What Really Happened (36 page)
Read What Really Happened Online
Authors: Rielle Hunter
My Jersey girls: Liza, Chloe, and Eileen—I miss our ladies’ lunches!
All of my Charlotte moms, neighbors, and friends, especially Amy Lothrop and Amy Antoniak: Thank you.
Frances, John, Jack, and Francie Hankins: Thank you for being so wonderful.
Dawn, Patrick, and Summer Bannigan: Hours and hours of play with you make the day fly by, and you make Charlotte heaven for us. Thank you. Quinn and I love you!
Ms. Trish, Ms. Ann Marie, and Ms. Willow: Thank you for taking such great care of my sweet girl.
Pastor John Earl: Thank you for your prayers and your constant patrolling.
Christine, Vanita, Hollie, Harriet, and Hayden: Quinn and I love you. Thank you.
Dr. John Vanderheide: Thank you for my bringing my sweet girl into the world.
Dana Smith: Thank you for your stellar protection, and for being such a huge help. And wow, you have such a photogenic arm! Every time I see someone driving recklessly, I still hear your voice in my head saying: Look at this idiot. Thank you for all those laughs.
South Orange Police Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Providence Division (especially Sergeant Dave): A big thank you to each and every one of you for keeping us safe. When I see cops on the road, instead of thinking: Oh no, there’s a cop! Am I speeding?, I now think: There goes my friend.
Julie Damron: Thank you for your efforts.
Sam Cullman: You are filled with goodness as well as talent.
Lisa DePaulo: Thank you for your integrity.
Jill Barancik: Oprah is very lucky to have you. You are a walking Super Soul Sunday.
Lisa Blue and Fred Baron: A big thank you for always trying to do the right thing. Lisa, I am truly sorry for your loss.
Rob Gordon: I love you. Thank you for the hours upon hours of support especially during “the” interview.
Michael Critchley and Frank Louis: Both of you are grandfathers that care. Thank you.
Wade and Elizabeth Barber: Thank you for your continual work and goodness on my behalf.
Smith Moore and Leatherwood: Thank you for Alan Duncan and Allison Van Laningham.
Alan: Thank you for your stellar work to protect my privacy. I am grateful beyond words.
And Allison: The greatest thing that came from me not burning that tape is meeting you. I love you. Thank you for “Quinn’s” beach house and thank you for your friendship and most of all thank you for you.
Kearns Davis at Brooks Pierce: Thank you for your meticulous counsel.
To my spiritual teachers: You are one. I live in love and gratitude because of you. Thank you for your time, support, and blessings.
My “kool” friend: Thank you for decades of friendship and laughs. May you succeed with your life’s goal of never being googled.
My dear Bob: A man who really knew his way around a Reuben sandwich. What a joke, and one that would have gotten a lot mileage between us. I miss your laugh and your sense of humor. I am truly sorry for all the pain your family has gone through from this mess; not a day goes by that I don’t miss hearing your voice. I love you every day, and miss you always. Thank you for always holding my hand, and, more importantly, thank you for forever holding your God daughter, Quinn, in your heart.
I want to thank my mother and father for bringing me into the world and my father for his sustained love. My father had many faults, but loving and taking care of his four girls was not among them. He would have made an outstanding grandfather. I miss him always.
My sister Melissa, my brother-in-law John, my nieces, Zoey and Allie: I am sorry, truly sorry for the media harassment. I love you all.
Bobbie and Wallace: As far as grandparents go, you are the top of the heap! The unconditional love for Quinn, and your desire to be in her life no matter what was going on melts my heart every time I think of it. Thank you. I love you both. May God continue to shower his blessing on you.
Kathy, Steve, Julie, Bogie, and Stella: Thank you for immediately embracing and loving both Quinn and me. And thank you for all the laughs . . . and the many more to come!
Jack and Emma Claire: With all of my heart, thank you for accepting your sister Quinn. Emma, you have grown to be so incredibly beautiful inside and out. Quinn and I both adore you, and an extra big thank you for letting her follow you around.
Johnny: Through all the destruction, I (still) admire your fortitude. You came out of it all not only a better person, but more importantly a better father. And, no matter what happens I will always love you, and as you know, I am eternally grateful for your part in co-creating with me the greatest love of all: our daughter. And boy, did we do good on that.
Frances Quinn, this book is for you: You are the definition of a blessing; thank you for being my daughter. No matter what anyone says, or prints, you know the truth, you know who your parents are, and most importantly you know that you are loved. You are my world, you are my heart, I love you with all that I am.
Table of Contents
SEVEN: The Leaves Are Changing
FIFTEEN: “She Even Denied She Was Rielle Hunter!”
EIGHTEEN: Changing Diapers, Changing Everything
NINETEEN: The End of My Mistress Stint
TWENTY-ONE: Goodbye, Santa Barbara
TWENTY-THREE: Father of the Year
