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CHAPTER3
Colton
I had been so damn nervous to see Rhonda in person, but instantly, there was something familiar about her. It wasn’t just the fact that she was so damn welcoming, but it felt as though we’ve known about each other all our lives, even though this was our very first meeting. Maybe it was a sibling thing, and I was making too much out of it.Maybe she’s felt a void in her life too and just hasn’t told me yet.
“It still feels surreal being here,” I said to Rhonda as we entered her house. “Not being in Boston, but being here with…family.”
She said she had four children, but from what I saw so far, there was no evidence of that. Back home, kids would have bikes lying around, or even a few skateboards. Maybe a swing set in the yard. The entire neighborhood looked the same, like a professional handled all the landscaping.I hope she is not as snobby as the surroundings make her.
“Thank you again for understanding that I didn’t feel comfortable with you bringing your friend. I hope he wasn’t disappointed,” Rhonda apologized.
“Not at all. Jack got called into work anyway, so it all worked out.”
Rhonda hadn’t let go of me since I arrived. If she had, I could’ve jogged down the driveway to catch the limo before the driver sped off with my change of clothes. It wasn’t like I was going to be here long, just overnight. Jeans are meant to be worn more than once. It was just a change of other items that I wanted. If the owner Mr. Montgomery didn’t show as he promised, then I’d stop and replace the items.
“I can’t believe it. You look just like Logan, but broader,” Rhonda said, as she hugged me for the third time.
I wasn’t sure whether this much hugging was Rhonda’s default or whether she still doubted all this was even real. Either way, I wasn’t a very touchy-feely person. Maybe growing up an only child of unaffectionate parents had made me that way. I didn’t even like to hold hands on a date. I liked my personal space, but for this one special occasion, I pushed those feelings aside.
“Is Logan your…husband?” I asked, settling down on the couch. It was possible I hadn’t heard correctly, but I had thought his name was Phil Lane.
She took a seat across from me and said, “No. And Phil is not just my husband, but he’s your brother-in-law. I know, it’s a lot to take in.”
That’s the understatement of the year.I nodded. “I’m sure you’re just as surprised about all this as I am,” I stated.
She shrugged.
“I thought Phil and the kids would be here,” I said.
Rhonda said, “You’ll meet them later. They wanted to give us a little time alone first.”
Way too trusting. I’d never let a strange man enter my house with my wife there alone.I already didn’t like the guy and I hadn’t even met him. It really was none of my business.It’s not like I’m protecting my sister whom I’ve known all my life.
“How does he know I can be trusted?” The words came out before I could stop myself.
She grinned. “Maybe I should’ve explained. He retired from the military and now works for Homeland Security.”
Ah. Got it. He probably knows more about me than I do myself.This didn’t make me feel much better, but at least I knew Rhonda was being watched over.
Dropping the subject, I asked, “What about this Logan guy?”
“It’s a long story, and maybe too soon to share it,” she said.
I’m here. Long or short, good or bad, I want to hear it all.I could push the subject, because she sure as hell had piqued my interest, but I wasn’t here to talk about anyone except for my family. That included her, and our parents. We had spoken briefly on the phone, but Rhonda wouldn’t give me any information at that time. She insisted that it’d be easier for her to explain in person. At that time, I had agreed. But our time together was limited, and I didn’t want to leave Boston with questions unanswered.
As though she had read my mind, Rhonda said, “I know you have a lot of questions, and I want to answer all of them, it’s just…things are complicated. I guess we could start by talking about our mother.”
“It sounds good. I know nothing about her, so whatever you tell me is more than I know right now.”
She got up and came to sit beside me on the couch, and I thought she was going to hug me again. Instead, she pulled out her cell phone. “Have you seen a photo of her?” she asked.
I shook my head. She searched her phone and then turned it to me. “As you can see, I look a lot like our mother.”
The picture was a woman with a young girl sitting on her lap. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of jealousy that Rhonda had known our mother and I didn’t. It wasn’t her fault that I wasn’t wanted and she was, and I couldn’t let her feel guilty for how I felt, either.
Looking closer at the photo, I’d have sworn that the woman was Rhonda. “Wow, that’s amazing. There’s no denying you’re her daughter.”
She reached out for my hand. “Colton, there’s no denying you’re her son, either.”
