CHAPTER SIX

Chloe was packed and ready to leave for New York by seven a.m. She had coffee with Lexi before she headed out to attend some function or other in preparations for her sister’s wedding. She would also be spending the weekend with her family. She found Lexi to be so supportive since she told her about everything that’s been going on. She was so grateful to have such good people in her life.

Roxi checked on her routinely as well and Chloe knew that if she went to either of them for anything, they would be there for her. Having so many people in her corner was new to her. For so long, she only had Chantelle and herself. She only prayed that none of the rest of them would have to pay the same kind of price for their kindness as poor Chantelle had.

She went into her room and took out her journal. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she began to write.

July 21

Well, today is the day. Derek will be here in an hour or so and we will be heading up to see the Whitemore’s and find out if I am their daughter. I'm happy to be going with Derek and having the time with the Whitemore’s no matter what the DNA test tells us. They are good people, and there is no one that I’d rather spend the weekend with than Derek. It’s a good day. But it’s an anxious one as well. I try and tell myself that the anxiety is unwarranted. If it turns out that I’m not their child…I’m still the same person I was before, right? If it turns out that I am…well, that will be an entirely new experience for me. I’ve never had parents that I looked forward to spending time with, or that looked forward to spending time with me. I fear a lot of things. I fear that it will be more pressure than I am willing or able to handle. I’m not used to having the obligations of family. Will I measure up? Will I even want to? I also fear disappointing them. What if they want to compare me with the daughter they knew…the one they raised?

Derek says we’re very different. Will that be a problem for them? I suppose this challenge is just like the others that I’ve had to face in my life. One thing that I’ve learned is that stepping up to a challenge and dealing with it head-on is less stress-provoking than spending days and hours thinking and wondering about it. So, whether or not the weekend ends with me having parents again…real parents, I intend on facing it head-on and trying to enjoy the simple but important fact that I have these amazing people in my life regardless. Because of that, I am finally blessed.

Derek arrived right on time and as soon as they stepped out the front door, she let out a low whistle. “Nice car,” she said.

Derek grinned. “She’s my new baby,” he said.

“She’s beautiful. I think I may be jealous.”

“Of her or me?” he asked, still smiling.

“Both. What is it a ’65?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. She’s a 1965 Chevy Corvette Roadster in pristine condition. Do you know cars?” he asked as he put her things in the trunk.

“No not really,” she said. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell him how she knew about cars or not. He was looking at her curiously and she finally answered. “When I was a kid, I loved to read. I would read anything I could get my hands on. It was an escape for me. One time when I was desperate for an escape, I read one of my father’s car and driver magazines. I got hooked on them. So, I know what Car and Driver taught me, I guess. I only remember the ones I really loved, like this one.”

“I love her too,” he said with a smile. “It’s another thing we have in common.”

They got into the little sports car and with the top down they began the three hour ride to New York. They drove along the coastline and Chloe took in the beauty of it as they passed. The ocean stretched out in all directions and the rays of the warm, morning sun scattered like diamonds across its surface.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Derek said. “These were the kind of days I loved when I was a kid. My brother and I spent a lot of time out on Long Island with my cousins at the beach during the summer.”

“Your brother’s an attorney like your Dad?”

“Yeah, Jake is a rising star at the firm. I hardly even see him anymore.”

“He’s older than you?”

“Two years, yes, he’s thirty-three.”

“Were you two close growing up?”

“We were, yes. I had my issues in high school and Jake had a steady girlfriend, so that was when we stopped really doing everything together. Before that, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t get away from me. I followed him everywhere.”

Chloe smiled. “I’ve always wondered what that would be like.”

“To follow Jake everywhere?”

Chloe looked at him and smiled. “Well, I don’t know. Is he as hot as you?”

Derek laughed. She loved the sound of it. “Some might say hotter,” he said.

It was Chloe’s turn to laugh. “Unless he was created on Mount Olympus by Zeus himself, I cannot imagine that is even remotely true.”

He glanced back over at her and his crystal blue eyes twinkled before he quickly put them back on the road. He was a really cautious driver and Chloe thought about how traumatized he must have been after Sarah was killed. She wondered how he’d ever been able to get behind the wheel of a car again.

“Jake is smart, good-looking, rich, sophisticated and he’s really one of the kindest people I know. He has a really big heart. But, when it comes to women, he has the worst taste. He seems to attract the gold digger types. They use him for what they can get and toss him aside. His self-confidence has taken a beating over the past several years.”

“So why do you hardly ever see him? It sounds like you miss him.”

“I do. But he’s given up women again,” Derek told her with a grin. “He’s on a work kick now. You have to make an appointment and pay him a retainer to see you.”

“Maybe if you weren’t so busy dealing with my drama, you’d have time to make that appointment.”

He glanced at her again and then all of a sudden he pulled the little sports car over to the side of the road and turned towards her. “You do know that none of this so-called “drama” is your fault, right?”

“I can hardly deny some accountability,” she said.

