Chapter 17



"Ms. Loomis or Stoddard or whatever your name is, you've made a mistake. My parents are in Collinsport, I was born in L.A. I can call them for you." "Yes, call them they'll tell you." Um, sure, ok." Rhiannon found a payphone outside and called collect to the old house. "Hey mom, it's me, listen I know this is gonna sound weird but I wasn't adopted or anything was I?"



A short time later the three women sat at an outdoor café trying to make sense of things and make up for lost time. "I had no idea I was adopted, I never would have guessed. If you regretted abandoning Nancy why did you give me up?" "I never abandoned Nancy, Never!" "The why didn't you come back for me mother? Why all these years without a phone call or a card?" "Quentin wouldn't let me have any contact with you, he took you from me." "But why? Never mind I know why, but why couldn't you stop him?" "He threatened to kill you."



"Knowing Quentin I wouldn't put it past him. I think I hate him more now then ever." "I take it he wasn't a good guardian to you then?" "Do you know how many times I wished I were dead mother?" "Oh my poor darling, but you're safe with me now and you'll never go back to him."



Rhiannon looked up at the woman she had just discovered to be her mother shyly, "What am I supposed to call you?" "Well you could call me Mother like Carolyn, I'd like that." "Why did you give me up?" "Because I hated your father, and you reminded me of him, every time I looked at you, I saw him and I knew it would drive me mad." "My father, Willie Loomis?" "No my darling Willie died before you were conceived, although I wish to god he were your father. He was a good man." "Then who is? Who's face do you see in mine? Who's face drove you give me away?"

Carolyn's eyes took on a hard look and she shuddered as though with pain. Then she spoke the name she so dreaded, "Quentin Collins. Quentin Collins is your father."