Page 56 of Jeremy
MaybeFrannie isn’t even real and it’s just a cover story they were meant to tell ifI asked too many questions.
Aquick Google search puts that theory to rest. A woman named Frannie died in theshooting. A little deeper of a search even shows me pictures of her with Zoe ona social network. They were her friends.
I’mrelieved to find he’s not here to bring me back to True Life, but it doesn’tmean everything isn’t going to change.
Thefront door clicks when Jeremy opens it. That’s it. Everything comes outtonight. No more secrets. On either side.
#
Jeremytakes a seat on the couch, anxiety clearly written on his face. He sighs when Imove to the chair across from him. I’m not trying to be petty. I just need abit of distance and to see his eyes when he answers my questions, especiallywhen he finds out who Calvin’s birth father is, if he doesn’t already know.
Beforehe can say anything, I begin, “We obviously both have shit we need to tell eachother. I owe you the truth, and I’m asking for the same, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Didyou know I was an ex True Life follower? Is that why you formed a relationshipwith me?” I ask, getting the worst out of the way first.
Heleans forward, looking me in the eye. “No. I didn’t know until I saw the tattooon your ass at the hospital. I’m not going to lie. I researched you when Ithought you were carrying my baby. I knew you were off the grid for years, thatyour only surviving family is a sister, and that you were a successful artist.That was it.” He sits back. “Why didn’t you tell me what you’d been through?”
Mylaugh is soaked in self-deprecation. “Joining a cult doesn’t exactly make melook bright, does it? I was already the single, knocked up woman living alone.I didn’t want to look stupid as well as pathetic.”
Hesighs and rubs his cheek, the raspy sound of his palm on whiskers filling theroom. “You aren’t either of those things. It’s not your fault, Mel. I wouldnever judge—”
“Youdon’t know that,” I interrupt. “It was absolutely my fault. I chose to jointhem, and I stayed once I saw the type of people they were. Because I thoughthe loved me, and because my sister was happy there too. We had no one else andwe didn’t want to be alone in the world.” My chest rises on a deep breath whileI try to keep my emotions under control. “It was a choice. A stupid, naïvechoice.”
“Madewhen you were what, nineteen?”
“Eighteen.Kelly was twenty. She was the one with doubts at first, but once we moved in,she was happy. Things were different in the beginning. The place was more likean old hippie commune. All these people living and working together to make theearth a better place. Eventually, the guys wanted more and more power, startedcalling themselves The First Men, insisted they handle all of our financialsand that we destroy any links to the outside world.” I shake my head. “It wasjust a way to get us to dispose of any identification. Without that and ourmoney, we were trapped.”
Heblinks, and his head jerks back a tiny bit at the sound of my sister’s name, soI’m not surprised at his next question. “Your sister is named Kelly, and she’sstill a member?”
“You’vemet her?”
Hishead bobs with reluctance. “Yeah, she’s still there.”
“Iknow. I saw her not too long ago and tried to get her to come and live with me,but she’s brainwashed. She believes everything they say. What were you doingwith Anthony, Jeremy?”
Hischest raises and falls on a deep sigh. “I told you what I do for a living.”
“Yes,but they aren’t child predators.”
“Theykilled my ex-girlfriend. I moved here to destroy them.”
It’sclear he thought he was dropping a bomb on me and his brow furrows when I don’treact. “I knew about your ex, but not about how she died until tonight. Ididn’t realize who she was or that.” My voice cracks, and I pause. This is sofucking hard to say. “Or that the father of my son was one of the men whokilled her.”
ChapterSixteen
Jeremy
Herwords slam into me, stealing my breath and making the room waver. My lungsscream for air, so I get to my feet and stumble outside. Bitterly cold airrushes over my skin, but it could be a warm bath for all the difference itmakes to me. I don’t feel it. I don’t feel anything but shock and pain.
Ithought it was likely Calvin’s father was one of the First Men, or one of theyounger guys living in the trailers, but it never occurred to me he could’vebeen one of the gunmen. What would Frannie think if she knew I planned to raisethe child of the man who killed her? Would she hate me? Would she understand?And the most important question.
WouldI have signed that birth certificate if I knew?
Idon’t have to think about that one. The answer is yes. Because the baby isn’tthe problem. I’m nothing like my cold, distant parents, and I have their blood.Blood doesn’t mean anything. Love does. And I love that tiny, squirmy littlehuman more than I ever thought I could love anything.
Hebelongs to me, not that monster.
