Tate (27 page)

“Really, Tate? Do you think this was good for either of you? I don’t think I can proceed with damage control on this one. What the hell were you thinking?” she barked.

“Maisie was thinking that Ami hit her so hard there’s a bruise on her face. She needed a lesson. It solved part of a mystery we’ve been trying to figure out as well. Ami pretty much admitted that the Cinderella song she recorded was about Maisie and me. I’m not gonna let her get away with that shit.”

“Jail?”

“Audra, I could give two shits about Ami Woodson. She should thank her lucky frickin’ stars that Maisie didn’t continue with the charges. The police told Maisie there was enough evidence against her to proceed with criminal charges. You weren’t there. If I had been in the shop when she came in, I’d be the one in jail. I’da beat her ass. This shit with Maisie has to stop. She’s my wife. And make sure that any further PR that goes out about Maisie has her name listed correctly. It’s Morrow now, not Bolden.”

My phone was vibrating with another incoming call. I hung up and answered. “This is Tate.”

“Well, now we know two things,” Daniel said.

“Do tell,” I encouraged.

“I saw the info on the news regarding Ami Woodson and Maisie, so that solves one of our queries. Ami’s got a part in some aspect of what’s been going on with Maisie. I have some information on another one. Is Maisie available?”

“She’s in the shower. What’s up?”

“David Lee Maynor.”

Quiet for a moment, I let the words seep into my brain. “Maisie’s father?”

“Not 100% sure, but sure enough that I’d like her to meet with him.”

“We’ve got a minute or two; she just went in the bathroom. Talk to me before we tell her.”

“He’s fifty-nine and drives tour busses. Rico kept sharing his picture with industry insiders because he was sure he’d seen him around. One of his contacts recognized him. He gave Rico the name and he took off looking into him. He’s currently driving for Tawna Sheppard. She was here for two shows two weeks after the news about Kitty first broke. That matches up with the timing that Maisie indicated she saw the man that she thought you had following her.”

He gave me some more background, and then I heard Maisie in the bedroom. “She should be out here in a minute. I don’t know that I want you to tell her this over the phone.”

“That’s why I called you. Tell me how you want to move forward,” Daniel said.

“Let me think a few minutes. I’ll talk to her and call you back.”

“Think about what?” Maisie asked as she rounded the corner, fluffing wet hair with a towel.

“Want a cup of coffee?” I asked her after I hung up.

“I do, but I’d rather know what you need to tell me first,” she said.

I got up to get her coffee and motioned for her to have a seat. Finally, I set two cups down, and joined her at the table.

“Tate, you’re freaking me out a little bit…”

“No reason to freak out, sweetheart. First Audra called, pissed off that we sent Ami off to jail, and then Daniel called.”

“About Ami?”

“No. About David Lee Maynor.”

“Who?” As she asked, a look of realization washed over her face. “My father?”

“Maybe. Daniel’s not sure. He’s fifty-nine. He drives Tawna Sheppard’s tour bus. The timing of you seeing him matches when she was in town on tour.” She didn’t say anything, just sat there processing what I could only imagine to be life-changing information.

“What did Audra say about Ami?” she asked finally.

“That she’s humiliated and distraught. Do you care?”

“No. She needed to come down a notch on the bitchometer.”

“What about David Lee Maynor?” I asked.

“Oh, Tate,” she said, and rose to get plates and the Danish that she’d gotten for our breakfast. “I’m not sure what I feel about that yet.”

“Your time. You’ll know. Come sit beside me. I want to show you something I’ve been playing with.” When she returned, I pulled my tablet close for her to have a look. I opened a document that showed a sketch of a cabin in the woods. She immediately recognized it as Blowing Rock, and looked at me.

“I didn’t want to go crazy, but I’d really like to use that place as a refuge for us to get away.” The first image showed the front of the one-story cabin with a porch across the front. It was a simple, homey looking dwelling.

“What…”

“Wait, there’s more.” The next image was from the back.

“Huh…” Maisie drew in a breath. “It’s amazing!”

It was mostly windows, and featured a deck supported by stone pillars that ran along the back on the same level as the front of the house. It looked out over the creek below. They’d built the lower level into the slope of the mountain. The artist’s rendition showed a patio area with a built-in bar and grill, along with a stone stairway that led down to the creek. Next was a floor plan for the two levels.

