Broken Things (Faded Photograph Series) (32 page)

She quickly handed back the photos. “She was beautiful. That’s for sure. I think her youngest daughter resembles her.”

“You met them?” Logan tucked away the pictures. “My half-sisters?”

“Yes, they were here fishing for information. They wondered if their mother had been victimized in that abuse scandal the media publicized. But neither of Cynthia’s daughters wanted to check on her to make sure she was all right. They pretty much took my word for it.”

“Can I have their phone numbers…addresses?”

“I don’t have that information, but I could contact their lawyer. I have his business card. I’ll leave a message with him and then the girls can decide if they want to call me back.”

Logan took a moment to think it over. “Obviously my mother and half-sisters don’t have a good relationship.”

Allie widened her eyes for emphasis. “Obviously. What’s worse is that Cynthia has pretty much destroyed every relationship she’s ever had.”

“Seems a shame. I’ll bet those girls will regret not making peace with their mother before she dies.”

“I’m sure you’re right. There are a lot of things I wish I would have said to my mother before she died.”

Still looking thoughtful, Logan glanced down at the gray, speckled carpet before bringing his gaze back to her. “Well, I’ll say this much, I’ve learned that a lot of lives are damaged by inane misunderstandings.”

Allie regarded him askance. “How do you mean?”

“My biological mother, for instance. She said the reason she didn’t try to contact me was because she was afraid of my father.” Logan shook his head. “My dad wouldn’t have harmed her. He might not have appreciated her phone calls or letters to me, but he wouldn’t have tried to hurt her or throw her in jail just because she wanted to talk to me.”

“I want to agree with you, Logan, but your father strikes me as the sort of man who would defend to the death the people he loves. Did you know he was actually
disappointed
that he couldn’t fight in Viet Nam?”

Logan nodded. “I heard the story. The Marines wouldn’t take him because he had a heart murmur. It disappeared when he was in his mid-thirties.”

“God healed him.” Allie hadn’t known about that. “In any case, I can see Jack being a regular papa bear when it comes to his cub. What’s more, from what your mother has told me, she didn’t exactly live a pristine life. Furthermore, she was unrepentant about it. Your dad knew it and my guess is he purposely frightened Cynthia in order to keep her away. So, you see, it’s not really an
inane misunderstanding
that kept her from getting in touch with you.”

Logan thought it over. “I see your point. And, yeah, that’s sounds like Dad. I can recall being intimidated by him as a kid on more than one occasion.” He chuckled. “Of course, I deserved every punishment I got. But, you know? He only spanked me two or three times in my entire life, and he never hauled off and cracked me upside the head or anything. Even after I mouthed off―which happened frequently when I was in high school.”

Jack’s refrain from “hauling off and cracking” Logan caused Allie a measure of comfort…and even hope. She had seen a similarity between Jack and Erich before, and it was good to know that in this regard the two men were very different.

“I want your dad to work for me,” Allie blurted. “I want him to train our security personnel. Think he’ll bite?”

“Maybe.” Logan grinned. “Can’t hurt to ask, that’s for sure.” Glancing at his watch. “Speaking of work, I’d better get going.”

“I’ll walk you out.”

Allie escorted him into the lobby. She wished him a good day and made him promise not to mention anything to Jack about the possible job opportunity. Logan motioned as if he locked his lips with a key. Allie laughed at his antics.

After he left, she headed back to her office, but the sight at the reception desk caused her to halt in her tracks. The security guard reclined in his chair, his head resting against the wall and his eyes closed.

“Hey, wake up.” She smacked her hand on the desk a few times.

The older man with a large protruding belly, brought himself up quickly. “Oh, sorry,” he mumbled with a snort. He finger-combed his gray hair. “Can I help you?”

Allie’s voice turned terse. “Yes you can. You can refrain from sleeping on the job. We’re paying you to keep an eye on things and watch the comings and goings so our patients are protected.”

“Look,” he shot back, “this is a part-time job for me and it pays minimum wage. It barely supplements my Medicare. If you want a cop sitting here, then hire a cop. But, if you do, you’re gonna have to pay him like a cop.”

“You know? You’re right. In this world, you get what you pay for. Thank you for illustrating that point.”

