I’m listening to him list all the reasons the money is gone, and I really don’t give a shit that is until he mentions his kids’ education.
“Your kids’ education! My daughter has student loans like most people in the world. Last week I was finally able to declare you dead and collect on your life insurance policy, she was going to pay off those loans. Now she will have to give it all back. You might be legally dead, but I will not be a part of insurance fraud.”
“You see, Amelia, that’s why I knew I couldn’t tell you about the heist. You were always Miss Goodie Two-shoes. Kelly and I have had a great life, she didn’t care where it came from, only where it’s going.”
Brook has finally calmed down. Benjamin looks shell shocked. Mitch is doing whatever he has to do to protect his daughter. Doug is clearly furious that everything is gone. Peter and Kelly are happy. And then there is me. The closure I thought I would get doesn’t exist. You can’t get closure when the answers are nothing but lies. Benjamin finally comes out of his daze, but his blue eyes seem dull.
“Dad, where is Jenny? I don’t want my sister finding any of this out from these people.” He waves his hand around everyone in the room. He seems as blindsided by all of this as the rest of us.
“She’s at cheer and will be home shortly. Besides, I think we are done here. I have nothing to offer anyone here. It’s best if you all leave, now.”
I don’t think I can tolerate any more of his lies and his cocky attitude. I look to Doug and then to Mitch with Brook. “I think it’s best if we all leave. We don’t need anything from him. If anything, he needs us to keep our mouths shut. Come on, Brook, I think it’s best if we go back to our hotel for now.” Peter’s jaw is tight and there is a slight tic. I reach my hand out toward her and she takes it. She looks over at Benjamin and begins to sob again. I wrap her in my arms as I would my own daughter.
“Benjamin, I need some time. I’ll call you.”
We head out the way we came in, leaving Peter to wonder what we will do next.
Brook
The ride to the hotel room was very quiet. Uncle Doug focused on the road in front of him. Daddy lets out a long low sigh as he stares out the window. Amelia is looking down at her wringing hands. She’s the one who has to be hurting the most.
“Brook, we need a favor. I know you’re upset and want to talk to your best friend, but can you please wait. I need to get to Emma and tell her the truth myself.”
Oh my gosh, Emma has a father that’s alive. It’s the one thing she talked about with me and Vanni. How she wished she could have experienced father-daughter dances, dates, and all the things that a father-daughter would do. “Amelia, I promise I won’t say a word to anyone. If you want me to go with you, I will.”
“Thank you, but I don’t think that will be necessary. Doug, can you drop me off at the airport. I want to head to Illinois right away.”
“By this time, there are no more outbound flights. I already booked a hotel room. Let’s check in and get some sleep. We can book your ticket tonight.”
“Okay, besides I need to figure out how I’m going to explain all of this to her. I was tossed into foster care at a very young age. I know what it feels like to know you’re not wanted. How do I explain it to Emma that it had nothing to do with her? She was always loved and wanted. Nothing that happened tonight will ever change that.” Amelia closes her eyes and begins to cry so hard that she now has the hiccups. I take her hand and try to offer her some comfort. The rest of the ride is in silence.
We get two rooms: one for Amelia and I and the other for Dad and Uncle Doug. There is an adjoining door which we have open for now. Both rooms are suites with a small kitchenette, table and chairs. Now comes the hard part—I need to know everything from beginning to end. I just don’t know how much my father is willing to tell me. He’s a very reserved person. If he did something he’s ashamed of, he won’t say anything. Amelia is lying in bed, not crying or sleeping. She’s staring into space. Maybe it’s shock, maybe we should call a doctor. I head into Daddy’s room.
“We need to talk about Amelia,” I announce. Uncle Doug puts his beer down, gets up from his chair, and pulls me further into the room. He partially closes the door while daddy is still picking at the label.
“Brook, she was dealt a major blow today. Hell, we all were. Let’s just give her some time.”
“Uncle Doug, she’s in a catatonic state. At least call a doctor to look at her.”
