Chapter 192 – Jack and Devin Talk
Jack headed to the office. Devin stopped in the library and grabbed both briefcases before following Jack down the hall to the office. Devin sat behind the desk after setting both cases down. Jack looked at the cases, one looked a lot newer than the other and he wondered what was going on. Jack also knew that Devin wasn't going to talk until he was ready. Jack just leaned back in the chair and looked at Devin.
"While we wait for Elizabeth." Devin said. "Did you have a nice time in Canada?"
"Yes." Jack said. "I am sure you have heard about what happened, but overall it was nice to get away."
"Good." Devin said.
Before Devin could say anything else, Elizabeth knocked on the open door.
"Come in and close the door." Devin said.
Elizabeth closed the door and took a seat next to Jack. Together they turned to Devin.
"Just a couple things to go over." Devin said. "First, I wanted to let you know that Charlotte will be back in town on Monday to go before the judge. As far as I know her and Thomas are going to fly up here in the morning and then fly back. I just wanted you to be aware."
"Thank you." Jack said. "As far as I know, we are going to be staying on the farm as much as possible. Especially since the press is still going crazy."
"Understood." Devin said. "I just wanted you to know. The next thing that you need to know is that Lucas Bouchard has been charged with creating a public disturbance. He was let go with a strong warning to make appropriate changes in his life so as not to be before the courts again. I was able to convince a judge that he still posed a threat to both of you and I was granted a six month restraining order on your behalf. He is to remain at least three hundred feet away from you and he is barred from posting on social media about either of you. I have someone monitoring that, just so you know. If you see him, call the cops and have him arrested."
"We will." Jack said. "Thank you for that. Any word on Charlie and the other Kensingtons?"
"Charlie was granted a new bail hearing." Devin said. "And despite our strong objections, he was granted five million dollars bail. There are several conditions, including surrendering his passport. He was also reminded that the restraining order is still in effect and as a condition of his bail he is not to violate it. We also added that he is not to post on social media about either of you as well. Again, someone is monitoring that. I just hope that he learned his lesson. The judge did warn him that any violation of the restraining order or conditions of his bail and he would be sitting in a cell for a long time as well as forfeiting the cash bail."
"We will be on alert." Jack said. "I don't think that they are going to give up that easily."
"I agree." Devin said. "But then again, he didn't have the easiest time in jail and I am sure that he doesn't want to go back. However, we all need to be careful because we have yet to figure out why he is so obsessed with Elizabeth. I have a couple people working on some things, but we don't have enough information at this point for me to say anything else."
"Devin." Elizabeth said. "Do you think that Charlie's obsession could have anything to do with my sister or her husband? It was only after they were married that Charlie really started pressuring me."
"How long has your sister been married?" Devin asked.
"It will be two years here in July." Elizabeth said.
"I don't know." Devin said. "But I will pass this on to my guys and see if there is anything to it. Your sister is Boston right? She is married to Lionel Murphy of Brown, Callahan and Murphy."
"Yes." Elizabeth said.
"Wow." Jack said. "That is like one of the largest law firms in Boston. I know that Grandpa John has done work with them before."
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Viola is married to the son of one partner and he himself is a junior partner in the firm."
"How does your father know them?" Devin asked. "If you know."
"When he first started out in law." Elizabeth said. "He worked for them for a couple of years before he moved back here and started his own practice. I think that they might have put up some of the capital for him to do that."
"That is good to know." Devin said. "If you think of anything else, please let me know."
"I will." Elizabeth said. "Is there anything else?"
"Not right now." Devin said. "There may be things later, but now, I need to talk to Jack about some other business."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I am not sure what the plan is, but just text me when you are done, I have my phone on me."
"I will." Jack said.
Jack stood and then helped Elizabeth stand. He pulled her in for a hug and also gave her a quick kiss.
"I will talk to you later." Jack said.
Jack watched as Elizabeth walked out of the office before he sat back down and looked at Devin.
"I don't come from money." Nathan said. "Besides, it shouldn't matter. Jack, Doug and Lee have included me in their group, just like they have welcomed Elizabeth. They did this because Elizabeth is important to Jack and for me it was because Jack said I was a part of the group. If you want to be a part of this group as well, you will be more than welcome. You just have to show that you are willing to accept people.
I get that it is a lot to take in. A lot has happened and I am sure that you feel like you have been left out of the loop since Elizabeth had not been in regular contact with you. Just so you know, none of us have kept her from you. She was free to contact you anytime that she wanted. She took this time since she left home to figure out what she wants. A part of what she wants is to be with Jack. She said that you were her best friend. If that is true, I would expect you to have an open mind and try to get to know the people that have become important to her. She needs and wants your support, but if you aren't willing to give it, it can be arranged for you to go back to the city."
