by Unknown
Lillian sniffed and wiped her eyes again. “I was barely twenty years old and working as a secretary at his plant when he asked me out. He was forty but did not look it. I grew up lower middle-class so I was impressed with his great wealth. I think he just wanted a sweet young thing on his arm, and I’ll have to say I was quite attractive.”
“You still are,” Sam said and Bo agreed.
Lillian chuckled. “You boys are sweet to say so.”
“Anyway, a few months later, I ended up pregnant. I’ll give him credit for doing the honorable thing and marrying me, but, that’s when the real Winston Hartford showed up. He was a mean old bully who used fear, bribes, and intimidation to get what he wanted. He once told me that he had the goods on almost every judge and elected official in Atlanta. I later found he was right.
“Annie and Bradley were only four years old when I asked for a divorce, and believe me, I put up with a lot. But Winston Hartford was not about to let me take his children even though he seldom gave them the time of day. Telling him I wanted out was the absolute worst thing I could have done. In what felt like the twinkle of an eye, I no longer had access to money, credit cards, my car, or even a telephone. His henchmen practically moved into the house so they could watch every move I made.
“In the meantime, Winston filed for an emergency divorce on grounds of adultery and habitual drunkenness. He had affidavits from half the people who worked for him. People who lied for him because they were afraid of losing their jobs. Long story short, he was granted full custody of both kids, and I ended up on the street. When I tried to fight back, one of his men broke into my apartment while I was out and planted a crap-load of cocaine. The next thing I know there are police searching my apartment, and I’m in jail facing a ten year sentence for dealing illegal drugs. It was hopeless. My mother and father went to the editor of the newspaper because they hoped to get my story out so people could see how crooked Winston and his cronies were.” Lillian paused and shook her head. “A week later their house burned to the ground.”
“What a bastard,” Bo said.
“That’s not even the worst of it,” Lillian replied. “One day Winston and his lawyer showed up with papers for me to sign, handing over any and all rights to my children. I was told if I signed the papers, all charges against me would be dropped. If I refused, I would go to prison for a long time, and—” Lillian choked on a sob.
“You don’t have to say anything more,” Sam told her.
“I have to get it out,” Lillian replied. “Winston said if I did not do exactly as I was told, he was going to put Annie up for adoption, meaning she would be separated from her twin.”
“Da-um,” Bo said.
Lillian nodded. “I knew he would do it because he only cared about having a son who could one day take over his stupid plant. He was obsessed. I could not bear the thought of Bradley and Annie being separated. Twins need to be together.”
Sam and Bo exchanged looks as Lillian began to cry in earnest. Sam held her close. “It’s okay,” he said. “Annie is the last person in the world who would judge you.”
“I thought maybe I could finally see them when they were older,” Lillian said. “I figured once they moved out of their father’s house and had a life of their own, I would ask them to meet with me so I could try to explain why I did what I did. But I was too afraid of having them say no. I figured their father had turned them against me, although Vera claimed she had taught them differently, bless her heart.” Lillian sniffed again.
“But then Bradley died in the auto accident, and I think something inside me died as well. I did a good job of hiding it from folks. I’m ashamed that I did not try to see Annie, but I figured she was going through enough pain, what with losing her twin. The last thing she needed was for me to show up and confuse things.” Lillian was quiet for a moment as though gathering her thoughts.
“When Vera told me Annie had skipped out on her wedding and was on her way to Pinckney, I had a full-blown panic attack. I considered leaving town, and that’s no lie. But Vera said Annie would need help so I had to pull myself together and be there for her, even though she had no idea who I was.”
“Why haven’t you told her the truth?” Sam asked.
“I’m afraid. If she were to reject me for waiting so long to make an appearance in her life I would be crushed. I just can’t risk it, Sam. I decided it would be best if I gave her time to get to know me before I broke the news. Besides, the poor girl had enough on her mind.”
#
Eldon turned on his blinker and slowed the car.
