by Maggie Mundy
Free to Love
The Connor Clan Prequel
Maggie Mundy
Copyright 2019 Maggie Mundy
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations, or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author. All songs, song titles, and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
Editing by Swish Design & Editing
Book design by Swish Design & Editing
Cover design by Kellie from Book Cover by Design
Cover Image Copyright 2019
All Rights Reserved
Free to Love is a short story of the grandparents of the Connor Clan.
Travel through the generations, and find out how their grandchildren discover new love and rekindle old ones.
When eighteen-year-old Marie and her brothers came to America to live with their aunt, they thought their prayers had been answered. Instead, they found themselves at the hands of an aggressive uncle when their aunt dies. The situation becomes worse by the day, and Marie decides take her brothers and leave. With nowhere to go and in a stolen car they hope their luck will hold out.
Robert Connor is a widow with small child. He had love once and doesn’t believe he will find it again. That is until he stumbles across a young woman with two boys. His life is about to change forever.
Finding Love will be coming soon with the story of Marie and Robert’s granddaughter, Evie, and her love for a diamond in the rough, Luke.
Information/Blurb
Table of Contents
How It All Began
Connect With Me Online
About the Author
Marie jammed the chair under the bedroom door handle. She hoped and prayed it would keep her drunken uncle at bay. If it didn’t, the heavy bedside lamp was ready to whack him with. She didn’t want to be violent but needed to protect her brothers at all costs.
She glanced back at the boys huddled together on the bed. Peter was fifteen, John thirteen. These boys usually didn’t flinch at anything. The three of them were tough. They had needed to be. And right now, it would have to be enough to see them through.
Their uncle had been drunk in the past, but tonight was different. It was necessary for the three of them to pull all they had together to get out of this.
Loud noises came from outside as Uncle Tom smashed something. Each crash caused her to jump like a skittish kitten. The sound would probably be one of Aunt Rebecca’s statues. He always complained she loved them more than she loved him. It wouldn’t have been hard to. Now she was gone there was nothing to stop him from destroying her statues. Would they be next?
Every time her aunt had purchased a statue, she would hold it, then smile. For a moment, she would have joy in something simple yet pretty. Then she would look at Tom, and within seconds, the smile would disappear.
The funeral for her aunt had been yesterday. Thankfully, while other people had been around, her uncle had been polite. Marie had sensed the anger bubbling beneath the surface in the way he clenched and unclenched his fists. She was now nineteen. It had been five long, painful years since the three of them arrived from England, and in all that time she hadn’t seen him this furious.
Aunt Rebecca had been their only living relative after their parents were killed in a car crash. The three of them had been left with no money, no parents, and nowhere to live. At the time, coming to live in America had seemed like a dream come true. That was until they arrived.
Marie jumped as a thump came on the door. He was back, by a miracle the chair held in position jammed under the door handle.
“Open the door, you little slut. I took you brats in, it’s time to pay up. You’ve all been a waste of space, eating my food, and costing me money.”
Marie was under no illusion as to how she was to repay. Too many times over the years, her uncle had tried to be alone with her. He would touch her arm, his hand drifting across her breasts ever so slowly. She’d push him away, but he would laugh because it was a game to him. He always made sure Aunt Rebecca couldn’t see. He’d tell Marie she’d never believe her anyway. Marie had tried to talk about it with her aunt just the once. The subject was changed immediately. Now Marie wished she had persisted. After her aunt had gotten sick, she didn’t want to add to her problems, so it wasn’t raised again.
The thumps stopped as he moved away. Maybe he would drink enough to pass out. She crept across to the boys and sat on the bed next to them.
She had only one choice.
He had not, up to this point, laid a hand on the boys, but she knew this was because of their aunt.
If they stayed, she was under no illusion he would rape her and abuse the boys.
They needed to get out.
“We’ll give him twenty minutes then I’ll go check. If he’s asleep, I want you boys to grab the suitcases. We might not have much time. Are you both okay with that?” The boys nodded. She grabbed a picture of Aunt Rebecca, shoving it in her case. A part of her felt sorry for her aunt, another part of her was angry about the fact she had brought them into such an evil environment. It was all in the past at this point, Marie couldn’t do anything about it. For now, she knew she had to protect her brothers.
“Are you all right, John?” She knew he was scared. This was different though, he looked so pale.
“I’m fine. Can we go now?”
“Soon. Stay here while I check.” Marie moved the chair away carefully and quietly so she could head down the hallway to the kitchen. Half the lights in the house were not on, the remainder cast shadows from the furniture making Marie want to jump even more.
Her uncle was passed out on the couch in the living room.
This was it.
