by Tara Brent
I lean into my husband's arms and he places a hand on my tummy. As if on cue, our baby kicks at his palm.
I must be one of the happiest women in the whole world, with Ali being the other.
I am looking forward to being Mrs. Luca-for the rest of my life.
Book 3-The Billionaire Returns Home
Prologue
Chrissy and Drew shared everything. Though they weren’t siblings, they had grown up together. That included attending the same elementary school and right through to high school, the two youngsters were inseparable. They could often be seen huddled together whispering as they made up their mischievous plans. Unbeknownst to the adults in their lives, they had a secret pact. When they were old enough, they would run away to live on a boat and get married. Oh, how simple life was back then.
Drew’s father, Theo Gagnon, owned a construction company in Cowichan Valley. His mother, Helena, was a wealthy property developer. It was through his mother’s work that they came to live in Cowichan Bay, Canada. In her passion for old buildings, she began renovating a building in Cowichan Bay that looked ready for demolition. Not so, according to Helena Gagnon, there was life left in it yet. She loved this project so much that, once completed, the family moved into the classy penthouse overlooking the bay. The other apartments were sold on as condominiums.
Drew’s parents were career-minded, ambitious people and when Drew was born, they agreed that a nanny was required. Whilst a nanny couldn’t replace their love for him, it would go some way to easing his loneliness when they were away working. The interviews went on for days and they thought they'd never find a suitable candidate. Could it be that no one was good enough for their son?
They had almost given up hope when a letter was found in their mailbox that had been personally mailed since there was no stamp on the envelope. A young local woman, called Lisa, had written that she lived with her boyfriend on his fishing boat in the bay. She grew up in a large family in one of the reservations and had vast experience in caring for children. There was something so genuine in her words that they invited her to meet with them. It was just meant to be. They took to her straight away, as did the almost one-year-old little Drew.
For the first year, everything was perfect. The new nanny was as good as her word and the whole family soon became fond of her. Though Lisa continued her relationship with her boyfriend, it wasn't ideal. Jason Montgomery was a married man. Even worse, he had a baby daughter, little Trish. His wife wanted nothing to do with him, due to his philandering ways. Though Lisa was fond of Jason, she had no intention of having a serious relationship with him. That was until she became pregnant.
The fishy-smelling fishing boat did nothing for Lisa's sickness. In the end, she stayed more in the Gagnon home than with Jason. Nine months later, Chrissy was born.
And so began an inseparable relationship.
Drew loved having a baby about the house. He doted on Chrissy as if she were his sister. When she was old enough, they spent hours playing together. Chrissy was a proper little tom-boy and loved to play boy's games. Despite their age difference of three years, they spent most of their time together. For Drew, these were the happiest moments of his short life, so far. He hardly even noticed when his parents were away. To him, Lisa and Chrissy were his family too, including Jason, when his boat was in. Drew loved going on the big boat. On the odd occasion, Lisa would take the children for sleep-overs so Jason could spend time with his daughter. Such occasions would also see his other daughter staying overnight too. Lisa got along well with Trish's mom and organized the sleepovers for the two sisters.
The children were perfectly content until changes came about. Drew’s world was turned upside down because it was time for his school education. Naturally, his parents wanted the best that money could buy. There was no question about it, Drew would go to a boarding prep school.
For Drew though, the thought of leaving his home petrified him. It meant fewer visits to the boat, and separation from Lisa, Jason, Chrissy, and Trish, all the people he considered his family. From day one he hated the unfamiliar surroundings of his new school. He refused to make friends, or follow any of the rules. At only five years old he had a reputation of an awkward child. Within six weeks, the Principal called his parents to discuss their difficult child. They were shocked at such profound news and couldn't believe this was their sweet little boy. When they saw how utterly miserable he was, they soon decided that he should return home. They would hire the best home tutors that money could buy.
Drew soon became himself again. Lisa, his nanny, was now the housekeeper and everything returned to normal in the little boy's life. For the next few years, a contented bliss fell over the household. The two children once again became inseparable.
Chrissy split her time between her mom at the Gagnon's, and her daddy in the boat. Jason was a sea fisherman through and through. He would never give up his boat to live on land. Unknown to Chrissy, her parents had started drifting apart not long after she was born. Due to sharing parental responsibilities they remained quite close but independent. Although Chrissy loved being with her daddy and Trish, her half-sister, she always preferred her time in the Gagnon household, which to her, was her real home.
The time arrived for Chrissy to begin her schooling too. Yet again, Drew started up his tantrum stage. Being a strong-willed child, he made unprecedented demands. If he couldn't go to the same school as Chrissy, he threatened to become a fisherman with Jason. After many tears and tantrums, his parents finally gave in. Chrissy started at Cowichan Bay Elementary, and so too did Drew, much to his parent's displeasure.
It was worth it though because the following years passed without incident. The children remained close as they matured, and everything was perfect once again. Fate though was about to strike a blow, as fate often does.
