"I've met the baby, sort of," Emily said looking up at me. "I really like babies. I'm not old enough to babysit yet, but I plan on getting my CPR certification, so I'm ready when I can. I don't have any brothers or sisters to practice on, though. Can I hold her? I promise not to drop her. I'll even sit down." Emily plopped down on the couch next to Roger.
I looked over at Maylene, not sure what to do. I wanted her to know I'd always be on her side. She took the baby from me and knelt down in front of Emily, placing Katie in her arms. "Make sure to support her head. She's very young still, and her neck gets tired easily," Maylene coached her.
Emily looked up at Roger. "Look, I'm doing it."
"Yes, you are," he answered proudly.
"I'll bet you're super happy now, because you've got all your most favorite girls in one room," Emily said smiling up at him.
He looked over at Maylene and nodded. "My most favorite girls are all in one room."
"Where is everyone staying tonight?" I asked, because it was too late for them to drive back to Livingston, and I only had a couch and a twin bed.
"We've reserved a room at a hotel," Roger said squeezing Maylene's hand.
"Why don't we have Emily stay here for the night? It'll give you two more time to figure out what's going to happen, and she can practice babysitting with Tyler and Katie."
"Oh, can I?" Emily asked excited.
"That's not necessary-" Roger started.
"Please, please, please!" Emily started to beg. She had blonde hair and big blue eyes, just like her daddy. You could tell he was going to give in. He looked at Maylene worried.
It surprised me when Maylene was the one who answered her. "Alright, but we'll be back with breakfast for everyone in the morning. You be sure to be a good helper. Trent and Clara have had a very long night, and I know from experience that little Tyler is an early riser."
Emily passed Katie to Roger and hugged Maylene again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love having so much family!" she squealed.
"Mom?" I turned to see Trent standing in the hallway, watching Emily hug his mother.
"Trent, sweetie, did we wake you? I'm so sorry," she apologized.
"You have no reason to apologize," Trent said pointedly.
Maylene kept her arm around Emily and turned to face Trent. "Clara has offered to let Emily spend the night, while your father and I stay at a hotel. We'll be back in the morning with breakfast. I hope that's okay with you."
"Yes, it's fine," he said not taking his glaring eyes off of Roger. "We have a lot to talk about."
"I can probably get my mother to watch the kids tomorrow after breakfast," I suggested.
"That'd be great. We should probably all meet up at Trevor's house, though. At some point, Emily will need to be included in our conversations, but I believe there's a good bit she doesn't need to overhear," Maylene said smiling.
"Sounds good, I'll set it up," I said before the men could vote against it. I could see the worry in Roger's eyes when Maylene mentioned Trevor, and I was sure Trent wanted Roger far away from Emily, because he wouldn't want her to see him beating the crap out of her "Uncle Roger."
Once they said their goodbyes, I got Emily settled in Tyler's room. Trent rocked Katie to sleep, but I could tell he was distracted. We still didn't know what was going on. I just hoped he could get back to sleep. The last thing he needed to be was cranky and sleep-deprived, on top of stressed and angry. That'd be the makings of a wicked confrontation that would need security to keep Roger alive.
Once he laid our daughter down, he climbed into bed with me. I was tired, so it didn't take long for me to doze off. I just hoped he fell asleep quickly, too.
The sun was pretty high when I awoke. Trent was still asleep next to me. I heard Katie fussing, but she wasn't in her bassinette. "I think we're going to have to wake Clara soon," I heard Maylene say. I got up, leaving Trent to sleep, and pulled on my robe.
Tyler was playing with Emily on the floor with a puzzle, and Roger was holding Katie. Maylene was setting the table with plates and food.
"Good morning, Clara. I believe we have a little girl who's ready for breakfast," Roger said surprisingly cheery.
"What time is it?"
"It's almost ten thirty. We thought we'd let you sleep in a bit," Maylene answered, as I took Katie from Roger and settled in the chair to feed her. Maylene brought me a drink.
