“Please, do,” said Annie. “The sinners around this table obviously need it.”
“Why are you looking at me?” Bella asked.
Ben raised his eyebrows. “Everyone knows why, baby.”
“I’m so misunderstood.” Bella grinned and slapped her husband’s hand.
They all bowed their heads.
“Dear Lord,” Tommy said, “thank you for the friendships around this table, and for our families, and for new babies, and especially for friends who become family. And for those unexpected blessings that arrive to remind us of your deep love. Amen.”
Sarah, my unexpected blessing.
They passed food, chatting and laughing. While Gennie waited for the platter of turkey, she watched Lee cut Ellie-Rose’s food into small pieces. Next to her, Sarah spooned a stack of potatoes onto her plate. Had she been a chubby toddler? When had she started to talk? What was her first word? What kind of food had she liked? At the park, did she like swings or the slide? I may never know the answers. I missed so much. No matter how many stories we shared, there would always be blanks, details lost. I gave birth to this beautiful girl, but I’m not her mother. Yet, here she is next to me. A miracle. A second chance.
After the dishes were done and leftovers packaged up for all to take home, John and Linus left, concerned about the icy roads after dark. Tommy and Lee announced they were leaving shortly thereafter.
“Little one needs a nap.” Tommy held Ellie-Rose on his hip and kissed the top of her head. She snuggled against his neck, holding her blanket and sucking her thumb.
“Me too,” Verle said.
Ellen rolled her eyes. “No nap for me. Fit as a fiddle.”
“So she says,” Verle said. “She falls asleep in her big chair with a book on her chest.”
“I’m simply resting my eyes. But we have to go too.” Ellen pulled Gennie into an embrace. “You hang tough, you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gennie said.
Lee squeezed her hand and hugged her, whispering in her ear. “Lean on those around you. You’ll get through this.”
After the goodbyes, Annie asked Alder to show Sarah to her room. Alder squared his shoulders and offered his arm. “Right this way, my lady.”
“Thank you, kind sir.” Sarah slipped her arm through his as they crossed the room.
“We have a pool room. Would you like to play?” Alder asked.
“Totally,” Sarah said. “I can’t believe you have your own pool table.”
“I’m a bit of a shark,” he said. “Just so you know.”
Annie joined Gennie’s mother at the table to put together a complex puzzle. The men headed downstairs to look at Drake’s wine cellar.
Bella, wearing a jacket, sidled up beside Gennie. “I’m going out to the patio for some fresh air. Join me?”
“It’s cold out there.”
Bella reached into the pockets of her jacket and pulled out two airplane bottles of cinnamon whiskey. “This’ll keep us warm.”
Gennie chuckled. “Are you ever going to grow up?”
“I certainly hope not.”
“Fine.” Gennie grabbed her jacket and slipped on her hat and gloves. Bella was already on the deck, sitting in one of the chairs arranged around the fire pit. Drake had cleared the deck of snow, but a layer of ice remained. “Careful, it’s slippery,” Bella said.
Walking like a duck, Gennie made her way to the fire pit. “If I break my leg, it’s on you.”
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, shedding golden rays through the firs and pines. Bella switched on the gas coals as Gennie settled into one of the wooden chairs, her down jacket acting as a cushion against the cold. Bella handed her one of the tiny bottles.
Gennie sipped her drink. “Wow, that’s good.”
Bella grinned as she popped the top off her bottle. “See? You don’t want me to change.”
“I really don’t.”
Bella leaned over the coals, warming her hands. “You know I can’t stand it when I don’t know absolutely everything going on with you.”
“Yes, I am aware of that.” Gennie laughed.
“Tell me about Sarah,” Bella said.
“I told her everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. And she wants me to come forward.”
“Holy shit. She’s brave.”
“She is.” Braver than I am.
Bella took another sip of her drink. “I want the scoop on you and Stefan. Here’s what I know so far.” She clicked each item off on her fingers. “Fact one, he didn’t go home to Canada. Fact two, you’re staying together in the guest house. Fact three, there’s one bed in the guesthouse.”
