Family Inheritance (38 page)

“Yes?” Her eyes darted around the room again.

“Could we be friends?”

“I don't know.” She let out a sigh, sat heavily into her chair, and placed her elbows
on her desk.

“Could we try?”

She closed her eyes and took a large gulp of air before answering quietly, “Yes.”

A brief sigh was heard before Stephen said, “Good. Is it okay if I call you from
time to time? Besides, Boston is far away. I can't be a threat to you long distance,
can I?”

Suzanne fought to regain her composure and softly laughed. “You're right. I'm being
silly. I'd love to have you call me.” Suzanne gave Stephen her number, wrote down
his home number, and stared at the phone long after they'd said good-bye.

A few moments later, a tap sounded on her door, and she distractedly called, “Come
in.”

Richard peeked his head around the door. “I'm quitting early. Does that sound good
to you? It's Friday, I'm hungry, and it's time for new beginnings.” He held out his
hand to her.

Suzanne looked into his gentle, smiling eyes. Standing up, she grabbed her purse
and held out her hand to him. “You're right. It is time for new beginnings.”

Chapter 44

Atlanta, Georgia

I can't believe he'd do this! I thought everything was going so well. Where is he?
It was Friday night around eight and Bill wasn't home yet. He hadn't called, Helene
had no idea where he was, and her stomach was tied in knots. Thomas was spending
the night with a friend, and Lily had gone for the day.
Where is he?
Her mind bounced
from concern that he had been in an accident to the nagging memories of his past
infidelity.

Over the last several months, she had gotten used to Bill being home around six every
night, and on Fridays he would often be home earlier because they had made Fridays
their date night. It was “their” night to watch a movie together, enjoy a candlelight
dinner, attend an event at the Fox Theatre, or go out to eat.

And now he wasn't here. The dinner she had made was cold, the candles burned down
to stubs, and the apple pie she had made for dessert was waiting patiently on the
counter.

She curled up on the sofa in the den and waited. Helene had become so excited about
their life, their relationship, and what they were finally building together. Now
she was terrified that something was wrong and it would all crumble down around her.

When she heard the garage open, Helene jumped off the sofa and walked briskly to
the kitchen. As she passed a hall mirror, she glimpsed a face with
red, swollen eyes,
and mascara smeared on her cheeks. Had she really been crying that much or that long?
Her vision in the mirror told her she had.

The door from the garage opened and Bill rushed in, almost running into her. “I'm
so late. Honey, I'm so sorry I'm so late.” Then he stopped and looked at her. “Helene?
Honey, are you okay? What's wrong?”

“You didn't call. It's Friday night and our date night,” sobs tumbled from her. “You
were supposed to be home. I thought something was wrong. Why didn't you come home
when you were supposed to?” A hiccup escaped between the blubbering. “I was worried—you
could have been in an accident.” She glanced away from him. “Or maybe you went back
to old habits.”

Surprise engulfed her as Bill's arms quickly wrapped around her. “I should have called.
I'm so sorry I worried you.” He stepped back and looked at her. “Old habits?”

Helene nodded.

Bill led her to the stools at the kitchen counter. “Honey, I promised you I would
never cheat on you again. Ever. And I meant it.”

“But,” she hiccupped, “a leopard can't change its spots that easily.”

“It's a good thing I'm not a leopard,” he teased. “Because a man can change his habits.
And this man has.”

“But why are you so late?”

“I had something very important to do.”

“What could have been that important on a Friday night?”

“I had some shopping to do.”

“Shopping?” Helene stood up. “Are you serious? Shopping?”

Bill pulled a small square box from his jacket pocket and slipped down onto one knee
as he opened the box. “Helene Miller Foster, will you marry me again?”

Helene's mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged with surprise as she looked at a
diamond ring surrounded by emeralds in one of the prettiest settings she had ever
seen. “What? I mean—we are already married.” Helene fell back on the stool. “You're
crazy.”

