Tears streaming down her cheeks, she put the palm of her hand on the glass. Makayla couldn't actually hear her words, but she didn't need to. It was clear to everyone what Robin was saying.
It's you…
Chaos erupted all around.
Security descended upon Makayla and people shouted in all directions. The security guard wanted to know what was in the bags she'd dropped in the hall and one of the office workers warned her the authorities were on their way.
The other coworker asked over and over whether they should evacuate the building and since no one paid attention to him, he became increasingly agitated each time.
Wallace demanded to know who Makayla was and Bree and the young guy scrambled to find something appropriate to put on-air until the whole mess was straightened out.
But amid all the yanking and yelling and shoving and shouting, Makayla saw only one thing: Robin, as she pushed past them all to get to where Makayla was.
Once she did, she took Makayla's hand in hers and lifted it so she could see the pendant. She traced her fingers over the inscription. Then put her arms around Makayla and openly wept.
Her reaction silenced the room.
Makayla was only vaguely aware of Bree’s voice explaining to the others there was no danger. That it was all a misunderstanding. That everything was okay.
Makayla didn't care what happened next. Wallace could have her arrested and thrown in jail and it wouldn't make a difference because for the moment, she was in her mother's arms. And she realized it was the only place she'd ever wanted to be, even for the past five anger-filled years.
No imaginary encounter or fantasy scenario could've prepared her for the reality of the moment. In a matter of seconds, every hollow place in her heart was filled to overflowing. Everything that had been lacking, was made whole. For the first time in her remembered history, she belonged somewhere.
Makayla had never known true love. She'd seen representations of it on TV. Heard about the joy it brought in songs. But in her experience, it was a fleeting thing that easily slipped through your fingers the very moment you tried to grasp at it.
Not anymore. Now it held her in its arms and rocked her like a baby.
As she nestled her face in the curve of Robin's neck, she understood the feeling so many others had tried to describe before—she knew what it felt like to be home.
The security guard, along with the others, filed out and Wallace went with them to explain the situation to the officers that had just arrived.
Her hands on either side of Makayla's face, Robin didn't seem capable of doing much more than staring. She ran her fingers over Makayla's cheekbones and mouth, shaking her head and whispering, “How did I not know?"
Makayla hated to hear the sorrow and regret in Robin's voice, but it was so much better than the cold indifference she had expected. Why had she waited so long to tell the truth?
Robin took in a quick and sharp breath. "Oh! Marcus!" She twirled around, looking in every direction. "I have to tell Marcus! My bag. Where is it? I need my phone!"
Bree, the only person still left in the room, quickly came forward with Robin's purse.
Robin dug around until she found her phone. She touched Makayla's face one last time and kissed her cheek before stepping away and dialing.
Marcus?
Makayla hadn't heard the name before. Not from Robin, Mr. Jones or anyone at the church. She looked down at the pendant in her hand.
She’d always majored so heavily on Carrie, she’d never given much thought to Junior.
Was Marcus the Junior from the inscription? Was Marcus her father?
Why else would he be the first person Robin called? Even before Mr. Jones? If Marcus was Junior, and the engravings in the heart pendant meant that Junior and Carrie loved each other…
Makayla felt her knees weaken and she stumbled back, overcome with relief.
Was it possible Makayla was conceived out of love, and not force?
She took a step toward Robin. She had to hear what she was saying. She had to know—
"What are you trying to pull?"
Makayla look down at the white-knuckled grip Bree had on her forearm.
The woman’s voice was low, but seething with fury. “You deliver the goods. I do the dirty work. Wallace gets his ratings. That was the deal."
Makayla pulled her arm away, still trying to make out what Robin was saying. "I changed my mind."
Bree folded her arms and laughed. "Oh! You changed your mind? Well, then, okay. That clears that up. I guess we can all go home now!"
"I'm sorry."
Bree came in closer and Makayla saw it wasn't just fury in her eyes, but also frantic desperation.
"You're sorry? Do you have any idea the kind of crap storm Wallace is going to rain down on me because of this? We've been teasing this interview for weeks. It was going to be his biggest exposé in the last two years!"
Bree shut her eyes and bit down on her lip so hard, Makayla expected it to bleed.
"You better hope to God we can still salvage this." Bree rubbed the palm of one hand against the back of the other. “Maybe this could work… Maybe we can still spin it. Maybe we can—“
"No!" Makayla looked over her shoulder to be sure Robin was still occupied with her phone call. "I said it’s over. This was all a mistake. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this and I'm sorry Wallace will be mad at you, but you guys can't use the stuff I gave you."
"You think Wallace is going to be mad at me?" Bree cackled and covered her eyes in exasperated disbelief. "I won't even have a job by the time he's done. I'll be lucky if he doesn't burn me entirely! Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get here?"
Sarah's eyes glistened with tears and Makayla realized preventing Wallace from ruining Robin's life only meant sacrificing Bree instead. She felt horrible for what she'd done, but what choice did she have? She couldn't let them do the interview.
"Let me talk to him. I can explain everything. Show him it was all my fault—“
The door opened and Wallace came in. The moment he saw Robin, he plastered on a bright smile. But not before Makayla saw the split-second flash of anger that crossed his face when he glanced in Bree and Makayla's direction.
