The driveway was paved and the cabin was surrounded by tall, graceful trees.
Rodney whistled, which elicited a laugh from Frank. Jane mumbled something next to him.
“Daddy lives here?” Jamie asked which made Jane and Rodney laughed.
“It’s just so wrong, baby,” Rodney said and Jamie laughed, thinking it was the funniest thing in the world.
They all exited the car as Gus walked out with a dishcloth in his hands.
Moira was behind him. Holly felt slightly more at ease, but a twinge of fear settled in her stomach at seeing Gus.
“Is that Grandpa Gus?” Jamie asked.
“That’s him,” Holly said with a smile.
She got out of the car, taking Jamie by the hand as Rodney greeted Gus with a handshake.
“Janey,” Frank said. “This is Gustave,” he introduced.
Gus hugged Jane, which Holly was sure her mother hadn’t expected. Holly forgot what a warm person Gus was. Always smiling and joking around. He used to be one of her favorite people.
He whispered something in Jane’s ear and Jane shook her head.
He broke the hug, giving her the eye, and then saw Jamie hugging Holly’s leg.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.”
She was shy but Gus just walked up to her and crouched on his haunches.
“Hey, princess.” He smiled. “You know how much I missed you?”
“You did?” Jamie asked and he nodded.
Tears shone in his eyes but he blinked and they were gone.
He whistled. “You look just like your mom,” he said and everyone laughed. Jamie smiled.
He opened his arms but Jamie didn’t let go of Holly’s leg. “Too soon. Not to worry,” he said and touched her cheek softly. He got up from his squat and hugged Holly. “Why didn’t you call me?” he spoke softly.
Tears lingered in Holly’s eyes. She tried her damn hardest not to cry.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Holly,” he muttered. “You hear? Nothing.”
She nodded again as Frankie picked up Jamie and put her on his back. She was such a little monkey at times.
“Let’s go inside, breakfast is almost ready.”
“Where is Jake?” Frank asked.
“He’s down by the lake, waiting for you guys.” Gus smiled.
Frank rushed in with Jamie. Her mother laughed, chatting to Gus as they walked inside.
Holly found Armand in the kitchen. He hadn’t changed a bit. She was a bit apprehensive of seeing Amelia again.
Armand smiled at her as he greeted Rodney.
“Holly,” he said.
“Hey,” she whispered back and followed her mother and Uncle Frankie before more tears emerged.
The backyard was just as big. Green hedges that were almost as tall as her were planted all around the house. Frank and Jane were walking toward a passageway. Holly followed with Rodney behind her.
“You okay?” Rod asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”
“Holly, you should.”
She heard Jake’s voice. He sounded angry and she didn’t like it.
Her mother and Frank were way ahead. She hurried to close the distance.
Then a shriek—a happy one—burst through the air.
She saw Amelia rushing to Frank. It was all she saw. The girl who betrayed her was cupping her little girl’s face. Cooing to her.
Holly fought back the tears. This emotion of what they had missed for five years because she was too chickenshit to phone any of them overpowered her. Amelia hugged Jane and whispered something in her ear. Her mother shook her head but hugged Amelia back. She didn’t see Jake. On cue, Amelia spoke again.
“Oh, sorry, this is Jake. Jake…”
“I can introduce myself, Amelia,” Jake said, still sounding pissed off. Jane held out her hand, but Jake grabbed her too and hugged her. She saw his lip trembling and she just couldn’t. A tear rolled over her cheek as she turned around and rushed back to the house.
Rodney followed her and gave her a one-armed hug.
She couldn’t keep her emotions at bay anymore.
“It’s okay, Holly,” Rod said as they were close to the house.
She wanted to go in, but Armand was inside.
“You want to leave?”
“I don’t know,” she said as tears ran down her cheeks. “Why did she do this?”
Rod grabbed her tight and held him against her. “I don’t know. I’m so sorry.”
She cried softly against his chest.
