Chapter 193 – Fallout of Secrets Revealed
Nathan looked at Elizabeth after a moment. He knew that he needed to change the subject and let things calm down just a little bit.
"Are you okay?" Nathan asked.
"Yes." Elizabeth said, nodding.
"Mind me asking what Devin had to say?" Nathan asked.
"It is okay." Elizabeth said. "He gave Jack and I an update on Lucas and Charlie."
"Who is Lucas?" Rosemary asked.
"Charlie's frat brother who caused trouble last Saturday at the Classic." Doug said.
"What did Devin say?" Nathan asked.
"He let us know that a restraining order against Lucas was granted for both Jack and I." Elizabeth said. "He also let us know that Charlie is out on bail or bond or something like that. The restraining order is still in effect and if violated in any way he will be back behind bars. He also had to hand over his passport."
"Good." Nathan said. "I hope that they wise up and move on, but I don't think that it will be that easy."
"Devin said as much as well." Elizabeth said.
"I still can't believe that you had Charlie arrested." Rosemary said. "He has always been so nice and his family is wonderful. I know that he loves you, but you are too blinded by other things to see that."
"He assaulted me." Elizabeth said, sharply. "Also he doesn't love me, he loves the idea of having me."
Rosemary didn't know what to think. She felt that Charlie honestly did love Elizabeth. She had known him for years. When he had asked if she was seeing anyone, Rosemary had been excited for her friend. She knew that Charlie came from a good family and there was plenty of potential for Elizabeth if she was with him.
"Not to mention multiple restraining order violations." Doug said. "I also agree with Elizabeth that I think Charlie is more in love with the idea of having her then actually with her."
"Also he or at least his family is behind a plot to kidnap Elizabeth for God knows what purpose." Nathan said. "Just because someone acts nice in public and comes from money, doesn't make him a nice person."
"Very true." Doug said. "Charlie and most of his frat have a horrible reputation with women. I can't believe that any woman would willingly spend time at that frat. I also can't believe that any self respecting, morally upstanding young man would want to be a part of that frat. From what I understand from both my brother and sister, the reputation of the frat goes beyond Columbia and extends to other universities as well."
"You can guarantee that none of us will join a frat that has a reputation like that." Lee said. "We don't want to be associated with anyone with reputations like that. I looked into the fraternities at Columbia and am not interested. The only one I might be interested in is not even a real fraternity, but called a society and that is Phi Theta Kappa."
"I agree." Doug said. "That would be the only one that I would consider joining because I have standards and I want friends who have standards as well. Sleeping around is not one of the standards I want to be known for."
Rosemary sat there stunned listening to the guys. She was so sure that she would be able to convince them that Charlie was a good guy and that Elizabeth needed to come back to the city. She knew if she could do that, her life would be easier. She knew that Charlie would pay good for the return of Elizabeth and bonus she would have her best friend back. Rosemary realized that it was going to be harder than she thought to convince Elizabeth to come back to the city. She was also sure that the guys were lying about sleeping around. What guy with money and access hadn't slept around. She was sure that at least Jack, if not Doug and Nathan also were sleeping with Elizabeth.
In Rosemary's mind it was the only thing that made sense as to why they were so friendly and protective of her. She was having a hard time getting a read of Lee, but she was sure that he had at least thought about sleeping with Elizabeth. As much as Elizabeth had swore up and down that she didn't sleep around Rosemary had a hard time believing it. She knew that Elizabeth was on birth control. Why else would someone be on birth control if she wasn't sleeping around.
Rosemary was proud that she had slept with several of her castmates and even a director to get a better part. She figured everyone else was, why not her. No matter how many times she tried to get Elizabeth to talk about her conquests, she had refused. Rosemary figured that was either because she wasn't good in bed or she was embarrassed by who she had been with. From what Rosemary had read online, it sounded like Jack Thornton had done his share of chasing tail over the years.
"Charlie Kensington's father is also not the nicest person." Trish said. "From what I have gathered, it is like father like son. My mother has kicked the Kensingtons out of more than one charity function for their behavior. They don't learn because no one has ever been brave enough to follow through with charges. They are the type of people that think that they can buy their way out of trouble no matter what they do."
