Author's note: I have added a TRIGGER WARNING for this chapter. There talk of sexual activity, nothing graphic, but I have been told what I wrote can be triggering to some so I have added the warning.
Chapter 207 – Sensitive and Tense Conversations
Rosemary huffed, but didn't move to leave. Elizabeth took a deep breath and glared at her friend.
"I didn't realize it until I was shown what true best friends looked like." Elizabeth said. "When was the last time you asked me how I felt? Or how my day was without me asking you first. Can you tell me when was the last time that you sat and listened to me when I was upset or held me when I cried over something? No, because it has never happened. Watching Jack with Doug and Lee and now Nathan, I have seen how true best friends act. Those guys have each other's backs no matter what. They support each other without question. Nathan didn't even know what was going on when Jack talked to his parents, yet he stood with Jack and told him that he had his back.
Right now, I have been shown more support from Nathan and Frank than you. You obviously see I am upset, but you haven't asked me once if I was okay or offered to go talk. Jack, Nathan and Father Mark have all asked me if I was okay since I came back downstairs. Even little Becky asked if I was okay. Even she could see that I was upset about something. I am done. I am done giving and giving some more to you. Unless you start really acting … no not acting, truly behaving like a friend then, you will find yourself on the outside of this group.
I invited you up here with the support of everyone else in this house. They kept telling me that I should have you up here so that you can get to know them as well. I realized why I had waited to reach out to you. When I first left, you said you would be there for me when I was ready, but the more I thought about it, a true best friend would have pushed and made sure I was okay. Instead what do you do, from what I have been able to determine, you went running to your little theater group and wanted to know all the gossip about Jack Thornton. Don't lie to me and tell me you don't read the gossip pages. You are one of the biggest gossips that I know. You knew exactly who Jack Thornton was when I told you two weeks ago. I texted you that afternoon about what happened. Don't believe me, I still have the texts. Instead of asking if I was alright, do you remember what you asked me?"
Rosemary just stared at Elizabeth. There was a blank look on her face like she was trying to remember the exchange, but was coming up blank. Everyone at the table realized that Rosemary didn't even remember the exchange on what was one of the most pivotal days for her best friend. Elizabeth gave her a little bit of time to really think.
"No." Rosemary finally said. "I guess I don't remember, but you know how I am during a production, I can barely remember my own name at times."
Elizabeth wasn't going to take any of Rosemary's flimsy excuses this time, she had had enough of them over the years to know that when Rosemary didn't want to deal with something, she had some excuse, usually related to the theater.
"Just over two weeks ago." Elizabeth said. "I texted you that Charlie physically assaulted me and that was why I went home. When you asked how I got home, I told you that the two young gentlemen who stepped in brought me home and then I told you who they were. It didn't even take you a full minute after I sent that text for you to respond with and I quote 'Are they cute? Do you think they would be up for some double action, because I could hit either one of them and be happy.' End quote. Seriously, you didn't ask how I was, but was trying to arrange a hook up for us. I wasn't angry at you then, but I am furious with you right now.
Why do you look at every guy and wonder how long it would take to hook up? Why are you so obsessed with pushing me to hook up with random guys? Why do you push to know every little thing I have done with a guy and then get all disappointed when I don't want to talk about it? Here is a hint, maybe I didn't want to talk about it because I wasn't doing every guy that crossed my path."
"Then why are you on birth control?" Rosemary huffed. "I mean seriously in my experience, there is only one reason that a girl is on long term birth control. Maybe you just aren't that good and can't satisfy a man."
This time Doug didn't hold back. He was angry and was going to put Rosemary in her place. He would deal with Jack later if he was upset.
"For your information." Doug said. "Jack, Lee and I have more respect for women than that. Just so you don't get the wrong idea, I would never have 'hooked up' with you and it would be a cold day in hell before Jack gave you a second look. Those that don't know us, just assume that we have slept around or whatever. I will have you know, we not only respect women more than that, we respect ourselves more than that. None of us are looking for a cheap thrill when we understand that there is something so much better out there for us."
Doug closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath. He then opened his eyes and his stare was so cold, it was frightening. Even his mother had never seen that look from her youngest son.
"It is your prerogative to settle for the cheap imitation." Doug said. "Me personally, I want the real thing. I want to give my body to the woman who loves me more than life itself. I want something that means the world to both of us. I want my wife to know that she was important enough to me that I waited for her. Besides, no real guy wants leftovers from a woman who peddles herself to every Tom, Dick and Harry she comes across."
"Douglas James!" Trish reprimanded.
"Sorry, Mom." Doug said. "I didn't mean to be crude, but sometimes the truth hurts."