She didn’t want to cry, but she just couldn’t forgive herself for not fighting harder.
She would never forgive herself for that.
JAKE
BREAKFAST WAS SERVED. AMELIA TOOK charge, dishing up for everyone. Except Jamie. Holly prepared her plate.
Amelia was still making jokes with her, and Holly just shook her head.
“Forget it, Amelia.”
“Just think about it.”
“Melia.” Jake gave his sister the evil eye and she scrunched up her nose at him.
He hated when she did that.
During breakfast, Gus did most of the talking. Jane gave her compliments to the good food and the beautiful house. Jake couldn’t imagine what Jamie was used to. His little girl was supposed to have had the best from the moment she’d been born, and he vowed he would do everything to give that to her from now on.
They weren’t even sitting close to him at the table; they were nestled in next to Rodney, and Jake knew Rodney hated his guts. He knew Rodney didn’t believe a thing about the whole situation. In a way, he was so much like Robin. She’d disappeared, which led Jake to believe she wasn’t ready to play nice, not even to meet her niece.
Jake could feel Jamie’s eyes on him, but every time he looked at her, she averted her eyes to her plate.
“Eat, baby,” Holly spoke softly and Jamie took a piece of her toast and folded it in two before putting it in her mouth. He smiled at that; he had the exact same habit.
Gus started speaking about the rainbow. Jake brightened, hoping Holly would love the story they’d concocted.
“Did you really forget about us?” Jamie asked.
“Forget?” Holly asked looking at Gus with question.
“Just for a little while,” Gus spoke slowly to Holly. “Jake remembered what was waiting for him back home, but was forced to go and get all of us. Amelia was the first. She was stuck in green.” They all laughed as Gus explained what a tree hugger she became, as green automatically stood for nature. Amelia was stuck with that.
“The cool part of this ugly scenario, my dearest Dad,” Amelia said, “was that I had the gift to hear animals.”
Jake shook his head with a huge as Holly tried to suppress her laugh.
“You could speak to animals?” Jamie’s eyes were wide.
“I could hear their voices, munchkin. Didn’t matter if it was a big bear or the tiniest bug.”
His sister was such a drama queen, but he loved how she entertained Jamie.
“So when Daddy found me,” Amelia carried on later after she told Jamie her part, “it was very hard for him to break that spell. It took a long time. And you want to know why?”
Jamie nodded eagerly.
“Because I knew if he succeeded I wouldn’t be able to hear animals anymore.”
“You can’t hear them anymore?” Jamie asked.
Amelia nodded. “But I’d rather not hear them than not be here with you. So he finally got through to me and I remembered.”
Jamie smiled again and his father carried on with the story.
“So… when did you remember me?” Jamie asked Gus.
“Right after your daddy found me in the color yellow. They had the most amazing rainbow cakes you can dream of, and I was as thick as a pig from eating them. My house was even made from rainbow cake.”
Holly snorted. “Sorry,” Holly said, still giggling.
/> “You lived in a cake?” Jamie scrunched up her nose, and Holly mimicked her as Jamie turned to Holly for approval. Jake just looked away before his heart would break again.
“I lived in a cake,” his dad said again. “I even started eating all my cake furniture and clothes...”
“Okay, she really doesn’t need to know that, Dad,” Jake put in, which had everyone shaking with laughter.
“You didn’t!” Jamie seemed shocked.
Gus laughed. “I promise you, no stupid rainbow is ever going to keep us away from you again, okay?”
“Okay.” Jamie leaned into Holly’s arm and Holly kissed her on the head.
She turned to her mother and whispered something in Holly’s ear. Everybody was watching them. She was so good with her. Jake could only imagine how difficult this year was for her without her.
Holly pretended to be thinking and then whispered something back.
Jamie jumped up and ran to Gus, she put her hands against his cheek and brought down his head to give him a kiss on the forehead.
It melted everyone’s heart.
