Secrets (29 page)

A look of recognition spread across Teri’s face. “Greg Fletcher? That man who called here awhile back?”

Jessica nodded.

“No wonder you looked so rattled when I hung up on him. Oh, Jessica, I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve gone through. You really were completely out of food the day the groceries came, weren’t you?”

Jessica nodded. “I didn’t plan my escape very well. I only had twelve dollars to last for about three weeks.”

“Oh, Jessica!” Teri reached over and hugged her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have done anything I could have for you.”

“I know,” Jessica said. “Actually, could I ask you to do a favor for me now?”

“Sure. Anything.”

Jessica went to her secretary and pulled out a torn corner of a grocery store bag. “Do you know a little boy named Adam Kelsey?”

“Sure. He has a cousin, Laura, in one of my classes.”

“Could you see that he somehow gets this, anonymously?” Jessica handed Teri a hundred dollar bill. “One day at the grocery store, when I used the last of my twelve dollars and came up a nickel short, this little angel gave me one of his pop can nickels. I promised I’d pay him back.”

Teri took the money and a mischievous look crossed her face. “You know what? Nobody around here needs to know about the money, unless Kyle says anything, which I doubt he would. You said you wanted to use it to help people. We could set it up so that you can give to your heart’s content and nobody would know where it was coming from.”

“I like it,” Jessica said, feeling relieved that Teri was warming up to the idea of Jessica being a millionaire.

“And don’t worry about Kyle. I think he’ll come around once the shock wears off. He fell in love with you hard and fast when he thought you were a poverty case. He loves you, not your money.”

Jessica felt encouraged by Teri’s words and hoped with everything inside her that Teri was right. Tonight at the school board meeting Jessica would find out.

Teri suggested they run over to the Wallflower for dinner before going to the meeting. Jessica ordered a bowl of soup and sipped at it, barely tasting the beef and vegetables. She was nervous about seeing Kyle and being prepared for the accusations that would come at her from Charlotte.

Teri chatted on about her sister in Hawaii and wolfed down a tuna melt and cottage fries. When the bill came, Jessica reached for it before Teri could and said, “You paid last time. I have this one covered.”

Teri started to laugh. She laughed until she had tears in her eyes and was holding onto her side. People were looking at them, and still Teri couldn’t stop laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Jessica leaned forward and tried to get Teri to come back to earth.

“You said,” Teri gasped for air, “you said you had this one covered.”

“Right. What’s so funny about that?”

Teri broke into another spasm, trying to swallow the laughter. She waved her hand in front of her face, fanning herself. “I’m sorry, Jess. It’s just that when you said that, I realized you could pay for dinner for everyone in this restaurant.” She kept her voice low and leaned forward with her eyes glistening. “You could cover this whole town—the whole state of Oregon—and still have money left over.”

Jessica didn’t understand why that was so funny and tried her best to force a smile.

“I’m sorry,” Teri said, calming down. “I’m sorry. It’s just a shock when you think about it. It’s not really funny, I guess.”

Teri composed herself and apologized again on the way to the school. “I don’t know why I reacted like that. I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”

“No, that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” Jessica didn’t understand. However, it did make her wonder if Kyle’s reaction stemmed from the same kind of emotional well that Teri had drawn from tonight. The expectations that had been placed on Jessica and her inheritance money for so many years had created a wealth of painful feelings in her. All she’d ever wanted was a simple life. Now that she had it, she was trying to think of how the people around her would respond to her suddenly having all this money. If she had kept her position as vice president, her assets would have been more than four hundred million, and when her father died, it would have all been hers. So what? She had more than she needed, and she had the life she wanted. Now, if she could only be sure she had Kyle.

The meeting began on time, and Jessica watched Kyle carefully from where she and Teri sat toward the back of the room. She was certain that he had noticed her when she walked in, but Kyle wouldn’t make eye contact with her. It made her nervous.