"How are things...?" I asked carefully.
"We're going to be okay," Maylene sighed.
"Are you sure? Because I know Trent is on your side one-hundred percent, and I have a feeling Trevor would feel the same."
She gave me a watery smile and nodded yes. "We're working things out."
That reminded me that I needed to call my mother. "I need my phone, so I can get a hold of my mom."
"I spoke to her this morning already. She's going to meet us at Trevor's at noon," Maylene offered.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. Other than Emily and Tyler talking up a storm, the adults didn't seem to have anything to say.
When we arrived at Trevor's, my mother was already there playing with Charlotte. "Isn't she getting so big, Clara? Babies grow so fast."
My mom was happy to babysit, and I wondered if she had any idea of what was going on. There was a game room of sorts on the far side of the house upstairs that she took the kids to. The adults were all meeting in the study downstairs. The study was huge and more like a fancy library. I didn't know Trevor and Meredith were into books, but then again, that just proved how little I really knew about their family.
Trevor must have been told who Emily was before we arrived, because as soon as the study door closed, he rushed Roger and started pounding on him. Maylene and I tried to pull him off, but Trent was the one who was finally able to get him to stop.
"How can you defend him?" Trevor shouted at his mother. "And you, why aren't you holding him down for me to beat?" he asked Trent.
"Oh, believe me, I plan to beat the shit out of him, but I want some answers first," Trent snapped.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Trevor yelled at Roger.
"Enough!" Maylene stood by Roger's slouched form. She looked fierce. I'd seen that look in her eyes before, but it had been directed towards Trent, back when they had been trying to convince me to let her see her grandchildren.
"He's my husband. He lied to ME for ten years! He'll answer to me and me alone. If anyone is going to beat the shit out of him, it'll be me, and he'll pay for what he's done, but right now, we have to come up with a plan on what to do with the little girl. I've asked Roger to tell her the truth."
"The truth about what?" Trevor asked.
"She thinks I'm her uncle," Roger mumbled through a swelling lip.
"I'm going to go get him some ice," Meredith offered.
"Leave it," Trevor ordered, but she left to get it anyways.
"Why would you tell her that?" Trevor asked.
"Because I didn't want her to know what I'd done."
"She knows about us," Trent said plainly.
Roger nodded yes. "You're my family-"
"For now," Trevor grouched under his breath, but we all heard it.
"What it comes down to is Emily is Roger's daughter, and I don't want him running off to see her anymore. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I think things will be easier if we told her the truth and had her come stay with us." I could see Maylene was barely holding it together. She was hurt and furious at the same time. "I'm not ready to give up on your father just yet, but I'm not sure I'll be staying with him, either. I want some more time to figure out if I can get past this."
You could tell Trevor and Trent wanted to protest, but Meredith came back in with an ice pack for Roger and stopped the confrontation. Once he had it settled in place, and Meredith took her spot by Trevor, Maylene began to speak again. "What I want is for the truth to come out. That's why we're here and why I've insisted Emily be here as well. You will not direct the anger you feel for you
r father towards Emily. She's completely innocent in this mess and has been lied to her whole life as well." Maylene's grip on Roger's shoulder tightened, and you could tell he was in a little bit of pain. "I'd like you to welcome her into the family as your sister, so she'll feel comfortable moving here with us. Can you do that?"
Trent and Trevor looked at each other for a long moment before they nodded yes.
"Who's her mother?" Trent finally asked.
His father met his eyes, "Sabrina Carter."
"What the fuck?" Trevor shouted.
"Did you rape her?" Trent accused stepping toward him.
"No, I'd never do that!" Roger insisted.
"Do you believe him?" Trent asked Maylene.
"Yes, he explained to me what had happened. How things happened between them."
"You're sick, she was my age! She was just a kid, and you fucked her?" Trent shouted.
"It wasn't like that. I didn't know how old she was at first. She was interning at the office."
"That's your defense? You didn't know how old she was?" Trevor looked ready to beat him again.