“She’s an old soul,” Jane said from across the table and everyone cooed.
Jake was speechless for the rest of the meal. He hated this feeling inside of him. He was so confused and had no idea how to deal with any of this.
His father provided them with the rest of the story, except Grandma Mara’s part. He simply said that was a story for another time, and it was also the reason Lisa, Kimmi, and Ben couldn’t be here.
Jamie peppered him with questions in between.
Rod thought it was hilarious, Holly thought it was funny, everyone was talking adding their input. The time grew nearer for breakfast to be over.
Her mother still hadn’t asked Holly the question. He was looking at Jane, waiting for her to just ask it. He needed more time.
“Holly,” his father said. “I know breakfast is over, but please stay for the day.”
Holly swallowed hard.
“Can we, Mommy? I wanna go on the boat!”
Holly just looked at Jamie. “We really don’t want to impose,” she said.
All the Peterses guffawed and told her she was being silly, Amelia the most adamant of them all.
“I guess we’ll stay.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Jamie shrieked.
Jake got up smiling and went over to Jamie. “You want to go for that boat trip?” he asked and Holly just raised her eyebrows. Jake caught it.
“What?”
“Boat trip.”
“Boat trip is least of your worries,” he joked and hold out his hand to Jamie. She grabbed it and she climbed over the wooden bench of the table.
“You coming, Mommy?”
“Oh, no. Mommy does not like boats.”
“Aww,” Jamie said.
“Nanna will come with.” Jane invited herself on this trip and Frank followed.
“I’m coming too,” Gus said.
“I’m in,” Rod said and so did Armand.
“Seriously? Just leave us to do the dishes,” Amelia yelled behind them.
Jamie waved at her mom and Holly must have waved back.
It felt weird taking that first step in speaking to her today, even if it was only through jokes.
Why he was so upset with her? He needed to get his head clear, and a boat ride was the perfect thing right now.
Suddenly, Armand picked Jamie up from behind, pretending to be a bear. Jamie squealed and cackled with laughter. It was the most amazing sound to Jake’s ears.
If there was one guy who didn’t hover today, it was Armand. He hadn’t even tried to get Jamie’s attention until now.
“You haven’t said hello to me yet,” Armand scolded.
“I didn’t see you,” she replied.
“How could you not see me?”
Jamie giggled, as she was being held in his arms, facing him. “Sorry,” she apologized.
“It’s okay. I’m used to it,” he joked and she gave him a hug. She wiggled in Armand’s arms until he finally put her down
“Babe, just be careful. Put on life jackets. No excuses. The sunblock is below deck.” Amelia yelled. Jake and Armand responded in unison. “Yes, Mom.”
Everyone laughed, Rodney included, as Amelia stared nonchalantly at everyone.
They all climbed onto the boat. Rodney helped Jake untie the rope from the deck. Neither of them said a word. Hopefully this was the beginning to their recovery too. He didn’t want Rodney, who had probably been there on all Jamie’s birthdays, to be upset with him anymore.
They both jumped onboard. Armand switched on the engine and watched everyone get a life vest from Gus.
Jane put Jamie’s on and put sunscreen on her body.
Jake tapped Armand on the shoulder.
“Go sit. I’ve got it,” he said and picked up his life jacket.
He smiled at Jamie and took his shirt off as he put on his life jacket. He sat down right next to her and she immediately crawled on his lap the minute he made himself comfortable.
He held her tightly as his lips pressed gently on her temple. Holly had given him a day, and he was sure as hell going to use it.
HOLLY
Holly was helping Moira and Amelia with the dishes.
They were almost finished and Amelia wanted a crash course on Jamie’s life.
It was silent for a moment after Holly finished telling Amelia about the last time she’d seen Jamie—her birthday. Holly didn’t want the silence. It was usually followed by blame and pity, and she didn’t know if she could handle that right now. So she changed the subject.
“How is Robin?” she asked.