“About you. Absolutely.” Bill was still on one knee. “So, will you marry me again?”

“What?” Her mind was trying to comprehend what he was talking about.

“We can renew our vows.”

“How? Where?”

Bill shifted to his other knee. “Will you say yes so I can get up off my knees?”
His voice was playful. “We can talk about all the details then, but my knees are
killing me. I'm not as young as I was the first time.”

Joyous giggles emanated from Helene. “Yes. Yes, of course I will.” As Bill stood
up, Helene placed her finger on his lips. “You, Bill Foster, have become a very silly
man.”

“I know,” he agreed.

They were now snuggled together on the sofa in the den as Bill explained his plan
to her. If Helene agreed, in two weeks they would renew their vows in the chapel
of the church they sometimes attended with just Helene, Bill, Thomas, and the pastor
present.

“I want a chance to let you know how serious I am about being the husband you've
always deserved. Will you let me do that?”

Helene quietly snuggled in his arms, her heart and mind reeling with excitement and
delight. “I will.” She curled farther into his arms, feeling very loved.

She now knew that nothing was ever perfect, but she relished in this new beginning
with her husband and son, her newfound connection with her sisters, and the closure
with her mother. Her childhood was a part of helping her get to this point in life.
Things were what they were, and if she couldn't change it, she needed to learn to
live with it in a positive way. Maybe her childhood and her past were like any other
family inheritance. It all depended on what she did with it.

Chapter 45

Minneapolis, Minnesota

At first, Alice thought the doorbell was ringing in her dream, but slowly she fought
through the fog of sleep to realize that the doorbell was really ringing. Clumsily
getting out of bed, she groped for her robe, pulling it around her as she headed
for the door.

Looking through the peephole, Alice saw two uniformed officers—a woman and a man.
Her stomach dropped.

The kids—oh my God, the kids. No, they're both in bed. It's Mom. It must be Mom.
She's dead. She's finally dead.

But why would the police come to the door?

The doorbell rang again.

Well, open the door and find out, dummy.

Alice opened the door but did not remove the chain lock. She peered out of the five-inch
gap that the chain permitted. “Yes?”

“Mrs. Hudson? Mrs. Alice Hudson?” The female officer asked as they both showed Alice
their badges.

“Yes?”

“May we come in?”

“Why? What's this about?”

“About your husband. Please, may we come in?”

Fear consumed her. If it involved Jake, it couldn't be good. “Okay,” she whispered,
“but my children are sleeping, and I don't want to wake them.”

Alice closed the door, removed the chain lock, and opened the door to let the officers
in. As the officers walked into her living room, fearful memories of Jake filled
her mind.
He's turned me in. He told them I threatened to have him killed. They're
going to arrest me. What's gonna happen to the kids? I was so stupid to think I could
get away with it.

Once they were inside, the female officer took Alice's hand and motioned her into
a chair. “We're sorry to have to inform you, Mrs. Hudson, that your husband was killed
tonight.”

“Killed? What do you mean killed?”

The male officer looked directly at her and replied. “He was in an automobile accident.
He had been drinking. He ran his car into a telephone pole at a very high speed.”

“Oh my God,” Alice slumped back against the chair.

“Mrs. Hudson,” the male officer continued, “did your husband have any enemies?”

Alice's thoughts were jumbled.
Jake's dead. Did I do this?
She was trying to make
sense of what they were saying. “Enemies? Jake? Well, I don't know. I mean, not everybody
liked him because Jake could be a mean man. But I don't think he had no enemies.”

“Do you know of anyone who would want to kill your husband?”

“Kill him?” Alice gulped and tried not to panic. “No, no. I don't know anyone who
would kill him.”

“Where were you tonight, Mrs. Hudson?” The officer looked at her.

“Have you been to Duluth lately?” the female officer fired another question at her.

