by Sadie Grubor
"That's Abby. She came to us a few months ago from an abusive foster family." Debra’s face fell. "She was one of three foster children that lived with the family and their two children." She sighed heavily and then her voice dropped to a whisper.
"She's thirteen years old and pregnant with the foster parent’s grandchild. They beat her and kicked her out when they found out she was pregnant. Their biological son, who is seventeen by the way, denies the child is his. It’s a shame because she has the biggest heart and loves to help in here."
"Oh my god!" Viola exclaimed at the story. A look of disgust plastered across my face.
"I know." Debra choked back tears. "She is such a good kid and had her innocence stripped from her."
"He raped her?" I asked, torn between anger and tears.
"She says that it was consensual. Apparently he had told her that he loved her and she willingly had sex with him. I can’t be sure as to whether she is lying or not."
"Why would she lie?" I asked.
"Fear." Viola answered and put her arm on my shoulder.
"Exactly." Debra stated. "Though it could have been consensual, most of these kids just want to feel loved. And, with her history, I could see her falling prey to a little bastard like that boy."
"I can’t believe the foster parents were that…horrid, to allow this to happen to her." Anger pulsed through me.
"Honey, I wish I could say it wasn’t common, but that would be a lie."
Wiping at my face, the tears fell freely.
"What will she do?" Viola asked Debra.
I didn’t stay to hear her answer. Instinctively, I walked over to Abby who was holding a baby on her hip, rocking back and forth.
"Hello." I smiled.
Abby smiled shyly and then looked down at my stomach. "Hi."
"When are you due?" I pointed to her small but visible bump.
She got very still and fear crossed her face.
"I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer. I’m due in October." I rubbed my stomach.
She smiled. "Will I get that big?"
I laughed.
"I don’t know, but I doubt it. I’ve got two in here." Her eyes widened. I laughed again.
Giggling, she spoke. "Wow, I don’t know if I could handle that."
I shrugged. "We all take what we get and make the best out of it."
Her smile widened. "January."
"Well, you have some time then, don’t you?" I rubbed my stomach.
"Hello there." Viola appeared next to me.
"Hi." Abby turned shy once again.
While Viola talked with her about the nursery, I couldn’t help but think about everything this girl had gone through. Everything she had yet to go through.
I was so much luckier than that poor girl. My parents both loved me, no one had ever hurt me the way she'd been hurt and, even though my pregnancy was a shock and unconventional to an extent, Aidan was there for me, along with his family and our friends.
Both hands were on my stomach when I felt movement beneath my fingertips. I must have giggled out loud because both Viola and Abby looked at me in curiosity.
"They’re moving."
"Really?" Abby croaked.
I nodded. "Wanna feel?"
She bit her lip and hesitated, but then took a few steps toward me and placed her hand on my stomach. There was some movement and Abby’s eyes widened with panic.
"It’s okay." I placed my hand on hers.
She looked up, still unsure. "I don’t know what I'm going to do." I barely heard the words.
Sighing, I pulled her into a hug. The baby she was holding in her arms wiggled under us and I pulled back, taking the baby from her and holding him.
"So, you don’t know what you are going to do yet?" Viola had her arm around the girl’s shoulders.
She shrugged.
"I know I should put the baby up for adoption, I am only thirteen. I just hate the thought of abandoning my child…like my mom did."
Viola hugged her quickly. "Everything will work out for the best, my dear."
We left Abby in the nursery, following Debra around for the rest of the tour. I was already sure that both Viola and I were in agreement; this would be the newest addition to the foundation. After we said our goodbyes and got back into the car, Viola confirmed my thoughts.
"So, our new addition?" She asked.
I nodded. "Yep."
"I thought so."
"First thing, they need a better air conditioning system." I fanned myself. "Whew! I am sweating horridly and it’s not just one of my hot flashes this time."
Viola nodded.
"There are a few things they will need. I wonder if the bad air system also means that the heating system is bad." Viola picked up her cell phone and dialed. "I'm going to make some calls now and have the paperwork prepared…oh, and I want to have their budget sent over." She turned to her phone and began talking rapidly with people at the foundation office.
Once she was finished, she turned back to me.
"The contracts and the financials are going to be sent over. I will have copies sent to your house tomorrow."
"Sounds good." I smiled. Then my thoughts traveled back to Abby.
"What’s the matter?" Viola placed her hand on my knee.
"Just thinking about that poor girl." I placed my hands on my stomach. "I don’t know what I would do without all of you. Especially Aidan."
Viola smiled brightly. "It’s starting to sink in isn’t it?"
I looked at her, confused.
"That you love him." I felt myself blush. "Lilli, it’s okay to love him. You know that right?"
"I know." I said in a hushed tone.
"No, I don’t think you do." Viola patted my knee. "He loves you, Lilli. This has nothing to do with that damn agreement. Hell, I could tell that there was something there before you even agreed to everything." She laughed.
"Huh? We didn’t…I mean, we weren’t even friends or—"
"There was something pulling you two together. Aidan was way too adamant and focused on getting you, and only you, to be the one to sign that agreement." She raised her eyebrows.