"Too bad he decided to go around with a Thornton again." Doug said. "You think Charlie would have learned when we were in school not to mess with Jack, but apparently some people never learn. Charlie thinks that he can do whatever he wants and say whatever he wants and his father will pay to make any consequences go away. And up until now that has been more or less the case."
Rosemary just looked at Doug and Nathan. She didn't think that they knew what they were talking about. She had spent time at the frat house and nothing had ever happened to her. She thought Charlie Kensington was a pretty good catch and honestly didn't see what he saw in Elizabeth. She was happy for her best friend when Charlie showed interest, but at the same time she was jealous as she would have liked to have been with Charlie herself. She figured that if she couldn't, her best friend was the next best thing.
Lee sat back and watched everything that was going on around the table. He had immediately been taken by Rosemary's beauty, but he was holding back and guarding his heart until he knew if she could be trusted or not. He wanted to learn more about her, but he also knew that he needed to protect his heart. He hoped that things worked out and that he would be able to try and see if there was something between them. The one thing that Lee knew was that he would never allow a woman to come between him and his best friends. So if Rosemary was proven to be untrustworthy, then he would not even think about trying to get to know her better. He knew it would be hard, as he knew his heart had been taken by Rosemary, but to Lee his friendship with Jack was more important than what he saw as a potential life partner. Lee knew that he could never be with someone that wasn't accepted into the group that was more important to him than even his own family. Lee knew that in ways that he, Jack and Doug were closer than most families. They had been through so much together and their friendship had already withstood the trails and was forged in fire.
"Are you okay?" Devin asked.
Jack shook his head and looked at Devin with tears in his eyes. The last thing that Jack wanted was to cry again. The words that Father Mark had told him ran through his head, but he still didn't want to cry, especially in front of Devin.
"I don't know." Jack said. "Nothing makes sense anymore. My life doesn't make sense. This changes everything. It makes me wonder if my parents ever wanted me. I wonder if they only brought me home because I was 'perfect'. I wonder what they would have done had I been the one born with physical deformities."
"Yes and no as far as everything has changed." Devin said. "You are still the same person that you were ten minutes ago. You just know more about yourself. There is nothing that you can do to change what happened. All I can say is that you need to find a way to be okay with what happened. Like I have stressed, I can't tell you why your parents did the things that they did, but it doesn't change the fact that you are John Parker Thornton, II – heir to the Thornton empire. It doesn't change the loving and caring person I have had the pleasure of watching grow up. It might explain why you felt certain things at certain times, but that is really all that has changed.
Please don't be too hard on other people. People make decisions and there are times that even if they think what they are doing is for the best, it is not when looking back. I don't know what your parents were going through. I don't know if they knew about your sister before you two were born or if it was a surprise and then for her to have significant challenges, well it might have been more than your mother could handle. I don't know, that is something you are going to have to ask her."
Jack looked at Devin and Devin could tell that Jack was getting upset.
"I am not making excuses for her, but neither of us know what she was thinking." Devin said. "You are eighteen and I get that your mother was older than you are now when you were born, but still the thought of being faced with raising a child with challenges is not for everyone. Again, I am not saying that it is right, but you need to think about that.
You saw what happened to one of your teammates' parents when their youngest sibling was born with Down syndrome and heart problems. You watched and listened as your friend Caleb talked about how caring for his brother tore his parents apart and is what led to their divorce. You saw what happened to Caleb as he struggled to accept the limitations that his brother would always have and also what he went through as he watched his parents turn into people he didn't even recognize as they fought about everything.
So please, stop and think before you let your anger for your parents build. I get that they have done some horrible things, but I honestly believe that at least in their heads they were trying to protect you. They might not have gone about things the right way and I am sure that at least at some point your mother was worried about how others would look at her, but still you need to be calm if you approach them to talk about this. I want you to think about things this weekend. Talk to me. Talk to Father Mark. Talk to your friends if you want, but I urge you to try and work through your feelings. This is a lot to take in and I am afraid that you are not going to deal with your real feelings."