“They took the smaller bedroom to make the bedroom on the upper floor bigger and added a bathroom. The living area, another bathroom, and the kitchen are also on this level. The lower level has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a larger living area. There’s a small kitchen that opens out to the patio for entertaining. If you like it, you can decide how you’d like the inside. It’s just an idea. We can change anything.”

She took the tablet and looked closer. “I love it. I love the image of it lit up at night.”

She went to get more coffee. When she returned, she sat down and took a bite of the Danish. “A getaway,” she said, and licked her fingers. “A refuge, a beautiful retreat. I love the windows all along the back. We can lie in bed and see that amazing view. I love it! I have something I want to talk to you about, too.”

“Hit me with it,” I told her.

“I’m promoting Dion. I’m leaving the shop and operations in his care. I still want to design, and I can send sketches and meet clients there for appointments when we aren’t on the road.”

“We. I like the sound of that, Maisie. Now what about David Lee Maynor?” I asked.

“I guess I need to meet him.”

***

We had another week before we were back on the road, headed to the northeast and down the coast. We were cramming everything in that we could before departure.

Daniel scheduled a meeting with David Lee Maynor, and Maisie was on pins and needles as we entered the lobby of Daniel’s office. Her hand in mine trembled.

“He’s just a man, Maisie. You just need to know,” I told her, trying to ease her discomfort.

“I’ve made it this long without knowing and I didn’t have a longing to find him,” she said with a huffy sigh.

“So, let’s leave.” I squeezed her hand and glanced her way.

She squeezed mine back and offered a smile – one of the fake ones. “Let’s go.”

Daniel came out of his office and motioned for us to join him. I saw Maisie take a deep breath and head toward him. “Ready?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she said.

I saw the man on the sofa stand up. I noticed his eyes - Maisie’s eyes - as he looked to her. They were sad eyes. He took a step toward her and extended his hand. “David Lee Maynor,” he said.

She took his hand in hers and shook it. “Maisie Morrow,” she replied.

He turned to me. “Tate,” I said.

“Have a seat,” Daniel suggested, motioning to us.

David Lee Maynor sat across from Maisie. I noticed him glance in her direction and then quickly look away several times before he started talking. Finally, fidgeting nervously, he began.

“I drove the tour bus for the Brandt Paul Band. Mickey Brandt and Stan Paul,” he explained. “They had a gig at Tootsie’s in Nashville. We lived on the bus for over a week as they crammed in every opportunity Tootsie’s would give them to sing. Mickey, Stan, Tom Marshall – he was the piano player and went solo a few years later, maybe you remember him,” David rambled nervously. “Then there was Bud Moore, and I. Five guys and equipment crammed in an old school bus.” He picked up a glass of water and sipped timidly, as though the liquid held some super power that would help him continue.

“I think it would have been October…”

“November,” Maisie said. “It was late November.”

I saw him seemingly calculating in his head. “August?”

“September. My birthday is September first.”

“Wait, why didn’t I know that?” I asked.

“We were wrapped up in a honeymoon and all the other crap we’ve been through. It wasn’t a big deal to me,” she said, and shrugged her shoulders.

“But it’s important to me.” I saw her loosen up a little, and I added, “My birthday is September 26
th
.”

“I know when your birthday is. I’m a good wife,” she laughed. I saw David watching us.

“Sorry,” Maisie said. “I’m just nervous about all of this.”

“Me too,” he replied.

“I know, and I should be more sensitive to that. I didn’t know if I ever wanted to know about you,” she said honestly.

“I didn’t even know you existed,” David said. “If I had, I would have been whatever you needed from me. I never married, no kids. When I saw the news about your mom…”

“Kitty,” she interrupted. “My granny raised me. Kitty didn’t have room in her life for me.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t know. When I saw the picture of you and Kitty,” he paused, and I saw him inhale deeply, “I knew you were mine. When Shawna’s show was here, I found out where your shop was. I shouldn’t have snuck around, but I wanted to see you. I
needed
to see you. I wanted to talk to you, but I couldn’t figure out how to approach you. I was afraid if I did, you’d reject me.”

“I don’t know what any of this means,” Maisie said genuinely. “I have a hard time allowing people in my life.”

“I can vouch for that,” I laughed. “Persistence will wear her down, though.” My comment left us all laughing.

“I’m not local. I live in Bonita Beach, on the Florida west coast, when I’m not driving a tour bus. I love it there. My place is a little shack on the beach and I live in a lawn chair with a fishing pole in my hand.” David smiled as he said it. “All you have to do is call me, Maisie.  I’ll be ready to talk. I know you have a lot to come to terms with, but I’d like to see you again, maybe talk to you, ya know?”

