Chapter Thirty Nine
Humming, Natala hung the last of her clothes in the closet. Her room was finished, the mural dry. The gentle rolling landscape of the pond and trees and mountains soothed her every time she looked at it. Brian had wanted to buy her a new bed but she simply pushed the twin mattresses together, insisting the small desk and dresser were perfect for her.
In her wanderings around town with Helen, she had found a quiet New Age shop that sold crystals and incense, herbs, books and statues of various gods from around the world. Delighted, Natala purchased a variety of incense and a number of crystals to decorate her room. None of her family members thought it odd, the quiet girl had a different air about her, and as a gypsy child, they knew she had had a very different lifestyle from what any of them had ever known.
Brian didn’t mind the incense wafting from her room, most of it he found pleasant, even comforting. Since she had arrived, his house suddenly felt warm. Under Helen’s advisory, she was learning to cook, and Brian now ate more than warmed up microwave food or casseroles his mother brought him. He had often dined with his siblings and cousins, and now Natala joined them. It wasn’t unusual for him to find small crystals or flowers around the house. Some of her time was spent outdoors, sketching out where she wanted to plant once the ground warmed. Often he came home to instrumental music playing through the house, usually flutes or harps or other light instruments.
Brian had even given her a phone for her room, and a cell phone with all the family numbers entered in. She memorized the list of speed dial numbers. It would be a number of weeks before he stopped calling her during the day to check on her.
Her easel was set up near the window so she had plenty of light. Brian had offered to give her his study for a studio but she was happy with her room. Having her own room was such a fantastical treat she had only dreamed of, she enjoyed spending time in it.
Once she had a social security number, Brian had taken her to get a state id until he could teach her to drive, then to the bank to open an account. Natala had protested the money he put in it but he silenced her. They had gotten the DNA results the day before.
Brian had been sitting at his desk in his office, waiting for the email. Natala sat on the sofa. Dan was on the phone.
“Should be coming through to you right now,” Dan said. His voice was excited.
Brian’s heart pounded. He glanced at Natala who looked ready to throw up. Her fear was evident.
If this wasn’t for real, she was afraid she’d lose everything, and deeply hurt the man she had come to adore. She and prayed to really be his daughter.
"Congratulations, buddy, it’s a girl!” Dan shouted through the phone.
Brian snatched up the paper and read it to be sure. CONFIRMED PATERNITY.
“Wow,” he said weakly. “Wow.”
“Go celebrate with your daughter, I’ll start the phone chain.”
Brian could only nod and hang up. He turned to Natala, who had heard Dan. Tears streamed down her face. Brian held out his arms to her and she leapt to her feet, throwing herself in the embrace.
“You are absolutely mine,” he whispered, hugging her tightly.
A concrete match, and since he now had his own daughter, he planned to give her the world. They had already legally changed her last name to Belden.
Privately, they both raged about Talaitha lying to Natala all these years. Brian had asked general questions about their lives, but Natala wasn’t about to tell him about Talaitha using her own and Natala’s bodies when needed. Natala wanted to take that secret to the grave.
By some major miracle, her bloodwork came back fairly clean. Dehydration, malnourishment confirmed by low nutrient levels, but everything functioned properly and she had no sexually transmitted diseases, just a yeast infection that she had been treated for. Her face had filled out a little, and she had lost the haunted and hunted look. Her eyes were still wary and suspicious, and both Dan and Jim confirmed that would remain for a long time.
Brian didn’t ask her about the rest of the gynecology report. At least one abortion had been performed. He didn’t feel that was a topic that was open to him yet, and that was for her to tell him about. Otherwise, his daughter was healthy, just underweight and undernourished. Helen was on a mission to change that and had recruited the entire clan to her plan.
***
Arranging her shoes on the floor of her closet one afternoon, Natala froze when she heard the front door open. Brian wouldn’t be home for several hours.
Someone was moving around downstairs. For a split second she thought about hiding in the closet as was the habit with intruders, then anger surged through her.
This was her home now, and her father’s. Had someone from the troupe found her? How in all that was holy had they found her?
There was nothing in here to use as a weapon, she thought. Not that she knew of, anyway. She’d find something. If there was one thing she knew, anything could be used as a weapon if held right.
Slipping into the hallway, she listened. They weren’t making an effort to be quiet. Stealth was one of her gifts, and she moved into the living room, grabbing the fireplace poker.
The intruder was in the kitchen. Gripping the poker tightly, Natala peeked around the door of the kitchen as the intruder turned.
Tall, broad shouldered, with flame red hair, Jim Frayne turned from the refrigerator and flinched when he saw the young woman in the doorway with the poker.
“Woah, hold on,” he said quickly. “I’m Jim, your cousin.”
Natala lowered the poker. “I recognize you,” she said quietly.
This was her father’s best friend. And the man was in a world of hurt. Pain rolled off him, almost knocking her backwards. She put one hand against the doorframe to steady herself. Someone was actively hurting this man. His aura was green and very dark. Pain.
Natala wondered when this man had not carried so much emotional torment. Even Mama had told her about it, what she had seen, twenty years ago.
“I didn’t know you were here or I would have called to let you know I was coming by, I apologize,” he said, smiling at her, drink pitcher in his hand. “I had thought you’d be out with Moms.”
She watched as he opened a cabinet door and reached for a glass. She knew it was the tea pitcher and observed as he poured a glass, then turned to face her.
“Sorry, I’m just a bit jumpy. You know, new house and all.”
“It’s all right. I have a key.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, sitting at the table, placing the poker on it.
Jim sat across from her.
“Hiding,” he said cheerfully.
Natala looked confused.