"Jack and Elizabeth have been through enough." Doug said. "Between the Kensingtons and their cousins as well as Jack's parents. We decided that we aren't going to let anyone else hurt either of them. So if you can't be supportive, you won't be around and I know both Jack and Elizabeth will agree."
"So what happened with Jack's parents?" Rosemary asked. "Elizabeth hasn't said much."
"They weren't supportive of Jack's choices." Doug said. "It was more than just being with Elizabeth and as a result, they were asked to leave. They went back to the city last Saturday. If you want to know more, you need to ask Jack and Elizabeth."
"So what is up with all the security?" Rosemary asked. "I mean I could have driven up here."
"The security is because of the Kensingtons and others." Nathan said. "Jack, Elizabeth and Doug don't leave this property without security – both seen and unseen. That will go for you as long as you are here as well. It is my job to keep everyone safe and as long as you are with Elizabeth, you will be kept safe as well, but that also means listening when you are told to do something."
"Why would I listen to you?" Rosemary challenged. "Aren't you just another friend of Jack's?"
"Yes and no." Nathan said. "Technically, I work for Jack's other grandfather, John Thornton, Sr. I am personal security. I am also a friend and that is how Jack has chosen to introduce me, but make no mistake, I am security. And before you ask, I am older than the others. I am in my mid-twenties."
"Oh." Rosemary said.
"We don't make a big deal of Nathan working for us." Elizabeth said coming into the room.
"And you are okay with this?" Rosemary asked. "I mean I know that you didn't grow up with servants, but aren't employees supposed to remain in the background and not be seen."
Elizabeth let out a harsh breath, but it was Doug who responded.
"We don't treat people differently just because of employment status." Doug said. "Nathan has genuinely become our friend and as such he will be treated with respect as will everyone else in this house and on this property. Jack and his grandparents don't treat people differently just because they happen to work for them. People who don't understand that, don't last long around here. Am I clear?"
"Whatever." Rosemary huffed.
"Rosie!" Elizabeth said. "These people are my family and you will not have an attitude with them. They have opened their home and hearts to me when my own parents wouldn't believe me. I love you, but I am not going to allow people to put down Jack and his family."
Rosemary just looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth had never spoken to her like that. Rosemary had always been the more outgoing person and the one who taught Elizabeth about things. Rosemary's family came from much more money than Elizabeth's and was the one that had always included her.
"You are different." Rosemary said.
"So are you." Elizabeth said. "Part of the reason that I am different is because a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks and frankly I have done a lot of growing up. The rose colored glasses that I used to see the world through have been removed. I have experienced things I wouldn't wish on anyone. I have also learned what really matters.
You changed when you moved into the city and started school. You said it was because you experienced things and saw things differently. Well, I may not have started school yet, but I have seen things and experienced things as well and they have changed me."
Elizabeth started shaking. Doug got up and walked over to Elizabeth.
"Do you want me to get Jack?" Doug asked quietly.
Elizabeth shook her head.
"Can I just have a hug?" Elizabeth asked.
Doug quickly enveloped Elizabeth in a hug like he would one of his sisters. He then led her to a chair to sit. Rosemary was shocked. She had never seen Elizabeth friendly with guys and now she seemed to have four of them wrapped around her finger.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said, once she was seated.
"Anytime." Doug said.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, then looked at her best friend and tried to read her face. Rosemary sat there still stunned. Her mind was going a mile a minute. Not only had Elizabeth never talked to her like that before, but she had never seen Elizabeth allow a guy to give her a hug and this was one that she wasn't even involved with, supposedly. Rosemary started to wonder if there was more to the rumors then everyone was saying. She didn't know what to believe. She had done a lot of reading online about Jack Thornton, but she wasn't sure what to believe.
What she did know was Charlie and that she believed that he was sincere when he said that he loved Elizabeth. Rosemary was also unsure what she thought about Jack Thornton and his friends. She had read plenty online, but she wasn't sure what to believe as there were so many different reports. She also heard what Charlie had said about Jack. What Charlie had said was more in line with what she had read online. She was sure that Charlie had a better read on Jack Thornton so she was more inclined to believe that then the other stuff.
After a moment, Jack shifted in his chair. He just wanted Devin to tell him what was going on, he didn't want to have to wait. There was something about the look on Devin's face, like he was trying to figure out the best way to say something.
"Just say it." Jack said. "Whatever is going on I can't deal with it unless you tell me."
"Just remember." Devin said. "You were the one that started down this road. I don't have all the answers for you, but I do have some facts. I can't tell you why, but I can tell you what happened. I just hope that it is the right thing by telling you. I am going to urge you to digest this information, pray about things and then hopefully seek out your parents and talk to them. They are going to be the only ones that will be able to tell you the why."