About ten minutes into the meeting, Dawn and her father, Dr. Laughlin, slipped into the back of the room. A few more of Jessica’s students and their parents entered the room. By the time the agenda reached item six, “Ms. Morgan-Fenton: Violation of Parental Notification,” all the seats at the back of the room were filled with parents and students. Jessica hoped these were the supportive ones Kyle had mentioned. Or they might be a gathering of those who had complained to Charlotte.

Charlotte seemed to delight in describing the way Jessica had let a guest speaker in her class without first clearing it and how that speaker had discussed AIDS, without the parents
receiving notice ahead of time.

“I also must add that this particular teacher has been in continual violation of a number of district policies,” Charlotte continued. “Her files are not complete, even after repeated requests. She went to great lengths to deceive the school district regarding her identity. I was concerned about her blatant lies, such as masquerading under the false name of Fenton, when her real last name was Morgan.”

A faint whispering spread across the room. Jessica couldn’t deny any of Charlotte’s accusations. She had been deceitful. It hadn’t bothered Jessica in the beginning, since she felt the end would justify the means for her false identity. Now she felt sick to her stomach over it. Perhaps growing closer to the Lord made the truth more apparent to her. She felt as if she had stepped out of the shadows into the light and found all kinds of flaws blaring in the light that were invisible in the shadows.

She wouldn’t blame Kyle for giving up on her. Not because of the shock of the money, but because of all the deception. He didn’t even know who she was. Not the real Jessica. An aching fear burned inside her heart when she thought it was possible—no, probable—that Kyle would feel too jerked around to invest any more in a relationship with her.

“I did some checking, since Mr. McGregor apparently didn’t, and I found that this woman, Jessica Morgan, is actually the daughter of Harold Morgan. Yes,” Charlotte said, nodding to the people around the room who happened to recognize the name,
“the
Harold Morgan, multi-millionaire.”

“Well,” Teri whispered, “there goes our plan to keep the money a secret.”

“Ms. Morgan, will you come to the front?” Charlotte made the statement sound more like a command than a request. A month ago, Jessica would have refused. Tonight, all she could
think of was that word that had become so familiar in her subconscious,
surrender
.

Jessica stood and walked to the front. She wished she had worn her blue Liz Claiborne suit.

“My question,” Charlotte said, pointing her finger at Jessica as she took a seat on the podium behind Charlotte, “is why should we keep such a woman on staff at Glenbrooke High? She lied her way into this position, and the bottom line is that she doesn’t need it. I recommend we let this impostor go immediately.”

Charlotte’s argument was weak; Jessica knew that. No reasonable basis existed to fire her. However, this was a small town and a close knit group of school board members. Charlotte Mendelson stood before them with fire in her eyes.

Several people began to speak at once. Charlotte stepped back, and the director of the board rose and called for the room to come to order. One woman in the back remained standing and called out, “She’s the best teacher my son has ever had! You can’t fire someone because of the color of their skin, and you certainly can’t fire them because their father happens to have a lot of money.”

“That’s right,” someone else agreed.

“But she talked to my daughter about AIDS in her class,” a woman in a simple blue dress said without standing up. “And she didn’t ask my permission!”

“Okay, okay,” the director said, raising his hands. “Before this becomes a free-for-all, I have a few things to say. First, Miss Morgan should have sent a notice home, but she didn’t. This is her first year, and I believe we can extend some grace to her since she didn’t know the policy.”

Charlotte spoke up. “She
did
know the policy. I went over it in my meetings before school opened.”

“We can overlook the error. And the board doesn’t consider any of the other charges serious enough to warrant her removal.”

Just then Kyle stepped up to the podium. The director leaned over, and Kyle spoke to him quietly. “Mr. Buchanan now has the floor.”

Jessica’s heart took an express elevator up to her throat and stopped with a sudden jerk. If anyone could convince the mob one way or the other, it would be Kyle. She wished she knew where she stood with him. If only he would at least
look
at her, she could judge by his expression what he was feeling.

“I’d like to make it clear that Miss Morgan did in fact invite me to be a guest speaker in her class, and I accept all responsibility for the content of my presentation.”

“Kyle!” Charlotte’s hand flew to her chest. She must not have known who the guest speaker was. The new information seemed to take all the wind out of her sails.

