“Thank you, Sally,” Judith said in her most syrupy Alabama drawl.
Judith could fill up a room, always pulling the light to shine brightest on herself. Jenna remembered how she too would get pulled into Judith’s orbit during those times when Travis wasn’t around.
“Sit down, JJ. That was quite a storm the other night. I heard those sirens goin’ off and couldn’t help thinkin’ of Ginny and her sweet little farm.”
“Yes, it was quite a storm.” Jenna stared at her mother. The woman had never spoken of Aunt Ginny.
“Dear, Aunt Ginny. I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about her and how kind she was to me. I was too much of a wild child back then to know it, but now I see how good she was, takin’ us in all those years ago.”
“She was a very good person.” Jenna couldn’t say anything more. Talk of Aunt Ginny only made her feel vulnerable, and she needed all her defenses at the ready.
“JJ, bein’ here has got me thinkin’ about how you and I need to be there for each other. Help each other.”
“I’m here to help you,” Jenna answered, trying not to let her heart get too carried away with hope.
“I know you are, darlin’. And I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
“Mom, I need to ask you something.”
“Ask away, baby girl.”
“What happened? Why did you go to the Rose Brooks Women’s Shelter?”
“Jenna Jo, isn’t it obvious? I was tryin’ to leave Travis, and he started breakin’ things in the house, punchin’ holes in the walls. It scared me half to death. I threw a few things into a bag and went to the shelter. I’d seen a little blurb on the news for Rose Brooks on the television. I think some professional athlete’s wife had gone there.”
Jenna nodded, urging her mother to go on.
“I knew it was really over between the two of us. And I had to go somewhere he couldn’t get to me. That’s the long and short of it.”
Jenna stared at her mother. Judith Lewis was so good at getting what she wanted. Jenna had seen her manipulate men and women alike to get her way. But things were different with Travis.
Travis and Judith were the Bonnie and Clyde of narcissism and irresponsibility, moving from town to town, living only for themselves. Their relationship was always tumultuous, like a roller coaster about to fly off the rails at any moment. But now, knowing that Judith suffered from bipolar disorder, Jenna could better understand her mother’s behavior as well as her attraction to Travis. They both lived for the high and needed a constant stream of drama to survive.
From place to place, especially in the smaller, working class towns, Travis and Judith always found people who envied their easy wealth. The two of them must have seemed like celebrities, no jobs, no responsibilities, and always with money to burn. Their only occupation was having a good time.
And then there were the schemes. Travis was always trying to work an angle. It was no secret he hated pandering to his grandmother to fund his exploits. He would throw his money, as well as Judith’s, at any half-cocked business venture. There were partnerships in restaurants that went under in a matter of months, a chain of tanning salons that went bust, and a tech company he swore was going to be the next big thing only to fizzle into nothing but a heap of debts.
And with each failed venture, there was the hope that gambling could recover the money they had so recklessly thrown away. It was just a quick jaunt over the Kansas border into Missouri where casinos and riverboat gambling, glossy and exploding with neon lights, promised the chance of big jackpots.
Judith shifted on the couch and folded her hands in her lap. “They were so kind to me at Rose Brooks. They couldn’t believe I had a daughter your age when I told them about you.”
This was the opening Jenna needed. “You gave them my contact information. Why didn’t you just call me if you needed help?”
Judith crumpled like a wounded bird. “You left me, JJ. What kind of daughter leaves her mother without even a goodbye. I didn’t know if I could count on you.”
That was it. The familiar twist of guilt tightened around her heart like a vice.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave like that, but I was scared that Travis was going to—”
Judith put up her hand. “That’s all in the past. What matters now is that we’re here, together.”
Jenna wanted to tell her mother about Travis’ threat, about why she had to leave right then and there, but her mother’s next words stopped her right in their tracks.
“Now tell me about this man. I hope he’s not after your money.”
“About what? What man?”
