by Jean Oram
“I don’t want to keep this a secret, Mom. If you want me to, I’ll try. But it’s Blueberry Springs.” By way of example, she tipped her head toward the kitchen, where, by the sound of it, her sister was washing dishes. It hadn’t taken Blueberry Springs very long to see the truth about Delia. It wouldn’t take them long to fit the John piece of the puzzle into place, either. Especially when Amber had been asking around and stirring things up.
“Mom?”
“Let me talk to him,” she said finally. “It’s time I acted my age and grew some courage, like this kid sitting next to me.”
Amber laughed. “You make it sound so easy.”
* * *
Amber passed the rows of soccer photos lining John’s law office reception area, the pictures taking on new meaning. In every single one, her father had managed to find a way to stand beside her when lining up with the team. Claiming her even though he didn’t know the truth and only suspected it. He probably still didn’t know the complete truth, but she hoped when her mother told him that he’d do the right thing and chase his demons away, blinding his own personal what-if alley with bright light.
Liz noticed her studying the photos. “He’s quite the man, isn’t he?” she said. “Always helping out in the community. His kids didn’t even play soccer.”
Amber ducked her head to hide any emotion that may have stolen its way to her face. “Is John available?”
“Go ahead through.”
To her father’s office.
“Thanks.”
She felt nervous.
Her dad was a lawyer. He’d been there for her even though he hadn’t been able to. He’d tried to be a good guy and not a deadbeat. He’d tried to make it work for everyone, practically straddling two lives. He’d been careful, not upsetting Gloria, but hedging his bets by watching over Amber whenever possible.
He may have made mistakes, but he’d tried to fix them to the best of his powers and abilities.
Amber peeked into his office, around the half-closed door. Not yet seeing her, he pulled off his reading glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he lifted his face to focus on the picture on the wall. Ocean. Whales.
He shook his head and replaced his glasses, diving back into the stack of papers on his desk.
Amber hesitated, unsure whether to proceed. She rapped lightly on the door, pushing it open. “Hi. Um, do you have a minute? Liz said you’re free?”
“I’m always free for you, Amber. Come in.”
They stared at each other awkwardly. His possible parentage was definitely the elephant in the room and Amber was guessing her mother hadn’t talked to him yet.
“What’s on your mind?” He gestured to the vacant chair on the other side of his desk.
She remained standing. “I just wanted to tell you that I think Russell is dropping the whole trailer thing. So you don’t need to worry about that any longer.”
“Thanks. I heard. By the way, I was talking to Rosalind this morning.”
“Oh? What did she have to say?” Amber hoped the woman wasn’t about to kick her out with little notice, now that she wasn’t sharing the place with her nephew. She’d save a lot by moving, but she’d grown fond of the old house and its quirks, and didn’t have a new place lined up.
“She conveyed her apologies for her nephew’s behavior and wanted me to tell you that if you’re interested in still staying in her house she would reduce the rent. She wants someone there for insurance purposes while she’s away. She’s willing to knock the rent down by half and pay all utilities.” John tugged a pink phone slip out of a stack of papers beside him, scanning it before saying, “She said with the reduction it would be five hundred a month.”
“Wait. That’s a 75 percent discount.”
John adjusted his reading glasses. “She said the full rent was one thousand, and with the discount it would be five hundred. As well, no utility costs if you stay.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Amber turned and stared at the ocean print. Pastel colors meant to soothe. It wasn’t working. She’d financially supported Russell for the entire year he’d been writing his book. He’d not only had his paid sabbatical leave, but he’d had her covering the entire rent. He had lied, and she’d taken it like the perfect, easy target she had been, so desperate to have things work out that it had allowed her to cancel everything her brain was telling her about Russell. She had blinded herself to the truth, too afraid of what she’d see if she opened her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Remind me to tell you about the time I paid the entire rent while Russell Peaks wrote his novel.”
John’s eyebrows drew into a peak. “Did you want to take him to court?”
Amber waved away the suggestion. “If you’re talking to Rosalind, tell her thanks, and that I’ll stay as long as she lets me.”
John made a note on the pink slip. “Have you heard from your mother?”
Amber could feel her body seizing up, trying to hide what she knew. It wasn’t her secret to reveal. It was her mom’s.
Don’t blow it, Amber.
“I was wondering when she’ll be ready.” He tipped his head toward the open door, indicating that Liz was likely eavesdropping.
“Soon,” Amber said, wondering how the conversation would change things for all of them. Would John claim her publicly? What would Marisa think of having a half sister?
“And how about you? How are things?” John asked. “I saw you and Scott on the water tower. He’s a good man.”
“Are you two together?” Liz called. “I heard you were kissing.”
“Confidential conversation happening in here,” John called back to her.
“Then close the damn door! I can hear everything the two of you are saying and it’s killing me.”
John grinned.
“But for the record, Amber,” Liz continued, “it’s about time the two of you finally got it on.”
