Authors: Maggie Thom
Bailey snuggled back into the solid warmth that surrounded
her and let herself drift in that half wakeful, half sleeping state. For the
first time ever she felt wholly and completely safe. It was that thought that
brought her awake. She opened her eyes to a pencil sketch of an old clown
walking with a cane. It was beautiful in its simplicity and yet the expression
on the clown’s face was of that of sad awareness.
She tried to think about what
would make a clown unhappy – age, no longer funny?
The feeling of warm, naked skin
pressed against her back snapped her out of her reverie and her sleepy state.
Guy. Wow.
She couldn’t
help but smile at the amazing night they’d spent together. He was one special
guy. It had been a crazy whim of hers to climb in his shower but she’d woken
alone, scared and tired of always running. So for a change rather than leaving,
she ran towards something she wanted. And she definitely wanted Guy.
As though he were aware of her
thoughts, his left hand splayed over her stomach while the other rubbed down
her thigh. A shiver of electricity shot through her. Knowing it was now or
never, she inched herself away. She made it the edge of the bed when those two
strong arms she’d just untangled herself from wrapped around her and pulled her
back.
“Eeekkk.”
“Where are you going?” he said
groggily. Rolling over, he pulled her on top of him.
“Go back to sleep. It’s time for me
to return to my room.” The dim light coming in through the window suggested it
wasn’t quite yet dawn.
“No.”
She looked down at the handsome
face inches from her own. The slightly crooked nose was so tempting she ran her
forefinger down the center of it.
“Fist fight.”
“Oh?”
“Grade nine. Mason wanted my
girlfriend, Becky. I took offense, so I punched him. Bit of a mistake. The kid
was built like a Mac Truck. Luckily, he only got the one punch in. Not so lucky
for me, a broken nose and a badly sprained hand.”
Bailey chuckled then leaned
forward and kissed first his nose and then his hand.
“Thank you. I don’t feel so bad
about it anymore.” He smiled as he claimed her lips. He tucked her in beside
him. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay.”
“How about emotionally?” He
peered down into her face.
She met his gaze before looking
away. Her hands jerked the blanket back and forth in a tug of war. “Screwed up.
I don’t know what to say. My life isn’t mine. I–”
“Do you want to talk about it? I
can maybe shed some light on all that’s occurred.” He rested his forehead
against hers. “I’m really sorry this all happened to you.”
She nodded, not sure if she was
really ready but glad that it was only the two of them.
“It seems Mr. Lund had a heart
attack and is in the hospital in Edmonton. He’s recuperating and should be fine.
Just in time to go to jail, with what we’ve learned so far on that Jump Drive
you gave us. There’s enough to put him away for years and we haven’t even
cracked half of it.”
“He was my mom’s lawyer. How did
she get tangled up with him?” She snorted in disgust.
“Like I should be surprised. My
life was full of losers. Not a surprise that the one you think is different
than the scum selling drugs and the prostitutes on the streets really only
wears nicer clothes and hides it better.”
“It seems he was involved with
your… Donna and Doug Zajic. Lund married above his social status and must have
thought that when Doug Zajic, a Member of Parliament, came into his life, he
was set. I’m still not clear but it would seem that Mr. Lund lived a life of…”
Guy stared at the wall for a few seconds. “I don’t even know how to put it. He
liked boys. Young ones. There’s no proof other than some mention of photos but
I think…”
She sat up. “Oh my God. He was
badgering me about a picture. At the time I thought it was odd but didn’t pay
much attention. He seemed very anxious to know its whereabouts and had mom ever
shown it to me. I told him she’d burned a picture once. He seemed to relax and
be quite energized by that.” She looked at Guy. “Don’t tell me she had a
snapshot of him with a young man.”
“I wish I could tell you that but
I think it was of a young boy. It seems your mom was using it to blackmail him.
He, in turn blackmailed Doug. Maybe he had evidence of Doug’s abusing Donna and
that if he didn’t pay Lund would leak it to the media. Not something a
government official could handle. He also manipulated your mom and made her
life a living hell for screwing with him. It seems he had quite a list of
people he was blackmailing. One of the accounts that Graham was able to crack
looks like a tidy nest egg in an offshore account, ranging around twenty
million dollars.”