"She was eighteen! She was legal!" Roger defended.
"Barely, she was still in high school!" Trent yelled back.
Maylene had turned away from the group. I was sure she didn't want to rehash this mess.
"Were you fucking any other high school girls?" Trevor taunted.
Something seemed to click in Trent's mind. "Were you fucking Mandy?"
"Who?" Trevor asked.
"No," Roger answered firmly.
"Who's Mandy?" Trevor pushed.
"The girlfriend I broke up with, because she was trying to take off Dad's pants!" he pointed at Roger accusingly. I wasn't so sure he believed that Roger didn't have sex with Mandy.
"I never did anything with Mandy. I'm not sure why she acted that way towards me. At the time, I thought she might've known Sabrina. I'd stopped seeing Sabrina, and she wasn't happy about it. She didn't like being cut off financially. I knew I'd messed up. I was trying to make it right."
"Why the hell were you seeing her in the first place? You're fucking married!" Trevor shouted at him.
I was surprised when Maylene answered. "Not always happily. We had our rough patches, too. Having a young pretty girl interested in him was flattering. Unfortunately, he acted on it."
"It didn't take me long to realize she wasn't really interested in me, only my money. She was furious with me, when I wouldn't break it off with Maylene and 'trade up for a younger model.' Ironically, dealing with Sabrina showed me how lucky I was to have Maylene in my life. She's everything a man could want, and I knew I couldn't lose her. I couldn't lose you. Please, Maylene, I didn't want to lose you, I can't," he begged her.
She looked away and took a deep breath, not answering him.
"Why didn't you say anything when she came after Trent and accused him of rape?" I asked.
"I didn't know what was happening until it was too late. When I called her and asked her what the hell she was doing, she told me she'd told Trent to pay her or be convicted of rape. She said she was trying to do me a favor by setting it up, so I could pay her off without bringing too much attention to myself, but I didn't know about it until after Trent had already been charged. He never told me what she'd said to him."
"I didn't believe the crazy bitch would go through it with!" Trent shouted.
"Did you pay the witnesses to testify at the trial?" I asked.
I was surprised when Maylene was the one who looked guilty, not Roger. He noticed our focus change. "Maylene?"
"Did you pay them, Mom?" Trent asked.
"I knew you were innocent-" she started.
"Yeah, I was, and there were real witnesses! Were they at least the people who saw us?"
"Trent, you have to understand, there was underage drinking and drugs at that party. Everyone was afraid to get in trouble and lose their scholarships or go to jail."
"Were they at least the people who saw us?" he pushed again.
She sat down next to Roger, and he put his arm around her. I was surprised she let him. "Our investigator wasn't able to find the real witnesses. No one wanted to rat anyone else out."
"Oh, my God." Trent stood up and started pacing. "Did you know?" he asked Roger.
"No, I was positive you were innocent, so I didn't think there'd be any problem with getting the witnesses."
"Well, Mr. Hamilton thinks I'm guilty of rape and is coming after me, because you actually did pay off the witnesses!" Trent shouted.
"He's coming after you?" Roger sounded shocked.
"He was the one behind the website and has been arranging all of the bogus claims against Trent," I said bringing them up to speed.
"I thought that was Tiffany or Brittney?" Maylene said worried.
"No, after she died, we knew there was still someone else out there after me."
"If this guy knows mom bribed the witnesses, then how come he didn't come after her and Trent again?" Trevor asked.
I think we were surprised when Maylene answered. "Because the statute of limitation for bribing a witness is three years, he must've found out after the time was up."
"Three years?" Trent asked shocked.
"I knew what I was doing was illegal, Trent, but I was willing to risk it to save you."
"Jesus, Maylene, you should've told me. I could've done something, at the very least I would've done the bribing myself, so you wouldn't have been put at risk," Roger worried.
"It's over now, so it doesn't matter."
"Except it does, because Mr. Hamilton believes I raped his wife and is coming after me."
