Sweeter Than Wine

by Hestand, Rita

  "Okay, I'll behave, so, what or how are we going to do this?" she asked checking the map to make sure they were making all the right turns.

  "I think maybe... I could pose as a reporter come to do a story on her father. That way I could ask questions and it wouldn't seem out of ordinary." He said as though he'd been thinking about it for some time.

  "Say you are getting pretty good at this lying thing you know. But on the other hand you could observe them, for a while as you decide what you want to do next."

  "Exactly, I know that's not exactly like the best way to introduce yourself, but like you've pointed out, I don't want to shock them too much. There might not be any reason to tell them who I am."

  "It's a good plan. After you meet them, get an idea what they are like, you can decide if you want to come clean and tell them who you really are." Lacey nodded, and slipped on her sunglasses.

  "Exactly, I mean, maybe they will be so terrible I'll gladly pack my bags and go home." Sam said.

  Lacey thought about that. Pack his bags, go home, and then the romance was over. Sam didn't love her as she did him. He'd never said the words, so obviously he didn't. That hurt. More than she could say because after all the lovemaking they did, if he didn't care for her now, he never would.

  She'd read where men could have sex and not truly feel the love of it, was Sam like that? The way he talked to her, saying such sweet wonderful things. Could he love her and not say anything?

  Feeling lost suddenly she wondered what she was going to do now. All this time she'd been setting herself free. Setting herself up for a big letdown. Sam more than likely didn't love her. She'd given him everything she could, and he still didn't love her. His thoughts were of this family, of going home, but not of her.

  How could she have been so blind? Yet, when she looked at him she realized no matter what he did or didn't feel, she loved him.That would not change and she'd have the memories. She'd had a wonderful vacation because of him and she'd never forget him. Even her bold plan to raise his child, if she were pregnant didn't worry her. She'd do it. In addition, the chances of her being pregnant were building with each love making because they hadn't used a bit of protection.

  Wise or not, she still felt she could handle it.

  She firmed her lips, determined not to feel sorry for herself. It was her fault. She'd fallen madly in love with Sam, and he, although a good man, was probably not in love with her. She was a big girl, and she had certainly asked for every bit of it. So she had no right to say anything. How could she have been so brazen? She didn't want to feel cheap but she hadn't been herself in a while. That wasn't his fault either.

  Soon she'd go home and this would all be just a lovely memory. She'd probably be pregnant and have to take off work. She hadn't once thought of all of this while he made passionate love to her. All she thought of was how it felt and how wonderful it was to be in love.

  But it dawned on her too that she had been playing him too. She came on like a free spirit and she wasn't. She wasn't fooling anyone but herself.

  She squashed her feeling for the time being. She'd see him through this and then she was back to Texas. She couldn't endure a moment longer in his arms. The sweetness of the past few days would have to carry her for the rest of her life, and he'd never know how badly she had been hurt.

  He glanced over at her and grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips. She wanted to jerk free, to run away, but none of that would make a bit of sense to him now. He didn't understand…she was in love.

  Chapter Ten

  However, they didn't have to pretend anything, because only a few miles from where his sister lived, the car began to jerk and jump and Sam began to rant and rave.

  "This is too funny for words," Lacey laughed aloud.

  "Well I'm glad you find it funny. We are going to have to walk up the mountain," Sam insisted.

  "So we walk. Come on; look at all of this as another adventure…okay?" Lacey chuckled.

  Sam got out, checked under the hood, then tried the ignition again, "It's really messed up. And the one thing I'm not good at is cars. I'm sorry…"

  "Quit fretting, at least now we don't have to lie. Come on; let's get started before it gets dark." She encouraged.

  "Your right, let's go. Get anything you think you might need." He insisted.

  "I don't think carrying pajamas in your purse looks very stranded, do you?" she insisted with a grin.

  "No…besides, if you're in my bed, you won't need them..." he murmured.

  "Oh now, you wanted a platonic relationship up here, and that's what we will have." Lacey insisted. "From now on, I am hands off."