“That son of a bitch. We lived
like dogs. Sometimes I’d go days without eating. Any food I could scrounge I’d
give to Mom so she could keep working.” Bailey paused for a second. “Isn’t that
interesting? I always thought Mom worked but other than the candy store in
Calgary, I don’t know where or what she did. I know that she got desperate and
depressed and when that happened, I was the one who had to bring in the money.”
He rubbed her shoulder being
careful not to touch the twenty or so nicks covering her skin. “Was that the
scams she had you do?”
“Yeah.” She hung her head, let
her hair fall over her face. “In all honesty I’m the one who started it. I was
desperate. Hungry. Cold. Tired of not having anything. I played up to this
sharply dressed man, I got him interested in what a young girl could do for
him. When he had his pants down I took his money and ran. It was easy. Mom was angry
at first but then she knew we had few options. From there the ante went up. And
I got better at it.”
Guy pulled her into his arms.
Settling back against the headboard, he stroked her hair. “You were a kid
living in an adult world, having to survive. I don’t think you did anything
wrong. Or anything different than any other kid would have done.”
“The newspapers. I don’t
understand the newspapers.”
He looked at her quizzically.
“Mom used to order, find,
purchase, every major and some minor newspapers she could get her hands on.
Why?”
“Hmmm. What if she was trying to
keep up with what was happening in the political arena. If her husband was an
MP then there are good odds that he’d be in the newspaper. If she was as
distrustful as I think, then maybe she wanted to make sure he wasn’t coming
after her? Going to find her?”
Bailey thought about that for a
few minutes. “It makes sense. If I remember correctly she always read the
business, political sections first. Then she’d comb the rest of it for
information. The ones that I threw out…” her hand flew to her mouth. “the
house. I haven’t cleaned out the house. I only have a week to do so. I don’t
think I even locked it. Guy…” Horrified that she’d forgotten about the place.
“It’s okay. I was there after you
and I locked it up. Don’t worry, we’ll get it cleaned up.”
She ignored the 'we’ and
thought about who she could call to go in and pack it up. Get rid of
everything. Everything but her suitcase and clothes. As soon as she had that
thought, she realized she didn’t care anymore. She just knew that she couldn’t
go back there. There might be answers in all those papers dating back to the
year she ended up with Donna and the years they moved but she wasn’t sure she
wanted any more information. What she knew was that life hadn’t turned out the
way it should have for her. Resting her cheek against Guy’s chest, she couldn’t
resist the urge to rub against the soft dusting of hair, not because it was so
amazing but because she needed to feel something real. “Who’s been chasing us?”
“It seems the first guy that you
met in your mom’s house – was sent by Lund. He was a petty thief. I don’t think
Lund meant for him to do more than to follow you. The other guy we aren’t sure
but my guess is he was hired by Uncle Geoff. He couldn’t afford to have you
come back here.”
They’d already talked into the
wee hours, about Geoffrey and his role in her life. She wasn’t looking forward
to hearing it all over again with the real members of her family. Feeling sick
inside over all that had transpired just because she’d been born, she let her
hand slide up Guy’s forearm, shoulder, down over his chest, moving lower. Her
tongue flicked out and lapped at his erect nipple.
“Conversation over.” He slid down
under the covers letting his hands slide down the sides of her body and then
back up to caress her full breasts.
She smiled a sad knowing smile.
Her glance flicked to the picture beside the bed. She now understood the
clown’s look. Letting go was going to be hard but she knew she had now and
wasn’t about to let it pass her by. She gave herself over to the incredible
sensations coursing through her body.
****
“Bailey. We need to talk.”
She glanced back over her
shoulder, thankful he was staring out the window. She’d easily distracted him
earlier from what he’d wanted to tell her.
“Oh. I thought we took care of
that.” She limped over to him and breathed on his neck.
He laughed as he faced her. She
leaned in and standing on tiptoes, placed her lips over his. He hesitated only
for a moment before he deepened the kiss. Tears instantly filled her eyes. She
did everything in her power to stop them from overflowing.
