by Rachel Hanna
“Really? So how do we connect that person to my birthmother?”
“This entry looks like it’s an older woman, and I don’t recognize the name. But, Jackson Parker knows everyone in this town. He’s been here his whole life, and he’s older than me. Maybe I could pick his brain and see if he remembers this person.”
“That’d be great,” Faith said. She suddenly felt like she was getting closer to actually finding out the answers she’d been seeking.
“Okay. I’ll go see if I can catch up with Jackson then. Thanks for meeting with me,” Brandon said as he stood. She suddenly realized she didn’t want to go back to Addy’s. She wanted to stay there and sit with him all night, even if they never said a word.
Faith stood. “Hey, Brandon?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks for helping me with this. It means a lot.”
He smiled, almost sadly, and started walking down the beach toward his house.
Brandon stopped around the corner where she couldn’t see him and made sure she got back to her car safely. Chivalry was a part of him, and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to Faith. But he couldn’t have stood there any longer because his impulses were getting the best of him.
The impulse to pull her into his arms and protect her from anything that might hurt her in life.
The impulse to kiss those pouty, perfect lips of hers.
The impulse to tell her the whole truth about what was happening in two weeks.
But instead, he was hiding behind his neighbor’s fence, watching her walk to her car.
He clutched the DNA results in his hand as he started walking down the beach again. Jackson had to know something that could help, and he was determined to find answers.
“Good to see ya, buddy,” Jackson said as he shook hands with Brandon. “Have a seat.”
The two men sat down at a small bistro table outside of Jolt. Brandon pulled the paper from his pocket.
“So, I’m going to cut right to the chase. You know Faith?”
“Of course. Great lady. Doing great things at HOPE from what I hear.”
“She is. And I’m hoping we can help her with something.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, Faith actually came to January Cove because she recently learned she was adopted and her birthmother might have been from this area. She had virtually no information, so I had her do a DNA test.”
“Like one of those online kits?”
“Right. Anyway, so it came back today and she does have a distant relative. Maybe a great aunt, from what it says here.”
Brandon handed the paper to Jackson. “Looks a bit complicated…”
“In a nutshell, there was a woman named Norma Peters. I don’t recognize the name.”
“Miss Norma. I remember her. She died years ago, though. So she’s related to Faith?”
“Looks that way. I don’t know how she’s related, though. Do you remember anyone younger than Norma who might have…”
“Oh my gosh.” Jackson’s face went pale, and he dropped the paper on the table. “I think I know who Faith’s mother is.”
Brandon’s stomach was in a knot. How was he going to tell her this? Would she even believe him? For days, he’d been conflicted on who to tell first. Faith or her birthmother. When Jackson had told him the story, he couldn’t believe it. Things like this only happened in movies.
When he saw her walking up to his porch, he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and opened the door.
He’d told people before that they had a bad diagnosis. He’d had to tell families that their loved one had passed away. But this was way out of his comfort zone.
“Hey,” he said as he opened the door.
“Hey. You okay? You look white as a sheet.”
“Sure. Come on in.”
She followed him to the living room and sat down.
“Why’d you call me here? You seemed a little anxious on the phone.”
“Well, I have some news… about the DNA test, actually.”
She stilled in the chair, eyes open as big as saucers. “Okay…”
“It’s a little shocking…”
“Just tell me, Brandon.”
“You’re Faith’s birthmother, Olivia.”
Faith stood at the pier, the wind blowing through her hair. She closed her eyes and took in the smells that only the ocean can produce. She loved that she could literally taste the salt from the ocean water on her lips. January Cove was home to her now, even if Brandon James was leaving.
Maybe he’d get some answers about her birthmother, at least. Maybe she’d finally get some closure about her earliest moments of life.
Right now, she was confused as to why Olivia had asked to meet her at the pier. They normally met at the office and coordinated the day’s events, but Olivia had offered to bring breakfast that they could share at one of the picnic tables at the water’s edge.
Olivia had been acting strange lately. Faith worried maybe something was going on in her marriage. Or maybe she was sick. Or maybe she didn’t like the job Faith was doing at HOPE. Her mind was swirling with “what if” scenarios that only made her more anxious everyday.
“Good morning,” Olivia said with a smile.
“Oh, hey. I didn’t see you coming.”
“Looked like you were lost in thought?” Olivia said as she put the white paper bags on the table and slid into her seat. “Everything okay?”
“Just thinking about all kinds of stuff. Brandon leaving, the kids at HOPE… the search for my birthmother.”
Olivia swallowed hard and smiled. “I get it. Life can get pretty complicated.”
“You seem in better spirits this morning,” Faith said as she pulled out her fruit cup and muffin. Olivia always knew what to get her. It was weird how she seemed to “get” Faith in a way no one else did.
“I am. I found out some news last night.”
“Good news?”
“Very good news. But shocking.”
“Oh… do tell,” Faith said as she took a bite of her muffin. “I love juicy gossip.”
