A Ghost of the Past

by Mary Goldberger

  “Very rare, but since both Charity and Shay look like their mother, no one thought to question who the father was,” Mark said. He turned back to Shay, “It is your choice, Shay, but we think you should do it.”

  “Who is it that you saw this birthmark on?” Shay asked her voice low.

  Mark looked at Pauline who was looking at him with a question in her eyes.

  “Tad Parker,” Mark said. “I saw the birthmark on Deputy Tad Parker.”

  Shay swayed as she looked at him in shock and Cordial asked, “But Tad…”

  “Tad was crazy about Teresa but he did not push the issue when he realized that she liked Shane,” Mark said.

  “Tad is married though,” Ray said as Todd leaned forward to look at him.

  “He got married three years after Teresa left and Anna is a very nice woman but they could not have children,” Pauline said.

  Shay put her head in her hands as her eyes filled with tears, “It sounds like Jessica and Shane all over again.” Everyone looked at her when she spoke.

  “Shay, it is not like that,” Mark countered.

  Shay looked up with glittering eyes, “Does Tad’s wife know about Teresa?”

  Mark shook his head slowly as he admitted, “I don’t know.”

  Shay sat for a moment then she got to her feet, “I won’t do it then.”

  “Shay…” Mark began as he got up too.

  “Unless Tad and his wife agree with wanting to know, then I will not do it,” Shay said with a note of steel in her voice. “I will not be responsible for ruining a marriage because of this.”

  She ran upstairs after this statement and Mark looked to Cordial, “Can you talk to her?”

  Cordial shook his head, “No, because I agree with Shay on this. We don’t even know if it is true or even possible. You need to talk with Tad and see if he and Teresa were intimate at any time and why you are asking.”

  “Cordial, she will finally know where she comes from,” Nettie said.

  “Yes,” Cordial nodded her head, “But can you see Shay actually going up to Tad telling him that she was his daughter especially knowing that he is married?”

  “No, she wouldn’t because he was married,” Vincent was the first to say.

  Mark nodded his head in agreement, “I need to talk with Tad.”

  Cordial nodded his head, “I would suggest that you do so” and he headed upstairs to check on Shay.

  He stopped for a moment and without turning around said, “Mark, if Tad and his wife want to talk with Shay afterwards they are more than welcomed to come here even Tad alone if he would prefer that first.”

  With that said, he hurried up the stairs letting his father deal with their guest as he opened the door to their room. Shay was standing at the window and she turned as he entered.

  He closed the door and she rushed into his arms as he closed them tightly around her walking them to the bed where he laid her down and began to kiss her as she clung to him.

  He settled next to her as she sobbed and fell asleep. He stayed awake just staring at her with silver eyes filled with love and worry.

  Chapter 40

  The next few days were full for Shay as she worked at the café and helped Ray with her last minute details for her wedding. They went out to the mall for a little shopping expenditure and they ran into Lucille in one of the stores.

  “Hi Ray,” Lucille said with a smile. “So when are going to come over and let me help you with wedding?”

  “My wedding is already planned, thank you,” Ray said coldly. Lucille’s eyes widened then narrowed as she looked at Shay.

  “Hello, Shay,” she said sweetly.

  “Lucille,” Shay said politely before her phone rung. She took it out of her pocket and smiled when she read the caller id.

  “Hello Cordial,” she said. She frowned as she listened to what he said, but she answered, “I guess. It won’t hurt to make sure that the test was correct. Okay, Ray and I will meet you there.” She was silent for a moment and she shook her head at what he was saying, “I will tell her. I love you.”

  She hung up a few seconds later and she turned to Ray, “Cordial wants us to meet him at Mark and Pauline’s.”

  Ray nodded her head as she turned to Lucille, “Talk to you later.” Shay nodded her head as they headed out of the mall with their few purchases mostly Ray’s, but Shay had a few things.

  They headed to the car and as they were leaving the parking lot, Shay said, “Cordial told me to tell you to be careful.”

