Thank you to everyone that has continued to read this story, you have no idea how honored I am every time I get that notification that someone has made a comment, mark the story had favorite or followed. I appreciate them all.
I have to thank my best friend for reviewing each chapter and making sure all mistakes are minimal and for giving me feedback to help me be a better writer.
All the familiar characters belong to J.E. However the story line and original characters are mine. I don't own them and I'm not making any money from them, I'm just playing with them for a little bit.
Authors Note:
Spanish conversations are italicized; I know I probably rushed her speaking complete Spanish but I felt with her being so young and them speaking to her in the language that she would pick it up early, plus we all know our little Estefania is really smart.
Trenton – Planning and Attending the Memorial Service
After Helen and Edna came into the kitchen and while Frank was making sure that Valerie was in her room first, Joe got up from the table as he decided to leave so Frank could tell his family in private. They passed each in the all and gave each other a nod. Frank went back into the kitchen and proceeded to tell Helen and Edna the basic information of what happened to Stephanie. Frank and Joe decided they didn't need to know the whole story or any of graphic details, they thought that it would be too painful and wouldn't be good for them. Frank also had another reason for not telling them, he was afraid that Helen would blame him since this was his fault. Once Joe had told him that it was someone looking for revenge against him and that's why she was taken felt the huge wave of guilt come over him. He didn't know how he would ever be the same and wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to recover. He knew he would have to because his family needed him.
After everything was explained Helen looked over at Frank and said "I think we should start planning a memorial service for her, since there isn't a body we can't have a funeral. The sooner we do it the better so that we all would finally get the closure this family deserves and it would help us try to move on with our lives." He looked at her like she had grown a second head and replied "What do you mean move on with our lives? I don't think I'll ever be able to do that. I also think we should hold off until we get the reports so Joe and I can look over them to see if we can possibly catch something that someone may have missed that would give us any indication that Steph may still be alive." Helen tried to argue back by saying "Really Frank, I know this is hard and losing a child is horrible and I feel awful but nothing we do will bring her back and we can't forget about the child that we have. What is it that you think that you could possibly find that they nobody else was able to?" Edna getting angry at her daughter's reaction said "Helen you are out of line, how dare you just dismiss Stephanie like she's yesterday's trash, this is your flesh and blood, your daughter she deserves some respect. Frank I think what you are asking for is definitely within reason and I agree with you 100%. If there is any hope that she could still be alive then between the two of you you'll find it." Frank nodded his head and said "Thanks Edna I appreciate you backing me with this." Helen got a sour look on her face and said "Fine, when you two deem it appropriate for me to start making the arrangements then you'll let me know until then I will not be discussing anything that has to do with this." Then she stormed out of the kitchen and went straight to her room and slammed the door.
At that point Valerie walked into the kitchen and looked around trying to figure out what just happened and why her mommy had just run out of the kitchen and slam her bedroom door. Frank held out his arms hinting for her to climb up in his lap. She did as he requested and he looked in her eyes and explained what had happened to Stephanie. She took the news better than expected and didn't cry at all. Everyone in the room was kind of surprised. To Frank it almost seemed like she was relieved that they finally knew what had happened, she did appear to be sad that Stephanie wasn't coming but when she was told that they were waiting for the reports before deciding to do any type of service, she just shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal and walked away like she couldn't be bothered anymore. Her attitude disturbed the two of them but then they all thought that maybe this was her way of dealing with what happened to her sister.
For the next couple days Helen and Valerie were attached at the hip and got really good at pretending that everything was normal. They would talk to Frank and Edna but if they tried to bring Stephanie's name up they would act like they didn't hear them or would just walk away pretending that they had something else that needed their attention and Helen had truly stuck to her word and wouldn't discuss anything to do with Stephanie or what had happened to her and dragged Valerie right along with her.
Finally on the third day they were all sitting at the table eating lunch in complete silence when the phone rang. Helen jumped up to get the phone since they had moved it off the table and over to the counter. She answered quickly "Plum residence" "Hey Helen, this is Joe. Can I talk to Frank?" She didn't respond just pointed the phone to Joe and dropped the receiver on the counter. Frank sighed and picked it up "Hello?" "Frank, this is Joe. I take it the ice queen is still having issues with everyone?" Frank tried not to laugh at that but a little snicker sneaked out and said "Yep, not sure what I can do anymore. Did you get anything yet?" Joe replied "Yes, I just got the reports, but I was thinking that it might be a better idea for you to come to the office instead of me coming there. Helen would probably do nothing but glare at us and distract us, plus it would give her the whole story." Frank thought about it and said "I agree, give me about 10 minutes and I'll be over there." He then hung up the phone and looked at his family and said "The reports came in and I'm going over to head over to Joe's office so we can review them, I don't know when I'll be home. I'm sure we're going to try to cover everything today so that we don't have to drag it out." and then he grabbed his keys and walked out the house.
