Lynch stared at his mother, open mouthed.
“It’s not what I want, it’s not what I’m hoping for,” Raina tried to soften her words, “but what choice will I have? If this ever gets out, we’ll all be done for. You have to make absolutely sure that not a word of this leaves this room, ever!” With that she spun around and dashed to the door. “I have guests to welcome,” she called out over her shoulder. “People have paid thousands of dollars to be at this wedding. Things are going on as normal, or else.”
CHAPTER 7
It was as if the eye of a storm quieted down after Raina left the room. And those remaining were left with all left with the debris that the whirlwind had caused.
“I need to talk to you, Tara,” Lynch said quietly then, reaching out for her.
“Not right now,” Tara began shivering.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you taking it so hard?” Lynch alternated between looking baffled and afraid.
“I need time, Lynch,” Tara answered.
“There’s no time left, we don’t have time,” Lynch replied. “The rehearsal dinner’s tomorrow night.”
Tara put her head in her hands and started sobbing.
“Give me some time alone with her,” Cindy said quietly to Lynch. “Meanwhile you and Mattheus can talk.”
Aldon tapped his foot on the floor hard, at Cindy’s suggestion. “I don’t know exactly what it is that Mattheus would have to say that would make things better,” he said. “Mattheus seems to feel
that it’s perfectly fine to have a secret child you’ve told no one about.”
“It’s not that simple,” said Mattheus, his face growing tight. “I’m saying there are worse things to find out and that misunderstandings can be repaired.”
“Not always,” said Aldon. “Actions can have irreparable consequences.”
Tara looked up and sighed. “Take it easy, dad,” she said.
“I’ve been worried about something like this for a long time,” said Aldon.
At that Tara, grew quieter. Aldon’s statement seemed to jar her. The last thing she wanted to do was go along with him.
“Let Mattheus talk to Lynch,” Tara proclaimed, “let me talk to Cindy. Back off. Give us some time.”
*
Cindy put her arm around Tara and led her to a sofa to sit down and talk. Mattheus took Lynch into the alcove, and Aldon walked out onto the balcony and stared at the sky, alone.
“My father is happy about this,” Tara started, as Cindy sat next to her and took her hand.
“I can’t imagine that he’s happy,” said Cindy.
“He and Lynch’s mother hate each other,” Tara went on. “They made it hard for the two of us in the beginning, but then Raina decided she loved me, and forgot about my dad.”
“He didn’t forget about her, though, did he?” asked Cindy.
“No,” Tara shook her head. “He’s held this crazy vendetta, determined to find out the truth about Lynch. Lynch is a wonderful guy, but my father couldn’t see it.”
“That’s rough,” said Cindy.
“Awful,” Tara went on, “Lynch and I knew he was poking around, investigating Lynch’s background. We didn’t care, though. It didn’t amount to anything. I always thought Lynch was squeaky clean.”
“I don’t know if there’s anyone in the world who’s squeaky clean,” Cindy said slowly. “There’s always a little something, here or there. Life leaves its traces.”
“I realize that, of course,” said Tara, “but something like this!”
Cindy sighed. She couldn’t help but agree. This wasn’t a little something.
“This is huge,” said Tara.
“Yes, it is,” Cindy agreed.
“He lied to me,” Tara was taking it in, turning it over and over in her mind, trying to make it real. “Lynch hid the fact that he had a child.”
“He didn’t think of it as lying,” said Cindy, trying to soften the blow.
“But whether or not he realized it, he lied,” Tara shrugged. “In a way it would be better if he realized it. Otherwise, it could happen again.”
““That’s true, you’re right,” Cindy agreed. “You’re in a rough spot, Tara.”
Tara turned to Cindy point blank. “What would you do?” she asked her.
Cindy was taken aback. “I’m not sure,” she said slowly. It wasn’t up to her to tell Tara what to do.
“Would you go forward with a fake marriage, even though you couldn’t trust your husband?” the words fell off Tara’s lip quickly.
“No, I would not do that,” Cindy was stalwart.
“Then, what would you do?” Tara’s voice grew more strident.
Both of them looked up then, and to their surprise Lynch and Mattheus were walking over to where they were sitting. They’d obviously heard what had been said.
“I would give it time,” Mattheus took it upon himself to answer the question. “I would take a long walk, talk to friends, make an effort to forgive. After all, this is someone you said you loved, isn’t it?”