Fallen Too Far (27 page)

He nodded. “Yeah, okay; I guess you’re right.” He sat back on the couch and gestured towards the tree. “It still looks sparse, y’know. Giftwise that is.” He turned back to her. “And having kids with you… man, Annik; that would be something else.”

She leaned in and kissed him. Who’d ever think a man would be so enthusiastic about having kids? It would be wonderful.

He patted her shoulder. “So, what did you get me?”

He was alright with her slowing down. She hopped off the couch and retrieved one of the two presents under the tree and brought it over. “Merry Christmas, darling.”

He unwrapped it and opened the box. He withdrew a gold plated Christmas ornament. Inscribed on it was “Our First Christmas Together”. Below that was their names.

“Hey, that’s great,” he said.” What’s with this hook at the bottom?”

“Turn it over.”

On the back was engraved “Our Child’s First Christmas.” His eyebrows rose as he looked at her.

“The front is for now, and the rear will be when we start to have children.” She reached into the box and withdrew two additional ornaments that were of a cradle. “I want you to know I’m serious about us having a family, Tom.” She placed the additional ornaments in his hand.

He fingered the ornaments, rubbing them with his thumb. “This is your promise.” He nodded and looked at her. “Thank you.” She could barely hear him. He leaned in and kissed her.

Sitting back, she said “My turn! What’s my holiday loot?”

Tom laid the ornament on the coffee table and his fingers lingered on each of the cradles for a moment. He cocked his head at Annik “I think I spent a bit more on yours, honey.” He got up and retrieved the other box from the tree. It was the size of a cigar box, wrapped in red with a gold bow. He handed it to her.

It was light. “What is it, stock certificates?” she asked.

Tom’s face grew thoughtful. “We’re going to have to move.”

“Move? I just got here!” she cracked.

“Just open it.”

She tore the paper off. She had never been the type to carefully unwrap a present. Inside was a wooden box. On the cover was inscribed “To Our New Life, Merry Christmas with Love, Tom.” She opened the brass closure.

Inside was a folded sheet of thick vellum paper. She took it out and opened it.

Deed for 276 Bridal Path
read the top line.

Her’s and Tom’s name were below as listed owners. The box and deed slipped from her hands.

She couldn’t speak. She turned to him, her jaw hanging open.

She started to cry.

She sat next to him on the couch and sobbed.

“Really?” was all she could get out.

His eyes were misting. He nodded.

“Oh Tom… really?”

“Yeah.”

She held her stomach and leaned over wailing. He rubbed her back silently. Through her tears she read the paper again.

The deed to her childhood home. She was going home.

After a while they collected themselves and got dressed. They were going to spend the afternoon with Auntie May and take Christmas dinner with her in the home.

Annik still couldn’t believe he’d done that. He bought the home she lived in until she and Mama got cleaned out by that Weinstein bastard.

As they were dressing she asked him how much it had cost. When he told her, she froze.

“That much?”

“Yeah, but I’ll get most of it back, if not all when we sell this place.”

“Tom—did you pay cash?”

He nodded.

“Tom… um… I was going to wait until the wedding… just how rich are you?”

“Pretty rich.”

She stayed silent.

“You want a number?”

She shrugged. “I’m more curious than greedy right now. I’ll probably have to know the details after the wedding, right?”

“Yeah—actually before; I’ve had my will redone, and basically it’s going to you anyway. So I know the number.” He grinned at her.

“Now you got me curious. How well did this gold digger do?”

“You did pretty damn good. Net worth two hundred and twenty million.”

Her face went still for a moment. Then she smiled evilly and frowned. “Oh. That’s all, huh?” She shook her head. “Oh well, it’ll have to do, I guess…”

“What? I just told you I’m a multi, multi millionaire. What’s with the frown?”

She gave him a cheese grin. “Billionaires are the big thing these days you know.”

He threw a pillow at her.

****

A short time later they were entering Auntie May’s room.