Frank showed up at the police station 10 minutes later as promised and walked to Joe's office. Joe already had all the papers from the report all over his desk. He looked up when Frank walked in and said "Are you ready for this?" Frank got a sad expression on his face and said "Not really but we need to do it for our own peace of mind. I also told Helen that I would be here a while and that we wouldn't stop until we were done." Joe nodded and said "Well so far I've separated all the documents by dates and put them in their own piles. Do you want to look at each pile together or divvy them up between us?" Frank thought about it and then said "I think it would be better if we each look at a pile on our own. That way we each get to look at it in case the other misses something." "Frank, that sounds like a plan. Let's get to it." So they each grabbed a pile and started looking at the evidence that had been compiled. They both quickly realized that in order for them to read these reports and do a thorough job of reviewing them, they had to take out the personal aspect of it.
After a few hours they had each gone over the piles, Joe looked at Frank and said "We've both been over these and I don't know about you but I haven't found anything. So here's the question do you want to give up or do you want to go grab some dinner come back and start again?" Frank looked down at the pictures in front of him that were of his little girl and said "I'm not ready to give up yet, something just doesn't seem right." Joe nodded his head and said "Let's go get some pizza and then we'll come back and look some more." They both reluctantly got up lingering at one last glance of Stephie's picture and headed out the door. After they were finished with dinner and headed back to the office, they felt they had recovered enough to start again. They went over every piece of paper and every picture with a vengeance and after 4 more hours of taking notes and comparing them, they finally conceded that the evidence clearly, stated and showed that Stephanie was indeed gone. Frank said "I just don't understand it, I just have a feeling that she's not gone but everything clearly shows that she is. Guess it's time to go home and face the music. Thanks Joe for everything that you've done." Joe nodded his head in agreement, there wasn't more that he could do other than that. Frank weakly smiled at Joe and walked out of his office.
It was almost 10 pm by the time he got home, he walked in the door and all the lights were out. He walked down the hall into his room where Helen was already asleep. When he sat down on the bed, she slightly woke up and said "Well?" Frank couldn't speak so he just shook his head, Helen understanding just sighed and put her hand on his back and said "I'll get all the arrangements started tomorrow and we'll do it as quickly as possible." He nodded and then stood up and got ready for bed.
The next day Frank woke up hearing Helen on the phone talking to the funeral home, she was right about the funeral what the hell would they bury, it would have been an empty casket. He heard her mention to them to just expect it to be a full house and to assign the big room. He knew that she wasn't going to spare any expense for this, even though this was about Stephanie, for her it was more of a status and appearance thing. He thought that lately she'd come to love the attention she was getting from the neighborhood. He knew that at the service she would play the grieving mother and relish in getting everyone's sympathy. She heard that they were setting it for two days from today. That way it could run in the paper tomorrow and everyone would know. Frank laughed to himself and thought the minute Helen walked out of the house everyone would know. This definitely was a neighborhood that thrived on gossip and being in everyone's business. He thought that he would just stay inside for the day and let the world pass by him. So he sat in his favorite chair and didn't move until it was time to eat but after dinner was over he went right back to his chair until it was time for bed.
After the newspaper came out the next day the calls started, the phone kept ringing non-stop, Helen took it as her personal mission to make sure she was the one who answered every call. Then when people started showing up at the house Helen assigned Edna and Valerie as the ones to greet everyone at the door. In her mind they were taking on the roles of the grieving grandmother and sister. Valerie seemed to take her role as hostess like she was born for it. The people never stayed long only long enough to give them their sympathy and ask if there was anything they could do and what a tragedy this was. Valerie would always thank them and say she didn't know of anything right now but that she would let her mother know that they offered and that she would see them tomorrow at the service. Finally late in the afternoon everything started to slow down and they were able to rest. Knowing that the next day would be the hardest one that they would have to face.