Her body shook as her stomach turned, but she kept going. She walked past the kitchen counter where a large knife was jammed into a ham. She pulled on the handle, holding the blade firmly in her hand while she crept over to the couch. With a firm grip, she held the knife above her uncle’s heart. It could all be over so quickly. Her hands were not even shaking now. One of her brothers coughed in the bedroom, the sound broke through her thoughts, stopping her doing the unthinkable. She placed the knife on the coffee table and headed back to the boys. She had to get out now.
Could she really have been capable of killing someone?
Ten minutes later, the three of them were driving onto the main highway. John in the back seat and Peter next to her.
They were free.
The fact they’d stolen a car was something she wouldn’t think about right now. Uncle Rob had five cars which he was constantly tinkering with. She picked the oldest one her Aunt Rebecca always drove. Her aunt had taught Marie how to drive in this car. That was why it had a few dents on the fenders. She hoped it would get them all the way to California in one piece. She had some money to pay for gas plus lodgings, but the small amount wouldn’t last long. She would need to get a job fast.
The car hit another pothole in the road. John cried out in pain as he clutched his abdomen. He was a tough thirteen-year-old, but something was terribly wrong. She thought him pale earlier on because he was f
rightened, but now he was writhing in pain. His skin had become paler if that was even possible.
Peter stared at John from the front seat. “He looks like he’s going to chuck.”
Marie shook her head. Peter would stand up for his younger brother in a fight, but he had no idea what to do when his sibling was sick.
“If you can’t be helpful, be quiet.” She didn’t mean to snap.
Damn it, her doubts were creeping back in.
What did she think she was doing?
At the moment, it didn’t look like John would make it to California. She reached back and touched his arm. His skin was burning with a fever. She would have to stop at the next town. She needed to find a doctor or hospital.
She would not lose one of the boys. The three of them had been through so much together.
The sign at the next turnoff said Portland. She didn’t know much about the city but would take her chances. It was big that was all she knew. It was late in the evening, and the storefronts were closed. She squinted seeing lights up ahead. It was a bus station. Someone there might know where a local doctor lived, or could give her some directions to the hospital. She pulled into the parking lot.
“Look after John for a minute.”
As she opened the car door, a man approached her. He looked as if he was about to say something then stopped. She got the impression he’d seen the two boys in the car. Had it stopped him? He looked respectable enough, dressed in a suit, though it seemed too big and creased. It appeared like it had probably had been stored in a box and rarely used. He ran his finger around the collar of his shirt as though the tie was too tight. If she guessed, he was in his mid-twenties. Had he been trying to pick her up? She had worn a modest dress, plus her neat hair was pulled back to make her look older. She expected she could get by unnoticed.
She hoped their money would last, and she would not have to think of ever selling herself to keep them together.
John groaned.
“I’ll ask at the counter where the hospital is?” She went into the building and found the ticketing desk. “Hello. My brother’s sick. Could you tell me where the closest hospital or doctor is located?”
The man behind the counter looked her up and down, then sneered. “You’ll need to call an ambulance. I don’t have a number for a doctor. I’m here to serve people.”
People were starting to queue up behind her. A smartly dressed woman tapped her shoe and huffed. Other customers stared at her, wanting their tickets or they would miss their buses. It didn’t mean the man behind the counter had to rude to her, though. She would stay strong and not cower under their persistent glares.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped, squealed, and turned around. It was the guy who had approached her earlier.
Did he really think she’d be interested when she was looking after her sick brother?
“Yes,” she snapped.
He put his hands up. “Whoa. Sorry, I scared you. I have my pickup out front. If you think your old car will make it, you can follow me to the hospital.”
Marie bit her bottom lip, so she didn’t burst into tears. For once in their life, something good was happening. Heaven only knew she needed a friend right now. The smart woman screwed her nose up as she smirked at the two of them. She obviously thought he was going to pick her up. Marie moved out of the queue and hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.
“The name’s Robert Connor.” He held out his hand. Marie stared at it, then shook it. She wanted to leech any strength she could from him.
She followed him outside and led him to their car.
“Boys, this gentleman’s going to guide us to the hospital.”
“It’s only about five minutes. Think you can last that long, son?”
John nodded, then clutched her hand again tightly as more pain ripped through his small body.
“Where you all heading?”
“San Francisco.” She didn’t want to say anymore. The thought her uncle had probably come to, and he might have told the police to come after them, was still foremost in her mind. Her helper obviously took the hint by not asking any more questions.
Robert had to be over six foot, and although the suit was too big for him, it gave the impression he had muscles hidden beneath. Marie followed his pickup, and considered she may have led her brothers into a trap. This man could take them off somewhere easily, to never be seen again. She crossed her fingers. Then she saw the sign of the hospital and breathed a sigh of relief. Because of her uncle, she found it difficult believing people could do you a favor and want nothing in return. Robert seemed genuine, so she would go with her gut feeling and hope she wasn’t wrong.