Annie glanced out the window and saw a small cinderblock building in dire need of painting. “What’s this?” she asked.
“It’s a church,” Eldon said. “Actually, it is just a shell of a building with an altar and folding chairs, but I’ve promised the minister a sizeable donation.”
“You’re paying him off in exchange for marrying us. How is it going to look when you have to handcuff me, knock me unconscious, and drag me down the aisle by my hair?”
“I warned him in advance you might be reluctant.”
“You do know I’m going to charge you with kidnapping first chance I get?”
“Really?” Eldon said. “Don’t forget that your redneck girlfriend saw you leave with me of your own free will.”
“Do not call my friend a redneck.”
“Sweetheart, it’s written all over her.”
“Do not call me sweetheart.”
He parked in front of the building. “What’s it going to be, Annie? I’ve made myself very clear as to what will happen if you don’t go through with the wedding this time. If your father passes away before you get there you will have to live with the knowledge that it was all your fault. If you go through with the wedding, I’ll hop on the interstate and get you to Atlanta in record time.”
Annie sat quietly for a moment trying to formulate a plan. Damned if she wasn’t always trying to find a way to get out of marrying Eldon. She wondered if there was a support group for that sort of thing. Still, she had to find a way to get out of the locked car, which meant she would have to lie and do it in such a way that Eldon did not see right through it. Annie thought about the clothes she had packed for her honeymoon and prayed that the suitcases were still in Eldon’s trunk.
“Okay, dammit, you win,” she said in her nastiest tone, “although I’m doing so under great duress, but you have to swear that we will head straight to Atlanta afterward.”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s get it over with,” she snapped. “Are my suitcases still in the trunk?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I want to grab an outfit and shoes from my suitcase so I can change clothes. I don’t care what I look like at this sham of a wedding, but I do not want to show up at the hospital in my waitress uniform.”
“That’s a relief,” he said, “but honest-to-God, Annie, if you try something I’m going to see that you pay.”
“You’re just like my father. You wear me down and bully me until all I can do is go along with whatever you want.”
“Give me your shoes.”
Annie looked at him. “What?”
“The grounds have not been cleared. The whole lot is filled with thorns and stinging nettles. If you try to run you won’t get far because they’re very painful.” Eldon winked. “See, Annie, I’ve thought of everything.”
“How am I supposed to get my clothes out of my suitcase, Einstein?”
“Don’t talk to me that way, Annie. Don’t ever talk to me like that again.”
“Then stop acting like a jerk. If you don’t trust me, hold my wrist.”
Eldon shook his head. “I don’t like it.”
“Hello?” Annie shouted. “I don’t care what you like and don’t like. You’ve won, Eldon. What more do you want from me?” Annie’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.
“Oh, great!” Eldon said. “Just what I need. Dry it up, Annie because I’m no
t going to deal with a crying female.” He slammed the door, hurried around the front and opened her door. “Come on,” he said. “And don’t try any funny business.”
He grasped her wrists, pulled her from the car, and all but dragged her toward the trunk. Once he opened it, Annie saw her suitcases. They had been pushed toward the very front of the trunk, out of her reach. She saw a metal box with a keyhole. “What’s that?” she asked.
“Important papers. Which suitcase do you want?”
Annie suspected the box held their marriage license and the contract Eldon and her father had signed. “The larger one,” she said.
“I’m going to release your wrist for two seconds, Annie. If you try to run I’ll catch you. And I’ll have to take your shoes.”
“A tough guy. How romantic.”
Eldon let go of her wrist and reached for the suitcase, but it was a stretch. He glanced at Annie who simply stood there sniffing and wiping her tears.
Finally he inched closer to the suitcases and grabbed the handle on the larger one and tugged. He did not see Annie grab the metal box, but he yowled when she slammed it on his head as hard as she could. He released the suitcase and turned toward her, and Annie hit him again. The third time did the trick. He staggered, and his eyes rolled around in their sockets.
