by ANDREA SMITH
My butterflies swirled as I smiled into the phone.
"I miss you too Trey."
We had spent a great week together under less than desirable circumstances. We always managed to get through it.
"What are you doing?"
"I just finished feeding Preston and now she's getting a little 'num-num' before I put her down for her afternoon nap. I've been cleaning out closets all morning."
"You didn't get rid of any of my stuff did you?"
"Of course not honey," I lied.
(I was beginning to see that Trey was a bit of a hoarder when it came to his clothes.)
"Trey I found something pretty interesting in my closet?"
"What? More of those damned sex toys that Gina bought for you?"
"How did you know that they were in there?"
(He obviously has snooped in my closet at some point in time!)
"What did you find?" he asked anxious to change the subject.
"One of those blue velvet jewelry boxes had a false bottom I discovered when I knocked it over. There were diary notes in it that my mother had written."
"Really?" he asked, genuinely interested.
"Yeah - it was kind of surreal reading them. They're about when she and my father had their night together; about being pregnant and about me being born."
"I'd like to read them," he said.
"I want you to read them. Hey, have you ever heard about babies being born under a veil?"
"That's a new one to me," he replied.
"Well apparently I was according to my mother's notes. At least that's what the mid-wife or witchdoctor told her at the time," I chuckled.
"I think I will look it up online."
"Okay baby. I will see you this evening then. What's for dinner?"
"Turkey croquets," I replied.
"Tylar next year can we please get a smaller turkey?"
CHAPTER 39
I had scanned my mother's handwritten notes and saved them as a .pdf file. I attached the file to an email and sent it to my father. I texted him that he had an email from me with an attachment that he needed to read. I asked him to call me after he had read it.
Our landline rang at 8:30 that evening. It was Dad.
"Tylar," he said his voice full of emotion. "Where did you find those notes?"
"There was a false bottom in one of those blue jewelry boxes you gave to Mom. I found it by accident the other day when I was cleaning my closet. I had no idea those were in there. They look to be particular pages she had torn out of a notebook."
I wondered if the notebook they originated from was still in existence. Perhaps she had always kept a diary. For some reason she may have wanted to hide those pages since they were rather explicit. Speaking of which -
"Dad it seems as if you left something out when you were relaying to me what happened the night that you met my mother."
He cleared his throat clearly uncomfortable that I had brought that up.
"Tylar," he said with a heavy sigh, "I just didn't want you to think that your mother was anything but a sweet and innocent girl who I violated that night. It was my fault."
"I don't think my mother felt violated for very long, Dad," I smiled. "You had to find some comfort in that right?"
"I did," he replied. "I also found comfort in the fact that she loved me. I am in despair however knowing this now and wondering why she wouldn't have come to me for help and protection. It's my fault she's gone," he said his voice breaking. "I'm the reason for everything bad that has ever happened to you my darling daughter."
"Dad - please."
It was upsetting to me to hear his self-loathing.
"I'm sorry Tylar," he said his composure having returned, "Is Trey home?"
"Yes he's right here why?"
"I need to speak with him about some matters. Can you put him on the phone?"
(What the hell could he tell Trey that he couldn't tell me?)
"Trey," I said taking the phone into the living room.
"It's Judge Tylar for you."
Trey gave me a strange look and took the phone.
"Your Honor?"
Trey was listening intently to everything my father was telling him. He occasionally nodded and gave an 'I see' or an 'I agree.' The conversation then shifted to something different. My father wanted me to visit him and bring Preston if Trey had no issues with it before Christmas.
"That is perfectly fine with me, sir," he said. "I will make their flight arrangements. There is a matter of accommodating the baby though."
My father must have said something in response.
"Yes that is wonderful. I'll have Tylar get back to you just as soon as the arrangements have been made. I will tell her sir. Good night."
I was glaring at Trey wanting him to spill the gist of the conversation.
"Don't give me the hateful look Tylar. Your dad wanted to talk to me. Must be a kind of old-fashioned guy who still thinks the man rules the roost."
"Don't worry. I will set him straight about our roost when I'm down there now what did he say."
"He has certainly moved quickly on all of this. Of course being a federal judge has its perks you know."
"Anyway search warrants are being served as we speak by federal authorities to search Matthew Renaud's home, vehicles, phone records, confiscate his hard drive and any other software communication device in his possession or in his name. Along with that, a search is being done on the vehicle that Maggie had and ditched which was impounded to find any traces of Matthew's involvement in Preston's abduction."
"Why couldn't Dad just tell me that?"
"Honey I think he also wanted to see if I had a real issue with parting with you and the baby for a few days to come and see him. It's actually kind of sweet. When I asked him about accommodating the baby he said that he had already had a room furnished as a nursery for her and his housekeeper would serve as a nanny at your whim."
"Really?" I asked.
"Sweetheart you do know that you father is a millionaire several times over right?"
"Do federal judges make all that?" I asked surprised.
"They make a nice living baby but your father's wealth also comes from the estate of his deceased wife. She came from a very prominent family. She was an only child so when her parents died, she inherited big time."