John was taken by the doctors to surgery. It seemed he had appendicitis. Thank goodness she had gotten him to the hospital in time. Robert left to see a friend but said he would check back in on them later. Marie told him he didn’t need to worry, but he insisted it was what he wanted to do.
Once John was settled for the night, she went downstairs to the reception area.
“Is there somewhere close by we can stay?”
“There’s a motel down the street. It’s not fancy, it is clean, though. Before you go, I need to know who’ll be fixing the bill? It will need to be paid before he can go home in two days.”
“I will. How much will it be?”
When the woman stated the amount, Marie smiled to hide the shock.
Robert stood behind them and said, “How’s John?”
She hadn’t heard him come in. “He’s fine. We were on our way to the motel.”
“You should stay with me. My mother’s there with us at the moment, so it would be respectable.”
Marie didn’t like taking charity. However, she didn’t even have enough money to cover the hospital bill, let alone a motel as well. Robert was coming to their rescue again.
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
She followed him in her car to the outskirts of Portland to a place called Sherwood. The city was overwhelming after living in the country. Sherwood seemed more relaxed. The house was a beautiful old homestead with a veranda. When they walked inside the smell of food cooking made her realize how hungry she was. Her stomach rumbled. None of them had eaten for hours with John being sick. Marie and Peter stood in the hallway awkwardly as a middle-aged lady stepped out of the kitchen.
“Mom, I brought some visitors back with me. This is my mother, Gloria. This is Marie and her brother, Peter. Her other brother, John, is in the hospital. She was at the bus station when I went to collect Miss Cooper.”
“It’s lovely to meet you both. Oh, your poor brother. Come on in, I’ll get you some cake and tea. I’ve bathed Lara already, she’s in her cot. She wanted to stay awake but kept rubbing her eyes. By the way, Rob… where is Miss Cooper?”
Marie and Peter washed their hands then sat at the table. Tea was poured and cake put in front of them. No questions were asked. It was simply assumed they were hungry. It was wonderful and made her tear up.
“She never turned up.”
Gloria shook her head. “I had a feeling she wasn’t going to come. I can stay for a few more days, then I need to get back to the business. It’s a busy time of the year for your father.”
“Who’s Miss Cooper?” Peter asked as he shoved a piece of cake in his mouth.
“I’m sorry,” Marie stated and quickly turned to Peter and said, “That’s none of our business.” Marie gave Peter a pointed stare. He was more interested in the food and totally missed it.
“I’m a widow, she was to be the new nanny. I’ll call the agency tomorrow to see if they have someone else.”
Marie crossed her fingers, hoping she wasn’t making a huge mistake. She didn’t know these people, but they seemed kind. Plus, kindness had been in short supply lately.
“I’m looking for a job… my brothers are hard workers. I could help you out until you find someone.”
Gloria and Robert stopped in their tracks, open-mouthed. P
eter kept eating his food, which was probably a good thing as she didn’t want him to mess up this opportunity.
Robert raised an eyebrow as he peered at her. “That’s a nice offer and all…” he paused, trying to think about the right words to say, “… but this is my little girl, and I don’t know you. Do you have references?”
It was a fair question, one she could do nothing about. She tried to keep the shake out of her voice. “No. We came from England five years ago when our parents died. We lived with our aunt. She died recently. We were heading to San Francisco for work.”
Robert glanced to his mother.
Gloria kept examining her.
Marie didn’t back down.
“I’m here until the end of the week. We’ll see how you go. It will be a free trial and no pay until we decide. Heaven knows though, Rob, you could do with some assistance at the car shop. The boys could help after school. I remember your grandmother always said not to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“I love working on cars. I used to help my uncle,” Peter said through a mouthful of food.
“Okay, but if Lara is unhappy the deal’s off.”
“You’ll not be sorry.” She wouldn’t mention how she needed money for the hospital. That could be dealt with when she knew they could stay. Marie had until the end of the week to convince them she was the right fit. They could always move on later if things didn’t work out.
“I’ll show you to your rooms.” Marie followed Gloria down the hallway while Peter tucked into more food. The house was huge, with bedrooms going off one side with a large living room on the other. The rooms were so much bigger than she’d been used to. The boys would share one, and she had her own room next to the bathroom. Lara’s room was next to her father’s at the front of the house. There was a beautiful aura about the place. It seemed silly, but Marie felt as if the house was saying ‘you’re home, you’re safe.’ The furniture was basic but comfortable, and all a person would need.
