Brown Eyed Girl (42 page)

Daniel’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s you and your grandmother, my mom.”

“
I look just like her,” she said. “Why weren’t there ever any pictures of her around the house?”

Daniel smiled sadly and patted his daughter’s hand. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

She nodded, continued for now to flip through the pages to see a few other photos of her with her grandmother and snapshots of her and Drake that she hadn’t seen in years.

“
I remember seeing some of these when we were kids. I never realized they were Melinda’s photo albums, but I guess I should have.” She wiped her eyes. “I miss her so much,” she said quietly.

“
You sent her an invitation to the wedding, didn’t you?” Red asked.

“
Yes, but they can’t make it. Greg’s the mayor of the city and Melin’s got a bakery to run.” Tiffany smiled through her tears and looked up at her brother’s approach. “Drake, you need to take a look at this book.”

“
Oh, I almost forgot!” Vivienne said. She walked to the foyer, then back into the room with another large, square, flat box and handed it to Drake. “This one’s for you, Drake. It was delivered late yesterday and I didn’t have a chance to wrap it.”

Drake ripped open the tab and pulled out the leather bound album, identical to Tiffany’s but with the words
Marcus Drake LeBlanc
and the date
July 4
^th
embossed in gold lettering.

“
Ms. Vivienne...I...I don’t know what to say,” he told the tiny woman. “I can’t believe you went through this much trouble for me,” he said, touched by her actions.

“
You’re family now, too,” she said quietly.

He opened it, skimming through each page quickly. He closed the book and gave Vivienne a big bear hug. “I want you to know how much this means to me, but I want to check it out later, when I won’t make a fool of myself,” he whispered to her.

Vivienne laughed and gave his face a gentle pat. “I understand, Drake. That’s what my boys did, too,” she said.

He straightened up and looked at his sister who was watching the display of affection with tears in her eyes. “I have my own book,” he said with attitude, trying to lighten the mood.

“
I see that. There’s no need to get all cocky,” she said as those within hearing distance chuckled with laughter.

It took another hour for everyone to finish unwrapping gifts, dispose the paper, and clear the area under the tree.

Tiffany turned to her husband and thanked him again for the gorgeous diamond necklace.

“
You’re welcome, and I can’t wait to see my gift from you.” He looked at the picture of the beautiful pair of quarter horses she’d asked Leah to acquire for them, along with new saddles and everything they’d need to care for them.

“
They won’t be delivered until after we get back from the honeymoon,” she said. “That way we won’t have to have anyone tend to them while we’re gone.”

He pulled her into his arms. “That sounds good. Have I mentioned how much I’m looking forward to our honeymoon?” he murmured into her ear.

Tiffany gave her husband a sexy little smile and kissed him before pulling away. She turned to her father and picked up the receipt for the savings account he’d opened with the name
McAllister Grandchild Number One
written on the outside of the envelope. “Thanks Dad, this is really generous of you,” she said of the $50,000.00 deposit showing in the book.

Daniel beamed at his only daughter. “It’s just the beginning. My grandchildren will be able to go to any college they want to and not have to worry about it,” he told her. “I just hope they start coming soon.”

“
Ah, Dad, be careful what you wish for,” she whispered.

“
Are you?” he asked, sounding hopeful.

Tiffany shook her head. “Not that I know of, but maybe within a couple of months. Red has started calling our honeymoon a ‘Procreation Vacation’.

Daniel put his head back and laughed. “Hell, I like the sound of that. I think I should warn you that I plan on being a doting grandfather, you know.” He paused. “When you have time, I’d like to explain something to you about your mother, Tiff.”

“
Will it make me happy or sad?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe both, but it may help you to understand some things.”

“
I think I have the time right now, Dad,” she said, tucking her photo album under her arm. “Let’s go out to the pool house where we can talk better.”

Daniel nodded and followed his daughter outside. Once they were inside, he took the album from her and found the page with the snapshot of Tiffany with her grandmother.

“
You do see the resemblance between the two of you, don’t you, Tiff?” he asked.

Tiffany looked closely at the photo. “Yes, definitely…the hair…the eyes…the mouth…as an adult, I’m even shaped like her.”

Daniel smiled and nodded. “From the day you were born, you resembled her. It gave me great satisfaction that you looked like my mom, but your
mother
…God, it really ate her up.” He shook his head sadly. “She hated Mom. I mean, really
loathed
her, because she was everything that Monica wasn’t. She was a wonderful mother, a wonderful wife, even though my bully of a father didn’t appreciate her, and treated her badly until the day he died. Mom spent a lot of time with us the first two years of my marriage.”

“
Did she live with you?”

“
No, I’d purchased a small, but comfortable, home for her not too far from us. We already had Monica’s mother living with us, and she and my mom were like oil and water. Those two clashed something fierce, and my mother never backed down from an argument. Between Monica and her mother, they never gave poor mom a moment of peace when she was around. But, after you came, she put up with them so she could see you. I’ve already told you how she was responsible for me hiring Melinda. Had she lived longer, you and Drake would have known more happiness as children. She doted on you for a year.”

“
Dad, why haven’t we seen pictures of her before now?”

“
Monica wouldn’t allow it. She hated when my mother came around. She hated that every day you grew more to look like her while Mom celebrated the fact. You had her big brown eyes, when Monica’s were ice blue. You had a head full of beautiful golden brown curls, when Monica’s hair was blonde and straight as a board. It ate at her, Tiff…infuriated both her and her mother.”

Tiffany looked puzzled. “Why would they care when they obviously felt so little for me? Why would they begrudge an infant someone…
anyone
who would show it tenderness and love?”

