Part 29 (1/2)
Yes, he would tell her. And she would know about her history. And then they would find the book. His memories would return and his mind would be healed. Now snap out of it. Focus on Ann. Upbeat. This will rock her world. Now snap out of it. Focus on Ann. Upbeat. This will rock her world.
”Are all four legs of your chair securely on the floor?”
”You think this is going to knock me over?”
”It might.” He leaned in on his elbows. ”Thanks to Arnold, I know who your mother was, who your grandmother was, along with a few of your other relatives.”
”Are you kidding?”
”You ready for this?”
”Tell me!” Ann punched Cameron in the arm.
”Your mom's maiden name was Coffee, spelled just like the drink, right?”
”Right.”
He waited for her to react but Ann sat with eyebrows raised, as if asking why this was a revelation.
”I don't hear any bells going off yet.”
”And your grandmother was named Josephine. Last name Coffee.”
”Okay.” Ann still didn't react. The antic.i.p.ation on her face remained.
Was she in shock or not surprised? How could she not be surprised?
”You're acting like this should mean something to me.”
”Don't you get it? Coffee.”
Ann held her hands wide with a bewildered look on her face. ”I'm sorry; I'm still missing a piece of the puzzle.”
”Annie's maiden name was Coffee.”
”Taylor's Annie?” Ann's face went white and she covered her eyes. ”Oh my gosh. Are you saying ... Annie is my aunt?” She said it half as a statement, half as a question. ”She was my mom's sister.”
”Yes.”
”That means ... Taylor Stone is ... my-” Cameron nodded as Ann fell back in her chair and clunked her drink to the faux marble table. ”He's my uncle.”
”Yes, he is. Uncle. Or uncle-in-law. Does he stay your uncle even though Annie isn't living?”
”Unbelievable.” She put her face in her hands. ”Taylor Stone is my uncle.”
”Looks that way.”
Ann slumped further down in her chair as her arms fell to her side. ”Wow. That's about as weird as you can get.” She let out a long, low whistle. ”How did you figure it out?”
Cameron pulled a copy of the Post Post from 1963 out of his briefcase and slid it in front of Ann. On the front page was the same picture of her mom she'd showed Cameron three days earlier. The caption read, from 1963 out of his briefcase and slid it in front of Ann. On the front page was the same picture of her mom she'd showed Cameron three days earlier. The caption read, Summer in Three Peaks Always Means Kids and Swimming. Summer in Three Peaks Always Means Kids and Swimming.
Ann s.n.a.t.c.hed up the paper and skimmed the story. ”Swimming spot ... rope swing ... where the kids ... Jennifer and Annie Coffee, Jason Judah, and Taylor Stone enjoyed an adventure together on ... Oh my.” The paper fluttered out of Ann's hand.
She looked up at him, eyes wide. ”I should have seen it. Maybe Taylor did. Maybe he's known about me my whole life.”
”I don't think so. I watched him when you came onstage at Jason's reception. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, not a long-lost relative. And I think I know why.”
”Tell me.”
”This is the part I'm glad you're sitting down for. And the reason Taylor reacted like he did. Ready?”
Ann nodded once, her eyes riveted on his.
”Take a look at this.” He held out another yellowed newspaper.
She reached out her hand but Cameron didn't hand it to her. ”It would be easier to look at it if you gave it to me.”
”Just making sure you're ready.”
”I told you, I'm ready.”
”This is a picture printed in the Post Post a few years later.” a few years later.”
Ann squirmed in her chair and stared at Cameron, antic.i.p.ation spread over his face. ”Will this freak me out?”
”Maybe. It might be a bit of a shock, but you need to see this.”
Ann looked down at the picture and her pulse spiked. It was a wedding announcement and a photo of the couple about to be married. Her head instantly felt like she'd taken a huge bite of Thai food with five-star seasoning.
She was looking at a picture of herself standing next to Taylor Stone.
”How in the world did they... ? It's me. Why would someone-?”
”No, it's a picture of Annie.”
Ann pulled the newspaper closer and rubbed the grainy photo with her finger. ”I can't believe ... this is too strange...” She trailed off not knowing what to say.
”Explains a lot, doesn't it?”
Ann nodded, not sure she could trust her voice.
”When Taylor first saw you it was like seeing Annie, as if she'd come back from the dead.”
”But why wouldn't he come talk to me about it? Meet me, tell me who I looked like?”
”I don't know.”