“Where did it come from?”
“When we packed up the house and moved to the apartment, I found it in the attic. It was sealed up, but the writing on top caught my eye because I recognized Sarah’s handwriting.”
Laurie leaned over the box and saw the writing.
For Laurie’s eyes only, when she is an adult.
She carefully opened the box, and she and Emma peered inside. There was an old, musty-smelling T-shirt and a note. That was all that was in the box. Laurie opened the note and read her mother’s writing.
I have no idea where life will take us, so I want to make sure that I save this for you to have. My stories about your father were true; I did fall in love with Brock that night. I always told my parents that I did not know his name because I did not want him to feel trapped. His last name is written on the inside of his shirt. I kept the secret from all, but you deserve to know it now. I am afraid that I was a fling for him, but for me, I loved your father. I hope I can be there to give this to you on this special birthday, but just in case I am not, I am packing it up for you. I love you, always, my Laurie girl, Mom
By the time Laurie finished reading the shocking letter, Emma was already in tears. Both women sat in stunned silence for a few minutes, letting their thoughts drift over the revelations.
Emma could always tell that Sarah had loved Laurie’s father but had no idea that she had buried his name in her heart. She looked up at Laurie, not surprised to see tears in her eyes and her shaking hands still holding the note.
Slowly, Laurie reached into the box and pulled out a faded, grey Army T-shirt. She rubbed her fingers over the Army lettering on the front, smoothing out the material. With her hands still shaking, she turned the shirt around so that she could see the name tag sewn into the back of the t-shirt’s neck. There in block stitching was a name.
Sinclair, Brock T.
My father has a name. I have a name. He doesn’t know I exist. He never knew my mother beyond one night. Did he care about her? Would he have cared about me?
Laurie and Emma sat without speaking for several moments, each lost in their own musings. Laurie continued to trace her fingers over the name tag of her father. She looked up at Emma.
“You never knew?” she asked her aunt.
Emma shook her head slowly, still looking down at the note that Laurie had passed to her.
“No, I never knew,” she said softly. “I used to ask Sarah about Brock. She would always look wistful but would never tell me any details. I had no idea that she knew his last name all this time.”
“If she knew his name and that he was in the Army, she could have found him. She could have told him about me.” Laurie felt tears threatening to fall. “Why didn’t she?”
“I don’t know, Laurie. But I know Sarah. She must have had a good reason to keep this from him. But she also knew that, no matter what, as an adult you would deserve to decide for yourself what you want to do. There is no way she could have known she wouldn’t be here to give you this herself, but it was important enough for her to take precautions to make sure you got it.”
Emma and Laurie went to bed, but both slept fitfully that night. The next day dawned, and Emma woke to find Laurie gone, having left a note that she was down on the beach. Following her there, Emma sat next to Laurie on the beach wall. She leaned over and gently shoulder bumped her niece.
“Happy birthday, Laurie,” she said.
Laurie looked over at Emma, smiled and threw her arm around her shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze. Knowing that Emma was wondering what she was thinking, she tried to put her thoughts into words.
“Emma, I have thought over and over about what to do. For whatever reason, Mom did not want to find Brock to tell him she was pregnant. I don’t know why, but I do know that Mom was a smart lady even if she was only a teenager when she had me. She must have felt that he would not want to know.” Looking over into Emma’s deep brown eyes, she continued. “I am happy. Yeah, we’ve had times of tragedy, but I’m happy. You and I have been together since I was born. We’re family, you and I. I’ve never had a father, so I don’t really miss what I never had.” She paused for a few minutes, continuing to collect her thoughts. “I’ve decided to do nothing. Out there somewhere is a man who is probably close to forty years old who has never known about me. He doesn’t miss me because he never knew. I don’t miss him because I never knew. So why rock the boat now?”
Emma sat with her arms around her niece, nodding. “I will support you in whatever you want to do, Laurie. I’ll do anything to help you in any way I can,” she declared.
Laurie laughed. “Emma, you have been doing that my whole life! You and me, girl – we’re family!”
Chapter 1
(six years later)
The summer sun blistering the highway caused waves of heat to rise, creating a vision that made the world seem as though it were a mirage in the distance. As Laurie drove away from the only city she had ever known, she felt as though she were driving towards a mirage.
Fairfield. Is it real? Is it a dream? Am I really leaving? Am I really leaving Emma? Please God, don’t let this be a mistake.
Driving away from her past and towards her future. At least, she hoped it was her future. The tangles of thoughts were wildly flying through her mind as much as the air coming through the open window was tangling her long brown hair. She smiled to herself as she thought back to her small goodbye party last night. A couple of college friends, co-workers from the little restaurant she worked at, and of course Emma were all there to send her off. College had not been easy, and it had taken her two extra years to get all of her credits for a degree in Elementary Education. Now, with a job offer at an elementary school in the small town of Fairfield, she was on her way.
Away…. that still seemed strange. Away from everything she had ever known. Away from the little apartment she and Emma shared for the past eleven years. Away from the restaurant that she had worked in for the past nine years. Away from Emma, her aunt, her pretend sister, her surrogate mom. She wanted to look for a job close by, but when the job offer from Fairfield came in, Emma encouraged her to take it. Emma told her she needed to experience life on her own for a while, saying it was her time. Her time to step out into the world; her time to find herself.
