“Let’s go, we will talk about this back at the house,” Colby says.
Making our way slowly out the door, everyone’s mind is reeling. Before we step through the door, I pull Cambree back against me. “Only flaw with your story, you don’t wear contacts, Camy.”
“My eyes . . . they are really . . .”
“Yes, they are really Hope’s eyes. Windows to your soul. A soul as beautiful as I have ever encountered.”
Chapter 30
Mitch
I feel sick. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way, but I cracked. Between my wife and sisters being at some biker bar, the fight, which I am sure Brielle started, and finished, Brielle carrying a weapon, talk of vibrators, Brielle’s vile word vomit, then another sex comment about yet another sister. I couldn’t take it. Kayleigh jumped in the car with me, and I don’t know if it is because she didn’t want to be in the hot seat with them, or if she needed to be with me. I can’t blame her for explaining the situation. I couldn’t because I was frozen in shock at my own stupidity.
“You okay, honey?” God, her sweet voice soothes me.
“Not really, but what is done is done.”
“What are you going to tell them?”
“The truth. They know about Hope. Max told Cambree a while back, and I am sure she shared with them. At least I hope so, because I don’t know if I can handle that tonight.”
“I am right here with you. I love you, Mitch Baird. You are a wonderful man, and they are lucky to have you for a brother. If you need me to, I think I can take Addison, but I saw Brielle in action tonight, and you are on your own.”
I can’t believe it, but I actually laugh. “So the story that girl told was true?”
“Sort of. She is a serious bitch, and there is stuff that happened when Brielle and Colby were having problems before they got married. Major skank-o-licious, that bitch is.” She tells me, “But seriously, I was in awe at Brielle. I want to be like her when I grow up.”
I groan, oh hell no. “Babe, I love you, and I love my sister, but can we just keep one of her? I don’t know if the world can handle two of them.”
“Okay, but seriously, it was bad ass. You would have been proud as her big brother. As an officer of the law, you probably shouldn’t be proud, but as a brother . . . totally Facebook status worthy.” Hearing her drunk ass ramble on, it reminds me that no matter what, things will be fine. I have her and Lukas by my side.
Pulling up behind everybody and making our way into the house, I can’t help but feel I am facing a firing squad. Colby and Brielle are arguing, I hear the words “calm,” “chill,” “crazy ass,” and “fuck me walking,” and know that is a conversation I want to be far away from. Addison is pale and looks to be in shock while Tyler is holding her in his arms and shooting death glares at me. Cambree is seated on the chair furthest away from Max and won’t look at anyone. Max looks helpless and fighting an urge to pick her up and carry her away. This is what I was afraid of. The same secret that turned Hope’s life upside down, is now doing that to everyone I care about. I take a deep breath, face the room and whistle. Now, I have everyone’s attention.
“Did he just whistle at me like I am a dog?” Brielle asks Colby. He just shakes his head at her. She glares at me, “Family or not, I will fuck you up. Just ask Tyler.”
“So true, man. She don’t care, and please remember, she is always right. It is easier, and it makes the world a happier place,” Tyler chimed in.
Not to be outdone, Colby adds, “Hey, family rule. You get to deal with her one day a week. We will add you to the rotation, but figuring you have about twenty-five years to make up for, maybe you should get the first month.”
Addison and Cambree are the only ones that haven’t chimed in. “Thanks, guys. Why don’t we all sit down, so I can tell you everything?” I feel better about this. The joking and laughter lets me know we will be okay. Addy and Cambree are the ones I am worried about now. They look like they just got sucker-punched, and neither of them will look me in the eyes.
Brielle makes her way over to me. She bends down. “They will be okay. I promise. We are all in shock, but we are family. You will realize that is the only thing in life that matters.” While Tyler is still holding Addison, and it is clear Cambree is shutting Max out, Brielle and Colby sit on either side of her. Kayleigh takes my hand, and I begin telling our story.