“Technically, there’s a fold-out couch.” Gennie put her feet up on the rim of the circular pit. “If you want to know the truth, I’m head over heels in love with him.”
“No way. Really?”
“Really.”
“What about sex? Is it like with Moody?” Bella flushed and looked uncharacteristically abashed. “I’m sorry. Don’t answer if you don’t want to. I know how complicated all this is for you.”
“We haven’t. He’s patient and understanding. We’ve kissed and he stayed with me last night in my room, but he knows I’m not ready.”
“After what that piece of shit did to you, do you think you’ll ever be ready?”
“I don’t know.”
Bella scrunched up her face, obviously thinking. “I’ve never seen you happier than when you’re with him. He brings out your playful side.”
“I guess he does.” I’ve been in a dormant state for a long time, like a bulb in the ground and Stefan’s the warm spring, coaxing me out of the dark earth.
“You know how much I want this for you,” Bella said.
“Yeah, I know.”
They sipped their whiskeys in silence. Snow slid from a tree branch ten or so feet from the porch.
“So, it’s game on.” Bella grinned as she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a bar of chocolate.
“How can you be hungry?” Gennie asked.
“I’m not hungry, exactly, but I remembered I had this chocolate hidden in my pocket, so I may as well eat it with my cinnamon drink.”
Gennie made a face, then laughed.
“What? They’re awesome together,” Bella said.
Bella was a hundred and fifteen pounds of pure muscle. Apparently, muscles needed a lot of calories because the woman never stopped eating.
Gennie reached over and squeezed Bella’s gloved hand. “Thanks for being my best friend.”
“You’re welcome.” Bella tore the wrapper from the chocolate bar and took a bite, chewing for a moment before speaking. “I gotta tell you, I’m scared out of my mind about the company. Not because of what’s happening with you, but because of me. What if I blow this thing?”
“You’re not going to,” Gennie said.
“It’s so much money. So, so much money. Your money.”
“I’m not worried. Worst case, if I don’t get my investment back, I’m fine. You know I’m smart with my finances. If I never worked again, I’d be fine.”
“You have way too much money,” Bella said.
“And you eat a ridiculous amount and never gain weight, so the way I see it, we’re pretty much even.”
Bella popped up, stretching her arms over her head. “It’s cold out here. Let’s go in and have some pie.”
“You really are a freak of nature.”
Chapter 8
The next morning, Gennie sat under a bright light in Annie’s dining room while Bella did her makeup for the interview. Bella had just finished her eyes and was about to move on to her hair when the doorbell rang. Annie popped out from the kitchen, holding a dish towel. “I’ve got it, Bella. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
A couple minutes later, Annie came back with Trix. “Sorry I’m so late.” Trix wore knee high boots with four-inch heels and a long leather jacket, which she shrugged out of
to reveal a skin-tight sweater dress. “I had no idea there were no cabs here.”
“It’s fine,” Gennie said. I told you last night on the phone I didn’t need you here. “We’re just finishing up my makeup while Raquel’s producers get everything ready.”
“You look gorg, as always.” Trix tossed her bag on the table and greeted Bella with a peck on the cheek. “Yo, B, what’s up?”
“Getting our girl ready for her close-up,” Bella said.
“How you holding up? Still want to go through with this?” Trix asked.
“Yes. It’s the right thing to do,” Gennie said.
“The buzz on this is going to break Twitter,” Trix said. “Seriously, people’s heads are going to explode.”
“How did you get in the gate? It’s not open, is it?” Gennie asked. Please tell me the gate’s not open.
“No, that Linus from the inn brought me over,” Trix said. “I think he thought I was either amusing or odd. He stared at me with this weird smile, like I was an exotic creature from outer space. I did throw a tiny tantrum about the no cab situation. But I mean, for God’s sake, what kind of town doesn’t have cabs?”
