I managed to nod because I wasn’t sure if I was okay, and I was afraid to tell him otherwise.
“No, she’s very upset. She wasn’t even breathing. It’s all my fault. I let him in. I forgot. I thought he’d come to visit me,” Geraldine was upset and I had failed at keeping her calm. I’d forgotten about my determination to keep this easy and harmless for her sake when he’d said he wanted to test Heidi’s DNA.
My breathing hitched again reminding me what could happen. How easily my world could be taken away. Heidi was all I had.
“Jesus, you’ve gone white,” Stone said as he walked to me in three quick strides and studied me. His fierce expression wasn’t enough to stop my tears from welling in my eyes.
“Out! Now! OUTSIDE!” Stone roared again as he turned toward Jasper. He advancing toward Jasper so swiftly I was afraid of what he was going to do.
Jasper didn’t argue, but he met Stone’s glare with one of his own as he stalked past him and headed toward the front doors. Stone touched Geraldine’s shoulder. “Thank you for calling me. None of this is your fault. I’m sorry he brought this to your home.” His tone was tender.
She shook her head and looked at me. “No, no, no, I should have remembered. I should have—”
“You did exactly what you should have done,” he assured her then glanced at me. “Take Beulah and get her some tea. She’ll be okay. She’s tough.”
It was as if he was talking to me instead of her. I even nodded in agreement. I would be okay. I could do this. I wasn’t going to crack.
He must have needed that assurance. A slight nod confirmed he agreed, then he left us there and followed where Jasper had exited. I watched him go, each of his strides had purpose. Jasper wasn’t weak nor was he small. They were similar in size. But something about Stone was more intimidating. He was harder than Jasper and had darker thoughts. As if the survival instinct was stronger in him than other people. I wondered if his childhood had something to do with that.
“Jasper should have expected that,” Geraldine said with a shake of her head like she was disappointed in his choices. “Come now, honey. Let’s have some tea. It’s good to calm the nerves. Your pretty complexion has gone pale.”
I let Geraldine lead me back to the kitchen, but I felt guilty. This wasn’t Stone’s battle. “I should go out there and talk to them. He and Jasper are too close.”
Geraldine laughed then. It was an amused sound, and she continued to chuckle as she walked into the kitchen. “Sit,” she ordered me with a point of her finger toward the table. “Stone can handle this. Jasper came to my home when he knew better. This is Stone’s issue to handle, not yours. You need some distance. From what I hear you’re dealing with family issues that are terribly upsetting. I imagine the Van Allans have done something awful. And from the conversation I overheard just now,” she paused and looked at me with the teapot in her hand, “that baby girl of theirs didn’t die.” She appeared to be waiting on my confirmation. I couldn’t respond. If Geraldine knew about Heidi’s real identity then who else remembered the baby the Van Allans buried?
She frowned. “The worst kind. Only the worst could do something like that,” her voice was just above a whisper.
“She’s the best person I know,” I blurted out suddenly needing Geraldine to know Heidi was nothing like her parents.
“The way you love her is a testament of that. Tell me. What was it that they were displeased about to give the child away in such a deceptive way?”
Stone trusted Geraldine. She obviously knew the Van Allans and had for a long time if she remembered Heidi’s birth. This was hopefully going to become my job. I’d be here for years to come with her.
“Heidi has Down syndrome,” I said knowing eventually Geraldine would find out anyway.
She nodded. “I should have guessed as much when you spoke about her before. That kind of beautiful soul quite often comes from such a child. I’m glad that the mother you loved so dearly was hers as well. Portia Van Allan is a,” she grimaced and said, “bad seed.”
“She’s my mother’s sister,” I explained.
Geraldine stared at me a moment before her expression softened. “Two sisters so completely opposite. The way I see it is God gave the world two beautiful girls and wanted them raised by a woman worthy for them to call mom. Heidi was meant to be with your mother. In your heart and Heidi’s, she always will be. No matter what the Van Allans choose to do or say.”
She turned to make our tea and I stared at her back feeling some peace from her words. Geraldine was a unique lady. I wanted to get up and hug her and thank her for saying that. For listening to me. For giving me this job.
She spun around with a surprised look on her face. “The Christmas tree delivery should be today! I haven’t even made the cider yet. Do you think we can string some popcorn next? I don’t want to have an empty tree. Victor will need to get the ornaments from the attic. I have antiques you know—my mother had beautiful ornaments that are hand blown. Exquisite I tell you. Glorious. You’ll have to handle them with care. But you’ll see,” she continued to ramble on as she left the tea forgotten on the counter and went to begin looking in the pantry for cider supplies.
“We have nothing! I’m not ready for the holidays at all! Claudia will need to take me to town. What is a tree without the smell of cranberry tart in the oven?” she sounded panicked as she ran from the kitchen.
I jumped up and went after her unsure of where she was going next.
The large front door swung open, and Stone came walking in with a scowl on his face. He stopped short when he saw Geraldine coming his way in a hurry. “Oh Stone! You’re here. Good, good, you can get the ornaments. They’re in the attic where we packed them away last year. The tree will be here soon. Claudia is taking me to get the cider and cranberry tart supplies in town. We will be festive in no time! Just you wait and see!” She clapped her hands and did a little hop.
Stone’s eyes lifted from her to me. “It seems it’s December,” he drawled.
I nodded.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ve got it together now. I’m sorry I cracked.”
He didn’t appear pleased by my response. “Jasper won’t be back. There will be no DNA testing.”
The sigh I released gave me great comfort. “Thank you.”
“When you’re ready to talk to him, let me know.”
“Okay.”
“Come on Claudia, dear, we’ve got to get to town,” Geraldine said as she spun in circles looking for something. “Where is the coat rack? I had one just there by the door. We can’t go out in that weather without our coats, scarves, and hats.” She was getting distressed again.
“Gerry, it’s the end of July and ninety degrees out there. You don’t need a coat, nor do you need to go to town for cider.”
She looked confused. “Oh. I guess I should tell Claudia,” she muttered and turned to walk away. When she turned into the library, Stone shifted his gaze to me. “Claudia passed away of cancer in 1983. She was her younger sister.”
I glanced back at the door she’d disappeared into. “Will she remember that?” I asked him.
“Not until she comes back around. I never remind her that Claudia and Victor are gone when she’s in that state. There’s no point. She remembers a happier time, one she misses.”