Double Trouble (25 page)

“Lindy, what's wrong?” Donald asked. “You didn't say much of anything the entire way here.”

“Just tired. This has been a long three days.” She went to move around him. Blaine touched her elbow, stopping her.

“Is this because Abe wants to visit us? You don't want them to go?” He didn't really think that was the problem, but he didn't want to bring up Trinity unless Lindy did.

She waved him down. “No, they can go. Right now I wish they were both there. She rubbed her forehead and looked down. “When are you leaving?”

“We haven't discussed it yet. Now that Adam's back and safe, we can think about getting back home. Listen, there is something I... we need to talk with you about,” Blaine said while glancing at Donald. He wasn't too sure this was a good time to talk about their living situation, but couldn't imagine a better time.

“What?” she asked, frowning. “Is this about your dad? About him showing up after I specifically said I didn't want to meet him?”

Stunned by her train of thought, Blaine met her deliberate gaze and shook his head. “No. We didn't have anything to do with that. You do understand that we can't stop him from going where he wants to go, we can only –”

The roar of a vehicle pulling into the driveway stopped him mid-sentence. Dread filled his gut as he turned and watched his dad step out from behind the wheel. His Uncle Nate remained in the car gazing out the window as if he wished he were anywhere but there.

His dad approached them with his hands stuck in his pockets. “I owe all of you an apology and didn't get a chance to do so earlier with everything going on.” He stopped short. Lindy looked at him and turned to leave.

“I am very sorry for lying to you, Belinda. I didn't know you were pregnant with me grand-sons but that's no excuse. I was wrong and me whole family has stopped talking to me. I need to make this right but I don't know how. I... we all missed sixteen years of birthdays, holidays, sports, and walks in the park. I never saw me grandsons smile or play in the rain, let alone throw a ball. All of that, we missed because I was a know-it-all ass. I thought I was doing the right thing, but lying is never right. It always bites you in the ass.” He kicked a small rock while looking at the ground for a moment. Then his eyes lit on Blaine, Donald, and finally Lindy, who had stopped when he started speaking.

“I am very sorry for what I did. You probably hate me for what you went through … pregnant... alone. Me boys never stopped looking for you and after meeting me grandsons, I understand why. You are a phenomenal woman and I hope one day you can forgive me for my foolish mistake.”

Blaine's eyes widened as he listened to his dad. He couldn't remember a time when his father ever looked so miserable or sounded so sad. He glanced at his twin before settling his gaze on Lindy, wondering what she thought of his father's apology.

She shook her head. “I don't know how to make it right either. Right now, I don't want to even think about it.”

His dad nodded. “Blaine? Donald? I know you want nothing to do with me for what I did. I would feel the same way if someone kept me from the two of you and the woman I loved.” He sighed. “At the time it seemed like the right thing.... but it wasn't. I was wrong. I hope in time you'll all forgive me.”

Blaine glanced at Donald. They had both agreed to cut their dad off until Lindy forgave the old man and that decision was still in effect. “We'll see,” Donald said slowly. “You crossed a line and cost both us big time. I'm not ready to deal with all of that right now either.”

His dad nodded as the front door opened and their mother stepped out, followed by Abe and Adam. Blaine swallowed back a groan. Adam had just returned home, there was so much they still needed to iron out before plans of moving forward could be made.

“Allie,” his dad said, looking at their mom with longing.

Arms crossed, she nodded at him without speaking.

“I came to apologize to Belinda and me boys. But now that I see me grandsons, I'll apologize to them as well.”

She nodded and waved Adam and Abe closer to her. Blaine glanced at Lindy to see how she was taking everything. Donald had wrapped his arm around her. Blaine moved closer to his son just in case he needed support.

“Adam, Abraham, two good strong names for two strong boys. When your mom called to tell your dads about you, I lied and told her I would tell them.”

“Why?” Abe asked. “Why did you lie? Because she's black? Because she was poor? I wanna know why you did it.”