“River Valley,” Bella said.
“You could’ve rented a car.” Gennie stifled a sigh, imagining Trix’s interaction with Linus. The last thing I need is Trix here. I’m already nervous enough.
“I’m not about to drive around in this forest by myself. I might get lost and get eaten by a bear.” She tugged on her right earlobe. “All that would be left of me is my diamond earrings.”
“You’re hardly more than a snack for a bear,” Bella said.
Trix lowered her voice, glancing out the windows. “Have there been any Sasquatch sightings here?”
“No, just Yetis,” Bella said. “And they’re mean bastards, so you’ve got to be careful.”
“What’s a Yeti?” Trix asked. “Are they for real?”
“Bella, stop,” said Annie. “There are no Yetis here, Trix. Bella’s just teasing you.”
“As far as we know,” Bella said. “But these woods are thick. And there’s a guy in town who claims he saw Sasquatch in 1987.”
Annie laughed. “That’s crazy Bill Hignight. One night during a full moon he consumed a fifth of tequila, including the worm, and wandered out into the woods. He came back the next morning with stories of a Sasquatch sighting. Highly unreliable source.”
“Sorry you came, Trix?” Gennie asked.
“Of course not. I know Bella’s just trying to scare me. I’m not a total idiot,” Trix said.
“Would you care for coffee, Trix?” Annie asked.
“Dying for some. Oh, yeah, and there’s no Starbucks. I mean, wow. Just wow.”
“Don’t you worry, I’ve got coffee,” Annie said. “Are you hungry? I just whipped up some muffins.”
“Oh, no, thank you. I’m on a diet,” Trix said as they passed through the kitchen door.
“How do you trust a woman who never eats?” Bella whispered. “Did you see her hipbones in that dress? There’s no flesh to her, just skin and bones.”
“She’s very loyal.”
“Loyal to her paycheck.” Bella wrapped a chunk of Gennie’s hair around a flat iron for a couple of seconds. When she released it, a perfect wave fell into place.
“Bella, you know it’s more than that for her.”
“Is it?”
“What are you saying?”
Bella picked up another bunch of hair, repeating the same movement. “I’m not saying anything. I just don’t like her.”
“Stefan doesn’t either. How come you never told me that before?”
“I didn’t fully realize it until just now. It’s River Valley. Everything’s clearer here.”
A few minutes later, Gennie was ready for filming. The crew had set lights and moved two chairs over by the window to take advantage of the view and were now nibbling on Annie’s homemade muffins. Raquel sat on the couch, chatting with Stefan. Long-legged and pretty, with hair the color of a copper penny that complemented her big brown eyes, Raquel had a wide, full smile that often had a beguiling effect on her interviewees. Over the years, she’d earned a reputation of someone who pulled deeply personal stories from the celebrities and politicians she interviewed. They’d met years before when Raquel had worked on the local Los Angeles morning show and Gennie was doing publicity for her first movie. They had been friends ever since. They greeted each other with a hug. “Thanks for giving me this exclusive,” Raquel said. “It means a lot.”
“You’re the only one I would give it to. But before we start, we need to talk. Privately.”
They crossed the room to Drake’s study. Gennie shut the door behind them. Raquel perched on the side of the desk, crossing her arms over her chest. “What’s up?”
“This interview’s going to be more than my story about a teenage pregnancy,” Gennie said.
Raquel’s eyebrows raised. “Okay?”
“Twenty years ago, Rick Murphy raped me. I was fifteen years old.”
“Oh, shit.”
They sat in the chairs by the window as the crew clipped microphones to their blouses. Raquel spoke into Gennie’s ear. “Sarah just approached me. She wants to do an interview. You okay with that?”
“Yes. Just go easy on her.”
“I will, don’t worry. As far as this goes, I’ll write a lead-in about what happened. I’ll use excerpts from Bentley’s interviews, then we’ll cut to us,” said Rachel.
“This isn’t my first rodeo.”
