by Jaden Skye
At that Tara turned towards Mattheus, alarmed. “Are you saying that this doesn’t matter? That it’s okay if Lynch has a child that he never told me about?”
“Yes, I’m saying it’s okay,” said Mattheus. “There are worse things you could find out.”
Cindy went over and edged Mattheus to the side. “This is not okay, Tara,” Cindy interrupted. “I understand completely how you feel.”
Tara’s looked at Cindy then, her eyes suddenly flaming. “How do I know I can believe you? I want you to bring me this child right now. I’m not leaving this room until I see him. And I want Lynch to be with me when the child arrives. If his son really exists, if he’s a member of the family, prove it to me. Prove it to all of us! Can you do that?”
“Yes, I can,” said Cindy calmly.
“It’s gonna cost you plenty for us to get the child over here,” Mattheus mumbled to Aldon.
“I don’t care what it costs,” Aldon answered promptly. “Pay your goons whatever you have to. This is my daughter’s life we’re talking about!”
CHAPTER 5
Cindy and Mattheus retired to the side alcove of Aldon’s suite to make arrangements.
“I refuse to do this,” Mattheus repeated. “It’s against my principles, it stinks.”
“Give me Nick’s number and I’ll call him then.” Cindy was shaken to the core by Mattheus behavior. “We’ve gone this far, we can’t turn back now.”
Mattheus yanked a piece of paper out of his pocket and thrust it in Cindy’s hand. “This is your baby now, the fallout’s on you,” Mattheus said. “I wash my hands of responsibility.”
“You’re going crazy,” Cindy replied. “I have no idea what’s beneath your reaction, but step aside, I’ll make the call.”
Fortunately Nick picked up his phone as soon as it rang, and after Cindy spoke to him for a few minutes, he agreed to bring the boy over to the hotel right away.
“It won’t be a big deal to get him there,” Nick insisted. “In fact, I’m betting his mother will be thrilled when she’s hears. After all, his family’s worth big bucks.”
Cindy was both relieved and troubled. “Okay, do whatever you have to get the child here right away.”
“I’m on the move,” Nick replied.
Cindy walked back out of the alcove into the room where Tara sat with her father. The tension between them was so all encompassing it took Cindy’s breath away. Mattheus sat a few feet away in a leather chair, looking out the glass windows at the sea that rolled onto shore in gentle waves.
“The boy will be here shortly,” said Cindy.
“How can I know for sure he’s truly Lynch’s son?” Tara gasped at in horror.
“You’ve called Lynch, he’ll be here as well. He won’t deny the child face to face, will he?” Aldon asked crisply.
“I want to meet the mother, too,” Tara shot back at Cindy. “Can you also produce the mother?”
“Yes, I can,” said Cindy without hesitation.
“Now you’re torturing yourself, Tara,” Aldon didn’t like it. “What possible reason is there for you to meet her?”
Tara’s lips pursed, “I want to,” she insisted. “Lynch told me something vaguely about a girlfriend he had on the island. He said it was completely over, that when he came down here on his business trips he never saw her at all anymore.”
At that Mattheus stood up and took a few steps towards Tara. “When a guy breaks up with a girlfriend and they have a child, he’s got to keep in touch, at the very least to give her money. That doesn’t mean he has feelings for her or that there’s a relationship between them.”
At that Aldon bristled and turned to Mattheus. “You certainly have a lot of twisted ideas and we are not at all interested in any of them. Either Lynch is in touch with the ex-girlfriend or not.”
Cindy felt badly for Mattheus. “Mattheus is just offering another point of view,” she objected. “He’s trying to calm the turbulent waters.”
“Well, he’s doing a great job of ruffling my waters,” Aldon replied bitterly.
Cindy shot a warning glance at Mattheus.
“Thank you, Cindy,” Tara said then, getting up and moving closer to her. “I can see how hard this is for you, too. Thank you for understanding.”
Cindy was startled by Tara’s sensitivity and gave her hand a little squeeze.
