Chapter 13

Seven days before Christmas...

Hillary Hastings waited for her suitcase then went to the valet car service pick-up area of Chicago O'Hare Airport. A young man waited next to a stretch SUV holding a sign with her name on it.

"I'm Mrs. Hastings." She held out her phone with her confirmation on it.

"Ma'am," he said as he opened the door then took her luggage and placed it in the back. "Where to?"

"Oconto, Wisconsin," she answered.

He looked surprised, then leaned to put it in the navigation. "Ma'am, that's four hours or more with the current road conditions."

"I'm aware," she answered. "Please get us there as quickly as possible." She pulled a laptop out of her carry-on and began working. She had several things to arrange with her real estate business since she would not be going back to Miami for she didn't know how long. She had to fix things with Ian. Her phone rang.

"Hello Andrew, I am in a car heading from Chicago to Oconto. I found out something about Lily Johansen. Her mother was a murderess and drug addict and Lily spent time in drug rehab," Hillary announced haughtily. "I am on my way to tell Ian since he refuses to take my calls. I knew I was right to not like that girl."

"Mother! Stop!" Andrew snarled. "Yes, Lily went to rehab for addiction to Xanax before she met Ian, but did you bother to find out why? Check your email. Mr. Conkin's investigators found out the truth from the police in Salt Lake City and Tampa Bay."

"Whatever it is, it doesn't..." Hillary started.

"Mom, just listen, there are some things you need to know about Lily and her family. Open the email I sent you and read it all, or you will never have a chance to meet your only grandchild," Andrew insisted, "I have to get on my plane."

She spent the next two hours reading everything learned from the Conklin P.I.s about Lily Johansen's unusual family and the trauma of her life before Ian.

As the SUV drove, Hillary looked out at the scenery. She resisted the urge to rub her eyes and ruin her makeup. She was shocked at how wrong she had been about Ian's wife.

'Ex-wife,' she reminded then admonished herself, 'How could I be so foolish and judgmental? I have a grandchild I may never get to hold because I acted like my mother and mother-in-law.'

Unlike Hillary's late sister, Lily had every reason to be addicted to anxiety medications. Her early childhood was horrifying and to find her best friend murdered seemed traumatizing. Hillary let her distrust after Ian's previous grifter girlfriend stole tens of thousands of dollars from their family and friends bias her against a young woman she knew nothing about. Lavia Jakita "Kitty", Lilyana "Lily" Jessalyn, and Lillian Jessica Johansen shared Jessica's grandmother's address near in Miami. The original private investigator who did the background check did not verify that Lilyana Jessalyn and Lillian Jessica were not the same person because they were born the same month, but one year apart, to the same polygamist father and different mothers with very similar names. The three Johansen sisters also had five other half-siblings, including the half-brother in Atlanta that arranged for the sale of Lily's SUV. The details were pieced together but no one was certain how the half-siblings found each other so long after their father's unsolved murder.

The Conklin investigators' interactions with Lily's half-siblings had gone disastrously wrong in every case. Lily's family and their friends and neighbors had turned the search for a missing woman and child into a war. Five of Conklin's PIs were arrested on assorted local, state, and federal charges, and three were hospitalized. Someone had also leaked to the local Miami tabloids that the reason the Hastings cancelled their annual Christmas Eve Party was because Ian's pregnant wife had fled from the family after giving birth early. Two witnesses gave anonymous statements that Lily was assaulted and stabbed in her home. The reporter insinuated possibly by Ian and that the Hastings were covering it up. It was a PR nightmare and Hillary wondered if this was the first volley of Jessica's threatened social media war.

"Ma'am, we're almost to Oconto." The driver's voice interrupted. "Where are you staying?"

"I will be staying with my son at an E-Hostel Rental on Old Lake Road, here is the address." She handed the reservation printout forward, then added, "But first, I need to go to the Tiger Lily Inn Bed and Breakfast on Old Lake Road."

<<@>>

Innkeeper Evelynn Rosen looked up with a pleasant smile as the door opened. A woman looked around at the holiday decorations and antiques then smiled back.