Annie dropped the box, shoved him as hard as she could, and he fell forward, the upper half of him landing in the trunk. He stopped struggling. Annie lifted one leg and then the other, folding them into the trunk before giving his backside a hard push. Once he was completely inside, Annie picked up the metal box and tossed it in the trunk. She winced when it bounced and hit him smack on the side of his head. She slammed the door to the trunk and pulled the key from the lock.
Annie leaned against the closed trunk, trembling from the adrenaline that still gripped her. There were no sounds coming from inside the trunk. She called out to Eldon several times, but there was no answer.
#
“Hold it!” Sam said. “I see Annie!”
“That’s the car all right,” Bo said.
Lillian blinked back fresh tears. “Oh, Lord, let her be okay.”
Annie was so cloaked in her misery that she did not hear the approaching vehicle, did not see it pull into the drive next to Eldon’s car. But when she glanced up, she saw Sam. He pulled her into his arms.
“Are you okay, babe?” he asked.
She sank against him. “Yeah, I’m good,” she said tearfully.
Bo and Lillian hurried toward them. “Where is the no good lying skunk?” Lillian demanded. “I just want to take one shot at him.”
Annie pointed to the trunk. “In there,” she said. “I think I killed him.”
#
Sam yanked Eldon from the trunk of his Mercedes and shoved him inside the cab of Bo’s pickup truck while Bo chatted briefly with Darla on his cell phone, assuring her that Annie was okay. Eldon banged his head on the gun rack which held an old shotgun and what looked to be a new rifle.
“I need to go to the hospital,” Eldon said.
“Listen to me,” Sam said, taking care to control his temper. “See that big guy on the phone? He’s crazy. You make one wrong move, and there is no telling what he’ll do to you.”
Eldon looked from Sam to Bo then back at Sam. “Is he going to shoot me?”
Bo ended his call, slipped his cell into the pocket of his denim vest and climbed into the truck. “I don’t need to shoot you, pal,” he said. “I got my bare hands.”
“Tell you what, Bo,” Sam said. “If sissy britches here gives you any trouble we’ll sic Annie on him again.”
Bo looked at Eldon. “Any man who’d let a skinny gal like that beat him up is a big wuss.” Bo grinned at Sam. “Tell Annie I’ll flash my lights if I need help.”
Eldon leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.
Sam drove Eldon’s car. Annie sat in the front and Lillian in the back. They were less than a half hour from the Hartford mansion when Sam asked Lillian if she had something she wanted to tell Annie.
Lillian’s face turned a bright red. “I don’t know where to start,” she said to Sam.
“The beginning is always the best place,” he replied.
Annie turned in her seat and looked at Lillian. “What is it?” she asked.
Lillian struggled to tell her story, stopping several times when she had to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. By the time she was finished, Annie’s face was streaked with tears.
“I’m so sorry,” Lillian said. “I feel like I let you and Bradley down.”
Annie unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed into the back with Lillian. “You never have to apologize to me,” she said. “Starting right here and now, we’re going to make up for lost time.”
Lillian hugged her. “I’m so proud of you, Annie. You are the sweetest and the prettiest daughter a mother could ask for.”
“She might be sweet,” Sam said from the front seat, “but she’s tough. She sure gave Eldon a good butt-kick.”
“He had it coming,” Annie said, but her gaze was fixed on Lillian. She was touched by the love and tenderness she saw in her eyes, her mother’s eyes. “I wish you’d gotten to know Bradley,” she said. “He and I were so close.”
“I look forward to hearing all about him,” Lillian said. “I will always be grateful to Vera for doing such a fine job.” She suddenly laughed. “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she said. “I pulled one over on Winston.”
“This, I got to hear,” Sam said.
“I told him I absolutely and positively did not want Vera Holmes raising my children.”
Annie laughed, as did Sam.
Lillian grinned. “Vera later told me he hired her that very day to act as nanny.”