Turning on the radio, Laurie needed the loud music to drown out the voices in her head. Her little yellow VW bug was filled with everything she owned. She packed light, but living in a furnished apartment once she got there, she did not need much. Driving past the sign announcing that Fairfield was only twenty miles away, she began to bounce in the seat to the time of the music, feeling lighter than she had all day.
Emma is right. This is my time. Time to meet new people. Time to find out what I can do on my own. Time to find out who I am.
Smiling to herself, Laurie pulled into the outskirts of town. Noting a few shopping centers, she made her way towards the center of town. Fairfield was a midsize town where the downtown area had been revitalized, filled with quaint little shops. Finding the small hotel, she pulled into the parking lot.
Through Craigs List, Laurie found a young woman looking for a roommate for her two bedroom apartment in an older but nice apartment building. The young woman, a nurse at the hospital whose roommate recently married, needed another roommate. They chatted online, then on the phone, developing an instant rapport. The nurse, Carol, would be on duty today, so Laurie decided to spend the night at the hotel and move in the next day.
Walking into the hotel’s office to check in, she was greeted with a blast of cold air from the air conditioner. Sitting behind the counter was an older, man, who looked up and smiled as she walked over. Standing to greet her, she could see that he was spry and wiry with an energy radiating off of him as though he were getting ready for a race.
“Helen, we have a new guest!” he shouted into an office behind him.
“I’m not deaf, Roger. You don’t have to yell down the house.” A pleasant lookin
g woman came out of the office, her face beaming.
Laurie couldn’t help but think of Mrs. Santa Claus as she looked at Helen. Plump body, hair pulled back into a bun, she absolutely beamed.
“You must be Laurie Dodd,” she said. “I’m Helen, and this here is my husband, Roger. Welcome to Fairfield!”
Surprised by the exuberant greeting, she couldn’t help but smile back in return.
“Your new roommate, Carol, called earlier to say that you would be coming in today. We just weren’t sure when to expect you.” Helen noted Laurie’s look of surprise and just laughed. “Oh, it’s all right, honey. We take care of our own here in Fairfield.”
Roger leaned over the counter and said conspiratorially, “And my Helen will adopt you right here and now!”
Laurie laughed at their banter and felt at home. “Thank you. I’m excited to be here!”
By the time they finished the check in procedure, Laurie realized that Helen and Roger had wriggled a lot of information from her. They now knew that she would be working at the elementary school and that she was single. As she looked at Helen, she could already see the wheels turning in Helen’s mind.
Roger gazed over at his wife also. “Yep,” he said. “My Helen is already figuring out who she can fix you up with.”
“Oh hush, you old coot. I just know that there are some very handsome, unattached men in this town who need a beauty to look after.”
Laurie rushed to explain that she wasn’t looking for anyone yet, but Helen just politely shushed her. “Darlin’, no matter what anyone says, everyone needs someone to take care of and to care for them.”
Laurie laughed and agreed as she took the room card from Roger. Turning to leave the office, Helen spoke again, this time in seriousness. “You will find it here. You will find who are meant to be. You will find your time.”
Laurie stared at her in awe, not knowing how to respond.
Roger, walking around the counter to show Laurie to her room, just patted her arm. “My Helen, she sees things, dear. If she says this is your time, then she is right.” Leaving the cool office, they walked to her room, Roger talking the entire way.
Settling in for the evening, Laurie called Emma.
“Hey girl, did you have any problems on the road today? How is Fairfield? Did you get checked in okay?” Emma asked, barely taking a breath.
Laughing, Laurie answered, “No, great, and yes.”
“I suppose I was firing questions off too quickly, wasn’t I? I just already miss you, that’s all.”
“I know, Emma, I miss you too. But I had a great trip and met the hotel owners. They’re a little odd, but really friendly. And I think they are trying to set me up with some guys already!”
“Sounds like the place to be then,” Emma agreed. “Just make sure to enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
Hanging up, Laurie reveled in a long, hot bath before climbing into bed. Realizing she had only been in a hotel one other time years ago with Emma, she thought back to her eighteenth birthday. Finally, chasing memories from the lurking corners of her mind, she slept better that night than she had in a while.
*
Waking early, she showered and headed down to the hotel’s little lobby. Helen told her to come down once she was awake, and they would have breakfast there. Walking in, she could hear voices coming from the back office.
“Oh, she is darling. You’re going to love her, I just know it!”
Laurie recognized Helen’s voice.
“Well, I can’t wait to meet her, that’s why I came right over.”
Just then Helen walked out of the office accompanied by a beautiful petite blonde, whose face burst into a huge smile as soon as she saw Laurie. Laurie stared at the woman in front of her. The gorgeous woman was a few inches taller than she, but was very tiny with a slim athletic figure. Her hair was loose around her face and its color could only be described as a natural yellow-blonde that gave her an angelic halo around her head. Laurie could imagine that if this woman had wings she would make a perfect angel, flitting around giving off sunshine where ever she went.
