of day. He would have liked to take it back, but that was impossible. He’d have to wait to see if she would respond—and he wasn’t sure if he wanted her to or not.
* * *
Laura got up, went to the kitchen and opened her morning soda, before she slowly carried it back to the computer. She was almost surprised to find the message still there, the cursor waiting patiently for her command.
She sat down again and, taking a deep breath, opened his message.
* * *
Taylor took the car and his in-line skates to Bayshore Drive. He’d been running most mornings in Annie’s neighborhood. It had been more than three weeks since he had taken off on his skates beside the restless waters of the bay. He was late enough today to have missed the early-morning joggers. Instead, he encountered mothers with strollers and old couples walking slowly along. He smiled or nodded at a few of them, returning greetings when they were given, but mostly keeping to himself, lost in the rhythmic push of his wheels.
* * *
Sitting at her desk, Laura cried as she read his message. For the first time since Cary had raped her, she regretted not pressing charges. If she had, he wouldn’t have been threatening Annie and Taylor this way. The thought of Cary with an innocent little girl filled her with horror at what he might be capable of doing.
Her desk had been a gift from her father when she’d left for college. He had built it for her and included an ingenious hidden drawer for her “secrets.” As she pressed the catch that released it, she knew he’d never dreamed that any secret it would hide would be this horrible. She took a manila envelope out of the drawer and carried it to the couch. Remembering what it contained, her hands were shaking as she opened it.
Before she’d left for Florida and the tour, Laura had visited her lawyer’s office. She had made sure her will was in order, then asked that he bring in a stenographer to take down what she needed to say. With her lawyer as witness, she’d given a verbal accounting of Cary’s attack. She’d waited while his secretary put it in written form. Then, computer disk and hard copy, along with an audiotape of her statement, were placed in an envelope, sealed, and left with her lawyer. A second printout had been given to her, and she’d brought it home and placed it in her hiding place.
She hadn’t known why she had felt compelled to do it— insurance in case Cary ever appeared again, she guessed. Whatever had led her to do it, she had slept better and felt safer knowing there was a record.
Now this. Cary was deliberately hurting someone else, someone she cared about. And, here, in her hands, she held the key to stopping him. It was a risk. If he called her bluff, she would have to go through with releasing it, pressing charges. He could always claim blackmail—which it was, she acknowledged ruefully. It would be his word against hers. But, she was sure he wouldn’t risk it. His career was too important to him. If signing away the daughter he didn’t care about would buy him freedom from this threat, she was sure he’d do it.
Sliding the papers back in the envelope, she went back to the computer and began a search that would lead her to Cary Edwards.
Chapter 50
An elated Cary almost ran down the corridor to his office. He’d just been handed his first big assignment, covering the never-ending peace talks in Northern Ireland. Sure, it was dangerous, but it was the kind of thing that could push him to the top. It was his ticket to the big time. He was smiling broadly as he came into the waiting area outside his office, but his smile quickly died as he saw who was waiting there.
“Hello, Cary.” Laura showed none of the nervousness she felt. She was cool and collected and every bit as beautiful as Cary remembered.
“Laura, this is a surprise!” Conscious of the eyes of the secretary, he was careful not to show any of the dismay he felt. “What are you doing in Atlanta?”
“Research for a story on absentee fathers. I’ve left the Herald, and I’m doing freelance work now. I figured I might as well look you up while I was here. After all, we hardly got to say goodbye properly.” Her voice held a hint of sensuality that his secretary was finding very interesting.
“Well, come in
so we can get caught up. Joanne, hold my calls.”
He led the way into his office, closing the door behind them before retreating behind the security of the desk. He didn’t for a moment believe that she was here just to say “hello”. Laura wanted something and it frightened him to think what it was. Her timing was uncanny. Any hint of scandal right now would send him back to the bottom of the ladder, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to make her go away quietly.
“So, Laura, let’s stop playing this game. What are you really here for?”
