The Complete Legacy Series: Books 1 - 6

by Paula Kay

  When she saw the name on the envelope—Jessica—she knew. It didn’t take a lot to put two and two together once she looked over the paper inside. Her grandma had slipped up a few times. Her mind now grabbed for those memories—going back to the earliest days that her grandmother had moved in with them. Jemma had been nine at the time, and she was almost sure that she could remember her grandma calling her Jessica on a few occasions.

  She was the Jessica White on the birth certificate.

  Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest as she grabbed up the paper and ran to her room, the tears starting to come, fast and furious. She rummaged in her purse for her cigarettes. God, she really needed one. Had she smoked through a whole pack last night? Her coat pocket. She remembered Dex zipping them in right before they’d gotten on his motorcycle to come home. If she was lucky, he may have even slipped a little surprise in there for her.

  She hadn’t really done anything too bad in terms of drugs—not like what Dex and his friends did anyway. She didn’t have the nerve to try coke or Ecstasy, no matter how many times Dex had asked her to do it with him. But lately she had finally given in when it came to smoking a little pot—and what she wouldn’t give for a little hit right about now. Who could blame her after the shock that she’d just received?

  She needed to breathe. She stepped outside onto the big deck off her room, the sun hitting her in the eyes, reminding her of the headache that somehow had been long forgotten in just the last twenty minutes or so. She pulled on the sunglasses that she also found in her coat pocket and peered into the half-empty pack of cigarettes. No such luck on the weed. She eyed the phone that she’d placed next to her on the small table. She’d call Dex in a minute—see if he’d come pick her up, give her a little something else to calm her nerves. Right now she just needed to think.

  Even in her shock she had to laugh at herself. Her mom was always talking about how cool-headed she’d always been, even as a little girl—able to keep her wits about her no matter what was happening around her, her mom had always said.

  Her mother. What the hell?

  Jemma lit one of the cigarettes, inhaling a deep puff as she looked at the piece of paper on her lap. Jessica Lynne White. It was a different birth date but the same month and year. And the only parent listed was the mother, as Linda White.

  Her grandmother. Only it wasn’t her grandmother at all.

  Jemma shocked herself at the sobs that were suddenly coming out of her. What was happening right now? What did this all mean? Had her whole life been a lie? Her name, her birth date, her mother? Who had she been calling her mother all these years?

  She screamed as her mother’s face flashed in her head—a lifetime of memories from before they lived at the beach. She and her mother in San Francisco staying up late to watch movies and eat popcorn, long drives in the car when her mom had a day off—and all of the memories that came after their lives had changed so much. After Arianna had passed away, after they moved and started having a better life. The trips to Italy to see Lia and Antonio, the trips to Guatemala to visit Gigi and Douglas. God, did they all know about her? Did anyone else know that her mom was really her sister.

  Blu Foster—or whatever her real name was—was really Jemma’s sister.

  The idea was almost absurd, but even in her shocked state, Jemma was putting the pieces together, remembering how it had been when her grandmother had first come to San Diego to see them. Her mother had tried to keep them apart and over the years, Jemma had asked enough questions and gotten enough answers to put together the missing pieces about why her grandmother had not been in their lives before then—Linda had been upfront with Jemma about her past once Jemma had gotten older and started asking questions. She had always appreciated that about her grandmother. But now? Now she didn’t know what to think.

  She wiped angrily at the tears that were falling again as she let herself think about the lie that she’d been living. Had they ever planned to tell her the truth? She was months away from her eighteenth birthday. Was it possible that they were going to tell her then? She shook her head, knowing the truth deep inside her. No. They had never planned on telling her. No one had, or they would have done so before now.

  She swallowed her sobs down as she reached for her phone to text Dex. She definitely needed something more than a cigarette.

  Where r u? Can u come get me at the house? Bring supplies.

  She watched her phone for a few minutes, willing him to respond but knowing he was probably in bed sleeping off last night’s binge. She knew he probably stayed up partying long after he’d dropped her off at two. He rarely went to sleep before five o’clock in the morning, something that drove Jemma crazy because he was never up for doing anything with her during the daytime.

  She took a long drag from her cigarette, reminding herself to get rid of all the evidence afterwards, as the last time her mom caught her smoking she completely flipped out. Jemma laughed even as she was having the thought. It was crazy. Did she even have a reason to care what her so-called mother thought any more—who even had the right to tell her anything that she should or shouldn’t be doing?

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. All she knew was that she wanted to get loaded, and now she had to just wait for her good-for-nothing boyfriend to wake the heck up and come to her during her time of need. Laughable. If only she were a comedian, this would be some good material she had going just now. Was there seriously anyone she could talk to—anyone who would understand?

  Gigi.

  Jemma knew better than to think that she didn’t have anyone in her life who cared about her. She had Gigi and Douglas—Lia and Antonio too, but Gigi really had been like a grandmother to Jemma, and Jemma loved her more than almost anyone. She trusted Gigi more than anyone, that was for sure. She picked up her phone to send her a quick message, instantly feeling annoyed with herself as she saw that she’d not responded to Gigi’s last text to her, sent a few days ago.