When Jason's boat sank out at sea in a storm, it took with it his entire crew. The body of Chrissy's father was never found. Drew did his best to comfort his friend, but she was inconsolable. Poor Chrissy felt nothing but guilt for not spending enough time with her dad, and now it was too late. She could never forgive herself. Despite her mom's odd relationship with Jason, whom she never married, it was a huge blow to her too.
After many months of heartbreak, Lisa decided that the memories in Cowichan Bay were far too painful for them both. It would be better if they moved away to pick up their lives elsewhere. The broken-hearted mom and daughter went to live with family back on the reservation. They also took along Chrissy’s older sister, Trish, because of a breakdown with her own mother.
And so the bond of Drew and Chrissy was broken. The teenagers stayed in contact as best they could, but as life moved on, so too did Chrissy and Drew. They followed different pathways and the bond of their childhood sweetheart relationship was over. For the time being...
Chapter 1
The Truth About Aunt Trish
I’ve always loved the smell of the sea. Even though I moved away from Cowichan Bay, I never lost the memory of the aroma on the waterfront. Now I’ve returned, I sit near the harbor whenever I get a rare moment alone. The familiar smell assails my nostrils, making me feel nostalgic. It reminds me of my dad. His fishing vessel used to sit on this bay when I was younger. I’d come for sleepovers with my half-sister, Trish, when we both visited our shared father. Dad died when his boat sank in a storm and from that moment on, I lost a part of my heart.
It’s mainly tourist boats that come in and out of the harbor these days. Most of them pass on by to go dock on Vancouver Island. Still, at certain times of the day, the whole area reeks of fish and salt and I love it. A cacophony of squawking sea birds follow the boats like they used to with her dad’s, and it always warms my heart.
The familiar smell of the sea invokes deep memories of my time here as a young girl. In my mind’s eye, I see a young girl waving out to sea as her father's huge boat is returning with its catch. The boat carries my dad who’s waving back at me. I see his rugged face laughing. H
e’s a typical jolly fisherman, and always happy to see me. I’d run along the dockside to greet him, and he’d greet me with a huge bear hug. My dad, Jason Montgomery, was a powerfully built man but he always stank of fish. No matter how many times he bathed, he could never rid himself of it. Still, I loved him so very, very much.
My mom and dad never married but she loved him too. His death hit her hard. Our shared grief had forced us to move away from the area, and my half-sister, Trish, came with us. She wasn’t getting on well with her own mom’s boyfriend and mom always treated her as her own daughter anyway. It seemed the right thing to do. We moved to the reservation where mom had grown up and went to live with Aunt Jessie.
I loved the reservation. The huge open spaces were refreshing. Even though poverty was rife, people were friendly and welcoming. Though our lives went downhill a little after dad passed away. Not only was I forced to move away from school at the age of fourteen, but I also lost my childhood sweetheart, Drew. Sure, we kept in touch for a few years. It's true though, what they say about long-distance relationships, they're doomed to fail. What had been even worse was that my older sister, Trish, gave mom such a hard time. No wonder her own mom had all but given up on her rebellious nature. She ran away from our new home almost straight away when mom refused to give in to her demands. It turned out that Trish hated living on the reservation and blamed my mom for forcing us to live there.
I continued my education the best I could at a local school. It didn't have the resources of Cowichan Bay High, but I did okay. I’d had a better start than most and ended up top of my year. Oh, I thought I was so important back then.
After high school, I got my first teaching job as a classroom assistant at a local junior school. It was ideal because I wanted to stay near mom. While at this school, I realized I had a love for working with children. Just like my mom had once been a nanny, I decided that teaching youngsters was the way forward for me. Maybe it was in our genes? Finally, I got to leave home and study at college to become a qualified teacher. I went on to get my Bachelor's degree and Teacher Education Program. My life was moving on and I was offered an amazing job in a top school in New York. But, thanks to my sister, it was never to be.
As I finished college, Trish returned home out of sheer desperation. Her life had descended into further chaos and now she had a baby in her belly. She’d come back to us to ask for money for an abortion. Instead, of taking up my new teaching post, I returned to the reservation to help sort it all out. We managed to talk her out of the termination but when the baby was born, Trish wouldn’t even look at it. She insisted the nurses take it away for adoption. Despite her cold- heartedness towards her baby, I could see something else was underlying her emotional mess. It was then my sister told me of the abuse she had experienced from her mother's partner. Poor Trish, I had no idea, but then again I was only a kid myself at the time.
I tried to help her work things out but all I got was stress. In the end, there was nothing else for me to do but adopt her baby myself. I would never allow my nephew to be raised in a strange family. My mom was in total agreement, though Trish was dead set against it. The offer of money soon changed her mind. I gave my sister most of my savings; money I'd put aside to rent an apartment in New York with my new job. My sister accepted the money and within days she had upped and gone, yet again. From that moment forward, I became a full-time mommy.
I'd kept some money aside and used it to move us back to Cowichan Bay. I don’t know why but it’s a place where my heart had always remained. We haven’t seen or heard anything from Trish since the birth of Lucas. As far as my little four-year-old boy is concerned, I’m his mommy. When he’s older, he can know the truth about his “Aunt” Trish. For now, I’ll protect him with every ounce of love in my heart.