“I know. I need time to process. It’s just so new, so unexpected. I spent my whole life not wanting to know who you were. I know you didn’t desert me - Kitty kept you as another unknown to me. I just have to come to terms with what you being in my life means.” She reached in her bag and pulled out a business card and scribbled a number on the back. “This is my personal number. I’m going on the road with Tate for a few weeks. We’ll think about getting together when we get back.”

He handed Maisie his card. “I’m glad to know you. I mean that.”

“You, as well,” Maisie said, in a reserved way. We talked a moment longer and finally she said we needed to go. We said good-bye and started for the door. Before we got there she stopped and turned around. She walked back to David, hugged him and started to cry. “Thank you.”

He wrapped her in his arms and I noticed that he was crying too. “Thank you for meeting me. I prayed and prayed that you would.”

When we got in my truck, Maisie was quiet. I allowed her a few minutes to think, and then, I couldn’t stand it any longer. “Jesus, Maisie, tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I’m trying to come to terms, not just with what I’m feeling, but what he’s experiencing. He has a daughter that he never knew about and he’s almost sixty years old. I’m thirty and I have a father I never wanted to know. It’s a life-changer.”

“I know about life-changers. I met this little bit of a woman who became a behemoth in my life. She was little, but the ‘so big’ part of the change she made in my life was major. She became someone I knew I couldn’t live without. She quickly turned into someone I had to know, had to have.”

“Had to have?” she repeated.

“Had to,” I said, and cast a glance her way, waggling my eyebrows. “I wanted you more than anything or anyone I could ever imagine. You were the one I knew was the only perfect match for me. You were the only one who has consumed my thoughts and dreams. The only one I knew I wanted to spend forever with.”

Chapter Thirteen

Maisie

We’d been on the road for two weeks. I can’t say for certain why – curiosity maybe - but I had this draw to call David Lee Maynor. My father. ‘Have a paternity test. Be sure,’ Carlene pleaded, but one look at him and I knew it wasn’t necessary. My biggest fear wasn’t what my life with him would mean - it was the dread of my personal life being exposed. I still kept wondering what the interest in me could possibly be, and why.

I talked to Tate about wanting to make the call, and he encouraged it. “You need to find out where you want this to go.”

Knowing we would be in Miami Wednesday, I dialed the number.

“Hello, Maisie,” he answered.

“I don’t know what to call you,” I replied.

“Dave works,” he chuckled, trying to put me at ease.

“We’ll be in Miami for shows Wednesday and Thursday, and then we’ll be in Melbourne after that for a few days. Tate is meeting with Andy Stevens. If you’re available, I’d like to see you.”

“I’m not on the road. I can come to Melbourne,” he said, and there was a happy tone in his response.

“We’ll be there until Sunday. Tate doesn’t have shows, just meetings with Andy.”

“I’d like to come.”

“I’ll call again to let you know what Tate’s schedule is and we’ll look forward to seeing you.” I hung up and noticed Tate watching me. “I’m OK,” I said. “I’m not ready for this to leak.  There’s been so much. I’m trying to figure out how to handle that.”

***

Friday evening, I’d made plans for dinner with my father in our suite. Tate came in from meeting with Andy on a new project and joined me on the sofa to wait.

“It’ll be fine, Maisie. He’s just a man.”

“I know. They’ll bring dinner at seven. That’ll give us time for a drink before we eat.”

At precisely six, there was a call from the front desk. “Your guest is in the lobby,” the receptionist informed me.

“Please send him up,” I said. I rose from the sofa and walked to the window to look out at the ocean. Tate came up behind me, placed his hands on my shoulders, and turned me to face him. He placed a tender kiss on the top of my head just as there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.” He opened the door, and I saw a gentleman who looked as though he needed to impress someone. He wore a suit, as though he was here for an interview.

“Please, come in,” I said. “I should have told you we’d be casual. Take your jacket off and make yourself comfortable.”

“I, uh…” he stammered. “I wanted to make a good impression.”

“Please, David, just be yourself. Have a seat. Would you like a glass of wine or a cocktail?” I asked.

“Wine would be nice,” he replied.

I sat across from him as Tate opened a bottle and poured drinks.

“Thank you for coming, and for coming here. You know that my private life is of great interest to someone who likes to share my business with the public.”

