Tell Me a Secret

by Ann Everett

  “I know. Me, too.”

  Back in the living room, her uncle gave her a warm hug. “I know this is overwhelming. Edward was William. He never wanted your mother to know he was seeing you, so he used our father’s name. That way, if you ever mentioned him to Audra, she wouldn’t make the connection. Each time she went away, Rose called and he’d fly to Abilene to spend time with you.”

  Maggie’s mind reeled. Edward was so much older than her mother, Maggie never dreamed he could be her father. “Why didn’t he try to get custody of me?”

  “As long as Eleanor was alive, he couldn’t. She wasn’t a strong woman. A bitter court battle and constantly dealing with your mother would have been too much. After she died, he couldn’t trust your mother. He was afraid she’d take you before the courts had time to rule and he might never see you again. At age thirteen, the state gave you the authority to choose who you lived with and he planned to tell you everything and ask you to live with him. Unfortunately, he didn’t live long enough.”

  She understood. Her mother had been unstable.

  He continued. “When you were born, he made a new will, provided for you financially, and named me executor. Now that your mother is gone, I thought it was time to discuss your inheritance. I don’t want to be rude, but it’d be best to do it privately.” He shifted his gaze to Jace and then back to her.

  She started to speak, but Jace stopped her. “He’s right. This doesn’t concern me. I’ll wait on the porch.”

  Once they were alone, Charles said, “It isn’t that I don’t trust Jace. He seems like a fine young man. But in my business, I’ve seen how money can change relationships. Hear me out and then decide what to tell him. Are the two of you serious?”

  “We love each other.”

  “I can tell. Do you have marriage plans?”

  “We haven’t talked about it, but I hope…” She didn’t know what to say beyond them loving one another, but she did want to marry him more than anything.

  “Well, your estate is at your disposal. If you choose to change things, I’m happy to help. However, if you like, I’ll continue to manage it.”

  She listened as he went over her financial holdings. The events of the day left her dazed and exhausted. In two short hours, her life turned topsy-turvy. She learned the identity of her father and became wealthy.

  Charles stood and so did Maggie.

  “Your father loved you very much,” he said. “His private office was full of pictures of you and your artwork.” The lawyer chuckled. “He even had a bean and macaroni gingerbread man you made when you were in first grade.”

  Without warning, she fell into his arms and sobbed.

  He scrambled for his handkerchief. “I should have come to you sooner. I just didn’t want to deal with your mother or cause trouble between the two of you.”

  She took the cloth and pushed away. “It’s okay. I understand. My mother was impossible. Are you my only family?”

  “No. You have an aunt, my wife, Millie. We have a son, Paul, who is married to Lana, and they have two children, Connor and Emily. We also have a daughter, Lindsey. They want to meet you. After the holidays, we want you to come to Amarillo and spend a few days. There are other things I have for you. Your dad’s medical bag, degrees and other personal items. There’s also a storage facility full of antiques. Eleanor was from England and she loved fine furniture. Do you have any questions?”

  “May I bring Jace?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I loved Edward. I mean William and to find out he was my father is wonderful. Thank you for everything. For now, let’s leave things the way they are, the trust fund part, I mean.”

  “Okay. We can discuss more when you come to visit.”

  “Oh, there is one thing. I want to legally change my name to Kincaid and add my dad’s name to my birth certificate. Can you do that?”

  “My pleasure and first priority.”

  Love is the golden thread that ties our hearts and souls together.

  ~Mother Teresa

  In early January, with the temperature cold, the air crisp, and the sky so clear it looked as if it could crack, Maggie worked days and spent evenings with Jace. Even the way his name formed on her lips excited her.

  An hour past her shift, she headed to the elevator dreaming of a hot bath and a glass of wine. The doors slid open and someone called her name. She turned to see Dr. Sawyer in the hallway.

  “Maggie? I realize it’s time for you to leave, but could you help me a minute? There’s a young patient who just came in with an arm injury. I promise it won’t take long.”

