Her eyes went wide. “You knew about the pills? How?”
“I found them the day I talked to Lenny Renquest. I met with him to invite him to the dedication of his daughter’s park. Only to find out he wasn’t Abby’s father. I went home and looked through your shoebox, hoping to find proof that Van was her father.”
Christy gasped, but he kept talking.
“I found six months of pills at the bottom of the box. And I don’t regret for one single second that I snuck one of them to a friend who deals in pharmaceuticals. He was able to replicate your exact pill packages using placebos. I swapped them all out with the fake ones.”
“I suppose I deserved that,” she said quietly.
“And again, I can’t figure out why. Are you going to tell me or keep me in the dark for another three years?”
She stood abruptly and looked down at him.
“Why?” she screamed. “You want to know why? How about because you were right? You were right when you guessed that Van sexually abused me. Repeatedly. My father was my daughter’s father. Do you know how screwed up that sentence is? Do you think that’s something I would want to admit to the man I love?”
Christy’s face was turning red and her hands were balled into fists at her sides.
Let it all out, Owani, he thought. Let it out, baby.
“And can you blame me for not wanting to get pregnant? Not wanting to marry you? I couldn’t risk having another baby that might, that might…” She held up a finger. “One. Die of a serious illness. I can’t lose another child, Anthony. I couldn’t bear for you to go through what I went through when Abby died. It’s a pain you never recover from. There’s no guarantee that our child wouldn’t have the same illness that took Abby’s life.” She then held up a second finger. “Or, two. Give birth to a child who inherits its grandfather’s gene for perversion? The thought of passing any form of Van, or even Vivian, down to a child is revolting. It’s in our family’s blood, Anthony.”
She waited for a reaction from him and braced herself for the revulsion and judgment he wouldn't be able to disguise. All she got was a faint nod that urged her to continue. She was certain that when she revealed the rest, she would be saying goodbye to a future with Anthony Bear. She inhaled deeply, allowing the salty ocean air to fill up her lungs. Releasing a tortured sigh, she continued, "It's not only that I gave birth to my sister. It's so much more than that, Anthony. You have no idea."
Knowing that she couldn’t bear the disgust she would read in his expression, she averted her eyes away from his and shared the rest of her story. She didn't give him time to react as she continued, torment in her voice, "So you see it's not just about Abby. And before you ask me how I know it's true, I heard my grandmother arguing about it with Van." She kicked at the sand and continued, "I was just a kid and I don't know how I ended up at the dealership that day, but a storm broke out and I hid in the closet in Van's office."
“I know, Christy. I know.” He reached for her then and pulled her down onto his lap. “But it still doesn’t explain why you won’t marry me. You could’ve married me and still hid the birth control pills from me.”
She looked up at him with tear-stained cheeks. Shaking her head slowly, she told him, “For no other reason than to give you an easy out when you figured out how screwed up I am. I almost left again after you asked if Van was Abby's father, but you seemed to believe the story I told about Lenny.” She swiped her arm across her face. “I knew you would eventually find all of this out and that I was living out my days with you on borrowed time. I was making it easy on you for when this day came. No messy divorce.”
“Except that you were wrong. There isn’t anything you could tell me that would make me love you less. Not a thing, Christy.”
“You said you already knew.” She hiccuped. “Did Kit tell you?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I paid a visit to an old friend. Someone who’s been around since the beginning. Valerie retired, but she decided to stay in Florida.”
“Valerie?” Christy asked.
“Your grandmother’s administrative assistant,” he quickly added.
“I know who she is, Anthony. I’m just surprised you went to see her.” She glanced toward the ocean, purposely avoiding his eyes. “So, what did she tell you that even I don’t know?” she asked. Her chest ached from crying and her voice came out weak and laced with defeat.
“Everything, Owani.” He paused, and turned her chin upward. Gazing into her eyes, he told her, “She told me everything.”
Chapter Fifty
Naples, Florida 1982
“He is the most beautiful baby I’ve ever laid eyes on. And I can’t figure out who he favors.”
Kit was sitting in a chair next to Christy’s hospital bed. Cradling the newborn to her chest, she smiled up at Christy. “His eyes aren’t blue or brown. I think they’re light gray.”
Christy grinned down at her friend. “I didn’t think he was ever going to come out, Kit. I was worried he was going to get stuck in my birth canal. He’s gigantic.”
“Exactly like his father,” Kit laughed. “Don’t think I haven’t considered the possibility of having some gargantuan babies of my own one day.” Kit’s husband, Grizz, was an inch shorter than Anthony’s six foot six, and just as wide. “Now that I’ve finished up my degree, we’re trying to get pregnant.”
Christy’s eyes shone with excitement. “Oh, I hope it happens soon. Our children could be friends!”
“That would be nice,” Kit told her as she stood up. “I love his name, Christy. It’s so unique and special.” She placed the infant in Christy’s waiting arms. “Slade suits him perfectly.” Kit had been staring at the newborn when her eyes fell on Christy’s left hand. “And marriage suits you as much as motherhood.”
Christy responded with a wide smile.
Kit excused herself to use the restroom leaving Christy alone with her newborn and her thoughts.
Yes, it does, Christy thought dreamily as she reflected on Kit’s last comment. She thought back to their hasty nuptials. Once she’d agreed to marry Anthony he’d wanted to give her a wedding that every woman would dream of, but she insisted on a quick and private ceremony. She’d already made him wait long enough for her and so they were married at the courthouse by a justice of the peace. Their first picks to act as witnesses would’ve been Nisha and Alexander, but they both knew that was impossible. Christy slowly shook her head as she thought about the life Nisha and Alexander had chosen and even though she couldn’t see her straight-laced, Christian sister-in-law opting for that kind of life, it was proof that perhaps at the end of the day, love does conquer all.