Chapter Seventeen

 

The ringing phone had Ric sitting up, squinting at the clock. It was a quarter-past-one in the morning. Not wanting to take a chance to miss a call from Katie, he sprinted across the room, hitting his shin on the edge of the bed, in the process. He looked at the screen and answered when he saw his sister’s picture on the screen.

 

“Hello,” he cleared his throat.

 

“Ric,” his sister’s voice sounded small.

 

“Katie, my god. I’ve been so worried. Where are you?”

 

“Is it true?” She sounded like she’d been crying. Obviously she’d heard the news.

 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect you to find out like this. Who told you?”

 

“Mom called me,” he heard her sniffle.

 

“Have you talked to Dad yet?” When she heard the word “Dad” she’d laughed. “Katie, he’s still your father. I’m still your brother. He loves you, I love you.”

 

“Ric, I don’t know what to do, what to say. I can’t talk to him right now, and I won’t talk to her.”

 

“Where are you?” he asked again.

 

“At a friend’s. I’m going to drop off for a while. I need to settle some things.”

 

“Why don’t I…”

 

“No, Ric. I just need some time. I’ll call you when I can.” It was quiet, Ric waited. “I’m glad you’re okay, I’m sorry about your apartment. You scared me, don’t do it again. I love you, Ric.” He heard the click and just continued to hold the phone to his ear as he stared out into the darkness outside the cabin windows.

 

How could his mother do this? Why would she do something so mean as to tell her over the phone. Did she have no heart? He tossed the phone across the room.

 

He felt Roberta’s arms wrap around him from behind.

 

“She told her over the phone,” the more he thought about it the more angrier he got. “She couldn’t even face her when she ripped out her heart. Just like she did my father, like me,” he spun around, “What kind of heartless bitch tells her daughter she has a different father than the man who raised her, loved her as his own, over the phone?” He paced the small room as she watched him in silence.

 

“Maybe it is better to not get involved with someone. After all, my father gave over thirty years to her. Twenty-six of them, she spent lying to him and married to another man across the world, while raising another family.” He wanted to punch something.

 

“Ric,”

 

“Don’t!” he turned, she didn’t back down from his anger, she had told him where she’d come from. The years of abuse from her father. He thought she would flinch when he approached her, instead she stood tall and didn’t even blink. Which made him want her even more, then he yanked her off her feet and the kiss was hard and hot. He wanted her hot, fast, and hard. He needed it.

 

He knew he bruised her lips under his own. He’d fisted his hands in her hair and yanked her head back, exposing her neck. Running his mouth down, he nibbled and sucked harder than he’d meant. The pain in his heart reflected in his actions. When she moaned and pushed her hands into his hair, he spun her around and shoved her up against the wall. He didn’t want her to want him. He wanted to fill his need, only his need.

 

How could he know by taking his pleasure, he’d be giving it to her in return? It was primal, something inside him called to take what he wanted, quickly.

 

He yanked her night shorts down and had his fingers deep inside her, more roughly than he’d expected. She moaned and leaned her forehead against the wall, placing both her hands on the wall and when he pushed her faster, farther she tossed her head back on a moan.

 

Then he moved her legs farther apart, moving her farther against the wall, trapping her hands between her. Using his feet, he spread her legs even wider and entered her fast. His long, hard thrusts matched his tension and desires. He kissed the back of her neck and lightly bit her ear, causing her to almost scream in delight. Letting loose his control, he kept the speed fast and the thrusts long and hard as he took her quickly against the wall. Her hair fisted in his hands as he ravished her neck and listened to her moaning his name.

 

He’d built himself up so tight that when he did come, he’d growled out her name and felt his legs weaken.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said into her hair a few minutes after he’d gained control of himself again. He held her up against the wall, not wanting to move. He was afraid of what he’d see in her face. Had he hurt her? He could feel her breathing hard against his chest.

 

Turning in his arms, she looked at him and saw what he’d been trying to hide from her.

 

“Don’t,” she grabbed his face and held it so he looked at her. “If I didn’t want to be up against the wall, I wouldn’t have been. I can take care of myself Ric, I’m not some fragile flower who doesn’t want hot, fast sex, standing up.”

 

He laughed and pulled her closer, smelling her hair.

 

“Regardless, I should have gotten myself under control first.”

 

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she whispered into his ear, “you can lose control like that on me any day.”

 

The next few days were a blur, they walked on the beach, ate dinner either at the cabin or at Megan’s house. Once, they’d taken a walk down the beach all the way to Allison and Iian’s house. Which was triple the size of Megan and Todd’s place.

 

Roberta was beginning to think everyone lived the high-life in this small town. Allison had shown Ric some of her latest paintings in her large studio room, and they’d ended up talking shop for several hours while little Conner had napped. She enjoyed this side of Ric, he seemed more relaxed talking shop with Allison. He’d quickly marked the paintings he’d wanted her to ship to his offices and Roberta had to say, he’d picked almost everything. There had been a small piece she’d seen leaning against the wall that caught her eye. She’d been studying it when Allison had walked up behind her.

 

“He makes for a good subject doesn’t he?” Rob had jumped, not knowing Allison had been behind her.