"For your information, Rosemary." Elizabeth said. "I have never willingly been with a guy and I have no plans to do that until I am married. Jack and I have talked about it and we agreed that we wouldn't be with each other that way until our wedding night."
Rosemary sat there slack-jawed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that Elizabeth hadn't slept around. She had an even harder time believing that the guys hadn't slept around. It also didn't escape any of the other adults at the table what Elizabeth had said and how she had said the word 'willingly'. Frank was concerned something had happened to her, but he knew it wasn't the time to ask. He made a mental note to mention something to Jack and see how he reacted. Frank also said a quick prayer that whatever had happened to her, that Elizabeth had shared it with Jack or he knew that it could cause problems later. Nathan had also caught what Elizabeth had said, but he knew the story behind what happened. He just hoped and prayed that no one questioned Elizabeth, because he wasn't sure what she would say and he wasn't going to betray her by saying anything.
"Don't act so surprised." Trish said. "It is becoming a lot more common than you think. Especially among faithful Catholic young men and women. They are taught early that their bodies are not something that they should be ashamed of, but they are also taught that you need to respect your body. God created sex for marriage. Within the bounds of marriage, sex is a wonderful thing. It is secular culture that has made it a cheap, tawdry thing to be given to anyone, anytime. That was not what God created it for and more and more, faithful young Catholics and others are learning that. They are being taught that if they wait for the real thing and not accept the cheap imitation that society offers it is worth the wait.
So, I am proud of Doug and the other young men in his friends circle. They have decided that they not only respect themselves enough, they respect their future wives enough to wait. I am sure that they have struggled over the years, especially when they hear other people talking about 'hooking up' as you put it. But they have held each other accountable and lifted each other up in prayer. The other part of that, is not putting themselves in situations where they are tempted to break the vow they have made. I also know that they try to communicate their beliefs to others around them. I know of a young girl who refused to date most guys because she had learned that they expected certain things from her and she wasn't willing to give them that. It wasn't easy for her, but she is now so glad that she waited because she has found a young man that respects her enough to honor her beliefs. I am hoping that by the time I return to the city I will have a message saying that she is engaged. So yes, I am incredibly proud of them, my son, his friends and others who have made that choice no matter their age or past. I know that it is not an easy or popular choice to make."
"Trish is right." Frank said. "I wish I could say that I had the same courage as the young men in this house. I regret that I made poor choices when I was younger, but have since learned the God-given reasons for waiting and have changed my ways. I might not have waited for my future wife, but I can pledge to not give away what is left of my heart nor allow it to be stolen.
See every time you sleep with someone they take a piece of your heart, even if you think it doesn't mean anything. You are willing to allow men to steal something that is not rightfully theirs and you don't love and respect yourself enough to stop. If you continue doing what you are doing, my question is will you have any of your heart left to give to your future husband when you meet him. Or will you have allowed it all to be stolen by men that don't actually love or respect you?"
"I, like Frank, have made mistakes in the past." Nathan said. "But I have cried out to God and I fully believe that He has heard me and forgiven me for my mistakes. I have also made a vow to stay the course until marriage. I have also vowed to be completely honest with my future wife and hope and pray that she forgives me for giving away something that rightfully belonged to her.
See, for us, Catholic is not just a word to describe which Church we attend. To us it is a way of living with God. Our faith and what it means to us, is important to us. I am talking more than just the men at this table. I am also including Jack, his godparents and his grandparents, all of them. See to us the most important title we have is a Beloved Child of God. I hope and pray you find that, because without it, life is meaningless. I will be praying for you."
With that, Nathan stood up.
"Elizabeth." Nathan said. "If Jack is looking for me, I will be downstairs. I need a break."
"I understand." Elizabeth said. "I will let him know.
Nathan gave Elizabeth a quick hug. Frank stood up and also gave Nathan a hug, whispering that he was proud of him for standing up for all of them. Nathan squeezed Doug and Lee's shoulder as he went past. He then headed downstairs. Doug knew that Nathan was heading to pray. He could feel it and was once again glad that Nathan was on their side.
Doug was also not surprised that Nathan needed a break. He wasn't sure what had happened in Nathan's past, but he had a feeling that this conversation triggered something. Doug had gathered that Nathan didn't have the greatest childhood, given what he has said about his father, but this conversation led Doug to believe that the 'mistakes' that Nathan spoke of are not as innocent as one might believe. Doug didn't think for a moment that Nathan would hurt a girl or attack her, but he wondered if someone hadn't hurt him or attacked him. Doug knew that he would remind Nathan that he was there to talk anytime he wanted about anything he wanted and leave it at that. Doug closed his eyes and said a quick prayer for Nathan that whatever was causing him hurt to be comforted.
