AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gerald’s mouth was open in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because at the time, you were too young to know. Later, I tried, but every time I brought him up, you told me that you didn’t want to talk about him.” She sighed. “Gerald, I was instrumental in his meeting Ryan. I was a professor at the university and so was Ryan’s brother-in-law Benny.” She glanced at Georgia and Sam, then paled further at what Sam was certain were their stricken expressions. “Benny isn’t…Oh no.”
“Tuesday morning,” Georgia said quietly. “He had a bad heart.”
Sam was grateful that Georgia had obscured the truth. Benny had had a bad heart. Sharon didn’t need to know that the sweet old man had also been murdered.
A tear ran down Sharon’s cheek, and Gerald came to her side, a tissue in his hand. “Mom?”
She sighed. “Benny was a nice man. So smart. A physics professor. Frank had escorted me to a faculty party at Benny’s house. This was forty-five years ago. Benny’s wife Martha was mingling and her brother Ryan was tending bar. As soon as Frank saw Ryan…Well, I knew it was time for us to part. We’d always agreed that whenever one of us found true love, we’d go our separate ways, so we divorced that same year. Frank and Ryan were together after that, but they had to hide. Frank’s job wouldn’t let them live together openly. Ryan had to wait fifteen years. But once your father retired, they were free.” Her smile bloomed. “I met your stepfather a few years after the divorce and your father was so happy for me. Frank loved you, Gerald. I wish I’d made you listen.” More tears trickled down her thin cheeks. “So much wasted time.”
Gerald was in shock. “Mom, I…I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s on me. I should have told you. I didn’t tell you he was gay at the time we divorced because you were so young. And so angry. I was afraid that you’d tell people, and that would have put Frank in danger at his job. Gay cops couldn’t be out then.” She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek. “I went to their wedding, Gerald. They finally were able to get married thirty years after they met. I took their wedding photo. I still have a copy at home. I imagine you’ll find it when you go through my things.”
“Mom,” Gerald said hoarsely. He was crying, too. “I found out. I followed him on my bicycle one night and saw him kiss a man. I was afraid to tell you. I thought you’d be hurt. I was angry at him for cheating on you. For leaving you all alone. And he had this secret life. I didn’t want you to know. All this time I thought I was protecting you.”
“And all this time I thought I was protecting Frank. I knew you were angry, Gerald, and I thought you’d expose his secrets. And then, once he’d retired, you didn’t want to hear the truth. I suppose that I was selfish, too. By then we had a nice life and I didn’t want to upset the apple cart by telling you the truth. I was wrong and I’m sorry.” Sharon sighed. “Secrets suck, Gerald. Promise me you won’t keep secrets from your children. They’re still young and shouldn’t know everything, but they’ll grow up soon enough. Don’t keep secrets.”
Gerald nodded woodenly. “I won’t. I promise.”
Sam felt like he should leave. This was a family moment. A private moment. Even Siggy sensed the tension, moving restlessly at Sam’s feet.
But then Sharon turned back to them. “I have something for you, Georgia. Gerald, please get me the envelopes that are in my nightstand drawer.”
Gerald did, a puzzled frown on his face. “Who gave you these?”
Georgia’s indrawn breath was sharp. “Frankie. That’s his handwriting.”
The envelope on top had Henry Whitfield’s name written on it. Sharon took the other letter and held it up for them to see. It said: Georgia Shearer.
Chapter Nineteen
Restful Heart Hospice, Lincoln Park, San Diego, California
Thursday, November 10, 6:25 p.m.
Sharon handed Georgia the letter addressed to her. “Frank came to see me last week.”
Gerald gasped. “I didn’t know that, Mom.”
“I know. I told him to come when you weren’t here. When I made you go home and spend time with the children. I figured you’d fuss and I didn’t have the energy for that.”
She didn’t have the energy to be talking to them now. She was flagging, her voice growing weaker with each breath, but Sam couldn’t bring himself to go. Not just yet.
“He came here on Wednesday, a week ago,” Sam said.
“He did.” Sharon looked at the fading white roses. “He always brought me white roses.”
Gerald’s expression crumpled. “I never knew they were from him.”
She lifted a bony shoulder. “If I’d told you, you wouldn’t have taken care of them. I should have told you, though. I should have told you so many things.”
From the turbulence in Gerald’s eyes, he heartily agreed.
Sam’s heart hurt for them—for Gerald for losing out on a father like Frankie, for Frankie for never knowing his son, and for Sharon, knowing the truth and being afraid to share it. But Sharon should have made sure that her son had known the truth. Because secrets did suck.
Sam told himself that he was going to call his folks as soon as he got Georgia back to Shady Oaks. They could be pains in his butt sometimes, but they loved him with everything they were. And I love them. His adolescence had been far from idyllic. He’d had his fair share of trauma and loss, but to his knowledge, his parents had always been truthful with him.
