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“I get it,” Bennett said somberly.
“I know you do.”
“What I don’t understand is why Zoey was so... angry over my finding it.”
“Bennett, you have been spending a lot of time with her. My suggestion would be to ask her.”
Just come right out and ask her. “And you don’t think that’s going to set her off again?”
“Oh, I know it will. But at least you’ll have your answer.”
Bennett shook his head. “And you think I’ve fucking lost my mind?”
“No. But I don’t think you understand the woman’s mind and how it works.”
“And you believe you do?” Bennett teased. “Because from what I know, you’re just as unattached as I am.”
Doug laughed loudly. “That’s because I understand it.”
Now that I believe. Although he agreed with Doug, that didn’t mean he was going to take his advice. Bennett was going to go to New York, meet with Jon, and then stop at the piano shop. If he didn’t find what he was looking for there, then maybe he’d try Doug’s asinine suggestion and ask Zoey. At least this time I would be prepared.
“I’m leaving before sunrise to beat the traffic. Let me know if anything changes.”
“And you expect me to watch her how? Peek through her windows?”
“You’re not funny, Doug.”
Doug laughed again. “I don’t know, it sounded funny when I said it. Maybe it’s you who’s wound up so tight.”
“Zoey’s welfare is not something I joke about.”
“And on your long drive to New York, why don’t you think about why that is? Because you’re a lot more invested in this than just a job. Since you’re all about needing answers, you can add that one to your list.”
I already know the answer. What I am going to do about it has yet to be determined.
“How long will you be gone?” Zoey asked. She was grateful he’d called her instead of telling her in person. She knew somehow he’d have seen her disappointment that he was leaving.
“Two, maybe three days tops. In case you’ve forgotten, someone has hired me to do a job.”
“And that’s what you’re doing in New York? Do you think my mother’s there?” She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but it’d be nice if he’d located her that quickly. But that doesn’t mean I want him out of my life. Oh, God. Please don’t tell me I won’t see him after the job’s done.
“No. I’m getting the DNA results that will hopefully provide a geographical location of birth. If I’m lucky, she stayed where you were born.”
“You mean they can tell that closely as to where my parents are from?” She found it hard to believe, but then again with such rapid advancements in technology, nothing should surprise her.
“That’s the goal.”
“If it was that simple, why wouldn’t my brothers have done it before?” There was a long pause, and for the first time she knew she’d caught him off guard. Or did he know something he wasn’t willing to share? She knew he’d visited with her brothers several days ago. None of them would say why or what was discussed. Had he informed them about what she was doing? Or why he was really in Boston?
Trust was a major issue for her to overcome. She’d made progress with Bennett, but his silence concerned her. Please, Bennett. Don’t break my trust. Don’t break my heart.
“Bennett, is there—?”
“People have different reasons for what they do, Zoey. What is driving you to find your mother is different than where they are in their lives. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to know their mother, but for them, it might not be at the top of their list of concerns.”
“You mean they don’t want to know who she is?” Zoey’s voice rose an octave. There was no way she was hearing him correctly. “How could they not want to know? All we’ve ever known was... cruelty. Hatred. I told you some of what’d gone on, but it was even worse than that. Bennett, we weren’t allowed a woman’s influence in the house. We had nannies, but each time any of them showed us any real attention or affection, they were gone instantly. No one was ever there when we were sick, or had a nightmare, or to wish us a happy birthday.”
Zoey hadn’t meant to rattle on so much. But comprehending that no one else cared to know why they’d grown up the way they had hurt her. It also made her feel alone in her endeavor. They couldn’t understand what it did to me back then, and they obviously don’t know how it still haunts me.
