Still, all this joy was short-lived. As soon as they reached JFK airport, the mere thought of boarding a plane to Los Angeles was enough to shatter Julia’s mood. It was then that Monica’s irritating question popped back into her mind, troubling her even further:
“What are you going to tell her?”
It sounded simple, and yet, it was light years away from simple. Julia knew her mother had lied. She even had the evidence that proved it. Nevertheless, she could not barge into her mother’s house, and accuse her of deceiving her. More than anything, her approach had to be subtle. Aggressiveness would only lead to an argument, and, most likely, she would not get the answers she really wanted. Furthermore, she had to be very careful how she phrased her questions. Asking her directly about the conditions of her father’s death, and the reasons behind their divorce would be too blunt. In essence, Julia had to make Carrie believe that her surprise visit to Los Angeles was just that: a surprise. Her mother needed to be under the illusion that her daughter was still in the dark about her father’s cause of death, and why she had divorced him.
Six hours later, after a long, tedious flight, their plane landed in LAX. Julia had been lucky. It was 9:40pm. The traffic would be low at this time. The chances of a busy realtor like her mother being home were quite high. Despite the jetlag and her tiredness, she didn’t think twice. Julia and Monica rushed to the bus station, and took the next bus out to Santa Monica.
Her pulse began rising, as the large vehicle set off to their destination. She was less than thirty minutes away from the worst confrontation, and the biggest revelations of her life. Her friend attempted to start a conversation, but her words passed by Julia unheard. Happily for her, Monica quickly gave up. Julia could not focus on anything else, other than this one, particular moment: the moment of truth. Her heart and mind were already at Carrie’s beach house, and she was glad that Monica respected her emotional state.
The smell of diesel was lingering in the air, when Julia and Monica stepped off the bus, with their small suitcases in their hands. A massive beach spread out before them, as the gentle sound of waves, splashing onto the sand filled their ears. The moonlight glittered on the surface of the ocean, bringing a soft smile to Monica’s face.
“It’s breathtaking,” she said, her voice but a whisper.
“It is during the night,” Julia murmured, starting off into the beach and to her right. “It’s a poser’s playground during the day. Just take a look to your left. You’ll see what I mean.”
“Oh, my God!” Monica exclaimed, her brows popping up. “Rings, benches, treadmills… What is this, a beachside gym?”
“No…” Julia gave a snort of derision. “This place is called ‘Muscle Beach.’ It’s where posers congregate to show off their muscles; and their tiny brains. No wonder my mom lives here. She just loves muscular men. That’s how she met my father. They went to the same gym. Of course, my dad was a lot more than just an oversized jock.”
“You mean people actually gather here, in order to work out?” Monica pitched her voice higher, walking alongside her.
“Yes, Dr. Mills, that’s what I said.” Julia responded, a touch of annoyance in her tone. “Is that hard for you to believe?”
“Obviously,” Monica nodded, tearing her gaze away from the equipment. “Why would someone want to flaunt their muscles in public?”
“You do understand the meaning of the word ‘poser’ right?” Julia scoffed, casting a sarcastic, sideways glance up at her.
“Jules…” Seriousness deepened Monica’s voice, as she grabbed her friend by the wrist. Julia’s feet halted, as her friend turned to face her. “I can understand that you’re under a lot of stress right now. I’d feel the same, if I were you. Now, I’ve been patient with you, since we left this morning. I have had to put up with your silence, your temper, and your sarcasm. I keep telling myself that I shouldn’t get mad at you, because you are in agony. But, honestly: if you don’t start treating me properly, make no mistake; I will leave you here. Are we clear?”
“I’m sorry, Mon,” Julia sighed, dropping her gaze down to the sand. “You came all the way down here to support me, and I’m treating you like crap.”
“Hey…” Monica whispered, leaning over her, as a cool breeze tossed her hair about. “I’m not mad at you, ok? Now, let’s go pay your mom a visit.”