“About time you showed up!” she quipped. “I’ve been up since six AM! Can we go now?”

“Go? Where do you think we’re going Auntie?” Annik walked over and kissed her cheek. What was she doing in a wheel chair anyway? She glanced at her bed. There was a suitcase on it. Georgette, one of the Health Care Aides employed at the home was sitting on the bed as well. She gave Annik a smile and mouthed “Merry Christmas”.

What was with Auntie? Oh no… was she starting to slip like Mama had?

“Ask your guy, Annik. It’s his plotting and scheming.” May pointed at Tom.

He grinned and leaned forward and kissed Auntie May’s other cheek. “You ready, big mouth?”

“Damn right I am, sonny. Six AM ready. Get me out of here already!” May glanced at the bafflement on Annik’s face. “I think you better fill Missy in on the mystery.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Tom looked over at Annik. “She’s coming with us.”

“Huh? What? Where?”

“We’re taking her home.” He turned to Georgette. “You’re on till tomorrow at eight, right?”

“Yes. Then my relief arrives, and we’ll settle down a little.” She pulled a sheaf of papers from her purse. “Here’s the schedule as it is right now. 24/7 for the first month, then we review.” Tom took the papers and stuck them inside his jacket pocket. He turned to Annik.

“We’re busting May out of here.”

“What?”

“Food couldn’t be any worse,” May said.

“Tom, what are you saying?”

“Look, for the last few months, I’ve been coming with you every Sunday to visit this dame, right?”

“Hey, show some respect, punk.” May patted his arm with a grin. “Yeah, we get along okay.”

“Feeling spry, huh, May?” He turned back to Annik. “She’s pretty much your only family.” He put his arm around May’s shoulder. “I enjoy her company, and asked her if she’d like to try living with us. If it doesn’t work out, she can come back here, but I’d like her to be with us.”

Annik was speechless. Tom reached over and with the crook of his index finger closed her mouth.

“But… but…” her eyes started leaking again.

“Easy, girly,” May said. “He told me that he couldn’t be there for your Ma, so I’m the next best thing, alright?”

Annik burst into tears and flew into Tom’s arms.

****

When they pulled into the driveway, Tom said, “Perfect. Bonnie’s here!”

“Bonnie?”

“Yeah. I drafted her for Christmas dinner. She and Anthony were given a timetable and a key to the house. They’re putting Christmas dinner together. You know,” he looked over at Annik, “family stuff at Christmas time, right? Both their kids are overseas and couldn’t get home for the holidays, so we figured what the hell…”

Annik was quiet. She was still scared witless over Bonnie. “But Tom…”

“No need to thank me.”

Thank him? This could be a disaster of epic proportions. All Auntie May had to do was say one thing out of bounds, and Bonnie would be all over it like white on rice. “Tom… Auntie May and your sister? What if…”

“Don’t worry about anything, honey.” He turned to the back seat. “You’ll keep it clean, right sweetheart?”

“Like I was in church, Tom,” she rolled her eyes at him. “And what the hell—I’m in my eighties. We can always say I’m senile, right?”

Oh God, she was enjoying this! Annik’s heart was in her throat as they got out of Tom’s car and guided May through the door.

It opened and Bonnie was standing in the doorway.

“Merry Christmas everyone!” she hugged her brother and leaned over to May. “So you’re the infamous May, eh?” She gave the woman a kiss and hug. Annik stood by baffled again. She was almost getting used to being stunned.

Bonnie turned to her, taking her in her arms and hugging her. “Merry Christmas, Annik,” she said softly. Annik weakly returned the embrace.

They all came through the entrance way and Anthony was waiting. He started to help May off with her coat as everyone was chattering away. Annik could hardly find her voice to say hello.

As she started to unbutton her coat, Bonnie’s hand stopped her. She looked up into her eyes.

“Let’s go for a stroll before dinner, Annik.”

“But I have to settle in my Auntie--”

“I got it, honey,” Tom said. “You guys go ahead. The fresh air will do you a world of good.”

