by Kelly Utt
“Let me introduce you to everyone,” Marcheline said, keeping one arm around Rande. “You know Sabine, Ryan, and Amelie, of course.”
“Of course,” Rande replied. “Hello, gang.”
“And this is my dear friend, Guillermo Martinez, from college. He is my Plan A. I came here because he was going to help me change my identity. But I don’t think I will do it, Rande. At least, it might not be necessary. I’m hopeful.”
“Nice to meet you,” Guillermo said as he shook Rande’s hand. “This is my wife, Camila.”
“Yes, the lovely Camila,” Marcheline said. “She’s a gracious host, a talented decorator, and an amazing cook. Wait until you try some of her food. It’s delicious.”
Guillermo translated for his wife, who blushed and smiled once she understood.
“Pleased to meet you,” Rande said to Guillermo. “Anyone who takes care of our girl like you have is alright in my book.”
“And this…” Marcheline began, gesturing towards Bill. “This is the man who called the office yesterday from Chicago.”
“Yeah, isn’t that the strangest thing?” Rande said. “Sabine told me the story.”
“It is. What began as a frightening intrusion into my life has turned out to be one of the greatest gifts,” Marcheline explained. “Bill has helped me so much already.”
“And I’m working with a friend on the police force in Chicago to do plenty more,” he said as he shook Rande’s hand. “I’m expecting a call from him anytime now.”
“Good man,” Rande said.
“Mom,” Sabine inserted. “You’ll have to catch Rande up on Huey. I didn’t tell him those details. I didn’t feel like they were mine to tell.”
“I appreciate that, Sabine,” Marcheline said. “But you can tell Rande anything. Huey was too hard for me to talk about before, but now that it’s out in the open, my friend Rande can know. Of course, he can know.”
Sabine filled in the blanks, for which Marcheline was grateful. Even though it was getting easier, she was glad she didn’t have to explain for a fourth time in one day.
“Ma’am,” Rande said as he squeezed his friend tighter. “You know I’d do anything for you, right? And by the looks of it, you’ve got several other people who would say the same.”
“I know, Rande. I do. I’m feeling that today more than ever. And I am incredibly grateful.”
Guillermo smiled, pleased that his house could be the setting for this happy evening. He ushered everyone back towards the main living area, then poured Rande a glass of wine.
“House special?” Rande remarked, as proud of the Maison du Vin wine as Marcheline. “So, now you know what fine wine this lady produces. The best in the wine country region, if I do say so myself. Hell, some of the best in the world.”
They talked and laughed together, as Camila cooked the main dish in the oven. It was heavenly as the smell wafted throughout the home. Marcheline was enjoying herself in every moment, until suddenly, she noticed that Bill had disappeared.
Marcheline stood up straight, handing Amelie back to Sabine. She felt the familiar panicky feeling move across her body. Although this time, it was a little different. She trusted Bill. But she wasn’t sure she had the fortitude to withstand the news he would receive from Chicago. If Huey was still a threat and had confirmed mob ties, all of her hopes for a normal life might be dashed. What if she had been right all along and the only way to keep her family safe was to run? She didn’t want to run anymore. After the day she’d just had, she thought running away might just break her heart.
“Did his phone ring?” Marcheline asked.
30
“He must have stepped outside,” Ryan said. “You stay here, Marcheline. I’ll go check on him.”
Guillermo looked curious. Having heard about the surprises Sabine and Ryan had planned and the calls that Bill expected to receive, he wondered what else the night would hold.
“Let him go,” Guillermo said. “You stay here and relax, Marcheline. Ryan will let us know if there’s anything notable.”
Marcheline tried. She sat on Guillermo and Camila’s sofa and did her best to remain there. What she really wanted to do was to jump up and run outside, then hang on Bill’s every word. She wanted him to put Gary on speakerphone, so she could hear all the details. But she knew that she needed to act mature. Bill was helping her, after all. She knew he would tell her when he found out something useful.
But Marcheline didn’t last long at all before she did jump up and run outside. She simply couldn’t help it. “I’m sorry, Guillermo,” she said. “I’ve got to know. I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this. I can’t wait a minute more.” She rushed out the front door and onto the wide, ample porch as the city lights twinkled in the distance. Bill was there, holding his new phone to his ear. Ryan was standing beside him.
“Okay, good deal,” Bill said into the receiver. “Will do. Thanks, buddy.” Then he hung up.
Marcheline rushed towards him, nearly knocking him down. She felt clumsy, like she had the day before when she had raced out of her office. “What did he say?” she asked, passion in every note of her voice.
Bill smiled from ear to ear. “Do you want me to tell you now, or inside with everybody else?”
“Wait,” Ryan said. “I know Sabine will want to be here for this. Rande and Guillermo, too.”
“Be here for what?” Sabine asked from over Marcheline’s shoulder. Unable to wait any better than her mom, she had come outside. Amelie smiled cheerfully as she bobbed on Sabine’s hip.