Blaine would've laughed at the slack-jawed look of surprise on his dad's face if the situation hadn't been so serious.

“Black? Poor? What? I had no idea she was poor and I can tell you her color never entered the picture. It was because me boys lost their minds over her. They lost focus, started fighting, and arguing. These two make one. They don't function well apart and at the time that's what they were attempting to do. Each one of them wanted the same woman and both were miserable.”

“Dad said he loved Mom, how was he miserable?” Abe asked in a hostile tone.

“Oh he loved her, no question about that,” his grand-dad said nodding. “Still does. But so did his brother. She was smart and understood the two were one and couldn't be separated, not for long, but they were too young to understand that or accept it. When they fought, they were trying to separate from each other so that one of them could have your mom. Even though they knew she loved them both.” He shook his head. “It was the second time they'd tried to break the tight bond they shared so they could separate. They went to separate colleges determined to break the bond. But it didn't work. They suffered twice over.”

“So you lied when Mom called... what? To protect them from her? You didn't want her to talk to them?” Adam asked.

Blaine was surprised at his dad's perception. He and Donald had tried on numerous occasions to live far apart and failed. They had even gone to a psychologist to understand why they had problems separating. The psychologist said that as far as she knew, symbiotic twins were a myth. When she read the notes from his psychologist from his freshman year of college that clearly stated he suffered from separation anxiety when away from his brother and should be reunited with his twin, she asked if she could study them further. Neither he nor Donald were interested in being guinea pigs and settled into their lives as best they could.

“I knew me boys would walk on fire to be with her again, but it seemed they were settling down a bit, Donald readying to return to law school and Blaine for his Master's. So no, I didn't want her to talk to them, get them all riled up again. I made a mistake, I should not have –”

“Played God?” Adam said. “You played God and we lost out.”

“Not God. I made a decision as a parent. I did what I thought was best for me sons at the time. I'm not perfect and I made a mistake. It doesn't matter that I had no idea your mom was pregnant, I lied and she believed me boys knew she had called. I wasn't thinking about your mom when I made the decision, just me boys.”

“So my dad didn't even know I was alive needing him, wanting a father all those years, because you were trying to protect him from my mom?” Adam asked, moving closer to Blaine.

“No. He didn't know because he never talked to your mom until recently. I heard he and Donald went searching for her, but as far as I know, they never saw her again until this past week.”

“Mistakes have been made by everyone, it's a part of life,” Allie said into the quiet. “Where do we go from here is the question? Can you forgive him, Adam? Abe?”

“Not right now,” Abe said.

“I made mistakes,” Adam said, looking at Abe and then Blaine. “I hurt Mom, too.” He looked over at Lindy, who met his gaze as he walked toward her. “I've been doing things over the years that caused Mom a lot of grief and I don't have a reason like Mr. O'Connor does.” Adam shook his head. “Sometimes my thoughts get mixed up and I act on them, thinking they’re right when they’re wrong. But I really don't mean to hurt you, Mom. I don't. But I can see I do. Problem is, I see it afterwards. After I contact a woman who I knew didn't like you. After I meet her secretly and listen to her advice. After I spent days in a hole underground, that's when I realize how stupid I was being.”

“Adam,” Belinda said softly.

“I messed up and you have every right to be angry with me.” Adam looked at Abe and then Blaine. “I'm sorry... Dad. I caused you and mom a lot of heartache. I promise to try and not do that again. I promise to talk to you or mom when I'm confused about something.” He looked at his mom weeping silently against Donald's chest. “I have to do better because I don't ever want to see that look of hurt and disappointment on my mom's face ever again from something I've done. Never again, Mom. I promise to do better, please forgive me,” he whispered as he stepped into her outstretched arms.

“Of course I forgive you, baby. You're my son,” she whispered while holding him tight.

