Marina rested her head against the backrest of her chair and stared out of the window. All she saw was clouds, being several thousand feet in the air. She had no idea where she was headed. All she had been told was that there would be an agent on the plane who would let her know where to go when the knowlege became necessary. Her stomach was in knots and she longed to order a scotch and soda, but then remembered the baby within her, and was content with tea. Many tense hours passed a her imagination took her to every possible scenario, none of them good. She tried to keep her mind off Jimmy, but she couldn't help thinking about him and the hurt in his eyes when she saw him last. It would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Relief came as the plane taxied to a stop and the passengers made their way off the plane. Marina still had no idea where she was supposed to go or what to do. She made her way to the door where the stewardesses were helping people off. As she passed, a blonde flight attendant handed her a thick manilla envelope and said, "Thank you for flying with us. Come again," with a broad smile.
Marina tucked the envelope under her arm and stepped into the sunshine. As the brightness hit her face, she looked around. 'Where am I?' she wondered. Wherever she was, it was beautiful. Mountains stood majestically all around, surrounding the small city like a protective wall. They went as far as the eye could see, beginning green, and fading to blue, and eventually a hazy grey before they receded into the distance. She made her way into the airport and sat down in a deserted gate to peruse the contents of the envelope. It was full of documents; a birth certificate with the name Colleen O'Hara, a marriage license to someone named Michael Daniels, her "husband's" death certificate, a drivers license, title and keys to a 2000 Ford Explorer, deed and keys to a house, and a note with the parking space number for the car, address to her house, and new job description. Starting the following Monday, she was the new government and political science teacher at the Kalispell, Montana, high school. Montana! 'Well,' she thoughtdrily, 'thats not far from Alaska.'
She found her car, and after asking for directions, managed to find her new house without very much trouble. It was lovely. Cottagelike and quaint, with a white picket fence around it, it was set in an old fashioned neighborhood surrounded by huge trees and flowers everywhere. "I'm living in Mayberry,' she thought. Marina decided as soon a she saw it that this was home and she would never look back.
And she didn't. She made a simple yet happy life for herself. The thought of teaching teenagers was daunting, but before long, she was a beloved teacher and had quite a following of students in her room constantly. She enjoyed them very much and loved teaching. They were always trying to set her up with the eligible boy's basketball coach, but she wasn't interested in romance. She was focussed on her coming child, her new job, and making friends, which she did easily. All things considered, the transition was very smooth and she was very happy.
____________________________________
Several months later, back in Boston,Bobby stood in his office next to his desk rifling through his mail. Lindsey was sitting in the chair across from him reading hers. Her tossed them on the desk as her filtered through. "Bill, bill, junk, bill," . He paused at a large envelope handwritten in familiar script. He glanced at the return address. None. Checking the postmark, he asked his wife, "Hey, Linds, who do we know in Kalispell, Montana?"
"Montana? No one that I can think of. Old client maybe?" She looked up expectantly.He opened the oversized envelope and pulled out a card and a photo. The card was a birth announcement. It said, " Dear Big brother, and Sister-in-law, This is my new daughter! Her name is Tierney Rose Daniels. She arrived September 22, at 11:32 pm, weighing 7 pounds 2 oz, and was 19 inches long. Isn't she beautiful! I just wanted to let you know about your new neice, and also to let you know that I am doing great. I miss you terribly, but am generally very happy with my life. I hope you get to see her in person before too much longer.Your sister, Colleen"
Bobby felt a stab of pain as he thought of the sister he missed terribly. He looked at the picture. Next to BJ, she was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. She had a perfect peaches-and-cream complexion, delicate little three-cornered mouth, dainty nose, and lots of dark hair. She was princess-like in her delicate perfection. "Wow," said Bobby. Lindsey had come around the desk and was looking at the picture over Bobby's shoulder. "She is lovely, isn't she? Do you think she looks like Jimmy?"
"A little, " answered Bobby. "But she looks a lot like Marina's baby pictures. A lot. But I do see a little bit of Jimmy as well. I wish we could tell him."
"Maybe someday," said Lindsey as she read the note. "It sounds like she's doing very well. I'm glad. Now maybe you can stop worrying about her."
Bobby put his arm around his wife and laid the picture down on his desk. "I'll never stop worrying about her, but thanks for understanding," he said with a smile before kissing his wife. There was a light knock on the door and Jimmy walked in a with a file.
