Anabel broke the silence. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I,” he told her.
“I think it would be best if I went somewhere,” she suggested.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Sam, this is your marriage. You two aren’t going to resolve anything with me here making it worse.”
“We have to talk about this,” he insisted. “I need you to understand—I wanted to get you out of there, I really did.”
She smiled sadly. “I know you did.” She ran her fingers through her hair and looked out the window. She walked over to her brother and slowly put her arms around him.
Then she tilted her chin. “I love you. But I also know that I can’t come first in your life. She’s your wife, and I am going to respect that.”
He didn’t meet her in the eye. “I didn’t realize she felt that way.”
Anabel broke into a rueful grin. “Of course you did, whether you acknowledged it to yourself or not. And of course you miss your kids. I’m so sorry that they were sent away; that is my fault.”
“I had to take care of you,” he began.
“Yes,” she cut him off. “Yes, and that’s the problem. You’ve been doing a wonderful job taking care of me; who’s been taking care of her?” She gestured up the stairs.
He was silent.
Anabel nodded. “I thought so.” She turned to me. “Can I stay with you for the night?”
“Absolutely not,” said Meghan. “That will look horrible, especially if you show up at the hearing together.”
“Agreed,” seconded Sam.
Anabel contemplated my sister for a moment. “Can I stay with you?”
Meghan didn’t really look like she liked this suggestion, but she nodded. “Sure. I can take you to the hearing tomorrow, I actually have business that way.”
“That’s very kind. Thank you.” She turned to me. “Let’s go then. You can buy me and your sister dinner, and we’ll figure out everything for tomorrow.”
“I live in Northwest,” said Meghan.
“Sam! What was that fantastic pizza place up there that we went to? Remember, where that crazy woman recognized us? Oh, it was so good!” Anabel’s eyes lit up.
Sam looked at Meghan, torn. “Nothing excites her more than good food. It was 2Amys.”
“That’s actually right by my apartment. I’m a bit surprised you know them.” My sister shrugged. “That’s fine with me, though.”
“I’ve eaten my way around this city,” Anabel was beaming. “Well, before they realized I shouldn’t talk to anybody. Come upstairs and help me pack.”
Meghan looked a bit unsure at how to deal with how forward Anabel was, but she got up and followed her.
As they headed up the stairs, Sam turned to me.
We had been friends, up until this business with his sister, and it was a friendship I had been sorry to lose. Before, even though he made me do the dirty work, he respected me. Now he could barely look me in the eye.
“Sam,” I began, but he stopped me.
“I realize she’s my half-sister, I realize that, up until now, I have never spent more than two weeks at a time with her, and yes, I realize that if it were not for her, I would still be in a position of power.” He sat down. “However, I also accept—even if my wife refuses to do so—that if we hadn’t lied about her existence in the first place, none of this would have ever happened. There were a million chances we had, all sorts of proactive things we could have done, and we didn’t. So, yes, Jared, I know that I brought this on myself.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“You know I could’ve handled this better.”
“Sam, all of us have things like this happen, where we handle the situation wrong.”
“Still, I shouldn’t have kept her a secret.” He sighed. “Alexis has always insisted she be a need-to-know. I didn’t tell her until after we were married, actually.” As he rubbed his temples, a trademark move of his, I noticed his hair. He was really starting to go gray.
“Well, I didn’t even know about Anabel until right before you sent me to Caereon,” I said. I sat down across from him. “And I was your best friend.”
He focused on the floor. “I felt guilty for not saving her before. You would have judged me, I know it.”
“I’m not in a position to judge anybody. You of all people know that.”
“I’ve seen how you treat your sister. Both of your sisters. You’ve always been there for them. You would never let what happened to Anabel happen to Meghan or Crystal. Look at her, she’s a mess. Alone, both her parents dead . . . pregnant . . .”
I couldn‘t argue with him. “We both betrayed her.”
He nodded.