“I can’t imagine what that feels like,” he replied.

“We’re not talking about Kitty,” I told him right off the bat. “I didn’t mean that to sound so abrupt, it’s just that I’ve put enough two and two together. I know that part of the story. What I’d like to know is more about you. You said you never married and had no children. Tell me about your family.”

Tate joined me on the sofa. He slipped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a light squeeze.

“My mother, Belle, is eighty-two and lives about twenty miles away from me in a nursing home. She had a stroke two years ago. She’s still got it, she just has a hard time using it,” he said with a smile. “She loves it there. They call her ‘The Belle of the Hall’. She never misses Bingo. I got Shawna to stop by and sing a while back - perk of the job,” he grinned.

“Dad passed five years ago. Natural causes - just fell asleep one night and didn’t wake up the next morning. I have an older brother. He’s an engineer for an electronics company here in town, actually. I’m staying with him and his wife. They just think I came to inquire on a bus job,” he added quickly. “I haven’t mentioned you to anyone.”

“Thank you for that,” I said.

“How’d you get to driving busses for the stars?” Tate asked. I could tell he was trying to make David feel more at ease.

“Like I told you, I was friends with Mickey Brandt. I had no musical talent but I just knew they weren’t going on tour without me.” He laughed. “We’d been friends since high school and I wasn’t going to miss their journey. We toured for about three years. They never made it big, but we had a blast. After they split up, I got a call from Rick Evans and drove for him when he toured. When he wasn’t on the road I picked up bus gigs here and there. I love music and it was a way for me to be around it. I’ve been picking up bus gigs ever since. Figure I’ll be parking before too long.”

There was a knock at the door and Tate went to answer it. I saw a young man bring in our dinner in and begin setting the table.

“Thank you for sharing that with us,” Tate said. After the young man left, he motioned for us to come to the table.

We enjoyed a nice meal with small talk about Tate’s career and mine. Finally, I found myself wanting to know more.

“Tell me more about your mother.”

“You’ll be surprised when I do,” he grinned.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Two things. First, you look just like her.” He rose and pulled something from his jacket pocket. He handed me a picture. Tate scooted closer to see. “You can keep it if you’d like.”

“Wow,” Tate remarked. “She’s beautiful. Now you know where your auburn hair came from, and there’s no mistaking that both of you have her eyes.”

“What’s the other thing?” I asked.

“She was a seamstress for most of her life. She was still sewing right up until the stroke.”

“Oh my.” Suddenly, I felt like I was having an epiphany, the reality so profound that I couldn’t find words.

“I’d like for you to meet her. Someday,” he added, hesitantly. “She’d be happy to know about you. My brother and his wife had boys.”

Suddenly, tears came and I couldn’t stop them. David started to say something, but Tate stopped him. “Let her cry for a minute. This is a lot for her.”

“It’s just one more thing Kitty robbed me of,” I blubbered. A few minutes passed and I excused myself to go wipe my face. I couldn’t hear what they were saying; I only knew that they were talking. I was trying to get a grip on what I’d learned and what I would do with this newfound family. When I returned they were silent, watching me.

“It’s just that I feel like I missed a lifetime, and I’m not sure how to catch up with it all.”

“There’s no rush for anything, Maisie. I won’t tell anyone until you say you’re ready. Maybe Kitty didn’t know I was your father,” David said.

“She knew your name,” I said, and the tears came again. “My middle name is Lee.”

He looked down, shaking his head. “It’s late. I’ll let you call me when you’re ready,” he said as he slipped his jacket on to leave. “Thank you for a very nice evening. I look forward to more.”

When he was ready to walk out the door, I hugged him. “Thank you for sharing your family with me.”

“They’re your family, Maisie. I’ll be ready to share them with you as soon as you tell me you’re ready.”

He was gone just long enough to make it to the lobby when the phone in the room rang. It was the front desk. “You might want to come down here!” the girl announced excitedly. “Hurry!”

“What is it?” Maisie asked.

“Not sure. You stay right here!” Tate said, and stormed out the door.

***

Tate

I got on the elevator, anxiously, pushing the button continuously as though it would speed up the trip to the lobby. The doors opened and flashes went off from every direction.
This can’t be good.

I saw David cornered by photographers and tried to make my way that direction, as cameras were shoved in my face held me back. I could hear the questions that they were assaulting David with. I heard
Maisie’s father, Kitty’s lover, coke whore, illegitimate child.
The nightmare was unleashed once more. 

