"Pam, look at me," he begged again.
Pam looked up and what she saw in his eyes was not pity. She saw guilt.
"What I can do to help you? What can we do to help the kids, Pam? I'm here now and I won't be going anywhere ever again. It won't matter how mad you get or what you say. I understand now. I'm here. I still love you. I never stopped loving you, Pam."
She looked into the eyes of the only man she had ever trusted and just stared silently. He had never really abandoned her. There had been no divorce. His money had always been hers. He had never paraded another woman before her. He had left her in peace when she had struck out like a wild cat. She had hurt him, but he had stayed strong in the only way he knew how. He was a man then and he was a mighty man now. His warm hands held hers and she felt strong. She felt like she could carry on as long as Talmus loved her. There was nothing wrong with finding strength this way. It was so empowering that only God could have created such a thing and she thanked Him for this man who had watched over her from a distance all these years. She had always known that Talmus was waiting and ready to help her. This was love and real love was a long and far-reaching thing. It stood the test of time and trial. He was here and he wanted to know how to help their children. Maybe, with his help, they could all begin to heal.
"Tell me about the other child, Pam," Herby said softly.
Pam opened up. She opened up in every way she knew how.
CHAPTER 20
Talmus and Ramsey sat opposite one another at Chili's on Goodman Road. Ramsey could understand everything he was telling her, but she couldn't believe it.
"Momma, murdered her father and killed her firstborn child?"
"Yes, Ramsey and I told you why," Talmus said patiently. He couldn't read the expression on her face, but he knew she wasn't taking it well. He looked around and thought maybe he had not made the best decision to bring her to a public place to talk about this.
"Do we need to leave, Ramsey? You don't look too good."
"How am I supposed to look, Talmus? My God! Poor daddy and momma." She covered her mouth with one hand and pressed the other hand against her stomach. She felt sick. "Yes. Let's get out of here."
Once they were down the road a ways and Ramsey's breathing had returned to normal, Talmus continued talking.
"There's something else, Ramsey."
"Oh, no. I don't think I can take much more, Talmus."
"We have a sister. Her name is Cassandra. She...she came from the rape too, but she is wonderful. I met her years ago after finding her birth certificate practically stuck to yours. I wasn't snooping. I was looking for my own birth certificate," he said quickly.
"A sister?" Ramsey's mind raced with thoughts and possibilities. "What does she look like?"
"She looks a lot like you, Ramsey. It spooked me when I first saw her. She looks like you."
"Take me to see her," Ramsey demanded.
"Okay," he said.
Ramsey fell silent as Talmus drove. It didn't bother him. He knew she had to process the information he had just given her. He had not gone to her straight away after leaving his parents. He had needed some time alone to get his thoughts straight. Instead he had gotten a hotel and hidden away in his room with only room service for a couple of days. Herby had called and said he and Pam were going back to his house. Talmus didn't know which, 'his house', he had been talking about and hadn't asked. So, he didn't know if they were at his mother's house or at Talmus house, but he did know that both houses belonged to Talmus. He shook his head. His parents were two of the most interesting people he knew.
#
Jackson had a lot to think about. He and Ramsey had had a very strange conversation after she had finished examining Maximus. She had basically apologized for attacking him and had promised that it wouldn't happen again. He was confused as to where she had gotten the idea that a man like him needed an apology when a beautiful woman who was sexy as Hades clawed his clothes off of him. He wanted more not a frigging apology. Then she had nearly poleaxed him by saying that she had decided she would refrain from sex until she was married. That's when he had plopped down on a chair and stared up at her with his mouth open. He hadn't heard much of the conversation after that.
A week had passed and he hadn't heard much from her. She had called once to say that she had revised Maximus' medication list and had ordered him to throw away the other seventeen bottles of pills. She had cut his medication regimen down to only four pills. Maximus had thanked the Lord and sang Ramsey's praises for days after that. It had nearly driven Jackson insane. He was trying to forget her because he sure as heck wasn't about to marry her just to have her in his bed and he couldn't think of any other reason to marry someone he hadn't seen for thirteen years. Well, he did consider the fact that he had taken her virginity twice. That did count for something. He also had known her all of his life. Their lives had been apart for thirteen years, but had always been intertwined in some form or fashion.
The thing that scared Jackson the most was how much time he was spending trying to talk himself out of marrying her. The idea should be too ludicrous to contemplate, but he was doing a heck of a lot of contemplating.
#
Talmus and Ramsey were on a wild goose chase. Cassandra was not at the assisted living facility where she lived. She had been removed by two people who fit the description of Herby and Pamela. They were not at the house on Maple Cove either. So, Ramsey had to give Talmus the directions to Herby's house. By the time they got there, it was dark outside. Ramsey was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She was missing Jackson and wanting to bury herself beneath him and hide away from her family. She wanted to be in his arms and in his world, not the world she was about the face. She was already regretting the ultimatum she had given him, but in light of everything she had found out about her mother, father, Cassandra, and even Talmus, she knew she had made the right decision. She needed order in her life not more chaos. She needed to know precisely where she and Jackson's relationship was going. Passionate, uninhibited sex could not be the objective. There had to be more. She and Jackson, both, deserved more.