There was a loud bang on the
door.
“Guy? Your grandmother is waiting
for you. She wants you there now.”
Guy jerked back. “Penelope. Tell
her we’ll be there right away.”
Not knowing what else to do
Bailey buried her head in his shoulder. She took three deep, even breaths and
swallowed the lump of guilt lodged in her throat. Her life just wasn’t meant to
have a happy ending.
She pulled back and spun away.
She stumbled as her injured leg wasn’t ready for that kind of move.
“Hey. What’s the hurry.” Guy’s
arm whipped around her waist to support her. “We need to talk.”
“Guy…” She pushed him away and
walked to the door. “Let’s just go. Let’s get this over with. There’ll be lots
of time later to talk.” She smiled what she hoped was a winning one, although
she felt anything but.
He held her gaze for a long time.
Finally he moved towards her and he cupped her face. “Promise me that you’ll
listen to me afterwards.”
She looked down at the scuff mark
he had on his chin. She reached out and gently touched it. “Sure.” Turning she
opened the door and headed for the stairs. Guy stepped in front of her and
redirected her to the elevator. Once inside he grabbed her and hugged her tightly.
Bailey couldn’t resist kissing him.
One last time.
CHAPTER
FORTY-NINE
Guy and a guilty looking, red faced Bailey entered the
second floor salon. Dorothea was sitting on the love seat, something that made
Guy pause. He’d never seen her sit there before. He took in the rest of the
room. Glancing at Bailey, he knew she was right to be tense. Nothing would be
the same after this.
Extending his hand, he walked
forward. “Hello Daniel, Gina.” Due to the manners they’d been brought up with,
they both acknowledged him but their eyes were glued to Bailey’s as hers were
to them. There was only the why it had all happened, for the light of
recognition and knowledge was there in each other’s eyes.
It was Gina who first broke the
silence. “My baby.” Running forward, she wrapped her arms around Bailey, both
women crying as they hugged for the first time in twenty-nine and half years.
And very possibly for only the second time in their lives. Daniel hung back for
a second but he didn’t want to be left out. He wrapped his arms around both
women and held on. The three let their tears cleanse away the pain of
separation.
Guy was having a hell of a time
swallowing the boulder-size lump that was stuck in his throat. His grandmother,
he noted, was in much the same shape. He walked over and sat beside her.
“I don’t know how much to tell
them.” Her hands worried the fabric of her blue silk dress, something she’d
never done before. She’d never asked for anyone’s guidance in her life.
“No more secrets, Grandma. No
more. There have been too many for too long. It’s gonna hurt but then the
healing can begin. You don’t have to do it. Graham and I have pieced together
most of it. Thank you for holding off for a few days so we could all rest.” He
kissed her cheek and then stood as Graham entered the room. Graham’s eyes
opened wide, he started to fidget and look anywhere but at the scene in front
of him. Guy walked over and slapped him on the back. “Think of it as getting in
touch with your feminine side.”
Graham, the guy who females
sought out when they needed that strong shoulder, choked out, “Hell.” Guy found
himself in not much better shape as he turned his back on the scene and stared
out the window, blinking several times. Once under control he walked over to
the bar and poured himself and Graham a straight whiskey. They clinked glasses,
looked at each other, nodded and downed them. Unsure where they fit into this,
they both moved to stand in front of the ornate mantle fireplace.
Gina was busy brushing Bailey’s
hair back from her face and staring at every square inch of her. Daniel’s arms
remained around both women.
“I don’t want to break this up
but I think it’s important that we talk about all that has brought us here, to
find a way to heal and move forward. Aunt, Uncle and Bailey, please sit down.”
They never looked at him but they moved like a three-legged being, to sit on
the couch.
Rubbing his face, Guy let out a
long sigh. “I don’t even know where to start with this.”