Tara smiled wanly and moved closer to Cindy, almost as if she were her best friend. “My father always cooks up crazy problems, looks for loopholes everywhere,” she said. “That’s why he was such a successful lawyer. But it can be exhausting, too.”
“I’m sure it can,” said Cindy.
“My dad’s’ been against Lynch for a long time now,” Tara went on, obviously relieved to be talking to Cindy about it. “I’ve tried to block out his remarks. But, this is something else. “
“Yes, it is,” said Cindy, “I’m so sorry about it.”
“If it’s true, it’s a nightmare,” mused Tara. “How can Lynch explain a secret child? I have no idea how I’ll get out of it.”
“One step at a time,” said Cindy, thinking about the nightmare she went through, losing Clint on her honeymoon. She never thought she’d wake up from it, but she did, and as a different person, too. “Nightmares have a way of making us strong,” said Cindy. They don’t last forever. We wake up.”
“Lynch doesn’t know what’s going on yet,” Tara continued. “I just told him to get here as quickly as he could. He kept asking why, but I couldn’t say it over the phone.”
“You did well,” Cindy tried to soothe her, as suddenly there was a powerful, knocking on the door.
“Oh God, that has to be him,” Tara, startled, ran to the door at top speed. She flung it open and then threw her arms around the tall, blonde, good looking guy who came in.
“What’s wrong? What’s the problem?” his voice was tense as he pushed her away, slightly. “You’ve scared me to death.”
“Thank God you’re here,” Tara’s voice grew weaker, “thank God you came right away.”
Lynch, puzzled, looked into Tara’s eyes. “What’s wrong? Tell me.”
Tara blanched and turned away. “I can’t,” she said suddenly.
Lynch pulled her back towards him. “What do you mean you can’t? This isn’t some kind of joke. My mother was with me when you called, and she refused to let me come alone. She’s waiting downstairs in the lobby, alarmed. You said it was a total emergency.”
“It is,” Tara murmured under her breath.
“Jesus Christ,” Mattheus muttered loud enough for Lynch to hear.
Lynch stopped suddenly upon hearing those words, spun around, and looked over to where Cindy and Mattheus were standing. “Who are they?” Lynch asked confused and disturbed.
“They’re private detectives,” Tara said, suddenly gaining her footing.
“They’re what?” Lynch’s voice grew alarmed.
“Private detectives,” Tara’s voice rose. “My father hired these private detectives.”
“Why would he do that, Tara?” Lynch turned the suspicion directly on Aldon, avoiding the issue completely. “What would prompt your father to do such a terrible thing?”
Tara now took a step away from Lynch. “My father is trying to protect me,” she said evenly.
“From what? From me?” Lynch looked at her askance.
“My father’s motives aren’t the point, are they?” Tara spoke with her full voice.
“Of course they are,” Lynch turned to Aldon, his eyes narrowing. “There is nothing I have ever done to have caused any suspicion. I have taken wonderful care of your daughter, been good to her.” Then he turned back to Tara, “I love you completely, Tara. I have since the first moment I saw you.”
Tara’s eyes glistened as she took a step closer and held out her arms, “I love you too, Lynch, truly,” she murmured.
“Then how can you doubt me?” Lynch looked amazed.
“My father has news,” Tara said, once again, wobbly
.
Lynch suddenly pushed Tara away and stared at Aldon. “What kind of news?” Clearly, there was no love lost between them.
“I believe Tara wants to tell you herself,” Aldon stared back at Lynch unruffled.
Lynch’s eyes opened wider. “Tell me what, Tara?”
Tara took a deep breath, threw a long look at Cindy and spoke. “These private detectives have told my father that you have a son living here on the island. You see him, support him.”
“What difference does that make? I love you, Tara,” Lynch wailed suddenly.
“I love you, too, Lynch,” Tara cried back.
“But you see, love is not entirely the point, is it?” Aldon sounded victorious. “My reasons for having you checked thoroughly were because I needed to be absolutely sure who you were before I gave you my most precious possession. And look what I found! You have a secret child. A son living here on the island.”
