Let Your Heart Hold Fast
Chapter 2
Warning: Just so you know, there is a very minor scene of spanking in this chapter.
Throughout the next couple of months, Elizabeth tried to engineer another meeting that would bring her face to face with Neal. She didn't know exactly what it was about the young boy that made her feel the way she felt, she just knew that she couldn't stop thinking of him.
Peter was growing more and more concerned by the day, realizing that his wife was consumed with what he felt was an unhealthy obsession. In his heart of hearts, he worried about the fragility of Elizabeth's psyche, after everything she had been through.
Peter and Elizabeth hadn't consciously waited to have children. It was just something that had happened as they both worked hard to get their respected careers started. Before they knew it, years had gone by with it still being just the two of them. Eventually, all of Elizabeth's friends had started their own families, and Elizabeth finally realized that she was ready to be a mother.
After almost two years of trying, Elizabeth finally became pregnant, something that made Peter happier and more terrified than he had ever been. He doted on his wife, as much as she would let him, and the two of them found great joy in the knowledge that the life they had created was growing in Elizabeth.
Everything was going great until halfway through the fifth month of her pregnancy, when Elizabeth was in a pretty severe car accident. Peter would never forget getting the phone call that told him that his wife was in the hospital. Once he had gotten there, she was already in surgery, and Peter found himself pacing the floor, waiting to hear news of his family.
The news he received was devastating. When the surgeon came out, Peter could tell by the look on his face that things would never be the same again. The doctor explained to him that his wife had lost the baby and had also had to undergo a hysterectomy, cementing the fact that they would never have children of their own. Elizabeth had done well with the surgery, but Peter knew that the impact of this accident and its fallout could shatter her completely.
The doctor offered to inform Elizabeth of what had happened, but Peter knew that he had to be the one to tell her. It was definitely the hardest thing he had ever had to do. The nurses were wonderful through everything and Peter and Elizabeth were even allowed to spend some precious time with their beautiful baby, a little boy they decided to name after both of their grandfathers. As they stared into the perfect little face of their son, Jackson Louis Burke, their hearts shattered with the magnitude of their loss.
It had taken a long time for both of them to somewhat recover from losing their child, but eventually they were able to continue on. Even so, Peter tended to take more walks by himself than before and Elizabeth could often be found staring off into space with a look of sorrow and longing so powerful that it broke Peter's heart.
Because of everything that had happened, Peter was more than concerned with his wife's obsession with this boy named Neal. At first, he thought that it was just a passing thing, but he was beginning to realize that it was more than that. More days than not, she brought up something about Neal, whether it was wondering how he was doing or mentioning the fact that she saw a boy that looked just like him in the park. Peter was at a loss as to what to do and when he confronted her with his concern, she became so upset that she grabbed Satchmo and went for a walk.
Peter decided that he had better back off and just keep an eye on everything for now.
Elizabeth had tried to engineer a few more meetings with Jenna and William in the hopes of seeing Neal again, but it didn't work. It wasn't until the evening of the gala, four months after seeing Neal for the first time, that she saw him again.
Peter accompanied her to the benefit gala hosted by William and Jenna Miller. Everything looked beautiful and was running smoothly, but Elizabeth was preoccupied with the fact that Neal was currently sitting in the back of the kitchen. It seemed that the babysitter Jenna had arranged for him had cancelled at the last minute, leaving them no choice but to bring him with them.
At Peter's first sight of the little boy, he could begin to understand why Elizabeth was so taken by him. The kid was definitely cute with his charming grin, big blue eyes and brown curls. He knew that the kid was five years old, but he definitely looked younger, especially sitting in the tall chair at the back with his feet busily kicking the chair legs. He also thought that the kid could be a handful, noticing that he seemed to be a fireball of energy.
Elizabeth introduced Peter to William, Jenna and Neal, before leading the Millers out to the front hall to greet the guests. Peter was surprised to find himself alone with the little boy, who was eyeing him curiously.
"So, what have you got there, Neal?" Peter pointed at the sketch pad sitting in front of the boy.
Neal pulled the pad closer to him, not wanting to share his drawing with the man standing over him. "Nothing. It's just my dw….drawing pad." He answered slowly and deliberately.
"Hmmm….I wish I had a drawing pad like that." Peter gave the boy a smile and pulled up a chair next to him, hoping to make him feel a little more comfortable. "Do you like to draw?"
Neal gave Peter a big smile in return. "It's my favorite thing to do. Do you want to see?"
Before too long, Neal was proudly showing Peter his sketches, and Peter was amazed to see the talent the little boy possessed.
"These are really good, Neal. Do you take art lessons?"