I saw the panic-stricken look on his face, but he never said a word. Not one. “Call the cops!” I shouted to the gal at the desk. When the rest of the vultures saw me, they converged on me with the same line of questions. “Get. Out. Of. My. Face.” I said. “NOW!”

My phone rang and I saw it was Maisie. “Don’t leave the room!” I shouted. “I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

The cops arrived, and an hour of moving people around, questioning, and finally escorting people away, passed. David was able to make a clean exit, but I knew this was far from over. I talked to Cecelia, the manager of the hotel, about what happened. She’d been there since I started staying there during my visits to work with Andy.

“What the hell happened?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, Mr. Morrow. I questioned my staff, but they all swear they didn’t have anything to do with it. They know the level of clientele who stay here.”

I believed her. 

I got to the room and Maisie was a mess. “What happened?” she asked.

“Somehow the press knew…”

“David?” she interrupted.

“Was blindsided. There’s no way he was involved. By the time he was able to escape, he was crying, Maisie.”

“WHY?” she shouted. “Why does this keep happening, and how?”

“Daniel can’t figure out where the leaks are coming from. Nothing traces back to anywhere. We told no one about this.”

“Not even Carlene. I didn’t tell anyone he was coming here. I don’t understand how this keeps happening!”

“We’ll…”

“Don’t say we’ll find out, Tate. It’s been too long. We’ve not been able to pin this on anyone!” She turned and headed to the bedroom.

I sat down on the sofa and dialed Daniel. “Again,” I said as he answered.

“Again?” he asked. I hadn’t told him about David’s meeting with us. He was pissed that we’d taken it on without letting him know.

“You already did background. After we left your office there seemed to be no problems, so we felt at ease. I know you’re uneasy, but I can assure you that it wasn’t David. He was far too rattled.”

“Who then, if no one else knew?” Daniel asked.

“I’m gonna have to go with ‘I don’t know’.”

The next morning the story was in the paper and on the network morning news programs. “Here we go again,” Maisie said.

My phone rang. It was Carlene. “I told you not to trust him! He’s the one behind this! I’m telling you!” she shouted.

“Quiet,” I said in a calm voice. “We don’t believe that David was involved. They blindsided him. I don’t doubt that.”

“It’s everywhere!” she yelled.

“I know, Carlene. We know,” I murmured, hoping to bring her down a notch. “This is a setback. Maisie is angry too.”

“When are you bringing her home?”

“I have a meeting with Andy again today, a show in Charleston on Monday, Richmond on Tuesday, and then we’ll be home.”

“Did anyone question the hotel staff?” She was still barking.

“Carlene, please, calm down. Maisie’s ok and Daniel is exploring every avenue.”

“He’s been looking into this for months and we’re no closer to stopping this than we were in the beginning!”

I took a big gulp, because I knew I had to tread lightly. Carlene Duncan was a force to reckon with, but this wasn’t helping anything. “Carlene, I know you’re frustrated. Imagine how Maisie feels, and she’s doing her best to keep it together. Can you just listen a minute? Please?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I just…”

“I know. You love Maisie. This is ripping at all of us, but being calm is the best we can do. Let Daniel do his job. I know you think it’s taking a long time. I’m frustrated too, but can we give him a little more time? Something has to break. It’s been too long and whoever is behind this has to be feeling smug and complacent. They’re going to screw up sooner or later.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” she muttered. “I know.”

“Do you want to talk to Maisie? She’s right here.”

“I’m afraid I’ll cry. Dion’s already had me bawling this morning.”

“Maisie’s not crying. She’s pissed, but she isn’t crying about this,” I replied and handed the phone to Maisie.

“It’s nothing we have control over,” Maisie said. “I’m mad as hell, but we can’t do a thing at this point. I don’t believe that David Lee Maynor had anything to do with this. We had a lovely meeting with him. He seems genuine and shared some information about his family - my family - with us. Carlene, he came in a suit, as though he was going for an interview. He’s a nice man.”

“Maisie, I just want this to stop.”

“No one wants that more than me.”

After they hung up, Maisie sat quietly for a while. I could tell she was processing and settling things in her mind. I’d noticed that when she’s deep in thought, her eyes darted back and forth as though she’s seeing her own thoughts in front of her. Finally, she turned to me. “I have an idea.” A sense of peace seemed to replace the aura in the room.