Chapter 31
Brielle
As Mitch sits with Kayleigh at his side, I can tell he is struggling. He doesn’t know where to begin. I see the pain, the hope, the memories, and the uncertainty in his face. I’ve heard bits and pieces about his twin Hope. I guess that would make her my half sibling, and I couldn’t imagine the loss he feels. Dustin is alive, hopefully safe for now, but I miss him like crazy, and every day I wake up and he isn’t within reach, I feel a piece of me isn’t here. It was the way we were raised, all together, so I cannot even begin to imagine what Mitch feels when he talks about her, knowing she is not here anymore.
“Take your time, start where you want,” I tell him. I am trying to give him some strength with my support. I admit, I haven’t been his biggest fan, but I think we have been holding back from each other, for our own reasons.
He starts softly, almost like he is afraid that if he says the words out loud he is losing another piece of her. I know he wants to share, but he feels a certain protectiveness over her, and at that moment I know we will all be changed. I just didn’t realize how much.
“She was my best friend, my other half.” He pauses. I see Kayleigh lean in to him and whisper in his ear. “I never knew John Baird wasn’t my biological father. I never suspected it. My mom worked for your dad . . . I can’t call him my dad.”
“Don’t worry, it isn’t really a title I bestow on him either,” I tell him honestly. I don’t want him to feel torn about that decision, and I don’t want him to think we are delusional about dear old Dad.
“That is how they met. From the story I was told, your parents weren’t married very long yet, but that still tears my mom up. That isn’t the type of woman she is, and said she would regret it if it hadn’t brought her Hope and me. They had a brief affair, and my mom found herself pregnant. The campaign was in Tallahassee, and when your dad found out, he went to his trusted advisor, Brent. He visited my Ma and showed his evil. I don’t know exactly what was said, but I get that he threatened her enough to make her move right outside of Gainesville, pregnant and alone.”
Addison gasps, and I know she is remembering all her times in Gainesville for Gator games. Hell, she spent two years there going to school. I know she is wondering if she was ever close to them and what could have been. I look to her and shake my head; she can’t go there. We are all innocent in this fucking game my father and Brent set in motion. Funny, we are the innocents, but so far they are the only ones who have gotten out unscathed.
“She met John soon after. He was a partner at the law firm where she started working, and they fell in love. He knew the whole story, married her, and adopted us. We had ‘father unknown’ listed on our birth certificate, and this is how Hope found out the truth. She began getting ill, feeling faint, bruising easily, and could only explain it as tired all the time. She was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and a bone marrow transplant was an option.”
I interrupt him, not knowing why. “Can you tell us about Hope before you tell us the rest? I am sorry, but I want to know her, and the only way for that to happen is through you and Max.” I hate asking him because I know it hurts, but the overwhelming need in me overshadows knowing how hard it would be on them.
He sucks a deep breath in and looks at Max. Max nods his head and Mitch begins, “This is going to sound odd, but she is a bit of all of you, rolled into one.”
“In looks and personality, I would say she is almost the spitting image of Brielle. I think that is why I have been so hesitant in reaching out to you. I wouldn’t be able to stop my emotions or the familiarity I had with Hope. She was y
our build, same hair color, but had Addison and Cambree’s coloring. Cambree, you have her exact eyes. I can see everything in them. Everything.” He looks at Cambree. “Right now I am going to apologize because I know this is hurting you, and that is not what I have set out to do. Hope had spunk. God, was she mouthy. I used to get so mad at her sometimes because I swear the filter between her brain and mouth was never engaged. But now, I love it, and I hear it every time you speak.” He looks at me and smiles. It has a hint of sadness to it, and I feel his pain. I feel it because as a person who was a part of me, and me part of her, I will never get to meet.
“She was fearless. She competed on the dive team in school and at a swim club locally. God, there was nothing she wouldn’t try, and I like to think Dustin got some of that from her. I know it isn’t likely seeing as none of you knew her, but it helps me sometimes figure this mess out.” I agree, it makes it easier on him, and there has to be some truth to it. We all have at least some of the same DNA, and I would like to think, all of us got the good parts. I can’t believe she was a diver; we all do something athletic, and I have always felt it was a part of us. “As fearless and fun as she was, she would give you the shirt off her back. She tried to mother all the younger swimmers.” He stares at Addison. “That is the best of you in her.” Tyler wraps Addison up and kisses her forehead.
