Chapter 6

 

Helen reached over, gently grasping her granddaughter’s hand. She planted a smile on her lips as Hailey looked up at her questioningly. The car had just pulled up outside the restaurant and she wanted to make sure all went as planned. The only reason she was doing this was because the child threw a tantrum to see her mother.

“Now, Hailey, remember what we talked about?” Hailey nodded. “You must be on your best behavior today. Eat your lunch and never tell your mommy what we talked about, or the judge won’t let you see her again.”

Fear crossed the child’s face and she sank back into the seat, subdued. “Yes, grandma.” Her voice was barely audible.

Helen refused to feel guilty for manipulating her grandchild. In her mind, she was doing it in the child’s best interest. She let go of Hailey’s hand briefly to exit the vehicle, but as soon as the child was out, she gripped her hand once more. Like a loving grandmother, Helen led Hailey into the building.

Soft classical music played from hidden speakers inside the restaurant. Although most of the tables were occupied, the place was quiet as people spoke in hushed tones. This was what Helen liked the most about the restaurants she visited. She hated loud places, especially those where food was served. She believed in eating in a relaxing setting.

A Maître D’ approached with a smile. “Welcome, Madam Broderick.”

At Chez Marion, the Brodericks had a standing reservation. Most other people would need to book their table at least a week in advance. Helen hated the inconvenience of not being able to dine at her own whim. This was ideal.

“Hello, Jacques.”

“Table for two?” the man asked, looking from her to Hailey.

“Make it three…” Helen began but someone moving up behind her said differently.

“Make it four,” came a familiar voice.

Hailey broke free and ran towards the voice. “Mommy!”

“Honey, Mommy is so happy to see you,” Kristen said as Hailey flung her arms around her mother’s neck. “I Missed my little pumpkin.”

“I miss you, mommy,” Hailey replied, looking up at Helen.

Helen’s face tightened as she glared at mother and daughter.

Jacques' eyes widened as they set upon Kristen as she engulfed Hailey in her arms. A broad smile presented on his face as his delight at seeing her became evident. “Miss Kristen, a pleasure to see you,” Jacques said, ignoring Helen’s cutting look. Jacques shifted his gaze beyond Kristen and gave a little salute.

Helen’s face froze as she followed the Maître D’s eyes to rest upon the man standing behind Kristen. What was he doing there? She looked from one to the other, then settled on Ethan. Her face softened for just a moment but hardened when she looked back at Kristen.

“Table for four,” Helen told Jacques, her voice tight.

The Maître D’ moved quickly and they followed. Helen felt flushed. Her mind began to focus on her son and her daughter-in-law, wondering what Kristen was up to. Why did she bring Ethan? Was she hoping Ethan would reason on her behalf? The tension in her body made her walk stiffly to their table. By clenching her teeth together, she almost cracked her crown. Whatever Kristen was up to, she would not get away with it.

Jacques saw to it that all four were seated and then disappeared for a while. Hailey took the seat between Kristen and Helen, while Ethan sat between Kristen and his mother. It was the perfect seating arrangement for all four.

Helen sat stiffly in her chair as she watched Ethan, her younger son as he made faces at Hailey across the table. The child giggled with delight. Helen never saw Hailey laugh this way at the mansion, but she was determined to change that. She would make sure the child wanted for nothing. If necessary, she would get her a playmate to keep her company.

She wanted to ask Ethan about his life, what he was now doing since returning from the Navy, but that would make things awkward. Their relationship had fallen apart a long time ago when he refused to work in the family business. Helen and Harold had groomed both their sons to take over Oaklum Industries. With several branches all over the country, one in Canada and another in Europe, they had hoped that both sons would share the responsibility equally. Coming back to the present, she curled her lips at the corners, though rather painstakingly so that Hailey wouldn’t see her displeasure.

Shortly, a server approached the table with a notebook. The young woman seemed new as Helen had never seen her before. The girl smiled politely before settling her eyes on Ethan. Helen watched with slight amusement at the young woman’s appraisal of her son. With a smile, she picked up her menu and motioned those at the table to do the same.

“I will have whatever my pumpkin here is having,” Kristen said, giggling with Hailey.

Helen’s head snapped up, giving her a pointed look. “I already ordered meatballs and spaghetti for her.”

“I will have the same,” Kristen insisted.

“Very well,” Helen relented. “What about you Ethan?”

“I’ll have the same,” he grinned.

Helen’s ears burned as blood rushed to her neck and face. This was Kristen’s doing. She brought Ethan along not to plead with, but rather to aggravate her.

“I’ll have the seared salmon with artichokes,” she told the server.

 

While on her way to the restaurant, Kristen had doubted she made a wise choice in insisting that Ethan tags along. Now she was certain that decision was genius. Helen was about to blow a fuse. Kristen wasn’t sure how long her mother-in-law would take before she snapped.

They finished their meal, which Kristen, Ethan, and Hailey enjoyed. But Helen’s salmon was barely touched. They’d had their desert, a nice helping of chocolate cake, when Kristen made the announcement.

