AN : This is an update proofread by LoVeObsesed. Thanks a lot for your help !
Chapter 9.1 : Charity begins ...
Veronica parked her car in the visitor's area of a building which she would have preferred to continue to ignore. She could see the sign that read "KANE SOFTWARE". She walked up the driveway towards the entrance where Mac was waiting for lunch. Her cell phone rang and she was searching in her purse, not looking where she was going, she bumped into a woman coming from the opposite direction and holding a child by the hand.
- Mum ?
- Veronica?
Silence.
- What are you doing ... No, forget it, I don't want to know. Veronica said, laughing nervously. I'm running late ... goodbye.
She continued on her way.
- Wait !
Veronica hesitated and turned around.
- I understand that you don't want to talk to me, but I would like to introduce you to someone. ... Veronica, this is Hunter, he is your half-brother.
Veronica climbed the stairs that led to Mars Investigations four by four. She rushed into her father's office without bothering to find out if a client was there.
- You knew ? She cried.
- He knew, we knew, you knew, they knew ?
- Did you know? She said angrily.
- That the Earth is round? That snails are hermaphrodites? Keith asked perplexed.
This had the effect of stirring up her anger.
- Did you know I had a half-brother?
- Wow ! No ! But .. er. Veronica, he recovered, if I had a son, I would know.
- Not you ! ... Lianne.
He frowned.
- No I didn't know, of course not.
Silence.
- Veronica, I've never seen your mother since she left. How ...
- I just met her with her son. ... I have a brother, I have a brother and I did't know about him just half an hour ago.
Silence.
- Damn, Mac!
She hurried to pick up her phone and called her friend.
- Mac?
- You stood me up.
- I know, I'm really sorry, really, really sorry, I was on my way but a problem occurred. I will explain. Let me make it up to you. Can we go out to dinner tomorrow after picking up Celine at the airport ?
- All right ... Veronica, are you okay?
- I will explain.
She hung up.
She sat down heavily on the sofa of MI's reception. Her father joined her.
- Honey?
- She, she drank, abandoned us, stole money, questioned your paternity, not to mention her infidelities, I cut her out of my life. And ten years later: BOOM! She drops another bomb. How does she do it ?
Silence. She went on:
- No, but seriously that's genius! Certainly a diabolical genius, netherless we must give credit where credit is due.
- Veronica!
- Do you think that she still drinks?
- I hope not.
- And the million dollar question: who is the father? She was coming out of Kane Software when I met her, she giggled nervously, I guess we know the answer.
- Don't jump to conclusions, you don't know.
- Don't tell me you're defending her now?
- No, absolutely not, It's just that anger is bad counselor, you just learned upsetting news. Don't jump to conclusions.
Silence.
- He looks like me. He's blonde, his name is Hunter and he is about eight years old. I have a brother ...
Tears began to flow.
- I have a brother and I ... I know nothing about him, not even if he is safe with her.
The night had been short, Veronica brooded over the meeting with her mother and the discovery of a brand new family member. When she woke up, she jumped into the shower. She decided it was time to go shopping, she was tired of smelling like cedar wood after coming out of the bathroom, thanks to her father's shower gel. She would stop at a store in San Diego and then speed to the airport to pick up Céline. Before that, she had a last lunch alone with her father, she owed him an apology for her reaction the day before and what better than a homemade lasagna to make amends.
Logan had just come out of a meeting with an admiral, he had been chosen to test new fighter planes on the base. It was an honor and a recognition of his qualities as a pilot. He would take advantage of his presence in San Diego to invite some Navy buddies that same evening. He was pacing the supermarket shelves, he didn't have time to fill his cupboards since his return, his cart was almost full. He was holding and staring at two boxes of cookies, certainly in the process of determining their composition, that's how Veronica found him. The contrast between the domestic scene and the wearing of his white uniform was hilarious. She approached without being noticed, he was deeply engrossed in his reading.
- You weren't planning on carrying me through the store, were you?
He didn't need to raise his head to know who was talking, he would have recognized her voice in a thousand.
- No, I just came from a meeting and I didn't have time to change.
- I, um, had heard, of course... she said, showing his uniform, but I couldn't fully picture it. You should only wear this, like, ever. And while you're at it, I suggest you buy the ones with caramel, they're the best. She added pointing to the cookies he held.
