Family Ties Family Lies by Jacqueline Boulden

Author:Jacqueline Boulden [Boulden, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798986038445
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

“I’m afraid I did this to her,” Rose said, barely above a whisper.

Aunt Tess gave her a quick look, then returned her eyes to the road. “What do you mean?”

“Asking these questions about my father’s past, him apparently having an affair. I think the stress of my persistent digging may have caused a stroke.”

“Rose, we don’t know if your mom had a stroke or what’s going on. Don’t blame yourself.” She glanced over at Rose again. “Let’s talk about this at the hospital. I’m so worried about your mother I can only focus on one thing right now, and that’s driving.”

The ER nurse at Saratoga Hospital told them Carly Webster was being admitted, but she didn’t have a room number. “Maybe you’d like to wait in the cafeteria. It could be a couple of hours before I have more information.” The nurse started giving directions, but Rose thanked her and said they knew the way. After loading food onto a couple of plates and taking the tray to a table in the near-empty cafeteria, the two ate without speaking, then pushed their plates aside.

“What makes you think you’ve contributed to your mother’s medical emergency by digging into your father’s past?” Aunt Tess asked. “I thought you let that go.”

Rose fidgeted with her coffee cup and was slow to look up. “I stopped asking you and Mom questions. I never stopped trying to learn the name of the woman in the photo. And now I know.”

“You do? How’d you find out?” Aunt Tess asked.

Rose told Aunt Tess the woman’s name, some of what she’d learned without mentioning Bill or the newspaper.

“And there are more photos,” Rose said.

“Of your father with the woman?”

Rose paused. She had to tell it all now.

“With the woman and a little girl, who looked at my dad like he was the most important person in the world to her. Like he was her dad. She was standing between them, holding both their hands.”

It took a moment to sink in. “Do you think your father and this woman had a child?”

“I don’t know for sure, but yes, I believe the girl in that photo is my half-sister.” Rose paused, thinking about what else she’d found in the attic. “I guess the condoms didn’t work.”

“What condoms?” Aunt Tess shrieked, drawing the attention of a couple who had just entered the room.

“The condoms I found in Dad’s travel bag.” Rose put her empty cup on the tray.

“Good lord. Condoms. This keeps getting worse,” Aunt Tess said.

“I don’t think there’s anything else.” Rose’s voice was so soft now that Aunt Tess leaned across the table. Rose was exhausted and knew she looked it. “I sure hope Dad didn’t have any other secrets because I can’t handle any more.”

“Are you satisfied?” Aunt Tess snapped. Her aunt leaned back in her chair. “When you said in the car that you thought you caused your mom’s attack, stroke, whatever it is, is that because you told her all of this?”

“I haven’t told her yet.

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