Javan stopped moving, and Armand stood over him, satisfied that he would not pose a problem. He felt it was safe enough to walk Brianna through the house and to his car. He backpedaled out into the backyard, keeping an eye on Javan, and motioned for Brianna to join him. He noticed her hesitance. “Brianna, I know you’re scared, but you need to come with me. I’ll explain everything later.”
Brianna still didn’t move. He searched his mind for words to convince her that she could trust him. “I’m Michelle’s friend. She sent me to get you. She’s worried sick about you.”
Brianna moved gingerly but as fast as she could to Armand’s side. He still had his eyes on Javan, who was still lying in the hall motionless where Armand left him.
“I know this is scary, but you need to trust me. We’re going to walk out the door. The guy that had you . . . Javan? He’s lying on the floor, but he cannot hurt you. We’re just going to walk past him. All right?”
Brianna nodded. “Okay.”
Armand took Brianna by the hand and walked with her slightly behind him. Javan lay almost flat against the wall. As the two of them inched past him, Javan didn’t flinch, never moving a muscle. They made it outside, and Armand led Brianna to his car about a block down the street.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back. Lock the doors, and if you see anything—I mean anything—crank the car and leave. The keys are in the ignition.”
Brianna nodded, and Armand headed back to the house. He wanted to make sure that Javan would not be a future issue. It didn’t sit well with him that he didn’t move when they walked past him. He was not unconscious, so Armand figured he was pretending. He didn’t like loose ends, and he wanted to be certain. He made it to the house, his senses on edge, realizing the door was still open. He walked in and into the hall, but Javan was not there. Armand was afraid of that. He looked around for a few minutes but could not find him. Javan had disappeared.
“I don’t know where you are, but if you can hear my voice, know this: If I see you again, I’m putting you in a body bag. Stay away from her.”
He made his way back to the car, relieved to see Brianna was still waiting. “Your sister will be glad to see you.”
Brianna took a deep breath and sat back in the seat, relieved to be headed home finally.
Chapter 49
Michelle did not recognize the metallic Maserati. She went back into the house to see if her mom did. Armand had told her the Marx Brothers weren’t anything to lose sleep about anymore, but she was still a little rattled.
“Mom, are you expecting company?”
“No, why?”
“Someone just pulled up.” Michelle pulled back the curtains far enough to allow her to peek outside and saw a man get out of the car and walk toward the house. Before she could say anything, he rang the doorbell.
Sophie went to open the door and could not believe her eyes. It was the guy from the hospital. Without thinking, she slapped him across the face. “You bastard!”
“Mom!” Michelle ran to the door and pulled her mother away. “Mom, what’s going on? Who is this?”
Frank had let himself into the house. From her initial vantage point, Michelle did not get a good look at him, but now she recognized him. She understood why her mom clocked him. She felt the urge to do it herself.
Frank looked at Sophie, then turned his gaze toward Michelle. They were different shades but the same beautiful. “Where’s Brianna?” he asked softly. He was not there for a fight. He just wanted to know where his daughter was.
“She was kidnapped, but my boyfriend is looking for her. We’re waiting to hear from him.”
“Michelle!”
“What, Mom? It’s his daughter.”
Sophie did not want to tell him anything. He ruined her life. Had he never showed up in the hospital room that day, none of this would have happened. She regretted ever taking his blood money. “She’s my daughter. I gave birth to her.”
“I raised her, and I deserve to know. I told you she would have the best, and she has.”
Sophie hated him. He was still the same smooth-talking, arrogant bastard he had been twenty-three years ago.
“That was a mistake.”
“Doesn’t matter. The point is, she’s just as much mine as she is yours. Deal with it.”
Michelle did not know whether she should interfere or let her mother defend herself. She was frustrated with both of them. “Both of you need to go back to your corners. Mom? Frank? Frank, although you have not shown any thus far, please respect my father’s house.”
Frank simply wanted some answers; he had no intention of getting into it with Sophie. He just wanted Brianna. “I’m sorry, this has all just been a lot to deal with. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
“You can wait here with us.” Michelle shot a pleading eye to Sophie. “Right, Mom?”
Sophie wanted to say hell no. She didn’t even want him in her house, but he had been a father to Brianna. “Fine.”
“Good. Let’s all take a seat. Emotions are running high. Maybe silence would be best.”
Everyone seemed to agree, and each took a seat without saying another word. After a few minutes, Sophie broke it up. “How could you take advantage of me like that? I was not in an emotionally healthy place to have made a decision like that.”
“Mrs. Lewis, grow up and own your part in this. I needed a child. Just like I told you, I saw an opening, and I took it. I won’t apologize for it. You could have said no.”
“You bastard, I didn’t even know your name! I couldn’t look for you. Didn’t know where to look.”
“Congratulations. I guess you get the prize for being a dumbass.”
Frank’s insult prompted Michelle to interfere. “Frank!”
He ignored her interjection. “Do you regularly give your children away to complete strangers?”
Michelle insisted on a cease-fire. “Frank, that’s my mom! Stop it!” Sophie was too stunned to speak.