  Ray rolled her eyes as Shay laughed and they were gone.

  Lucille frowned as she watched them walk away. She did not understand what was going on, but it meant that Vincent was alone at Cordial’s house.

  She grabbed her phone and called Dillon.

  “Hey baby,” she purred as she walked into the boutique. “Vincent is alone at Cordial’s house so if you can head over there and talk with him I would really appreciate it.”

  Dillon frowned on his end of the phone, “Lucille, what is the point of me doing this? I mean I understand you don’t think the woman is right for Cordial, but it is Cordial’s choice.”

  “But Dillon she is cheating on him, I know it,” she pouted. “Vincent needs to know the truth before Cordial gets any more involved than he already is. Please, baby, for me.”

  Dillon sighed as he said, “Okay I will do it, but I will get to see you later?”

  Lucille smiled at her win, “Of course you will. I cannot wait until I see you again.”

  They said there goodbyes and she smiled to herself. Soon I will have Cordial all to myself, she promised herself.

  “Hi Ray,” Cordial said as they pulled into the driveway and exited the vehicle.

  “Hi, honey,” he said wrapping an arm around Shay’s waist as they headed into the house.

  “Hi everyone,” Ray and Shay said together as they walked in. Mark smiled as Pauline shook her head and gave them hugs.

  “Okay,” Cordial said, “Mark, do you think you can do a blood test to see if Shay is really pregnant?”

  Mark frowned as he answered, “I could, but why don’t you just make an appointment with OB-GYN? I can recommend a good one.”

  “Shay,” Cordial asked and Shay nodded her head. Mark wrote down the information for the doctor and Cordial made her call then to make an appointment.

  Shay shook her head but a light smile played around her lips as her green eyes glowed brightly.

  “Okay that is finished,” Cordial said and he hesitated before he asked, “Have you talked to Tad, Mark?”

  Shay stiffened next to him but she waited for the answer as Ray put an arm around her shoulders.

  “I did,” Mark said and he sighed. “He said he had come to the same conclusion, but he was not sure if he wanted his wife to know about it. He will let me know in a few days.”

  They all nodded their heads as Pauline changed the subject, “Stay for dinner, please.”

  They agreed as Ray and Shay followed Pauline to the kitchen as Mark and Cordial talked in the living room.

  “Where is Todd tonight, Ray?” Mark asked as they sat down to eat.

  “My fault I am afraid,” Cordial said. “I needed someone to go to Larchwood to pick up a shipment of materials that was sent to the wrong place and I sent Todd. He was not very happy, but he did it for me. I promised to make the next run.”

  They were talking when Shay suddenly frowned thinking the last time they had a meal here. Then she asked, “What happened to Sue? She has not been working at the café since I started working again.”

  “From what I understand,” Pauline said, “is that her roommate got some contract to be a model in California and Sue tagged along hoping for something herself.”

  “She wanted to leave town after what happened with you Cordial,” Mark said bluntly.

  Cordial looked down at his food and then he looked up silver eyes shimmering but steady, “I am sorry that I hurt her, but I am not sorry for what I said.”r />
  “She did it to her self,” Ray commented.

  “Maybe,” Shay said, “But she had feelings for Cordial whether they were lust or deeper.”

  She gave him a kiss as she said, “But I think it is sweet that you are sorry if you hurt her being that you were hard on the women in your life.”

  Cordial flinched at her words but he smiled at her, “I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.”

  Shay wrinkled her nose at him which he found to be cute and he kissed her for it.

  They all laughed as Ray said disgruntle, “Get a room.”

  “We have one,” Shay threw back and Ray started laughing as everyone else just shook their heads at them.

  Vincent was just about to get himself settled in his chair when the doorbell rung.

  “Coming,” he called with a sigh as he got up to answer the door. He already knew that Cordial and Shay would be home later so he was wondering who was at the door.