“What’s that again?” Rande asked from behind Sabine. “You know I don’t want to miss whatever’s happening. I just flew all the way from California for this.”
“And I don’t want to miss it either!” Guillermo said, standing at the back of the group with Camila.
Marcheline looked at Bill. She knew she was about to receive news that would change her life. She was ready. “Tell me.”
“Marcheline,” Bill began as he put one hand on her shoulder. “I want you to know. I’ve been doing this for a long time. Not all stories have a happy ending…”
Marcheline was hanging on his every word. It was torture.
“But yours does.”
The group erupted in cheers behind Marcheline, giving each other high fives and jumping up and down. It sounded more like a sports bar than the front porch of a Tucson home. The energy was contagious. Marcheline imagined herself as the girl about to be hoisted in the air at a concert and carried by the crowd.
“Tell me,” she said again.
“That was Gary from Chicago. He looked into Huey Moreau, just like I asked him to.”
Marcheline’s heart seemed to stop dead in its tracks, then race, alternately. Her body felt all mixed up. It didn’t know what to do any more than she did.
“Wow,” Ryan said quietly, one arm around his wife. “Just wow.”
“And?” Marcheline prompted.
“Are you ready for this?” Bill asked with a big smile.
“My God, Bill!” Marcheline exclaimed. “Yes. Get on with it.”
“Huey Moreau of Evanston Illinois, owner of Moreau Jewelry, died fifteen years ago. He had a stroke and passed away in his sleep. He had no known ties to organized crime.”
Marcheline fell to her knees with a gentle thud and put her head in her hands. Her whole body ached with relief. It was a good ache. A primal ache. It felt like she was an impala who had just escaped a brush with a tiger. She was alive. Her family and friends circled around her and squatted down beside. They put their arms on each other’s shoulders, instinctively, and it felt to Marcheline like some kind of ancient ritual. It was a touching show of support.
When she gathered enough strength to speak again, Marcheline looked at Bill. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. This means everything to me. It’s everything in my life. It’s my… Freedom.”
“That’s not all,” Bill said.
“There’s more?” Sabine asked.
�
��Yes, young lady. And it concerns you.”
Marcheline looked at Bill, her eyes pleading.
“It’s okay Marcheline,” he said to her. “I told you. Your story has a happy ending.”
“Wait,” Sabine said. “They didn’t get the DNA test back already, did they? That would be super fast.”
Bill removed his hands from the circle and clapped them in front of him. “They sure did! I told the concierge at the hotel to spare no expense in getting your sample there as soon as possible. They had it flown up this afternoon. When it arrived, Gary had the lab on standby for rush processing. They had pulled Chester’s DNA, which was already in their system.”
“I think I might faint,” Sabine said. “I’ve been waiting for this for such a long time.” She leaned on her husband and held her baby tightly as she looked at her mom.
“Are you ready?” Bill asked.
“Yes, yes, I really am,” Sabine replied.
“And are you?” he asked Marcheline.
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“Sabine Fay, results are conclusive with 99.9% accuracy. Chester Loor is your biological father. These results exclude Huey Moreau. That evil is gone from your lives forever. He can’t hurt you anymore. And Chester is a good man. He’s going to be thrilled to learn that he has a daughter.”
“A daughter conceived out of love,” Marcheline added, tears streaming out of her eyes. “Not abuse.”
31
The celebration continued on Guillermo’s porch. Marcheline couldn’t put into words how wonderful she felt. A great burden had been lifted. It was a relief she thought would never come, so she didn’t say anything, but let herself sit silently with her feelings. The others passed her from one person to the next, and held and rocked her like she was a baby. It was the most beautiful and touching thing Marcheline had ever witnessed, let alone been a part of. They stroked her hair, patted her back, and cradled her head as they leaned her on their shoulders. They attended to Sabine, too, patting and embracing her as she cried with the relief of finally knowing who her father was.
When they were all hugged and cried out, everyone made their way quietly inside, just in time for Camila’s dinner to be served. She had made tacos, burritos, and enchiladas that were far better than any restaurant. The group continued to drink, and they shared happy stories and wishes for the future as they ate, handing baby Amelie between them.
As the conversation went on into the evening, Guillermo and Camila filled Marcheline in on everything they’d been doing. One of the highlights of the night for Marcheline was learning that Guillermo and his wife were in the process of adopting a baby. She’d always thought he would be a good dad, and she’d wondered why he didn’t have kids already. Guillermo’s courage to add a child to his life at their age was especially touching to Marcheline. It gave her hope for her own new beginnings. It made her feel like anything was possible.
Marcheline’s head was still spinning, and she hadn’t made plans for what she would do tomorrow, let alone for the rest of her life. But she noticed that Ryan kept looking at the clock on the wall. She thought maybe he was tired and wanted to get back to the hotel to get some more sleep. He had driven all night prior. Marcheline also noticed that Guillermo and Ryan kept making eye contact, as it Guillermo was in on whatever it was that Ryan was thinking about.
