"Thanks," he said. "Love the house and family. Can we do it again some time?
"Sure," Jessica said. 'The kids are great but I do miss adult company at times.
"I know what it is like. He brushed her arm and was off.
Jessica stood on the front porch and watched as he drove away. He was certainly different than Brendon. She just about had to fight her husband off that first time. She chuckled to herself and walked inside. Austin was awake and wanted his late night bottle.
AFTER EIGHT HOURS OF labour, not that Stacey was counting; her baby girl was born at Wellington Regional Hospital that Thursday afternoon. The baby was healthy, weighed in at 4.1 kilograms and named Grace Stacey Hayes-Gladstone after an earlier agreement over names. Laurie appeared more flustered than Stacey herself as he cuddled their little girl in a pink shawl.
"My God," Stacey whispered as she lay back on her pillow after being returned to her room from the delivery suite. "You look more exhausted than me and I've done all the work."
"Yeah, just like at school," Laurie said. He handed the baby back and kissed her on the lips.
Two days later Stacey and Grace, along with several bundles of flowers and gifts returned home to be met at the door by Carla and Jessica who was holding Austin. It was just after noon on Saturday and the smell of a roast meal filled the air.
"Hope you don't mind but Wyatt is also here," Jessica whispered to Stacey.
"Of course not," Stacey replied and glanced up. "Hi Wyatt. Good to see you. Been helping Jessica prepare dinner have you?"
"Yeah sort of," Wyatt appeared lost for words.
"He cooked most of it," Jessica laughed. "One of his hidden talents. I'm a hopeless cook myself."
Stacey, who had been holding Grace, handed her over to Laurie and winked at him. Jessica and Wyatt were together nearly all the time now. Obviously they had just clicked.
"I know," Laurie whispered. "Almost as bad as us, don't you think?"
"Could be," she replied.
She walked in to find the table laid and the bassinet waiting beside her armchair. More flowers, cards and gifts were on the mantelpiece and bookshelf.
Stacey grinned. "And I thought we'd be having hamburgers from McDonalds," she said as Jessica lifted the tray of roast and vegetables out from the oven. "What a wonderful welcome home."
"SO WHEN ARE YOU COMING back to school?" Jessica asked the following Wednesday evening when they were alone, the babies asleep and Carla was watching children's programs.
"Laurie said I should have the second term off too, so that'll be near the end of July. He said the school was humming along and I needed the time to look after Grace," Stacey replied
Jessica screwed her nose up. "Can I be frank?" she almost whispered.
Stacey nodded.
"Laurie is thinking of you and that is how it should be."
"But?"
"'He's working his butt off doing jobs that Kim, as principal should be doing and is attempting to replace you as well."
"How?"
"Well with the Board of Trustees for one. They're used to you who makes the administration seem easy but this is not the case with Kim. She started off by calling them all the time."
"About what?"
Jessica shrugged. "Stuff that you or Laurie would deal with. It's different now, though."
Stacey sighed. "Go on, I'm listening."
"The Board now goes to Laurie directly for administration details, you know ordering stuff and paying bills. Do you know who they have started coming to on the professional side such as parent's complaints and those little pupil problems like those kids turning up without breakfast?"
"Not that again? I thought we had that mainly solved," Stacey replied. "Sorry who handles it?"
"Me," Jessica said. "Eileen is great in the junior school but as DP in charge of the whole school she is hopeless." Eileen was the Associate Principal who had stepped up to the DPs job. "Kim just seems to flutter around doing very little. Connie as the chairperson of the Board of Trustees is doing a great job and between us, we handle most of the day to day problems."
"That Kim should be doing?"
"I guess," Jessica said. "It can be tough going if I'm called out of my classroom by an irate parent or visitor from the Ministry of Education."
"So where's Kim?"
"God knows. I think power has gone to her head and she is constantly out of school at those meetings that you principals go to."
"I'll talk to Laurie."
Jessica gripped her arm. "No, please don't. He's torn between solving what's best for you and the school. I'm the new chum there and don't want to appear an arrogant moaner."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Come back to school after the Easter Holidays at the beginning of Term 2. There are some Early Childhood Centres that take little ones like Grace. There are so many newly born babies at Austin's centre that he's moved up to the next level."
"So we made a good choice," Stacey said.
"At what?"
"Selecting you as our Senior Teacher. You've stepped up confidently so can be proud. Laurie told me just last night that you were practically running the school."
Jessica flushed. "Did he? I didn't think he noticed."
"Everyone's noticed, Jessica. Even parents have called me to comment on how well you're doing. Straightened Wyatt out too, I gather."
"No," Jessica replied. "He's done that himself."
Stacey grinned. "Okay, you've given me plenty to think about. At the moment I'm pretty tired from lack of sleep with Grace demanding attention."
"It gets better," Jessica replied.
CHAPTER 13
Reyna enjoyed contacting her mother in Manilla once every two weeks on a Wednesday evening about seven. Her homeland was five hours earlier in time than that in Auckland, making it early afternoon over there. She would usually chat away and found she was really the only person in her family that she could confide in.