  "Man, you know how to torture me, don't you?" He grimaced.

  She laughed and got her purse.

  They hiked for two hours before they got close to anything live. But wood smoke alerted Sam.

  "That's it!" he motioned ahead of them.

  "Come on Sam, let's get this over and done with." she insisted.

  He nodded and firmed his lips.

  They didn't have to wait long though because a man came striding down the mountain not even out of breath and approached them with a big easy smile.

  "Hello have you gotten lost, or something?" the man asked.

  "Uh no, actually, we had a bit of car trouble down the road. We didn't notice any gas stations either." Sam said as he held out his hand. "I'm Sam McKay, this is Lacey my..."

  "Girlfriend," she inserted. "Hi."

  "How far down is your car?"

  "Well, we've been traveling for a couple of hours. We were hunting Kasie Amory. I'm a reporter from Portland, wanting to do a story on her father. Would you happen to know where I could find her?"

  "Okay, well, come on up to the house and let my wife fix you something to drink and eat and then we'll go see about that car. Oh, by the way, my name's Chayton Amory."

  "Chayton, Kasie's husband?" Lacey smiled.

  "Yes, come on, I'm sure she'll be glad to meet you." Chayton returned her smile.

  "Oh, so you do live around here?" Sam asked looking about.

  "Just over the hill. We're a little secluded, but that's how I like it. My wife is fixing a big meal, so you're in luck. Hope you like Chili."

  "I love it," Lacey answered.

  "Great, come on, just follow me," he instructed.

  "Thanks, thanks a lot." Sam said.

  The man was friendly and Sam had no trouble striking up a conversation with him. Sam enjoyed the open friendliness of the man and almost admitted to be a forest ranger when Chayton mentioned it, but kept quiet for a while. He needed to find out more first.

  When they reached the house, Sam whistled, "Man, that's not a house, it's a mansion."

  Chayton smiled, obviously proud. "Yeah, me and my brother built it. He lives up the hill from me. We're about to build his place too."

  "That's nice. Redwood, isn't it?"

  "Yep, mostly, some pine, some oak. Had to have the pecan shipped in, but we had to have a little for my wife, she's from Texas." Chayton chuckled.

  "Really, so am I." Lacey smiled.

  "Well then you'll have a lot to talk about, I'm sure." Chayton smiled and opened the door.

  From the moment they opened the door they were both impressed with the size and the intricate woodwork done on the house.

  But they couldn't spend too much time gawking because Kasie Amory came right up to them, with a big smile. Sam noted her light hair and green eyes. "Hello, you've brought us some company." she looked at her husband and pecked him on the cheek.

  "Found them out in the woods. Thought they might be lost, but they actually had car trouble down the road a bit and I thought we could feed them then go look. This gentleman here is Sam McKay, a reporter from Portland, wanting to do a piece on your father."

  "Oh, I'm really interested. No one's bothered about that in a while, but I'll be glad to help you out all I can. That way we can print the truth, can't we? I'm Kasie Amory, come on in and let's have some tea."
She encouraged.

  "Awfully nice of you," Lacey smiled.

  "Oh it's nice to have company for a change." Kasie said as she prepared them a drink and escorted them to the huge living room with wrap around couches and several lounge chairs.

  "This place is pretty remote." Sam smiled at Kasie, noting a few similarities in their looks. She was a beautiful woman, and so friendly.

  "Your husband said you were from Texas." Lacey asked trying to help Sam get more information out of her. "Was your father originally a Texan?"

  "No, this is his native country, Oregon. I was born there, spent a few years there. But I'm a full blooded Oregonian now. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Even though it is remote here."

  Sam nodded, "I prefer the Pacific northwest to most parts of the country, myself. I live in the mountains too..."

  "Oh, and you are a reporter? My you must have a long drive to work." Kasie chuckled.

  "Yes, I do. But in bad weather I send my work in by computer."

