DECEPTION - A Family Affair (25 page)

Leaving the nursing home she practically ran to her Jeep and sped out.  She drove with no destination in mind despite the fact she ended up right in front of Freddie’s house the only person who can help her solve the mysteries of her life.  Surveying her surroundings gratitude filled her to see Marco’s car nowhere in sight.  When she gained her courage she let her feet guide her to the front door.  Staring at the bell for a minute or so she finally decided to ring it and her heart raced when Freddie appeared behind the open door.  “Hello Marisol.”  He stood in front of her wearing a greyish flannel shirt, black pants and a cautious smile on his aging face.

“Hi Freddie, I am hoping you could help me.  I just came from visiting my father and I have some questions that I believe you have the answers to.”  He eyed her with hesitancy but knowing in his heart he owed her his honesty.  Stepping to the side so she can enter he responded. 

“Come on in sweetie, I knew this day will come eventually.  Come in the kitchen I’m making some coffee would you like to join me?”

“I would love some, thank you.” 

After he sat with both cups of coffee he asked. “How is William doing?”

“His health has worsened yet he is who he is and nothing will change that.”  Not wanting to waste any more time she looked up and blurted out, “Did you and my mother ever have an affair?”

“Pretty direct and straight to the point, I like that.”  He said with a grin on his face.  “To answer your question – the answer is no.  She may have been guilty of a little hero worshipping as my wife puts it but no we were family.  Marisol honey, your mother was a complicated lady and I will admit she antagonized your father in letting him assume something was going on between us.”

“Why would she do that?  That’s so wrong on so many levels.”

“She had her reasons I guess.  You want the truth?  I will give it to you straight and tell you what I know.  You are no longer a child and should know the truth.  Valencia had big dreams when coming to America and when she finally arrived here the reality kicked in.  She was young and naive.  She despised hard labor and felt working in the fields and cleaning houses were beneath her.  She started rebelling and sneaking around with a local rich boy from town so I forbidden her to go out un-chaperoned.  She had her mind set on making it big and became way out of control especially when rich boy broke her heart.  Apparently his parents found out he was sneaking around with a Mexican girl and all hell broke loose.  She was distraught and the betrayal consumed her so she started on her next conquest.  She set her eyes on Braxton Sr. and when her plan failed she moved on and sunk her claws into his son knowing the animosity already existed between father and son.  It became a game to her manipulating two men to get what she wanted.  When she found out she was pregnant at first she wasn’t sure who the father was but I can tell you Braxton Sr. was sterile due to an injury early on in his life.  From what I’m told it happened shortly after the birth of your father and wasn’t able to produce again.  I felt like a failure because I failed at protecting her.  Although, I tell you one thing; she was so good at conniving and manipulating - a little actress that one.  She was difficult but we loved her like family no less.” 

While she listened to him tell the story it sounded as if he spoke entirely about another family one you would read about in tragic novels.  No wonder her father was a basket case.  She felt relived knowing there was no possible way Freddie could be her father not that she believed it possible to begin with.  She would have known – sensed it.  “What a mess my mom created between a father and son.  My grandfather treated his only son horribly and it only got worse through the years.”  She let out a loud sigh and then a light bulb in her head turned on.  She observed him through penetrating eyes. “Is there any possibility that my father may not be my real father?  My mom did seem quite eager to latch on to someone else quickly after her break-up with this so-called rich guy.  Does he even have a name?”   She asked attempting to sound strong although on the inside she felt her world tumbling.  Looking away from her stare he appeared uncomfortable and took a moment to gather his thoughts. 

With a tone of defeat he finally responded.  “Marisol, I genuinely don’t know for certain during that time it was total chaos especially since she was so young.  I had to make sure she married and be taken care of.  Regarding the other guy, all I remember if it matters any is his family’s surname is Richardson.”  Her stomach just dropped hitting the floor creating numbness throughout her body.  Her life as she knows it no longer exists.

“My father also mentioned the day my mom died she was leaving him for you, clearly another lie to add to her list.  What was she really up to?”