Julia chose to give her a smile, unwilling to come up with a rebuttal. Carrie’s estate lay just a few yards to the right. A large, luxurious structure, freshly-painted white on the outside, featuring a big, wide lawn, with a pathway in the middle, surrounded by a tall, gray fence.
“She must have made a great name for herself as a realtor,” Monica remarked, taking a few glances around her, as they crossed the pathway.
“That she has.” Julia agreed, easing her suitcase down, as she lifted her hand to ring her mother’s bell. By then, her heart was pounding in her chest. She could even feel cold sweat pouring over her in waves. Carrie’s face fell in disbelief, as she swung her front door open. Julia’s lips curled into a lazy smile, as their gazes met. Her mother was way past her fifties, but she still looked phenomenal. Her hair remained long, red, and curly, and her body was one that had been forged by endless hours of working out.
“Julia?” Carrie gasped, as her brown eyes widened in shock. “Oh, my God! Is it really you?”
“Hey, mom,” Julia said, tipping her head down in a friendly gesture. “How have you been?”
“What a wonderful surprise!” Carrie cheered, throwing her arms around her daughter’s back, as a blissful smile formed on her face. “When did you get here? Why didn’t you call me?”
“We just got here. It was a last minute decision.” Julia asserted, as her mother eased back. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Monica!” Carrie cheered yet again, turning her attention to her daughter’s friend. “It’s great to see you again! How long has it been?” She wondered, as Monica offered her hand for a handshake.
“Two years, Mrs. Stinson,” she said with a grin, as Carrie took her hand into both of hers.
“Right: your wedding,” She gave a quick nod. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come on in!” Carrie added, beckoning them to her living room. Julia picked her suitcase back up from the floor, drawing in a sharp breath, as her mother turned around. With a heavy heart, she followed her inside. The luxury came as no surprise: she had seen, in earlier visits, Carrie’s scarlet couch; her 65” TV; the expensive oil paintings that lined the walls of her living room; the sparkling chandelier than was hanging from the high ceiling. But, there was a difference in the sight that greeted Julia: a massive picture frame of her father, wearing a beige suit, a white shirt and a red tie, in the left corner, above the couch.
“Please, have a seat,” Carrie politely requested. “Would you like a drink?”
“I’m good,” Julia spoke, her tone stiff, her gaze locked on the picture.
“Do not stare,” Monica whispered in her ear. “Just sit down.”
Her friend’s words acted like a wakeup call. Standing there would only give away her sadness. Julia obliged, seating herself beside Monica, struggling to push the thought of the picture out of her mind.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Carrie asked, her tone cheerful, as she sat down on her armchair. “It’s been a while since your last visit.”
“We’re here on vacation,” Monica interjected. “Julia and I had been planning this for months. I’ve never been to Los Angeles, and she really loves it here.”
“So, how’s life treating you, sweetheart?” Carrie posed one more question, easing back into her seat. “Is everything alright at the bank? Any new boyfriends I should know about?”
“Yeah, there is someone, actually,” Julia informed her mother evenly, crossing her arms over her chest. “His name’s Ray. He’s a great guy. He’s tall, 6’1”, really handsome. There’s just one thing, though. He’s a little…” She paused, “unusual.”
“She’s just ki
dding,” Monica declared, giving her an elbow jab. “I’ve met him. He’s perfectly normal.”
“That’s one large frame, mom,” Julia remarked in an intense tone, pointing up at the picture on the wall behind her. “I don’t remember this picture. It wasn’t here the last time, either.”
“I found a photo album in my storage unit, a few weeks ago,” Carrie said, her voice just audible, as she sucked in her lower lip. “I came across a whole lot of them in there. I just picked the one I liked best, and had it enlarged.”
“Mom…” Julia took a deep, cleansing breath, intensifying her stare. “Monica and I were talking about dad the other day. Mon, what did you say again, when I told you that he died of a stroke at the age of forty-three?”
“I said it was somewhat unusual, especially for a man as athletic as Mr. Stinson,” Monica spoke too fast, once more nudging her with the elbow.