  "Oh yes, computers, something we no longer keep around here, at least not until our children are big enough to need them. I guess we don't keep up with the times like we should. Well, let me go get the tea."

  "I really won't keep you long, I’m just happy my car broke down this close to you." Sam said.

  "Yes, that was fortunate, wasn't it?" Kasie looked at Lacey. "Are you two married?"

  "No, I'm a school teacher…a private school for girls."

  "Really, how in the world did the two of you meet?" Kasie's eyes rounded on them.

  "Vacations."

  "Ah yes, one of those things we rarely take." Kasie chuckled and glanced at her husband who was doctoring the meat to go out on the grill.

  Chayton looked up from his task, "Don't let her fool you. She has to be pried away from here."

  Suddenly a baby cried and Kasie excused herself. When she came back she had a baby in her arms. "This is D.J. he's nine months and almost into everything."

  Lacey cooed and awed with the baby, "Can I hold him?"

  "Sure, if he'll go to you…" Kasie handed her son over. Lacey took the baby and smiled. The baby didn't cry.

  Sam couldn't stop himself from reaching for a finger. A finger the baby latched onto and tried to chew on. Sam chuckled. "He's a cutie, your first?"

  "Yes as a matter of fact…." Kasie smiled proudly.

  "I'm surprised he didn't inherit the dark hair from your husband." Sam said glancing at her.

  Kasie shrugged, "He did, but he lost it all not long after he was born. He had the most beautiful head of black hair you've ever seen. Thick and straight. But he lost it. Now it's a toss up to figure out what he'll look like. My side of the family is pretty fair, my dad was light headed and my mom."

  "Really…"

  "But he'll probably have the Douglas eyes, though."

  "Douglas eyes…." Sam tried not to frown.

  "Yes, well, green eyes are as common as any other." Kasie sighed.

  "Green eyes, huh?" Sam asked casting a quick glance at Lacey.

  "Just how far back do you want to go with this story?" Kasie burst out laughing.

  "As far back as we can be factual." Sam encouraged.

  "Wow, okay. It'd be easier if Rosie were here. She knew practically everything about him. In fact, when you go down the mountain, take the Cooper exit and you'll come out in front of her place. She can fill you in on some of my father's history."

  "I'll be sure to do that."

  Kasie brought the tea back into the living room, "Do you always travel with your girlfriend?"

  "Uh, no, but she hasn't been up here and I promised to show her the redwoods. So I brought her along."

  "I see. Well, now let's see. Dad graduated the University of Washington, back in…"

  Kasie began.

  Sam frowned glancing about.

  "Is something wrong?"

  "Uh no…I just wish I'd have brought my recorder with me. I do need some paper and a pen, if you don't mind."

  Chayton nodded, "I'll get you some, just sit tight."

  Kasie was open and warm and Sam liked her right away. His itch to tell her who he was was getting to him. First he needed to know about his dad and mom.

  "How many times has he been married?"

  "Three." Kasie frowned. "I hope you won't play that up. It seems everyone wants a story from that angle."

  "Oh no, just the preliminary questions." Sam assured her.

  After Kasie nodded and smiled she continued. "He married a little local girl first. Her name was Susan. They were terribly in love and very young. He'd just finished high school and was about to go off to college on a football scholarship, when he met her and fell instantly in love."

  Sam felt his heartbeat quicken. His mother. Her name was Susan, his heart squeezed a bit.

  "What happened to them?"

  Kasie shrugged, "Rosie told me they got married before he left and she was pregnant. He went off to college and left her at home with her folks. When it came time for the baby, her folks took her to the hospital. The baby was still born. Naturally she was a complete wreck, she never recovered from it."

  "That's terrible," Sam felt his heart breaking for his mother and the lie. Tears sprang to his eyes thinking of the woman who bore such an agony. "Go on…"

  "Dad came back and found his beautiful bride in shambles. She never was right after that. He tried to help her in every way, but she kept getting worse, wanted her baby. Dad had to put her in an institution."