"Welcome to the Tiger Lily Inn," Evelynn greeted her. "Can I help you?"

"I am looking for someone. Are you Ms. Rosen?" Hillary asked politely.

"I am. Do I know you?" Evelynn looked confused.

"No. Well, not yet... I'm Hillary Hastings. I need to speak with Lily."

"Lily isn't here and there is nothing to be said between your family and mine." Standing to her full 5'10" height, Evelynn walked around the desk and to the door, opening it. "I hope you have a safe journey back to whatever rock you slithered out from under."

Rotating to face her, Hillary shook her head. "I understand how protective you are of Lily. You made so many sacrifices to care for her and her sisters after their father was murdered and your niece went to prison. I feel the same protectiveness about my sons."

"Yes, but the difference between you and me, Mrs. Hastings, is I would never disparage, harass, or harm one of your sons the way you have my nieces. Lily loved Ian and the day she needed him most, he abandoned her and their daughter at your behest."

At Evelynn's icy tone and icier glare, Hillary swallowed. "I know."

"Have a good holiday, goodbye." Evelynn waved her hand in a single sweeping motion, indicating she expected Hillary to leave. "Do not come back."

Stepping out onto the porch, Hillary implored, "Please reconsider. I would like to explain everything. Here's my card, it has my number on it. I am not leaving Oconto until I see my grandchild or speak to my daughter-in-law."

"Ex-daughter-in-law. And Ava isn't your granddaughter, your son refused to have his name put on her birth certificate and served Lily with court paperwork to prevent it," Evelynn reminded bitterly.

"All of that is my fault. Look, I know who Lily is now and I have so much to atone for."

"Another private investigator?"

"Yes, but one who..."

"Enough." Evelynn cut her off. "Maybe you should try talking to someone instead of having them investigated like a criminal and harassing all of their siblings with your private gestapo. Good day, Mrs. Hastings."

She closed the door between them, then watched the driver close the SUV door after Hillary got in. She remained by the door until they drove away. Going upstairs, Evelynn found Lily sitting in the window seat, staring out at the winter blue sky above Lake Michigan. Ava was asleep on her shoulder as tears ran down her face.

"Lily?"

"I'm not well, Aunt Evie," Lily admitted, wiping her tears. "Everything is gray again."

"It's okay, dearest. It's called post-partum depression for a reason. I'll call Ava's friend. I am certain Dr. Harris will be happy to make a house call." She tucked her great-grandniece's hair behind her ear. "Let me take Ava for a while, you have a nap or a bubble bath."

Carrying the baby back downstairs, she texted Kitty and Jessica. Call the Inn. Lily is relapsing.

On the way. Jessica texted back.

Driving back from Alaska. Be there before Christmas Eve. Kitty responded.

<<@>>

Ian was shocked to open the door of his room and find his mother standing in the hall. "Mom? What are you doing here? Andrew just landed in Chicago. His flight to Greenbay..."

"Is delayed. I am aware. Pack your things, I rented us a house on the lake," she announced.

"Mom, I can't leave. What if Lily calls me back? She thinks I am here," Ian refused.

"Wouldn't you rather see her? I got us a rental house next door to the Inn. You think she is there and so do I." Hillary patted his hand. "Ian, I am so sorry for everything. I let my suspicions and distrust after Carly cloud my judgement."

It took less than twenty minutes to check out and be driven back to the rental. They used a code to open a lockbox and get the keys. The house was warm and tastefully decorated. Ian threw his bag on a bed and looked out the windows. One faced the water, and the other faced the trees between the house and the golden-cream painted Tiger Lily Inn. It seemed a beacon of warmth on the shore of the winter-wrapped lake. He considered having the driver take them over there but was shocked to discover the SUV was gone when he went to the front door.

"Mom, where's the driver?"

"I only had him for the day. Don't worry, Andrew is bringing a rental car tomorrow." She scowled at the cupboards. "I need to send him a list of things to bring from a grocery market or bodega, so we don't starve on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day." Hillary talked as she texted then she waved at the windows. "Are you going to go over to the Inn and try to talk to Lily again?"

