“I believe you're right, Mr. Paddington. I'll talk to Nana D this afternoon. You convince Eustacia to give her another chance. We'll get them together tomorrow to figure it out,” I said shaking his hand.
“I'm glad to see you today. I wanted to thank you for helping out my family. I think we're in for some rough times in the near future, but ultimately, it's the best thing to happen to us in years. With Richard out of our lives, and Timothy finally getting help, this family might have a chance to reclaim the power and respect we once had.” Millard and I took a seat near some of the fruit trees to his right. The scent of lemons and limes was overwhelming yet comforting in a way I desperately needed.
“What's gonna happen at Padding Enterprises now?” I asked.
“I will step in and help for a few months. Just until Timothy finishes his recovery at Second Chance Reflections. Once he gets back, we'll talk about getting Ophelia's son and daughters involved in the family business. They're still young, but I think we can get them focused.” Millard ruffled his moustache when he finished speaking.
“Sounds like a good plan. What about Brad? How does he fit into all of this? He's not a Paddington, but he's tied into the family now,” I asked feeling bad for the nurse. He finally learned who his father was only to discover the man had murdered someone to keep the news quiet.
“Brad's staying on to help Eustacia. She's gonna sell her place at Willow Trees and run the Paddington estate for a while. At least until she decides if Ophelia or Jennifer will step up to the plate for this family.”
“Speaking of Ophelia, I had a question about something I saw the other day. You handed her an envelope that looked like it was from a bank.” I felt awkward asking Millard about a private affair but leaving it unaddressed would bother me forever.
“Yes, that… I believe Gwennie's final letter should explain everything. Eustacia found it last night after everyone left. It was inside her cane, that's what she meant by Eustacia needing it to live each day. When she dropped her cane last night, the bottom part fell off and out rolled the letter. My sister-in-law always did know how to motivate the rest of this family. I suppose Gwennie lost confidence in herself after Charles died, but this shows she would've gotten us aligned again. As much as it hurts, Gwennie's death serves a purpose,” Millard noted handing me the letter she'd mentioned in the will.
To my family…
Ever since I lost Charles, my life hasn't been the same. His death impacted me in ways I never expected. We did the best we could to raise our three children and lead by example for our grandchildren. On some levels, we were successful. On others, we were not. I'm not sure how much time I have left on this planet but should anything happen to me before I've had a chance to fix things, I leave behind these final thoughts.
Millard, you've been a wonderful brother-in-law to me and uncle to my children. You had a soft spot for my girls ever since they were rebellious teenagers and hoped one day to teach them how to be better people. While I didn't like finding out you'd been giving money to Ophelia so she could support herself and that fool of a husband, I know it was done with good intentions. It needs to stop until she learns how to help herself. I also need to correct your father's wrong when he left you out of his will. I've left behind a portion of the estate for you to administer on behalf of my daughters and to use at your own discretion. When they grow up and stop their immaturity, you can share some of the inheritance with them. Do something nice for yourself, too. Thank you for always being there for us.
Timothy, I'm glad you decided to get help. You screwed up in the past, but of all my kids, you're the one finally doing something to get better. I'm thrilled you've checked yourself into the rehabilitation facility and can't wait to see your progress. It was a mistake to remove you from the will years ago, so you're back in. Take care of your sisters. Find yourself a wife and maybe have some kids. You're not getting any younger, but I think this is just the start of your new life.
Jennifer, I'm truly sorry we fought so much in the past, but you need to stop blaming me for your mistakes. I will always regret slapping you that day on the stairs, especially since it led to you falling and losing your precious child. Now is the time to get your life in order. If you want to be a better person, get a job and stop chasing after no-good men. Find someone worthy of you. Once you've proven to Millard that you can stop being a whiny little girl, he'll share the inheritance so you can have another chance at becoming a mother through that ridiculous fertilization clinic. It doesn't make any sense why you can't do this the old-fashioned way, but good luck to you.