“What are you talking about?” Alice raised her voice and stood up. “Tell me why you
think that somebody wanted to kill Jake. Why are you asking me where I was tonight
and when I was last in Duluth?” Her hands were shaking.

“When the men who were at the gas station across the road got to your husband, he
was screaming about being chased. His words were, ‘He's after me. He's gonna kill
me. She did it. He's really gonna kill me.' But the guys who
saw the accident said
your husband's pickup was the only one on the road at that time, and it was a straight
stretch, so he didn't lose control at a corner. It looks like he drove right into
the pole. Why would your husband think someone was trying to kill him?”

“I don't know.” Alice paused. “When Jake was drinking, he'd say funny things. It's
like he'd go out of his head.”

“You mean hallucinate,” the male officer furnished her with the word.

“Yeah, hallucinate.” Then reality slapped Alice hard in the face. Her mind continued
to function, but her feelings shut down. “Jake's dead? I guess I'll have to have
a funeral. How do I tell the kids? Does his mother know? Jake's dead?”

“Mrs. Hudson, are you okay?” Gentle female hands touched hers.

“Okay? Yeah, I'm okay. I gotta call my mother. No, I can't do that, she's not here.
I'll call Helene. She'll know what to do. I'll call Helene.”

“Mrs. Hudson, can we call someone for you?”

“No, I'm fine. I'm okay. Where is Jake? Who do I call?”

The officers gave Alice a piece of paper with phone numbers on it.

“Mom? Mom, what's wrong?” Sarah stood in hallway in her pajamas with her hair tousled
about from sleep, looking at the two officers. “What's happened, Mom?”

“Sarah.” Alice looked at the officers with a blank stare. “That's my daughter, Sarah.
You can go now.”

“We won't leave until we know you're okay, Mrs. Hudson.”

“Mom! What's wrong?” Panic seemed to grip Sarah.

Alice walked over, put her arms around her daughter, and pulled her close. “It's
your father, Sarah. He's dead.”

“Dead? He's dead?” Hysterical laughter escaped from between Sarah's lips. “How can
he be dead?”

The night became surreal for Alice as she went through all the motions. Once the
police officers left, she woke Sam, and they all sat together, just holding each
other. Then as morning came, Alice made the necessary phone calls and plans for Jake's
funeral.

It was close to noon when Alice tucked an exhausted Sarah and Sam back into their
beds. Then, going to her bedroom, she dropped to her knees and cried tears of relief.

Chapter 46

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The warm light that had been behind her for so long was starting to draw her away
from the room in which her body lay. “Anna, it's time now,” a strong, kind voice
beckoned her.

She had floated above her humanly body for months, watching her daughters and loving
them. She had been given a second chance. She had been able to see them change, grow,
and begin to love her. They were special women, her daughters.

In the beginning, she thought they'd drive her mad. She was a dying woman, and they
filled her sick room with their troubles and their angers. Such pettiness! But they
worked it out. Anna thought they'd never talk to each other, but they changed. Each
day they got closer to each other and to her. She was so proud of each one.

That Helene, she was always the strong one. She was so mad at Anna in the beginning,
but then she softened. The warm socks at Christmas and the flowers every week—they
were always so pretty. And that family of hers was wonderful! Anna was going to have
handsome great-grandchildren that she could watch over, and she looked forward to
it.

Anna's spiritual heart had been burdened as she had listened to what Suzanne and
Sarah had gone through with their fathers. She didn't understand
why people did things
like that to innocent children. She certainly had a lot of questions she wanted to
ask when she got to the other side.

The last time Suzanne was here she looked different. She had softened and just talked
about her feelings. Anna's soul had cried and danced at the same time. Suzanne would
be okay.

Alice had still worried Anna some up until today when she had come to Anna's room.
She had lost weight over the weeks since she had visited and was holding her head
higher than she ever had before.

Once Anna had seen all three of her daughters happy in their lives, she knew it was
time for her to leave. She could now be released from the limbo of her coma. She
could follow the warm light that was beckoning her.