  Hey, pretty girl. I miss you. When can we talk?

  Jemma sent a text back.

  Sorry, Gi, that I didn’t get back to you sooner. Everyone is OK but something bad has happened.

  She waited a few seconds and then added, I could really use someone to talk to right now if you’re available?

  She looked at the time, realizing that Gigi was probably right in the middle of lunch with the kids at the orphanage. She finished her cigarette and settled back into her favorite chair on the deck. She used to love to sit and draw out here. She couldn’t even remember the last time that she’d done so. It seemed like ever since Dex had come into her life, a lot of her old hobbies had gotten less interesting to her. But even as she had the thought she knew it wasn’t true. She would always love to draw and paint. She was an artist, just like her mother—that’s what her mom always said anyway. Jemma shook her head as if doing so could tame her jumbled thoughts about her mother—about Blu.

  She pulled out the old sketchpad from the drawer of the table next to her—right where she’d left it all those months ago. She smiled as she leafed through the sketches one by one. The earliest ones were those that she’d done at the orphanage—the summer she was fifteen. She remembered that her mom and Chase had given the nice sketchpad to her as part of a care package that they’d sent her while she was away for the summer.

  She smiled at the memory. She had fought the idea of going to Guatemala to stay with Gigi when they’d all discussed it, but her mom, grandma, and Chase thought it would be good for her and—well, she didn’t really have a choice in the matter. In the end, though, it had been one of the best summers that she could remember. She’d made friends there—much different than her friends in La Jolla—and she liked that about the place. She learned early on that she could be herself there, and she remembered a certain kind of freedom that she felt swimming in the river and helping with the younger kids.

  She came to a picture that she’d sketched of Gigi. The memory of it made her laugh. She’d been so pa
tient with her and so sure that Jemma could get it just right. Every day she’d sit still for at least ten minutes at a time, her legs dangling off the dock, sometimes a child in her lap or by her side. Always smiling, always saying the same thing to Jemma. “An artist must sketch, my dear. And you are an artist,” she’d say, making Jemma laugh every time.

  It had been a great summer, and that was when she and Gigi had grown very close. Thinking back, Jemma supposed Gigi had known just what she needed. It was that rough time—the time when kids really don’t like to share things with their mothers—well, that hadn’t really changed for Jemma, not yet, anyway—and now? Well, now her life was just a big mess; forget sharing anything with her mother.

  The ding of her phone interrupted her thoughts.

  Gigi.

  Chapter 3

  Jemma’s incoming text was from Dex, not Gigi.

  Can’t come yet 2 hungover.

  Reading it only made Jemma feel more annoyed.

  Seriously? Please. Something bad has happened. I kinda need you.

  She’d give him five minutes to respond—and then what? She wasn’t sure, but she knew she had to get out of here. She had to figure out what she was going to do. She was kind of surprised that she hadn’t gone off on her mom yet. But it felt weird doing it over the phone. She needed to be able to see her mom’s face when she told her that she knew the truth. She needed to be able to see them both—her mom and her grandma. So that would wait until tomorrow. She just wanted to get through the rest of the day—hopefully her so-called boyfriend could help her with that.

  She glanced down at her phone again to see another incoming text.

  Okay babe. Be there soon.

  She took a deep breath as she responded. At least he wasn’t gonna totally leave her hanging. She’d give him the benefit of the doubt for now—as long as he actually showed up. She couldn’t help thinking it, as he’d flaked on her in the past on more than one occasion.

  Deep down she knew that her mom and Chase could be right about Dex. She wasn’t exactly sure what she did see in him, but she knew that he was exciting in a way that she seemed to need right now. She loved being on the back of his motorcycle with him—if her mom knew that she was still riding with him, she’d have a fit.

  One time they’d caught them just as Dex was dropping her off and her mom and Chase had come home early from something. Chase had had words with Dex right in the driveway and Jemma had been beyond embarrassed.

  It really hadn’t fazed Dex all that much. Jemma suspected he was used to the “bad boy” reputation when it came to parents, and he didn’t seem to mind. After that had happened, her mom had forbidden her to see him, which only made Jemma start sneaking around. And Dex was more than happy to oblige. He seemed to enjoy showing her a world of drinking and drugs—a way of life that he’d been living for quite some time. He wasn’t any older than she was—yet to turn eighteen himself—but he and his older brother, Slade, had lived on their own since Dex was sixteen.

  Jemma had the wits about her to know that she was playing with fire in a way, but she wasn’t really doing anything that other kids her age weren’t doing too—and as long as she stayed away from the harder stuff, she figured she’d be fine. But the truth was—today, anyway—she was almost tempted. It wouldn’t take much convincing from Dex for her to try one of those sweet drugs that he was always promising would take all of her concerns away.

  In the past when he’d said such things, she’d almost laughed because she could hear her mother’s voice in her head. What concerns did she really have anyway? Not many, if you were asking her mom and Chase, but today everything had changed. Today was the day that she’d found out that her whole life had been a lie.