Frank finished mounting his defense. “It doesn’t matter. Like I said before, I won’t apologize for it. It worked out.”
Finally, Sophie found her voice. The arrogance of Frank’s rationale ushered a rebuttal. “Did it? My daughter was kidnapped!”
Frank was not about to let Sophie blame this on him. Brianna was everything to him. “My daughter was kidnapped, and are you saying that it had something to do with me?”
Sophie was at her wit’s end realizing that the man she entrusted her daughter to may have gotten her killed. “It must have!”
Frank was done with this frivolous war of words. He was a good father, and he did not need to prove that to anyone. “I’m not doing this with you. I didn’t come here to argue.”
“I want answers.” Sophie was flustered. The mere sight of him nauseated her. She should have never given her child to him.
“Why? It won’t change anything.”
“How did you even know I was in there? Why didn’t I ever see you again? I waited, hoped, but it never happened.”
Frank was getting more and more heated. He didn’t want to answer her questions. The last thing he felt like sitting through was an interrogation. Lisa had left him. Charlie was missing in action, possibly with his child, and he didn’t feel like he owed Sophie an explanation. Their exchange may not have been fair, but it was something they both agreed on, and she was not going to make him out to be the bad guy. “Stop talking to me.”
Michelle cut her eyes at him. “Please.”
Frank cleared his throat and contemplated leaving. There was too much estrogen in one room for him, not to mention that neither woman cared for him, but at least Michelle was being reasonable.
Sophie was about to say something when another car pulled up. Michelle ran eagerly to the window and peered outside. “Mom, it’s Armand!” She ran outside and screamed with glee at the sight of Brianna in the passenger seat. “Brianna! Oh my God! Bria!”
She opened Brianna’s door and could see she was in pain. She knelt down
by the door and rested her head on Brianna’s lap, tears of joy streaming down her face. Frank and Sophie watched from inside. They wanted to run out also but thought it better to let Brianna and Michelle have some time. They had already taken so much time from them.
Brianna rubbed Michelle’s hair and took it all in. It was real. She was safe. Michelle stood up and helped Brianna out of the car.
Armand came around to assist, but Michelle waved him off. She wanted to do it alone. She didn’t need to thank him. He could see it in her eyes. As Brianna and Michelle walked slowly into the house, Michelle tried to warn her of what awaited them inside.
“There’s a lot I have to tell you, but we can talk later.”
“Did you find out who our parents are?”
“Yes, and . . . well . . .”
“What is it?”
“They’re inside.”
“They are?”
Michelle nodded and gave Brianna a half smile.
They had made it into the den where Frank and Sophie were waiting. Brianna burst into tears and hobbled to Frank. “I thought you were dead!”
Frank wrapped her up in a big hug and held her close. He was so glad Brianna was safe. Nothing else mattered. “No, I’m not dead. I’m here, baby girl. Can’t get rid of me that easy. Are you okay?”
Brianna was so happy she couldn’t stop smiling. “I am now.”
Michelle touched Brianna’s arm to get her attention. Brianna let go of her father and looked at her. Michelle walked over to Sophie.
“Brianna, I’d like you to meet your birth mother.”
Brianna felt her face warm. She couldn’t believe it. Her mother, her birth mother, was standing there in the same room. She hobbled to her and lay her head on her shoulder. Sophie held her daughter for only the second time in her life; her heart filled with sadness thinking about all the hugs she missed. She was joyful, knowing that she would not have to miss her anymore. Brianna stood in Sophie’s embrace for a good while, basking in her love.
Then Sophie lifted her daughter’s face and held it in her hands. “I’ve always loved you. I held you in my heart, every day. Every night, I sang a song for you. I’m so happy to have you home.”
“This is not her home,” Frank protested. He was not about to stand by and let Sophie try to take his daughter. “She’s coming home with me.”
“Dad?” Brianna looked at Michelle posing the question with her eyes.
Michelle shook her head no. “He’s gone. I’m sorry, Bria. It was sudden, and the funeral was a week ago.”
Brianna’s knees gave way as she realized the father Mike was referring to was not Frank but her biological father. Sophie helped her to sit on the couch. Brianna was overcome with sadness. She would never get the chance to meet him. It wasn’t fair. The news made her mourn all over again. She had dealt with the loss, had the man she knew as her father returned to her, only to have the other man who was biologically tied to her taken away.
“Brianna, you still have me, okay? I’m your father.”
“Shut up.” Michelle didn’t want to hear Frank say another word.
“Michelle!”
“No, Bria . . . I’m tired.”
“Michelle, he’s my dad. Relax.”
“Frank, are you going to tell her?” Michelle’s eyes turned in his direction, causing everyone in the room to follow suit.
Frank grew silent. His mouth went dry, and he strove to find the words.
“Tell me what? Dad?”
“Brianna, I’m not sure how to tell you this but—”
“He bought you, Bria.”
“What? What is she talking about, Dad?”