“You didn’t ask to be stolen at birth; you didn’t ask to be abused as a child. You didn’t ask to be abused as an adult and, you didn’t ask to be stalked by the likes of Jesse Donovan!”

“I know all of that, Derek. I really do. I just can’t stop thinking about poor Chantelle and how she’s in a hospital in so much pain because she chose to help me. It makes me worry about the rest of you…you most especially.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me, Chloe.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” She said. “If I didn’t know what a pussy Jesse is and I thought he’d face you head on, man to man, I wouldn’t worry. I have no doubt that you could take him. But he won’t come at you that way. He’s an animal, but he’s a smart animal. I worry that the more people I involve in this little circle of mine, the more victims I create for him.”

“That’s how you have to stop thinking of it, Chloe. You’re not creating victims. Jesse is. You are not now, nor have you ever been responsible for his actions. I know you know that.”

She nodded. “I do, most of the time,” she said. “The anxiety gets the best of me sometimes and tries to take hold of my thoughts.”

“Don’t let it,” he said, “Simple as that.” Then he grinned to let her know that he was only trying to lighten her mood. God, she loved that grin. He was ridiculously gorgeous.

“Simple,” she said, smiling back. “Let’s get this show back on the road.”

**

Samantha was waiting for them at the door when they got to the Whitemore’s home. She looked pretty, as usual, in a peach colored sundress with her blonde hair shining in the sun. They both looked amazing for their age. She smiled brightly as they came up the walk, hugging Derek and then Chloe.

Samantha stopped before she completely pulled away from Chloe and put her soft hand on the side of her face and said, “We’re so happy you’re here.”

Trevor gave Derek’s arm a squeeze then and said, “Yes we are, but why don’t we let them in Sam?”

The older woman laughed and stepped back so that they could come inside. As she led them into the front room, Trevor looked at Derek and said, “Do you want me to help you get the bags out of the car?”

Derek looked at Chloe to make sure she was okay with him leaving her alone with Samantha. Chloe smiled and gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

“Sure Trevor, I’d appreciate it.”

“Chloe, please sit down,” Samantha told her. “Can I get you something to drink? You’ve had a long drive up, are you hungry?”

Chloe sat down and with a smile, she said, “No thank you, I had breakfast right before we left and Derek stopped for coffee on the way out too, so I’m good.”

“Good, lunch is ready to go other than grilling the hamburgers and hot dogs, but Trevor just lit the barbecue so that won’t take too long.”

Samantha was still on her feet and Chloe could almost feel the anxiety flowing out of her. “Samantha, why don’t you sit down with me?”

Samantha smiled nervously and took a seat across from her. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I’ve tried to talk myself out of this anxiety all morning.”

“I know. I’ve been feeling the same way.”

Samantha looked at her for several seconds and then she said, “Do you know why I’m so nervous?”

“You’re worried about the DNA results?”

“Yes, but the truth is I don’t care what the results say…Well, that’s not really accurate either. I do care, as in I’m hoping that you’re our biological child. But I’ve already got it in my head that you’re family and if you’re not biologically related to us…I just hope you feel the same way. I’m worried most that we won’t have you in our lives any longer. I’m afraid we’ll lose you before we even have the chance to know you.”

She had tears building up in her eyes. Chloe couldn’t imagine the kind of loss that these two people had dealt with. She was touched that they already thought of her as family and she told her so.

“It means a lot to me how welcome you and Trevor have made me feel here. If this DNA test doesn’t prove that we’re related, I would still be honored to have the two of you as friends.”

Samantha got up and sat next to her on the couch. She hugged Chloe again. Chloe was trying not to stiffen her muscles. The physical contact was still strange for her and not extremely comfortable. She even had to fight through it with Derek sometimes. But at the same time, it was nice. It was nice to have people in her life that she felt safe with. She felt safe here.

“You’re not fawning all over her are you, Sam?”

The men had walked through once already, but they took the bags to the guest rooms straight away, looking like they didn’t want to interrupt the conversation. When they came back in, Samantha had Chloe in her arms. Trevor’s voice was light, but when Chloe looked up at him, she could see in his eyes that he was worried about his wife. As hard as this was for her, she could only imagine how much harder it must be for them.

“She’s fine,” Chloe said with a smile. “She’s making me feel welcome.”

“Speaking of,” Samantha said, “Come with me and let me show you your room.” Chloe got up and Samantha led her down the hall to the room where she would be staying. “This guest room connects with Derek’s room through the bathroom there. The sheets are fresh and the linen cabinet is stocked but if there’s anything else you need…”

“Samantha,” Chloe said, softly. The poor woman looked like she was about to explode. “It’s all lovely. Thank you. Maybe we should just open the envelope now so that you all of us don’t have to spend too much more time thinking about it.”

Samantha sucked a deep breath in and then held a trembling hand out to Chloe. Chloe took it and Samantha said, “I think that’s the best idea that I’ve heard in a long time.”