  He was surprised when he pulled the door open, but he said politely, “Hello, Dillon. What do I owe this visit?”

  He opened the door wider to allow him to enter as he finished his statement.

  Dillon walked in confidently knowing that Vincent was an oblivious individual and he should be easy to manipulate.

  “I have some bad news for you, Vincent,” he said taking a seat on the couch as Vincent took a seat on the chair.

  “Really,” Vincent said with a raised eyebrow.

  “Yes, I think Cordial should know before he gets too involved with Shay,” Dillon stated giving Vincent a slight shameful look.

  “Go on,” Vincent said leaning back in his chair waiting for Dillon to begin his lies.

  “You see Vincent,” Dillon started, “Shay has been seeing me on the side. We meet whenever we get a chance, but never here in town. I know that you have been out of town so you wouldn’t know about it, but I think Cordial will deny it if I told him. Also I think he has a right to know that Shay…well, she is two months pregnant with my child.”

  Vincent raised his eyebrow at that as he asked slowly, “She is?”

  Dillon swallowed the smirk that came to his face, “Yes, sir, she is. I don’t know what she is planning on doing, but I assure you that the child is mine.”

  Vincent’s mind was already working as he thought about what Dillon was telling him. He knew what he was being told was bullshit, but he needed to play along to see how far he was willing to go with it.

  “Dillon, are you absolutely sure she is pregnant?” he asked again.

  “I am sure, Uncle Vincent,” Dillon said. “I even went with her to see a doctor a few weeks back to make sure. Of course, it was one of those days that Shay told Cordial that she had to work.” Unfortunately for him, he picked the same day that Cordial had picked Shay up from work to celebrate Ray’s success in getting her own place for her bakery, but Vincent kept that to himself.

  He watched as Dillon looked at his watch and he said, “I have an appointment, Uncle. I just thought you would like to know so that you could talk some sense into Cordial before he takes it too far with her.”

  “Of course, Dillon,” Vincent said as he got up to walk with him to the door. As Dillon was walking out, Vincent said, “Just one question, Dillon, was Shay a virgin when you two slept together?”

  Dillon shifted his feet for a moment before he said, “No, sir she was not.”

  “Thank you, Dillon,” Vincent said. Dillon nodded his head as he walked to his car. He waited until he was halfway to Lucille’s before he called her.

  “It is done,” he told her.

  “Did he believe you?” she asked with a catch in her voice and he took it as she was excited about seeing him.

  “Yes,” he answered although he had a moment of doubt when he remembered his last question but he shook it off. “I will be there in ten minutes.”

  “I will be waiting,” she said softly before hanging up and Dillon swallowed as he hung up his phone. He would do anything for Lucille…anything.

  Cordial and Shay walked into the house laughing as they headed for the living room.

  “Dad,” Cordial said in surprise, “We did not think that you would still be up.”

  “Would you like anything, Vincent?” Shay asked walking over to him. Vincent looked at her with silver eyes that seemed a little cooler than they were earlier.

  Shay stopped in her tracks and she asked, “Did I do something wrong?”

  Vincent looked at her in astonishment as he asked, “No, why do you ask?”

  “Your eyes,” Shay said honestly as she sat down on the couch, “they are cooler than they were earlier.”

  “Not at you, my dear,” Vincent stated but he turned to Cordial. “I have a question for you, Cordial, and I want you to answer me honestly.”

  “Yes sir,” Cordial said sitting down next to Shay.

  “Was Shay a virgin when you two finally slept together?” he asked without hesitation. He watched as a blush swept up Shay’s neck to her cheeks as Cordial’s eyes narrowed. “I have a reason for asking,” he added.

  “Yes, dad,” Cordial stated, “Shay was a virgin when we finally slept together.”

  “Why are you asking sir?” Shay said stiffly looking at him.

  “Dillon was here,” Vincent said. He watched Cordial’s eyes narrowed even more as Shay rolled her eyes.

  “What did he want?” Cordial asked harshly.