"Your right has anything really changed." Jack said. "I remember making the comment that I wouldn't wish what Caleb was going through on my worst enemy. In the end not only did his parents divorce, but he lost his brother as well. I am more just angry that my parents lied to me. That they would tell me that family was the most important thing and then behind my back, they have done this. The last few years, I have always thought that my father was unfaithful to my mother, but to actually hear it and know that I might have half siblings out there that I don't know is another thing. He always was preaching to me about morals and family, so for it to be confirmed that he wasn't faithful is hard. I have my doubts that Ma has been faithful as well, but at least I am not worried about having some unknown half siblings out there
It also makes me more determined to not be like him. I have told Elizabeth that I am not going to ask her to sign a prenup and Grandpa John is okay with that. He has explained that there are documents that she will need to sign, but they are more for the protection of both of us and any future children. It will also prevent her family from trying to claim any of the Thornton money later. I am smart enough to know that Grandpa John needs to put provisions into place to protect everything that he has built, but a traditional prenup is not one of those.
Like I explained to both Grandpa and Elizabeth, by asking her to sign a traditional prenup, it feels like I don't trust her and that I am not one hundred percent committed to her. There is nothing further from the truth. I can't imagine my life without Elizabeth. I can't wait to get married to her and start our lives. I know that we are young and there are lots of things that need to get worked out, but I have never been more sure about anything in my life as I am about Elizabeth. I also want to know that if something were to happen, she is more than taken care of. I know that I could write a prenup that she would be provided for, but that is still saying that I don't fully trust her. I want to show Elizabeth that I trust her one hundred percent and this is my way of showing that to her. She has had had men lie to her for most of her life and I am not going to be another man who does that to her."
"I can see that." Devin said.
"And you are sure that there is no way that we are related?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Devin said. "Besides the differences in your blood types that I have explained. You were born at eleven nineteen in the morning at New York Presbyterian hospital and Elizabeth was born at St Joseph's Medical Center in Yonkers at two o five in the afternoon."
"Oh." Jack said. "I just had to make sure."
"I know." Devin said. "But like I said, it is impossible based on blood types alone."
Jack sat back and was thinking about everything Devin had told him. He was angry at his parents, but he also knew that he couldn't talk to them while he was angry. He wasn't sure that he wanted to talk to them at all, but there were other questions that he had and he knew that they would be the only ones that would be able to answer them. The biggest thing that Jack wanted to know was why. Why had his parents done what they had done? He also wanted to know if they knew about his sister before she was born or not. Not that it really mattered, but there was a part of him that wanted to know if they had ever wanted her.
Devin watched Jack sit back and ran through the information in his head. He hoped that he had done the right thing in telling him. Devin didn't know why Jack's parents had lied to everyone and hid the information, but they had to know that it was going to come out at some point. Maybe they didn't think about that nor the fallout that would happen if and when it was found out. Devin had never really agreed with the way that Thomas and Charlotte had handled Jack. He had realized early on that neither of them were cut out to be parents. Maybe that was why he took such an interest in Jack. He knew that Jack was going to need someone steady in his life. Devin knew that Jack had his grandparents, but they weren't there all the time. Devin realized early on that he was always going to be close.
As Devin sat there and watched Jack he wondered again how much the young man could handle. He had been through more than most adults deal with in a lifetime and he was only eighteen years old. Then again, Devin realized that Jack was more mature, compassionate, and well versed then most adults. Maybe it was everything that he had been through that made him that way. Either way, Devin knew that there was nothing in life that was going to stop Jack from achieving exactly what he wanted. Devin was pretty sure it was to spite his parents that Jack had made certain decisions, but even then they were well thought out and well made plans.
Finally Jack looked back at Devin. Jack felt emotionally spent again, but he knew that there was a lot that still needed to be done. He wondered if things would ever get easier.
"Is there anything else that we need to cover?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Devin said. "There are a few business things that I need to go over with you."
"Let's get it done so I can try to enjoy the weekend with my friends." Jack said.