  She drew a breath and forced a smile. The leisurely soak would have to wait. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re so good with kids. Would you remove the bandage for me? I’ll be right in.”

  Inside the room, a dark haired, brown-eyed girl perched on the exam table, her left arm completely wrapped from shoulder to hand with an Ace bandage.

  “Hi, my name is Maggie, what’s yours?”

  “Sophia.”

  “I love that name. How old are you?”

  “Seven.”

  “So tell me, what happened to your arm?”

  The child’s mom stepped forward with a camera. “Do you mind? Her dad is in Iraq and we keep a video journal. She and her friends were playing in the tree house and she fell.”

  “A tree house? That sounds fun.” Maggie began to loosen the bandage.

  “Yes. Her dad built it for her. The walls are paneled with dry erase board. The kids were drawing when Sophia dropped her marker, lunged and took a tumble.”

  Maggie uncoiled another layer. “Well, whoever wrapped this did a good job, but it looks like the walls aren’t the only thing you and your playmates wrote on. What is this on your arm? Let me see. Will—do you have a friend named Will?”

  Sophia shook her head.

  The removal of the next loop revealed another word. “You? This is strange,” she said and read the final two. “Marry Jace.”

  She clutched her throat, then screamed the words. “WILL YOU MARRY JACE?”

  From behind her, she heard his voice. “Well, will you?”

  Flying into his arms, he lifted and twirled her in the air. When they stopped spinning, he planted her feet back on the tile. “Well?”

  Eyes wide, lips curled into a grin, she was speechless.

  He repeated. “Will you?”

  She tilted her head to one side. “I’m thinking.”

  He pulled his brows together. “What?”

  Then she jumped back into his arms. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”

  The crowd gathered, applauded.

  He led Maggie back to Sophia. “Remove the rest of her bandage and see what you find.” When she finished the job, an engagement ring circled the little girl’s thumb.

  “We played a trick on you,” Sophia said.

  “Yes, you did and it was a good one. So your arm isn’t really broken?”

  Dr. Sawyer stepped forward. “Maggie, please meet my wife, Jane, and my daughter.”

  “I can’t believe you were all in on this,” Maggie said.

  “Jace came to me with the idea and Sophia wanted to do it, so we went for it,” the doctor said.

  “Well, you got me good. You’re good actors, especially you, Sophia.” Maggie smiled at Jace “How long have you had this planned?”

  “Since Christmas. It’s been killing me to keep the secret. But seeing your face made it worth the wait.” He placed the ring on her finger and planted a sweet kiss.

  Later that night, Maggie sat crossed-legged in the center of her bed, bridal magazines scattered everywhere. She held her hand in the air and gazed at the ring on her finger. She loved the way the light played off the stone. Wide-eyed, she leaned toward Jace. “You know where I want to get married?”

  He popped a pretzel in his mouth and surfed TV channels. “Hmm—what?”

  “Jace. You’re not listening to me. I said do you know where I want to have
our ceremony?”

  “Uh… No… uh… Where?” He kept his attention on “Swamp People.”

  “The gazebo in Lurleen Hogan’s back yard.”

  “Huh? Oh, I guess Mom could get in touch with her. But the house is on the market. What if it sells?”

  She took a pretzel from the package and waved it in the air as she talked. “You don’t understand. I want us to buy the house.”

  “You’re kidding. I thought we’d live here since Sarah will be moving.”

  “No. I want us to purchase it, get married in the gazebo and live there happily ever after. And besides, since it’s next door to your parents, think of the free babysitting.” She swallowed the salty snack and wondered if she’d be able to convince him without the details of her inheritance. Not that she didn’t want him to know the amount, but she was just getting used to the idea herself. Besides, there was a wedding to plan, and the subject of money would open a can of worms she wasn’t ready for.

  “Very funny. It has a lot of square footage. You haven’t even seen the interior.”