Blaine's throat tightened at the sight. Adam kissed Lindy's cheek. Then Blaine's heart slammed against his chest as his son walked up to him.

“I'm sorry Dad. I messed up, had you and everybody all worried because I was scared to accept you as my dad. Scared I wouldn't measure up. Scared you'd leave when you saw what a screw-up I was. You and mom didn't deserve that and I'm asking you to forgive me,” Adam said slowly.

Blaine reached forward and enveloped his son in his arms. “I'm sorry you were afraid to trust and believe in my commitment to you and our family, but we're on track now. As long as you never cause your mama any more pain, we'll always be good.”

Adam nodded against his shoulder.

Abe clapped Adam on the shoulder. “I apologize for all the names I called you while we searched for you.” Grinning, he shook his head. “No need to go into them now, just trust me, I need to apologize. I'm glad you're back, contacting Trinity was a mistake.”

Adam nodded. “Yeah it was.”

“Adam, can you forgive your granddaddy?” Allie asked from the side while blithely ignoring Blaine's frown.

“I guess so since everyone forgave me.” He stepped toward Sean. “What you did wasn't good by any stretch. It cost me, Mom, and Abe, especially when we were younger. But we can't turn back the clock. The only thing to do is forgive and move forward.” He hugged his granddaddy and then returned to his father's side.

Blaine beamed at his son.

Allie nodded. “Thanks, Adam.” She looked up at her husband and took his hand. “I left the food on the stove, everyone go ahead inside and eat. I know you're hungry. I have something I need to take care of.” With that decree, she tugged her husband forward to his car, and moments later they drove off.

Chapter 19

Belinda checked her cell phone again to be sure it was working before she stepped into Pam’s foyer. Her father had been lucid this morning for a short time and spoke to his nurse briefly. When she came into his room he'd smiled at her and asked her to sit with him for a minute. As soon as she settled into the chair next to his bed he had fallen asleep. The nurse assured her that sleeping was a good sign.

All day she had hovered near his room hoping to get a chance to talk with him, to hear him say he was doing okay, but he was in too much pain when he woke up and the nurse had to give him more pain medication. It also put him to sleep.

Blaine had Adam and planned to bring him home the next day. Donnie and Abe had gone to check out some out-of-town colleges, leaving her alone. When Pam discovered she was home alone with her dad and his nurse, she insisted that Belinda get out of the house for a few hours.

“Belinda!” Pam greeted her in the hallway, wearing a purple sheath that clung to her like a glove. She looked radiant. “I’m glad you made it.”

Belinda snorted. “Well, your last threat of coming to my house and pulling me out of bed and dragging me here was effective.”

Pam laughed as she threaded her arm into Belinda’s elbow. “Hey, whatever works.” She leaned closer. “Plus, I needed you here, Julio’s been pissed all day about the guest list. Problem is, these are his friends and he needs to stop being an ass and hear what they have to say. We moved here because he has a good history here and he’s been upset over something that has to do with these guys. I went over his head and scheduled this dinner, and invited his friends and their wives. He wasn’t very happy, but it’s done. They’re here. I want everyone to relax and have fun so they can talk without bloodshed.”

Belinda nodded glad to be of assistance to her friend although the bloodshed comment seemed over the top. “No problem, whatever you need.” Together they entered a large elegantly furnished room that made her stop in her tracks.

“Pam, this is breathtaking.” She looked up at the fresco designs decorating the high domed ceiling and walls. The spring theme brought the outdoors inside. Matching pieces of furniture were strategically placed in groups around the room. Her gaze landed on Red and a pretty black female sitting close to him. When she looked closer, she recognized Denise. Sitting on another chair was Cherise. A tall handsome white guy had his hand on her shoulder. Veronique and Frank were nearby chatting with Tex. And Julio was talking to Vianca and her date.

“I know him, or them,” she whispered to Pam.

“You do? Who? Which ones?”

“Red, the guy with Denise. Wait... She’s married. She’s married to Red?”