by Skye, M.
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. I want you to serve Bianca with the custody papers. She doesn’t deserve to have Allison. I want her to be with us when we get married and when her little brother or sister is born,” she said and squeezed his hand.
His eyes took on a look of surprise and he swooped to her side. “Are you kidding me? We’re pregnant?”
“Yes, I’m dehydrated, but most of my symptoms were because of our little miracle here,” she replied and patted her stomach.
Alex couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was ecstatic about everything. Nothing could bring him down, until he thought about the tragic news they had received earlier. It made the moment bittersweet. Meg saw his face, and she knew what changed his train of thought instantly.
“It’s okay to be sad about mom, I’m devastated, but we have to be strong for our children. Our baby and Allison need us to be in a good place when the trouble begins. I know Bianca is not going to give up without a fight, and normally I would be against removing a child from her mother, but she doesn’t deserve that sweet little girl. Do you know that Allison said she wished I was her mom? It just broke my heart to see the sadness in her eyes.”
“I know it is terrible, but I’m glad you feel that way because I already had the papers drawn up and I can have them delivered today,” he replied.
“Do it, the sooner the better. Life is too short, and I want my little family to be happy. If losing my mother has taught me anything, it’s to seize every moment you can with the ones you love. You never know when it might be the last,” she said and began to cry.
She wanted to keep up a brave face, but she felt everything hit her again when she realized that her child was never going to know what their grandmother was like. Alex knew she needed this time to grieve, so he just held her close and rubbed her back. His presence alone was enough to make her feel whole, at least for the moment.
He knew there would be a rough road ahead, but at least they were together, with no more secrets between them. After about ten minutes, she finally stopped crying and just sat there in silence. While rocking her, he whispered in her ear, “I’ll always be here for you. Me, Alli, and our baby will always be right here to love and support you.”
She wanted to believe everything he was saying, but the fact was that she was afraid. Whoever killed her mother was still out there, and who was to say they wouldn’t come after her and the rest of her family? Maria had never had any enemies as far as she knew, so they were like sitting ducks if there was someone out to punish their family.
If it was random it would be different, her attack had to be personal. She knew the police would be looking into it, but she had to know for herself who would do something so horrible. She decided to make it her personal mission to get to the bottom of it.
While going over everything in her head, she thought back on the last conversation she had with her mother. Maria had never mentioned the man’s name, but she suspected that what happened was in some way related to her mother’s past. It had to be, considering almost everyone she met loved her instantly.
When she thought back on how her mother looked as she told the story, she remembered the terrified look on her face, and cursed herself. She couldn’t believe she had missed it. Maria was obviously leaving to go and confront her past demons and something went wrong.
Her feelings were all over the place at this point; she was sad, angry, and confused. She thought the man from Maria’s past was long gone. How could he have found her? She had so many questions and no way to get answers, and the thought alone was enraging.
“If only there was a way,” she said out loud breaking the silence in the room.
“A way for what?” Alex asked.
“I have so many things that I need to know about my mother, I just need a way to find out.”
“How about this?” Alex said and held up the journal he retrieved from the house earlier.
“I almost forgot about that! I hope there is something in here,” she exclaimed and reached for the small book.
She started leafing through the book and began reading. She was quiet, and became encased in her reading. Maria was an eloquent speaker, even in her younger days. Her entries flowed like a well written poem, which caused Meg to smile slightly. Alex didn’t know what she was reading, but he whatever the case, he was happy to see her smile.
She sat there reading in silence and occasionally looking up at Alex ever so often to let him know she was doing okay. Reading her mother’s journal made her feel closer to her in a way. It showed her they were more alike than she had ever known.
Just as she was getting into the entries after her sixteenth birthday, they received a visitor. Meg didn’t know they were in the room until Allison bound over to her and placed a picture in her lap. “Well what is this beautiful drawing?” Meg asked, feigning surprise.
“It’s a picture of me, you, and daddy, and look Missy is here too,” Allison pointed out excitedly.
“I think this is so pretty, Missy is going to love that you added her to your picture,” Meg replied sweetly.
“Why do you have all those strings on you?” she asked curiously.
“I was sick, and these strings are giving me medicine to make me all better to help me get home sooner.”
Allison looked like she wanted to burst when she heard that Meg could possibly be going home soon. “What home are you going to stay in?” Meg couldn’t help but to chuckle at her question, kids always asked whatever popped into their heads, and this was no exception. She looked to Alex for help in explaining everything that was going on, and he quickly came to her rescue.
“Alli bear, we need to talk to you about something,” he said and pulled her in his lap.
“What is it daddy? Are you and Aunt Meg going to kiss again?” she asked with a goofy grin on her face.
All Alex could do was laugh at her as well. His silly little girl was helping to take their minds off the negative things. Once he finally stopped laughing, Alex scooted his chair up to Meg’s bedside and grabbed her with one hand, while holding on to Allison with his other.