"Yes," Ian nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

"I just want you to be happy." She cupped his cheeks and smiled up at him. "I am so sorry about everything. You have been working so hard between the real estate company and your business degree. I was so worried that she might be like Carly that I didn't see how much you loved her."

He hugged her. "Carly conned us all, Mom, and I am sorry she hurt you too."

"I thought it would be wonderful to have a daughter-in-law who was just like me. I should have realized it was more important to have a daughter-in-law who loved my son."

"Let's Uber in some lunch and dinner for later," Ian suggested. "Did you talk to Andrew today? Read the email from Conklin?"

"Order the food, I'll get my laptop."

<<@>>

After they ate and talked about the discoveries, Ian wiped his tears. "She went through so much and I just stomped on her heart on the most important day of our lives. She hates me. She'll never forgive me."

"You didn't mean to. It was a misunderstanding." Hillary gave him a gentle push toward the door. "Go next door and try to talk to Lily again and tell her aunt I would like to meet her for tea tomorrow."

Ian zipped his coat up and pulled on a knitted watch cap then the fluffy mittens he got at the motel shop. As he closed the door and began to walk across the ice crusted snow, he shivered, watching a car drive away from the Inn. He had never been so cold as he looked out at the lake. The wind was still, so he walked into the cloud of every exhale.

Hurrying inside the Inn, he turned after closing the door, and was surprised to see Evelynn standing there with a baby swaddled in pink in her arms. "I told you I would call the constable if you came back."

Staring at the tiny bundle, he stammered, "I... I know... B-but I won't leave Oconto until I see Lily. We rented the house next door. My mom wants to talk to you." His hands flexed and clenched uselessly in his mittens. "Please, m-may I hold my daughter?"

Evelynn was about to refuse, but he looked so sad and desperate and hopeful at the same time that she sighed instead. "Take off your coat and those ridiculous mittens and have a seat in the breakfast room."

Ian complied immediately. Watching him hold his daughter for the first time, Evelynn shook her head, and went to get him a cup of coffee. They needed to talk about Lily. Sitting two cups and a carafe of coffee on the table, Evelynn appraised him.

"Do you really love Lily?"

Ian nodded. "I do." Ava was the tiniest baby he had ever seen, and he wondered how much she had grown since her birth a month ago if she was still so small.

"Then why did you do it? Why serve her with divorce papers the day she had your daughter?"

"I... I didn't know about the accident," he murmured as his own eyes looked back at him from the sweetest face he had ever imagined.

"How did you know your daughter was born then?" Evelynn demanded.

"I got a text message that Ava was born from Lily's OB, but it was too soon and... I assumed that... that she came early because she wasn't mine," Ian admitted in shame.

"Why would you assume that the baby wasn't yours? Had Lily done anything to hint she was cheating on you?" Evelynn demanded, trying not to get angry.

"No."

Drumming her fingers on the tabletop, Evelynn asked, "How did you meet Lily?"

"We met over spring break. She was so carefree and loving and beautiful. I couldn't help it, I fell in love with her the first night. We got married so soon because she was pregnant and I was leaving the country for a month," Ian explained, but Evelynn interrupted with a question.

"Did she tell you about what happened to Marlana? Or about her parents?"

Shaking his head, Ian revealed, "We never talked about our past until she told me she was pregnant then she just said she and Kitty were raised by you and your girlfriend since she was four. She told me she didn't remember much about her real parents besides their names. Mom hired a P.I. to learn the truth."

"No one could find the whole truth. Her father was killed because he had four other families in other states that we discovered. Belinda thought he was rich because he traveled a lot for work. She moved the girls from Orlando to Salt Lake then found out he wasn't, and she wasn't his only wife. We never knew whether she killed him or one of his other wives did it. She was an addict and alcoholic who went from one man to the next after his death and eventually went to prison because she killed one of her lovers," Evie revealed, "I adopted the girls and moved them here. It took Ava and I years to sort out as much as we did."

"Lily said she loved her Aunt Ava very much."

"She did... Tell me, what did you learn about Lily that would make you leave her like you did?"