"Come on, girl. Let's get this over with. Momma's car is here. This is the place," Talmus said. He gave Ramsey a glance and new she had too much on her mind. He had told her everything. He had told her the truth about his life and his finances. She had been shocked, but at least pleasantly. His truth was good news, not a nightmarish drama like his mother's.
"So, this is where dad has lived all these years," he said softly. The house was very small and in a ramshackle neighborhood. The little house with its white vinyl siding had no driveway. They had to park on the road. It was a lower class neighborhood. Talmus' heart skipped a beat with the realization that this was probably all Herby could afford since he had paid for two houses over the years. His chest tightened with some foreign emotion at the depth of his father's loyalty and love. Men didn't always show love by romancing a woman. This was one of those cases. There had been no flowers, no date nights, no foot rubs, no back rubs, no sweet words, but there had been this. This was the hardest show of love; loyalty, protection, and material support. Herby had given all of that selflessly. Nobody knew about his sacrifice, but him, God, and Pamela. Talmus shook his head. His mother had a big bill to pay.
He held Ramsey's hand like old times as they walked up to the house. She and he had always been close. Even through all that darkness they had loved each other and had tried to be a support to one another. They were in it together and always had been. When Talmus had found Cassandra he had felt the same thing toward her. He knew Cassandra had no idea why her life was alienated from her family and he had no answers for her, but they had recognized each other as siblings and then that had been enough, but now with Pam opening up and telling her past a wound that he didn't even know existed, was festering and boiling and needed some serious attention. He was sure that Ramsey and Cassandra felt the same.
He squeezed Ramsey's hand and knocked on the do
or. It was opened almost immediately by Herby.
"I hope yall know sign language," was the first thing Herby said. Then he grabbed Ramsey and hugged her.
"Well, hello daddy. I see you're all healed up. You're not hurting anymore?" Ramsey let her doctor role mask her near panic. She was walking into a new life. She knew it and was afraid.
"I'm fine, babygirl. I've never been better. Now, yall come on in. What's up, Talmus? Did you fill Ramsey in on everything?"
Talmus shook his father's hand and then thought better of it and leaned in for a hug. He felt Ramsey stiffen up beside him. Poor girl. She was going to need some whiskey.
"Yep. I told her everything, but I just told her today. So, go slow, old man. Go slow," Talmus laughed.
"Yall didn't answer my question. Do you know sign language? We have a surprise for you two."
Talmus looked at Ramsey and she mouthed the word, "we."
Herby saw her. "Yes, Ramsey. We. As in, me and your mother have a surprise."
"We know she's here, Dad. Please calm down. You're making me nervous." Everybody had had time to celebrate Pam's opening up, but her and she was feeling put out about it. It was too much too fast and Ramsey had no idea if she could stand much more.
"Yes, Dad. We know sign language," Talmus said. He was trying to ease the tension. Herby came off his tippy toes and settled down when he saw Ramsey's distress. He had been literally bouncing in place with joy to have his whole family with him. A frown creased his brow as he looked at Ramsey. She really wasn't taking things too well. She looked sick.
"Hey, babygirl. Come here," he wrapped her up in his arms and rubbed her back. She was shaking and her face was damp with sweat. "Are you sick, Ramsey," he asked, alarmed.
"I...I don't know. I feel weird. I'm....."
"She's falling!" Herby spread his feet and braced himself, because he realized he had all her weight against him. He swept his left arm down and behind her knees and hefted her up against him. Her eyes were closed and she was out. He could feel a twinge of pain in his back, which meant he was not as completely healed as he thought.
"When did she eat last," he yelled at Talmus, as he laid her on the couch.
'I don't know." Talmus couldn't believe she had just passed out like that. He had never known Ramsey to faint. She wasn't that type.
All the commotion brought Pam and Cassandra out of one of the rooms down the small hallway. When Pam saw Ramsey laying flat on the couch, she screamed.
"What's wrong with my baby?!"
"She fainted, Pam. Her pulse is fine. Don't panic," Herby said.
Talmus hugged Cassandra and signed language to her to tell her what was going on, but Cassandra stopped looking at him when she finally got a good look at Ramsey. Everyone stood back as she walked forward and looked down at Ramsey lying on the couch. She reached out and touched Ramsey's face. Then she touched her hair. She got down on her knees and laid her cheek against Ramsey's. That's when Pam started crying. Her loud sobs were the only thing that could be heard in the room. Both son and husband ignored her as they watched Ramsey and Cassandra in pure unadulterated fascination. The two women could almost be twins, mother and daughter, or ......sisters.