She took a manila folder from her briefcase and handed it to him. “Take a look at that, Cary. I think you’ll find it interesting reading.” She settled back into her chair and watched as he opened the file.
It was all there, in a stack of six pages of photocopied, computer-generated text. In graphic terms she had described the events of their last meeting, leaving nothing to the imagination except the names of the parties involved, at least he assumed that was what was blacked out throughout the text. The portrait it painted was far from flattering. He carefully closed the file and folded his hands on top of it, waiting to see what she would say.
“Interesting reading, isn’t it, Cary?” All hints of warmth were gone from her voice. In fact, Cary imagined that he could feel the temperature dropping in the office as she went on. “I’m sure your lawyer and your boss would find it very interesting. Don’t you agree? I know my lawyer found it fascinating when I dictated it in his office. Fascinating enough that he kept a copy of the recording and the original computer disk that holds the transcription.”
“What do you want, Laura?”
“I want you to quit fighting Taylor Morgan’s petition to adopt Megan.”
Cary laughed. “So that’s it. You’re still carrying a torch for him.”
“What I’m feeling is irrelevant, Cary. If you don’t sign the papers within a week, I’ll go public with this story.”
“It will be my word against yours, Laura. I’m not without influence.”
“Influence that would dry up the minute this hit the news, Cary. You know it, and I know it, so let’s stop playing games.” She stood and leaned over the desk so that her face was just inches from his before she went on, “I’ll release it, Cary. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I won’t.”
She picked up her briefcase and then opened the door. Turning back before she went through, she said, brightly for the audience in the outer office, “It was wonderful to see you, Cary, to talk over old times. Take care.” She smiled at the secretary and left the waiting room, the perfect picture of confidence and success.
Cary sat in his office, stunned by the implications of her visit. Laura had changed, become stronger, and he had no doubt she would go to the press if necessary. Even if he were somehow not convicted, his reputation and career would be destroyed. After feeding her file through the shredder, he picked up the phone and, bypassing his secretary, called his lawyer.
* * *
Laura’s calm and confidence lasted only until the elevator doors closed. She was alone, so there was no one to see the tremors that began to shake her as she leaned against the wall, eyes closed. When she exited the elevator on the ground floor of Cary’s building, she rushed to a nearby ladies’ room where she lost everything she’d eaten for breakfast that morning.
* * *
It had been almost a week since he’d sent his message to Laura, and there had been no answer. Taylor began to believe that she really had trashed it. He couldn’t blame her, but he had hoped they could somehow salvage their friendship. Despite her silence, he refused to give up on her, checking his e-mail at least twice a day.
* * *
On the plane back to Albuquerque, Laura ran through the scene with Cary again and again in her mind, feeling sicker each time. The flight attendant, noticing her pallor and the sweat that beaded her brow, stopped to ask if she was feeling all right and brought her tea and crackers.
She’d done what she could. She had to hope it would work and that Taylor would let her know it had. She hadn’t answered Taylor’s message. She wanted to wait, to see what happened. If she answered too soon, Taylor might make a connection between her and Cary. There was no reason now for him to ever know what had happened.
Chapter 51
It was late when the phone rang. Annie had gone to bed, Meg was asleep, and Taylor was trying to avoid checking his email for the third time today.
“Hello?”
“Taylor! It’s Jude. I’ve been out of the office all day, in court and in meetings. I just stopped by on my way home to check the mail. You will not believe what I found!”
Taylor had never heard their normally calm lawyer sound so excited. “Jude? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Taylor, and so are you and Annie and Meg! He signed the papers, Taylor! Edwards has given up his rights to Meg!”
Taylor was numb. It was too easy. A few days ago, Cary wouldn’t have given Meg up for anything. What could possibly have happened in that time to change his mind?
“Taylor? Are you there?”
“I’m here, Jude. I just don’t believe it. It’s amazing, and too easy. Are you sure?”