"I'm all done with this, Bobby. You said you wanted to look it over." He went to the desk a put the file down before noticing the picture. "That is a beautiful baby." he said admiringly. "Who is she?" Bobby coughed quickly before answering. "An old college friend. She just sent it to me." He hated lying to Jimmy, but he had no choice.
"Oh yeah?" asked Jimmy picking up the photo and studying it closer. "She looks familiar. Anyone I know?"
"Uh, I don't think so," sputtered Bobby , thinking fast. "Colleen Daniels."
Jimmy put the picture back. "Nope, never met her. There's something familiar about her, though. Oh well." He went back to his desk, closing the door behind him. Bobby and Lindsey looked at each other. "Wow," said Bobby. Lindsey sighed and rolled her eyes.
_____________________________
Bobby never did get to see his sister again. She lived very happily for nine years, raising her daughter as best she could. She made a modest living as a teacher, and the two of them had all they needed to be very happy. She never needed to get into her Swiss bank accounts to access the fortune she had made in her old life. Tierney was her absolute priority, and she grew into a beautiful, precocious child. When Colleen began to get sick, she put it off as long as she could, but she finally saw a doctor, who diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer. She had the option of treatment, but both she and her doctor knew it would be a waste of time, so she decided to live the rest of her life to the fullest, enjoying her daughter and friends as much as possible.
She knew her time was limited, but she put off telling Tierney the truth about her past and Jimmy as long as possible. When she became bedridden, she knew she could wait no more, so she sat her nine-year old daughter next to her on the bed, took her hand, and as gently as possible told her of all the events of so long ago. Tierney listened quietly, only asking questions occasionally. When Colleen got to the end of her story, they were both weeping because they knew their time together was at an end.
"What will happen to me?" asked the child.
"You will go to Boston, " her mother answered weakly. "I have made arrangements with my lawyer for you to meet your aunt and uncle. They will be very good to you. And, hopefully, you will meet your father. He is a very good man."
"I don't want to go to Boston! I want to stay here with you!" the girl sobbed.
"I know, love. And I want to stay with you , but that's impossible now. I know you'll be happy and you'll make me proud. Please try to be strong."The child dried her tears and straightened up with new resolve.
"I will, mama. I promise."They sat together for several more hours, talking and laughing before Tierney went up to bed. Marina Donnell/Colleen Daniels passed away quietly in her sleep that very night, free from the pain and disease that had taken over her body. Her adventures were over, but Tierney's, as well as Jimmy's, were only beginning.
THE END FINALLY!!!
Relief came as the plane taxied to a stop and the passengers made their way off the plane. Marina still had no idea where she was supposed to go or what to do. She made her way to the door where the stewardesses were helping people off. As she passed, a blonde flight attendant handed her a thick manilla envelope and said, "Thank you for flying with us. Come again," with a broad smile.
Marina tucked the envelope under her arm and stepped into the sunshine. As the brightness hit her face, she looked around. 'Where am I?' she wondered. Wherever she was, it was beautiful. Mountains stood majestically all around, surrounding the small city like a protective wall. They went as far as the eye could see, beginning green, and fading to blue, and eventually a hazy grey before they receded into the distance. She made her way into the airport and sat down in a deserted gate to peruse the contents of the envelope. It was full of documents; a birth certificate with the name Colleen O'Hara, a marriage license to someone named Michael Daniels, her "husband's" death certificate, a drivers license, title and keys to a 2000 Ford Explorer, deed and keys to a house, and a note with the parking space number for the car, address to her house, and new job description. Starting the following Monday, she was the new government and political science teacher at the Kalispell, Montana, high school. Montana! 'Well,' she thoughtdrily, 'thats not far from Alaska.'
She found her car, and after asking for directions, managed to find her new house without very much trouble. It was lovely. Cottagelike and quaint, with a white picket fence around it, it was set in an old fashioned neighborhood surrounded by huge trees and flowers everywhere. "I'm living in Mayberry,' she thought. Marina decided as soon a she saw it that this was home and she would never look back.
And she didn't. She made a simple yet happy life for herself. The thought of teaching teenagers was daunting, but before long, she was a beloved teacher and had quite a following of students in her room constantly. She enjoyed them very much and loved teaching. They were always trying to set her up with the eligible boy's basketball coach, but she wasn't interested in romance. She was focussed on her coming child, her new job, and making friends, which she did easily. All things considered, the transition was very smooth and she was very happy.