"See." Elizabeth said. "It doesn't matter if I am Catholic or not. Jack, Doug, Lee, Nathan, and Frank have accepted me for who I am. The same with Jack's grandparents, godparents and cousins. They support me because I am important to Jack, but more than that, they love and support me because I am a Child of God. They have all been there when I needed someone to listen or to be with me when I cried. They have prayed for and with me when I wanted.
The people in this house, including security, have given me more support in the last two weeks than you have in the last fourteen years of friendship. They understand when I ask for space and they make sure I am alright, even when I want to run away. They push me to be a better person. They don't make demands of me. They willingly include me in the things that they are doing and honestly want to do things I like. They ask me what I want and what they can do to help me. I don't think that you have ever done that. They have taught me more about love and respect in the last two weeks than I ever learned from my parents growing up. I think part of that is because they aren't fake with people. They are who they are and they are genuinely okay with who they are, so they can love people with an honesty that I have never seen. Maybe part of it is their faith, I don't know. All I know is that now that I have experienced real friendship, real love, real family and real respect, I won't ever settle for a cheap imitation again.
I realize that we became friends because of proximity. We remained friends, because I didn't know any better. If I had known what true friendship looked like, I doubt that I would have said more than a few words to you since I was thirteen years old. You always made me feel bad when I wanted to include other friends, but you had no problem hanging out with your theater friends. It was like you wanted me to only be your friend. Those days are over. I now have true friendships. If you want to have a friendship with me, you need to decide what is important. You are the one that needs to make the effort. I am done giving and giving and not getting anything in return.
If you can see past your close-mindedness and prejudices, then you might be able to prove to me that you want a real friendship. Just know that the days of you pushing me around are over. I have figured out I have a voice and I will use it. I know what I want in life, friendships and in marriage and I won't accept a cheap imitation as Doug said."
Doug was proud of Elizabeth for standing up for herself. He only wished that Jack was there to see it, but even without it, he knew that Jack would be proud of Elizabeth for standing up for what she wanted. Doug knew that one of Jack's greatest concerns was that Elizabeth wouldn't be able to stand up for herself to those that have pushed her around before.
"So you are willing to throw everything we have away?" Rosemary huffed.
"I am not throwing anything away." Elizabeth said. "I am asking for a real friendship, I have learned what we had in the past was not that. So there is nothing to throw away."
"So you are willing to just walk away." Rosemary said. "You know if you do that, you will be alone. I know that you don't have any other people that you are close to. But if you want to be alone for the rest of your life that is your choice. I am not going to change the way I am for anyone. I don't believe what you are saying about our friendship. I have been there for you in the past, I know it. You are just choosing to overlook those times. Also, you know how I am when I am busy with a play. I knew I could turn to you to relax and have some fun."
Elizabeth didn't respond because she was tired of Rosemary's excuses. Elizabeth knew that she was going to have to learn the hard way that things were going to change one way or the other.
"Wrong." Doug said. "Elizabeth will never be alone as you put it. She has found something magical. She has found her soulmate and he came with friends."
"I have no problem introducing Elizabeth to other young women." Trish said. "Young women who will respect her and accept her for who she is and what she brings to the table. They will be young women who will help her on her walk with Christ, not try to pull her from the path she is meant to be on."
… … … …
"Is there anything else?" James asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "Gran had told me about when you all were in the city for my baptism and seeing a picture of another baby and how we could have been twins."
"Yes." John said. "That was at the dinner I hosted the night before your baptism. It was for senior partners of the law firm and other executives from my companies."
"I remember that." James said. "I also vaguely remember the photo. It was from another lawyer at the firm and his wife. She had given birth about the same time as Charlotte. I don't remember much about them but they seemed nice."
"Yes." John said. "It was another lawyer who that baby belonged to. A year after their baby girl was born, he left the firm and the family moved out of New York. He opened a practice in Southern California. From what Devin has learned, Thomas was having an affair with the wife and that was part of the reason that the man 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 Devin and us to not contact them again.
Part of the reason that they have asked us to not contact them again is because of the other reason that they left New York. The man could have left the firm and moved to a different firm if he had just wanted to put some distance between Thomas and his wife. But there is more to it. See the man is not proud of it, but he belonged to a sort of swingers club here in the Northeast. He was the one that basically allowed Thomas to have his wife because Thomas wanted it. It ties back into what Bill was saying earlier. This swingers club also has been rumored to be selling off their daughters to the highest bidder and claiming that it was an arranged or contracted marriage.
Bill has been able to confirm that Thomas was/is a part of this group, as well as William Thatcher. Bill and his friend who have been quietly investigating, have been able to pretty much confirm that William sold his oldest daughter to Winston Murphy of Brown, Callahan and Murphy in Boston for Winston's son, Lionel. Bill also has reasonable belief that William Thatcher sold Elizabeth to Charles Kensington II for Charlie."