"That’s just because he could bribe me with Donald." I winked.
She laughed. "If that’s what you need to convince yourself, you go ahead. But, I will tell you right now, Aidan has been taken with you from the start."
Viola didn’t say much of anything else. I think she was letting it all sink into my thick skull.
Once I got into the house, I decided to talk to Rachel.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Aidan
"Mr. Iverson?"
I hit the intercom button on my desk. "Yes, Amy?"
"Mr. Devlin is here to see you."
"Good, show him in. Thanks."
"No problem." Amy disconnected and soon I heard a light knock before my door opened.
"Devlin…" I stood up. "It’s good to see you."
"It’s good to see you too, Mr. Iverson." I raised an eyebrow. "Aidan." I smiled, shaking his hand.
"So, what are we doing today?"
"We are finalizing the contracts for AIS. I have a few other things we need to go over, as well." Devlin kept his face in his black leather brief case as he dug out folders and papers.
"What few more things?" I was a little worried about what my grandfather could have possibly done now. Devlin looked up with a blank professional expression.
"Nothing drastic." He smirked, "Just a couple of things your grandfather left for you." Before I could speak, he continued.
"First, let’s start with the AIS agreements and contracts." He slipped me a folder. "You should read those over and sign in the flagged places; red flag is signature, yellow flag is for initials."
"Can I just do it now?" I furrowed my brow. "You're my lawyer, I assume you looked over these pretty well when you had them drawn up. It would be safe for me to sign."
He cleared his throat.
"Well, um, you can, but you will nee
d Lillian’s signature as well on the final page."
Confusion washed over me. "I don’t—"
Devlin sighed. "Aidan, there are things about your grandfather you didn’t know much about. One of those things would be the fact that your grandmother was vested."
"Yes, the foundation, but Lilli has already—"
"No." He shook his head. "Your grandmother was vested in AIS. She held twenty-five percent of the company."
"What…I—"
"When Isobel passed, it was returned to your grandfather until he remarried. Olivia, then, became the vested party."
"So, my uncles are only vested in twenty-five percent?"
"Henry and Liam hold twelve percent of the company each, leaving you, obviously, with fifty-one percent of the vesting." He paused, waiting for my reaction.
"But…my marriage is only agreed for four years. What happens then?"
"Lillian will remain vested until death."
"Are my uncles aware?"
He was already shaking his head.
"No. They are not aware of Lillian’s vesting. It is held in the securest confidentiality, obviously for her safety."
I nodded. "Okay, well, I will…um…I’ll take this home tonight. You will have them back tomorrow."
"Great." He smiled and then pushed a dark mahogany box toward me. "This is the next thing that I need to go over with you. I am not exactly privy to the contents."
"What is this?"
"The white envelope on top is a letter from your grandfather and inside the box are personal items your grandfather wanted passed to you."
"Okay, is there anything..?"
"No, this is it for now." He smiled and put his hand out to me. I took it and shook. "Give me a call if you have any questions."
"I will. Thank you." He nodded and left my office.
I picked up the dark, heavy, wooden box and carried it over to the coffee table in front of the large, leather couch in my office. Taking a deep breath, I opened the white envelope with my name scrawled in my grandfather’s handwriting.
Aidan,
Since you are reading this, you have accomplished all that I asked of you. I have always been extremely proud of you and am more proud of what you have accomplished. You are a brilliant man who will do the best for AIS and our family. So tell your Uncle Henry to shove it!
I could almost hear him laughing his deep, breathy laugh as I read.
My boy, you lost your parents too early on to truly understand the love that was shared between them. You also never got to experience the love of your Grandma Isobel, and I am forever sorry you didn't. She was an amazing woman, whom I loved till the day I died. She was forever the love of my life and I lost her too soon.
I know that the anger you have surely felt toward me has consumed you, but I also hope that my conditions have pushed you to see the love around you. Hopefully, you have found someone who you love and who loves you the way I loved Isobel.
There is a hidden safe at the mansion that only I know of, your uncles are not aware. In the game room, behind the bar there is a black button under the locked cabinet. Press the button and it will reveal the safe.
The safe can be opened by entering the security code: Isobel.
Inside, you will find items that belonged to your grandmother as well as your mother. They are yours to do with as you wish, though I do hope you learn more about both your grandmother and mother. Perhaps you will understand a little more about why I put you in this position to begin with.
I love you, my boy.
Grandfather
I refolded the letter and placed it back on top of wooden box.
"I need a drink." I stated to the empty office and got up to grab a glass.
Sitting back down with the bourbon in hand, I opened the small box.
Inside were pictures of my parents, my grandfather and grandma Isobel. There were also pictures. A few were of me as a baby and then a child but one picture caught my attention immediately. It was one of the few color photos of grandma Isobel. I'd seen photos and paintings of her but she was usually older in them. She looked to be my age or younger in this picture. She had long, wavy, auburn hair and pale skin. Honestly, aside from the hair, green eyes and freckles, she resembled Lilli. They were both thin with pale skin, an enchanting smile and almost had that same shaped face.