“I promise you, if she’s like this in the morning, I will take her to the hospital myself, okay?”
“Okay, in the meantime, you both have to tell me everything.” I take a beer and sit down next to Daddy at the table. He gives up on the label and pushes it away.
“I know you deserve the truth. I’ll tell you everything, but please understand I was a different man back then, we both were.”
“Okay, Daddy, I will listen.”
“You already know that the three of us grew up together. Times were so much different back then. Every chance we got, we pushed the envelope a little bit further. One of those times changed all of our lives forever. We went on spring break to Cannes, France. We partied day and night with a very wild crowd that Peter had hooked us up with. One night, we had way too much to drink and that’s when Peter hatched a plan to rob a high-end jewelry store in an elite hotel. Looking back, it’s easy to say what the hell were we thinking. However, back then, it was like a dare we couldn’t pass up. Honestly, we got away with it and to this day, I’m not really sure how. We came back to the States three very rich kids. We each took turns hanging on to the jewels until the heat died down. During that time, Peter took the jewels, staged his death and left a very pregnant Amelia behind.” Uncle Doug reaches into his pocket, pulls out two pictures and puts them down in front of me, along with a very faded newspaper clipping.
“When you showed up with Benjamin, we realized the secret we kept hidden from everyone for twenty years just came home roaring to the surface. Now we have to deal with the repercussions that go along with it. That’s the gist of the story.” I’m trying to absorb everything he’s telling me, but I can’t take my eyes off the photos.
“I’m sure you are omitting some of the details for my benefit. That being said, you need to understand that I love Benjamin. I can’t blame him for what his father did, the same way he can’t blame me for what you did.”
“What if he knew, think about that one. You and Vanni knew nothing; that’s the way we wanted it. Hell, Amelia only found out after you left to come here. It was all kept very hush hush for a reason. The more people that knew about it, the more we took a chance on getting caught.”
“Why didn’t you help Amelia out? I mean Peter was your friend and his wife needed the help to survive.” I’m looking from Uncle Doug to my dad. Uncle Doug finally turns away.
“I know you want the truth. I’ve never said this to anyone, but maybe this will help you understand more. Peter brought Amelia around and I was instantly attracted to her, but I was very shy. Peter knew that and took advantage of it. After everything that happened tonight, I realize, to him, it was just a game. He swept her off her feet and I was left in the dust. I loved her, but she married him. I knew if I helped her after he left, I would get involved with her. I have morals and values that I was not willing to compromise. I thought I was setting an example for you. But when you told me you didn’t want to be in a marriage like mine, it hit me hard. I tried to do everything right but only ended up doing everything wrong.”
My heart breaks for him and Amelia, but I still don’t feel like he’s telling me all of it. “I know there’s more, Dad. You might as well tell me now, cause if I find out later, I’m going to be really pissed.” I’m looking at Uncle Doug and now I know I’m right.
“Mitch, you might as well tell her, she’s going to find out anyway when she compares stories with Vanni.” He mutters under his breath something about stupid ideas biting them in the ass.
“We were pl
anning the trip to Cannes for almost two years. I got my real estate license. I sold houses and if the houses needed repairs Doug would do them. We would lift some stuff from each house. Not enough to get caught, but enough to add to the vacation fund. Peter would sell the stuff at pawn shops.”
“You’re my dad, the man my friends all called Dudley Do Right. Now you’re telling me you are nothing but a common thief!”
“Actually, Brook, look at that clipping I showed you. Your dad, Peter, and I were anything but common. The heist was valued at sixty million dollars and that was in 1996. I don’t even know by today’s standards what the value would be.”
“This is such a fucked-up mess. How many lives were destroyed because the three of you built your lives on a house of cards ready to tumble? I’m getting tired of asking this; is there anything else that you’re not telling me?”
“Doug and I have a holding company that buys and sells properties. We use that for our flipping homes business. We purchased Amelia’s house so we could tear it apart looking for the diamonds. I told Amelia about it when I told her the truth about everything.”