  Jemma grabbed her things, heading back into her room to get dressed. She really needed that coffee and at least a bite to eat before Dex showed up. She brushed her straight blond hair back into a ponytail, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. She studied herself in the mirror for a minute. Her mother always told her that she was beautiful but she didn’t really see it herself. Well, maybe she was what one would call a “girl next door” kind of pretty, but she didn’t have the beauty of a model, or anything that would cause someone to look twice at her. That was how she felt about her looks anyway.

  She heard Dex’s motorcycle coming up the driveway just as she was sipping the last of her coffee. Chase had left a note for her in the kitchen, saying that he’d be back before dinner and asking her to text him with her plans. He also had said that he’d appreciate it if she would join him for dinner if she didn’t have anything else going on. Normally Jemma wouldn’t mind the chance to hang out with Chase, but she honestly didn’t know if she could do it without spilling the beans about what she’d learned today. Somehow it didn’t feel right that he should know before her mother—although even as she had the thought, she wondered if she should even care. Or why did she even care?

  She sighed as she grabbed her purse and jacket to run out the door before Dex starting honking for a second time. She didn’t really need for him to give her nosy neighbors anything to talk about.

  She smiled as she got near him. Dex definitely did have that “bad boy” look about him, something she hadn’t really realized that she was attracted to until they’d met at a beach party six months ago. It was his tattoo that had first captured her attention—a giant snake-like creature curving around his bicep—the perfect excuse for conversation, and she’d been slightly tipsy that day that she’d approached him.

  She leaned up to give him a quick kiss on the lips, while he took his helmet off to hand to her.

  “Hey, babe.”

  “Hey, yourself. Thanks for coming to get me.”

  “Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly feeling so hot this morning. I’m still not, really. But whatever. What’s going on with you and what’s with the urgency?”

  Jemma thought he seemed more annoyed than concerned, but she tried to brush it off.

  “Can we go somewhere? Our spot down at the beach?”

  He was nodding his head and tapping the pocket of his shirt. “Yep. Can do.”

  Good, he brought something to smoke. She was happy about that. She didn’t smoke it all the time like he did, but whenever she did, she noticed that it made her feel relaxed, and today her nerves felt about as tight as they could be. She needed to relax like never before, and she was counting on Dex to help her with that. Now, counting on him to be a good listening ear for this new problem that had come up for her? That would remain to be seen. Her hopes weren’t as high with that one.

  “So spill it. What’s up with you?” Dex handed her his joint and watched her intently as she took her first puff, leaning back against the big piece of driftwood that they’d found to shelter them from watchful eyes further down the beach.

  It was a secluded spot she’d discovered one day while out for a long run. There were a lot of big rocks and some brush separating the area from the more popular beach, so most people turned around by the time they made it to this spot along the sandy coast. She and Dex had starting coming here when they wanted to be alone to smoke, have a drink, or talk. Well, they rarely did much talking really—more like a good make-out session.

  She studied his face for a full minute before she answered him.

  “I found something today—in my mom’s office.”

  “Yeah, what was it? Something kinky that you didn’t want to know about?” He laughed and she punched him in the arm.

  “No, nothing like that. Something that has to do with me.”

  “Well, what was it? You seem pretty freaked out—or at least more freaked out than I’ve seen you in the past.” He leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the nose, a move she guessed that was meant to keep her from punching him again.

  “I found my birth certificate.”

  “Okay. And?”

  “And pretty much everything I believed my whole life is a lie.” Saying it out loud was causing the tears to come again. She hated
it—what she’d found out. That her mom was a liar. Even when she was the most angry at her mom, she always felt that she was on her side. But now—now she really couldn’t believe that she’d been keeping the truth from her all these years.

  “Okay. I think you’re going to have to spell this out for me, because I’m not quite getting what you’re saying. Is this about your father?”

  She had told Dex on one occasion that she didn’t really know anything about her father—that it was a closed subject between her mother and her—one that Jemma just didn’t care to bring up anymore.

  “Well?”

  God, how was it that she hadn’t even stopped to think about her father? She knew it was that man she’d seen so many years ago—the man that her mom had been so disgusted by. The thought turned her stomach because she remembered feeling frightened of him then, sitting in the car watching him yell at her grandmother.

  “Well, what?”

  “Well, as it turns out my mom is really my sister and my grandmother who lives with us is really my mother.” It seemed so absurd coming out of her mouth that she didn’t know whether to start laughing or crying again.

  The look on Dex’s face made her burst into tears, burying her head into his chest as he held her to him.

  “God, Jem. That is some heavy stuff.”

  She pulled her head away long enough to look him in the eyes. “I know. Crazy, huh? I feel like I’m losing my mind—like none of this is real and I’m going to wake up from a nightmare any second.”

  “Have you talked to her? To your mom—or what are you even going to call her now?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I’m still calling her Mom. I mean—well, she’s the only mom I’ve ever known.” Jemma stood up as the tears started again. “What can she possibly say to make it better? What can either of them say? And they’re out of town until tomorrow, so she doesn’t even know that I found out.”