Part 23 (1/2)
”Did you advise her to give Destiny up?”
”I did,” she admitted without pride. ”To this day, not sure if it was the right thing. Never forget the vacant look in her eyes the day she signed the papers. Later that afternoon, one of the nurses took me aside and told me the girl would never be able to have another child. Her insides were torn apart by the difficult birth. I'll tell you, that about ripped me in two.”
”What an impossible choice the girl had!”
”It was! I encouraged her to give up the baby, because I was afraid if she kept the child, she'd never stop remembering the rape. Believe me, it was nothing you'd want to remember. It was a violent ordeal.”
”Did you see the mother again, after she left the hospital?”
”No. Destiny became my first priority. Concentrated on getting her settled into her new home. Easier for me, too, I think, to separate from the mother. Did hear, however, that she got married a year or two later, so maybe she found some measure of happiness. I like to think she did.”
”Do you remember her name?”
”Couldn't forget it if I tried a” Beth Ann Wolcott.”
”Do you have any idea how I can find her?”
”Not right off the top of my head, but I'll bet I could track her down if I tried. Still got some connections in the old convent.”
”Would you do that, please?”
She paused before answering. ”On one condition... when I locate her, I'll have to get her permission before I'll allow you or Destiny to contact her. That's the least I can do for her. Is that fair enough?”
”More than. I'm not even sure Destiny will want to see her, but I'd like to meet her if she's willing.”
She drank the last, long swig from her gla.s.s before she answered me.
”Fine. See what I can do. Maybe between the two of us, we can do something for these women.”
”I hope so,” I said doubtfully.
I had no idea what Frances Green and I could do twenty-nine years later for a woman who was raped and a daughter who was born out of that rape.
But I was willing to try.
Chapter 21.
The next morning, the effects of the past finally caught up to me. I was too depressed to go to work. I called Ann and told her I wouldn't be coming into the office. If she was concerned, she didn't show it. Maybe she thought this was part of my resolve to take time off.
The new information I had about Destiny burdened me. I wanted to call her up, if for no other reason, than to get the tragic news off my chest, but I knew instinctively that it wasn't time to tell her. She'd hired me to serve as a buffer, almost like a surge protector, and I had to be just thata”even if the information was frying my brain.
I wanted to meet Beth Ann Wolcott before I told Destiny about the way her life began. One sperm and one egg, violently pressed together. Frankly, it was more than I could bear to think about. I had no idea how Destiny would hold up under the news. I was hoping to present it to her at a time when I could give her some good news as well: that her mother was alive and well and wanted to meet her.
To avoid thinking about the rape, I planned my day by the TV Guide. I had just figured out that if I used my remote prudently, I could catch three episodes of ”I Love Lucy,” two talk shows, and one game of ”Wheel of Fortune” when the phone rang.
I ran to get it, thinking it would be Ann with a question about work. It wasn't.
”h.e.l.lo,” I said, but there was no answer.
”h.e.l.lo,” I repeated, ready to hang up.
”It's me,” came the reply at last, in a small voice.
”Jessica, hi! How are you?”
No answer.
”Are you there, Jessica?”
She giggled. I heard scuffling noises then the sound of her mother's voice.
”Hi, Kris. She wanted to call you, but as you can tell, she's not very good on the phone yet.”
That's okay, she's only four. How are they doing?”
”They're good a” driving me crazy as usual. Every day they ask when they're going to see you again. I hope you don't mind, I got tired of hearing it, so I told them they could call you.”
”Not at all. I've been busy lately or I would have called them,” I said lamely.
”Do you think you could take them to the zoo sometime? I've been meaning to go myself, but Sam's worked every weekend, and I don't want to leave Brianna with a sitter. I've tried to explain to the kids that their three-month-old sister can't do everything they do, but you know how persistent they can be.”
”I do. I'd be happy to take them. How about this Sat.u.r.day? Do you have plans?”
”No, that'd be great! They'll be ready when the sun comes up, but you come on over whenever's good for you.”
”How about around eleven?”
”Fine. We'll see you then.”
She was getting ready to hang up when I had a great idea.
”Peggy, wait, before you go, do you think it'd be all right if I bring a friend? She's been going through some tough stuff lately. I think a day with the kids would do wonders for her.”
”Not your friend Mich.e.l.le, I hope.”
”No, not her.” The last time Mich.e.l.le had come along with me and the kids, she talked about herself the whole time and repeatedly told Zeb and Jessica to be quiet when they tried to get a word in edgewise. Needless to say, they didn't like her much.
”This woman's name is Destiny.”
”What a pretty name. Of course, Kris, bring her along. I'm sure the kids would love to meet your friend.”
The second Peggy said good-bye, I dialed Destiny's number.
”How would you like to go to the zoo Sat.u.r.day?” I asked without bothering to say ”h.e.l.lo.”