“Well I guess now it’s up to the kids to pick up the pieces. I need to see Benjamin, Dad. I need to know what he knew and when. I also want to be there for Emma. I’m sure she will want to meet her father.”
“What will you do if he knew all or even some of this and didn’t mention it?”
“Well, unlike you, I will not have a relationship based on a lie.” I toss my empty bottle into the trash as I take my raging headache to bed.
Benjamin
Everyone left before Jenny got home. I tried to follow what my dad was saying: his best friends, France, diamonds, two wives, and a half-sister. I was so blown away. This is a lot to throw at someone. It’s like a soap opera or a movie on Netflix. I want to be the one to tell Jenny. My dad never wanted her. He said girls are useless until they are older, and my mom only had her to try and keep my dad around. He’s made it known that he does his share of wandering around. I think it’s disgusting, but I have Jenny to worry about. She’s the reason I come home. No one cares about her, only me. Someone has to be in her court. I warned my mom and dad not to say anything to her. I’ll take her back to the hotel with me. I’ll be the one to tell her. My dad’s response was “good” my mom’s response “it’s for the best.” That’s the loveless home that she is growing up in.
Brook: I’m at a hotel with everyone. It was a rough night. We need to talk Can you meet me?
Me: I’m at our hotel. I’ve got my sister with me. I couldn’t leave her there. I told her everything I found out but I’m guessing you found out more. Would you mind if she was here? Jenny and I really need to hear it all.
The three little dots are flashing while she types her response. I wonder if whatever else she found out ends up destroying our relationship? Maybe she’s going to end it with me. All because our parents are fuck ups.
Brook: Okay. I’ll see you soon.
“Hey, Benjamin, is everything okay?”
“Jenny, I’m hoping it will be. Brook is coming over to talk,” I say with a sigh. She puts a tray down in front of me. Two Starbucks venti coffees and a slice of lemon pound cake. While she sits next to me, mindlessly eating her cake, I notice how tired she really is. Last night I dumped everything on her. It took all night, but I think we somewhat came up with a plan.
“Do you think Mom and Dad will go along with your plan?” she states as if reading my mind.
“All we can do is try. I know it will be hard for you, but we really don’t have very many options.”
“They never hid the fact that they never wanted me. That’s why I worked so hard in school to skip a grade. The sooner I get done, the sooner I can get out of there.”
“I know and I’m so proud of you but, unfortunately, you’ll only be seventeen when you graduate. That’s your biggest problem. I promise you, though, that I won’t leave you behind, no matter what.” There’s a knock on the door and then it opens. I thought it was housekeeping but it’s Brook. She looks just as tired as the rest of us.
“Good Morning, Brook. This is my sister, Jenny.” Jenny is a hugger and I think Brook is taken back by her boldness.
“I’m going to go down to the pool, give you guys some privacy.”
With Jenny gone, I take Brook’s hand and lead her to the cafe table on the balcony. The warm sunshine is a welcome change from Boston. “So, Brook, maybe you should go first. I’m sure you know a lot more than I do.”
“That’s just it, Benjamin, I need to know how much of this you knew.”
“None of it, that’s the scary part. I’ve been reliving every day of my life, trying to see what I missed, but I’ve drawn a blank. Even after everyone left yesterday, no one would talk to me. When Jenny came home, we left and came here. I didn’t want my parents to tell her anything. I needed to be the one to do that.”
“Why you?”
“This is painful to say out loud, but I love you and trust you with my life. My dad never wanted Jenny. When she was old enough, my mom told her that she should have gotten an abortion, but she thought Jenny was a good insurance policy to keep my dad around at least until she was eighteen. It’s a terrible feeling to know that you’re unwanted. She worked hard in school, skipped a grade, and she graduates in June. The problem is, because of when her birthday is, she started school early. Add to that, she skipped a grade; she will only be seventeen when she graduates. I can’t leave her with them after graduation, I just can’t. If I have to change my life around, I will.”
