Page 91 of Brage & Dinah

Chapter 37

Ann Gardiner livedin a single-story house squished between two neighboring homes. The brick exterior showed the age of the building and the lack of any type of landscaping in the front yard looked sad and lonely to Dinah.

Used to living in rundown rentals, any house could be a home. All a person needed was a roof that held out the rain and walls that kept out the cold. The rest was only cosmetics.

She couldn't tell if anyone was home because the curtains were shut and there were several cars parked along the street. Dinah reached for the door handle.

Brage grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving the truck. "I can go introduce myself first. Let her know why we're here."

"No, if I'm going to do this, I want to be the one to face her." She met his gaze. "I at least want to find out my name."

He mumbled something in Norwegian and nodded. She opened the door and stood in place to get her bearings. Since early that morning, she felt like her head was disconnected from her body. She hated the feeling.

She met Brage at the front of the truck and holding his hand walked on the broken concrete walkway to the door.

"Ready?" asked Brage.

"Yeah." She inhaled a deep breath. "Go ahead."

Brage rapped his knuckles against the door. She held her breath. It seemed unreal that she was standing here waiting to meet her mother. The sense of failing her parents by not remembering any of the information Jeremy had given her only exasperated the moment for her.

The click of a lock jolted her out of waiting. She stepped closer to Brage as the door opened.

A woman with long, dark hair peppered with gray faced her. Only a few inches shorter than Dinah, the woman's leery gaze traveled from her to Brage.

"Can I help you?" The woman's quiet voice, scratchy as if a smoker, lifted with curiosity.

"Are you Ann Gardiner?" asked Brage.

The woman lifted her chin and studied them closely. "Yes, and you are...?"

All Dinah heard was the woman admitting to being her mother. Not wanting to scare her, she said, "I'm sorry for showing up on your doorstep, but I've only recently received some information that I need to share with you."

Her mother's gaze wandered back to Brage's Slag vest, and she frowned. "About?"

Dinah moistened her lips. She thought it would be easier. She thought her mother might recognize her. She thought getting the truth would make her feel like she was doing the right thing.

She looked at Brage. Maybe coming here was a bad idea.

Brage cleared his throat. "You're familiar with Moroad Motorcycle Club?"

Her mother's gaze narrowed before she schooled her features. "You're not wearing their colors."

"No." Brage tilted his head and held out the top of his vest. "I'm the vice president of Slag Motorcycle Club."

"I think you should leave. I have no association with Moroad." Dinah's mother stepped back and reached for the door to close them out.

"Wait. Please." Dinah let go of Brage's hand. "I've been told my father's name was Tom Copelan and Ann Gardiner is my mother."

Her mother's gaze flickered over Dinah's face. Any reaction she expected failed to come. The declaration was met with stony disregard. "My daughter was killed twenty-one years ago."

"I-I believe I'm your daughter. I wasn't killed." Dinah's eyes burned, and her throat spasmed. "I'm sorry for showing up and telling you all this, but I only found out myself. I-I had to see you and find out if it's true."

Her mother shook her head. "No..."

Brage's arm supported Dinah at the rejection. She stared helplessly, not knowing what to say or do. Realizing she came unprepared with little information to give the woman to convince her that her reality was different than hers. That the life they both were given was taken by someone else.

"I-I'm sorry." She pushed against Brage, needing to go. "I can't do this."

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