“Right,” Julia gave a firm nod. “Monica called the head of the stroke ward in Presbyterian Hospital. Dad was never treated for a stroke. He died of a heart attack, which is also very strange for a man his age and with his lifestyle. Why would you lie to me about that?”
“That was your father’s request,” Carrie declared, her gaze settled on her daughter’s eyes. “I had to respect it.”
“Let me save you some time,” Julia pitched her voice louder, raising her hand to her chest. “I know what he was. If you want to ever see me again, I suggest you stop lying. Tell me everything.”
“You know he was…”
“A shifter: yes, I know!” Julia yelled, narrowing her eyes at her. “I’m listening. Don’t leave anything out.”
“Ok…” Carrie sucked in a deep breath, lowering her eyes from her daughter, as she interlocked her fingers on her lap. “I’m sure you remember your father going away on business trips. I didn’t complain at first. They didn’t last more than two, maybe three days. But then, they went on and on for more than a week. In one case, he was in Buenos Aires for twelve straight days. I was getting lonely. I, uh…” her voice broke, as she clenched her jaw. “I started an affair with Jonathan Burns, our next door neighbor.”
“No…” Julia let out a gasp of despair, waves of sorrow plowing through her, twisting her heart and soul into knots, as she dropped her head into her hands. “You were the cheater?” She whispered, sliding her hands down her face, as tears sprang into her eyes.
“Ronald came back three days early from his trip to Chicago to surprise me,” Carrie continued, her voice trembling, as she rolled her gaze up to Julia’s. “He found me and Jonathan in bed. That’s when I found out about him. I didn’t know, Julia. I had no idea about his nature. He…” She faltered. “He turned, right there and then. I’ve never been so petrified in my whole life. That wolf was ready to tear Jonathan apart, but the poor man was so scared that his heart stopped. He died on the spot. Your father? He turned right back into human form, and told me he never wanted to see me again. I called him a monster. I also accused him of being a liar. He had kept this from me. Then, he said I had just killed him. That last part never made any sense to me, until he called me, a little over three years later. Ronald was…” with a huge effort, she snorted back a sob; “…dying. His hair was white. I mean, snow-white, like he was at least twice his age. He explained to me his weakness. I lost it; I wanted to kill myself for dooming him like that. I wondered if there was anything he could do to escape this fate, but there wasn’t. He was terminal. He asked me to hide this from you, hence my lie about his stroke. There was always a chance you would find out about shifters. He didn’t want his own daughter to think he was a monster.”
Julia bit her lower lip, her eyes shut, as the agonizing pain within her heart and soul overwhelmed her. The truth about her father had not only shattered her heart. It had destroyed the notion that her own mother, her only living family, was the kind creature she had always believed her to be. A memory of him returning from a similar trip crept into her mind. As usual, Ronald was smiling. He had brought Julia a large, expensive dollhouse. The only things he ever wished from his daughter were a hug and a kiss on the cheek. His own wife had paid back all this love by killing him…
“You…” she snarled, opening her eyelids, feeling her blood boiling in her veins. “You broke his heart. You took away his life. But, it wasn’t enough, was it? You called him a cheater, to cover up your mistake. How convenient… dead men can’t speak for themselves.”
“Please, forgive me, Julia,” Carrie begged, shaking her head lightly, as a tear rolled off her face. “I was trying to honor his last wish.”
“You should have honored him, you bitch!” Julia cried, rolling her fingers into fists, as she jumped from her seat. “God, I could kill you for what you did,” she spoke through gritted teeth, her chest heaving, as she felt Monica’s soft palm on her wrist.
“She’s not worth it, Jules. Let’s just get out of here,” she advised, tossing a fierce glare at Carrie. “She should live with this.”
“Forget you ever had a daughter,” Julia managed to grate out through her clenched teeth, bending down towards her mother. “Forget I ever existed. You’re just the woman who married my father. You mean nothing to me.”
