Midnight Confessions

by Karen Leabo

  “It was a memorial service, not a funeral. There was no body. I ran away, and I faked my own death so I wouldn’t have to ever see Dennis Palmer again. That’s how desperate he made me. He sexually abused me from the time he and Mama married until I ran away.”

  Judge Hustead’s bushy eyebrows flew up. Jenn sensed that he was about to explode, to lambaste Tammy as an impostor spouting slanderous nonsense. But then he looked at Dennis. Dennis’s face was ashen, and it was plain to everyone in the room that what Tammy had said was true. He didn’t even try to deny it.

  “She’s telling the truth,” Esther said from the back of the room. “My husband, the man who swore to love and protect me and my family, violated both of my little girls. I didn’t know. You’ll think I’m incredibly stupid, but as God is my witness, I never had a clue until a few days ago, when I visited Jenn in jail. Even then, though, I couldn’t believe it... until today. Today, my worst nightmares came true.”

  The room held its collective breath as Esther walked forward. “On Mr. Andresi’s advice, I broke the lock on Dennis’s desk. I found these.” She set the battered envelope she’d been clutching on Judge Hustead’s desk.

  His mouth set in a disapproving line, the judge lifted the edge of the envelope and peered inside. Whatever he caught a glimpse of, it was enough.

  “Dear God,” he murmured. “What am I to do now, Dennis? Have you arrested?”

  “I haven’t—I mean, not since Jennifer,” Dennis started to object. But seeing the universal accusation in the eyes of his family and colleagues, he shut up.

  “Possession of this envelope is crime enough to earn you some jail time,” Hustead said. “Do you deny these pictures are yours?”

  Dennis said nothing. In fact, he looked close to collapse.

  Seeing the agonized look on her mother’s face, Jenn spoke up again. “Your Honor, I just want my little girl back. Though God knows Dennis deserves to be punished, I’m not interested in seeing my mother publicly humiliated.”

  “I’m afraid humiliation is inevitable at this point,” Esther said. Amazingly, her tears had dried. She looked more determined than Jenn had ever seen her. “The divorce alone will be embarrassing. But I can handle it, Jenn. I’m stronger than you think.”

  “I’m in therapy,” Dennis said in a wheedling voice. “I’ve been in therapy for years now. Tell them, Esther. I drive to Mobile twice a week for my appointments.”

  “He does,” Esther said. “But I thought it was for stress management.”

  “As for Cathy, I would never have hurt her,” he continued, beginning to sound desperate. “I only wanted what was best-”

  “If I were you, Dennis,” Hustead interrupted, “I wouldn’t say anything more. And it would be advisable for you to relinquish all custody claims to the girl at this point.”

  “Yes, all right,” Dennis said, at last defeated. Then his spine stiffened. “But I’ll be damned if Jennifer should get custody, either. She’s disabled, unemployed and living out of a car, last I heard.”

  “I’m not disabled anymore,” Jenn said. “And I do have a home—with him.” She pointed at Joe. “We’re getting married. Immediately.”

  Everyone in the room gasped—including Joe. Oh, dear, Jenn thought. She’d really intended to. discuss her change of heart privately with Joe before she made a public announcement.

  But Joe recovered quickly. “That’s right,” he said. “Although, for the record, Jenn is perfectly capable of caring for herself and her daughter on her own. When I caught up with her in Seattle, she had an apartment, a full-time job and responsible child care for Cathy.”

  Jenn’s heart expanded and she actually broke out in goose bumps. Joe’s support meant a lot to her, but his respect was even more important. And finally there was love. She didn’t need to hear him say it again. It was shining out of his eyes, out of every pore in his body.

  “Ms. Montgomery’s fitness as a parent isn’t for me to decide,” Judge Hustead said. “As for the various criminal charges, including potential ones,” he continued, narrowing his eyes at Dennis, “I’ll leave it to you lawyers and the police to work out the details. Just bring me the paperwork. But, Dennis, I’d suggest you get your affairs in order.” He paused to let the implications sink in. “Now everybody out. This case has given me a colossal headache.”

  “Wait,” Jenn said. “Do I have to go back to jail?”

  The judge waved his hand dismissively. “You’re free on your own recognizance until the charges are officially dropped. I suppose I’ll have to declare a mistrial.”

  Jenn felt like a load of bricks had been lifted from her shoulders. Although everyone else was milling about uncertainly or edging toward the door, Jenn sank back into her chair next to Joe. “Thank you,” she whispered to him. “Sorry to put you on the spot like that. You don’t have to marry me, though. Cathy and I will make out okay. Or you can think about it—”

  “Jenn, I’m the one who proposed in the first place, remember?” he said, pulling her into his arms for a chaste hug. “Nothing’s changed. I still want to marry you—not because you need me, or because I feel guilty, but because I love you and that kid of yours to distraction. Are we clear on that?”

