Chapter 23Its time to tell the truth
Chapter Twenty-Three
IT'S TIME TO TELL THE TRUTH
The meeting yesterday turned out much better than Ivy had anticipated. She had been proud of the way Manny made amends with Jasmine. He’d treated her with a great deal of empathy. This was the man she knew and loved. Manny was a good man, and his kindness towards Jasmine was all the hope she needed he wouldn’t change too much.
Acknowledging Jasmine’s son as his nephew was a tremendous step.
His actions towards Leonardo had given her pause. It was something Larson would have done, and Ivy had always been grateful that he hadn’t modelled himself after his father.
Ivy was keeping everything crossed; Leonardo did nothing to set Manny off. Her husband was holding on by a thin thread where he was concerned.
“Almost ready, Doc?” Manny asked as he encircled her waist and kissed her neck.
“Yes, I just need to grab a sweater, and we can head downstairs.” Ivy turned in his arms. “Are you sure you are up for this?”
“ Well, our sperm donor probably would have preferred for both of us to be put up for adoption.” Leonardo mentioned.
That drew everyone’s interest. It was Manny who asked, “why would you say that?”
“Because he was married.”
“Wait. You said you didn’t know who he was.” Manny’s tone was full of accusations.
“I don’t, but Mom mentioned he was married in one of her journals.”
“What else did the journals have to say about him? Did she use his name, give initials?” Manny fired off the questions. He was desperate to know.
“I haven’t read all her journals. I skimmed through them, though. Mom would only refer to him as HE or HIM . She didn’t want to say his name and protected him, even in her private thoughts.” The revulsion was clear on Leonardo’s face as he spoke.
“Then you don’t know for sure that she didn’t name him. If you let me have them, I can have a team read through the journals—” Manny offered.
“I’m not giving you my Mom’s journals, and especially not to have a bunch of strangers read through her private thoughts. Absolutely not!”
Leonardo was adamant, despite Manny pleading with him.
“Listen, I know she means nothing to you, but she was all I had. I won’t allow it.” Leonardo had been absolute.
Even when Manny had insinuated that withholding the information could put his livelihood in danger. It had taken Frank and Gordie to help Manny and Leonardo reach a solution that they both were happy with.
Leonardo was bringing the journals and the five of them, the brothers, Frank, and Gordy, would read through them. While Ivy was eager for Manny to have the answers he was looking for. She wasn’t looking forward to reading the private thoughts of his mother. A woman she would never get to meet. It felt like an invasion of her privacy, but Concetta’s sons needed answers. Hopefully, she could provide them with closure from beyond the grave.
The mood was sombre as they sat in the conference room. Frank didn’t grumble about the time they were meeting up, nor did he offer any wise cracks. They waited for Leonardo and Gordy to join them.
Her husband’s brother, Ivy, supposed she could refer to him as her brother-in-law, arrived with one banker’s box. He placed the box on the table. “I brought her journals. There are eight in total. I stayed up last night and read the first one cover to cover. I’m warning you guys now, it isn’t an easy or pretty read. My Mom went through a lot. You all better be goddamned respectful of it.”
Leonardo glanced around the room, making sure he made eye contact with everyone. Including his friend. Almost everyone acknowledged what he was saying in some way. Everyone except for Manny.
“I’m telling you now. You better keep your judgment about my mother to yourself. If I hear a whisper of any judgment. I’m taking the journals and getting the fuck out of here.” Leonardo stared at Manny as he spoke.
Manny finally nodded. His brother opened the box.
“This is the first journal I read last night. Here.” He thrust it at Manny, who took it and gingerly placed it on the table in front of him. Her husband stared at the journal, his hand hovering over it.
Leonardo unpacked the rest of the journals. He took one for himself and held it to his chest. Then gestured to the remaining journals. Gordy, then Frank, and finally Ivy reached for one.