"Okay," Robin said into the phone. "We're leaving now."
Robin turned to Wallace. "I'm so sorry about all of this." She took her coat from the stand in the corner.
"No, don't be." He glanced at Makayla again. "Looks like we landed smack in the middle of a family reunion, huh? Too bad we couldn't have done it on-air!"
He laughed, clearly not amused, but Robin was too distracted to notice the dichotomy.
"Come on, baby." She put her arm out, taking Makayla's hand in hers and opened the door. Then to Wallace, she said, "I'll make this up to you. Reschedule me for whenever you have a slot and I'll be here."
At the word ‘reschedule,’ Makayla felt her heart seize. She had to make sure that didn't happen. She tugged at Robin's hand to free herself from it.
"Is there a bathroom around here?" Makayla directed her question at Bree. She just needed a few minutes. A few minutes away from Robin, so she could explain everything to Wallace.
But before Bree could speak, Robin said, "Oh baby, can you wait? We’re not that far from the church. Marcus said he'd be there soon."
Makayla looked at Bree but the woman turned away, refusing to meet her gaze. As Makayla followed Robin out of the room, Wallace shut the door behind them. They weren't three feet down the hall before Makayla heard him yelling.
Chapter 33
Makayla glanced at Robin. They were at a stoplight and Robin took the opportunity to blow her nose and pat her face dry. It didn't do much good though. By the time the light turned green, her face was wet with tears again. A few moments later, they turned in to the New Life Tabernacle parking lot and Robin turned off the engine.
Neither had spoken much since they’d left the radio station. Robin couldn't seem to do more tha
n thank God and start crying each time she looked over at Makayla. Makayla was more than able to speak, she just wasn't sure she wanted to.
She'd imagined numerous ways Robin would reject her when the truth came out. What she’d never imagined was this. And now that she'd experienced it, she didn't want to ruin it by telling Robin what she and Bree had done.
Maybe she didn't have to. At least, not yet. Maybe she could convince Robin not to go back on the show. That would give them some time. Time to know each other better. Time to get closer. And once the relationship was less fragile, she would tell her everything.
It wasn't that she wanted to go on lying to Robin, it was that she was too terrified to do any more damage than she'd already done. Yes, Robin was happy she’d found her, but how long would that last when she learned the innocent baby girl she left had turned into a scheming manipulator?
Makayla didn't have any experience in the mommy-daughter department, but she was certain even a mother’s love had its limits.
"Oh!”
Robin's abrupt exclamation snatched Makayla from her thoughts.
"Daddy! I have to call him, too. We’ll go there right after this, okay?"
“You think Mr. Jones will be okay with it? I mean, me being here?”
"Of course. Once he knows, he'll probably try to get you to move in with him!” Robin laughed and patted away the wetness on her cheekbones. “Just remember, I asked first."
She put her hand on Makayla's cheek as fresh tears sprung to her eyes. "God is so good," she whispered.
For once, Makayla felt inclined to say, Amen.
Robin looked past her and out the passenger side window and smiled. Makayla turned to see a black car with tinted windows pull in to a parking space a few feet away.
Robin unlocked the car doors. "Come on. He's been looking for you so long, I don't want him to have to wait another second.”
Makayla opened the door and got out of the car. She watched as a man got out of the backseat of the black car, staring at her as if she would vanish should he blink.
He was tall and could have been described as a life-size teddy bear. His face was kind and for some reason, familiar.
He walked up to Makayla, shaking his head. His hand covered his mouth and he appeared dazed. When he looked at Robin, he laughed out loud.
"I can hardly believe it!"
Robin nodded, too emotional to speak.
He looked back at Makayla, taking in every part of her face.
"You look just like her.”
Makayla held out her hand. “I’m Makayla Dawson."
He smiled and took her hand into both of his. "I'm Marcus Thomas, Jr. And I've been dreaming of this day your whole life."
Chapter 34
When they entered the sanctuary of New Life Tabernacle, only the lights over the podium were on, casting most of the space in shadow. They sat in one of the back pews, Robin on one side of Makayla, Marcus on the other.
Neither could stop staring at her. Ordinarily, having her every word and movement watched so closely would've made Makayla uncomfortable. But at that moment, under those circumstances, it made her feel wanted and safe.
"How did you find us? How did you even know where to look?"
The excitement in Robin's voice, her mannerisms and even her energy, reminded Makayla of a happy little hummingbird.
"The pendant you left. It had your name. And grandma knew your grandmother from back in the day when she went to New Life. She always assumed that's why you came to her. After I got here, I just started asking around, putting pieces together from what I heard and…”
Makayla wondered if she’d made a mistake. The unreadable expressions on Robin and Marcus's faces led her to believe so. She looked from one to the other.
"What?"
Though Robin opened her mouth to speak, no words came. Instead, the overflow of tears gathered at her bottom lashes began to fall. Marcus gently touched Makayla on the shoulder. She turned to him.
"What all do you know about your mother, sweetheart? What have you been told?"
Makayla looked at Robin. Something had changed, but Makayla couldn't figure out what.