Ophelia, your husband is a louse. Someone's been stealing money from our accounts, and while I don't know if it's you or him, it needs to stop. I've ordered a DNA test to prove he cheated on you years ago. The results will be sent to the gentleman I believe is his son, but in case anything happens to me, I wanted you to know what he'd done in the past. You need to grow up and set a better example for your children. I'm teaching you a lesson here, and you better pay attention. Leave Richard. Be a better mother. Work at the family company. Millard will get you a position so you can turn your life around, and maybe then he'll give you some of my inheritance. I believe in you.
Lilly and Dana, there's not much to say right now. You're both spiteful and spoiled. So was I at your age. Grow up. Stop relying on men to make you happy. Make something out of yourselves and maybe your lives will amount to something better. If Lilly's business has that much potential, prove it to Millard. Work together on it, and he'll guide you through all the necessary steps.
Sam, of everyone in the family, you've always been the most precious to me. Not a day went by when you didn't sit with me at the hospital or at the estate during my recovery. You're the future of this family. You need to make those sisters of yours see reality. You need to find a way to love your mother more, even if she's been difficult with you. I know you're struggling with a big decision, and I'm sorry we fought about it before I died. This family's not exactly open-minded, but in time, they'll be okay with what you have to tell them. And based on what you'll eventually tell them, I suspect things are gonna get a lot more complicated. I'm leaving you part of my estate because I believe you'll be the one to steer this family back to greatness. Don't disappoint me, or I'll haunt you from beyond.
Eustacia, you've been my best friend in the family for most of our lives. It's your job to keep this family on the right track. That's why I left this note in your beloved cane. Your lifeblood. Everyone should have the right to live at the family estate, and I want you to oversee the place. You decide what happens to it on your own time. Perhaps someone in this family will step up and show us they're worthy.
Gwendolyn must have known she was getting sicker, or she truly believed someone was going to kill her. She died without confirmation that Richard was Brad's father which meant she probably never knew it was Richard who was trying to kill her all along. After I handed the letter back to Millard and we said our goodbyes, Brad walked into the Great Hall. We exchanged a quick greeting, then he thanked me for helping him find his father. Eustacia had called him after the arrest at the theater to reveal the secret. “You've been a good friend. I need some of those if I'm going to stick around this town and live with the knowledge Richard Taft is my father.”
“You've got two half-sisters and a half-brother to get to know. I think maybe you'll be a good influence on them. At least Lilly and Dana. They've been left to their own devices for far too long. Sam's a good kid. I just can't figure him out,” I said hoping Brad might take his younger brother under his wing.
“Sam's a cool guy. He confided in me this morning that he's met someone and previously told Gwendolyn all about it. She was accepting of his life choices, which was a good thing to see. Not all families are supportive when someone comes out of the closet.” Brad would be a good role model for his younger siblings with that attitude. “I'm meeting with the DNA facility tomorrow. They will have the second test completed, but it looks like I alread
y know the answer. Huh, Richard Taft, a murderer!”
“I'm so sorry it turned out this way. I wish you luck getting your nursing license. If I can help, my late wife used to be a nurse. I know a little bit about what it takes to get that completed,” I explained before saying goodbye. Brad and I made plans to grab drinks the following week to discuss everything. I needed to make some new friends, and now that he was cleared of any suspicion, he'd be a great guy to hang out with.
Since the brunch was cancelled due to last night's catfight and meatball extravaganza, I headed to my favorite eatery. I pulled into Pick-Me-Up Diner's parking lot at the same time as Maggie. We walked inside together doing our best to abide by the conversation we'd had the prior day.
“So, we're friends, right?” she said with a giant grin.
“I think so. I'm ready to reconnect and do things together like other friends do,” I said.
“Friends hug one another, right?” Maggie said.
“They certainly do,” I replied and stepped closer toward her. When we embraced, I knew there would always be something between us, but I also knew it wasn't the right time to explore it again. “Come on, let's go inside and see how your new diner's doing since opening last week.”
