Lone Star Burn_Undercover Heart

by Judy Kentrus

  “No, they aren’t going to take your child.” It was his turn to confess the real reason he came to Fort Mavis. “Wait here. I need you to read something.” Caleb went to his office and retrieved the letter he carried in the side pocket of his briefcase.

  “Sit and read the letter from my brother.”

  Caleb kept his distance and leaned against the counter, watching her read Daniel’s letter. Her hands shook and tears stained her cheeks. Her face changed from anguish to anger when she finished reading the letter.

  She thrust the letter at him. “This doesn’t prove anything!”

  “Here’s your proof.”

  Caleb sat on the chair, removed his slipper, his white sock, and the wide Band-Aid on his foot that he still wore for fear of knocking off the large scab.

  She shoved up from the chair and stared at his foot. “Oh my god, you have the same toe! You knew all along!”

  He didn’t even wince when she slapped him on the face.

  “You bastard! You came here specifically to take my daughter. It was all a big con job. Get close to me and take Danielle.”

  “You’re wrong and taking everything out of context.”

  He stood up and faced her head on. “You actually think I’m that cold-hearted that I would try to take Danielle away from you because she’s my brother’s child? After all we’ve done and been to each other, you don’t know me very well. I swear I didn’t know who she was until you showed me Ryan’s letter. Besides, you lied to me!”

  “To protect my reputation and my daughter!” Erin went to leave, but turned around.

  “I said it before and I’ll say it again, I knew you were too good to be true. You’re nothing but a lying bastard. Stay far away from me and my child. Don’t even try to communicate with her. Go back where you came from and stick your money up your rich Hughes ass!”

  Erin’s shaky legs couldn’t get her across the street fast enough. Tears of hurt, anger, and heartbreak blurred her vision. How could she have been so wrong about the son-of-a-bitch?

  She slammed into the house and paced in the kitchen, not knowing what to do. There wasn’t anyone she could talk to about the disaster she’d created all on her own. She was too ashamed and, over time, the lie became too real.

  It had come full circle. She’d kept this secret to herself and her foolish pride prevented her from trying to find the man who’d fathered her child. For eight years, she’d denied her daughter a father.

  Who was the first one she ran to when she thought someone was going to take her daughter? Caleb, the man she still loved with all her heart. Danielle was her child, but she was all Caleb had left of the other part of himself, the brother he loved.

  “My God, Erin, what have you done? You just ordered him to stay away from and never communicate with Danielle. You’re as cold and heartless as his parents when they left him alone. Danielle has grandparents!”

  It was crazy to admit, but Daniel Thompson had sent his brother in this direction to find his child and, just as importantly, her. Unanswered prayers.

  “You pushed away the only man you have ever loved and broke his heart. You can never take back the words spoken in anger and cruelty, but you have to fix this,” she cried and reached for her pad of sticky notes she kept on the counter.

  A few minutes later, she spun about when the front door opened and slammed shut. Caleb stormed into the kitchen. He stood before her and the pain and hurt she’d inflicted on him was obvious on his face and in his eyes. She stood up and clutched a hand around her throat.

  “Caleb, I,” she started, but his voice raised in anger cut her off.

  “You’ve had your say, now it’s my turn! You made up a lie because the truth would have disrupted your perfect, well-ordered world and damaged your lily-white daughter of a preacher reputation. Well, shit happens and you can no longer deny the truth. Danielle has a father, my brother!”

  Caleb moved to her post-it board and started ripping them off, and tossed them in the air like colorful snowflakes. “This is phony.” He moved to her dry erase board and wiped off all her notes. “And this is phony.”

  He was on a roll and moved onto the refrigerator and tossed out all the perfectly aligned containers of yogurt onto her spotless floor. “You can clean up the mess, but not this time. You can no longer deny Daniel’s daughter exists.”