“Look at your face! The man that you must be seein’. Anyone can tell that you’ve got a beau in your life with that rosy glow on your cheeks. Remember, I am your mama. You can’t hide anything from me.”
Jenna wasn’t sure what to say. She couldn’t remember a time when her mother had known anything about her life. The familiar memories of her dreary childhood threatened to replay, but she forced her mind to stop.
Maybe this was her mother trying to connect with her. Men, and being seen as attractive by men, had always been important to Judith.
“I have met someone. Not really met but reconnected.”
“That’s wonderful! But you need to protect your trust, JJ. Does he know about it?”
“The trust?”
“Of course, the trust, baby. We have to think about what we’ll need to start over.”
“Mom, I have a job and my own money. You don’t have to worry about the trust. I have a good idea of what to do with it.”
Judith smoothed out a crease on her capri pants. “You know I was never good with money. I don’t even know what’s going on with my trust fund. All those different businesses that were supposed to be such good investments…”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I have plenty to help you get you back on your feet. But you should think about getting a job. You’d have something to do, a schedule, and I’m sure you’d meet friendly people.”
“Yes, I think a little job would be very sweet. Maybe helpin’ other women at Rose Brooks?”
Jenna had spent a lifetime guarding her heart against her mother’s cruelty. But she couldn’t hold back the tears of happiness trickling down her cheeks.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea. I’d like to do something for Rose Brooks, too,” she said, smiling through her tears.
“Judith,” came a voice calling from down the hall. “Sally said I’d find you here. It’s time for your session, dear.”
“Looks like our time’s up,” Judith said, meeting her daughter’s teary gaze. “I’ll see you in a few days, baby girl.”
Judith stood and took a few steps toward the nurse, but then she turned back to face her daughter. “You know, I talked to the attorney in Mobile. Like I said, I’m having a little trouble workin’ out some issues with my trust right now. But he did say you could grant me access to yours. Then we could do all this fun future plannin’ together.”
“Don’t worry about a thing, Mom. I’m going to speak with my own attorney about the trust. I’ll get everything figured out.”
“Come give your mama a hug.”
Jenna closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her mother’s tiny frame. All the broken pieces of her heart were starting to come together. A real life without lies and deceit was possible. She could stay here in Langley Park with Ben and Kate. She could help her mother start a life without Travis. This could be the happily ever after she had always wanted.
Jenna said goodbye to the nurses at the psychiatric center’s front desk and headed outside. She pulled her phone from her purse only to have it start ringing in her hand.
It was Zoe.
“Hey, Zoe!” she answered, wiping back one last happy tear.
“Jenna, I’m so glad you picked up. I’ve been trying to call people, but nobody’s answering their phone. I wasn’t sure what to do.”
“Slow down, Zoe. What’s wrong?�
��
“It’s my mom. She just called. She and Kate were in the backyard. She lost her footing, and she thinks she may have broken her ankle. My dad’s in surgery. Sam’s not answering. Ben just left to head back to Langley Park, but he’s at least an hour away. I even texted my friend Michael, but I haven’t heard back. I hate to bother you with this.”
“Zoe, it’s no bother at all. I’m leaving the hospital. I’ll head over there right now.”
“Thank you so much, Jenna. My mom sounded pretty bad on the phone. She was trying to stay calm for Kate, but I could tell she was in terrible pain. I know she doesn’t want to upset Kate by calling an ambulance.”
Less than ten minutes later, Jenna pulled up in front of the Stein’s home.
“Hello?” she called out, opening the door after a few tentative knocks.
“We’re back here, Jenna,” Kathy answered from the patio.
The house was dark, but Jenna could see straight through and directly onto the back porch. Kathy was sitting on a patio chair, her leg propped on another chair while Kate stood inspecting her grandmother’s ankle.
“Hello, Jenna. It looks like I’ve done it this time,” she added with a chuckle that turned into a grimace of pain.