When the doorbell rang, they both shot up and out of their chairs.
“I’ll get it!” Ryan said as he ran towards the front door.
“What is going on with him?” Marcheline asked. “Is he having something delivered? Because everybody’s already here.”
“It’s a surprise!” Guillermo said as he followed closely behind.
“What?” Sabine asked, clueless as to what her husband was up to.
Rande leaned back in his chair and smiled. “This should be good,” he said. “Never a dull moment with you. Is there, Ma'am?”
“Apparently not,” Marcheline replied. “Although, I don’t know what to make of this. I don’t know what’s happening.”
As the door opened and Ryan said hello, Marcheline heard a familiar, sweet voice. It sounded… Older than she remembered. But she’d recognize it anywhere. It was the voice that had sung her to sleep at night. The voice that had read her bedtime stories.
“Ryan?” the voice asked. Marcheline’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “Thank you so much for your call.”
“That’s right,” he replied. “I’m Ryan. I’m glad you made it. Come in.”
Then a second familiar voice sounded. This one deeper and stronger, but just as loving.
“We’re glad to be here.”
Marcheline stood up, in a complete shock of the best kind, and waited for her eyes to see what her ears had heard. The others looked at her, confused, but they stood up with her as they awaited the guests slowly walking from the front door into the living room. Marcheline’s people circled around her again, Rande taking one of her hands and Sabine the other, while Bill stood behind her and put a hand on her back, a symbolic gesture of his support.
And there, in front of Marcheline’s eyes, were her beloved parents. Francine and Jean-Claude were alive, in the flesh, and standing in Guillermo’s Tucson home, their faces beaming with love and pride.
THE END.
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Extended Epilogue
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Prologue
Eve Blackburn had just enjoyed one of the most exhilarating weeks of her life. She and her husband, Tim Fischer, had returned from a trip to the Florida Keys to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. They’d been trying to conceive ever since their honeymoon the year prior, and timing had lined up right during their stay in Islamorada. Eve was thrilled about the prospect of finally becoming pregnant. She longed to feel a baby moving around inside of her, to wear cute maternity clothes, and to pick out her child’s name. She looked forward to it more than anything else. She was counting the days until she could take a home pregnancy test and confirm the happy news.
Eve came from a big brood, and her three older brothers already had spouses and kids of their own. Their parents, Wilder and Phoebe Blackburn, had instilled a strong sense of family in the kids that Eve wanted to replicate. Ty, Jake, and Holden were good brothers, having watched over their little sister with the utmost loving care. Eve had been doted on. Spoiled even. She had bloomed like a flower under the adoration showered upon her. Now that Eve and Tim were settled into married life and their cozy new home on Crickett Lane, she wanted to offer the same happy childhood to a baby they’d raise together, surrounded by the positive energy of their relatives.
In the Blackburn clan, loyalty to each other and to the family business was everything. Eve enjoyed her work as an event coordinator at Brambleberry Fields, her family’s resort. She’d never dreamed about working anywhere else so, after graduating from college in Los Angeles with a degree in business, Eve had returned home to do her part. She eagerly awaited the day her little one would play in the sunshine on the property with his or her cousins and trot cheerfully behind Freckles, the farm dog.
At home in Rosemary Run on a bright February morning, Eve had recovered from jet lag and was ready to get back to her regular routine. Her family and friends would, no doubt, want to hear about her and Tim’s trip. Life was good. Spring was coming, and the young couple had a lot to be happy ab
out. Which is why it took Eve by complete surprise when she found herself waking up in a strange man’s bed.
The shock was sudden and absolute. It moved through Eve’s body like a bolt of lightning, causing her physical pain. As she rubbed her bleary eyes, she hoped what she was experiencing was nothing more than a bad dream. Her head felt foggy, and her limbs heavy. There was an incessant ringing in her ears. The room seemed to spin around her.
She told herself to close her eyes tightly, wishing with all her might that when she opened them a second time, she’d see Tim sleeping next to her instead of a stranger she didn’t recognize.
1
Eve screamed. She couldn’t help it. She heard the noise that came from her mouth, but it sounded far away. Foreign. It was as if she’d somehow left her body to watch what was happening from a distance. Time seemed to stand still as her blood pounded in her veins like an angry deluge.
Where am I?
She smoothed the red hair on the sides of her head in rhythmic motions, beginning at the crown and sliding downward until her fingers reached the wispy ends which cascaded around her bare bosom. She shrieked again, more sharply this time, frightened by her own nakedness. Clumsily, she grabbed a wad of sheet and flung it over top of herself.
How did I get here? I can’t remember.
The man beside her lay still and silent, in a deep sleep. Eve thanked the heavens for that much.
Her motions quickly became more frantic. She felt somehow sped up. Reaching one hand for her hair again, she pulled on a clump of strands. Tearing and destroying her own scalp, she let her fingers do the work of the rage and confusion she felt inside. She pulled and ripped so hard that blood began to drip, reaching her shoulders.