Her delight at seeing Rosamie Aquino on the international video contact sunk to despair when her father Vedasto appeared on her mobile screen. His stern appearance and eyes that bore into her and frightened her as a child had not changed.
"Ama," she said using the Filipino name for Dad. "This is unexpected but it is nice to be able to talk to you."
"Is it, Reyna?" he replied without even a hint of a smile on his face. "I shall be blunt."
"Aren't you always?" she retorted. She had long before lost fear of her father but still respected him, though she didn't really know why.
"What was that?"
"You heard, Ama." She fixed her eyes on him and had the relief at seeing him glancing away. "But go on, what is it you wish to tell me."
"Your life is a sham in New Zealand and your mother and I will tolerate it no longer."
"So?"
"You are to leave that country within a month and return home. I have managed to get all your qualifications recognised by Philippine Normal University so you can complete your Masters degree back here."
Reyna stared at her father and felt furious. How dare he treat her like an errant teenager!
"No," she spat without even attempting to hide her emotions.
"Why?" Her father's lips curled up in anger.
"I don't wish to, Ama. If you cannot respect my decision as an adult, so be it."
"You are refusing to return home where you rightly belong?"
"Yes." She never added that one of the reasons she originally left The Philippines was to get away from his over-powering influence.
He stared at her but this time she could not hold his eyes and glanced down. Damn the man! Why did she allow him to affect her in this way?"
"Very well but you'll be on your own, Young Lady. Your allowance that we have been giving you ever since you started your university study shall be stopped from the end of the month. Your mother has told me that we cannot recall the gift of half the cost your home in Auckland given as a wedding present so that will remain y
ours. However, the mortgage that you know we have also been paying went to that no hoper of a man who was a bigamist. He's dead so no doubt his other wives will be laughing all the way to the bank. He was embezzling our family, you know."
"I regard Stacey and Jessica Hayes as friends who were also victims. They have been nothing but kind to me throughout this whole sad situation."
Her father grimaced. "So you don't know?" he said in a softer voice.
"Know what?"
"He owned the company that your home is mortgaged with. Oh it was quite clever. He was fooling you, Reyna. The monthly mortgage payments we so generously agreed to pay on the house were going to him, well his company that is registered but in reality is doing little or no real business."
"I have only your word for this," Reyna replied but she was quickly losing confidence. One thing she knew was that her father was almost embarrassingly honest.
"If you wish I can forward to you all the evidence about this company. At the moment Jessica Hayes who inherited his Auckland estate actually owns your house." He laughed almost sarcastically. "Some friend, wouldn't you say?"
"Who probably doesn't know about this company. Does it have a name?"
Her father's tone warmed a little. "It is Open Hands Finance, a devious name if you ask me. You can go on line and check its authenticity if you wish."
"Oh I will," Reyna replied. "However, all of this will not make me want to change my mind about staying in New Zealand. I have my work permit extended to the end of this academic year and hope that it will become permanent in the future."
"With no husband and shallow friends?"
"No husband, yes but I guess you don't know what real friends are. Now if you don't mind I wish to talk to my mother, please."
Her father nodded. "Very well. I will extend the time for you to make up your mind to return home until the end of March. Just think about it carefully, Reyna for it is your life that your mother and I are thinking of."
Reyna nodded. "I shall do that, Ama," she said.
He nodded and disappeared from the screen. A moment later her worried looking mother appeared.
"We love you, Reyna," she whispered. "Please consider everything your father said, that is all I ask."
"I shall, Ina, but let's talk about something else at the moment. How are you?"
"Fine. Fine. Yesterday we all..."
Her mother continued with her own news about her life and that of the family and friends. Reyna enjoyed the conversations with her mother that somehow seemed to reflect her earlier life as a child. In spite of her austere father, it was quite a loving family and at times she did miss the security blanket that it offered.
Twenty minutes later she finished her link home and just sat there for several minutes absorbing everything her father had said. Life here was so different and even with the tragedy of Brendon resulting in his murder, she knew where she would rather be and that was where she was at this minute, in New Zealand, her adopted homeland.
STACEY AND JESSICA were both at the Wellington Airport that Friday evening to pick up Reyna who had asked Jessica if she could visit.
"So why is Reyna coming?" Stacey asked as they had a coffee while they waited in the Arrivals Terminal.
Jessica screwed her nose up.
"Her father is trying to get her to return to Manilla but in some way we are involved. She wouldn't say how but did appear quite worried."
"It must be important for her to travel all the way down here."
Jessica nodded and glanced at a nearby monitor showing arrivials. "She's landed. We'd better get along there."
Moments later they met Reyna. She smiled at them both, asked where the kids were and looked genuinely pleased to see them. After she collected her luggage they headed out to the car and made the trip home to Jessica's place. Laurie was there looking after the three little ones. Carla and Austin both enjoyed him visiting for he was inclined to spoil them even when told he had to be firm, especially about bedtime.