“And exactly what business is that of yours? How does this impact you?” Lynch’s voice grew louder.
Aldon’s voice rose as well. “My daughter’s happiness impacts me completely. She knew nothing of his child.”
“So?” Lynch stood his ground fiercely. “The child has no impact upon her either.”
“No impact?” Tara’s voice rose, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“He will never be a part of our lives,” Lynch exclaimed.
Now Tara began trembling. “How is that possible?” she breathed. “You have a child and I would never have known about him? You would never take him on outings, spend time with him, celebrate his birthdays, go to his events in school?”
“It’s not like that, Tara,” Lynch exclaimed. “I give all the money he needs to his mother. That was our arrangement when he was born.”
Tara looked as though she was about to pass out. “This is not the man I knew,” she murmured. “I have to be dreaming a horrible dream.”
“Cut it out,” Lynch became stronger with her.
“The man I knew,” Tara went on, would have been a fabulous father. He was loving, caring, responsible, playful. He never could have abandoned a son.”
“I haven’t abandoned anybody,” Lynch’s face grew taut and angry. “I said I give him all the money he needs.” Then Lynch turned full on at Aldon. “How dare you come between us with this?”
“Blaming me may be convenient,” Aldon remarked, “but the child is yours, not mine.”
“And he’ll be here soon,” Tara whimpered now. “He and his mother are on the way.”
At that Lynch lurched backwards. “What in hell are you telling me?”
“I didn’t believe it was true, I wanted to see him for myself,” Tara declared.
“You had no damn right to invite my child and his mother to this room,” Lynch was enraged.
“Of course Tara had a right,” quipped Aldon.
“You shut up,” Lynch shot back at him.
Mattheus walked over to Lynch then. “It’s okay, take it easy, buddy,” he said, putting his hand on Lynch’s arm. “Secrets come out before a wedding. It happens all the time. There’s nothing so terrible here.”
Lynch looked at Mattheus relieved. “Thanks for that,” he said.
“If I had my way, we would never have said a thing to Aldon,” Mattheus went on. “My partner, Cindy here, thought we had to.”
“Well, she was wrong,” Lynch proclaimed as suddenly there were quick, repeated, sharp knocks on the door. “That’s my mother,” said Lynch, “I know her knock. She’s been waiting downstairs and is worried. I told her I’d call her and tell her when to come up. I guess the anticipation’s too much for her.”
“Does your mother know about the child or will it be a shock for her as well?” Aldon remarked sarcastically.
“No one knows about him,” Lynch said, suddenly sad, as he went to the door and opened it for his mother.
Raina, a strikingly beautiful woman in her early sixties, with coiffed auburn hair and dressed in a fashionable, glittery, green summer dress hurriedly entered the room.
“What’s going on? What’s all the commotion?” Raina demanded, immediately taking center stage and drawing all the attention to herself, like a moth to a flame.
The room quickly fell silent.
“Hello, Aldon, “Raina said perfunctorily, throwing him an off handed glance. Clearly, the two of them seemed to be at odds. Cindy could see how Raina could have been a huge irritation to Aldon, who was by nature more private and subdued.
“Good day, Raina,” Aldon answered crisply.
“Exactly what is good about it?” she tossed back, irritated. “And what in the world are you doing here? We’ve been waiting for you at the hotel. After all, you are the father of the bride. Reporters have been asking where you were. All kinds of newspapers are covering the event, you know.”
“So I’ve heard,” replied Aldon curtly.
“This is a huge week-end for us all. You can’t hide away forever,” she said, glaring at him.
“It depends what you mean by hiding,” Aldon replied condescendingly.
“Come on now, darling, we’re royalty down here, like it or not,” Raina, taunted. “Thousands of people are following our wedding. Even Tara’s gotten used to the glare of the camera, haven’t you dear?” Then she turned slightly to Tara, who simply looked aside.
Raina’s face fell a moment then, and she went straight over to Lynch. “Okay, enough. Out with it, what is the problem?”