  He stepped over the containers on the floor and leaned into her. “Before I knew Danielle was my niece, I had already sent a note to Ryan asking about adoption procedures. You obviously don’t trust me. I love you both with everything that is in me, but I’d rather cut off my arm than hurt either of you. Now I’ll take your advice and stay away from you and your child. It might be difficult to stick my money up my rich ass. And by the way, your daughter is a millionaire five times over and more.”

  Tears burned his eyes and he’d never felt sicker in his life. He was giving up the family he almost had and was once again facing a very lonely life.

  He reached the front door but found it locked. He twisted the knob a number of times, but the door wouldn’t open. He turned at the sound of footsteps in back of him.

  “Open the damn door, Erin. I’m finished playing games. Tell Danielle I had to leave on important business. Since you’re so good at evading the truth, you can explain why I’ll no longer be a part of her life.” His heart shattered a little more.

  His words cut right through her, but she wasn’t about to let him walk out of her life. “I didn’t lock the door. It’s broken and I’ve never bothered to have it fixed. Move out of the way and let me try.”

  Before he could move, a post-it note was smacked on his chest, another one immediately followed on his forehead, his shoulder, and both arms. “What the hell?”

  He removed the one on his forehead. It read, Reminder: Love Caleb for the rest of our lives.” The one on his chest read, Reminder: Tell Danielle about her real father. The one on his shoulder read, Reminder: Ask Caleb for his forgiveness for my bitchiness. The one on his right hand read, Reminder: Tell Caleb you would love to have his baby. The one on his left hand read, Reminder: Tell Caleb you love him with all your heart and you’ll marry him.”

  “And none of them are phony,” she professed, and threw herself into his arms. “I’m so sorry for doubting you and saying those nasty things. I love you, Caleb, and can’t imagine my life without you.”

  His heart burst with joy and he crushed her to him, never realizing his strength until neither of them could breathe. “I love you so much. Do you believe I didn’t know Danielle was my brother’s child until you showed me the letter?”

  “Yes.” Erin pulled slightly away. “I never meant to hurt you, and I said those terrible things in anger. I knew I couldn’t take them back, but already realized I had to fix what I broke, your heart. I started on those sticky notes just before you got here.”

  “Oh, my darling Erin. Only you would write sticky notes of apology,” he laughed and hugged her tighter.

  “Apologizing to my daughter isn’t going to be so easy. Telling her the truth is going to be very hard.”

  “I have an idea. It may not be the total truth, but it can be as close as we can get without hurting her or you or me for that matter.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll tell you Christmas Eve. Now, is this fight over?”

  “Yes! Oh, yes,” she confirmed and tightened her arms around his neck.

  “Good!” Caleb swung her over his shoulder and carried her fireman-style into her bedroom and tossed her on the bed. “Since I threw away all your post it notes and erased your board, I’m scheduling myself in for the rest of the day.” He pulled his shirt off and flung it in a corner.

  “So what did you have in mind,” she asked, laughing with joy as her shirt and bra joined his shirt on the floor.

  “Guess,” he said, and waved his magic finger.

  Wednesday after school Erin sat at her desk, staring down at the telephone number she’d just written down, the direct numbe
r for Caleb’s father. She saved the card the reporter had given her with his direct cell. Don was happy to hear from her and she assured him things between her and Caleb was fine. She had twenty minutes before she had to pick up Danielle from aftercare. This was something she had to do. With Christmas only three days away, she sensed a change in Caleb. He put on a brave face and tried to hide his depression. He was hurting and she was the only one who could help him.

  A gentleman with a deep mature voice picked up after the second ring. “Mr. Thompson, my name is Erin MacKenna. Don Malone gave me your number and I need to talk to you about Caleb.”

  “What’s wrong with my son?”

  “Nothing that can’t be fixed.”

  “Who are you, young lady?”

  “I’m about to become engaged to your son, so if you care about him listen to what I’ve got to say…”

  Epilogue

  Christmas Eve, Caleb sat in Erin’s living room enjoying a sense of contentment he hadn’t experienced since he was a child. He was no longer alone. The watery film over his eyes made the tiny white lights on the beautiful Christmas tree a soft blur. If only Daniel was here to share the joy of meeting his daughter. All had been quiet since he encountered the locked front door. Tomorrow he would celebrate their double birthday, in spirit.