Olivia smiled, but she was definitely nervous about something. So nervous that she dropped her breakfast sandwich on the table, wiped it off and took a bite.
“Liv, are you alright? You seem almost petrified about something.”
“I am petrified, honestly.” She put down her sandwich and sucked in a deep breath.
Faith reached over and took her hands. “We’re friends. I’m here no matter what.”
“Oh gosh…” Olivia said.
“Just tell me. You’re freaking me out.”
She looked at Faith, her eyes welling with tears. “Faith, I’m your birthmother.”
Chapter 11
Faith sat there in stunned silence as Olivia looked at her, tears rolling down her cheeks now. She pulled her hands back and set them in her lap, unable to form words.
“Faith, did you hear me? The DNA test showed that my aunt was related to you which can only mean I’m your birthmother.”
“But, how? I mean, did you know all this time?”
“No, of course not! I had no idea until Brandon told me your story and then your birthday was the same as Bella’s.”
“Bella?”
“That was what I named you,” she said softly.
“Bella,” Faith repeated. It was weird to know that she once had a totally different name.
“When you found me at the bakery on your birthday, I was doing what I do every year. I buy a cupcake, say a prayer for my daughter and then throw it away.”
“Why do you throw it away?”
“Because if she can’t eat it, then I’m not going to either.”
Something about that seemed so sacred yet sad. “So when did you know?”
“I started to wonder when Brandon told me your story, honestly. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up. He called me about the DNA last night after talking to Jackson Parker.”
“Wait, what did Jack
son know?”
“He was one of the only people in town who knew about me being pregnant. I met him at school and confided in him. I was very petite, so no one ever really knew I was pregnant because I just wore baggy clothing to cover it. I ran away when I was seven months pregnant and gave birth in Virginia.”
“How in the world did you end up in Virginia?” Faith asked, eager to know the details, but still reeling from the news. She didn’t know how to feel.
“I literally ran until I had no money left for bus fare. Gave birth at a hospital there, CPS came and took you and that was it. I don’t really know all the ins and outs, honestly. I just knew I couldn’t be a good mother to you at sixteen years old. I was terrified if I kept you, you’d end up in the system just like me. So, I signed what they told me to sign and came back to January Cove because it was the only place that actually felt like it could be home. A couple of years later, I finally aged out of foster care and started my life over as best I could.”
“And my birth father?”
“Just a one night thing. He took advantage of me being so young, Faith. I’m sorry.”
Faith sat there, shell shocked. “You were fifteen when you got pregnant?”
“Yes. I still remember taking the test and telling my foster mother at the time. She slapped me across the face and called me a slut.”
“Oh my goodness. That must’ve been awful, Liv.” It felt funny to call her Liv now. Should she call her Mom? That felt weird too.
“It was. I felt so alone in the world. But I had you. I wasn’t alone anymore. Those nine months were the most wonderful of my life because you were with me.” She reached and squeezed Faith’s hands. “I never forgot about you. HOPE was created to help these young kids so they never have to face what I did. And Hope was your middle name, originally at least.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. This is a lot to take in, for me and for you. I just want you to know that I wanted to keep you more than I wanted to take my next breath. But I was a lost kid myself, and I wanted to break the cycle. And I see now that I did. It was worth all the years of suffering to know that you had a good life, and you turned out to be the most amazing woman.”
It suddenly hit Faith like a ton of bricks that she was holding her mother’s hands. She began to cry, sob actually, as she felt the weight of her search ending and the enormity of knowing that Olivia was her mother began to hit her.
The two women sat and cried and laughed for a few minutes, no words exchanged between them. Faith stood up, walked around the table and pulled Olivia into an embrace. She was hugging her mother, the woman who actually gave birth to her.
“You’re not angry with me?” Olivia finally asked, pulling back to look at her daughter.
“Of course not! Why would I be angry?”
“For abandoning you,” Olivia said, tears rolling down her face.
“You didn’t abandon me. You did what was right at the time, and I can’t thank you enough. As bad as the last year has been, I had a great upbringing. Now I see these kids at HOPE and what my life could’ve been like had you not made that very difficult decision at sixteen years old. You’re my hero.”
Olivia smiled and hugged Faith tightly. “You’re never getting rid of me again!”
“Ditto!” Faith said with a laugh.
Brandon was nervous. Olivia had told him she was meeting with Faith this morning. He kept checking his watch over and over, but time seemed to be passing very slowly. Would Faith be mad that he didn’t tell her first?
“Knock knock,” he heard Olivia say from the side of his house. She walked around and up the stairs to his deck where he was sitting drinking his third cup of coffee. The caffeine certainly wasn’t helping his nerves.
“Hey. So…”
“I told her.”
Brandon took in a deep breath. “And? How’d it go?”
“She was shocked, of course, but I think she was actually happy.” Olivia was smiling from ear to ear, her eyes still red from what was obviously an emotional meeting with Faith.
“Good. I’m glad it went well,” Brandon said, relieved.
“So, listen, I think you need to tell Faith the truth.”