Something bothered me about all this. I had believed that my father had fallen in love with my mother. I also felt that the fact he had told her that he could not get out of his impending marriage pointed toward something else. I recalled her diary entry where a month or so before I was born he was appointed as a federal judge. I needed to understand the politics of this.
"Trey, can I ask you something?"
"Baby you don't need to ask me if you can ask me something. We're husband and wife so there are no secrets. Ask away."
"Well this is nothing personal about us. I just need to know something about how things work with appointments to federal judgeships, Supreme Court appointments that sort of thing?"
"I'll tell you what I know; the rest will be strictly my opinion on the matter."
"Did the fact that my father was engaged to a woman who came from an extremely wealthy family as you just indicated have helped him attain that appointment to the federal bench?"
"Honey it's a little more complicated than that. Federal Judges are appointed by the President as openings occur. Unlike Supreme Court justices they don't require approval by both parties. They are appointed for life. I guess my short answer is that it is possible if your father's wife's family had a lot of political clout that might have served your father well in getting that appointment. It doesn't mean that there were any payoffs or bribes. I would doubt that very much. His district isn't one that would have key legislation crossing it."
"I am looking forward to this trip to Baton Rouge Trey."
I needed to see how my father rolled.
Trey got on the phone making arrangements for next week. Gina was due to
move in this coming weekend and I needed to be here to help her get settled and referee any arguments that might ensue between her and Trey.
It was if Gina was psychic. My Blackberry chimed right then and the caller i.d. showed it was her.
"Hey Girlfriend," I said when I answered.
"Tylar, I am so pissed!" she yelled into the phone.
"What's wrong?" I asked wondering what the hell was up.
"Tristan and I just had our first fight and it was a fucking doozy!"
"Is he down here?" I asked.
"Of course not," she snapped.
"We had a fucking argument on the phone. He is not 'allowing' me - did you catch the operative word there 'allowing'?"
"Yes," I replied rolling my eyes, "Please finish."
"He is not permitting me to rename my club 'The Shady Lady' just like I had planned for months!"
"Well did he give you a reason Gina?"
"Yeah. He said it wasn't fucking conducive to the type of atmosphere he was trying to portray with adding the dinner menu during the weeknights. I suppose he doesn't think it's classy enough."
"Well can't you two talk it out and come to some type of a compromise?"
"Compromise? Compromise? He is so freaking bull-headed Ty! He might have some of that Hot Nazi shit running through his bloodline as well!"
"Gina," I said with a hint of exasperation in my voice, "How did you leave it between you two?"
"He said that we would discuss it when he's back next week. Then - and listen to this girlfriend - he says 'end of conversation Gina'."
I got a smile on my face recognizing one of Trey's signature responses to me.
"I mean do you fucking believe that Ty? Him telling me it's the end of the conversation? Oh hell no!"
"Gina I am sure that everything will work out fine and that you and Tristan will reach some sort of a compromise when he is back here and you two are - - "
"Are what Ty?"
"Having a fuckfest," I said, barely getting the words out before I broke into laughter.
"Hmmph," she said haughtily.
"It will be a cold day in hell before he gets inside my knickers again!"
"Gina - take a bath and relax. It will be fine I promise you. Look I've got to go and get Preston ready for bed. I will talk to you tomorrow and let you know what’s been going on with me today. There have been all kinds of surprises."
"Ok - call me," she ordered before hanging up.
CHAPTER 40
I helped Gina get settled in to our apartment on Saturday. Tristan had ended up flying in to help her move though Gina said that nothing had changed between them. She was still in stand-off mode with him about changing the club's name.
Tristan had definitely extended the olive branch to Gina by offering to pay for professional movers.
Gina had pooh-poohed his offer by saying that she had too much pride to accept his "fucking charity." She had rented a truck fully expecting that she and I could haul her stuff out of the condo and into the truck.
Trey had put his foot down on that idea.
(Thank God!).
He and Tristan were adamant that they would load it up and take it over to her storage unit. It took them three trips to get it all moved. In the meantime, Gina and I busied ourselves at the apartment getting her clothes unpacked and put away.
Preston was playing in her crib while we worked in the nursery getting Gina settled in.
"Do you believe that Tristan flew in just to help you move?"
I was trying my best to get her spirits up.
"Oh don't let that fool you Ty. He has an appointment Monday with the health inspector to approve the kitchen for the upgraded food license for expanding our food service. Plus he is interviewing chefs this coming week. You know he plans to stay here don't you? I mean you are the one that extended that invitation."
"Well of course he is welcomed here Gina. He's Trey's brother and my brother-in-law."
"Just so you don't expect him to crash in here with me then."
"Of course not Gina," I said as if the thought had never occurred to me.
"Tristan can bunk out on the living room sofa. He would probably prefer that anyway with the big flat screen out there."
Just then we both turned as we heard Preston grunt extremely loudly. Her little cheeks were beet red.
