by Kelly Utt
Before Sabine could answer, Rande replied to Marcheline’s text confirming that he’d be there. He didn’t ask questions. He knew what this meant. Rande was a good friend, like no other. Marcheline said a silent prayer of thanks for him. He would help her get through this. She just hoped that in doing so, he wouldn’t put his own young family in danger.
10
By the time Marcheline pulled up at the county’s waste management facility, Rande was already there waiting for her. They got out of their cars at the recycling station and walked side-by-side to a compactor, the sound of which would prevent others from overhearing what they were about to say. Rande had two bags filled with glass bottles. He handed one to Marcheline, then they stood, bottles in hand while the compactor ran behind them, and began to discuss specifics.
“I like the hat and glasses, Ma’am,” Rande said in his usual jovial voice. It was a relief for Marcheline, who had spent the past hour barely breathing.
“I’m glad,” Marcheline replied. “But I must say, this wasn’t how I expected to spend my afternoon. Thanks for being there for me, Rande. You’re a good friend.”
“Somebody has to look after you,” he replied. “How is Sabine taking it?”
“So far, not well. I don’t blame her though. I promised I would explain things before we go to sleep tonight.”
“I think that’s wise. She deserves an explanation. Where are you headed?”
“For now, I’ll follow Plan A,” Marcheline said. Rande knew exactly which destination she was talking about.
“You’ll need to ditch that vehicle,” he added. Marcheline nodded. “There’s a truck stop in a little town called Kingman. It’s south of Vegas on the way to Phoenix. It’s out of your way, but was the closest I could get to your route. It won’t cost you much extra time. Go inside the diner and ask for a man named Carl Lowery. I’ll let him know to expect you. He’ll have transportation ready.”
“Thank you, Rande.”
“You have enough cash?”
“I do. I’m good in that regard. I’ve been stashing bags of it for so long now that I might have gone overboard. I should have enough cash to live on for several years if we need to.”
The two of them stood quietly as the impact of that statement sunk in.
“I brought the paperwork,” Rande said. “Are you ready to sign it?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Marcheline replied. “It breaks my heart. But I knew all along things might turn out this way.”
Rande pulled the paperwork out of his bag and a pen out of his pocket. With a few quick scrolls, Marcheline signed ownership of Maison du Vin over to him.
“You know, Ma’am,” he added. “This is just a formality. Just paper. That’s your business and it always will be. You let me know when you’re ready and I will sign it right back over to you. My word is my bond. You know that.”
“I know, Rande. But I can’t imagine coming back. It’s just too big of a risk. Like when your house is on fire, you know. The first thing you do is you get your family out safe. Everything else is just material. You don’t run back into the flames. I can begin with a new identity. I can build a new business. It may never be as big as Maison du Vin. I might never be as successful or as wealthy as I would have otherwise been. But as long as I get my family out safely, that’s what matters.”
“I hear you,” Rande added. “You have your house keys?”
“Right here,” Marcheline said as she reached into her pocket. She took the Land Rover key off the ring and handed the rest over to Rande, complete with her Maison du Vin wine-bottle key chain they'd made for promotional purposes not long after Rande joined her team. “I trust you’ll take care of Limbo for me?”
“You know it. My girls will get a kick out of having a dog. They’ve been begging for one.”
A tear formed in Marcheline’s eye. She loved her dog. She’d even thought about taking him with her. Rande put his arm around his friend’s shoulders.
“Forgive me,” Marcheline said. “I’m trying to do this without getting emotional. But I love that old hound.”
“I know you do, Ma’am,” Rande added. “He’ll be a guest in our home and we will treat him like family. But if you ever come back or if you want to send for him, he’s your boy and I’ll be sure he gets to you.”
Marcheline sniffled. “Leave it to me to get choked up over the dog.”
“You’re a tough broad who is a softy at heart,” Rande said with a chuckle.
Marcheline smiled back. “Ryan needs dealt with,” she said, moving on. “I offered to pick him up and take him with us, but he isn’t answering his phone. Sabine is freaked out. Can you get a message to him?”
“Of course,” Rande replied. “What do you want me to say?”
“That’s precarious, because I don’t want to keep him from his wife and daughter. But people might be watching and listening, and we can’t endanger them. Ryan wouldn’t want that.”
“I agree.”
“Please, get word to him that we had to go away, and explain that it was life or death circumstances. Please impress upon him the need for discretion in this matter. Tell him just enough so he understands the gravity, but not too much. I don’t want him and his extended family getting tangled up in our mess.”
“Good thing I only know just enough,” Rande said.
“Rande…” Marcheline replied, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him. “I would tell you, but…”
“I understand,” he replied. “Don’t give it another thought. It was just an offhand remark. I know you want to protect me and my family as well.”
“I do. Absolutely, I do.”
“Then I’ll tell him just enough. How else can I help, Ma’am? You name it, and it’s done.”
