Chp21 thanksgiving at the greys
The glorious summer has faded to an Indian summer in the colorful fall foliage of the northwest Washington state. The weekends on the boat, at the Grand's apple farm are now recent memories. I dance slowly to the music on the stereo, waiting for Christian to come home. Happy thoughts invade my evil mind, pulling me from my task. I dread telling him, he can't come with me. can't support me in this unclean task. Detra told me we think best when dancing, Mom's remedy for worrying. The elevator chimes pull me from my thoughts, and slam me in the reality of right now and here.
Christian steps off the Elevator, takes in the luggage. Sweeping me into a kiss, he tried to deter me from my course of action. I kiss back, desperate to feel his healing powers. But the die is cast, I must do what, I must do. "Christian I'll be gone a few days, I'll have security with me. Trust me. I have to do this alone." I cup his cheek, chastity kiss his lips and walk out of Escala. The flight is long and brutal, I arrive in a Caribbean paradise. I check into my hotel as moon falls to dawns bitter rays.
I rise, shower, and dress for the coming battle. The war of my live has shrunk to this one battle, one confrontation, I girded my loins and step out into the glorious day. Today is a good day to die if need be. Sawyer, Parks, Lucia and Wolfe wait for me under the verandah. We drive to the rich peoples houses on the north shore. We drive thru the open gate. "There is only housekeeper and gardener/houseman. Their out shopping, she should be on the ocean side porch." Wolfe says
I walk around the house, up onto the porch to greet Carla. I sit and stare, waiting her out. she as aged badly these past months. Her hair a thin, sun-bleached grey. A face lined with deep wrinkles and hollowed eyes. she is a shell of the woman I knew, who raised me, who stole me.
"You've come to kill me too, I expect" she barks, her voice cracked and bitter.
"Eventually, right now I want to know why?" I ask, hiding the plea to understand my childhood.
"first it was money, than revenge, at the end justice for you ruining my life. Destroying the only man, I loved. Stephen." She spews bitterly, hateful, and distorted selfishness.
"Why take me?" I return to the question.
"As long as I had you, Daddy would pay me to keep you quiet. Till your bitch sister Detra married."
"What does that have to do with it?"
"Simple, you or one of your friends would have seen her picture in the newspaper, internet and hooked you too up, blowing the whole deal. So, sister Kate was supposed to suborn you, blackmail you. Too stay quiet and meek. My meek little daughter Anastasia, the Jewish spawn." Carla laughs as she tells me off.
"So It was a set up from the start, who else was involved?"
"Well Ray knew, and of course Frank, looked forward to having you sexually, the pervert. I was planning to sell your Jewish ass to the highest bidder. Lots of creeps in Vegas. Loved how your anger and fear made you Stephen favorite toy."
"I believe most of It, Ray not one bit. You really hate me because I'm Jewish ancestries. Stephen is gone, forever. You'll die alone and "
"Well, little Anastasia how you've grown. Surprised to see me, I know new face and all. But we'll have a good time, your Security guy is sleeping with the fish, as they say here." #3 walks out onto the porch. I shudder in fear, then a picture of Christian floats in my face. Be strong, daughter of Sarah and Nixi. I rise and power kick him in the balls. He crashes to the ground as my temper, fears, and deep primal loathing of this evil sick creature overwhelms me. Sawyers sweeps me away, thank god, he's safe, shit which one was killed. I see Wolfe and Lucia come up to the porch, hustling the two evil creatures from my sight.
"Sawyer?" I ask
"Park's has a grazed Skull, he'll live. Didn't realize the neighbor across the lane was #3. Sorry about that."
"What now about them?"
"You don't need to know or want to. Believe me. There getting what they deserve." We head back to the hotel, dropping Parks off at the hospital. I walk into my room, their stands Chris, waiting, for me. I fold into his arms unleashing all the tears and worries of my short life.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Three days later: somewhere off the outer spice islands of the Caribbean:
The commercial fishing boat Key of C, bobbed and weaved in the high swells of the sea. A storm was brewing, a gale or hurricane was due to be spawned. I hold the course over a deep set of canyons and sheer cliffs. We're a crew of three, just Mac, my Irish captain of this vessel, Lucia and me the owner. I leave the wheel to Mac, a solid guy and trustworthy man. I move down to the hold. Lucia and I haul the garbage up to the stern deck. Near the fantail.
I've arranged six 5-gallon bucket of concrete, with reinforced rebar hooks attached per person. We wrap them in the nylon fishing net, holes big enough for the fish to feed. The terror in their eyes, I know their history, the lives destroyed, ruined, Children scarred for life. I've looked into evil eyes before, even my brothers. I know this is best, that they just disappear from world. Letting the survivors recover knowing this evil duo is no more.
"I do the bitch." Lucia demands. I let him, his claim on revenge is very deep, to lose your sister, then her child without ever seeing her. The bitterness hurts me. deeply gnaws at my need for revenge as well.
We finish wrapping the condemned. I add oxygen tanks to their faces, I want them to suffer on the way down. I cut the line holding the two anchors in the water. The male slides over the side, riding the weight to a thousand-fathom bottom. The bitch is wild with terror Lucia leans over her.
"You took my niece from me, her family, her sisters, shorten her father's live, tortured and abused a sweet kind spirit for your owe amusement and profit. I Cried and worried every single day she was gone. all the nightmares of what might have been happing to her. The reality is far worse. You will now understand that you are nothing, less than nothing. Because when you go over the side. No one will say your name, pray for you or even remember you. just an unhappy forgotten memory from the past." Lucia takes the knife and cuts the rope. The Evil that crushed his chest is gone. likewise, the demons of not finding and saving my nephew is expunged.