"Uh oh," Gina laughed, watching her grunt.
"I guess since I'm bunking in here with her I've got diaper duty."
"I've got it Gina," I said grabbing a clean disposable diaper.
"No you don't Ty, this is my god-daughter and we are official roomies so I got it."
Gina scooped Preston from her crib taking the diaper from me and getting the baby wipes. I watched as she changed my baby girl, talking to her and cleaning her up thoroughly. Preston giggled at Gina's antics and kicked her chubby legs as Gina played with her. Gina was going to make one helluva a mom. I truly hoped that it would be with Tristan.
Once Tristan and Trey got back to the apartment Gina had settled Preston on a blanket in the living room and had an assortment of toys that they were playing with together.
I had dinner going. I could tell Trey and Tristan needed showers before dinner. Tristan's suitcase was in the entry hall. To avoid a scene later, I figured that I had better bring Trey into the fold as to what had transpired. I lip synced Trey indicating that I needed to speak to him privately. I left the room going down the hall to our suite. Tristan had gone into the bathroom off of the nursery to shower.
"What is it?" Trey asked as I shut the door behind us in our room.
"Trey there is major tension between Tristan and Gina."
"So?" he asked.
"Sooo," I said. "What exactly do you think the sleeping arrangements are going to be while both of them are here?"
"The same as if they weren't fighting," he answered immediately.
"One of them can bunk on the couch; the other one can bunk in the bed in the nursery."
He saw the confused expression on my face.
"Tylar," he said patiently, "It doesn't matter to me whether they are fighting or not. I was not about to let them cohabitate in my daughter's room for Chrissake!"
"What?" I asked puzzled.
"Do you think for one moment I'm going to expose my baby girl to their sexual shenanigans?"
(I guess I had not considered that.)
"Okay sweetie. I agree. So I guess you will let Tristan know that we will make up the couch for him to sleep on?"
"You got it babe," he said kissing me sweetly.
Trey went to take his shower and I fed Preston her pureed chicken and cauliflower. Gina took over after that getting Preston changed and dressed for bed. I went in to nurse her and asked Gina if she would go ahead and put our dinner on the table. Tristan had finished his shower and was out in the living room watching television.
"Sure thing Ty; got it covered."
I settled into our rocker and unbuttoned my shirt giving my baby girl access to her "num-num." She latched on fisting my breast which she hadn’t done in so long. I watched her as she gently sucked my breast with her big blue eyes studying my face.
I knew that her grandpa would love her to pieces. What was not to love about my wonderful baby girl? I had learned so much in the last few days about my own mother. I felt a bond with her which was so strange.
I had the feeling that my mom had loved me every bit as much as I loved my Preston. My mom and I had both loved men that hadn't realized they were soon to be fathers to daughters.
I had loved Trey from the moment he had held me by the pool after rescuing me and resuscitating me, calling me 'baby.' I think that my father had started loving my mother as soon as they had met. The fact that he had taken her virginity thinking she was a prostitute followed by her cussing him into oblivion had only sweetened the deal.
My dad and Trey both loved spirited women.
Preston was asleep now having released my nipple from her grip. I leaned over and kissed
her cheeks and then tucked her into her crib for the night.
Trey had just come out of the shower in his sweats and tee shirt, his hair still damp from his shower.
"Preston?" he asked.
"She is fed and down for the night. Hungry baby?"
"For a couple of things," he replied smacking my behind playfully.
When we got out to the living room it was obvious that Tristan and Gina had called a truce at the very least. They were on the couch all over each other kissing and feeling each other up.
"Oh for Chrissake," Trey commented rolling his eyes.
"Are you even hungry at this point?"
"Not really," I said, going to the kitchen to shut off the lights and make sure all burners were off.
"I'm clearly exhausted and ready for my shower."
"Go for it babe," he replied.
"I'll get everything put away here and join you shortly."
Within ten minutes I was showered and in my nightgown for the night. Trey was in our suite shortly thereafter saying that we needed to move Preston's crib.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because Tristan and Gina have apparently made up and that couch is not big enough to accommodate the fuckfest I know is coming."
"But Trey," I whined, "How are we going to get the crib moved without waking the baby?"
"Christ Tylar, It isn't as if we have to take it apart and re-assemble it. There are caster wheels on it you know? I just want her out of that room."
"Okay. You're right the doorways here are plenty wide enough. Let's just roll it down the hall into our room."
Trey didn't follow me out into the hall.
"What now?" I asked.
"Well - I really don't want her in here seeing our sexual shenanigans either," he replied sheepishly.
"That's a not a problem sweetie; there aren't going to be any 'haps' in our room tonight. Let's go get her."
Trey and I rolled Preston's crib into our room not disturbing her sleep whatsoever. I climbed into the bed exhausted; Trey was right behind. We snuggled together and fell asleep in each other's arms within minutes.
Sometime during the night both Trey and I were awakened by strange high-pitched sounds. I got up quietly and approached Preston's crib. She was sleeping soundly her thumb in her mouth.