Anchored To Love
Page 24
“What did he say?”
“He said he never gave it much thought, he never thought that far into the future. He never thought he would be a good dad because he never had a role model, so he didn’t know if he could be.”
“What did you say back to him?”
“I said I never had a mother, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do my best to be the best mother I could be.”
“What happened to your grandfather?”
“My grandfather somberly walked up to us and said, ‘Raven, I wanted to say how sorry I am about what your grandmother did. I should have said something a long time ago.’”
“Oh shit, what did you say?”
“I said, ‘Yes Grandfather, you should have. Not only did you let me grow up without a mother, but you made everyone believe that my mother was crazy and didn’t want me. You stole the only love of my father’s life and you stole me from my mother. You are just as guilty in my eyes as Grandmother is because you knew all along and didn’t stop it.’”
“Wow that was harsh.”
“Maybe so, but it was the truth. We walked over to my parents; Dad had Mom’s face in his hand. Tears were falling down Mom’s face. When we stepped over to them, they pulled me into their arms, hugging me for the first time.”
Tears fill Raven’s eyes just remembering the feeling of their arms around her for the first time.
“You’ll love this; I gave Mom and Dad the sex talk.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did, I said, ‘Here’s my speech. Make good choices and remember … safe sex! Although I’ve always wanted a baby brother or sister.’”
“I can’t believe you said that to them.”
“Well, what did you expect me to do? Neither of them has been with anyone for twenty-two years, things have changed. We decided it was time to go and see my grandparents on my mom’s side. I called them to see if they were up to having company. This story will blow your mind. This is how the conversation went. ‘Hello, Grandmother? Yes, this is … I am in … How? I wanted to see … It will take … I’m excited to see … Bye.’”
“Okay, so is it just me or was that conversation strange?”
“That’s not even the half of it. I was upset with them before we got to their home because of what they did to my mother. That didn’t last long. We followed Mom and Dad to my grandparents’ house. As we pulled into their driveway and parked, Mom and Dad got out of their car first. Then Toby opened the door for me. As the front door opened, my grandparents came running out toward Mom. Grandmother was sobbing and apologizing to Mom, as my grandfather’s eyes glinted with his own unshed tears.
“They stood back and looked at me, then looked at each other. ‘Yes, she is,’ my grandmother said.
“Mom tilted her head to the side. I got a big smile on my face. ‘A beautiful angel,’ I said and looked at my grandparents. They pulled me into a hug.”
“Okay, what am I missing here? Half sentences and no one is really talking.” I say.
“I know, but just listen. ‘Yes, how did you know what we were thinking?’ my grandparents said. I looked at Toby, then back to Mom and my grandparents. ‘I don’t know, in my mind I heard you say it.’ Then Mom interrupted my thoughts and re-introduced Dad to them.”
‘Yes, of course we remember Makya. It’s good to see you again. Welcome to our family.’
‘Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Williams.’
‘Please, it’s Bill and Susan.’
‘Okay, thank you, Bill and Susan.’
“Then I introduced Toby to them.”
“This is my boyfriend, Toby Mitchell.”
“He stepped forward and shook their hands.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You are the gentleman that was asking for information about Michelle, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am, I am.”
“Do you know how you joke with me about my batty senses?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“This is where my batty senses and twilight zone came together.”
“This is so cool, freaky cool,” Trent says.
“You already know this stuff?”
“Beyond, I spent Sunday with her grandparents. It is the twilight zone all the way.”
“So my grandmother asks if we want coffee or tea. Well, I know how Toby likes his and I know my mother likes Jasmine tea, but it has been years since I have been around my dad. I couldn’t tell them how he liked his coffee.”
“So why didn’t they just ask?”
“They did, they asked me … they asked me without talking.”
My eyes fly to Raven’s. “What the fuck are you talking about, Raven?”
“When my grandmother asked if we wanted some coffee, Toby said that he wanted some, but I didn’t answer. A few minutes later, they walked into the room. Grandmother was carrying a tray with all the drinks on it, and Grandfather followed her in. She set the tray on the coffee table and started to hand out the drinks. She handed Toby his coffee. She said, ‘Two sugars, a little cream, and a dash of cinnamon. Raven, here is your ice water; Michelle, your Jasmine tea; Makya, I’m sorry I didn’t know how you like your coffee so I brought out the fixings.’ They sat in the chairs and we all sat there quietly until Toby couldn’t stand it any longer. ‘So, who’s going to tell me what is going on? Because I know I didn’t tell you how I like my coffee. It’s perfect, by the way, thank you, and from the looks of it, Michelle didn’t tell you tea, not to mention Jasmine, and I know that Raven hasn’t said two words, at least not out loud. So what gives?’ Toby looked at me and then to Grandmother and Grandfather.”
“I don’t know what it is. Like I said outside, it’s as if I can hear them talking out loud.”