Jack pulled his chair closer to the desk and the two started going over paperwork that Devin had brought for various business things that Jack needed to do.
Elizabeth looked at Rosemary and was not happy with her at the moment. She had asked her to keep an open mind, but it didn't seem like she had listened. By this time the girls had taken a seat at the table and Trish had gone over to the kitchen to help Frank.
"So what is the plan for this afternoon?" Elizabeth asked. "I don't know how long Jack is going to be and he knows to just text me when he is done."
"What do you want to do?" Doug asked. "We rode this morning and got a workout in. I wouldn't mind going down and looking at the horses."
"Can we go see Rocky and Rainbow?" Missy asked. "I know that they are probably still in isolation, but I still wouldn't mind seeing them."
"Rosie." Elizabeth said. "Do you want to see some of the horses? We can walk down to the stables that are close and the girls can see their horses. Or is there something else that you want to do?"
"I was hoping to go into town." Rosemary said.
Elizabeth looked at Nathan.
"I don't think so." Nathan said. "Not today. Maybe we can go into town tomorrow and get ice cream. We would have to figure out at least one more vehicle."
"I think tomorrow is a better idea for town." Elizabeth said. "That way, Chris, Rob and Katie can make sure that we are okay."
"I can drive one vehicle." Trish said.
"We can take my SUV as well." Frank said. "But I agree that it is better to wait until tomorrow. We will need to plan with security."
"So Rosie." Elizabeth said. "What do you want to do?"
"I was hoping to talk to you, alone." Rosemary said.
"We can do that." Elizabeth said. "You don't want to see the horses."
"Not really." Rosemary said. "You know that I only rode so you could go."
"Fine." Elizabeth said.
"How about we take the girls down to see Rocky and Rainbow." Doug said. "And you guys can hang out here at the house. I am sure that you can go up on the deck and sit or lay out by the pool. It looks like a nice afternoon."
"We can do that." Elizabeth said. "Maybe after the girls check on their horses they can join us by the pool for some sun."
"Maybe." Trish said.
Elizabeth and Rosemary got up and headed downstairs. The guys picked up their laptops and put them in the library. The girls put their books in there as well. The group then headed out to the stables. Trish and Frank worked on making several loaves of bread.
When Elizabeth and Rosemary got downstairs they headed to Elizabeth's room.
"I can show you around a little down here." Elizabeth said.
"I suppose." Rosemary said. "I still can't believe you are here and the way it sounds staying all summer. Why can't you come back to the city and forget all this?"
"Because I am not going back to my father." Elizabeth said. "I am going to marry Jack and that is all there is to it. We love each other and we are going to build a life together. He is going to be taking over the ranch from his grandparents. He also has plans to grow and expand it. I am excited about all that we are going to do. Can you please just try to be happy for me? I know that this is a lot to take in, but if you give it a chance, you will see that Jack is a great guy and so are his friends."
"I just don't understand why you would give everything up for this guy." Rosemary said. "I thought you wanted to go to school and teach."
"I do and I will." Elizabeth said.
"Oh really." Rosemary said. "You are going to get married and have kids, then he is going to demand that you stay home and take care of his little brats."
"Jack is not like that." Elizabeth said. "Jack told me that he would never stop me from going to school or working if that is what I wanted to do. I believe him. I get that some of my dreams are going to change and so are his as we make dreams together, but we know that our lives are meant to be lived as one. Jack has bought property for us and for the expansion of the farm. We have spoken about what we want to do to make the new property our own. We have talked about how we are going to expand and do things that the farm is not currently doing. I am excited for the future with Jack."
"Where do I fit into your future?" Rosemary asked.
"I am hoping right by my side." Elizabeth said. "But you need to drop this attitude and really get to know Jack and his friends. I bet that if you tried, you would like them and I am pretty sure that given the chance, Lee is interested in you, but won't make a move until you can show that you want to truly be a part of this group. Those boys, Jack, Doug and Lee are so close that none of them would choose a life partner if the others didn't approve."
Elizabeth was getting frustrated with Rosemary, it didn't seem to matter what she said it was like Rosemary was looking for a fight.