Neal's smile suddenly left his face, leaving Peter feeling bereft in its absence. "No, William says d-drawing is for sissies. He doesn't like it when I do it."
Peter looked down at Neal, who had a sad look on his face. "Well, kid, sometimes dads don't always like the same things as their children."
Neal looked up at Peter with a strange look. "William's not my dad."
"What do you mean, Neal? Is he your step-dad? He's married to your mom, right?"
Neal looked back down to his drawing pad before answering in a voice so quiet that Peter had to lean down to hear. "Jenna's not my mom."
Before Peter could question Neal any more, Elizabeth returned to check on them. Peter was taken aback by the smile that lit up both Neal's and his wife's face.
"Neal, how have you been? I've missed you!"
"Hi, Lizbef! I missed you, too."
Peter watched on as Elizabeth and Neal talked to each other. He was amazed by how natural it all seemed and for just a split second he was seeing his wife as the mother that she so desperately wanted to be.
By the end of the evening, Elizabeth had spent more time in the back with Neal than she did overseeing the gala. That in itself wasn't a big thing, owing to the fact that she had a wonderful group of people working for her. Everything went seamlessly, and the Millers were extremely happy with how it all turned out.
When the last guest finally left, Elizabeth, Peter, William and Jenna returned to the kitchen to find a very sleepy Neal trying desperately to keep his eyes open as he sat at the table.
Elizabeth smiled at the adorableness of the exhausted child, who was sporting a milk mustache, flushed cheeks and hands covered in charcoal from his pencils. William, on the other hand, was furious at the sight before him.
"Damn it, Neal. What have you been doing? You're a complete mess."
Neal's eyes jerked wide open at the sound of William's voice and his lower lip began to tremble.
"Don't look at me that way, boy. Get up and clean yourself up."
Neal quickly climbed down from the chair and headed for the bathroom. Elizabeth and Peter were both staring in shock at what they thought was a complete overreaction on William's part. What did he expect from a five year old boy that had been sitting in a back room for almost four hours?
Once Neal returned, looking much cleaner, but no less adorable, William grabbed him by the arm and started walking to the front. "William, wait!" Neal cried, but William kept on walking. Neal dug in his heels and tried to pull his arm out of William's grasp. "William, wait! I need my drawing pad."
Elizabeth watched in horror as William jerked hard on Neal's little arm, trying to stop him from squirming, before planting three solid smacks on the boy's backside. Peter, on the other hand, couldn't let the man's behavior continue. "Is that really necessary, Mr. Miller?"
William, who looked to be a man not used to having his actions questioned, glared at Peter. "Yes, Mr. Burke, I think it is necessary. Neal is being unruly and I won't tolerate that."
"I hardly think his behavior is unruly. The boy just wants his sketch pad." Peter walked over to the table, picked up the sketch pad and charcoal pencils, and walked them back to Neal. Before Neal could reach for them, though, William grabbed them and handed them to Jenna.
"You won't be getting those back for a while, Neal. Now, come on."
After saying one last thank you to Elizabeth, William walked out the door, still holding on tightly to Neal's arm. The last thing Peter and Elizabeth saw were Neal's tear-filled blue eyes looking back at them.
On the way home that night, Elizabeth was too quiet. Peter knew that she was unsettled by William's treatment of Neal and he didn't blame her. He felt much the same way.
Peter had grown up in a home where it wasn't unusual for his dad to dole out the occasional spanking when it was deserved, so that wasn't really what was bothering him. What really unsettled him was the way William talked to Neal and the way he jerked his arm so harshly. Thinking back on the evening, he remembered what Neal had said about William and Jenna.
"Hon, what do you know about William and Jenna Miller?"
Elizabeth jumped at the sound of Peter's voice. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she had completely forgotten that she was in the car with her husband. "What do I know? Not much, really. I just know that he is the CEO and owner of Miller Technologies and Manufacturing and that Jenna is mostly involved in running his charity foundation. Why?"
"And they introduced Neal to you as their son?"
Elizabeth thought about her first meeting with the Millers, trying to remember how they had introduced him. "No, actually they just told me his name. I think I might have jumped to the conclusion that he was their son. I did ask her if she minded if I got her son a cookie and she didn't correct me. Why, Peter? What are you thinking?"
"I don't know, El. Neal told me tonight that William and Jenna weren't his mom and dad. Maybe it's just something worth checking into."
Author's note: I know this one isn't as long as my usual chapters, but I haven't had much time to write lately. I would love to hear your thoughts on the story so far, if you are so inclined. Reviews are much appreciated and cherished. I will eventually reply to reviews, as well, just so you know.