The Many and the One
Page 34
Simona was the child of Derek and Cindy Banks. It was just bad luck that Cindy’s baby was a girl and expected to be born so close to Jenny’s birth. Cindy didn’t know about the switch. Dr. Trent convinced her that inducing labor was best for the baby and caused Simona to be born shortly before midnight on the twentieth.
I don’t know if Derek knew about the switch or not, I also don’t know which makes him sicker, knowing or not knowing.
Charlotte’s plan was to have you grow attached to Simona and then torture you by having Derek gain custody of her. She also planned to keep you apart from Jenny forever and called this the perfect revenge, but you guys got the final laugh by becoming a family anyway.
Reynolds, I knew about Derek and Charlotte for years, but I swear to you I never thought he would molest Jenny, as soon as I found out I turned him in. I’m a bastard, but I’m not that big a bastard. Listen, I can’t prove any of this to you except to say, take a D.N.A. test.
Merry Christmas,
Michael McGee
Jason, Lindsay and Jennifer stare at each other in stunned silence. Lindsay then looks past Jennifer to Jason.
“Could this be true? Why would he lie to us about this?”
“He wouldn’t, there would be no point.” Jason says, dazed.
Lindsay takes Jennifer’s face in her hands and stares intently.
“Little Girl? You’re my little girl? Jason she’s our little girl, she’s our baby. She’s who I felt growing inside me when I knew you were her father. Jason this is our baby, our baby!”
Jennifer searches Lindsay’s face. “You’re really my mom? My real mom?” Then, turning to Jason she says. “Daddy? Oh my God I… oh… my… God. You’re really my dad. You two are really my mom and dad.”
The three embrace in a tangle of arms amid a curious elation of shock.
The DNA results return: Jennifer is the birth child of Jason and Lindsay Reynolds.
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With McGee’s disclosure of Charlotte’s baby switch machinations, Jason and Lindsay were overwhelmed by intense feelings of hatred for the deceased matriarch, and then they remembered Simona, for although fate placed her in their care and in their lives at the sacrifice of Jennifer’s childhood and innocence, they could never regret their years with her.
They had overcome Charlotte’s plan to destroy their family by coming together in love. Jason, Lindsay and Jennifer make a pact to only look forward and to let the past die. They would waste no more time or energy on hating the dead.
Besides, it just was not possible to hate Derek and Charlotte more than they already had.
* * *
The cabin has never been fuller of people, or so it seems to Jason and Lindsay on Christmas Day of 2003.
Lindsay’s parents announce that they’re renewing their wedding vows on their upcoming fortieth anniversary, but Simone and Paul’s announcement that Simone is two months pregnant overshadows their news.
Paul shines brighter than the star atop the Christmas tree.
The truth of Jennifer’s true parentage was greeted in similar fashion to the news that Derek had sired Simona.
“It changes her not one bit and we couldn’t love her more.”
* * *
Jennifer and Paul Jr. spend much of their time in a corner love seat, whispering secretively to each other, as lovers are want to do.
On the stairs, Marcy and Paul’s brother Mike sit laughing and talking as if they had known each other forever, although they’ve only just met.
Tyler Johnson and Bob Rollins huddle in the kitchen discussing juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitative techniques. Jason and Lindsay think Bob will do fine as the newly named deputy director of Tyler’s organization.
Bob’s daughter Emma is upstairs playing video games with Matt and Cole, and Lindsay mentions to Jason that their son is more than a little jealous of the attention Emma shows the multilingual and well-traveled Cole.
* * *
They sit cuddled together in front of the living room fireplace, looking around at the people they love. Hanging from a gold chain about Lindsay’s neck, is an antique, star-shaped, diamond pendent, a Christmas present from Jason.
Lindsay takes Jason’s hand. “Boomer I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
“Neither have I.” Jason agrees, he then glances over at Jennifer. “I still marvel that she’s our child, and I don’t just mean biologically. I mean what if our paths had never crossed? Would we ever have found her?”
“We’d have found her, somehow, someway.”
“You say that without a trace of doubt.”
