Dangerous Abduction (O'Connor Brothers Book 2) (33 page)

“Jimmy, what is the meaning of this?” she pushed by Tom and entered the house.

“We’ll explain, Nan, but it’s something you need to know so please give us a chance.” James asked but he wasn’t confident that she would stay.

“Why does he have ta be here?” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder at Tom who was still standing on the front porch.

“It’ll all make sense soon. I promise.” Marina interjected and helped Nanny Betty with her coat. “Tom please come in. We’ve got a lot to tell you, too.” Tom entered and shook hands with James. It was obvious Tom was leery of what exactly he had been summoned for.

James was in awe of the way Marina had treated the delicate subject they were discussing. Tom’s reaction was obvious but his grandmother was another story. She sat stone-faced as Marina read the letter that had been in with the papers. When she finished reading it Tom took the letter with a trembling hand.

“I’m sorry you never got to meet your daughter or grandsons,” Marina said.

“Me too, but at least I know now why they were so quick to get rid of me.” Tom’s voice trembled.

“I did find the journals of her and your daughter. They were actually still in the attic at the family home.” Marina had found out through researching Marc’s family that their family home still stood in Witless Bay, abandoned. He’d gone with her to the town hall with the deed for the house and found out that there was no other family left. It was a couple of days but they were able to gain access to the house and were devastated that it had been badly vandalized. Most things had been stolen or destroyed, but when they found the attic they were surprised to find the trunks filled with journals and family treasures.

“I’d like to read them, if you’ll allow me,” Tom said.

“I’ve got them boxed up in the spare room. You can take them when you leave.” Marina smiled and clasped Tom’s hand. James glanced at his grandmother. Her stone-faced glare was starting to fade.

“I’ll take good care of them and make sure you get them back for Danny.” As if just realizing what all this meant, he sat up straight. “This means...”

“It means dat our Danny is yar great grandson.” It was the first time Nanny Betty spoke since they’d broke the news.

“Elizabeth, I want to explain what happened with Dorothy.” Tom seemed embarrassed.

“It’s none a me business.” Nanny Betty stood and straightened her dress.

“I still want to tell what happened.” Tom glanced at him, and James nodded to Marina.

“We’ll leave you two to talk,” Marina said.

“No. I want all of you to hear this, but please, Elizabeth, I’d like you to stay and listen as well.” Tom was definitely begging and it was probably what it would take to get his stubborn grandmother to listen. James held his breath waiting for her answer.

“I’ll stay but if ya call me Elizabeth once more I’m going ta slap you up de side yar head.” Nanny Betty pointed her finger in Tom’s face and James coughed to cover the laugh. If he laughed Nanny Betty would slap him.

“Agreed.” Tom chuckled as Nanny Betty sat again. “First of all just to make it clear I didn’t know about any of this. When I went to live with the Doyles it was after the fire. The night I got there, I was angry. I had to leave without talking to you, Betty. Mr. Doyle came to the station and picked me up. When I told him he had to take me to see Betty. He told me he would do no such thing and I was to forget my life in Cape Broyle.” Tom clasped his hands together and stared down at them.

“The first night, I’m ashamed to say, I stole a bottle of whiskey from Mr. Doyle’s liquor cabinet, and I snuck out into the woodshed. I was about half way through the bottle, and half way through a letter I was writing Betty, when Dorothy came in. I won’t bore you with how things happened, but it did and I was so ashamed I tore up the letter. I figured it was better if you’d hate me rather than find out that I betrayed you.” Tom reached out to touch Nanny Betty’s hand, but she pulled it away. “I guess it worked, because even after all these years, you still do. Anyway, for the next few weeks I worked with the Doyles at their home. Then Mr. Doyle told me he was shipping me off to his brother’s farm in Alberta because he needed the extra workers. He did agree to take me to Cape Broyle to say goodbye to you but when I got there your father told me you were seeing Jack O’Connor and I was to leave you alone. I left and never came back.”

Nanny Betty didn’t say anything for a few minutes, and James looked at her, trying to gage her reaction. James hadn’t seen Nanny Betty this quiet since the day his grandfather passed away and it worried him.

