"Okay. Let's find out who Clifford Johnson is." Dan said as he typed the
name on Google.com and hit enter.
Zoe braced herself for what would come next.
"Alright, lets see." He clicked on the first thing that came up. "Okay. I'll read what it says. Clifford Johnson was born William McGregor in 1922."
"Hold on," Zoe interrupted. "McGregor? That's the maid's name!"
"Oh yeah. Definitely NOT a coincidence." Dan decided. He read on. "Raised in New York, he became a legendary businessman in his time. As one of the richest men in New York, everybody wanted to have his money. By age 30, there had been 6 assassination attempts on him. After the sixth attempt, he changed his name to Clifford Johnson and moved to a small community an hour out of Chicago in hopes of taking his riches and beginning again with the money. He did just that. He fell in love with a beautiful woman. The only thing anybody knew about her other than her looks, though, was her last name. Busiek. He married her and soon had a beautiful baby girl with her. They named their little girl Susan, after her great grandmother. They were the perfect couple. Then one day Mrs. Busiek found out about her husband's past. She found a letter from the mother and father he told her were dead. In it, they called Clifford Will. They told him how his sister, Adele McGregor was doing. They told him about the trust fund they had set up for dear Susan. When Mrs. Busiek found out, she packed up her and Susan and they moved into a home that Mrs.Busiek bought in Chicago. A custody dispute began and they finally decided to let Susan go to her father's home on weekends and she'd stay with her mother on weekdays. Less than a year later, Mrs. Busiek fell in love again with another man. They married and had a daughter of their own, Zoe. As soon as Zoe was born, Susan stopped going to her father's house completely. He didn't mind too much because he had since fallen ill with cancer. By the time Susan was sixteen, he had died. Susan never came to the funeral. Neither did Mrs. Busiek. That was how his story went. To this day, Clifford's home stays uninhabited except for his sister, Adele, who cares for the house until Susan comes with the deed."
"So...so Susan's only my...half sister. I wonder if she even knew. She wasn't even three when I was born. Maybe Mom never told her either..." Zoe said, in tears again. Dan wrapped her into a hug. Usually there would be some sort of awkwardness if they hugged, but this time there was none. In fact, Zoe felt extremely contented in Dan's arms.
After their kiss in the elevator, they weren't sure what to do. When Marcos had proposed that night, Zoe had said she'd love to marry him, but just needed to wait for a little while. Marcos had been perfectly okay with that. Then Zoe opened her big mouth and told Marcos about what happened in the elevator with Dan. He then walked out and hadn't spoken to her since. Her and Dan never actually pursued a relationship like that. They stayed 'friends'.
Zoe braced herself for what would come next.
"Alright, lets see." He clicked on the first thing that came up. "Okay. I'll read what it says. Clifford Johnson was born William McGregor in 1922."
"Hold on," Zoe interrupted. "McGregor? That's the maid's name!"
"Oh yeah. Definitely NOT a coincidence." Dan decided. He read on. "Raised in New York, he became a legendary businessman in his time. As one of the richest men in New York, everybody wanted to have his money. By age 30, there had been 6 assassination attempts on him. After the sixth attempt, he changed his name to Clifford Johnson and moved to a small community an hour out of Chicago in hopes of taking his riches and beginning again with the money. He did just that. He fell in love with a beautiful woman. The only thing anybody knew about her other than her looks, though, was her last name. Busiek. He married her and soon had a beautiful baby girl with her. They named their little girl Susan, after her great grandmother. They were the perfect couple. Then one day Mrs. Busiek found out about her husband's past. She found a letter from the mother and father he told her were dead. In it, they called Clifford Will. They told him how his sister, Adele McGregor was doing. They told him about the trust fund they had set up for dear Susan. When Mrs. Busiek found out, she packed up her and Susan and they moved into a home that Mrs.Busiek bought in Chicago. A custody dispute began and they finally decided to let Susan go to her father's home on weekends and she'd stay with her mother on weekdays. Less than a year later, Mrs. Busiek fell in love again with another man. They married and had a daughter of their own, Zoe. As soon as Zoe was born, Susan stopped going to her father's house completely. He didn't mind too much because he had since fallen ill with cancer. By the time Susan was sixteen, he had died. Susan never came to the funeral. Neither did Mrs. Busiek. That was how his story went. To this day, Clifford's home stays uninhabited except for his sister, Adele, who cares for the house until Susan comes with the deed."
"So...so Susan's only my...half sister. I wonder if she even knew. She wasn't even three when I was born. Maybe Mom never told her either..." Zoe said, in tears again. Dan wrapped her into a hug. Usually there would be some sort of awkwardness if they hugged, but this time there was none. In fact, Zoe felt extremely contented in Dan's arms.
After their kiss in the elevator, they weren't sure what to do. When Marcos had proposed that night, Zoe had said she'd love to marry him, but just needed to wait for a little while. Marcos had been perfectly okay with that. Then Zoe opened her big mouth and told Marcos about what happened in the elevator with Dan. He then walked out and hadn't spoken to her since. Her and Dan never actually pursued a relationship like that. They stayed 'friends'.