Lindsay fingers the pendent. “If the sun and moon should doubt, they’d immediately go out.”
“That’s from a poem, isn’t it?”
“Yes, one of my favorites, William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence,”
“I like it.” Jason says, and takes a long sip of Jennifer’s exceptional homemade eggnog.
“Do you have a favorite poem?” Lindsay asks.
“Yes I do, it was written by Sonny Bono.”
“Sonny Bono? The singer? What did he write?”
Jason grins. “I got you babe.”
“Oh Boomer,” Lindsay says. “You have definitely got me.”
And the two of them kiss.
SINS
&
SECOND
CHANCES
(BOOK TWO OF THE OCEAN BEACH ISLAND SERIES)
A mysterious Island native returns to town and shakes things up, as Michael Brannick and his treacherous daughter Annabel pressure the Reynolds to give up the cabin atop Hills Road, so that they alone can own "The Hills".
However, when Jason and Lindsay adamantly refuse to sell to the Brannicks, the stakes soon escalate, and turn deadly.
DRY ADULTERY,
WET AMBITION
(BOOK THREE OF THE OCEAN BEACH ISLAND SERIES)
Chief of Police Paul Martinez has fought his feelings for months, but the truth is that he has fallen in love with beautiful, rookie police officer Robyn Mathias.
And as if this emotional quagmire wasn’t enough stress for the long-married Paul, his town and his very life are being threatened by a wily serial killer.
Paul must not only survive the "Blood Beach Killer" and stop the murderer’s killing spree, but must also come to terms with his feelings for Robyn, and begin to build atop the debris of his shattered life.
OF
TONGUE
AND
PEN
(BOOK FOUR OF THE OCEAN BEACH ISLAND SERIES)
Jack Hawkins is the latest owner of club INFINITY and a man of renowned bad temper. However, when misfortune visits the Reynolds, Jack may be the only one that can help them.
But even Jack Hawkins can’t prevent the wave of tragedy that will take a loved one’s life and forever alter the Reynolds’ future.
ALL
GOOD
THINGS…
(THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE OCEAN BEACH ISLAND SERIES)
The Reynolds have faced a lot as a family and they have always come out on top.
They survived their feud with the murderous Derek Stern, along with the machinations of his conniving mother Charlotte.
Michael Brannick, a man who began as a foe, is now a friend.
After wreaking havoc upon the Island, Serial killer Bradley Caine vowed that he would kill Jason Reynolds, yet he was soon vanquished and forgotten.
Even the loss of a dear family member was not enough to tear this family apart.
However, the one thing they never expected, an attack from within, will be the catalyst that rearranges their world and changes the family forever.
Because every family has a black sheep, and the Reynolds are no different. When long-lost Cousin Tony comes to the Island with a plan to make his fortune, he brings along with him a trail of death and destruction that threatens everyone and, that in the end, will shatter the Reynolds traditions.
DOUBLE
OR
NOTHING
David Manning suddenly realizes that he’s being watched.
The woman, not much more than a girl really, appears to be homeless. David tries to ignore her but the girl soon follows him wherever he goes and so David decides to confront her.
What happens next will send his life spiraling out of control in ways that he could never have imagined and, that in the end, will either unite him with his soul mate, or send him to an untimely and violent death.
THE
FIX-IT
MAN
John Faron is a natural-born tinkerer who can apparently fix anything. But when he’s forced by the actions of a madman to make an unthinkable choice, he soon finds that the one thing he can’t mend, is his own broken heart.
-
THE FIX-IT MAN - A story of true love and revenge
DROPPING
MY
SHORTS
A Short Story Collection
Four short tales of Romance, Suspense, Horror and Thrills.
Competition - When you’ve arranged to have your wife killed, it’s not a good time for a cop to visit.
—
To Each His Own - A moonlit night, a haunted house and a ghost with a secret.
—
Anger Management - We all have anger, but what one man does with his will leave you gasping.
—
Second Date - They say love can surprise you; in fact, sometimes it sneaks up and grabs you.
Table of Contents
Part One
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Part Two
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Part Three
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
Part Four
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52