Bonnie took Annik’s arm and they went out.

They walked in silence for a few blocks. Thank God Bonnie had her by the arm, or she’d probably have high tailed it back to Barbados. Or Australia.

She didn’t realize where they were going until they were at the driveway.

“Ah! Here we are,” Bonnie said. “This is a beautiful Christmas present my brother got you, isn’t it?” She guided Annik up the driveway into her old home past the ‘Sold’ sign.

“Your brother loves me very much, Bonnie. He knows my whole story… and loves me anyway…” her voice faded.

“Umm hmmm…” Bonnie picked up the pace and guided Annik to the same tree she had shown Tom about three lifetimes ago. They went to where Annik had carved the names and stopped. Bonnie’s fingers traced the carvings. She kept one arm around Annik’s shoulders.

“Three weeks ago, Tom came to my home, Annik.” Her fingers continued to trace the tree bark. “We had a long talk. A very long talk.”

Annik silently looked at her. Okay, here we go…

“He brought some things with him.”

“Oh?”

“He brought the file of the investigation he had done on you years ago. It was very interesting documentation.”

Annik sagged. “There’s a reason—“

Bonnie hugged her. “Hush. Let me finish, okay?”

She nodded, and looked Bonnie in the eye. So be it. She had made her choices for the best of reasons and was weary of being ashamed. “Okay. You have the floor, counselor.”

“Thank you. He showed me the records of your parents, from your time in school, and he showed me your arrest record.”

Annik closed her eyes. Here it comes.

“He told me that you were a prostitute. An Escort.”

“Why don’t you say the word, Bonnie. Why don’t you say
whore
?”

“I was thinking more along the line of
hero
, to tell you the truth.” She took Annik’s hands. “He showed me the records of your mother at the home, Annik. He told me the story of Annik.” She took a breath. “He told me about Harvey Weinstein.”

Annik dropped her head.

“He told me about you being a waitress and the Final Notice from the home.”

Annik nodded silently, her head still down.

“Hey…” Bonnie’s gloved hand was under her chin and lifted it. Their eyes locked.

“Annik, what would you do for those you love?”

“Anything.”

“I believe you.” Bonnie sighed. “I was also approached about getting in with Weinstein. I asked Tom about it. When he looked at the numbers, he told me to stay the hell away. He said it was too good to be true.” She looked away. “Somebody… somebody I respect like crazy warned me off, thank God.” She turned back to Annik. “So I only invested twenty five thousand with him. I lost it all.”

“We lost
everything
. Nobody was there to warn us.”

“And what would you do to take care of your own, Annik?”

“I did
anything.
”

“Yes. Yes you did.” She stepped back and took Annik by the shoulders. “Do you love my brother that much, Annik?”

“With all my heart, Bonnie. For all my days.”

Bonnie took her in her arms and hugged her tight. “You’re not alone anymore, Annik Dandridge Eldon. Welcome to the family. I’ve always wanted a sister.”

Annik cried in her arms in the back yard of her home.

****

Later that night Annik and Tom shared a bottle of Bailey’s in the living room. The outside lights sparkled on the snow. She was in her nightgown cuddled in his arm. On the coffee table was Bonnie’s Christmas present. It was the documents she had filed in the court for a Pardon. Because Annik had plead guilty to a minor charge and had not gotten arrested for years, Bonnie was petitioning the court to have her record expunged; the second chance always afforded to minor offenders. Her slate would be clean again.

Auntie May had been settled into the guest room on the first floor. Her Aide was in the adjoining bedroom with a baby monitor.

She had cried more on this day than she had ever, since her Mama had died.

But these had been tears of joy and a new life.

Love is a powerful thing.

Chapter 23

Pandora’s glistened in the snowy night. The entrance from the street up the circular driveway was adorned with miniature lights that peeked through the new snowfall. Each window frame of the building was also trimmed with lights. The gently falling snowflakes glittered in different colors as they spun down.