“So did you tell them how I like my coffee and that your mother likes Jasmine tea?”
“Yes, I don’t know what Dad likes since it’s been six years and I don’t know if he changed how he likes his coffee.”
“So you can read what I am thinking?”
“Well, I did earlier at the park.”
“So can you explain? Bill, Susan?”
“They look at each other.”
“We can’t explain it either. When Michelle went missing and we found out, we consulted a lot of different people, private investigators, the police. And when Raven ran away, we did something I never thought I would do. We consulted a psychic. We felt we didn’t have anything to lose. He sat down with us and told us to open our minds and then he started to tell us about our lives, things that no one knew. He told us that we could channel Raven since she was still young and so we started to focus on her. We knew she was looking for Michelle so we focused on her safety. We told her that she needed to take some sort of martial arts to protect herself while she was on the streets. Then we worked on Michelle. We knew that Raven was in Oregon, so we focused on Michelle, telling her to move to Oregon because we knew she had lost track of her when she ran away. It took a while, but finally, she ended up there. We knew that once Michelle found her again, she could protect her.”
“Outside, you three were talking when she introduced me to you, what were you saying?”
“We looked between the three of us, but Toby said no more mental talking.”
“After years of regret from what we did to Michelle, we realized that things happen for a reason and although we can alter the outcome, eventually things will come back again. Michelle and Makya, you and Raven.”
“What do you mean Raven and me, how do you know this?”
“You were injured in the war, correct?”
“Yes, how do you know that? Did you tell her that, Raven?”
“No.”
“Then how do they know this? I don’t understand, but this is scaring the shit out of me.”
“Toby, this isn’t to scare you. This is to let you know that you are on the right track. If you hadn’t been hurt, you wouldn’t have gone home when you did. If you hadn’t been driving the vehicle, you would have been in
your friend’s place.”
“I would have rather me lose a leg than him; I would have traded my life for his.”
“There are three different scenarios that could have happened here.
“Scenario One: Which is what you are living right now. Yes, you have guilt over your friend, but what happened wasn’t your fault. As you can see, things do happen for a reason. The best outcome is what you have and are living right now.
“Scenario Two: If you had not been driving, you would have died and our Raven would never know the kind of love you have shown her. You wouldn’t have been there to help your friend learn to protect himself and help build his confidence; he wouldn’t be where he is today. This means, his soon-to-be fiancée would have committed suicide because of the torture her ex-boyfriend did to her. His partner would also have drunk himself to death because … what is his name?”
“Beckett.”
“Beckett gave his partner a will to live. Which means you, Raven, wouldn’t be in the position that you hold in his company and you would be back at the club where Charlie’s boyfriend was murdered. And you both wouldn’t be able to get out of it and she would have lost her baby.
“Scenario Three: You would have been the only survivor of your unit and our Raven would never know the kind of love you have shown her. In fact, she would have been the next victim of the man you just caught.”
“Brad?”
“Yes, he knew Raven was going to say something. The first night Raven stayed at your house, he was waiting for her at her place. You wouldn’t have started your security business because you would be wallowing in self-pity, and Beckett would have died in the car crash because you weren’t there to pull him away from the explosion. His partner would have gone back into a deep depression after losing another family member and drunk himself to death.
“If you had been the lone survivor, guilt would have eaten at you. You wouldn’t have met Raven, she wouldn’t have been at your place, and Brad would have killed her and Jaxon, and then retaliated against your friend’s fiancée. Then when Charlie found Raven and Jaxon’s body, she would have lost it and killed herself.
“You see, things happen for a reason, and now you can see why. This is just a small example of how things could have been different.”
“Oh fuck Raven,” I say, as tears fill my eyes.
“Thank God Charlie worked all night and Katie took Jaxon to her house. Charlie recently lost someone. The three of you lost him, but you, Raven, were there with Charlie.”
“Yes, but Toby didn’t know Braydon.”
“Hum. Well, Charlie’s life will be turning around; you brought back an old friend of hers.”
“Yes, Carson, I work with him. I didn’t know they knew each other until I re-introduced them.”
“He will help her with her struggles; he’s a good daddy to your nephew. And you’re going to a celebration tomorrow.”
“Yes, he is my bosses’ and Toby’s friend.”
“He has had years and years of suffering, but he found his true love when he was a child. Please tell me this celebration is for them both.”
“Yes, it is. He’s going to propose tomorrow in the park where they fell in love.”
“He knew all along about her, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Then, Toby spoke up again.”
“So what does all of this mean for us? I mean, I see the whole It’s a Wonderful Life thing, but what does it mean?”
“It means life is always uncertain, don’t waste your love to live your life. Love for some only comes once in a lifetime. Hold onto what is important to you. Things happen for a reason and sometimes we don’t know what those reasons are. For you, Michelle, your life is unfolding, so you should be able to see it. As wrong as we were if things would have continued, his mother would have gotten rid of you in a more permanent way, but it all comes down to you.”