“But her grace and beauty is something that used to shock me every time I saw her. Hope exuded confidence but that hint of insecurity would break through. She wanted to be independent so fiercely, but others’ opinions mattered to her too much. One look from her and you could see her happiness or pain, and every emotion in between. Those eyes could make me want to jump for joy, or break my heart. That is you, Cambree. Every ounce of it.”
Glancing down at Cambree, I can see she has pushed herself closer to Colby, and she is openly crying. She and Mitch have always had this bond, and right now I can see my sister is doubting the authenticity of it. She is thinking none of their relationship is about her, but about her reminding him of Hope, but that isn’t it at all. Mitch loves her, I have always seen that, and I hope Cambree finds the truth in it. I know she has been struggling in the shadow of Addison and me, which is why she went to UGA. The struggles of being both sibling and parent are never ending. I understand, and my heart breaks for her, but she is wrong, and she doesn’t understand how capable she is. I see the writing on the wall. She is about to push Max away and not believe in anything he tells her.
“So when she was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, the doctors decided a bone marrow transplant would be the best treatment, but because we weren’t identical twins, there was about a 35% chance I would be a match. I wasn’t, and that killed me. I felt like I couldn’t save her, and in the end . . . I didn’t.” Mitch breaks down in Kayleigh’s arms and I cry for him, or with him, I am not sure which. I know this is too much on him. It wasn’t fair of me to ask him to dredge all this up.
“I am so sorry, Mitch. You can stop,” I tell him.
“I am sorry. I want you all to know about her, to love her, to understand what an amazing person she was, what an amazing sister she was, but I feel like I can’t do her justice. I want to keep her memories alive, but it hurts too much.”
Max stands up. “I will finish.” I can tell it isn’t any easier on him. He is determined to do it though, and I feel Cambree start to stand to go to his side. She hesitates and second guesses herself and sits back down. Fuck, there is enough pain in this room tonight. I hope this doesn’t ruin them.
Max continues where Mitch left off. “So when we found out Mitch wasn’t a match, we knew I wouldn’t be either. Obviously, I was only a half sibling genetically, but none of us knew it at the time. So we went to the registry to find a match. Luckily, a woman in Oregon was a match, and Hope got the transplant. What we didn’t know was one night she overheard Ma upset and crying, talking about this. She heard Ma discussing if she should contact Brent or Franklin and try and get her help. Hope being Hope started researching. She found the adoption records and the original birth certificate, and wouldn’t let it go. She confronted us all one night with it, and the whole story came out. She wouldn’t let it go. Ma warned her, Mitch told her to back off; I tried talking to her. Even breaking my dad’s heart wasn’t enough to sway her. I was pissed at her. I couldn’t understand why she was doing this to the family. I never will, but it wasn’t my life that was shattered to pieces either. She was ballsy. Hope found Brent and went and confronted her with the truth. When she got home she wouldn’t talk about the meeting and dropped all discussion. Nobody could pry anything out of her, and then she stopped living life. We all tried to get her to open up about things, but she wouldn’t. We didn’t find out the truth until the night her life ended.” Taking a deep breath he said, “I need a minute.” He walks outside, and Mitch immediately follows him. I am torn, I don’t feel like I have a place in their grief, but still want to console them.
“What are we going to do?” Addison asks anyone who is listening.
None of us have an answer for her. Kayleigh says, “Let him in. That is all he wants. He has beat himself up over this. He has watched you and grown to love you all from a distance, but all he wants is your love, and to be a family. It has killed him every day not being able to take his place as your big brother. I have watched a piece of him die each day, so I am begging you, give him all his pieces back.”
I speak, hopefully for all of us. “I would love that. Kayleigh, you know family is everything to me, to us, it will take time for adjustments and getting to know you stages, but he is welcome in my life, in my home, and most definitely in my family.” Addison nods in agreement, but Cambree won’t meet anyone’s eyes.