“Let’s get you to the hospital so they can take a look,” Jenna said, then turned her attention to Kate. “Are you ready to be a super helper?”
Kate jumped to attention. “I’m ready! Grandma, do you want me to get your purse?”
“That would be very helpful, sweetheart,” Kathy said as Jenna helped her to stand.
A knock came from the front door. “Mrs. Stein, it’s Michael.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake! It looks like Zoe’s called in the cavalry.”
Jenna’s gaze followed Kate as she ran to the front door toward a tall man entering the house.
“Hey, Miss Kate! Where’s your grandma?”
Kate spoke rapidly, bringing Michael up to speed. As Kate led him back to the patio, Jenna had to do a double take.
Sharing the same dark auburn hair and green eyes, Michael could have been Sam’s brother. But, while Sam’s features were soft and rounded, Michael’s were sharper and more angular. He looked as if he had been plucked from a GQ magazine spread with his crisp suit and jacket folded neatly over his arm.
Kathy reached out and clasped his hand. “Michael, thank you for coming to help me.”
“It’s no trouble, Mrs. Stein. The text came in from Zoe just as I was finishing with a client.”
Michael glanced over at Jenna and nodded.
“I’m not sure if you’ve met Jenna, yet,” Kathy said.
“Jenna Lewis,” Jenna said and shook Michael’s hand. She noticed that while he and Sam shared the same emerald eyes, Michael’s were muted. Not that he looked depressed, but they held a hint sadness she recognized.
“I’m Michael,” he answered with a kind smile.
“One day, Michael,” Kathy said as she tried to stand, “you’re going to have to start calling me Kathy.” But her ankle proved too weak for even the slightest pressure, and Kathy lost her balance.
Michael was quick to intervene, and soon they had Kathy upright and securely standing with the bulk of her weight on her good leg.
“Thank you both so much,” Kathy offered again as they went to Jenna’s car. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come so quickly. How can I ever repay your kindness?”
“How about you make us one of your apple pies, and we’ll call it even,” Michael said, settling her in the car as Jenna retrieved Kate’s booster seat and buckled up the little girl next to her grandmother.
“I can agree to those terms, counselor.”
It was a quick drive to the emergency room with Michael following behind them in his car. He had insisted on coming along. A nurse had given Kate some coloring books, and the three of them sat at a small table in the ER waiting area while Kathy was back with the doctors.
Jenna was finishing up a text to Zoe when Michael met her gaze. “This may be a strange question, but are you Ben’s Jenna?”
“I’m sorry, Ben’s what?”
“Ben sent me an email this morning about looking into a trust for someone named Jenna. I’m no genius, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that your name is Jenna and you just happened to be at the Stein’s helping Kathy.”
“You’re M. MacCarron, the attorney?”
“I am.”
“You know, you look like you could be Sam Sinclair’s brother. I’m sure people tell you that all the time.”
“You’re close. Not brothers, cousins.”
“Sam and Michael are the coolest gingers in town,” Kate said, not even looking up from her coloring.
“Who told you that, Kate?” Michael asked with a chuckle.
“Aunt Zoe did. She said that you and Sam are her favorite boy gingers, and Em is her favorite girl ginger.” Kate paused and looked up from her coloring book. “What’s a ginger?”
Jenna couldn’t help laughing but noticed out of the corner of her eye how, even though Michael laughed, his good-natured ease had been replaced with a subtle rigidness.
Kate went back to her coloring, having forgotten her question.
“It looks like we’re going to be here for a while. We could discuss your trust right now if you’d like?” Michael offered, seeming to brighten with the change of subject.
“That would be great, but I don’t have any of the documents with me. You see, I’d like to gift a majority of it. Could you look into that and see if that’s even possible?”
“Sure, just send everything you have to my office with a note as to what you’d like done with the funds. I’m happy to check into it for you.”