“If I had been thinking, I never would have—”
“Don’t bother,” he cut me off. “I’m not interested in your excuses.”
“Jonathan got me drunk,” The words just came out, and relief washed through me. It felt good to tell the truth.
“What?” Sam stared at me.
“Anabel didn’t tell you?”
“She refused to go into it.”
“He got me wasted. It was the drunkest I’ve been since college. He challenged me to a drinking game . . . and then he threatened me.”
“He threatened you? With what?” Sam looked annoyed.
“Well, by that point I had kissed her, and he had seen. He threatened me with my job, he threatened to not let me see Anabel—which would have made her think that I wasn’t going to try and help her—and then he drank me under the table.” I hadn’t expected him to have an alcohol tolerance. “I was so drunk, I wound up roaming around the halls of Caereon—and it put me right outside of Anabel’s door.”
Sam was grim. “And we all know what happened there.”
“I don’t even remember it that well,” I said. “That’s the worst part. I don’t even know what I did to her, or how badly I hurt her.” The image of Anabel sitting in a pool of blood went through my brain.
“You’ll understand if I don’t wish to discuss this with you,” said Sam.
“You’ll hear about it tomorrow,” Anabel called from the stairs.
We both turned to look at her and Meghan. “That’s why we should leave it until then. I’m ready to go,” she announced. “Do we need to take a car?”
Chapter 19—Anabel
I loved 2Amys. They made Neapolitan Pizza, and it was amazing. It was much better than the stuff we frequently ordered in. As we placed our takeout order, I noticed some people staring. I wasn’t surprised. After my outburst, I was already a familiar face on all the talk circuits. I managed a terse smile and looked at Jared. “We should get out of here. I’m causing a bit of a stir.”
He looked at me, anxious. “That should go away at some point.”
“At some point,” I echoed.
He frowned. “I’m surprised you’re in such a good mood, given what just happened.”
I shrugged. “Jared, up until now, I was privy to some pretty intense emotional displays by my father. That was nothing.”
“Do you miss him?”
“Um, yes and no,” I admitted. “He was my father, and I loved him, but the man kind of ruined my life.” I caught his eye. “How’s that for honesty?”
He nodded. “He didn’t make it easy for you.”
“No, that wasn’t Jonathan’s style,” I mused. I looked down at the floor as he signed for our order. “But in his own, messed-up way, he did love me, I truly believe that.” I paused. “I have to believe that.”
“I do, too,” he told me, as we walked back to the car.
Meghan lived in a cute apartment building off of Massachusetts Avenue, up by Ward Circle. “This is a really nice neighborhood,” I exclaimed.
Meghan sort of grunted at me as we got out of her car. “It works,” she stated. “You can sleep in my office. I have a spare bed in there that I can make up.”
I smiled at her with gratitude. “Thank you for letting me st
ay. I’m sorry that I invited myself over.”
“No you’re not.” I rather admired how blunt she was. She caught my eye as she shut her door. “But I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to be in that mess either.”
“I’ve never seen Sam and Alexis like that,” I continued. “Granted, I’ve only been here a couple months, but they don’t fight.”
“At least, not in front of you,” observed Meghan. I paused, and she gave me a patronizing look. “It’s no secret that they have a tempestuous marriage. Everyone knows it.”
“Oh,” I managed. I didn’t know what to say. I looked to Jared for guidance.
He was nodding. “You should read more tabloids. Alexis doesn’t exactly have a penchant for keeping things to herself, and your brother often hushes her in public.”
“Wow.” I was at a loss. I struggled with my bag—why I had thought I needed three different pairs of shoes for tomorrow was a mystery, even to me. Jared took it from me and groaned.
“What do you have in here?”
“Rocks,” I offered. Meghan snorted. I smiled to myself. I think I was growing on her.
We climbed into the elevator and got off on the fourth floor. Meghan’s apartment was small, but cozy: her furniture was mostly all the same shade of brown, but she had some brightly colored rugs and blankets that made the room feel homey. A painting of an elephant hung on one wall; a copy of a Renoir on another.