Colby bends down and whispers in her ear, but she shakes her head. He looks at me and mouths, “Not now.” I look to Kayleigh and nod my head at her, letting her know we will get through this. Somehow . . .
Mitch and Max walk back in, and you can tell they are still fighting for control. Mitch takes his spot right next to Kayleigh and pulls her close. Max sits on her other side, and his gaze goes right to Cambree. She is still refusing to look at any of us. I see his gaze linger on her, almost like he is willing her to look at him, but she refuses. She is gripping Colby’s hand, and I know Max is upset she isn’t going to him for support, or comforting him. I know I would be hurt if the roles were reversed. I hope he understands what a bomb was just dropped on her.
I am surprised when Mitch starts again, “Hope committed suicide. I know I say Brent killed her . . . because he did. What we found out the night she died, in a fucking letter she wrote to us, was that when she confronted him, it got nasty. He raped her, and not just him. He let a couple of his cronies rape her, too. He videotaped it and threatened her with it. She lived with that all alone for months, until she couldn’t anymore.” He can’t continue, and I don’t want him to.
I can’t stand it anymore. Neither can Addy. We both reach him at the same time, and Kayleigh moves so we can take each side of him. Addison immediately reaches for him, and while I am hesitant because I don’t know how much seeing me daily with my resemblance to Hope hurts him, I am shocked when he embraces me. All I can do is hold him and tell him over and over that it isn’t his fault. I hope I am getting through to him. I don’t think any of us know how to process this. He must realize someone is missing. He untangles himself from Addy and I and looks to Cambree. She has been watching this whole thing with a detachment that isn’t like her.
“Sweet girl, what can I say? How can I help you?” he asks her. If I didn’t love him right now, because he is my brother, I would have at that moment. The gentle way he is looking at her and speaking to her warms my heart. As much as I want to shake some sense into her, I have to remind myself that she is only eighteen, and the information we have learned tonight . . . well, it is heavy.
She just stares back and won’t answer. Finally, she says, “Was it ever just about me for either of you?” She is looking between Max and Mitc
h. “Was it me you were protecting, and building a relationship with, or was it Hope?” She gets up and walks out of my house. Nobody moves or speaks. Hell, I am not sure any of us are breathing.
Max stands to go after her, and Colby tells him, “Tread with ease. She is confused, hurt, and feels very betrayed right now, which is understandable. I know we have all digested a lot tonight, and it will take time to heal, but she is feeling this most . . . from both of you.”
Mitch falls back to the couch and puts his hands over his face, and Max pauses, just barely, but then he goes after Cambree. I know where she is coming from, I think. While it is a shock for us, she is in love with Max, and even without knowing, she had grown so close to Mitch. She is doubting her significance in their lives, and thinking it was some subconscious desire to help Hope, not her. God, this whole scenario is killing me. It is a joyous time, but bittersweet moment, too.
I stand up and take Kayleigh and Addison into the kitchen. After grabbing beers for the guys, I tell them, “Tonight was whacked.” I look at Kayleigh. “I get your distance now. Sorry for being a bitch earlier, and thank you for being there for him. This has to have been a heavy load on him.”
“It was, Brielle. God, I felt so bad not telling y’all, but I had to be there for him. He is my everything.” Both Addison and I nod at her, we get it. Loyalty.
“Tomorrow, girl day. All of us, in my living room, with movies, nail polish, ravioli, and we are talking. We will put this in perspective. I am fine with it . . . well not fine, but I will be. Cambree is breaking in front of us, and we have to be the superglue until she mends herself.”
“B, maybe we need to let her figure it out on her own. Part of the problem is we always fix everything. As much as it hurts to say, maybe the baby bird needs to fly on her own,” Addison tells me.
“I think both of you are right. Girl day tomorrow, but we let Cambree handle it herself. We will let her know we are here, but only if she wants us,” Kayleigh tells me. It goes against every instinct I have to agree, but I know they are right.
Parker Sibling Series Box Set Page 48