Lynch looked at his mother dumbfounded, unable to speak.
Raina breathed out loudly. “Has someone died? Is someone dying?”
“It’s almost as bad as that,” Tara remarked.
Raina went over and took Tara by the shoulders. “Snap out of it darling, and open your mouth and tell me what’s happening. I’ll fix it in the blink of an eye. There’s nothing I can’t fix on the island.”
“Somethings cannot be fixed, even by you,” Aldon remarked caustically.
“Oh really? Like what?” Raina challenged him daringly, before suddenly looking over and seeing Cindy and Mattheus, standing nearby. Jarred, Raina flung her head back. “And who are these people, reporters?” she asked.
“The entire world isn’t focused upon your wedding, Raina, “Aldon quipped loudly.
“Well, then they’re missing something,” Raina suddenly sidled up to him. “Just as you are missing something, Aldon, dear.”
Aldon took a quick step away from her.
Lynch walked over to Mattheus then, the only anchor he seemed to have in the room. “My mom and Aldon are friendly enemies,” he remarked, smiling slightly.
“Not so friendly right now, either,” Raina proclaimed. “All this commotion is disrupting our plans. And, I do not take well to having plans disrupted. I have friends arriving in an hour and I need to be there to greet them. People are coming from far and wide.”
Just then there was another knock on the door, this time long, strong and steady.
“Oh my God,” said Tara, suddenly breathless. “They have to be here.”
“Who?” asked Raina bewildered.
“My former girlfriend and our son,” Lynch answered plainly.
CHAPTER 6
The door to the suite opened slowly and in walked a beautiful Caribbean woman, Bala, with a little boy at her side. The boy had huge dark eyes, curly hair and a wonderful smile.
The entire room fell totally still.
“This is Paulie,” said Bala, unflinchingly.
Paulie looked up at everyone and grinned, his huge eyes sparkling.
Not a word was spoken and no one moved.
“We were told you wanted to meet us,” said Bala, now slightly on edge.
Cindy stepped forward to welcome them. “Thank you for taking the time to come,” she said.
“How are you, Paulie?” and she smiled at the wonderful child, who gave her his little hand.
“I’m good,” said Paulie, looking around, an obviously unwelcome guest.
“Would you like something to eat?” asked Cindy, playfully.
“Okay,” he remarked.
Cindy took some chocolate that was in a basket on the table and handed him a piece.
“Thank you,” said Bala.
“And how about you, Bala?” Cindy asked.
“I don’t need anything,” Bala remarked, not even looking over at Lynch one time. Lynch did not look at her, either. “What did you want us here for, anyway?” Bala went on.
“Tara wanted to meet you,” said Cindy. “Do you know who she is?”
Bala nodded softly, looking down. “She’s Lynch’s bride to be.”
Cindy motioned to Tara to come over, but Tara could not stop staring at the child. He’d captured her attention completely.
Raina, however, had no compunctions about stepping forward though. “Okay, what’s this, blackmail?” she hissed, directing her fury at Bala.
At that, Lynch stepped forward and pulled his mother away. “Bala has nothing to do with this,” he remarked. “She’s a good person, a wonderful mother.”
“Bala has nothing to do with what?” asked Raina incensed. “And who is this child exactly?”
“Paulie is my son,” said Lynch, unable to look at him at all.
Raina’s face twisted into a shock of horror, pain and outrage, as she glanced at the child for a quick moment. “He’s your son, according to who?” she demanded.
“Mother, please,” said Lynch.
“You’ve had paternity testing, I assume?” Raina continued.
“Yes, I have,” said Lynch.
But with or without the testing, it was obvious to Cindy when she looked at the child, that he was directly related to Lynch. Aside from his light brown skin, his eyes, smile and nose were a carbon copy of his father.
“So you had a fling with an island woman,” said Raina, “and now you’re telling us that you’re saddled with this child?”
“I’m not telling you anything like that,” Lynch protested.
“So, why are we gathering? What’s all this about?” Raina refused to honor the significance of it.