“She stopped then and pointed at Toby.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are the hub in this whole thing and you don’t see it. You helped Beckett and Harlow, which helped Richard, which helped Raven, which helped Charlie, which helped Michelle, which helps your friend, which in the following month will help you. You have never realized the importance of your life. I know you have a few things to clear up before you and Raven make it official. You are too afraid of what people will think of you getting married so soon, but you’re not the type of person that cares what others think except for your friends. It’s good that you want to make amends with your friend that was injured with you, and the sooner you do that the better, because he is thinking you walked away from him because of his situation. He needs your help. In fact, I would call him tonight.”
“You know what is going to happen then?”
“I never know what will happen. Everyone has free choice, and with those choices comes consequences. I’m not a fortune teller; I just know what the here and now has in store.”
“Okay, I will call him now then.”
“Before you call him, do you know the meaning of your name?”
“No, I don’t.”
“It means ‘God is good.’ He had you picked from the beginning and he has blessed you. So don’t ever think any differently, especially with what I have just told you, because I will be the first to say that I am glad that you brought my granddaughter up here to see us. Now go call your friend.”
“Okay, please excuse me.”
“Then Toby walked outside,” Raven says.
“I knew there was something,” I say, “but I wouldn’t have ever thought that. How is Toby handling it all?”
“He is actually doing well. Nothing has changed; as long as I talk to him and not try to read him, he is good,” Raven says. “We better head back. Toby is meeting with his mother right now.”
“He found her?”
“Yes. Paul, the private investigator, found a couple of women that it could have been and he talked to him today and was meeting her at noon. I can’t wait to see what happens.”
We pay the tab and start walking back to the office.
It’s five o’clock and time to go see my baby and her baby. I am getting anxious for this weekend and have my mind focused on that when there is a call on the intercom from Raven.
“I just received a call from Toby and he is inviting everyone out for Chinese. He knows it is short notice, but would love it if everyone can come with your significant others in an hour. Toby found his mother and he would like to introduce her to his family.”
I pull my phone out to call Char. “Hi baby, are you busy this evening?”
“No, Katie has Jaxon.”
“Toby found his mother and would like to have a family dinner at the Chinese restaurant that we have been going to a lot. But he wants us to be there in an hour.”
“Zain, I don’t have a car.”
“Yes you do, Raven said to bring her car and see if Katie can meet you there.”
“Okay, I will call her. I will meet you over there.”
“Char?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Zain. I will be there as soon as I can.”
I lock my office, and Trent and I walk to the entry. Beckett and Richard have already left to pick up Nicole and Harlow. Toby walks in as we get to Raven’s desk. “Char is going to meet us there in your car, Raven.”
“That’s great, this way I don’t have to worry about Toby having to bring me all the time.”
“It’s not like I mind taking you to work and picking you up.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to have to worry about dropping what you are doing to come get me.”
We start to walk out as Raven sets the alarm and locks the door behind us. I walk out to my car as Toby, Raven, and Trent walk to Toby’s truck.
I stop to get gas on the way to the restaurant, but know that even after stopping, I will be early.
I walk through the door.
“I just had to stop and get gas,” I say. Toby looks at me, then at Raven. “I can’t imagine that Charlie is here already.”
“I can’t imagine Beckett or Richard being here yet,” Toby says.
The host takes us back to our now-familiar area in the back room and as we enter, I see a woman, who has to be Toby’s mother, with an older couple. Maybe his grandparents. She has intense blue eyes that are filling with tears. I know this has to be Toby’s grandmother, because her expression is identical to the other woman, to the point of her fingers covering her mouth. The man, on the other hand, is almost as tall as I am, with dark brown hair, a thin build, and blue eyes. I can see Toby’s mother in his face. Toby walks over to them.
“Toby, I hope you don’t mind, but these are my parents, your grandparents, Thomas and Denise Mitchell. They have waited so long to see you again too.”
“Of course I don’t mind. We’re going to have one big party back here.”
He walks over to his grandparents and introduces them to Raven, Michaels, and myself. They pull Toby into a big hug. You can tell Toby isn’t used to that type of closeness, because he stiffens. I think they can tell, and they ease up. Then he relaxes and soaks in the love that they are giving to him.
“I’m sorry. This is all new to me. I never received this type of affection growing up.”
You can tell he doesn’t mean to say that, and I see the looks on his mom’s and grandparents’ faces fall. “The important thing is that we are here now and we can get to know each other.”
Nice save, Toby—always politically correct.
“We’re sorry, we’ve missed you so much and finally seeing you again after all these years, well …” His grandmother isn’t able to finish before her tears take her voice away.
“I know, I never thought this day would come either. Not only did I gain a mother, but grandparents too, a double bonus.”
I notice a confused look on Raven as she looks at Toby’s grandparents. “Have we met before? You look so familiar.”