“Also,” Kyle continued, “I agree with Mrs. Powell in that a person cannot be discriminated against because of her financial status. I know it’s an unusual thing in our town to be acquainted with someone from an affluent background. It’s okay if you feel a little startled. I know I was shocked when I found out.”

Up until this point, Kyle had been speaking to the audience, with his back to Jessica. Now he turned around and took the four short steps to her chair, reached for her hands, and lifted her to a standing position with his back to the audience.

When she looked into his eyes, Jessica felt a calm flowing over her.

“I’m sorry,” Kyle said. “Will you forgive me for being obstinate and insensitive?”

“Of course,” Jessica whispered back. “Will you forgive me for not being honest with you? I want to start all over.” A runaway tear broke loose and careened down her cheek.

Kyle nodded, and placing his hand on her chin, he wiped away the tear. His finger then found its way to the half-moon on her lip. His green eyes scanned her face. They rested on her lips. Everything within her desired Kyle to kiss her. She didn’t care that half the population of Glenbrooke was ogling them.

The director stepped to the microphone again and said, “Ms. Mendelson, I hope you can see that your insensitive and heavy-handed approach is not favorably looked on by the school board. I recommend that you focus your attention on the education of Glenbrooke’s teenagers rather than worrying over the files of your teachers.”

Charlotte rose and looked over at Kyle and Jessica. Instead of anger, her face bore a pitiable expression.

“And,” the director continued, “I suggest we all try to start afresh.”

“Maybe I did overstep my boundaries a bit. I trust the school board will overlook that and view my performance in a broader scope.” Charlotte seemed to be working hard to exit with her dignity intact. She stepped down from the platform and took a seat toward the back of the room.

“We can start over, too,” Kyle said to Jessica. “Do you remember my promise in Mexico?”

Jessica shook her head, her eyes locked on his.

“I promised you that if I ever had a million dollars, I’d buy you a house and plant you a purple hydrangea bush.”

“Two hydrangeas,” Jessica reminded him, a smile creeping up her mouth, tilting the half-moon toward him.

Kyle leaned down and kissed her hard and long.

Everyone in the room stood up and gave a standing ovation. Even Martin the Masher was clapping. Teri looked jubilant. Kyle wrapped his arm around Jessica’s shoulders, and they turned to face the crowd. Kyle gave a playful bow to the audience while Jessica watched as Charlotte rose from her seat,
and Mr. Porter, the slightly overweight football coach, discretely followed her out of the room.

“I’m not sure if they’re applauding for us or because of how everything turned out with Charlotte and the school board’s decision,” Jessica said.

Kyle looked down at her. “It’s for us, Jess. Half these people have been praying for me for the past four years. You’re their answer to prayer.”

“And the money doesn’t bother you?” Jessica asked.

Kyle cupped her chin in his hand. “No,” he said, “all I ask is that you make me a promise.”

“Anything.”

“Promise me there will be no more secrets.”

“No more secrets,” Jessica promised, holding up her right hand like a Scout taking a pledge.

A smile spread across Kyle’s face as he said, “Then, since the way I feel about you is no longer a secret, I think I’d better affirm these people’s faith in prayer by taking you in my arms and kissing you again.”

And he did.

The kitchen staff at the Morgan Estates prepared a full English tea for Jessica on the afternoon before she returned to Glenbrooke. The danties served on a silver tray included cucumber sandwiches, fresh strawberries, currant scones, and Devonshire cream.

My tea loving friends and I agree. The “Devonshire cream” available in the states is never as good as the true Devonshire or “clotted cream” we’ve tasted in England, Scotland, and Ireland. I imagine Jessica missed the Devonshire cream she enjoyed while attending Oxford and the kitchen staff at Morgan Estates did their best to duplicate the delicacy. Their recipe below, “Jessica’s Devonshire Cream,” comes pretty close.

My thanks go to Loch Grant for his advice on the currant scones. And my daughter Rachel is the resident expert on cucumber sandwiches whenever she and I have a tea party. Her advice has been noted.

    
Morgan Estates Currant Scones