  “He wanted to tell me that him and Shay have been seeing each other for awhile now,” he said looking at Shay to see what her reaction would be and he was satisfied to see Shay just look at him in disbelief. “He also said that Shay was not a virgin when they slept together and that she was two months pregnant.”

  Cordial stiffened next to Shay and she looked at him. Cordial turned his head towards her and Shay saw the doubt in his eyes just for a second.

  “I see,” she said slowly as she got up from the couch.

  Cordial reacted faster grabbing her and pulling her down onto his lap, “NO!”

  “You have doubt, Cordial, I saw it in your eyes,” she said softly. Cordial closed his eyes and he whispered, “For just a moment, I did and I am sorry about that. I know you are not Charity believe me I know that, but I could not help the thought that flashed across my mind.”

  “Cordial,” Shay asked, “Are you always going to doubt me?”

  “No,” Cordial said confidently, “Because even this time, I knew that it was not true even with that flash of doubt. Shay, you have never lied to me although you have omitted some things, but never out right lied to me.”

  Vincent nodded his head as he said, “Dillon just wanted you to mistrust her or particularly me so that way I would try to talk you out of being with her.”

  They looked at him in confusion for a moment until realization set in.

  “Lucille,” they said together. Vincent nodded her head, “She is starting her game plan.”

  “Oh goody,” Shay said as she settled more comfortably in Cordial’s lap.

  “What do we do then besides confronting them?” Cordial asked playing with the ends of Shay’s hair.

  “We wait until she gets the divorce papers,” Vincent said sitting back in his chair as he watched his son and what he was doing although he doubt he was aware of it.

  Later that evening in bed, Shay laid against Cordial as she thought about her last dream with Charity in it. She sighed as she propped her chin on Cordial’s chest and he looked down at her with a smile. He noticed the furrowed frown between her eyebrows and reached up to smooth it asking, “What is on your mind, sweetheart?”

  “I need to ask you a question,” she said and he nodded his head giving her permission to ask although she probably would have asked anyway.

  “When Charity was killed, where did Dillon live?” she asked looking at him intently.

  Cordial frowned as he answered, “He lived right around the corner from me…” He broke off what he was saying as he looked at her in c
omprehension and Shay just wrapped her arms around him as she looked at him with the answer in her eyes.

  Chapter 41

  A few days later was Shay’s appointment with the doctor and she was planning to go alone as Cordial had been withdrawn since that night. She could not be mad at him or even hurt because she knew after all this time, to find out that Charity had not even been coming to him must hurt so Shay let him have his time to deal with it.

  “Ready Shay,” Cordial asked as she was walking down the stairs and she was about to answer when she stopped at the look in his eyes. The silver was shining with a light that she had never seen before so she nodded her head at him speechless as she finished walking down the stairs.

  He hugged her tightly as she reached the bottom and then hurried her out to the truck. They were at the doctors’ office a little early, but that was fine. When Shay’s name was called, Cordial walked back with her to the office.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Montgomery,” the doctor said, a pretty woman a little older than Shay. “My name is Dr. Amiee Santos. How may I help you today?”

  With a look at Cordial, Shay began to tell Dr. Santos about her lightheadedness and the test they had taken. She asked a few more questions before sending Shay out so that they could get a few samples from urine to blood.

  Shay came back to the office feeling like a pin cushion but she sat back down next to Cordial as they waited for the doctor.

  Dr. Santos came back in with a smile on her face, “Congratulations, Miss Montgomery, you are indeed pregnant. From what you have told me, I think you are about six weeks pregnant but we will do an ultrasound to be more precise so if you would follow me please?”

  Shay and Cordial got up together to follow the doctor and she felt Cordial grab her hand in a tight grip. Shay squeezed back as they were led to a small room with an older woman.

  “Hi, my name is Pat. Lay down here for me. Lift your shirt and unbutton your pants,” she instructed and Shay did as she was requested. She was scared but she was excited at the same time.