They woke up early the next morning, got dressed in their black clothes and sat down to eat breakfast. After making sure everyone had been served Helen sat down and looked at her family and started thinking about Stephanie, and as much stress that Stephanie had caused her she was never coming back, she would never be able to hold her or try to untangle her wild curls or have to worry about yelling at her again for getting her clothes dirty or for not behaving like a proper young lady. Suddenly she broke down at the table and just started crying, pretty soon everyone at the table was crying. When they heard the doorbell, Valerie jumped up and opened it wiping her eyes. She looked up and said "Hi Uncle Joe." He reached down and picked her up and said "Hey sweet Valerie." then gave her a kiss on her forehead. He asked her "Is everyone ready to go?" She nodded her head and pointed to the kitchen. Still holding her, he tucked her into him and walked to the kitchen. When he walked in Helen, Frank, and Edna looked at him holding Valerie and they all started crying even more. He said "Time to go. I've got a car big enough for all of us to fit in and I'll be driving you since I know none of you are up for it." They thanked him and then got up left the table the way it was and gathered their stuff and walked out the door. The funeral home had gotten a picture of Stephanie and blown it up. They had decorated the big room for her service and it was a packed house. The whole town was there to show their support for this grieving family that has suffered a tragic loss. The service itself didn't last very long, no one really know much about her or had much to say about her since she was so young. Afterwards their neighbors and some of their church friends gathered at the Plum home for food and final remembrance of the life of Stephanie Michelle Plum.
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela – Getting Comfortable
Estefania was adjusting well to her new life. Osvaldo told Maria that he wanted Estefania to learn Spanish as quickly as possible. So she made it a rule that while some English was allowed, everyone should speak mainly Spanish to her. She said that by being made to listen and try to respond with it that she would learn the language quicker. Everyone agreed, so that's what they did. The one thing that Estefania loved about being there was that she lived right on the beach and that Maria took her every day. Tomas was always either with them or was watching them, he knew that was his job to never let her out of his site. Most days Osvaldo couldn't go with them, which Estefania understood since he said that he had to work, so the days that he did go she relished. He would play with her in the sand and then he would go in the water with her, always making sure that she had the time of her life.
About two weeks after Estefania had been there Osvaldo called her into his room. She came running into his room and jumped on his bed. He sat beside her and said "My princess I need to go away for a little bit, I have to go out of town for business trip." She started to cry. He grabbed her from beside him and held her in his lap and said "My sweet girl, why are you crying?" She looked at him and said "Papi, I cry because I'm sad you will be gone." He looked at her face and said "I know you, I will be as well and I will miss you more than you will know, but you won't be alone you will have Maria and Tomas. Please don't be sad, it's only for a few day, I promise that it will be no longer than a week and how about I bring you back something special what do you think about that?" She smiled and jumped up and wrapped her arms around him and said "I would like that, but I will like it more when you come back home." He hugged her back and said "I will need to leave in the morning but I'm yours for the remainder of the day. What would you like to do? " She got a look in her eye that he knew very well, he laughed and said "Let me guess you want to go on the beach and have a picnic and then later you want something simple for dinner like hot dogs and macaroni and cheese while we watch Ghostbusters. How close am I?" She smiled at him knowingly and nodded her head up and down. So that's exactly what they did.
A week later, Osvaldo wanted to surprise Estefania so he didn't let anyone know that he was coming home, so he quietly entered the house looking around for her. The maid saw him and said "She is on the beach with Maria. Tomas is on the deck watching them." He thanked her and then walked out to where Tomas was. He shook Tomas's hand and looked out to see her playing in the sand. He smiled and called her name. She looked up hearing her name being called and saw him, she stood up and then started running as fast as she could. When she finally got to him he had bent down to her level and she ran right into his arms and said "Papi, your home. I can't believe that you are finally home. I've missed you. I'm so glad that you are home." He leaned back a little and replied "My princess I've missed you too and I'm definitely glad to be home. What did you do while I was gone?" She said "We went to the beach every day and then we played with my toys." He laughed at how excited she was and said "You know you're going to turn into a mermaid, if you continue to spend hours at the beach." She laughed and then without thinking said "Mermaids aren't real silly, I know because my mommy told me." She put her hand over her mouth quickly when she said that and looked up at him with these really apologetic and sad eyes. Osvaldo quickly moved her hand off her mouth and said "Now my princess, what have I told you. I don't expect you to forget them, and I'm sure that they've taught you many things, and yes your mommy was right there is no such thing as mermaids. I was just making a joke, because you have been going to the ocean every day." He bent down to give her a hug and whispered "How about since I haven't been home you and I go to a nice restaurant? Would you like that?" Her eyes got wide and she nodded her head "Oh yes, Papi. I haven't gone anywhere outside of the house since we got here." "I'm truly impressed with your Spanish has gotten really good, I'm really proud of you. Now go tell Maria to get you dressed up in your prettiest dress and as soon as you're ready we'll go, I know the perfect place to take you my water princess." She gave him a full belly laugh and told him "Thank you Papi, I've been working really hard while you were gone." She gave him a quick hug and kisses and then ran up the stairs and into her room yelling for Maria. The woman in question came out and asked her "What's all this noise my child?" Estefania ran up to her still yelling "Papi said we could go out to dinner. I'm supposed to get my best dress on so we can have a nice dinner. I'm excited I get to go out." and she continued to go on until Maria finally said "Estefania, stop rambling." Estefania immediately stopped and looked at her. Maria took her hand and walked her into her closet and said "OK, let's see what we can find. You need to take a bath and get all the sand from the day off and we'll get you ready to go on a date with your Papi. How does that sound." Estefania nodded and said "Perfect!"
