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However, that’s also when Chris discovered his birth father was Val Amotte. And his birth mother was Justin and Dave’s mother, Emily Chastain. It would have been understandable since she wasn’t married yet, except Val was her brother Ted’s brother-in-law, and she’d accused him of raping her.
Emily’s parents arranged for her to move to a home for unwed mothers and give her baby up for adoption. And then she married Victor Chastain and gave birth to their two sons. Twenty-five years later, when the pain of having surrendered her baby became too much to bear, Emily took her own life.
The family was grappling with all of the facts when Chris came on the scene, wanting a relationship with his family when his adoptive parents gave him their blessing. And once Chris found out the truth about the rape accusation, he no longer wanted a relationship with Val.
In passing, he’d told Cindy and the boys the story, leaving out the rape, and after Cindy’s husband walked out, she decided to stir the pot when she contacted Val and Elizabeth.
Traveling from Chris’s house to Val’s on Main Street took less than fifteen minutes.
“This is it,” Joel said, looking at the address as they pulled up to the curb. “They must be rich.”
“Your father isn’t too happy with me about this, just for your information. Evidently there’s more here than we know about. We’ll have dinner, but then we’d better get a hotel unless you want to take turns driving home tonight. I’m not sure I’m up to a three-hour car ride if I have to drive the whole way.”
“Mom, you’re the control freak wanting to drive. I told you I’d drive and you had a fit.”
“It’s a mother’s prerogative,” she snapped. “Just wait until you have kids.”
“Dad’s girlfriend is young enough to have kids. I wonder if he’ll have more with her,” Ben said. “It would be weird having a younger sibling.”
“Look at Dad though, he has two younger brothers,” Joel said. “He’s happy about it. They look like they’re all good friends.”
“The girlfriends grew up together in Pensacola,” Ben said. “I got the story from Annie.”
“You boys are more her age than your father. I wonder what he’s thinking.”
“She’s nice, Mom. Plus, it’s the three girlfriends with the three brothers. They’re family now. I’m happy for Dad. He stayed in Mobile for us and now that we’re grown, he’s getting back his life.”
“He always had a life, trust me,” Cindy said.
“Mom, you married Kirk as soon as you could so I don’t see what the issue is,” Ben said.
“I guess we’d better go to the door,” Cindy said, just as her phone went off. “Speak of the devil. It’s Kirk.”
“Hello? We’re kind of busy right now.”
She listened, watching her children watching her.
“Well, we’re in Cypress Cove. Cypress Cove, it’s about an hour from New Orleans.”
They watched her talking to her husband, explaining why they were where they were, and agreeing to talk to him later. When she said goodbye, the boys yelled, “Bye, Kirk!” in unison.
“He said ‘Hello, guys.’ I guess we’d better get up to the door. I’m regretting doing this now.”
“Me, too, especially if it’s going to make things rough for Dad,” Joel said.
“Oh shit, someone’s at the door. I guess you’re going to meet your grandfather. I wish I hadn’t acted so hastily.”
“Well, I’m hungry so let’s eat. Just lie to them and say you didn’t know I had to take a test tomorrow so we can’t stay overnight.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Val and Elizabeth watched Cindy and her two sons approach.
“Why are we doing this?” Elizabeth whispered, watching Barbie walk up to the house. “She’s no one to you.”
“Those boys are my grandchildren,” he said, his voice full of emotion. “Look! They look like the Chastain boys.”
“Everyone looks like Emily,” Elizabeth scoffed. “I rest my case. A constant reminder.”