“Liv, I can’t do that. Not until…”
“I know it’s a risk, Brandon, but she thinks…”
“I know,” he said, putting his hand up. “But better that she’s mad at me than the alternative. I can’t do that to her. I’d rather shoulder the burden myself.”
“You’re stubborn,” Olivia said with a laugh as she pinched his arm.
“Takes one to know one.”
“True.”
“Anyway, I’ve got an important meeting today. I better go grab a shower.”
“Call me when it’s over. I’ll be waiting to hear.”
“Will do,” Brandon said. He walked to his back door and turned back around. “You know, I never realized how much our lives would change just because Scooter got loose that day.”
“I guess you need to thank Scooter,” Olivia said as she walked down the stairs. “I hear he likes filet mignon.”
Faith was shell shocked. She walked around for two days, sometimes smiling and sometimes shaking her head. How was this possible? Was God such a practical joker that he ended up putting Faith and Olivia together through HOPE and then waited for them to figure it out? If so, he had a great sense of humor.
It was already different between her and Olivia. For a day, it felt weird. Awkward, almost. She wasn’t sure what to call her. They finally settled on the idea that “Liv” was fine. She might never feel comfortable calling her “Mom” given their close ages, but maybe one day. Whatever happened, they’d be okay with it because they’d found each other.
They’d spent the next evening walking on the beach, talking about their lives and families. Faith had heard some awful stories about things Olivia had gone through, but she’d been inspired by her strength. Even more encouraging was that now she knew she had that kind of inner strength inside of herself. Genetics are a powerful thing.
Faith had shared stories of her storybook upbringing, followed by tales of the takedown of her father. Olivia had asked a lot of questions, wanting to know the most minute details from when Faith had lost her first tooth to the first boy who’d broken her heart. His name was Toby Allgood, she’d told her.
Now, sitting at her desk, Faith stared off into space. The spot in her heart and mind that had been filled with questions was now gone, replaced with visions of a future with her newfound mother. She’d even met Olivia’s husband, Ed, who was a super nice guy and a perfect match for Liv.
But there was still a hole in her spirit today as she thought about Brandon leaving soon. She didn’t know the details, didn’t really want to know. Maybe it’d be better if one day he just wasn’t there, had already hopped on a plane bound for the other side of the world. And yet, she knew she wanted to say goodbye, thanks, farewell, see you later, ask him to kiss her… No, forget that last part.
“Don’t forget we have to pack those lunches this afternoon. We have way too many snack cakes, so put two in each bag, okay?” Olivia said as she breezed through the office. “Faith? You okay?”
“What? Yeah. Two snack cakes. Got it.”
Olivia sat in the chair across from Faith’s desk. “It’s Brandon, isn’t it?”
“I miss him.”
“I know you do. Why don’t you go see him? Better yet, why don’t you come to a party I’m throwing for him tomorrow night?”
“A party? Is it his birthday?”
“No. It’s a… congratulations party.”
“Congratulations? For his ‘new adventure’, you mean?” she asked, using air quotes like a teenager.
Olivia paused for a moment. “Yes.”
Faith stood up and paced back and forth behind her desk. “I can’t. I’d just be a downer.”
“Faith, he helped put us together. The least you can do is just go
and support him.” Ouch. Motherly advice at its best. Tough and to the point.
But she was right. Brandon had single handedly helped her change her life. She needed to buck up and be the good friend he’d been to her.
“Okay. Where and when?”
“Actually, we’re having it at his house tomorrow night at six.”
“He’s hosting his own party?”
Olivia laughed. “Just using his space. I’m doing everything else.”
“Can I bring anything?”
“Just an open mind and that beautiful smile,” Olivia said, pinching Faith’s cheek before she walked out the door.
An open mind? What did that even mean?
Faith felt nervous. She hadn’t talked to Brandon in days, and she felt bad about that. After all, he’d changed her life by figuring out Olivia was her birthmother. So many times, she’d wanted to call him or go see him to say thank you. But she’d chickened out every time. Not because she wasn’t thankful, but because she was afraid she’d beg him to stay.
“Faith, I’m so glad you could come,” Brandon said as he opened the front door. He was all smiles, which made her happy and sad. It meant that he was glad to be leaving January Cove to go help people, but it also meant she was losing him.
“Thanks for having me,” she said, her stomach filling with a million butterflies. How in the world was she going to say goodbye without breaking down?
“Come on in. Everyone’s here.”
When she walked inside, the place was packed with people she knew and some she didn’t. Of course, the Parker family was in full force with Jackson, Rebecca, Addy and Clay milling about. Addy waved from across the room.
“Hey, Faith! Good to see you!” she said, smiling. Since getting her new job, Faith had finally moved out of Addy’s last week and into a bungalow about a block from her office. It was a big change to be alone all the time, but she was loving her new place.
“Good to see you too,” Faith said. It really was good to see Addy. She missed seeing her everyday at the inn. “Boy, do I miss your vegan pancakes!”
“I got pretty good at vegan cooking while you were there, huh?”