I owe all of you a huge apology--I had no idea that so much of my work was this far behind over here! I'm going to try and slowly get everything caught up but no promises...
However, I'm updating this particular fic with every chapter I have written so far--and I am pleased to announce that I am taking it off hiatus! Hope to have a brand-spanking new chapter for all to read soon!
Chapter 14: Theories
Recap: Amber and Nat bonded over the predicament and then she had to leave as Amber was prepped. As Natalie was walking away from the room a syringe was plunged into her neck. She awoke to find out she'd had twins, and one of them was stillborn. She and Amber named their babies together, Emily and Elizabeth after twins Natalie used to care for. Matthew Brown went home and we learn that he has a grandson whose mother (Matthew's daughter) is no longer around because of something Natalie did. Three weeks later Natalie was looking in Liz's baby book when a piece of paper fell out. Natalie told John that she might be responsible for their son's death after reading it; then suddenly realized that her baby might not have died.
She saw John's eyes cloud over and desperate, she grabbed his arm. "John, you don't understand. I did something horrible to that doctor years ago, back when I still believed I was a Balsom." He pulled her back into his arms. "Shhhh, it's okay." He gently stroked her hair.
She finally caught her breath and pulled back, taking a deep breath. "I was seventeen," she began slowly. "Roxy had bet some pretty big bucks down at the tracks but it fell through. She needed some quick cash, and that was when she found out from one of her friends about an up and coming doctor named Matthew Salazar." John frowned. "Yeah, he must have changed his name. That's why when I thought he looked familiar I brushed it off as my being paranoid."
John reached over to grab her hand, squeezing it gently. Natalie smiled gratefully at him as she continued. "Matthew was loaded. He saved all his money from his practice and everything for some big mysterious purpose that had something to do with his daughter. Then Roxy found out that he liked to drink and that he liked underage girls." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes against the memory. "She got one of her friends to introduce us to him and after threatening me, she made up some excuse about having to leave. I was terrified, but I did as Roxy told me and got him drunk enough to invite me up to his hotel room."
"You didn't—" Natalie shook her head. "No. I put some Nyquil in his drink while he was gone and then while he was passed out I hunted down his stash of money and took it." Her eyes filled with tears and her voice wavered as she continued. "Then, a few months later I was in the grocery store when I saw the headline. Below it was a picture of Matthew and a beautiful, laughing fifteen-year old. I bought the magazine, and apparently Michelle Salazar was on vacation with some friends in Turkey when she was kidnapped and forced into prostitution."
John shook his head grimly. "Trafficking," he offered. She nodded. "Well, they were doing some kind of an auction thing and it turns out that is what Matthew had been saving all that money for. Before he could get enough saved up again, Michelle was dead." The tears began to spill down her cheeks as John pulled her against his chest, his mind racing as he tried to reconcile the idea of his Natalie doing something like that.
He waited until the sounds of her sobs had turned into occasional sniffles before he ventured the question. "What do you think this has to be with our son?" She pulled back. "Don't you see, John? The note says girls—plural." She took a deep breath. "I think that Emily is our daughter, and Amber's son is the baby who died. Think about it—Emily is only calm when she's around us or Liz, right? And I basically took his daughter away. It's the perfect revenge isn't it?"
John looked hesitant. "I don't know, Natalie. I don't want you getting your hopes up for nothing." "John, please. Call it a mother's instinct, but I have a strong feeling that we're on the right track with this." He shook his head. "I can call in for a DNA test," he offered. "But we don't say anything to Amber until we get the results, got it?" She nodded, throwing her arms around his neck. "What would happen to Matthew if the results come back positive?"
John shook his head. "If they come back positive then he'll be in some major trouble—especially with me." He kissed her gently, thinking about what he was going to do to Matthew Brown if he had caused Natalie this much pain… and what about Amber? She would have to deal with the truth that her son had died at birth after spending three weeks with a child. He knew that if he found out that the doctor had done what Natalie was accusing him of that he would tear him apart with his bare hands…
TO BE CONTINUED