“I did. I went into the hospital room, and I saw you, and I wanted you. I offered, and she accepted.”
“She?” Brianna looked at the woman she learned was her mother. Sophie could not meet her gaze. “Mom?”
“It’s true, Brianna, and it was a horrible decision. I wasn’t thinking clearly. After that, I looked for you, but I couldn’t find you. I looked everywhere. You have to believe me.”
Brianna was heartbroken. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but she had not expected this. She was sold? She looked at Michelle with tears in her eyes. Michelle got up and sat beside her on the couch. She wrapped her arm around her sister. “We’re in this together.”
Sophie was still trying to plead her case. “I have always loved you. I just couldn’t find you. It was like I had imagined you.”
“Get off it. If you wanted her, you would not have sold her to me,” Frank snapped.
Michelle felt like she would be sick. “How could you say something like that?”
Armand could see how much distress Michelle was in. He didn’t like it. If Michelle had a problem, he had a problem. He decided to interject himself into the fray. “There’s a reason she couldn’t find her, isn’t there, Frank? That was not by accident.”
Frank looked at Armand. He didn’t recognize him. “Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter, but I know what you did.”
Michelle stared wide-eyed at Armand, anticipating the answer.
Armand’s answer would shock the room. “I worked for the Marx Brothers. Mike told me what you did.”
Frank felt the bottom fall out. Now he would need to tell the truth; there was no way around it. He looked at Brianna preparing for the worst.
Armand continued his confession. “Frank hired the Marx Brothers to watch Michelle and this family. He wanted to ensure that you two never ran into each other.”
Brianna could not believe it. “Dad, is this true?”
“I just wanted to protect you. I was going to tell you.”
“So you are the reason they were parked outside my place all this time; you had them watching me?” Michelle felt violated. This was unbelievable. “You are the reason they grabbed Brianna!”
Brianna stood and leaped toward Frank, swinging wildly. She was crying hysterically and screaming at the top of her lungs. All of the agony and despair she had amassed over the last few weeks burst forth from her. “How could you do this? I almost died!”
“Bria, there’s nothing I could say that would make up for this. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to lose you. I love you so much. One thing led to another, and I was in so deep . . . I couldn’t see the way out. I hope you can forgive me.”
Brianna cried in Frank’s arms. He held her while she hit him. Together, they fell to the floor.
“He beat me, Dad,” she sobbed. “It’s all your fault.”
Brianna bawled until she lost her voice. Frank rocked her back and forth in his lap just as he did when she was a little girl, hoping to bring some comfort to her. He was truly sorry for what he had done. Brianna was the absolute last person he ever wanted to bring any harm to.
Sophie wished she were deaf. This was all so horrific. Frank could have gotten them killed. The guilt of her decision crept into her mind, and she couldn’t say anything. She was no better than Frank. They all could have made better choices.
Different choices.
Brianna and Frank sat on the floor for hours. Sophie, Michelle, and Armand each in a chair. Everyone waited for someone else to speak; to break the dilapidating silence. They needed time to digest it all. Time to celebrate the truth and Brianna’s safety. Time to mourn all that they had lost along the way. Things would never be the same for them, but at least they had each other. Starting over will be difficult but not impossible. Each, on their own, had to figure how to adjust to their new reality. To live in the truth. To embrace their new normal.
Epilogue
One month later ...
Doctor Baxter used his professional contacts to track Brianna down. Fortunately for him, Brianna kept all of her medical information up to date, so it was fairly easy to reach her. It turned out, he didn’t need Javan’s help after all. She had been home for a few days when she got his call. She was a little bothered by his intrusion into her personal affairs but felt his concern was heartfelt. H
e expressed the apprehension he had at leaving her with Javan, and she filled him in on the grisly details. He convinced her to seek counseling with a close friend of his. Brianna conceded and agreed to keep in touch.
Doctor Shepherd pushed the thin, ruby-red plastic brim of her glasses farther onto her face, shielding her slightly rose-colored eyes from Brianna’s devilishly alluring scowl. Her naturally curly auburn hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She hoped this session would go smoothly. “Brianna, shall we begin?”
“Sure.”
“Would you like to pick up where we left off?”
“Not really.”
Doctor Miya Shepherd, according to Doctor Baxter, was supposed to be one of the best in the area, but Brianna didn’t feel like they were getting anywhere in these sessions. She remained calm, despite Brianna’s apprehension. “That’s fine. You may begin whenever you’d like.”
“This isn’t working.”
“What isn’t working, Brianna?”
“I’m not crazy.”
“I agree. You are not crazy.”
“What’s your purpose, then?”
Doctor Shepherd ran a successful practice for the past ten years. Most of her clientele were from referrals, and she showed no favoritism. But she had begun to see Doctor Baxter in a different light lately, and since he recommended Brianna, that made her special. If she played her cards right and gave Brianna the proper treatment, perhaps Doctor Baxter would treat her to a little something. She never mixed business with pleasure, but this once she would make an exception. She wanted that man like Mister wanted Shug in The Color Purple, and she would have him one way or another.
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