Page 82 of Avenging Kelly

“No, sir. Actually, I didn’t want Mrs. Sinclair to be here for this discussion. Would you like to come out?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Come inside, son. It’s too hot out here.”

I nodded and followed the man inside. Their home was modestly furnished with a mix of Caribbean-style and Korean art influences. There was a large oil painting of Mathis on the wall with a black drape over the frame that made me sad, but it centered me to have the conversation.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, sir. Mathis was a dear friend to me. He came to visit me many times while I was in the brig,” I offered.

“Thank you, Kelly. We prayed for you. We were so sorry for the turn of events, but when Mia was brought home, we were grateful for the blessing,” Reverend Nate said.

“Thank you, Reverend Nate. I wanted to ask you about what happened before Christmas last year. Mathis came to see me about my mother wanting my sister to have an abortion. When Mathis told me about it, I asked if maybe he’d ask you to talk to her. Did that—was that too much for me to ask?”

The man led me into the kitchen and pulled out a chair for me to sit at their small table, so I obliged. Reverend Nate filled a kettle with water and put it on the stove as he began milling around the kitchen to gather things for making tea.

“I’m of the belief that life is precious and a blessing to us all. I also realize that humans have many different burdens to bear. When Mathis took me to see Mrs. Boone and Mia, I could see there was strife between the two of them. Mrs. Boone made some comments that were surprising, but I chalked it up to her being in turmoil when Mia was kidnapped and then the shock of the pregnancy when Mia was brought home,” the man said as he put a wooden box of tea bags in the middle of the table.

“Did my mother say why she wanted Mia to end the pregnancy?” I asked.

I could see he was hedging his answer, but I wanted the truth. “Please, tell me. I’m sure it won’t shock me.”

The kettle whistled, so I stood to get it, noticing he wasn’t getting around so well. I poured water in each cup and replaced the stainless kettle on the stovetop, ensuring I’d properly turned off the burner. I chose a tea bag and opened it, dropping it into the mug to steep.

The man studied me for a moment before he spoke. “I’m not saying this to hurt you, Kelly. Please remember that. Your mother told Mathis that she was raped and became pregnant with you, and she didn’t want Mia to go through the same life she’d lived. I’d rather not tell you the things we discussed that night. She spoke to me in confidence, and I’d prefer to keep it that way, but what she said to Mathis about the attack, she said in front of both of us. I know he’d have given me permission to tell you the truth.”

I stared at him for a moment, trying to wrap my head around his comment. Things made a lot more sense to me as I sat there sipping tea. Mom was never mean to me… indifferent, yes. When it was just the two of us, she always listened to how my day had been at school, and she’d thanked me for being a good boy every night before I went to bed.

When we both had the summers off from school, we went to see her Aunt Marion—her parents had disowned her when she became pregnant with me, and as I thought about it, events came together to solve the puzzle. Mom hadn’t wanted me, but for whatever reason, she wouldn’t give me up. I didn’t know if I was happy about that or not, but it was too late to worry about it now. I had London and Daisy waiting for me at home.

Mom didn’t want Mia to live the life she had by raising a child who was a product of rape. She’d tolerated me, but she hadn’t loved me. I was the root of her problems. Part of me wanted to cry for my mother. I wanted to cry for my sister, but a minor part of me wanted to cry for myself because these were things she’d kept from me, only showing me indifference my whole life. The only person I believed needed my tears was that precious little girl, Daisy. My niece, and someday if the fates smiled on us, London’s and my daughter.

* * *

I hugged the reverend and gave him a hundred-dollar donation to his church. He asked if we wanted to have a ceremony at Our Shepherd’s House to welcome Daisy into the fold of God’s family, and I told him I’d be in touch. We didn’t speak of Mathis any longer, though I could see he still missed his son. I left him after he said a prayer for me.

I got home before dark and went up to the apartment, finding a key on the ring that fit the lock on the door. When I went inside, I found London in the bathroom with Daisy in the tub, sitting up and laughing as she splashed water all over him. He didn’t seem to mind at all.

I sat down on the bathroom floor next to him and picked up a fish-shaped sponge, squeezing it over Daisy’s shoulder. She squealed as she watched London pour water into some elaborate water maze he had mounted to the wall of the tub insert. There were star fish and whales and waves. It was adorable.

“Where’d you get that?” I asked as I watched the water wheel turn and dump more water into a clear fishbowl that filled and lifted the fish to the top before it drained out of the bottle and the fish slowly lowered. Daisy’s adorable giggle was more reward than anything. “It’s cute.”

“Oh, the guys had a little thing at the office to make sure I had stuff for her. She and Romeo Torrente are about the same age, and that kid is growing like a weed, so we get some toys he’s outgrown. Gabby opened a daycare behind Dex’s yoga studio, so Miss Daisy gets to spend her mornings and afternoons with the heir to the Torrente throne.” London’s face lit up as he spoke of Daisy.

It was exactly what that little girl deserved—parents who would love her and dote on her as if she was the best gift in the world. Because to us, London and me, she definitely was.

I’d turned the corner of seeking revenge for the wrongs done to my family. Now, all I wanted to do was make the world right for our little girl. I wouldn’t lie and say there wasn’t satisfaction in revenge, but I’d learned a lesson I didn’t expect—justice takes many forms.

One might seek revenge on those who have done harm to them, but maybe, without you knowing, someone is out to get revenge on you.

One thing I learned in my group sessions at New Horizons was that I had to forgive myself for what I’d done, especially the things I couldn’t remember doing, and actually love myself so I could give love to those in my life.

Maybe my mother and sister were lost to me forever, or maybe just right now, but I had London, Dallas, and all the operatives at GEA-A and their families. They’d all done everything they could to help me when I was in need, and I would return their kindness at the drop of a hat.

My heart was no longer filled with avenging the horrible things done to my family. Love now had a home there, and it was the best thing I’d ever experienced in my life.

EPILOGUE

LONDON

Five years later…

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