“I need you to know that I also knew nothing. I sat my dad down last night and he told me everything. Some of it is very sad and some of it is bizarre. The question is, how do we all move forward after this?”
“I love you, Brook, and nothing that has happened will change that. I can tell you I want nothing to do with my parents. Like I said, I plan on having Jenny live with me when she graduates high school in June. She has no choice; she has to stay with my parents until then. After I graduate in May, I will hopefully nail a job, along with a place to live. Wherever that is, I need to make sure I have a place for Jenny. I hope you will be okay with that.” She gets up and climbs into my lap and wraps her arms around me.
“I love you, Benjamin. Everything I found out last night is their past, not mine and not yours. The person I feel sorry for is Emma. She is a very sweet girl. Now she has to deal with a father who isn’t dead. She went from being an only child to having two siblings. On top of that, she needs to support her mom through all of this. Amelia, like us, knew nothing, not even the fact that my father has been in love with her all these years.”
“Jesus, I didn’t even think about the fact I have another sister. Maybe I need to take Jenny and go meet Emma.”
“Please hold off on that. Amelia left today to go tell Emma everything. I promised her Vanni and I would wait until we talked to her about it.”
“Okay, I can understand that. Would it be okay with you to wait to tell me what you found out? I would like Jenny to be here. I’ll call her to come back up from the pool.” She agrees and I quickly call Jenny. Ten minutes later, she comes through the door.
“Brook, I appreciate you taking the time to explain to us everything you’ve learned. I’m sure it was painful for you, as it will be for us.”
“Jenny, I can only tell you what my dad and Uncle Doug told me. It’s their point of view. Maybe you should speak to your dad to find out his side of the story.”
“Apparently, with the little bit my brother has told me, my dad is a liar and a thief. I wouldn’t trust anything he has to say.”
“I told her what little I could get out of my parents last night. But, like she said, we can’t trust anything they told me.”
Brook begins the story, starting way back before we were even born. Jenny and I don’t interrupt her although our eyes widen at some of the things she’s telling us. It’s actually surreal to think our fathers were thieves. When she final
ly finishes, I reach over and lift Jenny’s chin that’s practically on the ground. She is in shock, but I’m speechless.
“Benjamin, I’m going back to Boston tomorrow. I want to be as far away from this as possible. Jenny, you are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need.”
“Thank you, that’s very kind. What happens next with them? I mean they robbed that jewelry store. They pilfered jewelry from homes. The life insurance money has to be returned along with the money from social security. Once that happens there will be a lot of questions and, possibly, criminal charges. I mean my father is a bigamist, that’s against the law. He can go to jail for that. After Benjamin told me last night, I looked it up and he can get five years and a fine. My mother knew it, so she can be charged, too. All of this leaves me wondering if he has ever lived within the law?”
“Brook, Jenny wants to be an attorney, as if you couldn’t tell. But she does have some valid points. What’s going to happen to them?”
“I have no idea. My dad said your dad blew through all the money he got for the jewels. Well, all except for a couple of diamonds that your dad hid in Amelia’s house before he skipped.”
“And this.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a ring. Jenny gasps, no doubt at the size of it. Brook is glaring at me.
“Please, Brook, don’t look at me like that. I have no idea if this is part of the jewels. Knowing what I know now, I would venture to say yes. When I told my parents that I wanted to bring you home for them to meet. My dad asked me if you where the one, the one to make me say the L word. When I said yes, he gave me this ring and told me it was my great-grandmothers. He said it was the only thing he had from his family. He wanted me to have it to give to you.” I put the ring down in front of her. The center stone is a beautiful blue diamond surrounded by white diamonds.
“I would have said yes without the ring. If it really is from your great-grandmother, then you should hang on to it. If it’s from the robbery, I don’t know what to tell you to do with it. Uncle Doug had an article from a French paper with the information about the robbery. I had to recall my high school French, but it looks like at first the robbery was reported, after that, it could not be proved. I’m paraphrasing because I never was very good in French anyway.”
The Heist Page 13
