by Y. L. Stokes
“Do you want her to come?”
“It doesn’t matter what I want, honey, it’s your special day.”
“No, Nicky, it’s going to be our special day, and if you’d like your grandmother to be there then I don’t have a problem with it. You can invite anyone you like because nothing or no one is going to ruin it for us.”
Nicholas gazed at the woman he loved, knowing that he was the luckiest man in the world. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“No, silly, I don’t mind at all. What happened to me was done by Peter not her, and it happened in the past, and that’s where it belongs. I want you to get to know your grandmother. She’s the only familial link you have to your father.”
“Ash, I love you so much. Today, when she first came into my office after she fainted and we talked, I knew that she had nothing to do with Trisha. I’m more and more sure that Peter’s behind it all and trying to make it look like Grandmother’s behind it. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt as if she was sincere in everything she’d said to me, and I truly believe that Peter will stop at nothing to keep her and me apart.”
“Even harm her?” Ashley asked.
“I wouldn’t put it past him. Hell, if he’d go through all the trouble to pull what he’d tried to pull on me using Trisha….”
“Well, I think we need to bring Jack in on this so that he can have a couple of his friends on the police force do some discreet checking,” she suggested.
“Yeah, you’re probably right, but first let’s call my grandmother and invite her to our wedding.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Peter rolled out into the foyer as Mary’s butler took her coat. “Where have you been all day? I was worried about you.”
Mary hid her smile. Such fake concern he spewed. He knew exactly where she’d been. And oh, she’d spotted the tail he had on her. “I just had some errands to run today, and they just took longer than usual.”
“Oh, Grandmother, you know how I hate waiting for dinner, and that butler of yours won’t allow anyone to eat until you’re here,” Peter whined.
“As it should be,” she said and turned to address her butler. “Phillip, is dinner ready?”
“Yes, madam,” he responded.
She turned to Peter. “Where’s your little nurse…what was her name?”
“You mean Trisha? Oh, she went to see a friend, I suppose.”
“Oh, well then, we don’t have to wait on her.” She followed him into the dining room, her mind reeling. That so-called nurse is the one Nicholas told me about. The one that tried to trick him into marrying her. Oh, my God, what have I done?
Phillip helped her into a seat at the dinner table. The sound of the front door opening and closing reached her.
“Trisha, dear, we’re ready to eat dinner. Would you care to join us?” she asked.
Peter frowned. “I’m sure she has some things to do upstairs,” he said before Trisha could respond.
Trisha paused in the hallway then entered the dining room. She took a seat. The telephone rang. Phillip answered it and then whispered into Mary’s ear.
“Phillip, go ahead and start serving while I take the call,” Mary said.
Mary hated interruptions at dinner. She’d chastised Peter if someone called while they ate, yet she had to answer this call. She dashed out of the room.
Her heart beat wildly at the sound of Nick’s voice, so like his father’s, coming from the other end of the line. She thought she would faint. Nicholas asked her to attend the wedding, and she swore her heart stopped for a few beats. As the tears streamed down her face, she told him she’d be honored to attend.
The call finished, she walked back through the living room and informed Phillip to bring her food up to her room. She lingered in the hallway to overhear Peter’s questions.
“Where’s my grandmother?” Peter asked.
“She’s decided to eat her dinner in her room,” Phillip said.
“Listen, old man, I want to know who that was on the phone and I want to know right now.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but I didn’t get a name,” Phillip said, his footsteps nearing her position.
Mary rushed upstairs to her room in tears of joy. Phillip knocked and entered with her meal.
“Oh, Phillip, they’ve invited me to the wedding. I simply can’t believe it! I’m going to get a chance to see what I missed with his father. Phillip, I was so bull-headed with our son, and because of it we missed out on a lot.”
“I know, my love. Things in the past can’t be changed, but we can go on with the future. We can share the joy of our grandson.”
Just as they were about to sit down to eat dinner, a sound came from the baby monitor on the wall. Marcus was calling for his daddy.
“I’ll get him,” Ashley volunteered.
She headed up the stairs and quickly changed him. He seemed a little upset with her because he wouldn’t give her a smile.
“Oh, pumpkin, what’s up?”
As if he understood her concern, Marcus gave her a wet kiss and gripped her hair. Grinning with him, she joined everyone in the kitchen. As soon as Marcus saw Nick, he burst into tears; everyone burst into fits of laughter. He practically jumped out of Ashley’s arms to get to Nick.
“Why you little turncoat,” Ashley said in a hurt voice.
Marcus started laughing himself.
Dinner resumed.
“Mom, are you going to join us so that we can say grace and eat? I’m hungry,” Patrick said.
Saundra smiled happily and took her seat.
“So, Nick, how’d the meeting go with Charlie?” Jack asked.
“It went fine except he looked as if he had a hangover,” Nick said with a frown.
“Honey, Jack told me what happened,” Saundra said. “I know it will take a long time, but you need to try and find a way to forgive him.”
“Maybe one day, Mom, but right now it’s going to be strictly business. You’d have thought that he would have been relieved, but when he left he seemed…I don’t know, lost.”