Maggie went in to talk to the chef while I tracked down Eleanor. “Hey sis, tell me all about your day. I think it's time we stopped talking about me and started talking about you.”
“Wow! I lead a pretty dull life. I don't have a back-from-the-dead wife, killers trying to do away with me, or mayoral campaigns blowing up in my face. I'd say you're the one with the stuff to talk about,” Eleanor teased with a mouth full of sarcasm and a piece of apple pie.
“Really? You don't call visiting a fertility clinic something to talk about? It might not be any of my business, but I've been telling you everything about my life. So, spill it. What's going on?” I said pushing her into the office and shutting the door.
“You can't tell anyone,” she said barely able to contain her glee. “I've decided to have a baby. I know it's a crazy idea, but I want a child. And I'm not getting any younger. I'm only thirty, but this feels like the right time. I could wait until I find the right guy and do everything the old-fashioned way, but the stars have been pointing me in this direction for months. I finally listened.”
“And what exactly did they say?” I wasn't sure how I felt about her decision, but she was my sister and I'd support her in any way she needed.
“They said I should stop waiting for things to happen and go after what I want. I'm gonna do it. I've just got to figure out who's gonna be the father!” Eleanor tossed her hands in the air and did her version of a happy dance that looked more like a drunken macarena to me. “What do you think?”
I wanted to tell her she was doing too much at once between assuming ownership of the diner, going after Connor, and trying to become a single mother. But if I could do it, so could she, I ended up deciding. “I think it's fantastic. I don't want to know any of the details on how you get pregnant.”
“You really need to grow up. Didn't I already tell you this recently? Nana D is right, you can be a giant baby sometimes,” Eleanor chided, then asked me to go with her to the clinic the following week to discuss her options. She needed to pick out a sperm donor and wanted my input. The things I did for my family were getting way too weird.
As I stepped into the parking lot, I cleared my head of everything except heading home to spend the afternoon with my parents and Emma once they arrived. I walked to the last parking row and was about to unlock the SUV with my remote when I noticed Sam talking to someone near the sidewalk.
At first, I looked the other way not wanting to intrude and knowing how uncomfortable he'd been around me. I'd no idea why I made him so nervous, but if he didn't want to talk with me, I'd no choice but to respect his wishes. Then I had to step into the space between my SUV and the car next to it so I could leave. As I turned, I found myself close enough to see Sam lean in to kiss whomever he'd been speaking to. It was the kind of kiss you only see in movies when two people who love each other finally give in to their passions and don't care what the world has to say about it.
Given I could be as nosy as Nana D, I might have stared longer than I should've hoping to catch a glimpse of the guy he was making out with on the pathway. If it wasn't Arthur or Brad, I was clueless. When Sam pulled away, I got the shock of my life. Sam Taft was kissing someone I knew—my brother. Not only was Gabriel back in Braxton and hadn't told any of us, it seemed he'd been keeping another big secret, too. I stood there paralyzed for a few seconds. Should I interrupt them? Was I supposed to hide so they didn't see me? Maybe that's why Sam had been so nervous around me. He knew I was Gabriel's brother. Before I could decide what to do, my cell phone rang.
I knew they'd heard it ring, so I dropped to my knees and hid on the side of the SUV. I glanced at the phone's screen only to curse when I saw it was Cecilia Castigliano. I grudgingly pressed accept and whispered, “Hi. I can't talk right now. I'll call you back in a few minutes. I'm guessing Francesca told you what I decided.”
“No, Kellan. She didn't tell me anything because she never got on the flight back home. Francesca is missing, and I blame this entirely on you. What did you do to my daughter?”
About the Author
James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I'm a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I'm an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.
Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It's full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.
When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I'd stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!
List of Books & Blog
Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)
Father Figure (April 2018)
Braxton Campus Mysteries
Academic Curveball - #1 (October 2018)
Broken Heart Attack - #2 (December 2018)
Flower Power Trip - #3 (Early 2019)
Websites & Blog
Website: https://jamesjcudney.com/
Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com
Social Media Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4
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