  Hoisting a magazine, she pointed. “Do you think this cake is pretty? I love the fresh flowers they’ve used. Do you? You’re worried about the price of the house, aren’t you?”

  He stared at the page. “Yeah,” he said finally, then dragged the bag of pretzels back to his lap, “to both questions. I still have three more months of school. Even though I’ve been hired by the university, I don’t actually have an income. We may not qualify for a loan.”

  “We don’t need one. I’ll use part of my inheritance.”

  “Yeah, about that, it isn’t my business, but exactly how much do you have? You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want too.”

  “I don’t know the price of house, but I’m sure I have enough with some left. I’ll call tomorrow and make an appointment with the realtor. If we like it, I’ll contact Uncle Charles to transfer the funds into your account. Then you can write a check.”

  Jace shook his head. “Just like that.”

  “Yep. Besides, I want to marry in early April. If we pay cash we can move in as soon as we’re married. You agree?” She’d tried to make it sound more like ordering pizza than making a major purchase.

  He shifted his weight and crossed his arms. “You’ll do that because you think my ego is too big for people to know you’re paying for the house?”

  For a moment, she thought this would be a good time to give him the details, but then decided to find out how the news might affect him. “So you’re saying you won’t mind if I write the check?”

  He frowned. “Yeah … I will. It may be modern times, but I still think the man should be the main provider. My dad always has been. My mom hasn’t even worked since she had Jared and me. I guess that makes me an egotistical ass, huh?”

  And there is was. Proof that if he knew she had millions, things would change. She couldn’t risk it. Not now. Not when she was about to marry the man of her dreams. She couldn’t let anything put that in jeopardy “No one has to know.” She grinned. “Besides, consider it a dowry. In place of getting pigs and cows for marrying me, you get a house.”

  He pushed the magazines aside, pulled her close and kissed her. “If you want to buy Mrs. Hogan’s place, then we’ll buy it. I won’t pretend it doesn’t bother me that you’re paying, but I want you to be happy.”

  She melted against him and knew she’d made the right decision. “I never dreamed I could be this happy.” Besides, if they lived off their incomes, it wouldn’t be an issue and that’s what she wanted. At some point, she’d tell him, but right now she wasn’t willing to gamble with her future.

  The next afternoon, Melissa Webster, pretty, blond and busty, called out as she crossed the lawn. “Hey, Jace. I didn’t know you were her fiancé.”

  Maggie cut her eyes over at him. He looked miserable.

  “Hey, Missy, it’s been a while.”

  When she reached them, Maggie stepped aside as Melissa gave him a hug.

  He patted her on the back, then gestured. “This is Maggie.”

  “Yes, we spoke on the phone. It’s so nice to meet you. Jace and I went to high school together.”

  Maggie grinned. “Did you? How nice.”

  He spoke before his old classmate could say anything else. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to walk through the house on our own and if we have any questions, we’ll ask. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. Mrs. Hogan did updates after her husband died. It has new flooring and fresh paint, plus upgrades in kitchen appliances. I’ll meet you out at the gazebo. Y’all take your time.”

  Once inside the house, Maggie swatted him. “Really, Jace? You slept with her?”

  He hugged her close. “It was a long time ago. I mean a long, long, long time ago. I hardly remember it.”

  Maggie smiled. “Yeah, I bet.”

  “I’m serious. It was in high school. Back seat of a car. One time. Didn’t mean a thing.”

  “Hardly remember it, huh?”

  He opened cabinets. “Man, lots of storage space here.”

  “Oh, so we’re changing the subject?”

  He grinned. “I know you’re not jealous and just want to give me a hard time. Right?”

  He knew her so well. She wasn’t jealous. Any woman from his past posed no threat to her. If there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that Jace loved her. He proved it over and over. But she did enjoy teasing him.

  He took her by the hand. “C’mon, let’s see the rest of the house.”