Ivy opened the journal. The lines on the page had faded, yet the ink remained bold. Like the consistent, delicate, legible words needed their words to be heard. Ivy had selected the seventh journal. The words she read were those of a woman drowning in regret. Regret for giving up a baby and not being a better mom to the child she kept. At times, she seemed to succumb to the need to numb her pain. The penmanship changed, and the brief entries turned into one-liners. Sometimes she didn’t complete the sentences. Ivy became immersed in the words. Concetta’s pain was palpable.
When it became too much, she looked up at the other occupants at the table. Ivy had lost track of time. It surprised her to learn that four hours had passed. Frank and Gordy were still reading, but from their expressions, the words contained on the pages of the journal were getting to them as well.
Manny looked ashen. He looked up and their gazes locked. He shook his head, shrugged, and closed the journal. Then he pushed it away from him as if it was too much to bear.
“Do you need a break, Manny?”
Despite the vacant look in his eyes, he answered, “no, I am fine.”
“And you Leonardo? What about you?”
Leonardo looked surprised that she addressed him. It seemed to be the reprieve he needed.
“I need to take a break. Can we pack up for a couple of hours?”
Everyone agreed they could benefit from the break.
Ivy and Manny agreed to head back up to their room. He was quiet as he held onto her hand. “Would you like me to order you something to eat when we get back to the room?”
“No, Doc. I can’t eat anything.”
As soon as they entered the room, Manny removed his shoes, socks, and shirt. He stopped at the washroom and relieved himself. Then sat on the sofa. Ivy used the washroom before taking a seat beside him. He immediately placed his head on her lap. She played in his hair and silently offered him comfort.
“Doc, she went through so much. I think having to give me up drove her to become an addict.” His voice was full of anguish.
Ivy’s heart broke for him. At every turn, another secret was unearthed, and it was wearing him down.
“Oh, Manny. What happened to your mother wasn’t your fault.”
“I was so angry at her for giving me up. I didn’t think what it was like for her. What kind of man does that make me?”
“A human one. You have been lied to, and it’s okay if you’re hurt by it.”
“Doc, why does it sound like you are making a case for therapy?”
“I really wasn’t.” She told him.
“I was teasing. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been able to get through all of this.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Ivy assured him. “Any closer to finding out who your birth father might be?”
“No, not from the journal I was reading. She was protecting his identity, even in her journal. I think she was in love with him. Even though he hurt her. Any clues in your journal?”
“No. Not as to his identity. From the journal I read, it seemed like she was mad at him.”
They spent the rest of their break resting. Neither was up to eating. When they returned to the room, Ivy read the first journal as Manny went on to the next. They read for a few hours.
The day seemed to wear on Manny.
“It’s been a tough day. I can’t read anymore.”
“Okay, let’s call it a night,” Leonardo announced. “Do you want to meet back here at the same time in the morning?”
It surprised Ivy when Manny declined.
“We have to get back home and take care of some things, but maybe we can finish this soon. You can fly out or we can come back here.”
Leonardo looked as surprised as Ivy felt. They hadn’t discussed returning home tomorrow. Her brother-in-law just nodded, although he seemed confused.
“Well, we will work something out.”
They said their goodbyes, but just before they exited the conference room, Manny stopped. “Leonardo, thank you for sharing our mother’s journals.” Yet another surprise.
What the hell was going on?
“Emmanuel, are you okay?” Frank asked. They were riding up on the same elevator.
“Yes.”
“What’s going on?” Frank probed further. Ivy wasn’t the only one who sensed something was off.
“It was just a hard day,” Manny answered.
Ivy knew he was holding something back, but it was obvious he wasn’t ready to share it with Frank. She didn’t push.
Ivy didn’t need to. The moment they were back in their suite alone, Manny filled her in right away.
“I know who my father is. It’s been staring at us in the face the whole time. We need to get home.”
It didn’t take them long to get packed. Within a few hours they were on the way home.
“I’m tired Doc. I’m going to close my eyes for a bit.” Manny didn’t say another word the entire flight from Vancouver to Toronto.