“
They couldn’t relate to someone like her. Neither of those women had ever been capable of loving anyone but themselves. Hell, they didn’t even like each other, Tiff. The only time they ever got along was when my mother was around to give them a common enemy. They joined forces just so they could hate her together, because she forced them to see everything they weren’t.”

Tiffany nodded in understanding. “What happened to her?”

“
One morning she didn’t show up. I called, and didn’t get an answer. I waited until late that afternoon, thinking she had a doctor’s appointment or something, and called again. I went over to her place and found her dead on her kitchen floor. She’d had a massive heart attack. There was absolutely no warning.”

Tiffany took her father’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “I’m sorry, Dad. That must have been horrible for you.”

“
Oh, I won’t sugar coat it—it was a bad time for me. All I had to turn to was a shrew of a wife, and a mother in law who reminded me at every turn how thrilled she was
that woman
was out of her life for good. That’s what she called her…
that woman.
Monica never allowed photos of my mother to be displayed in our home, but Melinda and I had always taken plenty of snapshots of her holding you, giving you a bath, washing your hair, with you sitting up for the first time, crawling for the first time, taking your first steps...my mother was in every one of them. We had an entire photo album full of snapshots of her with you. Mom and Melinda are the ones who took you for your studio portraits.”

“
Where are they? Are they at mothers put up somewhere?”

“
No honey, I’m sorry. After my mom died, Monica found the album and tried to burn it—threw it in the fireplace.”

“
Why would she do such a thing?” Tiffany asked, horrified. “All she had to do was put it away and never look at it again.”

“
That’s just not her style, hon.”

“
Where did these photos come from?” she asked.

“
Melinda pulled the album from the fireplace as soon as your mother left the room. She even burned her hand badly. Your mother actually fired her when she found out, but Melin knew what would happen to you if she wasn’t around, so she came to me. I told Monica that she couldn’t fire you. I also threatened to kick her mother out of the house.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I could barely stand to be in the same house with her after that. I guess Monica started getting worried that I’d boot her out, or leave. We had a party one night, some society thing that she was so fond of. Monica cozied up to me all night and made sure my drink was constantly refreshed. As a result, Drake was conceived that night. Once she gave me a son to carry on the family name, she felt like she’d done her duty. We never slept with each other again after that night. Once I met Leah that was it for me.”

Tiffany put her hand on her father’s shoulder. “I’m sorry dad. I wish I’d known growing up.”

“
I wish I’d had enough gumption to tell you, but the whole point of this story is Monica couldn’t stand to treat you like a daughter because every time she looked at you, she saw my mother. She seemed to transfer her hatred for my mother to you. I’m so sorry I didn’t do what I could to get you out of that place, but you did have Melinda. She loved both you and Drake like her own. It’s a real shame she never had any children.”

Tiffany shook her head in confusion. “But Drake and I look so much alike, the same curly hair, brown eyes, the same mouth. Why didn’t she hate him as much as she hated me?”

“
My guess is because my mother wasn’t around to fall in love with him like she did you. She didn’t resent Drake the way she did you…she was just…indifferent to him. She wasn’t capable of showing him any more love than she was you, or me, or anyone else, for that matter. She’s a cold, heartless woman, like her mother before her.”

Just then Daniel’s cell phone began to ring. He took it out of his pocket, looked at the ID on the screen and grinned.

“
Yes,” he answered. He listened as the caller spoke then he broke out in a broad smile. “See you in a minute."

Tiffany looked curiously at her father. “Who’s that?”

“
Come on, the second half of your Christmas gift is here. It’s actually the best part of it.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the pool house and back into her home. “Drake!” he called to his son, who was sitting at the island talking to Red and Chad.

“
Yes sir?”

“
Come here, Son! You have an interest in this, too.” He pulled them both to the front entrance and threw open the door. Tiffany and Drake peered at the emptiness of the doorway, exchanging puzzled looks. A woman stepped into the entrance and Tiffany cried out in excitement.

“
Melinda!” Tiffany pushed her father out of the way to get to her. She threw her arms around her and began to cry. “Oh my God! How did you get here? Why didn’t you call and let me know?” she sobbed. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“
Daniel wouldn’t let me call. He wanted it to be a surprise,” the pretty green-eyed woman told her, hugging her tightly. “How are you, baby girl?” she asked, stroking Tiffany’s soft curls.

“
I’m wonderful, especially now that you’re here! How long can you stay?”

“
We’re staying for the entire week through next weekend.” Melinda beamed up at Drake. “Marcus Drake, get over here and give me a hug!”

Drake leaned over to wrap her in his arms and spun around, causing her to scream with joy.

Drake planted a big kiss on her cheek. “It’s good to see you Melin. You’re as beautiful as ever, and you look happy.”

Greg Hart’s deep voice answered unexpectedly from the doorway. “You can blame me for that.”

Drake put Melinda down and reached a hand out to the man who had spoken. “It’s good to see you, Greg! You must be taking excellent care of her.”

He nodded. “We take care of each other, Drake. It’s good to see you both,” he said, giving Tiffany a hug as well.

Tiffany placed one hand on her chest. “You can’t know how much it means to me to have both of you here for our wedding…and Christmas, too.”

“
We never would have been able to make it here on time if it hadn’t been for Daniel,” Melinda said. “We were supposed to come in early tomorrow morning. Your father called me two days ago, begging us to come in for Christmas and stay the entire week to be with you for the opening of the club. By then every flight was booked solid, so he sent us a private jet.”