"My grandmother said she came home from the corner store one afternoon. You were sitting on the porch, your eyes red and swollen from crying. You said your grandmother had died. That something terrible had happened and you had nowhere to go. It was a couple of months before you started showing and…" Makayla couldn't look Robin in the eye when she said the next part. "That's when my grandmother realized the something terrible, was me."
Out of the corner of her eye, Makayla saw Robin’s hand cover her mouth.
"She said at first, you were always sad, but with each day, you seemed to get a little better. You helped around the house, took in sewing, some laundry, paid your way.
"She thought it would work out. She was grateful to have help and looked forward to a baby in the house. But the night you came home from the hospital, the sadness came back, too. The next morning, she made you breakfast, but you hardly touched it. She said she went to the bathroom and when she came back, you were gone."
Tears streamed down Robin's cheeks and over her hand. Marcus stared at the floor. The pain caused by the memories was palpable. Not just for Makayla but, obviously, for them, too. She wanted nothing more than to stop it, for Robin, especially. But she needed to say one more thing first.
“Whatever happened doesn’t matter anymore. I was stupid to blame you like I did, to try to get you back for all the stuff I went through. I'm sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am. Especially after I got to know you. I thought you just didn't care. I thought you dumped me so you could live your life without worrying about a kid. But then Trey told me about how sad you’d get every fall and then, after lunch Thursday… I messed up. I messed up so much. I'm really, really sorry.”
When Makayla's voice broke, Robin grabbed her and held her tight.
Makayla didn't know how she'd ever thought she hated Robin. It wasn't possible. She knew it every time she held her. She was what Makayla had wanted her entire life and being with her was a thousand times better than any dream she'd ever had.
With a voice brimming with heartache, Robin whispered, “Oh, Makayla… I love you so much."
Of course, she did. Makayla finally understood that. What she didn't understand was the sadness that filled Robin's eyes as she said it.
"I love you, too."
"I…" Robin looked down. "I'm…" She took a deep breath and sat back in the pew. She took Makayla's wrists and drew them to her. Then she grasped her hands and held on as if their lives depended on it. As if letting go meant one of them would slip away and be lost forever. Then she closed her eyes and breathed, "Jesus, help us."
A few moments passed and Marcus said, "Robin?"
Robin opened her eyes and she and Makayla looked at him.
Makayla didn't know what was going on between them, but it was obvious there was a silent conversation being had. From what she could tell, he wanted Robin to do something. Something Robin seemed unable or unwilling to do.
He tilted his head, as tears filled his eyes. "Robin," he said again. He nodded, but Robin, biting her lip, shook her head.
"You have to," he whispered.
Makayla looked from Marcus to Robin. "You have to what? What's going on?"
Robin stared at her and Makayla's intertwined hands and exhaled. "I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't know— I didn't realize…" Robin shut her eyes.
What could Robin be sorry about? Considering abortion? Makayla didn't care about that. Not anymore. And even if she did, it made no sense for Robin to bring it up now.
Makayla glanced over her shoulder at Marcus. His focus was fixed on Robin with an incredible intensity. Had Makayla been wrong about him? Maybe he wasn't the Junior on the pendant. Maybe he wasn't her father, at all. Did that mean…
Did that mean Makayla's earlier suspicions were correct? Did she only exist because someone had hurt her mother? If she w
ent by Robin’s slumped posture and the pained expression on her face, it seemed likely.
She’d never seen Robin in such a state. She never would have wanted to. She seemed so…broken. Makayla wanted to make it better. But how? She squeezed Robin's hands.
"It's okay. Whatever it is. You don't have to say it. Not right now. I'm just happy we're together. It’s all I ever wanted. And it’s better than anything I’d ever hoped for."
Instead of making Robin feel better, Makayla's words seemed to make her feel worse.
“Oh baby…” A soft moan escaped Robin's lips as she put her hand on Makayla's face. Her words came out in broken sobs. "I would give anything for it to be true. But I'm not your mother."
Chapter 35
Makayla felt a tingling sensation move throughout her body. When she tried to take a breath, she felt her lungs constrict.
Robin continued to caress her face. "I am so sorry, honey. If I’d had any idea who you were and that you didn't know, I would’ve explained it to you."
Makayla shook her head. What was there to explain? Robin was her mother. Of course, she was. Her name was Caroline and that's why she’d called herself Carrie. They favored each other. People said so. Makayla found the pamphlet in her room. Mr. Jones said Robin went away over twenty years ago. And even if Makayla didn't have that mountain of evidence to prove it, she knew—she knew—Robin was her mother.
"Why…" Makayla barely had enough air to make the word audible. "Why would you say that?" She pulled her hand out of Robin's. "Now? After everything? Why would you say something like that?"
Robin gasped for breath between her sobs. "I'm so sorry, Makayla."
She reached for Makayla's hand again, but Makayla moved away and grabbed Robin's phone off the seat between them. She turned on the screen and held the phone up so Robin could see the picture she'd made her wallpaper. The picture she’d sent Makayla. The one that’d made her leave the bus station and crash the interview at the radio station.
Nobody’s Child (New Life Tabernacle Series Book 1) Page 16