Following his disclosure of who he believed his biological father was, her husband became distant. His eyes were closed, but he was very much awake. From time to time, his hand flexed as he held hers. At least with his eyes closed, it concealed the dullness that had appeared once he named his biological father.
In a way, Ivy appreciated the silence. As it left her alone with her thoughts. In particular, since she had dismissed the possibility before she even considered it. Hell, how could she be so na?ve to believe that HE held at least one thing sacred?
Although Manny had laid his case out for her, she still hoped that he was wrong. The pain would tear an already fractured family completely apart. If Manny was right, what would the truth cost him? How much of himself would he lose to this horrible admission?
Roy drove them from the airport at Manny’s request. While she was glad, he recognised he wasn’t in the headspace to drive; it worried her. The paternity results, the appearance of Leonardo, and now this.
They didn’t have to wait long for his appearance.
“Ivy, Emmanuel.” Larson looked between them both. “I wasn’t expecting a visit from you two.”
It was a fair statement. They were not in the habit of stopping by to see her father-in-law unannounced. He wasn’t the kind of man who appreciated such visits, nor did he inspire them. He just wasn’t the welcoming kind. That honour belonged to his better half. Far more than that. If Manny was correct, he wasn’t worthy of her, not by a mile.
“Your Mother is out,” Larson informed them as he took his seat.
“I’m aware,” Manny answered. “Perhaps that is for the best.” His tone was cool and detached. It immediately put Larson on alert.
“Why are you here?” Larson’s tone held the bite he had always been known for, but there was also something else about it.
“On our last visit here, you promised Mom that you would look into finding out the identity of my biological father.” Manny wasn’t making eye contact with his father. His gaze was on a family portrait that hung off to the side.
“This is the reason for your visit,” Larson huffed. “Considering how disrespectful you were after we last spoke, I am surprised you still expect me to investigate it for you?”
“Disrespect? No, I was looking out for my wife. I slept well that night and since.”
Well damn, Manny. It didn’t seem her husband was interested in going the ‘catching flies with honey’ route.
“So, we will agree to disagree. Besides, the investigation into my biological father’s identity wasn’t promised to me.”
“Well, yes… Grace asked me to look into it. I’ve been busy.” Larson straightened his cufflink.
“I understand Tee-times are a priority.”
“Emmanuel, I am not finding this visit very entertaining.”
“Nor am I. I would have preferred to go straight home from the airport, but I needed to get some things out in the open.”
“You were away?”
“Yes, we took a visit to Vancouver…”
Watching this discussion was like watching an animal in the wild playing with its food before pouncing.
“…and met Leonardo Baldi.”
Christ! Aside from the visible gulp, Ivy had to give it to Larson. His Adam’s apple slowly slid up and down in his throat, but he gave no indication he knew that name. “Alright.”
“It was quite an experience coming face to face with my mirror image. But you know exactly who the hell he is.” It was then Manny’s gaze locked onto his father. “So why would you pretend otherwise?”
“Emmanuel, I don’t know what you are trying to imply. This conversation is becoming arduous. Please get to the point.”
Manny’s jaw ticked, and his other hand gripped his knee, exposing the whites of his knuckles.
“Of course. Leonardo Baldi is my twin. Which you already knew. It was an emotional visit. To be honest, my intent when I set up my visit was to crush him for the stunt he pulled. I have say, it also bothered me that he didn’t claim his own son. His own flesh and blood. What kind of man doesn’t claim their children?”
Larson cleared his throat. “Well, I hope you found the answers you needed.”
“I did. He certainly wasn’t what I expected. You know I wasn’t expecting him to share our mother–”
Her father-in-law cut off Manny. “Grace is your mother. She raised you.”
“Of course, she raised me.” Manny’s tone seemed indulgent, yet condescending. “I am grateful for the man she helped me to become. But I was referring to my biological mother. The woman who gave birth to Leonardo and I. Concetta Bianchi.”
