Secrets of a Summer Place
Hollywood, California
Staring at the envelope in her hand, Jennifer Moss sat in her Volvo waiting to pick up her son from the Hollywood high school baseball practice. Before she left the house, she’d grabbed the mail.
Now, an eerie sense of foreboding spiraled through her and filled her with anxiety. But then every time she received a piece of mail in which she didn’t recognize the name on the envelope, her stomach churned.
Could this be from her? How many times had she gotten her hopes up for them only to be dashed? Would this be the same?
A soft breeze blew through the window on the cloudless day. For a moment, she stopped breathing as she stared at the address.
Madison Wilson, Austin, Texas.
Who did she know in Austin? Who was Madison Wilson? Anytime she received an envelope like this, her heart would pound in her chest and she would wonder if she’d been discovered.
Part of her wanted to be found, but then she would think of her life now. No one knew. It had been her secret for twenty-six years.
The memory of the house on Mustang Island overwhelmed her. She’d never returned after that summer, and since her parents’ deaths, the house sat vacant. As much as she loved that place, she’d never go back because she would have to face the past.
A past that was heart wrenching and left her scared and hating her family.
Shouts from the field alerted her that the team would be leaving practice shortly. The coach always ended their practice with a pep rally. The kids were a good team and might make it to state this year. For her son’s sake, she hoped so.
With a sigh, she tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter.
My name is Madison Wilson. According to the genealogy report, your DNA and my DNA are linked.
It says you’re my birth mother. I would like to speak to you and find out why you gave me up for adoption.
I would also like to learn my medical background and even see if we have anything in common.
If you are willing to speak to me, please contact me at…
A cry escaped her and the memories flooded her of that terrible day. Her name was Madison. Her heart leaped with a joy only a mother could feel.
Madison gave her address, her phone number, and even her email address.
It had taken twenty-five years, but her secret was about to be revealed. With a sigh, she stared out at the baseball field and let the memories of that day overwhelm her. How she had clung desperately to her child until her mother ripped the infant from her arms and gave her to the nurse.
She’d never seen the baby again after that day.
Tears filled her eyes and trickled down her face.
How many times had she thought of finding her and telling her how much she wanted to keep her?
In the end, she thought it better not to disrupt her life and had done her best to move on.
Now that child was grown up and wondering why she had not been wanted.
But the opposite was true.
Oh, God, how she’d wanted to keep her. To love her and raise her as her own.
That time in her life had been the worst, and she’d never forgiven her mother for forcing her to give up her child for all the right reasons. They were not what Jennifer wanted to hear.
Sometimes doing the right thing was not the easiest. And having that child taken from her arms was gut-wrenching.
Her handsome son walked across the school yard, his head down. Quickly she wiped the tears from her eyes and shoved the letter into her purse.
How was her family going to react to this news?
Her husband Ryan didn’t know about her unwed pregnancy and subsequent birth. Her two smart, intelligent, beautiful children had no idea they had a half-sister. This secret had remained hidden for twenty-five years, but no more.
The door opened and her son slid in.
“Hi, Mom,” he said and she could see he was upset.
“Bad day?” she asked.
“Kind of,” he replied as he looked out the window of the car.
Something had been eating at him and she didn’t know what. He refused to talk to her about it, and only said, I’m okay. But he wasn’t. His grades had gone from honor roll to barely passing and she feared he was going to lose his scholarship to his favorite school.
No matter how she tried to approach him, the walls came slamming down. And today’s mail wouldn’t make the situation any easier. Yet, she had waited so long for this letter. So long to hear from the baby she loved instantly.
He looked at her and studied her for a moment. “Are you all right?”
“Sure,” she said, wondering how he could tell something was up. “Got something in my eye a moment ago.”
“Oh,” he said and gazed back out the window as she pulled out of the school parking lot.
“Is Dad going to be home tonight?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “This morning he left early because it’s his surgery day.”
Alex made a noise she couldn’t quite interpret.
Her husband was a leading plastic surgeon in the Hollywood community and had worked on many stars in his practice. The money he brought in had made it easy for her to stay home and raise their two children.
But the hours he worked were sometimes long, and he often came home exhausted. Lately, he seemed to work longer and longer, though he’d promised her he was going to cut back his hours.
In the twenty years they’d been married, she often wondered if she’d traded love for money. Their marriage was good, but they spent so little time together, with him working so many hours. Sometimes it felt like they were two individual people living in the same house.
And there were days she felt lonely. If not for the kids, she would spend her evenings alone. And even they were growing up and moving on with their lives. Taylor would soon finish her second year of college, and next fall, Alex would be going to a university.
“How’s the team doing?”
“If we continue to win, we should make the high school playoffs,” he said, staring out the window.
Alex was normally so happy and excited and eager to talk, but in the last two months, he’d withdrawn into himself and she couldn’t find a way to bring him out. The kid should be so excited about his team making the playoffs, and yet he didn’t act like he cared.
Something was eating at her son and she missed the happy-go-lucky young man who was eager to begin his life.
“That’s great news,” she said. “When’s your next game? Maybe me and your dad can both attend.”
Ryan had only made it to one game. One, and soon their son’s season and high school career would be at an end. Sometimes she hated Ryan’s job, even though their life was luxurious because of his career.
That didn’t excite Alex and she knew she had to learn what troubled him.
Sometimes she wished Ryan was an accountant or even a salesman and not a busy doctor.
Maybe after Alex graduated, she would get them reservations at Cozumel and take the kids down to the beach. She doubted that Ryan would take the time off. But it would be good to spend some time with her children.
The thought of Madison crossed her mind and she wondered if she would like to go with them.
“That would be nice,” he said. “The next game is Saturday morning.”
That was Ryan’s tee time. Surely he could give up golfing one Saturday for his son. But nothing came between Ryan and his golf.
They pulled into the drive and the gate opened automatically. She pulled into the back garage. The pool man had been here today, and maybe later tonight, she’d get in the water and swim a few laps.
Closing the garage door, they both exited the car and walked into the house, entering through the laundry room.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Moss, Alex,” the maid said to her. “Dinner is in the oven. I’m leaving for the day.”
“Thank you, Esmeralda,” she said softly.
Alex walked past the woman and that was so unusual for him. Normally he would hug Esmeralda and tell her the cooking was divine. But not today.
Glancing at her son, Jennifer was worried. Maybe it was time to suggest counseling. Anything to keep his grades from falling even further. Anything to keep him from losing his scholarship. Anything to bring the boy she loved back to her.
“Good night,” Esmeralda called as she exited the back door.
Jennifer walked into the massive kitchen and there was a salad sitting out and a casserole ready to turn on in the oven.
“Mom,” Alex said, walking back into the kitchen. “Coach said I had to give you this.”
She glanced at the envelope he held in his hand.
Taking it, she opened it to the letter inside.
“Damn it, Alex,” she said as she read the letter. “What is going on?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know.”
“If you don’t bring your grades up you’re going to lose your scholarship. You’re about to be kicked off the baseball team. This is not my son. Tell me what’s wrong.”
With a grimace, he turned and walked out of the kitchen. “Maybe I want to do high school over again. Maybe I’m a loser.”
“Alex, don’t walk away. Let’s sit down and talk about this.”
He ignored her and went up the stairs to his room.
Shaking her head, she couldn’t wait for Ryan to get home. They had to have a serious talk with Alex, and she had to tell him she had another child. Madison.
Reaching inside the refrigerator, she pulled out a full bottle of wine and poured herself a glass.
It was going to be a hell of a night.
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