- And what brand of hair gel should I use ?
- Definitely none ! ... So ... the Navy?
- What can I say ? I've always been a fan of Top Gun.
- I would have rather imagined you on your chopper, riding freely through the wide open country.
- I put Easy Rider in my rearview, instead just think of me in my Super Hornet flying freely in the sky of the United States or in the Middle East.
- Well to make it more convincing, I would have to see it with my own eyes.
- You still live in New York, right ?
He hesitated to reveal that he knew where she lived, but she must have figured that between Casey, Carrie and Gia, he had heard even though it was Keith who had brouht it to his notice.
- Mmm, mm, I'm only in California for the holidays.
- If you want to see me fly, our aircraft carrier will be in New York in March for Fleet Week. I can send you an invitation to get on board.
- Okay, she murmured. The Middle East, then?
He nodded.
- Are you careful? She asked.
- Always.
Silence.
- And you, what are you studying ? Brilliantly I'm sure, he said.
- I'm a law student at the University of Columbia, I'm going to take the bar next year to become a lawyer, and currently at the Brooklyn DA for my internship.
- A Mars as a lawyer, the other side had better watch out.
- A lawyer on Mars, It's impossible !
He looked at her confused. She added:
- Don't you know the story?
He shook his head in disbelief.
- NASA considers three people who have passed the physical tests to stay in space, and who could soon be sent to Mars. The trip will be long, very long, and it may even be that astronauts never reach the Earth again. These three people are very different:
To the first, an engineer, they ask how much he wants to be paid to go to Mars. He responds: "Five million dollars to donate to research on nuclear fusion."
The second is a doctor. He is asked how much he wants to go to Mars. "Ten million dollars, half for my family and the other half for cancer research."
To the third, the lawyer, they also ask how much he wants to leave for Mars. Leaning in the interviewer's ear, he whispered: "Fifteen million dollars" "Why so much? You ask more than the other two" replies the interviewer ... The lawyer says : "If you give me fifteen million, I'll give you five million, I'll keep five million, and we'll send the engineer with the five million that remain... "
Logan didn't have time to comment on whether telling jokes had become her new hobby before the ringing of a phone "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ..." sounded.
- Celine?
- I'm waiting for you, where are you? Her roommate grew impatient.
- Oh, gosh, I lost track of time, I was shopping, I'll be there in ten minutes, wait for me at the parking lot exit.
She hung up.
- Nice choice of ringtone.
She laughed.
- She is a French friend, so it's a cliché, an inside joke ...
- I understand and I'll let you guess, to whom is attributed "suck my dick" on my cellphone.
- I bet it's not Loretta Cancun.
- I'm not steppin' on Cliff's toes.
- Look, I'm sorry, I have to go and pick up my friend from the airport. But send me your invitation, If I can, l certainly will.
She kissed him on the cheek and rushed away.
LVO: And the tornado Mars left the way she came. I don't know her address, nor her phone number, it's convenient ...
Wallace, Mac, Celine, Casey, and Veronica were in a restaraunt. Shortly before dessert, Casey offered a package to an embarrassed Veronica.
- It was not necessary, she said.
- You should open it, I must confess it's not from me.
She unwrapped the gift package. It was a book, on the cover she could read "Back to Basics". She turned the pages and found a dedication:
"Rose or Charlotte, what matters is finding happiness." H. Valensky
She hadn't yet found hapiness, but she hoped to be on the right track. Several roads were open to her, the question was which one she would take.
Casey apologized and went to the bathroom. Veronica took advantage of it:
- You thought I wasn't going to notice!
- What? answered her three friends, looking guilty like children caught doing something stupid.
When they first entered the restaurant, Casey was already sitting at the table, he had arrived before them. Casey kissed Veronica on the lips. They reacted as if it was the most natural thing in the world, without commenting. But a few minutes later, she witnessed a strange ploy. Wallace slipped a bill into Mac's hand, followed by Celine.
- Can you explain to me why Mac has two bills in her back pocket ?
Silence.
- I just hope Casey didn't notice ... She said.
Veronica glared at them. It was Wallace who gave in first :
- I bet it would be Josh, Celine too and it's Mac who won, she bet on the right horse, in this case Casey.