The man muttered a vague obscenity, which Allie chose to ignore. She strode to her office taking quick, hard steps and bit her lip against the frustration mounting inside of her. When people entered Arbor Springs, they were greeted by one of the security personnel. What an impressive image!

Lord, I need Jack’s help.

* * *

Jack set several dollar bills on the counter while the florist wrapped his purchase in green tissue paper. “I can’t believe I’m paying all this money for a dozen roses,” he muttered to Veronica who stood beside him. “What color did you say those were?”

“Pink Lipstick, Uncle Jack.” She smiled. “Mrs. Littenberg’s going to love ‘em.”

“She’d better for this price!”

“Oh, Uncle Jack, stop being such a curmudgeon.”

“A…who?”

“A crabby old man.”

With raised eyebrow, he considered his sassy niece. Dressed in a multi-colored striped sweater and a denim skirt, she carried a small purse over one shoulder.

“I shouldn’t have answered the phone when you called me this morning. And I
really
shouldn’t have let you talk me into buying flowers.”

Ronnie shrugged. “Too late now. Besides, I didn’t feel like taking the bus this morning so having you drop me off at school in time for second hour worked great for my schedule.”

“I feel so used.” Jack tried hard not to laugh, although a grin escaped him.

Ronnie began to wander around the shop. She paused by a large marble-top table and leaned forward to sniff an arrangement.

Jack’s grin widened. “Hey.” He motioned to the florist.“Add one more of those Lipstick things to my bill.”

The older man nodded and rang up his order, took the money, and handed him back his change. Jack thanked me and gathered his purchases. “Let’s go, Ronnie.”

When they arrived at his
Explorer
, Jack unlocked the passenger side and opened the door for his niece. Once she’d gotten in, he handed her the rose. “This is for you.”

She smiled and held the blossom to her nose. “Thanks, Uncle Jack.”

He set the wrapped roses into the backseat and shut the door.

“You know, women are a lot like roses,” he said. “They’re pretty and they smell nice, but they’re prickly too, so a guy’s got to be really careful when he handles them.”

As he moved to close Ronnie’s door, the awed expression on her face stopped him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You have a romantic side after all!”

Jack felt embarrassed. “Just don’t tell anybody, okay?” Closing the door, he walked around the SUV and climbed in behind the wheel.

“You should write a poem for Mrs. Littenberg.”

“No, I shouldn’t.” Jack started the engine. “I just said that rose thing because I pricked myself when the florist handed me your flower.”

“But that was nice…not that you hurt yourself, but what you said. And it’s true, too. We women need to be handled delicately.”

Curiosity tapped him. “Don’t you get treated delicately at home?”

“No! I get treated like a child.” Ronnie held the rose against her cheek. “My dad still calls me ‘baby.’”

“That’s an endearment. He doesn’t mean it literally.”

“Yes, he does. He still thinks I’m twelve. It’s like he’s stuck in a time warp. And if I even mention a guy I’m sort of interested in, he goes ballistic.”

Jack chuckled. “Well, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you’ll probably always be your daddy’s little girl. After all, you were the one who changed his life forever. You made him a father, and my brother and I were taught to take that responsibility very seriously. Just ask Logan. I may not have been around a lot, but I always knew what my kid was up to.”

“Except he’s not a kid anymore.”

“No, he’s not. But I will admit that sometimes I treat him like one…and that’s my fault, I know.” Jack reached the public school and slowed at the side of the curb. He turned to Veronica. “Sometimes us parents can’t help being parents―and someday you’ll understand.”

“Tears pooled in Veronica’s eyes. “I just want my mom and dad to accept me for who I am.”

“Okay, but that works both ways. You have to accept them for who they are.”

“I do, Uncle Jack.”

“Hmm, well, I don’t know what else to tell you, kiddo.”

She gave him a pointed stare.

He laughed. “See what I mean? We can’t help it.”

After a roll of her brown eyes, Ronnie’s expression softened. She unlatched the door and swung it open. “Call me tonight and tell me what Mrs. Littenberg says about the roses.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jack grinned. “That better?”

“As a matter of fact, it is.” She picked up her backpack from in between the seats and climbed out.