When they walked in they found Carla lying on a beanbag in front of the television fast asleep.
"Well the two babies are also asleep in their cots," Laurie said with a grin. "Carla was marvellous at feeding Grace her bottle so I said she could stay up for half an hour." He nodded at her. "Lasted ten minutes before she dropped off."
"She's bigger," Reyna said. "Don't they grow up quickly?"
"Too quickly," Jessica replied. "She's become a real little madam at times." She walked over, lifted Carla up in a cuddle and took her to bed.
"Have you heard of Open Hands Finance?" Reyna asked Jessica a few moments later after the conversation turned to her reason for visiting.
"No but why?"
"It appears that you own more of my house in Auckland than I do," Reyna whispered. She repeated everything her father had told her about the house mortgage and company."
"And it's a genuine one?" Stacey asked.
"Oh yes, I checked it out. Guess who are the shareholders?"
"Just Brendon." Jessica said.
"Yeah he owned fifty-two percent, you and Stacey each have twenty-four percent."
"Being devious again," Stacey retorted. "He seemed to enjoy flaunting his marriages to enhance his own ego."
Jessica frowned. "Doug did tell me he was still investigating some of Brendon's business deals. He's still being employed by my mum but she's never mentioned this company."
THE Hayes and Hayes lawyer, Raymond Downs turned a computer screen so the three women could see it before glancing at them all in turn before finally focusing on Stacey.
"Yes it is exactly as Ms Aquino said, Open Arms Finance is a registered New Zealand company and in some ways tends to cater for what we call the third level of financial companies here.
"Why do you say 'in some ways'?" Stacey asked.
"Most of these small financial organisations tend to operate by offering small amounts of money, usually less than $10 000 cash. They charge high interest and many are being investigated by the police for profiteering and using devious practices. Open Arms Finance does not do that; instead it offers first home mortgages to people at a similar interest rate to the banks and other large finance companies."
"So how does it compete?" Reyna asked.
"By remaining small and relatively unknown. Also it is really a subsidiary of Haynes & Haynes that underwrites the loans it makes. The mortgage for your home in Auckland is one of only twenty, as far as my research shows, similar ones. They are all made to young couples or single women from prosperous backgrounds. Several are to Filipino families like your own, Miss Aquino."
"But why?" Jessica asked.
"I have no idea but can guess that Brendon was testing a new business pursuit to supplement his accountancy firm."
"But why did he list Jessica and myself as shareholders without us even knowing?"
"This was illegal of course, but was probably made to attract serious business. Also, if it failed you two would be liable for half the debts."
"And has it failed?" Stacey asked.
"No, it has actually made a small profit over the last three years since it was started."
"So what would happen if I defaulted on my mortgage payments?" Reyna asked.
"The property would be seized by the company and sold. Any money left over after the repayment of the mortgage plus expenses that could be quite a large sum, would be returned to you as the previous owner."
Stacey glanced at Jessica who gave a slight nod. They had discussed the situation earlier and had decided on what do in this situation "As owners of Open Hands Finance, we wish the company to declare that the mortgage is cancelled and the freehold title of 65 Channing Crescent, Botany Downs is transferred to Reyna Aquino," she said.
Reyna gasped and Raymond just nodded before he looked up at Jessica. "As a shareholder of Open Hands Finance, do you agree to this gifting of the outstanding mortgage owed back to Reyna Aquino?"
"I didn't want this," Reyna whispered. "My family wo
uld never accept charity."
"It is not charity," Stacey replied. "If you wish you can call it compensation for all the betrayal you had to endure by Brendon's ruthlessness and criminal activities. Jessica and I agreed to split Brendon's estate more or less fifty-fifty but your home and this company were not included in our agreement."
Jessica continued. "And you are not in Manilla now but here in New Zealand. You don't need to tell your family or anyone else about this for it is not their business. That lovely house should be yours and as from today, it will be." She reached over and squeezed Reyna's hand.
Reyna's bottom lip shook as she glanced at Raymond. "Can this be done?" she asked.
"It is perfectly legal for anyone to gift property to another person or organisation. Quite recently an elderly lady gifted a valuable property here in Wellington to the Historic Places Trust." Raymond replied and smiled. "The papers are already drawn up and only need to be signed by you all."
"Oh my God," Reyna whispered. She stood, stepped across and gave Stacey, followed by Jessica a hug.
After the papers were initialled and signed by them all, Raymond glanced up at Stacey. "And the company Open Hands Finance, what are your wishes in that direction?"
"What do you suggest?"
"Keep it as a going concern. There is no staff to run it but I suggest continuing to use personnel at the Auckland branch of Hayes and Hayes to do any day-by-day work required. At some future point I would suggest it is absorbed completely into Hayes and Hayes but not yet. I would not, though think of expanding it but would continue by offering a few mortgages from any profits made, as Brendon did."
"So Jessica and I are fifty-fifty partners in Open Hands Finance?" Stacey asked.
The Other Mrs Hayes Page 13