"But he's in jail now, right?" I asked.
"For now, but we don't know if he had others working with him," Trent said frowning.
"You said there were real witnesses, so find them," Meredith said matter-of-factly. "The statute of limitations would've run out by now if they did anything, and they shouldn't be at risk for losing a scholarship anymore. Find them and make them tell the truth to this Hamilton guy."
"He'll just think we bribed them again," Trent said dismissively.
"Then cop to the bribing and tell him to find the witnesses himself," Trevor snapped.
I didn't think it'd work, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
"I'm so sorry, Trent. This is all my fault. I'll meet with Mr. Hamilton and set him straight myself. We can prove my story with Emily's DNA. I won't let him come after you anymore," Roger said firmly.
"That might work," I said taking Trent's hand. At least I hoped it would. Maybe the truth would finally set Trent free.
Chapter 29 – When it Rains it Pours…
I didn't think Trent would ever forgive Roger for the mess he had made of his life. Of course, no one would have ever thought Sabrina's husband would have been the one to come after Trent, over eight years after the trial. I think that was why no one made the connection, until we had talked to Caitlyn.
We were all sent to the kitchen to try and settled down. Trevor grabbed a beer and tossed one to Trent. He offered me one, and I passed, since I was breast feeding. Otherwise, I think I would've asked for some of the wine Meredith had pulled out. She split the bottle with Maylene, after Maylene had led Emily to the study, where Roger was waiting to talk to her.
Emily's initial reaction to finally meeting the family made me think things would go well for him, so we were all stunned when we heard something bang, and then the door opened and Emily shouted, "I'm not leaving her!" The door slammed, and then we all stepped into the foyer in time to see Emily run out of the front door.
"What happened?" Maylene asked.
Roger took a couple of steps toward the door, but I waved him off. The others were all a little buzzed, and he looked like he was still in pain when he moved, after the beating Trevor had given him.
I found Emily down the block, sitting on the corner and crying. I sat down next to her, and she peeked at me. "I don't want to stay here. I want to go home!"
/> I nodded. "Then we'll get you home. Do you know Aunt Katherine’s phone number?" I asked.
"Yeah, I know the house one," she said sniffling.
I handed her my phone, and when she called, her Aunt Katherine answered confused, not recognizing my number. "Mom?" Emily cried.
"Emily, where are you? Are you hurt? Did someone take you again? Where are you calling from?" Katherine sounded frantic.
"I'm okay, this is Clara's phone, she's Trent's girlfriend. Mom, Uncle Roger said he’s my dad," she cried.
Katherine was quiet.
"Please, tell me he's not. He wants me to live with him, but I don't want to. I just want to go home!" she wailed.
"I'm on my way now, sweetie. You caught me just before I headed out the door for the airport. I'll be there this evening. We'll figure it out then."
"I want to live with you," she fussed.
"I know, sweetheart, I'm sure we can work something out when I get there. Just hang on for me, okay?"
"Okay."
"I love you, I'll see you soon."
"I love you, too, bye," Emily said with a sniffle, but she seemed to be doing a little better.
"Are you ready to go back to the house?"
Her shoulders sagged, but she nodded her head yes. I put my arm around her for comfort. "You realize you're an aunt, don't you? You're Tyler, Katie and Charlotte's Aunt Emily. Even if you think everything else sucks, that's got to be kind of cool," I offered.
She smiled up at me. "Yeah, that is cool, and I have two big brothers."
"They're really nice big brothers."
"That would make Trevor's wife my sister-in-law, right?"
"Yup, that's right. You've got family all over now."
She smiled, but then it fell a little. "I don't want to leave my mom. She's always told me she was my aunt, but she let me call her mom, too. She's my mom, Clara."
I stopped and hugged her tightly. "They'll work it out. The older people have made a mess of things, and now they're trying to fix it all. We do want you close, but I think more than anything, we want you happy."
Her arms tightened around me. "Thank you."
A Life Unplanned Page 21