  “Crystal,” Jenn said, smiling broadly and without reserve for the first time in a long, long while. “Let’s go find Cathy and introduce her to her Aunt Tammy.”

  “You’ve given it a woman’s touch, all right,” Tammy said, grinning as she surveyed Jenn’s living room. When Jenn had moved into Joe’s home after the hasty wedding five months ago, she’d fallen in love with the big old house he’d chosen to live in. High ceilings, hardwood floors and huge windows all had contributed to the home’s open, airy feeling. But the house had belonged to a bachelor, no doubt about it.

  Terrified that the social worker investigating her fitness as a parent would find something lacking, Jenn had set to work making curtains, slip-covering furniture, painting, wall-papering, and accessorizing with her now well-honed flea market purchasing skills.

  She needn’t have worried. The investigation amounted to little more than a formality. Cathy was turned over to Jenn and Joe in record time. With her typical resilience, she’d settled into her very own bedroom—with a white-painted iron bed, which Joe had bought her for her sixth birthday—and made the home her own. She’d had no trouble catching up with her new kindergarten class, and she apparently suffered no ill effects from the previous year’s adventures.

  “All right, so I went a little overboard with the floral prints and ruffles,” Jenn said. “Joe doesn’t seem to mind it. Now put your things down and come out back. I want to show you the greenhouse and the flower garden we’re putting in.”

  “Shouldn’t we get started on the decorations?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Joe and Cathy will be at least an hour. I gave Joe a grocery list that’s sure to involve a minimum of three different stores. We’ll have plenty of time.”

  It was only March, but already the air was warm with heady spring fragrances. Jenn made a sweeping gesture, indicating the beds of freshly turned earth and the newly planted rosebushes and clematis. The terraced garden wasn’t much to look at yet. It was still early, and few of the bedding plants she’d nurtured all winter were ready to plant. But in her mind’s eye, Jenn pictured the beds full of iris, foxgloves, daisies, pinks, petunias and snapdragons.

  “So you’re for sure going back into the landscaping business?” Tammy asked.

  “Very slowly, very cautiously,” Jenn replied. “But my new physical therapist says there’s really no reason I can’t do some work that’s physically demanding, within reason. And my leg feels great these days, hardly a twinge.”

  “I’m really happy to hear that. Things seem to be working out for you. I only wish—”

  “What?”

  “Well, that I was a better sister. I haven’t come to visit very often—”

  “We’re taking everything slowly, remember? This ‘sister’ thing takes a little
practice, and we’re both pretty rusty.” Jenn plucked the bloom from a petunia and tucked it into the buttonhole at the collar of her sister’s cotton dress. “There. You look very festive.”

  Tammy brightened. “This is a festive occasion. It’s not every day my niece gets a new daddy.”

  The adoption had been finalized just that morning. Jenn had decided that a small party was in order, so she’d bought a cake and some simple decorations. It had been a good excuse to call Tammy and wheedle a visit out of her.

  “Did you invite Mama to this shindig?” Tammy asked.

  “I did, but as always, she found an excuse not to come. She doesn’t believe we could ever forgive her.”

  “Why not? She didn’t know. Neither of us told her.”

  “But she thinks she should have known, that she must have ignored the signs.”

  “If she did, it wasn’t on purpose.”

  Jenn nodded. “Maybe she’ll come around, if we give it more time. It’s probably all she can do right now to get through the divorce. Come on, we better get busy with the balloons.”

  Jenn heard Joe’s car driving into the garage just as she was taping down the last streamer. “Hurry, hurry, get that trash off the table,” she said with a giddy laugh. She suddenly felt like the carefree schoolgirl she’d never been, with the future stretching before her in an infinitely attractive way. Her handsome husband came through the kitchen door, carrying three grocery bags in each hand, and her heart expanded the way it always did each time she saw him.

  “We’re home!” he announced. “Honey? Jenn?”

  “Surprise!” Jenn and Tammy called out as Tammy switched on the light in the dining room.

  Joe’s mouth fell open in exaggerated shock. “Well, well. Cathy, come take a look at this.”

  Cathy, tagging behind carrying her own small bag of groceries, galloped into the dining room at her stepfather’s call. She stared up at the balloons, the cake—in the shape of two teddy bears, a large one holding a small one—and her Aunt Tammy. “Is it my birthday again?” she asked.