We all sat down at the table with our pizzas, but I only picked at mine. It looked delicious, but I was losing my appetite. “Eat, Anabel,” ordered Meghan. “You’re going to feel even worse if you don’t.”
I took a bite. “Very true.”
As I ate, I began to feel a little better. I even got down a rice ball and was on my second slice when Jared cleared his throat. “So what time is Mom coming tomorrow?”
This caught my attention. “Your mom is coming?”
Meghan nodded. “You have to understand, while my mother is not thrilled about all of this, she does like the prospect of a grandchild. If you let Jared see the baby, that is.”
I swallowed. “I’m not . . . I’m not really comfortable around other people,” I faltered.
“So we’ve noticed,” agreed Meghan. “It might make you feel better to know that our mother is completely unlike Jared. And me, for that matter. She’s really sweet, and is probably knitting something for the baby as we speak. Also,” she added, “something came up and she changed her itinerary and isn’t coming for another couple weeks, so you have time to get accustomed to the idea.”
“Oh.” I looked at my plate.
Jared patted my arm. “You don’t have to meet her if you don’t want to.”
“I’m pretty sure that would hurt her feelings,” I pointed out.
“Yes, but she would understand,” he said.
“It’s fine.” I was losing my patience. “It’s getting late, Jared. Let’s just talk about everything already.”
Meghan nodded. “Indeed. So you and Jonathan had a drinking contest?” she asked, turning to her brother.
I cut in. “Yeah, Jonathan drank him under the table. It was kind of amusing to watch.”
Jared looked startled. “What do you mean?”
“Well, my father had the whole thing planned, Jared. He made sure to do it in a room where I would be able to watch the whole thing. It’s not like you were in his office.”
“How did you watch it?”
“In my library, there is a video monitoring system. In case of emergency. The parlor where you two were is a room that I could monitor from my bedroom. It’s part of how we got out of that place alive.” I tucked some hair behind my ears. “So I saw the whole thing.”
The atmosphere during dinner was tense. I didn’t say much and pretended to be interested in my food, complimenting Evelyn on her masterful cooking. She gave me a rare smile.
“Are you alright, Anabel?” my father asked. “You’re quiet tonight.”
I managed a thin smile. “I’m fine, just tired. I was up late last night reading.” I made a show of yawning and stretching. “I think I may go to bed early, if that’s alright with you.”
“Of course.” Jonathan looked smug. I knew he thought he had won, especially since I wasn’t asking to tag along with him and Jared. “Mr. Sorensen and I have a great deal of business to go through this evening. We’ll be in the front parlor.”
“Mm,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“What are you reading, Annie?” Charlie asked me, smiling kindly. He was such a sweet man, always so concerned about me.
“Um . . . a book on the rise and fall of Tudor England,” I lied. I was reading The Other Boleyn Girl, but I knew Jonathan wouldn’t approve. “It has some really long title to that effect.”
I walked over to Jonathan and kissed him on the forehead. Then I turned to the other members of our party. “Goodnight, Charlie. Jared.” I didn’t even look at him as I stomped off.
When I got to my room, I sighed. I decided to have a lazy night. I changed into my favorite white nightgown. It fell just around my knees, and the top was laced with pink ribbon. It made me feel delicate and feminine, and was just the outfit to read one of my favorite love stories with. I put The Other Boleyn Girl aside for now, and stared at my shelf, contemplating. Then I grinned, and I pulled out Pride and Prejudice and was settling in one of my armchairs when I heard the knock at my door.
I groaned and searched for my bathrobe. “Just a minute,” I called, and pulled it around me. My heart skipped a beat. Was Jared there, ready to apologize and sweep me up in his arms? With gusto I ran to the knocking and flung open the door. “I knew you’d come—oh.” I stopped when I saw Charlie’s bemused smile. “Hi there.”