Amber glanced at her father, her face burning with embarrassment.
“Don’t screw it up!” Liz added.
“I’ll do my best,” Amber muttered. Before she left, she quietly added, “You might want to find Gloria and make the opportunity happen. She’s scared.”
Even more scared than Amber was that they wouldn’t claim their relationship and the child that had come out of it.
Chapter Ten
Amber walked the sidewalks of Blueberry Springs, zigzagging her way over to Scott’s. She felt excited yet apprehensive. She’d finally told him she loved him. She’d kissed him as though there was no tomorrow. But she didn’t know where they went from here.
Scott had been gone all day with Jen’s boyfriend, the local ranger, Rob, investigating a possible poaching incident. It was almost suppertime and she hoped Scott would be home to join her.
As she passed her mother’s house, Amber paused. She’d seen John’s car in the driveway earlier and it was still there. That had to be good. If they were fighting, one of them would have stormed off already. Amber mentally crossed her fingers for them and kept walking. It was never too late to find love. She only hoped they let go of the past and found whatever it was they needed for their future.
Love was a funny thing. Scott had somehow managed to hold a torch for Amber through all the years, and it looked as though her mother had done the same for John.
And while Amber wanted to believe what Scott felt was true love, a part of her worried that those “torches” were simply optimistic dreams of what one couldn’t have.
Amber’s steps faltered as doubts filtered into her thoughts. She shook her head. No. She needed to stop thinking and simply allow herself to love him. Let it all hang out. He was Scott. Her best friend. The man who knew her better than she knew herself sometimes.
She was enough. Their love was enough.
With Russell it had been more about proving to the world that she could catch the attention of someone big and amazing than about her and Russell being in love. She didn’t even m
iss him now. But Scott… Anything with him would be all-in. No hiding. He would accept nothing less than her entire heart, and would give her a level of devotion that would be both scary and so solid she could build her whole life around it.
And that was terrifying. What if he took it away? What if it wasn’t as strong as they planned on it being? She would go all-in and get hurt.
Yet there was nothing she’d ever wanted so badly in her life. To go on this adventure with her best friend was the most exciting thing she could imagine doing with her coming years.
Amber knocked on Scott’s door, anticipation building within her. No answer. She tried the handle. Locked. His neighbor came out onto her front step and said, “He’s not home. Not that I watch. I just wanted to be able to spray my dandelions without a lecture from him on the impact of herbicides.”
Amber checked her phone for text messages, knowing she didn’t have any from him as he’d still be out of cell phone range.
“Did you want to leave a message for him?” the neighbor asked.
“No, it’s okay. I was just coming by to say hi.”
The woman gave her a knowing smile. “I think it is very cute, the two of you getting together.”
“Thank you.”
“I met your sister the other day, very nice woman. Very put together.”
Amber pushed aside the feeling that she was being judged, and maybe coming up lacking. The two of them were different, that was all. Amber had her own value and skills. Everyone brought different talents to the table.
“Yes, I really like her,” she said. “And I hope you do, too.”
The neighbor paused. “Many blessings, Amber.” She smiled and went back into her house.
Amber sat on Scott’s steps, wondering how long it would be before he came home. He had been right. A month ago she hadn’t been ready for him, and she would have messed it up with her fears and spontaneous knee-jerk reactions whenever she felt in over her head. She knew who she was now. And she’d take their relationship seriously and meet any issues head-on. She was still the person he’d always known, but she was stronger now. She could handle it, stick with it.
Amber stood. She and Scott were going to rock the whole relationship thing.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was Gloria, asking her to come over.
Was this the moment she’d been waiting for? The one where she walked into a living room to find her mother and father sharing a couch, in love, ready to be parents? Or had something gone wrong?
Bring cake, the text said.
Did her mom want to celebrate, or to stuff her feelings under layers of chocolaty frosting?
There was only one way to find out.
* * *
Amber’s mom held the door open as Amber awkwardly maneuvered through the doorway with a slab cake that said Hey, You’re Pretty Great.
“Miss me?” Amber asked, holding her cheek out for a kiss.
Her mother gave her a peck and said, “Always. What’s this about?”
“I wasn’t sure if I should have them put Congratulations or Sorry on it.” She leaned closer and whispered, “John’s car is still here.”
“Nothing goes unnoticed.”
“I’m allowed to stalk my own mother. So…” She passed her the cake. “What’s up?”
“Amber!” John came out of the kitchen, smiling. “Let me take that,” he said to Gloria. He craned his neck to reading the cake’s message. “Running family joke?”
“I didn’t know what to have them write on it,” Amber said, feeling silly. She didn’t know what was going on and was afraid to make assumptions.
“You didn’t have to put anything on it,” her mother stated.
“I love having them do it. Edible ink—best kind ever. And it’s free.”