Annie’s smile faded once they reached the Hartford estate. The guard opened the gate when he caught sight of her in Eldon’s car. Vera opened the front door as Sam and Bo parked beside them in the wide circular drive. Annie climbed from the car and hurried toward Vera, giving her a warm hug. She noted how tired the woman looked, how worn, and she felt guilty for not being there to help.
“Eldon told me Father had a heart attack,” Annie said, “although I’m not sure how much is truth and how much is fiction.”
Vera offered Annie a sad smile. “Sweetie, your father passed away this morning.”
Annie stood there a moment trying to deal with the blow. Despite her father’s many sins, she felt a deep sense of loss because she suddenly recalled good times as well. People were not just all good or all bad; they were more complex. Even as she stood there, her eyes filling with tears, Annie promised herself to try and remember the good times.
Lillian, Vera, and Sam took turns hugging her as they moved toward the house. “I’ll help any way I can,” Lillian said to Annie.
“Same here,” Vera told her, then paused when she caught sight of Bo leading a bruised and battered Eldon from his truck.
“What happened to Eldon?” Vera asked.
“Annie beat him up,” Sam said.
“Really?” Vera looked at Annie. “I hate I missed that.”
Once inside the house, Vera hurried to the kitchen to see to refreshments. Sam and Bo were discussing what to do with Eldon who was annoyed that nobody seemed to appreciate the trouble he’d gone to by alerting Annie of her father’s impending demise.
“Let him go for now,” Annie said. “Please get my suitcases out of his trunk first. Oh yeah, and the metal box.” She gave Eldon a hard look. “I plan to take that box to my father’s attorney. You had better hope he doesn’t find anything that could land you in prison. Additionally, I am going to the courthouse tomorrow and obtain a restraining order. If you ever, ever come near me again I’ll have you arrested.”
Sam and Bo escorted him out the front door. Annie went into the guest bathroom and washed her face. Vera knocked on the door. “Your eyes are a bit swollen, sweetie,” she said. “You should probably lie down and rest awhile.”
“I’ll b
e okay,” Annie said, “once I get over feeling guilty.
Vera frowned. “Why on earth would you feel guilty?”
“It’s my fault that Father was under so much stress,” Annie said. “I caused his heart attack by running off like I did.”
“Annie, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Vera said. “Your father has been battling heart disease for several years. He was taking medication for it. Not that it mattered,” she added. “We both know he did not take care of himself”
“Why didn’t somebody tell me?” she asked.
“Your father did not want anyone to know because he feared it would be a sign of weakness, especially where his competitors were concerned. The only reason I knew was because I picked up his prescriptions now and then. I thought I was protecting you by staying silent, but I did you an injustice, and I’m sorry.” She touched Annie’s cheek. “He’s gone now, but you have your whole life in front of you. More than anyone, you deserve to be happy.”
“That makes two of us,” Annie said.
“Oh, by the way, your father’s attorney was at the hospital when he passed away.”
“I’m not surprised,” Annie said. “Mr. Yeager has always been kind.”
“He asked me to get in touch with you and have you call him. I’m sure it’s about your father’s will.”
“Oh, jeez, I’m probably headed to the poor house,” Annie said, then laughed. “But I have a really good job waiting for me in Pinckney.”
“Silly girl. You just might end up being one of the wealthiest young ladies in the state of Georgia.” Vera winked.
“You obviously know something I don’t,” Annie said. “Eldon must suspect Father provided for me in his will. That would explain why he showed up wanting a quickie marriage. He told me how he sat at the hospital night after night.”
“Eldon isn’t in the picture anymore, Annie. Your father kicked him to the curb when the wedding did not take place. Eldon only showed up at the hospital once. I think he was hoping you’d be there or that he might hear something regarding the will, so that’s just one more lie.” Vera shrugged. “But none of it matters now.” She kissed Annie’s forehead. “I’ll let you finish washing up,” she said, but try to hurry. I’ve ordered all sorts of goodies from the kitchen and asked the cook to put on fresh coffee. You look like you could use a cup of coffee and something to eat.”