“At this point, I don’t know. I might reach out to you if I can figure out anything else. Do you remember the code word?”
“I do. I’ll await your signal,” Rande confirmed. “Do you remember my code name, for when you meet with Carl?”
“I do.”
“Good girl.”
“Then I guess this is it,” Marcheline said, choking back tears as her voice broke. “Time for a new name, a new look… A new city...”
“A new everything,” Rande said, finishing her sentence for her. “Which means, a new lease on life. A new freedom. You did it once. You can do it again. And Sabine is stronger than you give her credit for. After all, she was raised by you, Ma’am. She’s going to be okay.”
“I hope so.”
“What do you want me to tell that pair of boys?”
“Oh yeah,” Marcheline said. “Is it bad that I almost forgot about the two of them?”
Rande laughed. “I guess it says a little something about the status of your relationships. But none of that matters now.”
“Tell them what you want. Just be sure to emphasize that it wasn’t them. You know the old cliché about how it’s me, not you.”
“That might work.”
“It’s funny,” Marcheline added. “Jim wanted me to go away with him. On a road trip west to the beach. I told him I couldn’t possibly leave the company because I had so much important stuff to do. And here I am... Going on a road trip, but not one of my choosing. Southeast. Life can sure be ironic at times.”
“Agreed. I’ll let them down easy. But that begs the question. What do you want me to tell people about where you went? If they think you’re missing, police will come calling. They may fear you’re in harm’s way. We need some type of cover story to keep that from happening.”
“Well, yeah,” Marcheline replied. “We’ve talked about this before. Just pick an option. Whatever you think is best. Truly, Rande. I have so much to think about going forward. At this point, talk of my cover story and Rosemary Run feel like going backward.”
“I’ve got it,” he said, raising a finger. “I’ll tell people you went off grid to care for an ailing relative. That should cover all the bases. That way they don’t think some
thing is wrong with you. And they’ll understand the need for such a sabbatical. Hopefully, they will feel sympathetic towards you rather than angry that you left.”
“Yes, that’s good, Rande. You’re good at all this lying and scheming. You sure you’re not some kind of superspy in disguise?”
They laughed together some more. It felt good to break the tension.
An old black pickup truck pulled in beside the Land Rover and a man got out with his bags of recycling. Marcheline didn’t want to be seen here with Rande, so she tilted her head down low as she threw her bag of glass bottles into the bin. Rande turned towards her, his back shielding her from the other man’s view. Marcheline leaned hard against her friend’s chest and they embraced each other, even though they kept their arms at their sides. Rande was a true gift to Marcheline. She told herself that whenever she doubted her ability to have healthy relationships, she should think back to her friendship with Rande. What they had was real, and it was enduring. She only hoped they’d be able to reunite someday and continue their friendship in person.
“You take good care, Ma’am,” he said as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of Marcheline’s head.
“You too, Rande, my darling. I’ll be forever grateful to you for what you’re doing. And for who you are. You’re a gift to me. A gift in my life. I sure am going to miss you.”
With that, Marcheline walked back to the Land Rover, climbed in, and drove away.
11
Marcheline drove south out of town with her daughter and granddaughter in tow. Sabine had protested when Marcheline destroyed both of their phones and threw them out in a gas station trash can on the outskirts of Rosemary Run, but she was coping. Marcheline wasn’t sure whether it was a case of shock or a display of strength, but it was encouraging.
The trio was heading for Tucson, Arizona, not far from the US-Mexico border. Marcheline had a friend from college who was a Mexican national. They had dated briefly, and during their time together Marcheline had told Guillermo Martinez a portion of her story. He had promised on the spot to provide safe haven for her if she ever needed it, regardless of how many years in the future her need came to pass. He had grown up in Tucson, but had family across the border just sixty miles away in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Guillermo guaranteed he could keep Marcheline hidden in both places.
She hadn’t done it often, because she didn’t want to leave any trace of who she was communicating with. But every once in a while, Marcheline had driven out of town and gone into a public library where she could search for Guillermo and keep tabs on his whereabouts without being detected. The last she had seen, he was a professor of Computer Science at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Marcheline knew she could count on his help. She didn’t plan to alert him that she was on her way, out of an abundance of caution. She knew that when she showed up on his door, he would take her, Sabine, and Amelie in until they could find more permanent living quarters.
Marcheline kept moving, making her way several hundred miles south on I-5 before getting something to eat. She wanted to reach Kingman before stopping for the night because she was eager to switch vehicles. It was almost a ten-hour drive from Rosemary Run, not counting stops. She wasn’t sure what kind of hours Carl kept, but she wanted to make herself available to him just as soon as humanly possible. The slightest delay could make all the difference in whether they were able to get away safely.
Sabine kept Amelie entertained so they could stay on the road, climbing in the backseat to nurse her and change her diaper right in her car seat. For her part, Amelie was a perfect sweetheart. It was almost as if she knew how important it was that they get away and keep moving.
