Chapter 2 - The Name He Had Buried
Richard stared at Laura as though she had become a ghost.
“What’s your full name?”
“Laura Hayes.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Your name twenty years ago.”
Laura swallowed.
“Laura Mitchell.”
Richard’s hand tightened around the armrest.
“No.”
“You remember.”
“No.”
“Richie—”
“Stop calling me that.”
His voice cracked across the marble bathroom.
Laura flinched.
Richard immediately looked away.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, he said, “Stand up.”
Laura struggled to her feet.
Richard buttoned part of his shirt himself.
“Tell me something only she would know.”
Laura stared at him.
“You gave me that pendant.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You said it belonged to your mother.”
“That proves nothing.”
“You hated thunderstorms.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“You pretended you didn’t, but whenever lightning hit, you counted to five before speaking.”
He said nothing.
Laura continued.
“The night you disappeared, we were underneath the old railway bridge. You promised you’d come back before sunrise.”
Richard looked toward the window.
“You never did.”
His voice dropped.
“I tried.”
Laura froze.
“What?”
“I tried to come back.”
“You disappeared for twenty years.”
“I was nineteen.”
“So was I!”
Richard turned sharply.
“And by sunrise, my father had put me in a car headed out of Illinois.”
Laura stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because he found out about us.”
She remembered Richard’s father.
Arthur Bennett.
A wealthy, terrifying man who had treated Laura like dirt whenever he saw her.
Richard continued.
“He told me you’d taken money.”
“What money?”
“He said he paid you to disappear.”
Laura laughed once in disbelief.
“I was waiting for you.”
“He showed me a letter.”
“I never wrote you a letter.”
Richard went silent.
Laura understood.
“Your father lied.”
Richard’s face hardened.
“He said you called me a foolish rich kid.”
“I loved you.”
The words came out before Laura could stop them.
Both froze.
Twenty years stood between them.
Richard looked away first.
“That was a long time ago.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did seeing me put you on the floor?”
Laura looked at the crescent birthmark.
“Because I thought you were dead.”
Richard slowly turned back.
“Why?”
“Because three months after you vanished, someone came to my house.”
“Who?”
“A man working for your father.”
Richard’s expression became dangerous.
“What did he say?”
“That if I ever tried contacting you again, people I loved would suffer.”
Richard’s fingers curled.
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“What was his name?”
“I don’t know.”
Richard stared at her.
“Describe him.”
“Richard, it was twenty years ago.”
“Describe him.”
Laura shook her head.
“This is exactly why I never came looking.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re still living in that world.”
His eyes hardened.
“And you walked into it today.”
“For my children.”
Something passed through his expression.
“Your children.”
Laura suddenly became nervous.
“Yes.”
“How old?”
“Brandon is eight. Emma is five.”
Richard nodded slowly.
“Where’s their father?”
Laura’s stomach tightened.
“That isn’t your concern.”
“You’re working inside my house. Everything that could affect your safety is my concern.”
“He’s gone.”
“Dead?”
“No.”
“Divorced?”
Laura hesitated.
“Gone.”
Richard watched her carefully.
Then he noticed something.
“You said twenty years.”
Laura looked away.
“What?”
“When you recognized me. You said twenty years of memories came back.”
“Yes.”
Richard leaned slightly forward.
“There’s something you aren’t telling me.”
Laura’s heartbeat accelerated.
“No.”
“You were always terrible at lying.”
“And you were always arrogant.”
For the first time, something almost familiar appeared between them.
Then Richard said quietly, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Laura froze.
“Tell you what?”
“Whatever you’re hiding.”
“I’m not—”
A knock interrupted them.
Margaret entered.
“Mr. Bennett, your attorney is waiting.”
“Cancel him.”
“Richard—”
“Cancel everything.”
Margaret glanced at Laura.
Something clearly had happened.
Richard said, “And arrange for Dr. Walsh to come tomorrow.”
Laura frowned.
“Why?”
Richard looked directly at her.
“Because your son is sick.”
Laura stiffened.
“I didn’t ask for charity.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“You asked for a job.”
He pressed the control on his wheelchair.
“You have one.”
Laura watched him leave the bathroom.
At the doorway, Richard stopped.
Without turning, he asked, “Laura?”
“Yes?”
“Was there ever a time... after I disappeared... when you needed me?”
Her throat tightened.
She thought of a hospital room twenty years earlier.
A newborn baby.
An adoption document.
A secret that had never stopped hurting.
“Yes.”
Richard slowly turned.
“When?”
Laura couldn’t answer.
His eyes sharpened.
“Laura.”
She whispered, “Nine months after you disappeared.”
May you like
Richard stopped breathing.
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