While she was getting ready Osvaldo was making reservations at one of his favorite restaurants, although it wasn't in Puerto Cabello it was in the next town from them in Valencia. He told Tomas his plans so he could send one of the other bodyguards ahead to make sure that the place would be fully secure.
After about an hour Estefania and Maria came down the stairs. Osvaldo looked at Estefania and said "My princess you look absolutely beautiful. I am honored to have you by my side. Maria, thank you for getting her ready, I truly appreciate it. My dear are you ready?" "Yes Papi, I'm ready. Can you tell me where we are going?" He replied "Yes, one of my favorite places. We have to go into the next city. To a restaurant called El Meson de la Carne. I think you will like it." He took her hand and walked her out of the house and over to his private car. She looked at him funny and said "We will have Tomas with us but I want to drive us on our date." She smiled up at him and he put her in her car seat and buckled her in. Tomas got in next to her and Osvaldo got into the driver's seat. They drove for a little bit and when they finally got there and pulled into the parking lot Estefania noticed two things the huge outdoor seating and the playground beside it. After Osvaldo found a spot close enough to the building, he parked the car and got out. Estefania had already unbuckled her seat and was waiting for him to let her out of the car. He picked her up and she looked all around and said "Papi, look there are kids over there playing on the playground can I go over there and play with them?" He said "Not right now my princess but maybe after dinner you can go and meet some new friends." She replied "OK, I am hungry." As her stomach started growling, they all laughed and headed into the restaurant. He asked her "Do you want to sit outside or do you want to sit inside?" "Can we sit outside it's so pretty." He nodded his head and told the hostess "My princess wants to sit outside so we need the best table that you have out there." The hostess hurriedly told the bus boys to make sure the best table was ready and then led them to it. Estefania noticed that people kept staring at them as they were walking to the table. She could hear a few people whispering and saw them point over at them. She wasn't sure what was going on so she whispered in Osvaldo's ear "Papi, why are these people staring, whispering and pointing at us?" He whispered back to her "Because they are taken by your beauty and want to know who you are and why you are with me?" Accepting that answer she started looking around again. Once seated at their table and the waitress came over and they ordered their drinks. Once she came back with the drinks, Osvaldo ask Estefania "Do you trust me?" She replied "Always, Papi." He told the waitress to bring an assortment of their seasoned meats and some of their creole seasoned seafood. Estefania's eye went wide at all the food he ordered and he just looked at her and said "I want you to taste everything that you possibly can, so you will always want to experience the best of life." She smiled at him and nodded. When their food finally came, the whole table was filled. He began to give a sample of the beef, pork, and lamb that they got, as well as the shrimp and fish. After each bite she let him know what she liked and what she didn't. By the time she was done sampling all the food she said "Papi, I'm too full to go to the playground, but can we come back so I can play on it?" He looked at her and said "Anything for you my princess anything for you, just say the word and we will come back." He got the check and put enough cash to cover the food and a generous tip and they walked out of the outdoor patio and to the car. Estefania struggled not to fall asleep on the way home, by the time they pulled into the drive she could barely keep her eyes open. Osvaldo carried her up to her room, helped her get her pajamas on and tucked her into bed. As he told her goodnight she said "Thank you Papi for tonight, I'm glad you're home." He said "Me too my love, me too" Then as he gave her a kiss and started to walk out of her room she sleepily said "I love you Papi." he turned around so he could look at her and said "I love you too Estefania." He then walked out of her room with a huge smile on his face and contentment in his heart he had never felt before in his life.