- Bravo, I didn't think that my love life was entertaining to the point of taking bets. This restaurant doesn't look like a racetrack.
VVO: If they knew what had really happened with Josh! I don't know, myself, who will be declared the winner. I would like to let it all out, just to remove the smirk on Mac face, but the situation is quite complicated, I prefer to keep all this to myself, not to mention my two meetings with Logan.
Casey returned, this discussion had to be abandoned.
- What will you take for dessert? Cheese cake, chocolate fudge cake or creme brulee? asked Céline.
- Chocolate fudge cake for me. Veronica said as she left the table.
- Cheese cake. Mac said, standing up and following Veronica.
Once in the bathroom, Mac asked:
- Are you going to tell me why you stood me up yesterday?
Veronica hesitated.
- I ran into my mother. She wasn't alone, a little boy was there. It's ... I have a half-brother.
- Wow ! Our families are so ... so ... twisted? Why can nothing ever be simple?
- That's what I said too. She was never tactful, you know, she always had been living a lie and been secretive. I learned to accept disappointment, but her honesty I'm not sure I prefer it. In short, it sounded like, "Hi Veronica, I have not seen you in 10 years, how are you doing? By the way, this your brother Hunter, here's my number, if you want to get to know him."
- And what are you going to do?
- I don't know. I'm still in shock about the revelation. Furthermore, she had the nerve to make it my choice, my own responsibility. "You see Hunter, Veronica is aware of your existence now, if she decides not to follow through, it's all her fault."
- You don't have to feel guilty.
- Yet I am, and it's not his fault, he didn't choose Lianne as a mother.
- And it's not yours either. I'm sure you'll be a great sister.
- This is the first time someone has called me that, it's strange.
- I am honored to be the first.
- I was an only child for 27 years, I don't know what it means to have a brother. But now to know that he exists, I want to get to know him.
- Well, allow yourself.
- Yes, but to discover my brother, I have to reconnect with my mother and I can't handle it.
- Make your choice, but try not to have regrets.
Veronica exhaled then they returned to the room. Casey and Wallace were having a serious conversation :
- The goal is to build wells in isolated villages that don't have access to drinking water and where the infant mortality rate is very high. Casey explained.
- I think it's great. I went to Uganda, eight years ago, with the association "Invisible Children" for an educational project. The objective on site was to build a school. In two months we managed to erect a proper building. But when we got home, we continued with the team members.
- How ? Casey asked.
- We recruited two volunteer American teachers to go and teach there. We also organized a fund-raiser to get school materials like notebooks, pens, books, ... I went back there two years later and the school was full of children, it was rewarding to know that I had contributed to the success of this operation. And you your charity event is tomorrow?
- Yes, on Christmas Eve, at the Marina.
- Can we still get tickets because I would like to go ?
- No, all the tickets have been sold.
- It's a shame, really. Wallace said, disappointed.
- Unless ... there's another option, if you really want to come. Prize donors are automatically invited. That's how I got a seat.
- Not sure I have anything of value.
- It's a charity event, every prize, even the most modest is accepted and it's anonymous. Take the time to think about it, you may have a hidden treasure in your house.
- Believe me, that's not the case.
- Even that ugly basketball jersey? Veronica suggested.
- I will not give my signed Michael Jordan jersey. Wallace vigorously protested.
- Even for a good cause? Casey tried.
- On the other hand, I got one from Tony Parker. That one, I will be able to donate it.
- Agreed ! And you, something to offer? Casey turned to the girls.
Celine thought and added:
- I brought back two bottles of Bordeaux for Christmas, I could donate the 1996 grand cru Saint-Emilion.
- Good idea. He answered.
- Don't count on me, said Mac. I will be in Los Angeles with James.
- I guess, I don't have anything of interest to give. Maybe I could offer my taser? It has become a mythical object at Neptune. Or my pep squad outfit, I found it by opening boxes, she joked
- You were part of the pep squad ? Celine exclaimed.
- And one of the most cheerful. Casey added.
Celine turned to Wallace trying to understand if they were serious.
- No need to look at me like that, I wasn't living in Neptune then.
- Lilly was able to persuade me to do anyhting, I was easily influenced at that time, Veronica explained. How about you both go to the event, I'll spend the night in my pajamas with a pint of ice cream in front of the TV.
- No ! Celine said, we'll figure something out.