"Well, the first P.I. told Andrew and Mom that Lily's mother was a drug addicted murderous stripper, then gave them blurry pictures of her half-sister Jessica working at some strip club and said it was Lily. Andrew brought me the images and report at work. It was shocking, then I got the text message about Ava's birth. I believed Lily was like Carly and that my mom was correct about her not being mine." He sipped some of his coffee to swallow his embarrassment.

"What changed your mind so that your family began harassing mine?" Her demand was laced with bitterness.

"I... uhm, I found the bloody star under the couch and looked on our insurance medical chart app. I realized I made a horrible mistake. I wrote up all the discrepancies. Andrew and I checked the whole report and spoke to the witnesses that existed before we confronted the investigator. He admitted he lied so the firm he worked for started to help us find the truth."

The disapproving judgement was evident in her tone. "What did they tell you?"

"We learned the truth." Ian bowed his head, admitting, "I didn't realize how hard her life was before me... I mean, she is always so positive and concerned for everyone around her... I didn't know. We never talked about anything negative, we never even had a fight before she called me on the phone at the Econo-Lodge."

"Lily hates conflict." Evelynn hummed in acknowledgement then asked, "Lily never mentioned anyone named Carly to any of us? Who was she?"

"I never told Lily about her. She was my fiancé right before I met Lily. She was a con artist. She scammed my whole family and stole from us and our friends. I guess... I guess I married Lily on the rebound." Admitting it made him feel ashamed, so he hurriedly added, "But I love Lily... I really do. I love how much she loves me and makes me feel... well, special in a way I never have. She is the sweetest, most caring person I have ever met. I didn't know she had been to therapy or to rehab."

"She has been in therapy since she was a child to cope with what happened to her and because she has seasonal affective disorder. In college, she went into rehab for addiction to anti-anxiety medication after she found her best friend murdered and the guy fled the country before they could arrest him. You can't imagine how traumatizing it was for her. Marrying you gave her someone to think about besides Marlana and her death," Evelynn explained then asked, "Why wait so long to start looking for them?"

Ian emptied his cup with a gulp then leaned his cheek on his daughter's beanie. "I was drunk until I found that star. I ended two years of sobriety when I thought our marriage was a lie. I'm an alcoholic, Ms. Rosen, but I promise, I'm sober again, and I will stay that way."

Humming to herself as she refilled their cups, Evelynn then asked, "How would you feel about her if she became depressed again? Sad enough that she might harm herself?"

"I would blame myself and I would take care of her until she got better," he vowed.

"Come with me, Ian. Just before you came over, the doctor was here. Lily is very depressed," Evelynn admitted.

"Post-partum depression?" He asked fearfully, remembering how a college friend almost killed herself.

"Yes, mixed with her usual seasonal depression, and the knowledge that Ava will be her only child... It is too much right now. She always wanted a large family," Evelynn revealed, "How do you feel about Lily never being able to have another child?"

"I don't care about that. We can adopt or have a surrogate. I'm just happy they both survived," Ian admitted. "I'm so ashamed of how I behaved."

"Come upstairs. You need to tell her everything you told me."

Evelynn led him up to the third floor. In the small suite, decorated in warm summer colors, she guided him into a bedroom. His wife slept, curled in a ball under a Tiger Lily Inn printed quilt. Ian sat down as Lily woke. She just stared at him for a few moments, then rolled over to face the window and the pale sky. The sun was already setting. Not knowing what else to say, Ian began to tremble. He looked at Evelynn with pleading eyes. His loving, happiness-seeking wife was gone.

"What do I say?" He whispered.

"Just hold her hand and talk to her... I have to go make some calls and start dinner." Evelynn smiled at him sadly as she took Ava and began changing her diaper. "I love Lily, and I missed her terribly while she lived in the south, but she can't live here in the winter, she gets so sad. It was why they chose to move to Florida with Jessica instead of somewhere else with one of their other half-siblings." 

Dressing the baby in warm footie pajamas, Evelynn held the precious bundle to her shoulder. "I'll leave you with her. The doctor started her on some medication, but it will take time to start working, possibly weeks, until then, we tell her things to give her hope."

<<<<<@>>>>>> 

a/n longer chapter than the others, hope you don't mind.