“Signed by Edwards, witnessed by his attorney, notarized, and sent air express. It’s real, Taylor. Megan is your daughter—at least she will be as soon as we get a court date.”
“Jude, thank you. I don’t know what else to say.”
Her voice softened. “You don’t have to say anything, Taylor. Go tell Annie the good news. I’ll talk to you both tomorrow as soon as I get a date scheduled for the adoption hearing. It’s over, Taylor. You and Annie can sleep well tonight.”
Taylor replaced the phone, still in shock, and went to their room. Annie was already awake.
“Who was on the phone, Taylor?”
He sat beside her on the bed and took her hand in his. He looked so serious that Annie was frightened. “Taylor? What is it? Is something wrong?”
“No, Annie, something is very right. That was Jude. God knows why, but Cary’s given up the fight. He signed the papers that clear the way for me to adopt Meg.”
He watched as the news slowly sank in and was surprised when Annie burst into tears. He held her tightly while she cried, then brushed the tears from her face.
“Oh, Taylor, I never thought he’d sign them. I’ve been so afraid…afraid that I’d leave Meg unprotected.”
“Annie, I would have fought him tooth and nail, you know that.”
“I know, Taylor, but the legal system is so screwed up. I couldn’t count on it recognizing what was right for Meg. But, with you, she’ll be fine, and all that I’ve dreamed for her…” Annie’s voice trailed off into tears again.
“All that you’ve dreamed for her, I’ll do my best to make come true, Annie.”
Annie placed her hand on his cheek and said, “I love you, Taylor Morgan.”
He answered her with a gentle kiss that led to a physical demonstration of that love for only the second time in the month they’d been married. Afterward, in the darkness of the room, his arms around Annie as she slept, Taylor went over the battle with Cary in his mind. There was some key, something that had triggered his change of heart—although heart was probably not the right word! Look at what he’d done to Annie, to Laura. Laura! She was the key. Taylor knew it! This had happened too easily, too quickly after he’d written to her. She must have used what Cary had done to her as some kind of bargaining chip. Someday, he promised himself, someday I’ll find out if I’m right. For the first time in weeks, Taylor slept peacefully through the night.
Chapter 52
Meg had been ecstatic when they told her Taylor wanted to adopt her. Once Cary had signed the papers, everything went smoothly. Less than two weeks later, on her twelfth birthday, a judge declared that Megan Elizabeth Miller would now be known as Megan Elizabeth Morgan. To mar
k the occasion, Taylor gave her his mother’s locket. “She would have loved having you for her granddaughter, Meg,” he’d said as he fastened it around her neck. “As much as I love that you’re my daughter now in the eyes of the world.” As Meg had thrown her arms around him, he met Annie’s eyes and saw a new peace there.
Unfortunately, that peace had been short-lived.
The next CT scan was bad news. The tumor was growing again, and Annie admitted she needed more of the pain medications just to get through the day. When they came home, she was so drained, physically and emotionally, she went straight to bed.
Meg had bounced in from school, her exuberance stilled when Taylor told her that Annie was resting.
“Taylor?”
“Meg, let’s walk down to the duck pond for a little while.” Taylor could see the question in her eyes and knew that it was time to tell her the truth. As they sat on a bench watching the ducks and the people feeding them, Meg finally asked the question he and Annie had known would come some day
“Mom’s really sick, isn’t she?”
“Yes, Meg, she is.” Taylor reached out and took her icy hands in his.
“Is…is she going to get better, Taylor?” Meg looked at him, fear evident in her eyes.
“No, Meg,” his voice broke as he said it, “she won’t be getting better.”
She stared at him, her eyes wild as she tried to take in what he’d said, trying to turn the truth into something she could understand and live with. Then, with a cry of “No!” she twisted away from him and took off running towards home.
Taylor ran after her, but she still beat him there. He expected to find her with Annie but the bedroom was dark, Annie asleep. As he came to Meg’s door he could hear her weeping.
“Meg—”
Timing Is Everything Page 27