“Hi Annie,” he greeted me. “In your pajamas already?”
I shrugged, trying to hide my sinking heart. “I felt lazy, and I’m not planning on going anywhere. Jonathan is meeting with Jared, and I don’t usually get the pleasure of your company.”
“May I come in?”
I stepped back and Charlie walked in. “Let’s go to your library,” he suggested.
“Alright,” I agreed, stymied by his presence. “Can I get you something to drink?” I gestured at my little fridge.
“No, I’m fine,” he declined. We sat down in the armchairs. He studied me a moment. “Anabel, I can only imagine how hard the past couple of days have been on you.”
“It has been a bit awkward,” I admitted.
“I know you’re not used to . . . other people. I fear that having Jared Sorensen here has been a difficult experience. He may have gotten your hopes up.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I overheard him telling Jonathan that he is going to recommend that Sam not let you leave Caereon.”
“WHAT?” I shrieked. “No, no, Charlie, that can’t possibly be right. He’s spent this entire time telling me that he’s on my side, that he would do anything to get me out of here. I know he doesn’t want to admit it, but he does care about me, Charlie, I know he does.” But the words rang hollow as I said them, and I drifted into thought. “Or maybe,” I mulled it over, “maybe he was just saying that because he didn’t want to upset me.”
“Your behavior has been most unlike you, Annie,” observed Charlie. “I’ve never seen you like this, and I’m sure that Jonathan has commented to Jared the same. So Jared probably views your erratic behavior as a sign that it would be best if you stayed.”
Erratic behavior. That was the phrase everyone kept using. Still, I bristled. “Sam wants me to come and live with him,” I claimed, defiant.
“Yes, but there’s been red tape that he has been fighting for years, Annie—it hasn’t been easy for him,” noted Charlie. “I think, however, you need to understand that the people who really care about you are here, honey. As misguided as he is, Jonathan loves you very much. And I—I view you as my own daughter,” he declared, his voice filled with emotion.
“Oh Charlie!” I cried,
and sprang into his arms as the tears began to fall. He held me for a few moments and stroked my hair, letting me cry it out.
“I know, baby, I know,” he murmured. “It’s tough to have someone break your trust like Jared has broken yours, and of course it’s affecting you. You’ve never had someone betray you quite like this.”
“No,” I sniffled. “No, you’re right.”
“So you see, sweetheart,” he continued, “I know you may not think it, but you’ll come to understand that this is the place for you, at least for now. There are people who care about you just as much, if not more, than your brother does. And furthermore,” he paused and looked at my red face, “Jared Sorensen—he’s just the kind that thinks only of himself. It’s been wrong of him to use you like this.”
“Wh—why do you think he did this to me?” I asked, hiccupping.
“Something you will learn when you do go back to the States is that people like Jared put themselves and their own well-being above everything else. And look at you! You’re a beautiful girl, charming, and easy to talk to—of course he wanted to spend time with you. I just also think that he took advantage of how trusting you are. You attached yourself to him, Anabel,” he continued, “because you thought he was your rescuer.”
“But he’s not. I was completely mistaken about him.” I managed a small smile at Charlie. “Thank you for coming to talk to me.”
“Of course, honey. Now listen, I really think you should just stay in your room tonight, and keep out of the way of your father and that man, okay?”
I nodded. “I have Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to keep me company.” I gestured to my book.
He gave me a gracious smile. “Have a good night, Annie.” He made his way to the door.
“Charlie?” I called.
He turned to look at me. “I know I probably should have told you this a long time ago, but . . . I’m . . . I’m sorry about Marilyn,” I blurted out.
“That’s not your fault, Anabel.” As he said that, I noticed his jaw clench, and I detected an edge to his voice.
“I know. But still, I feel terrible. I know you cared a great deal for her.”
He paused, as if about to say something, but then stopped himself. “That’s alright then, Annie, don’t blame yourself. Now have a good evening.”
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