2000
Two weeks later, Ginny and Tommy talked quietly in their bed, legs tangled loosely. Tommy had been questioned by the police, and later had to feign surprise as they zeroed in on a bigger suspect: Matthew Rockman, who was now behind bars.
“I still can’t believe Matthew Rockman’s in jail!” Ginny told Tommy as they laid there, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Earlier that day, Tommy had told her what he’d learned from the police: that Matthew had apparently had a vendetta from the start and had never gotten over Grizz threatening him and then abducting Ginny. He’d harbored a grudge for a very long time and had used Jan and Froggy to take the focus off of who was secretly going after Grizz. Himself. He manipulated it to look like it was all Blue’s wife’s idea because of the custody battle. It was pretty clever. Or so Matthew thought at the time.
Matthew must have panicked when Jan showed up back in town demanding money.
“I guess Matthew just freaked out and killed her,” Ginny said while resting in the crook of Tommy’s arm.
“I guess he knew he didn’t have enough money to keep Jan quiet forever. She would suck him dry and hold it over his head that all she had to do was tell Blue that Matthew was behind the arrests. He knew he would be killed for his part in taking on the gang, putting Grizz on death row, and sending Blue’s family into Witness Protection.”
She sighed. “All these years and I blamed myself for Grizz’s arrest. I really believed Jan was behind it because she found my wallet. Of course, it looked that way, but Matthew always knew my real name.” She bit her lip. “He really did use Jan well.”
They lay still awhile, listening to the tick of the ceiling fan, the hum of the air conditioner.
He pulled her closer now, whispering, “Ginny, it’s over. Can we really try to put all this behind us now? Can we really start over, sweetheart?” He pulled back so he could look directly into her eyes.
She fiddled with her ring. “But what about Kevin, Tommy? If he’s your son, shouldn’t we acknowledge it or something? I mean, we could do a DNA test to be sure, but I’ve seen his picture. You’re right. There’s no doubt he’s your son. You were super young when you got her pregnant.”
He’d already told her the story about how Jan had forced him. It still made her sick to think about it. That woman had been crazy. And now she was gone.
“Grizz must’ve been super young when he got Candy pregnant with me, too, come to think of it.” Tommy raised an eyebrow and chuckled a little. “Guess it’s in our genes.”
She squeezed his hand. “Sometimes I thought I had a déjà vu about something Jason did or said. I would tell myself that it was probably something you did at his age, but then I would remember that I didn’t know you when you were a little kid. But I knew Kevin. That’s what it was. I remembered Kevin as a boy. Knowing that Kevin is Jason’s older brother, it makes sense now.”
“I’ve talked to Blue about this, Ginny. I want Kevin to be in our lives, and he can be, but I don’t know if it’s necessary to tell him I’m his biological father just yet. Unless there was a medical crisis or something, I don’t see how that would be good for anybody. Blue loves those boys and never stopped looking for them all those years. He was pissed at first until I told him what really happened. He knew his wife. He knew I wasn’t lying about that. He wants to try to start a relationship with them again. He’s not interfering with their lives, but he does want to try to get to know them. We will tell Kevin one day. I just don’t think the time is right. I think we could both benefit from some counseling first. You know, to make sure we’re handling it right. So much has happened in such a short time and I don’t want to jump right in. I know we’re both anxious to get the truth out there and move on from everything that has happened, but we need to consider how it could affect Kevin. We need to know how to approach him.
“You’re right. It’s complicated enough with all of the ramifications of you being Grizz’s son. Hopefully, Kevin will remember us. Maybe we can work our way back into his life when the time is right. I agree. We need to talk to a therapist or someone that can help us.” She paused then. ”Will we ever tell Mimi about her father?”
“I’m her father, Ginny.”
“I know that, Tommy, I mean—”
He cut her off. “I know what you mean. But I don’t want our lives turned into some stupid afternoon talk show where people throw chairs at each other on stage. I know you resent living all of these years with the secrets and the lies.”
“Exactly, Tommy,” she said, sitting up and turning to look at him. “And I don’t want that for Mimi.”
“Neither do I.” He sighed. “We’ll tell her. She needs to know. Has the right to know. This is something else we can talk to a therapist about. She’s my daughter. I’m not going to risk losing her, Gin. But I want to make sure we handle it right. We’ll tell her, but only after seeking counseling. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” She nodded and lay back against his shoulder.
“In the meantime, how about a getaway?” he asked.
“Just the two of us?”
“As much as I would love to do nothing but make love with my wife for a week on a tropical island, I know the kids have felt neglected this past month. Staying overnight with friends, both of us coming and going as we tried to sort through all of this. I want my family back. How about a cruise with that big mouse? The one with the high-pitched voice,” he teased.
She grinned. “That sounds good, Tommy. Maybe I can get us booked before school starts again so they won’t have to miss any days so early in the new school year.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He reached over to turn off the lamp on his nightstand.
She turned to him in the darkness. Slowly, she began kissing his neck, then made her way over until she found his lips. Her hand made its way down his stomach. It was the first time they’d made love since before Grizz’s execution.
“I’ve missed you, Tommy,” she said as her hand found his erection.
It was obvious he missed her, too.
Tommy deepened the kiss, then quickly flipped Ginny onto her back, kissing his way down her neck, her breasts, her smooth, flat belly.
He swallowed back nausea as he blocked out what he knew. He’d have to act like everything was okay. It was a good thing his dick was cooperating. He was getting ready to go down on his wife, and the thought of it made him want to vomit.