The next photo was of her around the same age with my grandfather holding her. I had already known that I resembled my grandmother, having her same hair and eyes, but I guess I never realized how much of me was like my grandfather. His arms were around her waist and she was leaning into him with her eyes closed and his face nuzzled into the side of her face with his eyes closed. It was an extremely personal moment.
There was a stack of old yellow envelops tied together with brown twine. I pulled the twine knot loose and picked up one of the envelopes.
"My Dearest Isobel"
They were letters to my grandmother. I carefully slipped the yellowed paper out and unfolded the delicate sheet. Once I began to read the letter, I realized my grandfather had written love letters. I put the letter back down for a moment. It was way too personal.
I reached for my glass of bourbon and took a large gulp before picking the letter back up and continuing to read. A few hours later, I placed the last letter back into the box. I sat awestruck for a moment.
My grandfather wasn’t a harsh man, but the romantic feelings and the love in those letters was a side of him that I had never seen before. I had never witnessed it with Grandma Olivia and I immediately felt a little angry that she didn’t get that from him. Sitting back into the couch, I thought over the words that he had written to my grandmother.
It was clear, from the letters, she had initially held little interest in being with him and was, in fact, being courted by another man. He pursued her without abandon. I had deduced from the letters that he had been traveling in the same circles as Isobel for a couple of years before even realizing she was there. He was always busy working to build a life for himself, that is, until the moment he was introduced to Isobel at a party. It was almost like he had been rendered helpless at the sight of her and, from that moment on, he became enthralled with building a life for her. The grandfather I knew was not a man who believed in love at first sight, at least I didn’t think he had.
After a few conference calls and late meetings, I left the office for the night. I arrived home at seven thirty in the evening and assumed Lilli was in bed or had fallen asleep reading in the library. So, when Jay greeted me at the door and took my briefcase, I was surprised when he told me ‘Mrs. Iverson would like you to join her in the dining room’. He smirked at my shocked expression and took my things to my office.
I loosened my tie and slipped off my jacket as I walked toward the dining room. When I looked up from folding my jacket, I saw Lilli coming toward me from the kitchen. She looked gorgeous in a green, spaghetti-strap dress that flowed down to the floor. She actually had to fist part of the material as she walked so she didn’t step on the hem. I immediately smiled and she smiled back.
"I didn’t think you would still be awake." I gently wrapped my arms around her as she kissed my cheek.
She shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you."
I smiled. "Thank you, but you need your rest." I kissed her forehead.
"I’m fine." She laid the palm of her hand against my chest. Before she could push back away from me, I covered her hand with mine and kept it against my chest.
"Hungry?" She asked while I held her forehead against my cheek.
"Definitely." I let her slip from me but made sure to keep her hand in mine. She pulled me toward the kitchen and out to the back patio.
The patio was lit with torches and there was a table set for two. I smiled when it sunk in that she had planned all of this for us. I pulled out her chair for her to sit down and then took my seat.
"What is all of this about?" I asked as I pulled myself close to the table.
She shrugge
d and slightly blushed, making me more anxious to hear her response.
"We haven’t gotten much time together alone. I thought it would be nice."
I smiled and nodded, though I could tell she was holding back. There was more that she wasn’t telling me. Before I could say anything else, Rachel appeared with two plates.
"Thank you, Rachel." Lilli smiled at her warmly and Rachel rubbed her back and winked at her.
"Thank you, Rachel." She smiled at me and turned to head back into the house.
"How was your doctor’s appointment? You haven’t said anything, so I assume that everything is okay?"
I watched her chew the bite she had already taken before she answered.
"Yes, everything’s good. I should hear back in a couple of days about the blood test." She took a large drink of water.
"Test?" Worry creased my forehead.
She nodded. "Yeah, I had to have blood taken to test for gestational diabetes." Lilli put another forkful of pasta in her mouth.
"You have diabetes?" I was confused.
Shaking her head she swallowed. "No. Well, I don’t think so. It’s a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy." She shrugged. "The test determines if I am developing it."
"Do they think you are?"
She shook her head.
"What does it mean if you are developing it?"
"Means I will have to adjust my diet or I could need medicine to control it." Lilli looked up from her plate and clearly saw the worry lines etched into my face. She smiled and tilted her head. "The doctor doesn’t see any signs of it, so don’t worry so much. It’s something all pregnant women get tested for."
I exhaled a breath and continued eating my meal. She could have mentioned that before I had a momentary panic attack. We continued to talk over dinner, having a light conversation and catching up. I pushed my plate away, having finished, and the conversation switched back to the babies.
"So, baby names…" Lilli started.
"Yes?"
"I’m assuming you would like to name the boy after you?"
"Well, it is tradition. However, if you don’t want to then—"
"No, no, that’s not what I’m saying." She shook her head and put her hand up. "I think that it would be nice to carry on your family name."
"Oh, okay." I smiled, extremely happy that she wanted to name the boy Aidan Walsh IV.