“Daddy wants to tell you that he asked Aunt Meg to marry him and she said yes.”
Before he could break into the details about the baby, Allison squealed with delight. Her reaction meant the world to him. “So Aunt Meg is going to be at your house all the time?”
“Yes sweetheart, but there is more,” he said and pushed her hair out of her face. “How do you feel about being a big sister?” he asked, while looking into her deep blue eyes.
Allison’s expression grew dim suddenly, and her earlier enthusiasm was now missing. Alex couldn’t help but be disappointed with the sudden decline in her mood. “Alli bear, are you upset about the baby?” he asked quietly. When she gently shook her head yes, he felt a wave of uncertainty overtake him.
He had been so sure she would be thrilled with the news of the baby and his wanting her to live with him, but now he wasn’t sure. Meg was still smiling trying to make Allison feel reassured, but she felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. They should have known that a five year old, who had only recently met her father, wouldn’t be happy with another child coming to take away his attention.
She knew they had to assure her that no one would ever replace her and that she would always be a priority for them. “Alli, you know you can talk to us right?” Meg asked. She nodded her head without looking up, trying to hide her emerging tears. “Well will you tell us what’s making you so sad?”
With her head still down, she began to explain. “When the new baby gets here you won’t want to play with me anymore. Nobody will want to play with me,” she said quietly.
“That’s not true, me and your dad will always want to spend time with you, that will never change,” Meg replied, and placed her hand on Allison’s cheek. “We love you.”
Allison studied her face for a while, taking note of her pleasant expression. Once she was convince
d, she threw herself into Meg’s arms. Alex was once again touched by the effect Meg had on Allison and stood back watching.
Matt, who had been in the hallway looking on with Melia for the past five minutes, finally made his presence known by clearing his throat as he walked inside the room. Melia was following closely behind him with tears in her eyes. After everything they had been through, she needed the good news she had just overheard.
As soon as she was close enough, she flew to Meg’s side and drew her hand closer. The emotion in her sister’s eyes caused Meg to tear up again. This time, she was crying tears of joy. Even through all the pain, something great happened today. “I was going to tell you guys, we just need to tell Allison first because it will affect her the most,” Meg rambled.
“Shh, you don’t have to explain, I’m just happy. You and Alex have had such bad luck and you deserve some happiness,” she replied and kissed her hand. With everything going on, Melia was just happy that Meg was healthy and that she was going to be with Alex. She knew Maria would want them to be celebrating new life instead of being sad, so she put on a happy face despite her pain.
Throughout the night, the other friends and family came by with their well wishes and Gio and Marco brought balloons. After everyone was gone and the night winded down, Alex pulled up a chair and took her hand in his. “You know you can go home and get some rest,” she said while assessing his heavy eyes.
“Not a chance, I’m staying right here until you can come home with me.”
She knew any further protests would fall on deaf ears. “Well at least climb in here with me,” she said and patted the bed next to her. When he went to lay next to her, he stumbled upon the journal and picked it up before getting settled.
Once he got comfortable, he pulled her closer and wrapped her in his strong embrace. For a second, he blocked out everything but the feel of her in his arms. She felt so good up against him. When he looked down, he realized he still had the book in his hand and placed it in her lap.
“If you want to read more, I’m fine with that,” he said and smiled at her encouragingly.
“I almost forgot about it with all the excitement around here,” she said and flipped it open. She picked up exactly where she left off, hoping she would find a clue soon.
For over an hour, she read most of the entries that took place when she was sixteen, and then something major jumped out at her. “He is mysterious and polite. Since I met him, we have been inseparable. I never knew this was what love would be like, I think he is the one.”
Meg knew instantly that she was talking about the first boyfriend, but why didn’t she just say his name? Mostly every entry after that mentioned this mystery guy, but never included his real name, only his pet name Handy. Meg was just about to give up all hope, when read something that hit home for her.
“My parents moved back to Brazil with my sister and I’m alone in Newark. He is the only one who cares what happens to me, I’m lucky to have him. I only hope I can meet his family soon. I know they are influential, but sometimes I think he’s ashamed to introduce me to them. Am I not good enough?”
Now where had she heard that before? In her own head, not the part about him being ashamed, but she often wondered why she was never good enough for Alex’s father. She continued to read for another two more hours. Alex was fast asleep, and she couldn’t put the journal down. She was getting to know so much about her mother, her feelings, her fears, and her vulnerabilities.
She was starting to understand why she always connected with her mother more than her sisters; she was the most like her. The words she was reading had been much like her feelings during the time she and Alex were separated. The next few sentences she read gave her a sense of sorrow, she couldn’t believe all the pain her mother must have been in.
“After two years of being with him, I was reading the newspaper and my heart dropped. He was getting married in two weeks to a woman he had been with for a whole year before I knew about it. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out. I have no one to lean on, all I know is him. I feel so lost, so alone. I need an escape from this destitute fortress before the walls close in on me.”