“I took a couple hours off from the school. I have absolutely no desire to go home, so I sometimes come here and hang out. Brian doesn’t mind. I really didn’t think you’d be here, or I would have called.”
Natala tipped her head to the side. They were supposed to have dinner at his place tomorrow night, with his family.
“You’re married to Hallie.”
“Uh-huh,” he replied, taking a sip of tea.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
Jim raised one eyebrow. She hadn’t even met Hallie yet. He wasn’t looking forward to that and Hallie’s nasty comments. She had been making them since Jim told her about Natala.
"I know she hurts you,” Natala murmured, “and she’s not the one you really want.”
“Listening to the family gossip?” His green eyes had gone cool.
"No,” she said. “Just…guessing.”
Jim took another sip of tea, studying his friend’s daughter. “You’re awfully perceptive.”
Natala shrugged. “Gypsy trait, I suppose.”
“Your mother was like that,” he said suddenly. “She always seemed to know things she shouldn’t.”
“You got that right,” Natala sighed. Then she gave him a half smile. “If you don’t mind me asking, why do you stay with her?”
Jim sighed. He didn’t discuss this stuff with anyone but Brian. But he couldn’t stop himself, he wanted to talk to someone. “On some level, I do love her. But we married for the wrong reasons and we stay married for the wrong reason.”
“The children,” Natala murmured.
Jim nodded. “Yeah. They’re the best thing in the world I have. And I can’t relate to them. She poisons them against me, and has since they were born.” Why on earth was he telling her this?
Natala glanced down at her hands. The pretty rings she used to have had been hocked for a few dollars here and there before she found Brian. Now her hands were bare.
“They hurt too,” she said quietly. “And I realize I’m no marriage counselor but staying with her is causing more damage to everyone, especially the children.”
“I know,” Jim sighed. His emerald eyes studied the girl. Had anyone else said that he would have flown off the handle. What was it about this girl that made him feel so calm? She was Brian’s daughter, he thought. Brian had the same calming effect on him. It was part of what made him such a good doctor.
“Your children need you,” she said softly. Her blue eyes stared intently at him. “I know you’re not the father you want to be, or thought you’d be, but it’s not too late to change that. You still have time.”
Jim went still, glass paused halfway to his mouth.
“How do know you that?” he whispered.
“I just do,” she answered. “And please, forgive me for being so forward when I hardly know you, but your pain is almost unbearable to me, and I wonder how you can stand it.”
Jim swallowed and set the glass down. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just used to it. I know my parents would be disappointed in me for the way this has all happened, but…Hallie just makes life so unbearable.”
Natala nodded. “There’s still hope, Jim. And I don’t think your parents would be disappointed. I think they’d be very worried because you’re in such a dark place.”
Jim shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Go home to your family, Jim,” she said quietly. “Those children need you, and they’re going to need to you more, soon.”
She didn’t want to tell him the marriage wouldn’t last this next year. He knew it deep down, he just didn’t want to admit it. But there was someone else in his future, she could almost see her. Brunette, but not the black hair of Hallie. A very strong woman was headed for Jim, and he wouldn’t know what hit him. She would be the light he and his children needed.
“I shouldn’t have laid all this on you,” Jim said suddenly. Natala just smiled.
“It’s alright. I used to charge people for a fortune telling,” her blue eyes twinkled at him. “You get the family discount.”
He laughed. “I remember your mother pretty well,” he said. “She was a nice girl. I always thought she was a bit odd, but she was nice. Brian loved her deeply. I had hoped she could heal his hurt over my sister marrying someone else. I went with Brian to pick out a ring for her. I really hoped she would marry him.”
“I wish I knew more about that time,” Natala said unhappily. “Mama was never truly happy, and sometimes in her sleep she would call out for Brian. It was years before I knew who she was calling for. And she would never tell me much, just that he was a nameless drifter. It wasn’t until she was dying that she told me the truth, and I’m really pissed off with her for it.” She looked away.
Jim reached over and took her hand. “Brian never thought he was above Talaitha. He loved her, and he wanted to give her a better life. Had he known about you, you would have grown up with here, and with all those cousins. If he had had any inclination of your existence, we would have tracked you down and brought you here. I looked for your mother, everywhere I could think of. To hide from the Wheeler power is extraordinary. Had we ever suspected she was pregnant, you would have been part of this family from the get-go. You wouldn’t be outcast and you wouldn’t have had to use your body to survive.”
Her head came up, eyes wide at the last words.
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out,” he said quietly. “But I’ll never mention it. I work with abused and orphaned children, Natala, I know the signs. And I was a runaway and orphan, and so was half your family. We were never in those circumstances, but Dan and I put it together pretty quickly. Whether Brian or anyone else did, I don’t know, and neither Dan nor I will ever bring it up. But I want you to know that you do have a family now, and we take care of each other. If you ever need someone to talk to, we’re here for you.”
Natala swallowed, hoping he didn’t see the tears in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I think I’m going to follow your advice, though, and go see my kids.” He smiled at her as he squeezed her hand.
“Let me get you something,” she said. Hurrying to her room, she rooted through the bags and found the stone she was looking for.
“Here,” she said breathlessly. “It’s obsidian. It’s absorbs chaos and it’s virtually unbreakable from it. I haven’t had time to consecrate it, but keep it on you.”
Jim didn’t fully understand what she was saying, but he was touched by the gesture.
“Thank you,” he said, hugging her.
Natala watched him as he left. She decided she really was glad she had come to White Plains, and not just for the benefits she was receiving. She had a lot of work to do with this family.
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
Author’s Notes
- A huge yee-haa to the fabulous and lovely Ronda, for editing this and her suggestions which made it much better!
- Yes, Jim and Hallie are coming soon. No, not immediately. Probably by the end of the year.
- Word Count, 2,419
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