Just the mention of her name had the blood draining from Larson’s face. Ivy wasn’t the only one to notice.
“What’s the matter? You would think you saw a ghost.”
Larson turned pleading eyes towards Ivy. “I’m sure the trip was taxing for you both. Perhaps you both should head off.”
“Taxing? Yes. If you call reading your dead mother’s journals taxing. Yes, I suppose it is accurate.”
A bead of sweat appeared at Larson’s hairline. “You read Connie’s journals.”
Fuck! Any hope Ivy had that Emmanuel was wrong disappeared. Connie. Short for Concetta. She wondered if Larson realised the slip he had just made.
Emmanuel certainly hadn’t missed it. He let go of her hand and then looked at her. As if checking to make sure she had heard what he did. Her eyes fluttered close and then nodded. Manny exhaled deeply, then pursed his lips. Before his expression became blank, a meridian of emotions flashed across his face.
He reclaimed her hand before answering, “I did.”
In a flash, Larson’s clenched fist slammed into his open palm. “You had no right!”
He jumped to his feet with the agility of a much younger man. His outburst turned to a faint mumble, “no right. No right.”
“You don’t think Leonardo had the right to share with his twin brother his mother’s story? How she grieved over the child she was forced to give up throughout her far too short life? He didn’t have the right to share the journal? Or did you mean something else?” With every word, his voice became more strained as his anger became more evident. Manny moved to stand as well, but Ivy tightened her hold, preventing him. Red blotches appeared on his cheek.
“What?” Larson asked, looking back and forth wildly.
“Was there something else he didn’t have the right to share with me? Sit the fuck down before you fall over. Don’t think you will avoid this conversation so easily.”
Surprisingly, Larson followed Manny’s instructions. Although he sat at the edge of the chair. Something in him seemed calm. He still looked ashen, but that calculating gleam returned.
“What is it you think you know, Emmanuel?”
Why hadn’t Ivy questioned it before? Manny matched Larson’s glint with a mirror expression. “You think I would let you get off so easy, Larson? No. You say it! Be man enough to finally own up to what you did!” Manny shouted.
“I want you to leave! Leave my house right now.”
“And I want you to say what you did to Concetta Bianchi! What you did to my mother!!”
“I have nothing to say to you, Em?—”
“No Dear. It sounds like you have something to tell our son.”
“Grace,” Larson gasped. Standing, his body shook.
While she was concentrating on Manny and Larson’s conversation, Ivy, like the other occupants of the room, was unaware Grace stood outside. How long had she been there and how much had she heard?
Manny turned to Ivy. His look conveyed the questions racing through her mind. Her only response was to shake her head. Grace walked further into the room, stopping beside Manny.
“Hey Mom, I… Ivy and I are going to head home.”
“No Sweet Boy, you don’t have to protect me. You’ve waited long enough for answers. Larson.”
Her father-in-law was already shaking his head.
“Larson! Our son asked you a question. Tell him, better yet, tell me, what you did to his mother.”
“Grace, it is better for the past to stay in the past,” Larson said, reaching for Grace’s hand. Ivy fully expected her mother-in-law to reject his offer. Instead, Grace accepted Larson’s hold.
“Whatever it is… it’s time to tell the truth.” Grace stared at him as she seemed to wait for an answer. When he wasn’t forthcoming with one, she added. “For me, please.”
“It was so long ago, Grace. I did the best I could.”
“I’m sure you did. Just tell me. What does Manny want you to admit to?” her mother-in-law coaxed gently.
“Grace, I’m so sorry. I’ve spent the rest of my life making up for what I did. I’ll continue to do so.”
“Of course you did, Dear. Go ahead, tell us.” Her free hand gently cupped his jaw.
Larson’s voice was as low as hers. “Emmanuel is my son.”
“Yes, I know that.” Poor Grace sounded confused. She had been fighting for answers for Manny, but she didn’t know what she was fighting for.
Oh goodness, this was going to break her heart.
“He is my biological son.”