“Laurie, perfect timing!” Helen exclaimed. “This here is your new roommate, Carol Fletcher.”
Laurie could not help but smile back at the beaming woman and walked over to shake her hand. Carol rushed forward and engulfed Laurie into a huge hug. Surprised, Laurie hugged back. Separating, Carol beamed at her. “I have been dying to meet you. I just know we are going get along perfectly,” she said softly.
Helen, smiling as though she had made the match instead of Craigs List, walked over, offering coffee to both women. They chatted amiably for a few minutes over coffee before deciding to head over to the apartment. Laurie, in her yellow bug, followed Carol’s little convertible. Driving through town, Laurie looked around. A pink awning was perched over what looked like a bakery. Shop owners were opening their stores, and she saw trendy clothing stores, a hardware store, several professional offices, and an old-fashioned diner. Smiling to herself, she was already feeling at home.
I can’t wait until Emma sees this! Laurie shook her head. No, Emma was right. I have to do this by myself now. I have to have time to find me.
Before she knew it, they were pulling into a parking lot at the side of a large U-shaped brick building. Parking next to Carol, they both jumped out of their cars. Carol rushed over to grasp Laurie’s hand.
“I can’t wait to show you the place. I hope you like it!” Carol said, appearing nervous, as though she desperately needed Laurie’s approval.
“It’ll be perfect, I’m sure,” Laurie agreed.
Climbing the stairs to the third floor, they walked down the hall and entered a corner apartment. Walking into the apartment behind Carol, Laurie looked around in amazement. The living room was larger than most of the apartment she and Emma had shared for years. The walls were painted a soft taupe and a slightly darker taupe covered the dining room walls. She could see that the living room and connecting dining room were comfortably furnished with a large burgundy sofa and chairs plus a four-person breakfast table. The floors were wood, softened by a rug in the middle of the room. A large screen television was on the wall opposite of the sofa, and the other wall was taken up with a large picture window overlooking the park next door.
Laurie walked over to peer out of the window, looking down on trees, grass, and flower gardens. Lifting her gaze to the distance, she saw mountains rising in the background beyond the town, and she felt tears threatening to fall. Carol, appearing at her side, looked at Laurie’s face.
“Oh, you don’t like it!” Carol exclaimed.
Laurie turned quickly and hugged her new friend.
“No, no,” she assured her. “I love it! I’ve never lived where there was a view and this…,” she swept her hand out toward the vista outside the window, “is amazing!”
Carol returned the hug and pulled Laurie around to show her the rest of the apartment. The large kitchen was off of the dining room, and Laurie could see that it was appointed with new stainless appliances. A hall divided the apartment, with two large bedrooms at the end of the hall. Since the apartment was on the corner, both bedrooms had windows with views. Laurie couldn’t believe that the large bedroom was all hers, and she even had her own bathroom. The furniture included a matching bed, dresser, and small desk and chair. The bed was covered in a light mauve comforter, and the pillows were a riot of pinks, mauves, and blues.
Carol was standing in the doorway, carefully watching Laurie’s reaction. “You can change anything you don’t like,” she said quickly. Laurie looked over at Carol and instinctively knew that Carol needed her approval.
How can such a beautiful creature feel insecure?
Walking over to her, Laurie took Carol’s hands in hers and assured her that the room was perfect. “In fact, the whole apartment is more than I have ever had and more than I could have expected!”
Carol beamed again, and she pulled Laurie in for another hug. “Well, let’s get you
moved in!”
Laurie and Carol moved her few possessions from the car into the apartment. Carol then took a nap since she was working the evening shift at the hospital. Laurie quietly set up her room, hanging her clothes in the closet. Smiling as she shook out her clothes and hung them up, she was stunned at the size of the closet.
Guess I will just have to buy more to fill it up. But first, a new laptop!
Unpacking her books out of the boxes, she pulled the old laptop out of its case and put it and the books on the desk. Money was still tight, and she had another month to go before her first teaching paycheck would be coming in. Having unpacked all of her meager possessions, she walked into the kitchen. Knowing that Carol would be sleeping for a few hours, she thought that it would be nice to fix dinner for her before she had to go to her shift that evening. Laurie decided to drive to the grocery store she had passed on the way to the apartment.
Chapter 2
Laurie stood in the cashier’s line at the store, having picked up a few items for dinner. As she glanced around, she noticed two men standing at the end of an aisle talking. Both were tall, muscular, and gorgeous. As she looked back at them, she could see the profile of the one closest to her. She found herself staring at the most handsome man she had ever seen. Dark hair, trimmed neatly. His large frame was bulky, filling out his T-shirt tightly and his jeans….oh my…his jeans. His thighs stretched the denim and his ass was…
“Excuse me, can you move forward?” said a voice directly behind her. Laurie jumped and realized that the line had moved while she was still standing in the same place ogling the hunk. She quickly turned and pushed her cart forward, blushing furiously. Embarrassed, she unloaded her items quickly.
Rob McDonald was tired of standing in the grocery store arguing with his buddy over who would pay for the beer. Rubbing his hand over his closely trimmed dark hair, he growled.
Laurie's Time (The Fairfield Series) Page 2