She turned on her heel, grabbing the handle of her suitcase, unwilling to even be in the same room as Carrie. Julia stormed out of the house, with the image of her smiling father still haunting her thoughts. The scene of the hug and the kiss replayed in her mind, scorching her insides, as she gazed out into the ocean. The sorrow that engulfed her, now turned moments like these into pure torture.
“If only I could go back in time, dad. If only I could hug you, whisper in your ear what kind of fate awaited you. I wish I could tell you that I’d never think you were a monster. You were the sweetest dad in the world. There was one monster in our home, but you were not it. You were just a shifter, who paid the price of his weakness. I wish I could see you again…”
Chapter Nineteen
Back in Paxton, having been made aware of what had transpired in Los Angeles, Ray was devastated. The news of a woman’s betrayal to her husband and her child had shocked his very existence. He had a very good idea of Julia’s emotional state; she had shown him, and he doubted it would be any different upon her return. Ray had to take action. He had no problem comforting her, but, in his mind, she had suffered too much already. Yes, he would gladly offer her a shoulder to cry on, yet again, but Julia deserved better than the misery and angst she had been living in for the past few days. Therefore, as he and his siblings patiently waited for Kate to drive all of the women back from New York the following night, he asked Raul and Dean for a favor: to carry Kate’s piano outside. Naturally, the two brothers were not so willing to help him carry a 400-lb object. However, as soon as he explained his simple plan to them, they both changed their minds.
Ray struggled to control the urge that overtook him, as Kate’s red Ford skidded across the driveway. He hadn’t seen Julia in almost three days; he couldn’t wait to take her back in his arms. But, if he welcomed her like that, he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. He would reveal his intentions in seconds. Knowing that he had to have the blonde’s help for his plan to work, he didn’t go to his cabin. Instead, he awaited his brother’s mate in the cabin adjacent to his.
“What the hell is my piano doing in the yard?” Kate’s squeaky voice amused him, as she approached the front door. “Did you boys decide to take it for a walk?”
“Actually…” Dean snorted, looking to his left, as he sauntered insisde. “Lover boy here had an idea.”
“Kate, welcome back,” Ray nodded, as a polite smile spread across his face. “I need your voice and your piano skills for five minutes.”
“What for, Ray?” Kate shrugged, asking the question in a lazy tone. “Julia’s too upset as it is. Singing a depressing tune will only make her feel worse.”
“It’s not depressing,” Ray assured, intensifying his stare. “It’s Adele’s ‘When We Were Young.’ I want to dedicate i
t to her. Please.”
““‘When We Were Young’?” Kate raised an eyebrow. “That’s an excellent choice. Follow me.”
Her approval made his heart leap for joy. Dean’s mate had an extensive musical background. Her opinion on this topic mattered to him greatly. With a conspiratorial smile gracing her lips, she left the cabin, as she stretched her arms. Kate pulled the piano stool closer and sat down, as Ray leaned against the left side of the piano.
“Hey, Red!” She shouted, looking up at Ray’s bedroom window. “Come on down, will you? There’s someone here, waiting to talk to you. He wants to dedicate a song to you.”
“Has anybody seen Ray? And has Dean told you what your piano is doing outside? Oh…” Julia gasped, staring down at the piano, to her right, as she stopped under the doorframe. Melodic notes tore at the silence, raising every hair on Ray’s body, as Kate put both of her hands over the piano keys. He didn’t speak. After all, this was not a time for words. He would let the music, and Kate’s voice, do all the talking for him. Ray waved Julia towards him, watching, as the moonlight shone on her glorious face, filling her eyes, turning them into a lighter shade. The corners of her lips twitched into a sweet smile, as she padded towards him. That one tiny reaction sent a message more precious than a thousand words. Ray locked his gaze on her eyes, as she stood before him. Julia parted her lips, as he opened his arms. He snaked them around her back, gently pulling her into his embrace, as Kate’s smoky voice poured out of her, sending waves of emotion coursing through him. Julia closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, his heart racing and pounding like a drum, as he lost himself in the moment…
Everybody loves the things you do
From the way you talk to the way you move
A Wolf's Touch (Wolf Mountain Peak Book 3) Page 9