“Honey, he probably is. Remember, even though he had parents with money he still spent more time at our house than he did at home. In his eyes he’s lost your friendship and your family.”
“Mom’s right,” Sean said. “He was like a member of the family.”
The room was silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Marcus broke the quiet by throwing his potatoes, hitting his uncle Patrick in the face, and letting out a squeal of laughter. The entire table joined in.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Up in her room, Trisha separated the pictures into several piles. She looked up to make sure that she’d locked her door before taking time to look at them.
Oh, my God, Peter boy, I wish you weren’t attracted to the opposite sex. I’d love to take that one on, and your ole boy isn’t too shabby either.
“What a shame,” she said, shaking her head in disappointment.
After she’d seen enough, she placed each stack in their respective envelopes. She slipped them into the secret hiding place in the closet, in case that nosy old butler came in to do some snooping. Just as she closed the closet door, a knock sounded on her bedroom door. She opened it up. Peter stood on the other side.
“Let me in before Phillip comes,” he said in a harsh whisper. He pushed past her and into her room. “Why did you have the door locked?”
“I wanted some privacy. Is there a law against that? Did you come to give me a try?” she asked and pressed her breasts against his back.
Peter turned to face her. “Look, something’s going on. The old lady ate her dinner in her bedroom, so I think it had something to do with that phone call she received.”
“So what are you going to do about it? Is there any way you could find out who it was through your many connections?” she sniped, her words sarcasm-heavy.
He slapped her so hard she hit the floor, dazed. Before she could recover, he pulled her up by her hair.
&nb
sp; “Listen, you little bitch, I’m only keeping you around for my cover in the wheelchair, and I don’t give a damn about what you think you know about me, but if you don’t stop pushing me I’ll make you disappear.” He stalked out of her room.
Trisha collapsed into a heap of shivering flesh, softly crying into her fist. She had to find a way out of this, to disappear without Peter’s help. She couldn’t go to Nick—he wouldn’t believe her—but maybe she could go to Charlie. He’d always been a sucker for her. Grabbing a few things and throwing them into her bag, she vowed to sneak out as soon as the house grew quiet. She’d have to leave on foot—the sound of the car could jeopardize her chance for escape.
Later, when she felt that everyone in the house was asleep, Trisha picked up her bag and slipped out of the house, never looking back.
Nicholas sat down in the entertainment room with his brothers, drinking a beer.
“Do you really think Peter would hurt his own grandmother?” Jack asked.
“From what we gathered after Nick called us earlier today, I would have to say yes,” Patrick said around a sandwich.
Sean shook his head at his twin brother. “Well, from the info that we gathered, that cousin of yours has hired some guys to tail your grandmother everywhere she goes. They keep him apprised of her every step. The chick, Trisha, has been staying there pretending to be his nurse.”
“I’ll just bet she has,” Nick said, his voice sarcasm-filled.
“Ah, I don’t think so. You see, Nick, your cousin has turned in his card.”
Nick twisted to look at his younger brother and frowned. “What do you mean…?” It dawned on him. “You mean he’s gay?”
“Yep, that’s exactly what I mean, and apparently there was some kind of clause in Mary’s will stating that he would need to produce an heir to get the entire inheritance in the event of her death. That would explain why he had to drug the women to have sex with him. It gave him a sense of power over them, plus he was trying to produce an heir.” Jack shook his head in disbelief.
“That and the fact that when the girls came to the house to confront him about being pregnant, it made his grandmother think he was all man, when all he wanted was a man!”
They all laughed at Sean’s joke.
“I guess I’d better go and give Marcus a kiss goodnight,” Nick said.
“I thought you gave him one before Mom took him up to bed?” Patrick said.
Jack chuckled. “You’re crazy if you think Mom’s going to let you in that room tonight, so you might as well sit back down and finish your drink.”
“Do you remember the time when you two slipped out of the house to go to a party that Mom wouldn’t let you go to?” Sean said, laughing.
“Yeah! Mom was in our room when you two thought she was in bed asleep. She stood in our room until she saw you two coming down the street. Then she slipped into your room, and as soon as you climbed into the bed, she flipped on the light.”
“I remember that. Man, Mom wore our butts out.” Nick grimaced as if he could still feel the pain.
“The next morning at breakfast, you two couldn’t sit down. You had to stand up to eat your food,” Sean said between chuckles.
Nick stared at the twins then looked at Jack, a silent agreement in place. Jack and Nick attacked. With cushions. The noise they made sounded like World War III.
Nick spotted Saundra in the doorway. She shook her head and cleared her throat several times to get their attention. Feathers floated everywhere.
“I can’t believe you four grown men are down here acting as if you’re no older than my grandson, who’s upstairs sound asleep, which is lucky for the four of you. Now clean this mess up and get to sleep, and each one of you will chip in to replace the pillows.”
“Mom, that’s not necessary,” Nick started.
His mother’s glare shut him up. He dropped his gaze to the floor.
“You have ten minutes to clean this mess up,” she said, turned, and headed down the foyer towards the stairs.
Jack turned to Nick. “Hell, we’re grown men. What can she do to us?”