Cassandra took Ramsey's hand and held it in both of hers. Finally, Ramsey's eyes opened and she looked right into the face of a woman who looked so much like her it took her breath away. She saw the clear resemblance and it fascinated her. This was her sister. She had never had a sister before and now she had one. The flesh and blood proof of it was staring her right in the face. Then Cassandra smiled down at her and her beauty was unmistakable. Ramsey may look like this woman, but she was nowhere near as beautiful as Cassandra.
"Well, hello there. We look alike," Ramsey said dumbly. When Cassandra's smile went away to be replaced by a frown, Ramsey sat up and signed what she had said. Cassandra laughed. It was a hoarse and mostly unused sound, but it was a gift to everyone in the room. A frenzy of signing began and the room was no longer silent or unhappy. Herby got on the phone and ordered food. Talmus found the kitchen and popped open some wine and passed everyone a drink. They were all together and even though there was much still to talk about, he knew that everything would be okay.
CHAPTER 21
A couple of more weeks went by and after Jackson had heard nothing at all from Ramsey, he was fed up. He had called her cell phone. He had gone to the hospital. She was not there. The trail was cold and nobody was telling him anything. He didn't know when or how, but he had fallen in love with Ramsey and being without her was driving him insane. He had started having nightmares that she had gone on to another man. He would have gone crazy if it had not been for Maximus. Maximus had used his old school logic to explain to him that women were much, much more different than men. The likelihood of Ramsey having found some other man was out of the question. He had seen the way she looked at Jackson and it was Jackson she wanted. Jackson chose to listen to Maximus, although he was skeptical because if she wanted him, she had certainly chosen a very strange way of showing it.
Maximus' health had done a complete turnaround. He was healthier than he had been in a long time. He had his energy back and his dementia had declined drastically. Cutting his medications down had done the trick. Ramsey was better than a good doctor. She was a miracle worker. With Maximus doing so much better, Jackson felt he could leave him alone for a couple of hours to go find out what was going on with Ramsey. He had gone from being angry and frustrated to being alarmed. He had no idea what was happening or why she was avoiding him.
He took a lot of care with his grooming. He shaved down to the skin until his chocolate face was smooth except for his mustache and eyebrows. He splashed on a little earthy, musk smelling cologne. He chose a pair of black slacks and a sky blue silk crew neck shirt. Maximus winked at him as he left out the door, which made him laugh. He had told him where he was going and not to wait up for him. He stopped by the florists and the winery. He had several addresses in his global positioning system. He had paid good money to get the addresses of Ramsey and her family. He would find her today and put an end to this insanity. Of course, he would marry her.....eventually. They would date and get a chance to know each other all over again and then they would set a date. This was his plan. He was ready to share it with her and get on with life.
He found her house and was so relieved to see the garage door up with her car parked in it. He had to take several deep breaths to calm himself before he climbed out of the car. Finally, he made his way up the walkway to her front door. Her home was nice. It was modest for a doctor, but it was very, very nice and in a quiet, but family-oriented neighborhood. The door was open. He looked through the glass front door and could see the living area and fireplace. Then he was looking in Ramsey's face, but it wasn't Ramsey. It looked like her though, but he knew it wasn't her. The woman stared at him and he stared back. Then she smiled. She was beautiful. Jackson was in shock. Who was this woman? She was obviously a close relation to Ramsey. She couldn't look this much like her and not be.
She opened the door to let him in. He slid past her and into the foyer without taking his eyes off of her.
"Wow, you look just like Ramsey he said," he said. She only grinned at him and didn't respond. She shook her head as if to say, "no."
"Oh yeah. You do," he said. She frowned and still didn't speak. Jackson held the flowers in one hand and the wine in the other and he just stood there feeling stupid as he looked at the puzzling silent woman standing in front of him.
"She's deaf, Jackson," Ramsey said as she came up behind him. She signed something to the woman who laughed and left them alone.
"She--"
"I heard you. I know. She looks just like me. She's my sister. My mother had a life we knew nothing about. It’s a long story. What can I do for you?"
It was like cold water in his face. She was different, but gloriously the same. Her face was just as beautiful. Her body was just as enticing. She smelled the same and standing near her did the
same things to his body, but she was different.
"What is it, Ramsey," he said softly. "What's the matter. The light has gone out your eyes. What has happened?"
Ramsey took a deep breath and closed the door. She took the wine and the flowers out of his hands and turned her back without a word. She knew he would follow her and he did. She clipped the flowers and put them in a vase without saying a word. She put the wine on the counter and finally turned toward the man she had dreams about every night. She let her eyes travel freely over his body from the top of his head to his feet. He looked good and he smelled so, so, so good. Her eyes strayed back up to his lips and just stopped there. Slowly, as if in a dream, she walked up against him and laid her mouth on his. He parted his lips and gave her what she wanted.
Jackson could feel her desperation. His body was answering the call, but his mind wasn't. He knew something was wrong. He pulled away and stepped back.
The Shocking Truth About Ramsey Page 9