“Nan, are you okay?” James asked and for a second she didn’t seem to hear him, but then she turned to James and nodded.

“Tommy, I’m sorry me fadder lied ta ya but it was over a year after you left dat I took up wit Jack. My dad had introduced us because Jack was on his fishing boat, but dere was nothin’ going on. He’d just ended an engagement.” James had never seen his grandmother so unsure of herself. “But Jack was an amazin’ husband, father and grandfather. I wouldn’t change a second of me life wit him. We had a good life.”

“I’m glad Betty. I’m glad you were happy.” Tom smiled.

“Why didn’t you ever marry?” Marina blurted out and James had a feeling he knew the answer. One of the articles he read on Tom stated that he’d lost the love of his life and nobody ever came close to her. James had a feeling his grandmother was that woman.

“I just didn’t find anyone who could hold a candle to Betty.” Tom smiled and James saw his grandmother blush for the first time in his life, but it wasn’t long before the Nanny Betty he knew appeared again.

“Okay enough a dis malarkey, I came here fer supper and I’m ready ta eat.” Nanny Betty stood up and headed to the kitchen. That was the Nanny Betty he knew and loved.

In the months that passed, Tom and Nanny Betty spent a lot of time together. Tom was also ecstatic when Danny and Mason started to call him Granddad. The only thing James had left to figure out was how he was going to propose to Marina and make them a family.

He’d been sitting in the living room on his day off when Mason ran into the living room with Danny not far behind him. He climbed onto his lap as did Danny they both stared at him for a moment before James spoke.

“What’s up, boys?” James asked.

“What do propose mean?” Mason asked, but the word came out more like propros.

“Where did you hear that word?” James really didn’t need to ask because Mason probably heard it from someone in the family.

“Nanny Kathleen told Aunt Cora it was time for you to propose,” Mason said and James tried not to roll his eyes.

“What they mean is, it’s time for me to ask Mommy to marry me.” James couldn’t think of any other way to explain it, and he needed to talk to his mother and aunt about their conversation topics with the boys around.

“Can we help?” Danny asked and like a light flicked on, an idea came to him.

“You can help, if you can keep a secret,” James said.

“I won’t say not a word, Daddy,” Mason said excitedly.

“Me either.” Danny jumped off his lap and jumped up and down.

“Well since Mommy’s at work, we need to go shopping.” James said. Tonight would be the night and the boys were going to help.

F
or the first time in a long time Marina felt a sense of calm and happiness. In less than a month it would be Christmas but there was nothing she wanted that she didn’t already have. She had a wonderful man that she loved and loved her. Danny was happy and she had another boy in her life that now called her Mommy. Her life was just about perfect. The only thing that was causing it to be not quite perfect was she wasn’t feeling well over the past couple of days. She was tired and she’d been nauseous all day. She’d hoped to avoid the stomach bug going around her office, but on the drive home from work she realized she didn’t.

She turned onto the main road to Hopedale as a text came in on her phone. She pulled into the side of the road and opened her phone. It was a text from her sister asking her to drop by before she went home. Marina groaned because she’d hoped to get home and relax. A second text came in before she could decline telling her it was important.

“Damn it.” Marina tossed her phone into her purse and turned down the road where Stephanie and John lived.

“Come in, come in. Hurry. I want you to be the second person to know.” Stephanie almost knocked her over as she met her on the front step.

“Holy hell Steph, calm down.” Marina laughed.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited.” Stephanie pulled Marina into the house, just barely giving her enough time to remove her boots.

Stephanie dragged her into the kitchen where John was leaning against the counter grinning from ear to ear. When Stephanie dragged her to one of the kitchen chairs and sat in the chair next to her, Marina couldn’t help but laugh at her sister’s expression.

“The reason you’re the second is because John was talking to James about...” Stephanie started to say but John cleared his throat and Stephanie covered her mouth. “Well what they were talking about is not important. Well, it’s important but it has nothing to do with my news and its amazing news and John told James...” Marina covered her sister’s mouth with her hand and turned to John.

“Is she going to get to the point soon, or should I just let you tell me?” Marina laughed because John knew as well as Marina that Stephanie rambled when she was excited and nervous.