____________________________________
Several months later, back in Boston,Bobby stood in his office next to his desk rifling through his mail. Lindsey was sitting in the chair across from him reading hers. Her tossed them on the desk as her filtered through. "Bill, bill, junk, bill," . He paused at a large envelope handwritten in familiar script. He glanced at the return address. None. Checking the postmark, he asked his wife, "Hey, Linds, who do we know in Kalispell, Montana?"
"Montana? No one that I can think of. Old client maybe?" She looked up expectantly.He opened the oversized envelope and pulled out a card and a photo. The card was a birth announcement. It said, " Dear Big brother, and Sister-in-law, This is my new daughter! Her name is Tierney Rose Daniels. She arrived September 22, at 11:32 pm, weighing 7 pounds 2 oz, and was 19 inches long. Isn't she beautiful! I just wanted to let you know about your new neice, and also to let you know that I am doing great. I miss you terribly, but am generally very happy with my life. I hope you get to see her in person before too much longer.Your sister, Colleen"
Bobby felt a stab of pain as he thought of the sister he missed terribly. He looked at the picture. Next to BJ, she was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. She had a perfect peaches-and-cream complexion, delicate little three-cornered mouth, dainty nose, and lots of dark hair. She was princess-like in her delicate perfection. "Wow," said Bobby. Lindsey had come around the desk and was looking at the picture over Bobby's shoulder. "She is lovely, isn't she? Do you think she looks like Jimmy?"
"A little, " answered Bobby. "But she looks a lot like Marina's baby pictures. A lot. But I do see a little bit of Jimmy as well. I wish we could tell him."
"Maybe someday," said Lindsey as she read the note. "It sounds like she's doing very well. I'm glad. Now maybe you can stop worrying about her."
Bobby put his arm around his wife and laid the picture down on his desk. "I'll never stop worrying about her, but thanks for understanding," he said with a smile before kissing his wife. There was a light knock on the door and Jimmy walked in a with a file.
"I'm all done with this, Bobby. You said you wanted to look it over." He went to the desk a put the file down before noticing the picture. "That is a beautiful baby." he said admiringly. "Who is she?" Bobby coughed quickly before answering. "An old college friend. She just sent it to me." He hated lying to Jimmy, but he had no choice.
"Oh yeah?" asked Jimmy picking up the photo and studying it closer. "She looks familiar. Anyone I know?"
"Uh, I don't think so," sputtered Bobby , thinking fast. "Colleen Daniels."
Jimmy put the picture back. "Nope, never met her. There's something familiar about her, though. Oh well." He went back to his desk, closing the door behind him. Bobby and Lindsey looked at each other. "Wow," said Bobby. Lindsey sighed and rolled her eyes.
_____________________________
Bobby never did get to see his sister again. She lived very happily for nine years, raising her daughter as best she could. She made a modest living as a teacher, and the two of them had all they needed to be very happy. She never needed to get into her Swiss bank accounts to access the fortune she had made in her old life. Tierney was her absolute priority, and she grew into a beautiful, precocious child. When Colleen began to get sick, she put it off as long as she could, but she finally saw a doctor, who diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer. She had the option of treatment, but both she and her doctor knew it would be a waste of time, so she decided to live the rest of her life to the fullest, enjoying her daughter and friends as much as possible.
She knew her time was limited, but she put off telling Tierney the truth about her past and Jimmy as long as possible. When she became bedridden, she knew she could wait no more, so she sat her nine-year old daughter next to her on the bed, took her hand, and as gently as possible told her of all the events of so long ago. Tierney listened quietly, only asking questions occasionally. When Colleen got to the end of her story, they were both weeping because they knew their time together was at an end.
"What will happen to me?" asked the child.
"You will go to Boston, " her mother answered weakly. "I have made arrangements with my lawyer for you to meet your aunt and uncle. They will be very good to you. And, hopefully, you will meet your father. He is a very good man."
"I don't want to go to Boston! I want to stay here with you!" the girl sobbed.
"I know, love. And I want to stay with you , but that's impossible now. I know you'll be happy and you'll make me proud. Please try to be strong."The child dried her tears and straightened up with new resolve.
"I will, mama. I promise."They sat together for several more hours, talking and laughing before Tierney went up to bed. Marina Donnell/Colleen Daniels passed away quietly in her sleep that very night, free from the pain and disease that had taken over her body. Her adventures were over, but Tierney's, as well as Jimmy's, were only beginning.
THE END FINALLY!!!