  “No, punkin,” Jenn said with a laugh, swinging her daughter up onto her hip. “Mumph, you’re getting too big for this. We’re having a party to celebrate the fact that you’re now officially Daddy’s little girl.”

  “Oh.” She smiled delightedly. “But wasn’t I always?”

  Jenn wasn’t sure how to answer. Cathy didn’t remember much about her real father anymore, and Jenn hadn’t pushed her to. It was enough, for now, that Cathy was happy. Jenn figured there would be time later, when she was older, for Cathy to learn all about Doug.

  Joe came to the rescue. “You’ve been my little girl since that night you kicked me in the shin and said I was a mean man. You just stole my heart.”

  Cathy giggled. “Can Grandma have some cake, too?”

  “Yes, honey,” Jenn said. “Grandma Carmen is on her way over right now.”

  “Uh, she doesn’t mean my mother, Jenn,” Joe said. “Guess who we ran into at the grocery store?”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Joe raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I had nothing to do with it. Cathy invited her to come over for lunch, and she said she would. You know how hard it is to say no to Cathy when she gets her mind set on something. Esther should be here any minute.”

  “Oh.” Her heart beat just a little faster with an attack of nerves, but Jenn was secretly delighted that her forgiving daughter had succeeded where Jenn had failed. “Well, the more the merrier, that’s what I say. Kelly and Tim from next door are coming over, and your brother and Maggie, too. We should have plenty of food.”

  “I wondered why you asked me to buy so much potato salad,” Joe said, pecking Jenn on the cheek.

  She slipped an arm around his waist. “I thought for sure you’d guess about the surprise.”

  “I’ve given up trying to guess anything where you’re concerned. You’ve never been the predictable type. That’s one of the many things I love about you. You keep me on my toes.”

  Even after all these months, the realization that Joe loved her made her feel special, privileged. Sometimes she wondered what terrific thing she’d done to deserve a man like Joe.

  The doorbell rang. Sure enough, Esther stood on the front porch, looking as nervous as Jenn suddenly felt. She held a brightly wrapped package. “Am I too early? Too late? I wasn’t sure if a gift was appropriate for an adoption party—”

  Jenn cut her mother off by giving her a hug. “Of course it’s appropriate. And you’re right on time. Come on in. You can help Tammy and me with the brisket. Mine never tastes as good as yours, you know.”

  Joe gave his mother-in-law a cautious peck on the cheek while Cathy gave her an unreserved hug. Then the three women moved into the kitchen, where Jenn knew they would be most comfortable.

  With their hands busy with familiar tasks, they talked about inconsequentials—awkwardly at first, but then more at ease. For the first time Jenn believed that the three of them, plus Cathy—all so grievously injured by one man’s illness—would help each other heal.

  As the other guests arrived, Joe played the congenial host, though he gave Jenn all the credit for the party, which went off pretty well considering its shaky start. Cathy was delighted with the gift from her Grandma Esther—a birdhouse kit that she and her daddy could build together.

  Everyone stuffed themselves with brisket, baked beans, potato salad and chocolate cake with ice cream. Eventually the guests drifted away—all but Esther and Tammy, who were so intent helping Cathy put together a dollhouse that they hadn’t even realized everyone else was gone.

  Jenn paused in cleaning up the party leavings to gaze at the three of them. Everything really was going to be okay. She basked in that knowledge like one of her flowers reveling in the warm spring sunshine.

  Joe came up and affectionately ruffled her honey-colored hair, which had grown to shoulder length. “Your mom seems to be having a pretty good time.”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Jenn said, tears welling in her eyes.

  “Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

  “Not a thing. Oh, Joe, I love you so much.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him so hard he stumbled backward, catching himself on a chair.

  “I love you, too, darling,” he said, sounding a bit dazed.

  “I love you for working so hard to find me, and dragging me back home. It was hell, when I thought I was going to lose my daughter. But, by God, it was worth it for this moment right here.”

  “You’ve made a new start with your mother, huh?”

  “With her, with Tammy...and with you. You most of all. From this day forward we’re a family, all of us. And we’ll face problems as they come. No more running away or lying or repressing our feelings.”

  “Absolutely not. And right now I’m feeling a lot of love, for you and Cathy... ah, hell, for Tammy and Esther, too, why not? The more the merrier.”

  “That’s just what I said earlier.” Jenn casually touched her abdomen. Joe didn’t know how appropriate his sentiment was, but be soon would. The biggest surprise of the day was still to come.

  ISBN : 978-1-4592-7957-5

  MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS

  Copyright © 1996 by Karen Leabo

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 U.S.A.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books
S.A.

  ® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Jenn’s heart did a flip-flop.

  Letter to Reader

  Books by Karen Leabo

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Copyright