For a moment Nicholas thought back to the night Sean and Patrick had ribbed them about and immediately began to help clean up. Exactly ten minutes later, Saundra returned to a spotless entertainment room. All the boys were quiet. Nick occupied the leather sofa, Jack hogged the easy chair, while Sean and Patrick lazed on the floor in their sleeping bags.
“I know you four aren’t asleep, so you can stop pretending,” she said and walked over to each one, giving them each a goodnight kiss.
The following morning, the sound of someone in the kitchen woke Nicholas. He threw back the blanket and headed for the kitchen, hoping his future wife made the noises.
Saundra turned at his entrance. “Sorry, darling, that it wasn’t Ashley,” she teased.
“I just hoped that I’d get a chance to see her alone this morning,” he said wistfully and kissed her cheek.
“Honey, you just have to wait a little while longer and then you’ll have her all to yourself.”
Nicholas rolled his eyes. “Mom, it’s no big deal, I just want to spend a few minutes alone with her. Is that too much to ask?”
“I’ll give you five minutes at breakfast with her this morning.”
“But Mom, everyone will be there,” he pleaded.
“Nicholas, suck it up and get over it. Look, I’ll make a deal with you. If you be patient, then I won’t say anything if you leave the reception after your dance with the bride.”
Nicholas stared at his mother about to protest, but a look gleamed in her eyes—the same look she always had when he was a kid and wanted something so bad—but no matter how much he pleaded and begged, she wouldn’t change her answer.
“Well can I at least go take a shower?” he asked, exasperated.
“Sure you can, son, just not in your bathroom. You’ll have to use one of the bathrooms either down here or one of the others upstairs.” Saundra laughed. She quickly turned her back on him, but not before he saw the grin spreading across her face.
Nicholas returned to the entertainment room and flopped back down on the sofa.
“Hey, man, keep it down! Some of us are still trying to sleep,” Sean said, his voice sleep-filled. “I guess Mom still won’t let you see Ashley, huh?”
“Nope, she’s sticking to her guns,” Nick replied. “Don’t laugh, Jack, she’s going to do you the same way when you and Nicole get married.”
“Oh no, my brother, because we’re going to elope.”
Nicholas laughed. “No way, man, that would only serve to upset Ashley, and there’s no way I’m going to let you do something that’s going to upset her. Besides, Mom would hunt you down and kick your butt all the way back home.”
Jack shuddered. “You know, she may be stubborn and demanding, but we’re very lucky to have her. I wouldn’t trade her for nothing in the world.”
“Yeah, I know, me neither, even though she won’t let me see my wife-to-be.”
Ashley entered the room with Marcus. The baby spotted Nick and squealed with delight. Nicholas looked up, surprised that Ashley stood there. He quickly ran his brothers out of the room with much protest from Sean and Patrick.
“Well, I think I’ll go and check on Nicole,” Jack said and headed for the stairs.
Nicholas couldn’t help but stare at the woman that later today would be his wife.
“I have to tell you that I didn’t sleep a wink last night,” he said. “I missed holding you in my arms and waking up next to you and….” Nick stopped, realizing he rambled. Taking a deep breath, he told her exactly what was in his heart. “I know that I’m probably sounding like a rambling fool, but I just want to make sure that you know that I love you so very much, and when you become my wife today I’m going to be the happiest man in the world.”
Tears flowed from her eyes. “I love you too, Nicky.”
Just as they were about to kiss, Saundra interrupted them. “Okay, break it up
! Save that for when after the minister says so.”
The day seemed to drag by. Nicholas checked his watch for the umpteenth time.
Jack patted his back. “It’s almost time, bro, just hold tight. You only have two more hours and then the deed will be done.”
“I know, Jack, but it seems like forever since I talked to her or held her.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Now you know that’s not true.”
Nick was having a hard time with his tie. Jack pushed his hands aside and tied it for him. “I remember Mom showing us both how to tie a tie, but I guess you’re nervous about this big step.”
Nicholas smiled. He was nervous, but Jack was saying the things Nick needed to hear to keep his nervousness intact.
Jack took a step back and surveyed his handy work. Obviously happy with the results, he gave his brother the thumbs up. “Okay, let’s get you to the church and get this show on the road.”
Mary, putting on a touch of make-up, smiled as Phillip entered her room.
He stared at her reflection in the mirror. “You’re just a beautiful as ever, my love.” He walked up behind her and pulled her body against his.
“Oh, Phillip, my love, this is such a wonderful day. Our grandchild will be married today, and we’ll be there to witness it.”
“I know, honey, but are you sure you want me to go?”
“Look,” she said and turned to face him, “we’ve kept our relationship secret for too long. My stubbornness has caused us to lose too much time with each other and with our son, and I don’t want it to continue to stop us from enjoying our grandson and his children. Phillip, he has a right to know that he has a grandfather.”
“Have you told Peter that you’re attending the wedding?”
“No, but I’m sure he’ll have his flunky following us. They’ll report back,” she said as they made their way down the stairs hand in hand.
Peter came out of his room. The butler and his grandmother holding hands?