  He just removed his suit jacket and tie to make himself more comfortable, when Danielle came into the living room and plopped onto the couch next to him.

  “Mr. Thompson, your roast beef was better than my mom’s. I liked those potatoes that looked like an accordion.”

  “Thank you. Hasselback potatoes are one of my favorites. The julienned carrots were delicious because you helped me make them. We made quite a team.”

  “Yeah, I never thought of that. A cooking team.”

  Erin walked in carrying a tray with two cups of coffee, a glass of milk, and a plate of sugar cookies. She looked so pretty in her red dress that brushed her knees. She’d pulled her hair up on the side and held it in place with a barrette decorated with a spray of silk holly. Danielle wore the same barrette in her hair and her red sweater was the same color as her mother’s dress.

  She placed the tray on the coffee table before sitting next to Caleb.

  “How did you like the kids’ service at church?”

  “It was very nice. I liked the idea of the candle lighting ceremony,” he said.

  “Yeah and nobody started a fire,” Danielle said over a mouth of sugar cookie.

  “We have a tradition. Open one present on Christmas Eve and Santa brings the rest.

  Danielle, why don’t you start?”

  “I want to give Mr. Thompson his gift because this is his first Christmas Eve with our family. Tomorrow we can celebrate his birthday and we can fly our planes after dinner.”

  Danielle retrieved a box from under the tree wrapped in green plaid paper with uneven edges and an overabundance of scotch tape. The silver bow was crushed. She held it out in two hands, like she was presenting the most expensive gift in the world.

  “Mr. Thompson, you’re not a cowboy, but that’s okay. You love my mom a lot so that matters more. I made this for you a couple of weeks ago because I knew in my heart that I wanted you for my new dad. I love you.”

  Caleb didn’t think his heart could hold more happiness. “Danielle, I don’t even have to open this gift because you have given me the best present in the world.”

  She wedged herself between her mother and soon-to-be father. “But you have to open the gift!”

  Caleb removed the wrappings and lifted the lid but Danielle explained what was right in front of his eyes. “The gingerbread man in the middle is you. The little red pillow hearts on either side are me and my mom. We are giving you our hearts because you’re part of our family. Louis’ grandmother helped me sew the little hearts and connect them to the gingerbread man’s hands.”

  Caleb put his arm around his niece and future daughter, and pressed a loving kiss to her cheek. He would remember this beautiful moment forever. “It’s the best present I have ever received. Will you hang it on the tree for me?”

  “Did you know about this?” Caleb whispered to Erin as they watched Danielle contemplate which branch she wanted to hold her prize ornament.

  “No. She did it all on her own. You do realize she played us both all along, saying she wanted a cowboy for a dad.” Erin hesitated. “You don’t think…

  “Oh, I think, absolutely!”

  “I’m next,” Erin said and gave Caleb a gaily wrapped shirt box. “I think this is very appropriate.”

  Caleb removed the wrapping paper and lifted out the red butcher apron and burst out laughing at the three dancing hot red peppers. It read, ‘Caleb, the World’s Best Hot Tamale Maker.’ “I love it and will cherish the memories we made over those tamales.” He laughed even more when Erin’s cheeks turned pink.

  “Guess it’s my turn.” Caleb winked at Danielle before picking up a small box from under the tree, but decided to hold on to it at the last minute.

  “You already know what’s in the box, but I think we should give Danielle our special present before we make the celebration of our love official.”

  Erin understood and nodded with tears in her eyes.

  He needed to do this right and took Danielle’s small hand. “God made sure your mom and dad met and he gave her a beautiful gift, you. I fell in love with your mom and have recently discovered that your real dad is my brother, Daniel. Your mother didn’t lie when she said your father was in heaven. My brother and I were twins and we were born with a special toe.” Caleb slipped off his black loafer and removed his black sock. “See, you and I have the same candy-cane toe.”