 

“Hmm,” she tilted her head and studied it further.

 

“You can have it if you want,” Allison walked over and handed her the small sketch.

 

“Oh, no, I couldn’t.”

 

“Please, consider it a gift for saving my friend’s life.” Rob looked into Allison’s eyes and saw the kindness there.

 

Looking down at the sketch of Ric, she held out her hands and Allison placed the small picture in them.

 

“I’ve got the perfect frame,” she rushed to the other side of the room, “Here it is.” Walking back, she took the sketch and put it inside the black matted frame which enhanced the drawing.

 

Looking around the room, she noticed Ric smiling back at her.

 

“Thank you, now I have something to throw darts at when he acts up.” Everyone laughed.

 

“What do you want to do today?” Ric asked. They were sitting on the front deck eating their breakfast of home-made cinnamon rolls which Lacey had delivered less than a half-an-hour ago. They sat on the deck and watched the summer rain pelting down on the beach.

 

She’d been thinking about it for a few days. It was only a short three hour drive, they could be back just after dark. But, she hadn’t mentioned it to him out of fear. Fear that he’d talk her into visiting her grandparents and the possibility of meeting her mother.

 

“I know it’s far-fetched, but I’ve thought about driving into Cathlamet, Washington to go by where my grandparents had lived. Maybe see if I can find them. I have the address listed when I was abducted by my father, but I’m not sure if they still live…”

 

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. I’d love to go for a drive.” He smiled over at her and took her hand in his.

 

They packed up some sandwiches for the drive and after checking herself in the mirror at least three times, she decided she looked well enough for the possibility of meeting her family. People she had never known, and who had no idea that today, their lives might change so drastically.

 

The three hour drive was peaceful, the summer rain had let up just as they hit Astoria. They stopped in a large park along the water’s edge and ate their packed lunches. Ric tossed a few bread crumbs to some seagulls, which only caused a huge surge of new birds to flock in their direction. Rob snapped a picture of him with her cell phone as he was laughing at a bird taking a potato chip from his fingers.

 

When he started to drive across the Astoria bridge, she could see his knuckles whiten from the death grip on the steering wheel.

 

“Afraid of bridges?” she joked.

 

“No, just heights.”

 

She laughed again, “Afraid of heights? A man who had an apartment on the twentieth floor is afraid of heights.” She saw him relax a little when the bridge dipped down to water level.

 

An hour later they rolled into the small town of Cathlamet. It, like Pride, sat on the waterfront, but instead of the Pacific, the wide, busy Columbia river was its port.

 

“Here’s the address, it shouldn’t be too hard to find.” She could feel the nerves building in her. Only once in her life had she felt this nervous. When her father had died, she had a full-on panic attack not knowing what was going to happen to her.

 

They drove through the small town, past quaint rows of houses. Ric turned onto the street and immediately they started climbing up a steep hill, and followed the winding road until they came to a cluster of houses. He slowed down and when she spotted the number, she held her breath as he came to a stop in front of the small wood framed house with a red roof.

 

There were potted plants on the small front porch, so many, that it looked like a jungle. Flowers of every color bloomed in the warm summer sun. A Welcome sign hung on the front glassed door. The yard was well maintained and she could tell that whoever lived here took care of the place.

 

“Well?” Ric leaned over and brushed her hair back.

 

“Yeah, well.” Taking a deep breath, she started to open her door.

 

They walked up the sidewalk in silence and it took ringing the door twice to finally get a response.

“Coming,” she heard a woman’s voice from the back of the house.

 

Through the glass, she could see a woman who appeared in her late sixties walking towards them. She was wiping her hands on a dish towel and looking at them cautiously.

 

When she opened the door, her eyes were on Ric, but when she started speaking she looked over to Rob.

 

“Can I help yo…” She broke off mid-word, her hand went to her heart and for a minute, Rob was concerned she’d just had a stroke. Her face went white, her eyes blinked several times, and her chin fell opened.

 

Ric stepped in and gently took the woman’s arm. “Here now, are you alright?” he started to walk the woman to a large chair that sat in the front room. The woman kept her eyes focused on Rob’s face.

 

“Do you want some water?” Ric was leaning over the woman who was now sitting in the chair, her hands still clinched the towel over her heart.

“Who?” she looked at Ric briefly, “Who are you?”

 

“I’m Roberta Stanton, this is Ric Derby. I’m sorry to bother you ma’am. May I sit?” Rob’s hands were sweaty. When the woman nodded, Rob took a seat across the room and Ric walked over and sat next to her, taking her hand in his.

 

“Stanton, Stanton. Your father, was he…” Rob could see the wheels turning.

 

“My father’s name was Robert Stanton. At least, that’s the name he went by. Are you Eliza Catalonia?”

 

Rob could see some similarities, but she wanted to make sure. Needed the confirmation.

 

“How old are you?” the woman asked, not answering her question.

 

“I’ll be twenty-eight in October.”

 

Upon this news, the woman’s face lit up and tears started slowly flowing down her checks.

 

“You’re Ruth Ann aren’t you?”

 

Ruth Ann, the name was so wholesome sounding to Rob. She couldn’t imagine what her life would have been like as Ruth Ann.

 

“I believe so, yes.”