“You know Robin, can’t think that my mom could do something that evil.” Amelia sneered as she dried the plates.
Holly got what Amelia was saying. She refused to believe her mother’s story and didn’t want to see Holly. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. I didn’t mean to…”
“Why are you sorry, Holly? Don’t make excuses for my mother. She’s the reason Romalia is dead.”
“You can’t say that.”
“No, I can.” She went silent for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”
Holly nodded.
“Did my father’s formula work?”
What sort of a question was that? “Yes, it did. In fact, if it wasn’t for it, I doubt Jamie and I would have survived.”
Amelia huffed.
“Why did he stop it?”
“Because she told him it didn’t work with you. You have no idea how hard my father was on himself for not making your pregnancy better. I was so mad at you for not trying, for not trusting Jake and my dad. I hated you.” Tears spilled from her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. “And all this time, she was the one deceiving us. What do you think would have happened if you didn’t survive and my brother found out?” She shook her head. “I can’t even imagine.”
Jake liked her, that much Holly knew. But it wasn’t like that for him. He chose Kate.
“She sat by his side, Holls, when all he wanted to do was give up.”
“Wait, what?”
She smiled, but it was a sarcastic smile, not the kind of smile she was used to seeing from Amelia. “You must have known that he can’t survive without you.”
“Amelia,” Moira said.
“No,” Amelia scolded Moira. “She needs to hear this. How long have you been back?” she asked.
Holly just stared at her.
“You know what? Don’t answer that. I know, it’s about four months, right?”
“How did you…”
“Because it’s the time he started becoming my brother again. I thought it was Kate finally making him happy, but now I know it wasn’t her. It was you.”
“Amelia, it’s not like that.”
“Holly, stop. He loves you.”
Holly got tears in her eyes again.
“He wanted Jamie and Romalia. Just give him another chance…”
“He chose Kate, Amel
ia,” Holly yelled and Moira stopped doing the dishes.
“What?” Moira asked and Amelia just stared at her.
“I told you he’s not perfect, Moira. I know it’s not what you want to hear about your cousin but he chose Kate, okay?”
“How long?” Moira asked.
“It was for about two months, at the most three. I really thought that if I could make him fall in love with me... I had to be sure before I told him about Jamie. He chose Kate and I broke it off.”
“No, Holly that was different.” Amelia said shaking her head. “Ask him again. I promise you his answer will be different.”
She shook her head.
“Do you love my brother?”
“Don’t ask me that.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes, I do, okay? But his love hurts, Amelia, like hell.”
“No, it doesn’t. He is just as messed up with all of this as you. We are all messed up. Please just fight this time. Kate is not the right girl for him.”
“Amelia!” Moira sounded astonished.
“Oh? You said yourself that you struggle to believe that he would choose someone like her,” Amelia snapped and leveled her attention on Holly again.
“You want the whole picture when you left?”
“Amelia,” Moira said for the umpteenth time.
“Would you stop that?” she spoke to Moira and looked at Holly again. “He didn’t eat. He just slept. He stopped his internship all together. A year, Holly. He tried to find you. He looked everywhere.”
“What?”
“Bernie told my mother that her story was bullshit, that you would never do that and that she was a psycho. I’ve never seen my mom that livid. Jake left the next day. He was gone for months and then one day, he withdrew money and that’s how she found him. We all went to drag his ass back and made peace with everything. He struggled. He couldn’t. He slept for almost two weeks. He was so upset that one day he just picked up a bat and wrecked his BMW. When my father asked him why, he said he did it because you hated that car. I feared that I was going to lose my brother, and I did. Then my mother got him out of it. She babied him out of it, brainwashed him. They finally saw eye-to-eye, and she introduced him to Kate. Pushing her on him was more like it. He didn’t date her straightaway as he was too busy fucking every strawberry blonde he could get.”
Secret Love (The 4Ever Series Book 2) Page 39