“Mom?” Sabine began, as she climbed back into the front seat after a feeding session. “I’ve waited patiently for hours now. It’s time for some answers. Do I need to remind you just how much this is costing me?”
Marcheline started to put her daughter off, as that was her habit. She had become good at avoiding difficult topics and dodging uncomfortable conversations. But she knew Sabine deserved better.
“Fine,” Marcheline said. “We’ll talk while we drive. We have hours left to go and we might as well do something to pass the time.”
“Finally!” Sabine exclaimed. “Thank you. Now, what in the hell is going on?”
“That’s a big question with a complicated answer,” Marcheline replied. “But I’ll do my best to start at the beginning.”
“At the beginning, meaning with who my father is?” Sabine tried. “I’ve been asking that question damn near all my life. I would love an answer. Would absolutely love it.”
“My darling, it’s complicated.” Marcheline took a few deep breaths to steady herself before continuing. She wanted to be strong and hated to admit it, but talk of Sabine’s conception made her feel like a vulnerable nineteen-year-old girl all over again. It made her feel helpless and alone, her parents too buried in work and oblivious to what their daughter was going through. “The first thing I’m going to tell you may come as a shock. Try to prepare yourself.”
“Okay…” Sabine replied. “I’m not sure how much more of a shock I could receive at this point.”
“More shock is always possible, believe me,” Marcheline said.
“Okay. Well?”
“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to come right out and do it.” Marcheline looked straight ahead as she spoke, afraid to make eye contact. “My real name is not Marcheline Fay.”
“What? You must be kidding.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not,” Marcheline replied. “My real name is Leena. And I have parents. We are from Paris.”
“You mean your parents are still alive?”
“Yes, they are,” Marcheline confirmed. “At least, as far as I know. I try to search for them on the Internet from time to time. As far as I can tell, they’re alive and well in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago where I grew up.”
“And you haven’t had contact with them?”
“Not since the day I left, twenty-six years ago.”
Sabine was silent for a moment as she tried to process the information. “That means my last name isn’t really Fay. And here I thought I was keeping my name when I married Ryan and didn’t take his. That was all a crock of shit. All those hours debating about keeping my identity intact and what that would mean as an example for Amelie. And here my last name isn’t even my own last name. How could you let me go through that?”
“I had to change my identity to keep us safe,” Marcheline insisted. “I swear, Sabine. I didn’t have any other choice. But I took great care in choosing your name. Sabine is after a great-aunt back in Paris who was very special to me. We left Paris when I was a toddler, but I still have memories of Aunt Sabine. I named you after her. And Fay, well it was my paternal grandmother’s maiden name. I figured it was far enough in the distant past that no one would connect us. But it still allowed me to hold on to a tie to our roots. Please, go easy on me. I gave you the very best name that I could under the circumstances. It’s one that meant a great deal to me.”
“Maybe I could manage to go easy on you if you’d tell me what made you do it,” Sabine asked. Her voice was faltering. She seemed to teeter between compassion and anger.
“My darling,” Marcheline began again. “It’s okay to be angry at me. I would be, too, if I were in your position. I’m angry at myself. I’m angry at the situation. It’s all very sad and frustrating. I just ask that you be respectful and try to consider my position. To consider what I went through.”
“Okay, tell me about it,” Sabine prompted.
“I never wanted to leave my parents. They were good to me and like I said, I loved them very much. They worked a lot because they owned a French bakery in town and it took up most of their time. But I knew they were doing it for me. They wanted me to have a better life. The same as I wanted for you. Times were tough back in Paris. There was little money to go around and we lived i
n a small flat without room to stretch. When we came to America, we had a house with a yard. I had a good school to attend. And we had enough money to be comfortable with financial security. That was something my parents didn’t think they could ever achieve back home.”
“If it was that good and you were close to your parents, how could you leave them? Where do they think you went? You just… Disappeared?”
“I called them from a payphone the night I was leaving and I told him I had to go away. I let them know that I loved them, but that I didn’t have a choice. I’m sure they were heartbroken, same as me. But at least they know I chose to go. I hope they know that they raised me well enough that I could take care of myself. They’re the ones who instilled a strong work ethic in me. It’s because of Mom and Dad that I’ve been able to build Maison du Vin into what it is today. Even as a young woman, it was because of Mom and Dad that I was able to complete college with good grades, all while being a single mother. If I’d been raised by different parents, I might not have had the fortitude.”
Marcheline gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove and talked.
“What were their names?” Sabine asked. “What is our real last name?”
“Sabine, I hope it goes without saying, but once I tell you this information, and once I tell you these names, you can’t repeat them to anyone. You can’t even communicate them to Ryan until we’re sure he’s not being followed or monitored. I mean it. This is life and death. What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave the confines of this vehicle until I say so, and then it’s only to be shared with Ryan. Do you understand?”