  Danielle immediately removed her shoe and sock and put her toe next to Caleb’s. “Mom, look, my new dad has the same toe as mine!”

  “I know,” she said, and brushed aside her own tears.

  She leaned into Caleb and kissed him softly. “You made it all sound so beautiful. Thank you.”

  “Your father was quite the adventurer,” Caleb said, putting on his sock and shoe.

  “Do you have a picture of him? We can put it next to mine on the shelf. Did he like to go mountain climbing?”

  “Yes and yes, and I’ll be happy to share everything with you, but I think it’s time your mom opened her gift.”

  Christmas morning, Caleb rubbed the remaining sleep from his tired eyes and replaced his glasses. “Does she make a habit of getting up at six in the morning to open presents? When Danielle insisted I spend the night to make sure I was here in the morning to open presents, I never dreamed she’d suggest I sleep in her bed and she sleep with you. The bed was too short, but that wasn’t the worst. Nothing like having a noisemaker blown in your ear and someone yelling Happy Birthday at the top of their lungs.”

  “Consider it a gift. Her father, your brother, made her do it.”

  “I never thought of that.”

  “Be glad you didn’t have to sleep with her. She’s a kicker and takes over the bed.”

  Erin made herself comfortable on his lap and held out her left hand to admire her ring that caught the early morning sunlight beaming into the kitchen. “You outdid yourself. The solitaire stone is elegant, but you went overboard on the size.”

  “No, I didn’t, so get used to it.” He brushed her hair aside and settled his lips on the spot under ear that he loved to nuzzle. “I love you, wife-to-be.”

  “I love you, too, husband-to-be.”

  “After breakfast, I have to go home and take a shower and get clean clothes.” He lifted his lips away from her neck and captured her face in his hands.

  “Thank you for making this the best Christmas and birthday I’ve ever had. I miss Daniel but a part of him will always be with us in Danielle. Speaking of the mischief-maker, where is she?”

  “Putting together the Lego plane you gave her.” Erin looked at the time on the microwave. “Let me find out what she’d like for breakfast. Be right back.”

  C
aleb had just taken a long drink of coffee when Erin and Danielle hurried into the kitchen. “Your front door is open! Maybe a neighbor drank too much and wandered into your house by mistake. Sometimes that happens around here because no one locks their doors.”

  “Let me go check,” he said with a heavy sigh.

  “No, we’re coming with you!” Erin said and hit send on her cell phone.

  “All right, but let me go in first.”

  Erin bit back the smile as they crossed the street. Have a holly jolly Christmas could be heard the closer they got to the front door.

  “What the heck!” Caleb said and hurried through the open doorway. The music was coming from his living room. He stopped and couldn’t believe his eyes. His mother and father were standing beside his tree with their arms around each other’s waist. A Happy Birthday banner had been scotch-taped to the wall behind the couch. His coffee table sported a bouquet of helium balloons and held an assortment of gifts wrapped in Christmas and birthday paper.

  It was the train chugging slowly along the tracks that encircled his tree that drew him further into the room. He stopped before his mother to watch the tears running down her cheeks.

  “Happy Birthday, Caleb.”

  “What are you two doing here?” he asked, looking at his mother and then his father.

  “Celebrating your birthday and Christmas,” his father replied and moved his head to look around his son’s shoulder. “You must be Erin, the wonderful woman in our son’s life who made it possible for us to be here with Caleb on his special day.”

  “I just made the initial phone call,” she said and held out her hand. “Thanks for getting here on such short notice.”

  “It seems we have a communications problem in our family.” Roberta stepped forward and took her son’s hand. “We didn’t want to leave you after Daniel’s death, but knowing you, we felt you wanted to be alone. All you had to do was say one word. “Stay.” Things are going to change, for the better. We will be here for you, thanks to your wonderful future wife.”