  "An asylum?" Sam shrieked.

  "A Sanitarium, yes. She never came out of the post partum depression. She died a couple of years later."

  "From what?"

  "I don't know I'm sure it's on record somewhere."

  "Could you tell me what asylum?"

  "I can find out for you, yes. I hope you don't dwell on that angle of the story, Mr. McKay. My father was a very rich and prominent man in this area, very well respected. I'd hate to think you would print anything that would hurt that reputation. No matter how many mistakes he made, he did a lot of good for the folks on this mountain."

  "No…no of course not. However, I do need all the facts to tell the story correctly. Don't you agree?"

  Kasie seemed skeptical, "I suppose."

  Kasie told him everything she could think of, all the awards and recognition her father won over the years. Sam seemed to only half listen.

  When she was done he asked, "What hospital was she taken to?"

  "Who?" Kasie asked.

  "Susan Douglas."

  "I'm not sure, is it important."

  "It could be yes."

  "Well, you might have to ask Rosie these questions because I don't know all the answers to that part of his life."

  "Of course, I want to thank you for being so frank with me, for not trying to whitewash his entire career."

  Kasie stared at him, "I'll be the first to admit that dad was a workaholic. You couldn't drag him away for anything he considered as work. My father was a determined man. A good man, a controlling man. However, don't misunderstand, I loved him. So we will not stand by and see his name blackened. You do understand, don't you?"

  "Of course. I can assure you, it won't be. However, some things might come out of all of this. You see, there's reason to believe that the child he had with Susan is alive."

  Kasie stared at him for a long moment, turned her head and her mouth fell open. "I-I don't know what to say. Where did you get such an idea?"

  Sam came toward her when she went pale, "Because, you see, how can I put this without being downright blunt. But, I am John Douglas's son."

  Kasie's legs went out from under her and Sam reached to catch her. Her husband went to her side and picked her up in his arms and then gave Sam a thunderous glance. "Are you some fortune seeker?"

  "I assure I am not," Sam said and Lacey joined his side.

  "He's telling the truth. But the truth only came out when Sam's father died and admitted he was adopted."

 
Chayton carried his wife to the sofa and sat her in his lap. She came to and stared into Sam's eyes.

  "If this is true, then your, my brother?" she murmured.

  "Yes, ma'am. I am."

  "Call Rosie Chayton, or better yet, go get her." Kasie demanded.

  "Okay sweetheart, anything you want. Just take it easy, okay. I don't want you straining yourself. You just rest easy. And don't drop any more bombs till I get back, understand." Chayton eyed Sam with a frown.

  "I am sorry, I certainly didn't mean to startle you, but I didn't know how to say it without just saying it."

  "I'll be fine," she said and stared into Sam's eyes. "Now that I really look at you, you resemble him some, only you don't have the Douglas eyes." She murmured aloud.

  "I'm sorry, I know this is a shock, but I had to know. You see, my father, Mr. McKay admitted when he was dying that I was not his son. However, because he was dying, I didn't get much information out of him. Only his name and general location. That's all. Naturally, being grown, I wanted to find out what had happened. I didn't know how to approach you with this. Because John Douglas was famous, I figured you would think me a fake or something. However, I assure you, I'm not. I just want to know what happened." Sam said his hand on Lacey's. "And to put your mind at ease, I'm not a reporter and I'm not doing a story on him. I just want to know what happened. My being alive means my mothered died not knowing it. I want to know why. And I want to find out what happened."

  "If you are his first wife's son, then that means, she never knew you were alive, nor did he. How could that have happened?" Kasie shook her head in disbelief.

  "Switched at birth of something maybe?" Lacey offered.

  "Oh my God, the poor woman went out of her mind worrying about you, and never knew you were alive. But who, who could be responsible?" Kasie asked.

  Chayton had already left to go get Rosie.

  Sam stared into her face, "I really didn't want to upset you so." He explained again. Especially in your condition, but I couldn't stop myself."