Jenna reached for her purse. “That’s so kind of you. I can write you a check up front to cover the costs.”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said, waving off her check. “I have a proposal for you. How about you ask Ben to look at some architectural plans for my staircase, and we’ll call it even?”
“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Just then, Kate looked up and waved wildly at someone behind them. Jenna turned to see Neil coming out of the ER accompanied by Kathy who was walking with crutches, her ankle wrapped in a bandage.
Kate ran to her grandparents. “Grandma, did you have to get a big shot? I hate shots. Did they fix your leg? I was hoping you’d get a big pink cast, and we could all sign it.”
Neil patted his granddaughter’s head. “Slow down, little one. Grandma’s going to be okay. No shots and no cast.”
Kate inspected her grandmother’s ankle as Michael and Jenna walked over to greet them.
“Thank you for bringing Kath in,” Neil said, still wearing his hospital scrubs.
“Not broken?” Michael asked.
“No, just a sprain. There will be no downtown-dogging it for about a week or so.”
“It’s downward facing dog, and you know it,” Kathy said, her laughing gaze meeting her husband’s.
The emergency room doors opened, and a worried looking Ben came rushing in. “I’m sorry. I had my ringer turned off. I saw all the calls and texts when I stopped for gas.”
“Hey,” he said, meeting Jenna’s gaze.
But before she could answer, he cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers, as if kissing her hello was something he did every day. The kiss was quick, lasting only a second, maybe two. But it was the kind of kiss that spoke of intimacy. The kiss between two people, deeply connected.
“Hey,” Jenna echoed, momentarily transfixed.
Ben hadn’t seemed to notice he had done anything out of the ordinary and joined Kathy and Neil, who were speaking with the ER doctor.
Jenna let out a sigh, relieved no one seemed to have noticed their kiss. Kate had been entertaining herself at the water fountain, and the doctor had just come out and was speaking with Neil and Kathy. But Jenna’s smile disappeared when she caught Michael giving her a knowing
look.
She knew what he was thinking, and warmth bloomed inside her chest. All she could do was meet his teasing gaze and shrug her shoulders. Michael was right. She was Ben’s Jenna.
She wanted to give Ben and his family privacy while they spoke to the doctor and left to tidy up the table covered in Kate’s drawings. As she was collecting the crayons, she heard Kate call out.
Kate had left the water fountain and wandered over to investigate several vending machines lined up near the exit.
The adults turned their gaze toward the little girl who was quite angry. She was looking out the doors as a man hastily exited the building, a ball cap pulled low over his head. Ben moved past a few nurses toward Kate with Jenna following close behind.
“What’s wrong, Jellybean?”
“That man, Daddy,” Kate said, a scowl on her face. “He was taking pictures of Jenna cleaning up the table. I could hear the click, click, click from his phone. I said, ‘You better stop it. That’s not okay. You don’t know her.’ Remember how they told us at school that people we don’t know shouldn’t be taking our picture?”
Ben nodded. “Are you sure he was taking pictures of Jenna? Smartphones make a lot of different noises.”
“I was watching him. I could see because I was standing by the soda machine. He was taking your picture, Jenna. Lots of them. Click, click, click.”
Kate pantomimed the movements while holding an imaginary phone, her thumb flicking up and down.
Click, Click, Click.
Could it have been Aidan Hadley?
Jenna’s senses sharpened. She noticed the hum of the fluorescent lights and the coppery scent of blood intermingled with hand sanitizer. She looked outside, scanning for anyone resembling Hadley, only to see two elderly women walking out to the parking lot. Her heart was racing, but she wasn’t frightened.
Whoever this person was, he was only inches from Kate, and that brought out a protective instinct like nothing Jenna had ever known.
She was done letting Aidan Hadley call the shots.
“I’m sure the man must have mistaken me for someone else,” Jenna said. But the look she shared with Ben said the exact opposite.
The Complete Langley Park Series (Books 1-5) Page 20