“Yeah. Right. Of course. This isn’t even your first rodeo with me.” Raquel picked up a small notepad and settled back in her chair. “I’m a nervous wreck. If it gets too rough, we’ll shut the cameras off for a few minutes and let you get your composure.”
“Don’t be afraid to cry,” Trix called out to them from behind one of the cameras. “People need to see you suffering.”
Raquel shot Trix a withering look. Did everyone dislike Trix?
Once the camera guys were ready, they started filming.
“Can you tell me what happened twenty years ago?” asked Raquel.
She’d perfected the story by this time, telling it succinctly but with the necessary details to give it authenticity. After she was done, she paused, waiting for the next question. The room’s so quiet. I’ve stunned the crew.
Raquel took her through a series of questions where Gennie explained how she’d picked the Bentleys and how they’d agreed to a closed adoption.
“And you never told your mother it was Rick Murphy who’d assaulted you?” asked Raquel.
“He threatened to kill us if I said anything to anyone. So, I didn’t.” Had one of the crew gasped?
“Why now?”
“Obviously, I want to defend myself. I’ve been portrayed in the press as a baby killer, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I believe George Bentley’s in trouble financially, which motivated his breach of our closed adoption agreement. Also, I met Sarah Bentley. She encouraged me to come forward with the truth, as did my mother. We all feel strongly that a rapist should not be a candidate for the President of the United States.”
“Are you still afraid of Rick Murphy?”
“Very much so.”
“Do you believe there are others?”
“I hope not. I sincerely hope not.”
“But you have your doubts?” Raquel asked.
“I do.”
“If there are others, what would you say to them?”
“Come forward. You are not alone.”
“Let’s assume Rick Murphy is not going to admit to guilt. What are you prepared to do to prove his guilt?”
“It’s pretty simple. We’ve filed a motion with the courts for a paternity test. A DNA test will prove that Sarah is his biological child. There’s no denying science. I was fifteen. It is statutory rape.”
“You met Sarah yesterday. How was that?”
Gennie swallowed hard as her eyes filled with tears. Using th
e tissue one of the assistant producers had given her, she wiped the corners of her eyes. “Very emotional for both of us. Terribly gratifying to know what a graceful and intelligent young woman she is.”
“Will you have a relationship going forward?” asked Rachel.
She glanced over at Sarah, who stood behind the cameras, next to Stefan and Annie. “I certainly hope so. It’s up to her, of course. This has all come as a major shock to her.”
“Can you share with us why you chose to have her? Fifteen. Raped. Not a typical choice.”
Gennie hesitated. She must choose her words carefully. Her father’s voice came to her. Tell the truth. Your own truth. Don’t worry about anyone else.
“I was so naïve I didn’t realize you could get pregnant that way. I thought you had to be in love.” She smiled through her tears. “It sounds so dumb, but that’s how young and sheltered I was. But when I figured it out, there was never any other choice but to have her. I’m not here to tell anyone what to do. These choices are very personal, and frankly, none of my business. I’m not here to push a platform. That’s the last thing I want. I can only say what I felt in my heart. This was a baby that was meant for the world. That’s all.”
“After meeting her, do you feel you made the right choice?”
“The day I had her. Last year. Last month. Today. Always.”
After Gennie finished, Raquel took a break before starting the interview with Sarah. Meanwhile, Bella had fixed Sarah’s hair and makeup. “You look beautiful,” Bella said to her.
“I feel beautiful. It’s kind of like magic what Bella does, isn’t it?” Sarah asked.
“You don’t have to tell me,” Gennie said. “I enter the set in the morning looking like death. An hour later I look like a completely different person.”
Raquel joined them by the window. “Sarah, do you have any questions before we start?”
“Not really. Gennie said I should just answer as honestly as I can.”
“That’s good advice. Also, if you need a break, just tell me and we can stop. There’s no reason we can’t do that since it’s not live. Okay?”
“Okay.”
The River Valley Series Page 92