Blood Debt (Touched Series Book 1) (6 page)

Chapter 5

William looked at a loss
,
and I knew I couldn’t toss all my questions at him at once.  He started off apologetically,
“I should have prepared you.  I was . . . your call was . . . unexpected.  I’m sure I neglected to tell you lots of things.  They can be a little overwhelming at first, but they’re good boys.”

I nodded my silent agreement.  All those years of badgering my mom for a brother or sister, I had five brothers the entire time and didn’t have a clue. 
Rather than dwelling on the past, I opted to stay firmly planted in the present. 
“I can’t believe I’m here.  I’ve always wondered who you were.”

“You must have many questions for me.  Ask me anything.”

I never knew I even had a father
, well,
logically
I knew he existed. 
How do you tell someone you don’t have the words to even ask the right questions
?
  It was all a little overwhelming.
  I asked a question that I already knew the answer to,
“So, what do you do?”

“By way of profession?  I am a financial advisor.  Nothing exciting
,
but it pays the bills.”

I caught myself looking around at the room,
“You must be good at it.”

He nodded, “My clients are all very happy with the services I provide.”  When I didn’t say anything right away
,
he broke the quiet with, “Your mother.  I’m so very sorry
,
Camille.  It is difficult to lose a parent
,
and I’m sorry you went through her death alone.  If I had known, I would have been there for you.”

I stiffened a little,
“For me
. 
Not for her?”

“If she had wanted me to be there
-
yes
, for her, too
.”

“She never told me about you, not until just before. . . you know . . . right before she died.”

“
That makes two of us. 
I wish I would have known about you, Camille.  I don’t want to be insensitive, but I have so many things I’d like to
know about
you.”

“
Ask away
.
 
W
hat do
ya
wanna
know?
”

A huge smile enveloped his face, “Everything, Camille.  I want to know everything about you.”

“Hmmm, well, I work as a cashier in a department store.  This is my first trip to a state outside of California, but I’ve been to Mexico. 
Today was the first time I had ever been on a yacht and an airplane
,
and I’m still a little surprised that I was on both in the same day.”
  I stopped
,
trying to gauge what he was looking for.

“Hobbies?”

“Nothing major.  I love California because one day you can be at Big Bear skiing, the next you can be at the beach surfing, and the next you can gamble at Tahoe.  I’m usually on the go, but I don’t have one big interest that I’m tied to.”

“Boyfriend?”

I snickered a little, only because this was the same thing Brent had asked me just a few hours ago.  “No
.  N
o one special.”

“So your mother did tell you?”

I turned my head slightly, “
What do you mean?”

“I was worried you might be unaware of your heritage.  I didn’t know your mother well, but she had abandoned her herd.  When I happened on her, she wanted nothing to do with our kind.”

What the heck was he talking about?  Herd?  Mom had never abandoned anyone or anything in her life.  We had a stray dog for years that was mean as a snake
,
but she wouldn’t turn her back on it
.  S
he kept feeding the vicious thing even when I begged her to let it starve. 
“Her
herd
?  What do you mean
our
kind
?”

Will took on a nervous look, like he’d said something he desperately wanted to take back.  “Camille, what did your mother tell you about me
?
  About your family
?
”

“Nothing. . . I mean, she wouldn’t tell me anything about you. . . not
‘
til the night. . . you know.  What do you mean she abandoned her family?  Her parents died when she was very young.”

“Your mother was Angela Chiron.  She left her family long ago.”

With more resolve than I felt, “Her name was Angela Benning and her parents died when she was still a teenager.”  Even as I said the words, I remembered the
old
plane ticket I’d found in my mother’s closet, carefully tucked away from prying eyes, but purposely left for me to find after her death.  The name on the ticket had been Angela Chiron
. 
I’d dismissed it at the time, but now. . .
who had she abandoned?  Did she have other kids?

Will abruptly changed the subject,
“
What about s
chool?”

I answered his question, even though I wanted to know what he meant by
she left her family
. 
“I graduated high school, but never had the money to get into college.  Maybe someday.
” 
The fact that I’d opted to skip college had never been a sensitive subject for me.  After high school I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life
,
and
M
om
had
never pushed me. 

Will
must have
thought more of a degree than I did because he immediately volunteered, “
Camille, what’s mine is yours. 
If you want an
education
, money isn’t a problem.”

I turned my head, not sure how to say it without sounding like a jerk, “I’m not asking you for anything.”

His features were warm and his voice thoughtful, “You needn’t ask.  It
’
s your birthright
. 
I have been blessed with good fortune
,
and yesterday I found out I was also blessed with a daughter.  I’d like a chance to be your father.”

“I’ve only been your daughter for,” I looked at my watch
,
six
p.m. on the west coast
, “less than
twenty-four
hours.  Maybe
offering to pay my way through college is something we can hold off on for a few days
?”