“Let me, Guy. I can fill in some
of the background.” His grandmother sat forward, clasped her hands in her lap
and thrust her chin upwards. “Geoffrey was only my half-brother. I think that
secret is what drove him over the brink. No one was supposed to know. Not even
Geoffrey. But my parents weren’t the best at keeping their feelings to
themselves. They always treated him differently, my mother as though he was
lower class. I guess since his real mother was a maid, she felt she was
justified. My father looked at him as a reminder of getting caught with his
pants down. Not something he took lightly. Geoffrey used to have to work so
hard. The ugliest jobs. The longest hours. And when he didn’t do a perfect job,
because that was impossible, they beat him. Not just pull down your pants and
get the belt across the butt, no.” All the color drained out of her face. Pale
and shaky, she continued, “no. They tied his hands to the rafters in the barn.
Stripped him naked and whipped him.” Her hand flew to her mouth as the horror
of what she was saying hit her. “I saw them. I did nothing. I was so scared. I
was their perfect child. Geoffrey hated me so. He stabbed me with a sword.” She
waved at the cane and her injured leg. “He was eighteen and very drunk. I had
come home for a visit. He was already into some pretty bad stuff but I didn’t
want to know. I think I knew he’d hurt me deliberately. But I didn’t want to
believe it. I made sure no one knew it was him. I deserved it.” Deep sobs shook
her frail frame.
“Another time, he beat me with a
cane. He thought I didn’t know it was him. But I did. I forgave him. He wasn’t responsible.
He wasn’t. Mother did this to him.” Her body shook as though there wasn’t much
holding it together.
Guy wrapped his arms around her
as did Gina, who had also come to comfort her mother.
“Oh, Mom. It wasn’t your fault.”
There was a loud indrawn breath.
“Oh, Gina. My beautiful daughter. You don’t know the worst of it.” Taking a
deep breath, she whispered, “he stole your baby.”
Gina reared back as though
slapped. Her jaw moved several times but nothing came out.
“What? Why? How long have you
known this?” Angry now, Gina stood up glaring down at her mother.
“She just found out. I know this
is painful Gina but please hold on until we tell the whole sordid tale.”
Although she complied Guy wasn’t so sure that their relationship, which had
been strained for years thanks to her mother’s interference in Gina’s life,
would survive this latest family saga. Gina backed up, her eyes wide as she
plopped down onto the couch. Bailey reached out and clasped her hand.
Graham took over at this point.
“It seems that Geoff was living a life of debauchery, money laundering, drugs.
Whatever was illegal, he was probably involved. At some point he met this
brother and sister - John and Mary. She worked as a nurse and got hired on at
the hospital where you planned on having your baby.”
Gina gasped. Daniel sank wearily
into the cushions, as the import of that sunk in.
“She’d been there six months,
when you arrived and had Cassidy. She took the baby. It seems it was all planned
out.” Guy bowed his head for a moment, before straightening and looking at each
person in turn. “The next part is a little unclear. We think she had to go into
hiding due to the reward that you offered. After five months they figured they
were safe, so she took a plane to Vancouver. Only the plane went down in
Alberta. Back in those days, if a baby was traveling on an adult’s lap, there
wasn’t a record made of an infant being aboard. So when the plane crashed, all those
listed on the manifest were identified as dead. No one realized that a baby was
on board or missing. Again not sure how–” he looked at Bailey, “she survived it.
But she did. A determined young lady.”
Graham winked at Bailey. She
pursed her lips in acknowledgement. Guy tried to catch her eye but she refused
to make eye contact with him. Something…. had changed. She sat ramrod straight,
her fists clenched on her thighs.
“Again pretty sketchy but it
seems that a Donna Zajic was leaving her abusive husband on that night. She
came across the crash, found the baby and took her with her. Cassidy became
Bailey Saunders and lived…”
Bailey’s face hardened and she
shook her head firmly. “I lived okay. As you can see I turned out alright. It
had to have been the good genes I started out with.”
Gina and Daniel both broke down.
Bailey took on the parent role and held them close. Telling them it was okay,
they were together. That she was fine. She’d had a good life.
The pain and agony was so heavy
in the room it was like a thick fog, the weight of which was having a devastating
effect on his grandmother. She sat slumped in her chair. Kneeling in front of
her, Guy took her cold hands in his.
“I love you, Grandma.”
Huge tears rolled down her cheeks
but she refused to look at him.