"What are you talking about?" Jack asked.
"This is the last chance to not go down this road." Devin said. "Are you sure that you want to go down this road? Like I said, I only have the facts and I don't think that they tell the whole story."
"I need to know." Jack said. "I may not get the whole story, but I need to know what my parents are hiding from me. I just feel that if I know why they are hiding, I will be able to better understand myself and maybe the way that they have treated me."
Devin nodded. He knew that it was going to be hard for Jack to hear.
"I got the records and documents from around your birth." Devin said. "There is a lot going on and like I said, all I have are the facts as they are in these papers. I was able to get copies of everything."
Devin picked up the new briefcase. He set it on the desk, opened it and pulled out a folder. He knew that he would be leaving the documents with Jack, but he knew he needed to explain. Devin knew that he needed to be careful and didn't want to upset Jack anymore. He knew that Jack had been through a lot in the last couple of weeks and he wasn't sure how much more that he could handle.
"This case will be for you." Devin said. "It has a bio security lock. You and I are the only ones that can open it with our thumb print. I figured that this was the safest way to bring these to you. Beyond that, I know that you are going to start getting reports from your Grandpa John, so this will come in handy to keep things in. I will leave it for you after we talk."
"So what did you learn?" Jack said. "Thank you for the briefcase. I am not sure when and how I will be getting reports, but you are right the case will be handy even if I like my messenger bag. I am sure that Grandpa John will want me to look more professional."
"You know that your mother was rushed into an emergency c-section." Devin said.
Jack nodded.
"There were two reasons for that." Devin continued. "When Charlotte arrived at the hospital, her blood pressure was very high and also you were laying transverse or across and not head down like you should have been. From what the records say, the doctors were worried about both Charlotte's and your health due to her high blood pressure. The quickest way to treat your mother was to deliver you. When the doctors got to the OR and removed you, they also found a second much smaller baby."
"I am a twin." Jack said in disbelief.
"Yes." Devin said. "The baby girl weighed three pounds four ounces. Due to other factors, she was rushed to Mount Sinai NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) as it is the highest level of care for a newborn. I am sure you have a lot of questions, but let me get through the facts first. As far as I can tell, your father knew about the baby girl, when he knew I don't know. He was the one that had the records sealed, so he found out at some point. After the baby girl was transferred, I am still working on what happened."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"As far as I can tell." Devin said. "Your parents acted like your sister didn't exist. They took you home from the hospital after a couple of days and as far as I can tell, they never went to be with your sister. As far as I can tell, your mother wanted nothing to do with the baby. The medical bills were paid for by your parents in cash, but it does appear to be anonymous, but they match large cash withdrawals in your father's records from that time. So I am assuming that they paid the bill. Beyond that, there was no attempt made to bring the baby home. As far as I can tell, they abandoned her at the hospital. Basically leaving her there. One of the sealed documents was papers drawn up giving the hospital the right to make medical decisions as needed for the baby. I can't even find that your parents named her."
"What was wrong with her?" Jack asked.
"Other than being extremely underweight when born." Devin said. "There were obvious deformities including Down Syndrome, cleft palate and fused fingers on the left hand. I know that a cleft palate can be fixed. Depending on the severity of the fusion, surgery is an option to make the hand appear more normal. The records don't indicate how severe either were, but there is no doubt that there would be scars and some deformities. Down Syndrome can be hard to deal with for some people, but for the most part children born with Down Syndrome can lead long fulfilling lives."
"What happened to her?" Jack asked. "My sister."
"That I am still trying to figure out." Devin said. "I can't get access to the records from when she was transferred to Mount Sinai. I don't have any more information, because I don't have a name to search for. Even though I have a birth date, without a matching name, they refuse to release any records at the moment. I have a couple of guys combing through the records bureau to see if they can find anything – a death certificate or adoption papers, anything."
"What about that other baby from the picture before my baptism?" Jack asked.
"That baby was born to another lawyer at your father's firm." Devin said. "A year after she was born, he left the firm and the family moved out of New York. He opened a practice in Southern California. From what I have learned, your father was having an affair with the wife and that was part of the reason that he left. Thomas could be the father of that baby, but the mother is not saying and officially her husband is listed as the father on the birth certificate. Neither of them want to find out otherwise and have asked me to not contact them again."
"Is it possible for me to have other half siblings out there?" Jack asked.
"Unfortunately, yes." Devin said. "From what I can put together, your father has been with at least four different women, three of which have given birth while he was with them or shortly afterwards. He is not listed on any of the birth certificates as they are all married."
Jack closed his eyes and flexed his hands a couple of times.