“I’ll let her tell you, but you may have to let her ramble on for a bit.” John chuckled, and Marina laughed when she turned back to her sister.

“Can you get to the point because I’m tired.” Marina giggled when Stephanie narrowed her eyes at her, but Marina removed her hand from Stephanie’s mouth.

“I’m pregnant.” Stephanie squealed and Marina gasped not because it wasn’t good news but it was at that point she realized it may not be a stomach bug she had.

“Oh dear God.” Marina stood up and started to pace.

“Marina, this is happy news.” Stephanie seemed hurt by her reaction.

“I know, Steph, and I’m happy for you both really. It’s just....” Marina stopped because if it was what she thought, James should be the first to know. “I’m sorry, Steph, I have to go but congrats to both of you.” Marina yanked on her boots and ran out through the front door right to her car.

“Marina, wait.” Stephanie yelled from the door.

“I’ll talk to you later, Steph. I’ve got to go to the store before I go home.” The drugstore to be more specific.

She rushed into the house so fast that she didn’t even see James or the boys. She just called out a hello as she ran upstairs to the bathroom. For a moment she sat on the bathroom floor and stared at the door. Could she just be over-reacting? She was on the pill but things had been crazy a few weeks back and she couldn’t be sure she’s taken every pill. She pulled the box out of her purse and tapped it against her hand. Could it really be the reason why she’d been so tired?

“Marina, are you all right?” James called through the door. It hit her that maybe he wouldn’t want this. He had suggested condoms the first time but she’d told him she was on the pill and it wasn’t a lie. What if he didn’t want another child? “Sweetheart?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Marina hoped her voice sounded normal because at the moment her hands were shaking.

“Okay. Me and the boys have a surprise,” James said.

“Sounds good. Give me a few minutes.” Five minutes to be exact and she might have a surprise herself.

The timer on her phone seemed to be ticking down in slow motion as she waited for it to buzz. She gazed at herself in the mirror. Did she look any different? Her cheeks were flushed, but it was really warm and she’d been pacing the bathroom. The buzzing sound from her phone startled her.

“Well, this is it.” Marina picked up the stick and closed her eyes. A couple of deep breaths and she opened her eyes. She held the stick up and stared at it. “Wow,” she said as she lowered herself to the floor. “At least I know I’m not sick.”

Marina wasn’t sure how to break the news to James but if she was being completely honest with herself, she was actually happy about this, but maybe James wouldn’t be. They’d never really talked about having more children. Hell, they hadn’t even discussed getting married.

“Mommy, hurry up. It’s time for the surprise,” Danny yelled from the hallway.

“Yeah, it’s time for a big surprise,” Marina whispered to herself as she walked out of the bathroom and was immediately greeted by two very excited smiling boys.

“You taked forever in there,” Mason said when she came out.

The boys led her downstairs and told her she had to close her eyes before they brought her into the kitchen. Letting two little boys walk her blindly into another room probably wasn’t a good idea, but she was sure James was close by.

“Surprise!” Mason and Danny yelled together. Marina opened her eyes and gasped. The kitchen table was set for four and candles stood in the center of the table. All four plates were covered with domes and four wine glasses stood next to the plates. All four were filled with milk. She assumed that had been the boys’ idea.

“What’s all this?” Marina turned, and James stood behind the boys.

“First you need to have a seat.” James smiled at her and there was a twinkle in his eye that made her shiver. Marina sat down on the chair and placed her hands in her lap.

“Daddy, is it time?” Mason looked up at James and he nodded. The two boys walked over to her, and James walked behind her.

“Mommy, we all love you very much.” Danny took one of her hands.

“And I love all of you.” Marina squeezed his hand gently.

“Shhh, Mommy, you can’t talk yet.” Danny said. Marina closed her lips together and looked at Mason.

“I like having you as a mommy.” Mason took her other hand. Mason looked over her head, and he must have gotten a cue from James because both he and Danny knelt down on the floor in front of her.

“Mommy, will you marry Daddy?” Mason and Danny said slowly together.

Marina stared at the boys for a minute before it sank in what they were actually saying. She turned her head to see James and he was on one knee holding a black velvet box in front of him. Marina covered her mouth with her hands and tears started to roll down her face.