“Hailey, you love Uncle Ethan, don’t you?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“I know you Miss Daddy, but you know he isn’t coming back, right?”

Hailey shook her little blond brown curls, her hazel eyes gazing up at her.

“How would you like Uncle Ethan to become your Daddy?”

Helen, who was sipping her water snapped the glass onto the table and coughed loudly. Apparently, the water went to the wrong passage.

“Yay! That means I can come home!” cried Hailey.

“As soon as the judge says so, honey,” said Kristen. “We have to get married first and as soon as the judge agrees, then I will bring you home.”

“Can I call Uncle Ethan Daddy now?”

Kristen blushed wickedly from the question. Her heart pounded erratically as her daughter was obviously eager to call Ethan her father. “Sure…” Her voice shook a little and she hoped that neither Ethan nor Helen would notice.

“This can’t be happening,” Helen spat. “First, you took Andrew away from us, and now my younger son. No, this wedding will not take place.”

“Am I really your son?” Ethan asked, surprising Kristen. Helene’s eyes bulged. “You told me I was no longer your son when I refused to join the company. You and father disinherited me. Remember that document you had me sign?”

“That was a long time ago. Now you’re home…”

“No mother, you don’t get to decide whom I marry.”

Helen’s mouth hung before she blinked and swallowed. Kristen knew there was bad blood between Ethan and his parents, but she had no idea how bad it was. Andrew had told her about Ethan signing over his birthright. All this time she thought Andrew was referring to the biblical reference because Ethan refused to join the company. Instead, he chose the Navy. Helen’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“What is it about this particular woman that has you both smitten? Her beauty, her body?”

“Her beauty far extends the physical, mother, something you seem to lack these days,” Ethan told her.

That couldn’t have been nice for Helen to hear. Kristen did not wish to add fuel to fire, nor did she wish for Ethan to speak to his mother badly on her behalf. “Ethan, no,” she softly scolded.

“You stay out of this,” Helen snapped at her. “This is between me and my son.”

“I’m only your son when it suits you. Well,” he said as he stood. “What I do is not your concern. Shall we go, Kristen?”

“You’re not going even ask about your father?” Helen asked, her face hopeful.

“Kristen, let’s go,” Ethan insisted.

“Mommy, please don’t go,” Hailey grabbed her hand.

Helen rested a hand on Hailey’s shoulder. “Your mommy has to go now, Hailey. Remember what we talked about?”

The little girl withdrew her hand, her eyes becoming sad. “Yes, grandma,” she said.

“What did you say to her?” Kristen asked. “Hailey, what did your grandma say to you?”

“I explained to her that she will be living with me for a long time and she should learn to accept that fact.”

“No, you’re lying. I know my daughter more than you do. If I find that you have threatened her in any way, shape, or form, you will regret this.”

“Is that a threat?”

Kristen stood. “It’s a warning,” she replied, bending to kiss her daughter. “Now sweetheart, I will see you soon, OK? Kiss Grandpa Harold for me. As soon as the judge says so, you will get to come home. Oh, I almost forgot…” She reached into her handbag and pulled out Mr. Carrot Top. Hesitantly, Hailey took the toy and hugged it. Kristen kissed her once more before following Ethan out of the restaurant.

Helen’s eyes followed them out, her face like stone.

Kristen’s heart ached from leaving her daughter behind. Even though she didn’t trust Helen, she never once believed the woman would do any harm to Hailey. However, she was curious about what went on in the Broderick Mansion. It was imperative that she marry Ethan soon in order to get her daughter back.

A small twinge of fear found its way into her thoughts. Her doubts about agreeing to this marriage were surfacing. What if Ethan’s problem would affect her case? The last thing she wanted was for Ethan’s potential psychological problems to interfere with her getting back her daughter. The best thing to do was to keep his meeting with the psychiatrist secret. Many people went to therapists, even Helen had her own shrink. There was nothing wrong with him seeing one, but she wasn’t sure if he needed something greater than counseling.

On her way back home, she gave the matter some serious thought. She’d given Ethan her car keys and allowed him to drive to the restaurant. He assumed the role once more and took the wheel again. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he steered the vehicle.

As she watched him, her mind flicked back ten years to when they just met. It was Ethan whom she met first, but he was never interested in settling down or having a serious relationship. They’d gone on three dates. The chemistry had been off the chains, but she needed more than what Ethen had to offer. He wasn’t the settling down kind and she needed a solid relationship. When she saw him with another girl smooching in the theater, she decided that she would never go out with him again.

She’d met Andrew a year later and quickly hit it off. At the time, she had no idea that he was Ethan’s brother, as he using the name Broderick and Ethan, to everyone, was Ethan Brody. Imagine her surprise when she met him at her own wedding.

They remained civil, even friendly. However, what happened after her marriage caused a rift between them. That incident hurt her more than anything did. Even the memory of it brought a sharp pain to her chest. Shaking her head, she pushed it aside and concentrated on what would happen next. A wedding needed to be planned.