Will nodded
. 
I got the feeling that he was just as nervous and
maybe even more
excited
than
I was.
  He asked,
“
A
re you hungry?  We could find something in the kitchen if you are.”

I hadn’t eaten since
lunch
.  I could only imagine what the kitchen looked like.
 
As we stepped out of my room
,
I saw this was one doorway in a hall filled with doorways on either side.  I didn’t want to gawk
,
but it looked like six rooms
lined the hall
. 
The floor was a highly polished wood that felt cool on my feet
.  R
emembering the heat of the day
,
it felt good to be barefoot on the floor.
  I was kicking myself for falling asleep on the way back
. 
I had no idea what the house looked like from the outside
, where it was
or how I got to my room.

We found my brothers all huddled around a television.  Brent looked over his shoulder and gave a hearty, “Camille!  We were wondering if you were down for the count or what?  Glad you got up.  Dad though
t
we’d drugged you or something.” 

“I don’t even remember the ride here
.  A
re you sure you didn’t drug me?”

“High on life
,
little sister, high on life.”

Brent and the others turned their attention back to the television as my father motioned me toward the kitchen.  I’ve been to Lowe
’
s, the Home Depot, I’ve even caught myself looking at some majestic kitchens on the “Do-it-Yourself” channel, but I was not prepared for this
:  g
ranite countertops, stainless steel appliances, enough cabinets to stock a convenience store
,
and two sinks.  My father’s idea of a quick snack and mine weren’t the same. 

I thought we’d be rummaging around the refrigerator for sliced meat to make a sandwich when h
e pulled a casserole dish out of the oven that was still warm, poured me a glass of wine
,
and motioned for me to have a seat at the table. 

In awe
,
I could only ask,
“Where
’
d all this come from?”

“Gretchen makes the best
m
anicotti in the world
.  W
hen you were still sleeping
,
she made a second dish for you and kept it warm.  I promise you’
ve
never taste
d
anything like it.”

He was right
. 
I had had some
incredible
Italian food in my life, but nothing held a candle to this.  Conversation was easy.  It turn
ed
out my father’s parents had lived in this very house
.  They gave it to him when he started his family.  In addition to being a financial wizard of sorts, he was an avid hiker and loved to sail.  I was grateful to have some one-on-one time with him, to learn more about him.  It seemed odd that my brothers were keeping
their
distance
,
and I still hadn’t met his wife
. 
N
o one so much as peeked through a doorway.

After I had eaten enough to feed three heavy-weight boxers, I stood up to rinse my plate.  My father asked, “Are you still tired?
Or do you have enough energy to keep me company a little longer?  We could sit in the den.
  It’s where I spend most of my time.”

Another amazing room.  An overstuffed leather sofa and matching overstuffed formal chairs greeted us as we walked in.  I took a seat in the chair closest to the door
,
and he sat on the sofa. 
Bookshelves lined every wall with old leather
-
bound books tightly lin
ing
each shelf. 
We were both quiet
: 
I don’t think either of us knew where to start.
What do you say to someone you’ve
fanaticized
about your entire life?

My father broke the silence, “Is there anything special you’d like to do while you’re here?”

I shook my head, “So far this trip has seriously exceeded my expectations.  I just wan
na
get to know everybody.”

“That’s
great, w
ell, unless you had really low expectations
for the trip
.”

Grinning, “It’s just nice to know I have . . .” it was tough to say the word, because it
had been
theoretical to me
,
until today, “family.”

“It warms my heart to hear you say that, Camille.  I always wanted a daughter
.  I
t’s a little surreal to have you here.
  I wouldn’t have thought it possible.
”

The basics of
S
ex
-E
d were obviously lost on Will if he didn’t think it was possible.  I kept my thoughts to myself
.  N
o sense being a smart
aleck
just because he was surprised to know that I existed. 
“So, how did you meet my mom?”

“
She was working at the hotel bar where I was staying.  It is uncommon to find. . . well, female. . .you know. . .  I was surprised to see her working there.
”

The more Will stammered, the more w
ei
rded out I felt.  It was as if he were desperately trying not to tell me something.  Will looked away from me and began his explanation while his attention was
focused
on the wall to my left. 
“The relationship I had with your mother was
not one I am proud of.”  He
turned and
looked directly into my eyes as he spoke, “I was prepared to give her anything in the world.  All
your mother wanted
from me
was my absence. 
I pursued her, but she didn
’
t want anything to do with me. 
I called her a few times in the months that followed
, but
each time she refused to see or
to
talk to me. 
O
n subsequent business trips
,
she refused to take my calls or
to
meet me.  At the time
,
I di
dn’t understand why
.  S
eeing you here gives me a new appreciation for why she shut me out
.”