Jack watched her walk to the front entrance of the high school. Steve had good reason to be proud of that girl―er, young lady.

Grinning, Jack stepped on the accelerator, pulling away from the curb. Now to give a certain woman a dozen Pink Lipstick roses and hope she doesn’t throw them back in his
curmudgeon
face.

* * *

Cynthia relaxed as the medication Nate injected began to work its magic throughout her pain-riddled body. Unfortunately, it didn’t dull her mind. She relived the visit with her son. The words he spoke, haunted her.
You’re not alone. You’ve got me.

He didn’t really mean it, right?. He was just being nice.

More thoughts flittered through her head―more thoughts and more memories. Cynthia soon realized that her son was like his dad in more ways than just appearance. Jack had been a nice man too…when she’d first met him. The cops had raided the tavern from which her employer ran his escort service, and Cynthia had never been so frightened in her life. One officer got rough with her, but Jack had quickly stepped in. He spoke to her in a gentle voice and reassured her. He didn’t manhandle her, but treated her with respect.

Cynthia had fallen in love with him almost immediately. He was the first man ever to show her some kindness without desiring the use of her body. But all too soon, she wanted something from him―his heart. She never got it, however, and Cynthia was surprised to find that it still stung.

“Oh, God, why couldn’t I ever find a man who loved me?” she wailed into the empty room. “Why wasn’t I ever loved? Was that really too much to ask?”

She closed her eyes and allowed her tears to fall unchecked. Her misery increased until anguished sobs caused her body to convulse. She cried for that which she longed for, but never had. True love. If she died right now, the world would go on turning and her ex-husbands, son, and daughters would continue about their business. No one would even miss her. She felt like The Beatles’ famed Eleanor Rigby, one of those lonely people who would die and never be remembered. Her life meant nothing. She should have never been born!

“Why, God? Why?” Cynthia lamented. “Why was I put on this planet? I’m worthless. I’m nothing!”

More cries spilled from the depth of her soul until finally Cynthia lay exhausted on her hospital bed. At long last, she drifted off into a troubled sleep.

Chapter Twenty-five

Allie had no sooner turned on her computer when the surly security guard appeared in her doorway.

“Someone else is here asking for you,” he barked.

“Who is it? Did you get a name?”

“Look, I’m not your personal secretary, okay?”

He lumbered away and Allie started fuming again. The security people needed to learn to use the phone system. She heading for the lobby. They needed to announce visitors and learn what to say to respective customers. They needed to be trained to—

She looked up. “Jack!”

He gave her a lopsided smile. “Hi, Allie. I didn’t mean to bother you.” He glanced at the security guard then back at her. “I just wanted to give you these.” He swept a package of green tissue paper off of the reception desk and placed it in her arms.

Cradling the gift, Allie could tell they were flowers. “How thoughtful. Come on back to my office.”

“I don’t want to interrupt.”

“You’re no interruption.” She inclined her head towards the hallway. “Come on.”

As she walked with him to her office, Allie conversed with the Lord.
I’m taking this as a sign…You brought Jack right to me. I didn’t have to phone him…

Once inside, she offered Jack a seat while she dashed off to the small kitchen area down the hall and borrowed one of the several pressed-glass vases. After filling it with water, she returned to her office.

Jack studied the famed picture of Nick and Jennifer that she kept on her desk.“This your son?” “Yes…my son and daughter-in-law.”

“He has your eyes…and your chin, I think.”

“Nick is a mix of his father and me.”

“Are you two close?”

“Very. I speak with him and Jenn by phone at least once a week. When I’m in town, we spend Sundays together.” Allie gently tore the paper away and smiled when she saw the roses. “Oh, these are beautiful. Thank you, Jack.”

He set down the picture. “You’re welcome.”

“So what do they mean?” Were they some sort of peace offering? “Why did you bring me roses?”

He shrugged. “My niece accused me of not having a romantic bone in my body and then she proceeded to talk me into buying you flowers.”

“Oh…” Allie decided on teasing him. “Well, I can’t imagine why your niece would say such a thing. I mean, my goodness! Your poetic words just now make me want to swoon.” She placed a hand across her forehead.