Jack let out a harsh breath.
"JP." John said. "What is done is done. You can't change the past. Elizabeth will not be with Charlie. She has made it very clear that she doesn't want to be with him and the supposed contract is null and void since Elizabeth didn't consent. They have no legal leg to stand on. What we need to decide is how we want to move forward. I have told Bill and in turn his friend to keep digging. I have also told Devin to help them in any way that he can.
The problem is going to be if they find enough evidence that they can take to a judge, what are we going to do? From what Bill and Devin have told me, there is enough circumstantial evidence of Thomas' wrongdoing. Given everything that has gone down, I don't believe he will go quietly without trying to drag us all down. I swear on a stack of Bibles that I had no idea that this was going on or nor did I participate. The other thing is that unfortunately, JP here might have half siblings out there from Thomas and if the swingers club was bust and arrests made, Devin and I fear they might try to come after our assets. Devin, Connor and I have already taken steps to prevent that, but it will be a media nightmare."
"How many are we talking about?" James asked.
"From what Devin has said." John said. "There are at least four other women who he has been able to connect to Thomas, three of which have given birth while he was with them or shortly afterwards. Thomas is not listed on any of the birth certificates as they are all married. Given this new information, Devin is afraid to hazard a guess. From what Bill shared with Devin, there are close to a hundred members that they can connect to this swingers club, but who knows."
"Did Charlotte participate in this swingers club?" Gran asked.
"From what Devin has put together." John said. "He would have to say yes. How much and how much of a willing participant she was, who knows. There are so many more questions than answers at this point."
"So what do you think we should do?" James asked.
"I think we let Bill, Devin and them see what they can dig up." John said. "The only thing we can do is stand strong as a family. Bill and Devin are convinced that if we don't try to put a stop to at least some of this that we are in a way silently condoning it. Which I vehemently don't. I think that for the sake of all those other young women, we need to try and stop this. I doubt that we will ever be able to fully shut them down, but by going public, we will be able to slow them down and hopefully spare other young women."
"I agree." Jack said.
"Me too." James said. "We will need to stand strong as a family. Also for now, may I ask that we keep what was said in here to ourselves. There is enough other stuff going on that we need to deal with. When we get through some of this other stuff, we will sit down and share with those we feel need to know."
"Fine by me." Jack said. "Like I said, I told Elizabeth that I have/had a twin, but didn't give her any details. If she asks, I will gently let her know that we will talk about it when I have more information. Which technically isn't a lie."
"Normally I would object." Father Mark said. "But in this case, I think it would be acceptable to not say anything at this time."
"I agree." James said. "Father Mark, can you pray and then we will go about our evening."
"In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." Father Mark prayed. "We come before You right now with heavy hearts. We weep for the young women who has been forced to participate in this horrible thing. We pray that You heal them. Right now, I ask that You give these four people some measure of peace about what they learned. We all know that it will take time to process our feelings, but for now, comfort them in the knowledge that You also cry with them. Give us all strength to stand as a family. I also ask that you give Bill, Devin and the others wisdom as they investigate this and look for more information. Open doors for them that were previously closed. Lead them to the information that they need. Not only that, but lead them to superiors and others who are willing to help and of a clear conscience. We also pray for all the families that are affected by what we learned tonight.
I also ask a special prayer that you give Jack a peace about learning that he has a twin out there that he knew nothing about. Yes, we all need to process that information, but for Jack it has to be especially hard to hear. Give him comfort that he is still the wonderful young man that he has grown to be. Continue to wrap him in Your loving arms. For this little girl out there, if she is still alive, we ask that You also wrap Your loving arms around her. If it is meant to be, please lead Jack to find his sister. If she is already in Your loving arms in heaven, please let her know that she has a whole big family here on Earth that loved her beyond measure even if they didn't know about her before. We ask all these things in Your Most Holy Name. Amen."
"Amen." Jack said. "Thank you for that."
John, James and Margaret had also echoed Jack's amen. James and Margaret embraced each other, then wiped their tears away. They would deal with the emotions later, they knew now wasn't the time. Jack looked at his grandparents and was amazed at how they calmed and centered themselves to go face a houseful of guests. When Jack looked at John, it was the same. Unless you knew him and looked closely, he appeared to be calm and unfazed by what he had heard. Jack figured that was years of practice that had taught them to do that. He also realized that he would have to better learn that skill so as to help him in business in the coming years.
Jack and his grandparents stood. They each gave Jack a hug and then left. Father Mark had still been sitting there. After John hugged Jack, he motioned to Father Mark. Jack looked over and saw that he was still sitting. Jack figured that there was something else, so he sat back down. When John left the library, he pulled the door closed.
… … … …