The Davis Family Chapter 10
Later that same day, Ken woke up in his limo wedged between two bulky car seats. After over two years of being away, Davis Farms was a welcoming sight. But something was different about it. Something besides the fact that neither Isabelle nor Marisol was here and Junior and Dani were.
As they came up the driveway, Ken saw that there were about a third as many horses as there were before he left. There were also far fewer people around than he remembered-in fact, there was no one else around at all. There were also several overgrown plants and dirty floors and piles of horse dung that hadn't been scooped. Compared to what it was the way Ken was used to it, this place was in absolute disrepair.
"Everything looks lovely," said Sophie.
"No," said Ken. "Something's wrong. Wait here."
Ken jumped over one of the kids car seats-he couldn't remember which-and dashed around to the other side of the mansion. "Mother!" he yelled. "Father! Anyone?"
Ken froze when he saw a small group of people all draped in black huddled about five hundred feet away from him, in the Davis family cemetery. Without even thinking about his suit and the mud, Ken ran right from where he was to the little graveyard. No one had heard him. "We are gathered here today," said the priest. "To mourn the loss of Grant Johnson Davis, loving husband of Regina Wilhemina Stratford Davis and loving father of Kenneth Stratford Davis, who was unable to be here today."
"I'm right here," said Ken.
Every head in the cemetery swiveled toward him. He caught one pair of eyes that was hidden under a black veil. Ken jumped over the cemetery gate and walked over to her. "Mother," he said softly.
"Oh, Kenny!" said Regina. Then she wrapped her arms around him and started to cry into the shoulder of his pressed jacket.
After the ceremony was over, Ken brought the children into the living room to meet their grandmother. "Such little dears!" she crooned. Oh dear lord, how could your mother have left you two?"
"Taxi," said Junior.
Regina shook her head. "Oh, good lord. I always knew that she wasn't the right woman for you, Ken. I'm having bedrooms prepared for you and the children right now. They're so adorable. Both of them with that dark hair from Isabelle and your face. And look at now tan Danielle's skin is!"
Ken laughed. "Yep," he said smoothly. "She's a real throwback to the Italian side of Isabelle's family."
Regina laughed. "I'd say so." Then thankfully, she changed the subject. "I'm sorry if this place isn't looking as fine as what you're used to, Ken. It's just that your father has been ill, and I myself have no idea how to manage things."
"Well I do, Mother," said Ken. "So it's a good thing I came back."
"I'll say it is," said Regina.
"Daddy," said Junior. "Where horseys?"
"Outside," said Ken. "Let me show you guys around." He scooped up Dani in his arms and shuddered when he remembered Marisol placing her in his arms and leaving. That had happened less than two days ago, yet it now felt like lifetimes. "Come on, Junior."
Outside, there were several other people walking around. The only one who clearly wasn't an employee was a young woman with short blonde hair holding a tiny little boy with brown curls and a face that looked almost too solid and handsome for his age. Ken thought he recognized her but wasn't sure there.
"Oh, hello, Ken," said the young woman. "Welcome home. I wish it were under better circumstances, though."
"Thanks," said Ken. "You're…Jean Ritter, right?"
"Yep," said Jean. "And this is Matty."
In her arms, Matt looked over at Dani and waved. She waved back. Ken laughed. But he couldn't help but hate the loving way Jean was cradling Matty in her arms. Isabelle had never held Junior that way, if she'd ever held him at all. Was this the way Marisol had held Dani? Was this what he had taken away from her?
"Does your father still own Raintree Farms?" asked Ken.
"Of course," said Jean. "Pete and I are living there with Matty."
"Oh, really," said Ken. "Well, it looks like we're going to be neighbors then, because I'm moving back in here."
"Really?" said Jean. "That's wonderful." Ken saw Junior walk up to Matty and tap his foot. Then they started babbling to each other in toddler speak. Jean laughed. "I think they want to play together. Do you mind?"
"No, not at all," said Ken. He smiled as Jean sat Matty down on the floor and he started walking around with Junior. It was never too early for his son to start getting in good with the competition.
Later that night, Ken walked into Dani's bedroom to check on her and saw that she was missing. Frantically, he went over to Junior's room and opened the door. There they both were laying down on his tiny bed. Dani was asleep and Junior was half asleep and stroking her back. "Junior, what's she doing in here?" asked Ken.
"She got scared," said Junior. "Goodnight, Daddy."
Ken starred at then for a second and thought about making Dani go back to her own room. Nah, he thought. What the hell? She's already asleep.
Then Ken paused in the doorway for one last second and starred at their innocent faces. Davis faces. Isabelle's colors on Junior. Marisol's colors on Dani. This was all he had left from the each of the only two women that he ever fallen in love with.
And in that moment, Ken Davis made two promises to himself that would remain forever unbroken: that he would never again allow himself to feel the kind of love for anyone that he had felt for either Isabelle or Marisol, and that he would never allow either of these children to repeat his mistakes.