Taking a deep breathe he continued with her family saga.  “Please keep in mind Valencia can be selfish at times.  I don’t want to hurt you but I promised to be honest with you.  It’s true that day she planned to leave your father.  She wiped out his bank account and was disappearing to Las Vegas, so she said she had friends who lived there and helped her land a job.  She wasn’t happy with her life and she suffered from depression.  She only came to see me because I asked her to come.  I wanted to talk her out of it but she only made it to the front of the shop before the accident occurred and I have lived with guilt ever since.”  She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently to comfort him before releasing it.  His eyes filled with watery tears displaying the guilt and anguish he lived with for all these years.

“It was not your fault so please let go of any blame you carry.  She had her own agenda not caring about anyone but herself.  I guess when she decided to chase her demented dreams that included walking out on me as well.”  She said gloomy.

“You were the one reason why I tried to talk her out of it.  She believed you would be safer with the Braxton’s for Las Vegas was no place to raise a young girl.  She wasn’t in her right mind during that time I don’t know what happened to cause the little spirit she had left to be destroyed.”

“I once overheard one of the police officers say he had a hunch it wasn’t an accident, he felt she may have intentionally drove her car in front of that truck.  The thought never escaped my mind.  Now I feel there may be some truth to his assumption.”  Freddie avoided her eyes and when she thought he wasn’t going to respond he at last nodded his head in agreement.

“I would lie if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind a thousand times but we’ll never truly know.  What I do know is that she loved you and I don’t want you to doubt her love.  You were the one person who could always put a smile on her face and you were the one thing she did do right.”  He let out a soft sigh and reached for her hand giving it a tug.

Picking up her head she inhaled and exhaled slowly changing gears she asked the last piece of information she needed to know.  “Freddie, please tell me why Marco took money from my father and left?  Please…tell me I need to know.  I don’t quite believe my father’s colorful version.”  Watching his expressions play across his face Marisol knew it was worse than she expected. 

“I am just as much to blame as William is for causing you and my son misery.”  His eyes releasing a few tears before he could continue.  “Your father pulled us over that night and he was waiting for the right moment to get his revenge on me.  He really believed your mom’s tales about me and her.  I tried telling him the truth to no avail he had death ears where I’m concerned.  Planning his vengeance, he gathered evidence through the years on my dealings with trafficking people over the border.  The group I was involved in paid off police officers, military folks, politicians and some very shady people.  We did whatever we could to complete our objectives.  Then things became out of control when some drugs were also smuggled over along with our people and it caused huge problems to say the least.  Our group was threatened to keep quiet and expected to continue.  I wanted no association with their drug business and I got out immediately.  It’s not who I am.  I lived in fear for a long time that harm would come to me or one of my family members.  It was a crazy time and I still don’t even know how your father obtained that information.  So to make a long story short, your father gave Marco an ultimatum either he disappears and leaves you forever or he would use all the evidence he had on me which would put me away or get me killed.  He used every card he had from scare tactics to physical abuse.  He ensured him if we fought it the legal fees would bankrupt the family and where would that leave his mother.  I was helpless there was nothing I could do to stop him.”  He could barely talk anymore as the tears poured down his face as he stared into space.  She sat there feeling numb and tearless.  There were no words or justification she could express to ease the pain and guilt he bore.  Her brain functions seized so the rest of her body was paralyzed.  “I am so sorry Marisol because I know you have suffered a great deal.  You lost so much so young.” 

