Page 96 of Always Us

I can’t stand watching Sadie yell at Grace that way.

But Grace remains perfectly calm and says, “Jade. It’s up to you.”

She’s asking if I want to tell Sadie the truth. Do I? I don’t know. She kind of already knows the truth. She heard Grace say it. But Sadie doesn’t know the whole truth and I don’t know if I want her to. No daughter wants to hear that her father is a rapist and a murderer.

I walk over and stand next to Grace. “I’m her granddaughter.”

“No, you’re not.” Sadie’s eyes move over my dress, inspect my shoes, then go back up to my hair and finally my face. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s true. I’m not lying.”

“William never had a child.” She stands up straighter, crossing her arms over her chest.

“William isn’t my father.” I pause and let her figure it out.

She stares at me, and the only sound in the room is the sound of her breathing, which keeps getting faster. Finally, she looks at Grace. “Grandmother, don’t let her say these things about our family. Say something!”

“Royce was Jade’s father,” Grace says. “Jade is your half sister.”

Sadie huffs. “If she told you that, she’s lying.”

“Honey.” Grace tries to hold Sadie’s hand but she pulls it away. “She’s not lying. Your father had proof that he was Jade’s father. He had a file in the safe in his office. That’s how we learned about Jade. We found out shortly after your father passed away.”

“He didn’t pass away! Would you stop saying that? He killed himself!” Sadie takes a deep breath to regain her composure. She narrows her eyes at me. “Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Is it to get money? The Kensington fortune isn’t enough for you? Now you have to come after the Sinclairs?”

“Sadie, that’s enough!” Now Grace is yelling. I’ve never heard her yell. “Jade is not after anyone’s money. She is a Sinclair, just like you and me. Your father had no contact with her when she was growing up. She was raised by her mother.”

“And who’s your mother?” Sadie gets right up in my face. “Some whore who forced herself on my father? Some stripper who got my father drunk, then used him to get pregnant so she could get his money? I’d love to meet this whore! Tell her what I think of her.”

“Sadie! Stop it right now!” Grace says from beside me.

I haven’t backed away. Sadie and I remain face-to-face, my eyes locked on hers. “My mother is dead. And she wasn’t a whore. She wasn’t any of those things you said. Your father—” I stop because I don’t know if I should tell her.

“My father what?”

Sadie would never believe the truth, so I say, “He met my mom when he was in Iowa for the caucus. He was working on a political campaign and he was there for a speech. My mom didn’t know he was married. He asked her out for dinner. And that’s it. It was one night. She never heard from him again.”

Sadie takes a step back. “How old are you?”

“Twenty.”

“So you’re saying he did this while my mother was pregnant? He wouldn’t do that. He’d never do that.”

“Sadie, your father wasn’t perfect,” Grace says. “Nobody is. He had his faults like everyone else does.”

“Does Mother know?”

“Not that I’m aware of. If she does know, she hasn’t told anyone. Jade just found out about this last year, but she hasn’t told your mother.”

“Who else knows?”

“Your Uncle William knows. And your grandfather knew. He’s the one who found the file.”

“Don’t tell Mother this,” Sadie orders. “Or my sisters.”

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