It’s all in the past now. I only dwell on it when I’m alone. I like to sit on my regular bench in the harbor, allowing the memories of dad to flood back. The downside is that it sets me off reminiscing and wondering what might have been. Would I have married my childhood sweetheart, Drew Gagnon? Could Trish's life have been any different if she'd told dad about what was happening to her? It's no wonder she ended up being uncontrollable. Trouble seems to follow my sister around, wherever she goes.
Chapter 2
Clara and Annie
My whole life has been completely shattered since the death of my beautiful wife, Clara. I can’t help it. My mood won’t lift. Before I met Clara, my life had been nothing but work. I hadn’t been happy and content since my teenage years and ended up dropping out of high school. The turning point in my life had been when the housekeeper, Lisa, and her daughter moved away. I’d grown up with Lisa’s daughter Chrissy. To me, they’d been like family. Chrissy lost her dad when his fishing boat went down in a storm. Hah! Chrissy was the first love of my life until I was seventeen years old.
Not that dropping out of school mattered much because I was lucky enough to be born into a wealthy family. I took up my parent’s preferred option anyway, of being home tutored. Passing my exams was easy enough but I still felt that my life was so unfulfilled. Sure, I could have pretty much anything I wanted, but for some reason, I felt empty.
So, I moved away. A long, long way from my hometown of Cowichan Bay, British Columbia. l studied at a university in England where I discovered I had a natural gift for technology. It was a gift that made me very rich. At first, I only dabbled, it was like a hobby while I was studying. After developing a few computer games, they were published by one of the indie software houses and sold well. While still at University, and using the money I made from the games, I created a social media platform. In less than a year it had blossomed into a giant, with millions of members. Of course, I had to sell it because I was offered a very tidy sum of money. Not bad for someone in their early twenties! With a B.Sc. in Computer science and a few million dollars in the bank, the whole world was laid out before me.
After graduation, I was in no rush to return home, so I toured Europe. While in France I fell head over heels in love with a talented and stunning French singer, Clara Paschal. I met her through my wealthy social circles. Though Clara had her own income, she too was from a wealthy background. She was an independent, attractive, gifted and very generous woman. I adored every single part of her very being from the moment I set eyes on her. Never once did I regret putting a hold on my life and marrying her. Becoming a husband was the best thing that ever happened to me. Well, almost the best thing, topping that list was fatherhood.
That was until tragedy struck our little family! No amount of wealth could cure the cancer that was eating away at my wife's internal organs. I watched her suffer as her body slowly decayed and it made me angry with life once again. After my Clara passed away, I hated the entire world. My only solace was my daughter, Annette. My little Annie was now my entire world and I protect her like she’s a rare gem.
It got so bad I couldn’t stay in Europe because of all the painful memories. Finally, I returned to my hometown on the borders of Canada. A place I’d run away from years ago, but it seemed the only place in the world that was right for Annie. I decided to start a new software company if for nothing else it takes my mind off my loss. I even went to live in my parent's penthouse where I grew up. They'd moved out not long after I got married and right now they’re busy touring Europe to view historical architecture. My mother tells me that they’re looking for a property to renovate for their final home. For some reason, they’d kept on this apartment, where they’d raised me, their only child.
As I’m sitting on this bench watching the boats in the bay sail by, memories flood my thoughts. This is the only place I can switch off my mind from reality. It helps me reminisce on old memories of better times in my youth. Things have changed a lot around here. There are a lot more tourists these days, but I don’t care. The best way to get through my grief is to work, and work hard is what I do best. Currently, I'm designing a new RPG computer game. They’d always been my favorite programs t
o write but this new project is a special one. The main characters represent Clara and me. I get to look at her image and interact with her in my make-believe world. Some might say it’s a sad state of affairs, and maybe it is, but I’m not one to care what others think or say.
It’s become a bit of an obsession but I’d deny it if you asked me. Damn anyone who interrupts me when I’m at work on it, other than my daughter, Annie.
Annie loves Cowichan Bay, but she’s got a big problem holding her back. It had never seemed important in France, but her English isn’t so good. She’s a bright kid and it frustrates her to the point of tears. The thing is, she has her own grieving to do, so I suppose the tears could be a deeper issue. She’s my life right now and I’m not sure who I can trust to help her. I know that I have to do something. Whenever I have problems these days, I like to wonder what my wife would have done if she was still around. That’s how I came up with the idea of a home tutor. Annie needs other company in her life besides her grouchy father and our French-speaking housekeeper. She's not quite ready to attend any kind of schooling yet, so a local home tutor would be perfect. It worked for me as a child, so I’m hoping that it'll work for Annie too.
Chapter 3
Principal Henry Ainsworth
“I’m meeting Henry today,” I explain to my mom as we ate breakfast. “I need to work more hours. We can’t manage on the few hours I’m doing at the school right now.”
“That won’t be good for little Lucas, dear,” mom replies. “He needs his mommy by his side at his age.”
“I know, mom, but my love for my son doesn’t pay the bills, does it? Besides, he has a grandma who spoils him far more than his mommy does,” I smile, in an attempt to justify my reasons.