We have removed evil from their lives and future. We have five more days till Bermuda. We head north. The dawn breaks in brilliant spokes of red and orange, yellow and blues. We three drink beer on the bridge. "To the Children, may they be free and happy."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Halloween: London:
We are dressed for the Forman annual Halloween bash. Christian in an Imperial French Hussar Cavalry uniform. Looking sharp and strangle at home. The military bearing and stance is so perfect, but then again, I'm very biased. I smirk behind my fan, a good copy of H.G. Wells from Warehouse 13. We are very happy waiting on the rest of the family. Detra and Yagi are here as students of Hogwarts. I roll my eyes. Devon and Elliot are skipping this year, after his Road Warrior costume we all breathe a sigh of relieve. They're going to a blowout music festival in Austin Texas.
Emerald and a newly arrived Kent are decked out in Austin Power's 60's hipster cloths. James and a date from school are Joker and Harley outfits. While Dad and Merce are decked out as Nordic gods. Roz and Gwen are here as pirates of the Caribbean. Sexy pirates no less. Jason and Gail are decked out as mobsters of the twenties. Jason is still working, but can mingle better in character. Lucia is here as the scarecrow from the Wizard of OZ.
The party is a loud, boisterous affair with close to three hundred people floating about a thru. We dance and mingle, royalty and commoner chase us for introductions and favors. I watch my family, happy and joyful over the outcome of my life and world. Christian is the happiest, calmest I've ever seen him. An aloud crash has everyone on edge, but it's just a bumped waiters tray falling to the floor loaded with beer bottles and glasses. We dance the night away, lost in each other warmth and embrace.
"This is getting to be a habit. The band wants to go home, call it a night" Dad says with Merce on his arm, we look around everyone and everything is gone, cleaned up, just the guitarist and keyboard remain for the bands. We've dance and ignore the world for hours. We thank the band, crawling into bed, we sleep. It's been a very good day.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Seattle Thanksgiving Day
Carrick-pov
The women have been baking and cooking all week. For the feast Thursday, the family is just us. Ray and Merce are in England with her kids and Elliot. So, it will be a quiet Thanksgiving, I hope. Gracie is still bothered by the blackmail comment. I don't care how, or why they met. The effect of their meeting is magical, they are so perfect and in love. I don't know how they do it. Anna has moved my son from isolated recluse to happy joining us in activities and parties. Ray tells me, Anna has moved from reclusive afraid of men bookworm to a strong, brilliant woman. I check with my spies at GEH, the couple is strong, and well suited and matched. I'm told that their lunches on the roof in a tent are the talk of the company and town. I've stopped by several times to Escala to check the rooms. Nothing of Grace's fear that Eliana had some grip on Christian is found. If anything had existed, the sweep of Anna has replaced it. I marvel at the photo of Christian and Wolfe with me in Memphis. His arm around me, hugging me tight to his side. The picture of Grace and him hugging. Tear well up in my eyes, Gracie's emotions are clear in the frozen slice of time. Fulfillment of motherhood. To feel and express your unconditional love and have it returned.
I look at the files on my desk, the supporting cast of evil is left, henchmen and perverts, moles and just accessories to the evil. I breath a deep breath, Carla is gone forever, with #3. Kavanagh's are broken and running for their lives in the third world. Ethan, well Ethan ran afoul of the New Zealand cops, he's starting a ten-year sentence. The rest are worries for welch and Taylor. I sip my whiskey, flipping thru my new photobook. The life's and loves of my children. I relax as Gracie curls into my arms. I kiss her, letting the last minutes of sanity surround us. I stop of a picture of Christian and Anna at the apple farm. Anna is being carried on Christian back, both are laughing and smiling like drunken loons. Her hands locked on his naked chest. His happy brilliant smile. This could never be faked or forced. Grace purrs into my neck.. "I know it irrational, but it gnaws at me, that were missing something."
Xxxxx
The family is seated at the table. Food has been passed out and everyone is joking back and forth. When Gracie sticks a hole in the dike
"So Christian are you thru being blackmailed." Grace ask, serious and intense.
"Yepppa, now I'm blackmailing Anna. She has to spend one night a week doing guy things with me. since her blackmail was very hard on my ego." Christian answers. Grace isn't happy with the runaround.
"Christian what did she do to you!" screams Mia
Christian scoots back from the table, lift his unshod foot, removes his sock and sticks it in Mia face. "She made me get a pedicure, see how unmanly it looks!" Christian fake outrage and pouts. Mia squeals in horror at her brother's foot.
"Christian, please were at the table. But your foot down, don't you dare on the table!" Gracie has to giggle and shout. The foot is recovered and hidden under the table
"Was that all you did Anna" Mia ask, she blushes a deep red. I wonder what from, I suspect sex. Christian leans over she whispers in his ear, he turns a red too. Now I know it sex. Gracie's has to open her mouth.
"What has you so red Anna, Christian?" Grace asks.
"Christian has a habit of branding me, marking his territories. With hicks." Anna blush's deeper.
"I don't see any Hickes, Anna dear? Oh my. Sorry Anna I didn't think" now Gracie blushes and she realized that the hicks are covered and most likely seated on.
"Cool Anna, like my tattoo" Mia says. Grace is all over her daughter about getting a tattoo. Mia smirks and pouts at her mother puritan demands.
Later we lounge about the media room watching a game. I cuddle my girl in my arms. whisper into her ear about answers to her stress. She smiles at me, "I think something is deeper at the beginning, but now it's like Merce said an inside joke" I kiss her sweet lips and relax. Watching Christian watch the game, with Anna a sleep on his lap. Stoking her hair, a brilliant smile on his face. My newly happy son and his future.