  After a quick walk through, she took it all in. Four bedrooms, three baths, den, living area, formal dining, and kitchen with a breakfast nook. But the best feature was the sunroom. All glass, except for the brick wall attaching it to the house. The notion of living here with Jace as her husband caused a wave of joy to wash over her stronger than she’d ever experienced. She twirled to the center of the room and signaled for him to join her.

  “Well, I admit it’s in good shape. We won’t have to do much before we move in, except buy a washer and dryer.” He eased onto the floor and crossed his legs Indian style.

  “And, thanks to my dad, I have a storage building full of antiques for furnishing the whole place.” She tugged his arm. “Lie down with me.”

  He pointed to the backyard. “You realize the gazebo is right there and she can see us.”

  “Relax. Given your history, she probably just thinks we’re going to have sex.” Maggie laughed.

  “Okay, duly noted.”

  She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him lower. “Please, lie with me.”

  He rolled his eyes, then followed directions.

  She and Jace stared at the ceiling and said nothing for a long moment until Maggie took a deep breath and asked, “Do you like the house?”

  “It’s fine.”

  “I want it. And the first time it snows, I want us to sleep in this room. Can you imagine lying here seeing snow fall around you? It takes my breath away thinking about it. So tell sex you barely remember to draw up the papers.”

  Jace chuckled and rolled to face her. “That first snowfall, I’m going to make it one you never forget, if you know what I mean.”

  She trailed a finger down his cheek. “I love you so much, Jace.”

  “And I love you, too.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  When the kiss ended, Maggie grinned. “What about Missy? Not worried about her seeing us anymore?”

  “When you’re in my arms, I don’t care about anything but you.”

  “Stop the sweet talk, or we will be having sex.”

  Jace laughed again.

  Guilt pulled at her heart. She’d managed to dodge revealing the details of her trust fund. But once he did find out, would he consider it lying by omission? That was something to consider. But that problem could wait because right now, she didn’t want anything to spoil the happiness it’d taken her a lifetime to find.

  Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness.


  ~Carl Jung

  Maggie stared into the backyard at the gazebo. She closed her eyes and thought of her Chantilly lace wedding gown and how weak her knees had gotten when she stood at the end of the satin runner leading to the man of her dreams. She’d spent months trying on dresses wanting hers to be perfect and to this day thought it was still the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The look in Jace’s eyes when he saw her wearing it for the first time was worth the endless hours she’d fretted. It was an expression she’d not seen from him lately and that caused her chest to tighten. Her skin warmed remembering the perfection of the day. It was as if God had arranged the sunshine, mild breeze and clear blue sky just for her. All the lonely days and nights of her childhood no longer mattered. Jace wanted her for his wife and that made all the pain she’d suffered of being unloved by her mother, worth it.

  Maggie opened her journal and documented the previous day. Jace was frustrated. He’d not said so but after two and a half years of marriage, she knew him well enough, words weren’t needed. Lately, she’d been thinking about her inheritance and decided it was time to tell him, but every time she tried to bring it up, his attitude got in the way. Too many arguments over ridiculous things.

  Since their marriage, she’d not touched any of the money. She trusted Uncle Charles to manage it and knew that someday, maybe she and Jace would have children to send to college and it would come in handy. Children. She wanted them more than anything. Maybe it was because she’d had such a terrible childhood or by being a good mother, somehow it would make up for her mother being such a lousy one. She shook her head. Those were crazy thoughts. Nothing could ever make up for that.

  The digital clock showed six a.m. If she climbed back into bed, they had time for sex. This could be the day it happened. Of course, she’d been hoping that for months and so far, no baby. She knew Jace was tired of trying, but at least he’d agreed to give the fertility drugs a chance.

  She closed the book, tiptoed back to the bedroom, slipped in next to him, and ran her hand between his legs.

  He pushed it away.

  “Please Jace. The doctor said every other day during ovulation and today’s the day.”