Meg couldn’t help it, but a tear escaped her eyes and she dropped the book. She didn’t mean to get so emotional; her hormones were just in overdrive and she couldn’t help it. When she went back to reach for the book, a newspaper clipping fell out. She didn’t notice it right off, and went back to reading. She spent another hour reading the tragic words of her severely depressed mother. It was gut wrenching for her, but she just couldn’t stop.
When Alex began to stir beside her, she decided it was time to end her reading and pick up tomorrow, she then closed the book and laid it on the side table. Just as she reached over to pull the string to the light, she saw the article. When she picked it up and began to read, her heart started to beat rapidly and she started gasping for air.
Alex jumped up when he heard all the commotion and pulled her up. He quickly darted over, retrieved her water glass, and filled it. “Here drink this, it will make you feel better,” he offered while rubbing her cheek. She gulped the water down so quickly, she almost choked. When he saw the article in her palm, he pried it away and began to read.
He was confused to say the least. He couldn’t imagine why she would react this way to something so small, and then it dawned on him. He turned fire engine red and then stormed out of the room with his cell phone.
Suddenly, Meg became frightened. She had been right all along, they were in more danger than they ever knew possible. The man from her mother’s past was none other than her future father- in-law, Ben Hanover. Now all his resentment suddenly made sense. At that point, she knew they were never going to live in peace.
Chapter 10
Dangerous Ground
“What the hell is the meaning of all this? You goons are tearing my house apart, get out!” Ben yelled. He was outraged the police department had the audacity to come to his house and start tearing things apart.
“We will not be leaving until we have everything we need,” detective Vanzetti said and turned back to his search.
“You have no right, this is my house!”
“This says I have every right,” the man said and held up a search warrant for Ben to see.
“This is insane! I will have your chief on the phone and have your badge for this!”
“You can try if you want, my orders come from him,” Vanzetti said and walked into the next room.
Melissa was sitting in the living room on the couch rocking back and forth. She had spoken with Alex and told him what was going on, and he said he would be right over to get Allison and take her away from that forsaken place. She couldn’t imagine what the police could possibly be looking for, but she knew it wasn’t good.
Ben was always into something shady, now something finally caught up to him. She was happy yet nervous at the same time. She may finally get her life back, but how would this affect her children?
She was still pondering her future when Alex arrived and called out to her. “I’m in here sweetheart,” she responded. He entered the room looking back and forth at the men leafing through all of Ben’s personal artifacts and shook his head vehemently.
“Where is Alli?” he asked, sounding annoyed with being there.
“She is upstairs with Bianca. I didn’t want her to see them destroying our house.”
“It serves him right, I hope they tote him off too,” Alex snarled and began to head towards the stairs.
“Son wait, I understand all the hostility towards your father, but why are you still so angry at me?” Melissa asked sadly. Alex was appalled she had the nerve to ask that. Before he could catch himself, he lost it.
“Look at this mother, this is because of him. We were almost rid of the vicious bastard and you chose to keep him around. Everything and everyone he touches turns to shit, and I will not have my daughter here. Prepare yourself mother because as long as you're with him you will
never see either one of my children.”
“Either? You only have… oh god…” she gasped and covered her mouth.
“Yeah you guessed it, Meg is pregnant, and neither one of you are ever going to come near her again,” he yelled and took off in search of Allison. When he got to the top floor, he found Allison in the hall walking towards her room and she stopped in midstride to jump in his arms.
“Daddy, I didn’t know you were coming. Me and mommy were about to take a trip,” she said excitedly.
“Oh really? Where were you going?” Alex asked, trying to hide his anger from her.
“I don’t know, she said it would be a surprise.”
“Well daddy has a surprise of his own for your mommy. How about you go downstairs with Granny Melissa and I’ll be right down,” he said, and lowered her feet to the floor.
After he watched her run down the stairs, he burst into Bianca’s room and slammed the door behind him. His presence startled her and she jumped, dropping a photo album on the floor. “What do you think you're doing? You're not taking her anywhere,” he yelled and advanced on her.
She had never seen him so enraged; the intensity in his eyes was beginning to frighten her, but she stood firm. “I am her mother, I can take my child anywhere I damn well please.”
“Not in the middle of a custody battle you can’t, but I have a solution for that,” he said, and threw an envelope in her hand.
“What the hell is this?” she asked while pulling the papers out. As she read, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “You can’t do this! This is some bullshit setup,” she screamed and threw the papers at him.
“Oh no it isn’t. You thought you could play dirty during mediation, well I’ll show you dirty. And it’s those sorts of loose cannon tendencies that led the judge to grant me full custody until the conclusion of the case,” he said in a frigid tone. His smug look was enough to drive her straight over the edge.
“You bastard, how dare you!” she cried and reached out to slap him. But before she could make contact with his face, he took hold of her hand and tossed her to the bed.