Page 64 of Sweet Little Thing

“Out! Now! OUTSIDE!” Stone ordered.

“What? You get to take her from me. Keep her in your apartment. Put your goddamn hands on her and YOU are the one that gets to be angry?” Jasper snarled.

Stone took a deep breath, but his expression only turned more fierce. “Sit down. Count your breaths,” he said to me. “No one is taking Heidi from you.”

Because I needed to believe that. I needed it to be true I nodded and started backing up where he moved me until I was sitting in a chair. He didn’t look at Jasper and I kept my eyes on his retreating form trusting him to make this okay.

“Outside,” Stone demanded as he stalked toward the door.

Jasper didn’t say a word as he followed Stone out of the parlor. I dropped my eyes to the floor afraid he’d look my way. I didn’t want to see him.

“Jasper should have expected that,” Geraldine said with a shake of her head like she was disappointed in his choices. “Come now, honey. Let’s have some tea. It’s good to calm the nerves.”

I wasn’t sure I could stand. My legs felt weak, and my heart hadn’t stopped racing. I glanced toward the windows overlooking the front yard. Guilt sank in as I thought of what I was doing to them. They were friends and I’d caused this…this rift between them.

“This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to Stone’s apartment…gotten him in the middle of all this,” my voice was hoarse. Thick with emotion weighing down on me.

“Hush that. It is no such thing. Jasper came to my home when he knew better. That boy has been spoiled and Stone knows it and how to handle him. He’s been doing it for years. I know his parents. Even his father God rest his soul was a terribleman. I imagine the Van Allans have done something awful. And from the conversation I overheard just now,” she paused her gaze locked with mine. “That baby girl of theirs didn’t die.” She appeared to be waiting for my confirmation. I couldn’t respond. If Geraldine knew about Heidi’s real identity, then who else would have remembered the baby the Van Allans buried?

She frowned. “The worst kind. Only the worst could do something like that,” her voice was just above a whisper.

“She’s the best person I know,” I blurted out, suddenly needing Geraldine to know Heidi was nothing like her parents.

“The way you love her is a testament to that. Tell me. What was it that they were displeased about to give the child away in such a deceptive way?”

Stone trusted Geraldine. She obviously knew the Van Allans and had for a long time if she remembered Heidi’s birth. She deserved the truth. I had brought it all to her door.

“Heidi has Down syndrome,” I said deciding that keeping her a secret was unfair. Her life was one worth celebrating and I wouldn’t allow the Van Allans horrible lies to keep me from talking about my sister.

She let out a heavy sigh. “Well, then she is a lucky girl to have escaped that life. It sounds like she has a sister who adores her. Would do anything for her. The life she’d have had in that house with those people,” Geraldine shook her head. “Just be thankful she didn’t.”

Feeling the need to tell her everything. To have someone listen. Just to talk about it overpowered me and I blurted out more. “Portia is my mother’s sister.”

Geraldine stared at me a moment before her expression softened. “Two sisters who are completely opposite I assume.”

I nodded. “My mother was wonderful.”

“The way I see it is God gave the world two beautiful girls and wanted them raised by a woman worthy of them to callmom. Heidi was meant to be with your mother. In your heart and Heidi’s, she always will be. No matter what the Van Allans choose to do or say.”

Geraldine was a unique lady. I wanted to get up and hug her and thank her for saying that, for listening to me, and for giving me this job. The first stirrings of peace gave me hope.

She spun around with a surprised look on her face. “The Christmas tree delivery should be today! I haven’t even made the cider yet. Do you think we can string some popcorn next? I don’t want to have an empty tree. Victor will need to get the ornaments from the attic. I have antiques, you know—my mother had beautiful hand-blown ornaments. Exquisite, I tell you. Glorious. You’ll have to handle them with care. But you’ll see,” she continued to ramble on as she left the room in a rush.

“We have nothing! I’m not ready for the holidays at all! Claudia will need to take me to town. What is a tree without the smell of cranberry tart in the oven?” she sounded panicked.

I jumped up and went after her, unsure where she was going next.

The large front door swung open, and Stone came walking in with a scowl on his face. He stopped short when he saw Geraldine coming his way in a hurry. “Oh, Stone! You’re here. Good, good, you can get the ornaments. They’re in the attic where we packed them away last year. The tree will be here soon. Claudia is taking me to get the cider and cranberry tart supplies in town. We will be festive in no time! Just you wait and see!” She clapped her hands and did a little hop.

Stone’s eyes lifted from her to me. “It seems it’s December,” he drawled.

I nodded.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ve got it together now. I’m sorry I cracked.”

He didn’t appear pleased by my response. “Jasper won’t beback. There will be no DNA testing.”

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