She studied her father. He was like a blank wall, giving nothing away. Her mother seemed happy and relaxed, but Amber wasn’t sure if it meant that she had told him everything or if she had decided not to.
“So what’s up?” Amber asked.
“We’re having a family dinner,” Gloria said. She headed to the kitchen, John following her, cake in hand.
Family dinner. And John was here. Did she dare dream?
She joined them and John immediately passed her a shot of vodka. That couldn’t be good, if he thought she was going to need a drink for whatever they were about to say.
“Any nuts to go with it?” she asked, feeling the need to find common ground.
“As long as they’re not bar nuts,” he said.
“Oh,” Gloria said, rolling her eyes. “You two. The bowl of peanuts sitting on the bar at Brew Babies isn’t full of fecal matter.”
“Not quite accurate, Glori,” John said.
Glori?
“If somebody doesn’t wash their hands and then touches the nuts…”
“Why wouldn’t they wash their hands?” Amber asked.
“Drunk men.” John held up his palms, indicating there was nothing more that needed to be said on the subject.
“Amber, your father and I,” Gloria said carefully, her chest expanding as though she’d waited her entire life to say those words, “would like your permission to tell the town about your parentage.”
Father.
She was never going to get used to that.
Her mind caught up with her mother’s request and Amber sat down on the nearest chair, realizing the impact that one small announcement would make.
She had a father. John was claiming her as a member of his family. She would have someone to give a Father’s Day card to. There would be no more secrets in her life. Family dinners, holidays and celebrations would be more than just her and her mom. She had another half sister—Marisa. John was saying she could be a part of that. It was her choice. After all these years it came down to her.
This was huge.
“Are you sure?” she asked, watching John. His cheeks were flushed and he had one hand clapped in front of his mouth while he waited for her to reply.
“I’m sure,” he said. “I am your father. I’m incredibly proud of that fact and don’t want it to remain a secret any longer. I understand if you feel upset and as though you have missed out. I can’t make up for what we didn’t have, but I would like to be there for you in the coming years to the best of my ability. If you need me. If you want me there.”
Amber was going to need another shot. She felt like bawling. To go all this time and now have him so matter-of-factly state everything she’d ever wanted.
“I’m sorry,” he said stiffly. “For… for not being there.”
“You’ve always been a significant father figure in my life.”
The pinched line between John’s brow eased and he visibly relaxed.
Gloria was sniffing, waving away their attention when they turned to her. “It was my fault,” she said. “I denied you both your rights. And this is just… it’s so much more…”
John squeezed her shoulder. “Gloria, if you had come to me several years ago I am not sure I would have been ready. I may not have embraced this to the extent that I’m willing to now. Don’t blame yourself for what you did then—I’m not. I was the one who was a fool and pushed you away.”
Amber’s mother was crying. “No, I was the fool. I’m the one who was afraid to let you love me. It was me who felt I wasn’t enough.”
“And I didn’t help you feel any better about it. I’m sorry.” John pulled her into a hug, holding her close like a lover would. He gave her a kiss on the lips and said, “I love you, Gloria, and I have never stopped.”
Amber held back tears, half wondering if she should leave the room.
“Can we make up for lost time?” John asked, and Gloria nodded.
“I would really like that,” she murmured.
“So are you two a couple now?” Amber asked.
“Darned tootin’,” John said.
Her mother hooked an arm around his waist. “I’m not planning on letting this man go again.”
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“Best words ever spoken,” John said, kissing her once more.
“How do you think Marisa will feel about all of this?” Amber asked.
“I have a feeling she already suspects. She knows that I like to help you out and that Gloria was on the cruise with me.”
“Yeah, about that?” Amber turned to her mother, who blushed. “Did you know he was going on the cruise?”
She nodded and John pulled her closer, smiling.
“Wait a minute. On the cruise did you two pick up where you left off twenty-five years ago?” Amber asked, recalling how happy her mom had looked getting off the plane.
“Amber, honey, you don’t need to know everything.”
She had gone for the man she wanted. Amber would never have believed her mom had it in her.
“Marisa and her husband are coming for supper,” Gloria blurted. She checked the clock on the microwave. “In five minutes. Is that okay?”
Before Amber could answer, the doorbell chimed and her mother scurried off, John following. “They’re early,” he stated.
Her half sister and half brother-in-law.
The front door shut and Amber could hear Marisa say, “So are you two finally together now? ‘Cause quite frankly, it’s about time.”
Amber watched her parents return to the room, John’s arm slung around Gloria. They were smiling and in love. The parents every child hoped for, but often didn’t get.
And somehow, she had finally gotten them.
“It’s about time they let us in on the fact that we’re half siblings, huh?” Marisa said, giving Amber a smile. She had her straight hair pulled up into a loose bun and was towing her husband, Justin Reiter, into the room. As usual, Marisa was effortlessly elegant in a linen pantsuit and looking entirely unfazed by the latest news.