She slightly nodded her head in agreement and slowly processed the events he shared. “Let me get this straight, my father paid and blackmailed Marco to leave as he watched me suffer day in and day out and said nothing.  He made me feel like a whore back then but to think he took part of Marco’s rights away from him; a part of his life was stolen all because he loved me.  Since he couldn’t get my mother to love him, he had to blame you and Marco paid the price.  He made your family pay in the worse way possible for all his shortfalls in life.  Oh God, I feel sick.”  She jumped up and looked around until she saw the bathroom door and arrived just in time letting everything out in the toilet as she gagged and cough.  Her father’s evilness exceeded anything she ever imagined possible.  He caused so much heartache and almost destroyed her.  How he watched her agonize through her pregnancy and her loss of Marissa.  He never once showed any remorse and that hurt deep down.  Did he even love her?  His actions never showed it, he never gave her any affection or terms of endearments.  He was a man full of scorn starting from his parents to his wife having nothing left for his only daughter who gave him the unconditional love he craved but rejected.  How he deprived Marco of his family and of the opportunity to know his baby.  Those moments are all lost forever – irretrievable.  He is incapable of love and must have a black heart.  Was he even her biological father?  Oh God, her life was in a tangle of deception.  As soon as she could stand straight she stepped out of the bathroom only to walk into yet another nightmare. 

“Hello, hello Papi.”  Cisco came barging through the front door.  “Look what Charley bought me.”  Showing his father a handful of figurines of various horses and dogs, he was filled with pure excitement over his treasures.  Charley and Mona trailed in right behind him with big smiles across their faces carrying packages of their own purchases from their shopping excursion. 

Charley went right up to Freddie and kissed him on the cheek.  “Your wife has great taste in dresses.  She picked out the cutest dress for me to wear to the banquet.”  And then she noticed Marisol standing by the entry way of the bathroom and her smile faded.  “Hello Marisol.” She said softly and then Mona looked at Marisol and then Freddie nothing escaping her.  She knew they were both upset and she nodded her head as a greeting.  Freddie sat in silence aware of the awkwardness in the air.

“Hello ladies, Cisco.”  Marisol slightly nodded back to Mona and once Cisco realized she was there he charged at her demonstrating his joy of seeing her. 

“Marisol.  I miss you.”  He held her around the waist and swung his arms side to side the way a little girl would hug her dolly. 

“Wow, I always love your greetings Cisco.”  Releasing her he looked down at her with a huge smile and showed her his figurines that were sprawled on top of the table.  “They are beautiful, this one here reminds me of Star, don’t you agree?” 

“It does, that’s what I’m going to name him.”  He said then gathered his figurines and headed to the back rooms. 

She glided her sweaty palms up and down her thighs to release some of her tension.  “Well I really need to go.  It was great seeing you ladies and Freddie thank you.”  She went over to hug him and whispered in his ear.  “You are a great man and I’m so sorry for all the damage my family has caused you and your family.” 

He shook out of her hug and grabbed her hands as he looked directly at her, “You are neither your mom nor your dad so please don’t apologize for them.  You deserve so much more than what life has given you so don’t waste any more days.  You live it and you do everything in your power to be happy.  You are beautiful inside and out – do you hear me.”  And as the tears finally came they silently rolled down her cheeks and she nodded her head up and down and sucked her lips in while her teeth held them tight.  Forgetting about the two ladies witnessing their display she walked out as fast as her feet could walk without running.  When she reached her car she leaned against it so she can breathe again.  She heard her name and turned her head to see Charley running after her.

“Hey, I wanted to catch you before you left.  Look I know we haven’t had the opportunity to spend time and get to know one another it’s been a crazy visit.  I don’t want to beat around the bush with you.  I know you are probably an amazing person but when it comes to Marco – you guys just aren’t good for each other.”

Good bye Ms. Melancholy, hello Ms. Pissed off.  “Excuse me?”

“I know that didn’t come out right.’

“You think?”  She oozed out the sarcasm.

“Look, it took Marco so many years to get his act together.  He was a walking disaster a time bomb so to speak.  He was headed in the wrong direction and would have been mass destruction if it wasn’t for my father.  He believed in him.  Since he got here he is losing control of himself again and what he feels for you is setting him back to his old ways.  He is so full of hurt and pain right now because of you.  If you love him the way I think you do; then let him go.  There is too much tragedy between the two of you to overcome and he is finally in a really good place I would hate to see you destroy him due to your selfishness.”