73. Chapter 73
Looking outside the window, I realize we’ve gotten a fair amount of snow. Maybe a couple of feet, and it’s still lightly snowing. We have an appointment at four o’clock at the bank, but until then we really don’t have anywhere to be. Since we’ve got all the major players except for X, Thor said Mary and the kids could go back to life as normal and tomorrow, the kids will be returning to school, something they are really excited about because they miss their friends.
“Hey, kids.” I call out as I lean against the door of the make-shift playroom. All four of their little heads pop up and look at me. “Who wants to build a snowman?”
You would have thought I told them they could have opened their Christmas gifts early with how much they’re cheering in excitement as they tear through the clubhouse to their respective rooms. We still have to move our stuff back into the condo, since we haven’t yet set up our rooms here for future lockdowns. Something we plan to do later this week. Also, I’ll be moving my room up to the third floor. We’ve decided that anyone coming here with kids will get their rooms next to their kids’ on that floor. That way, the kids are further away from what happens late at night. Though with the addition of our kids to the mix, I have noticed the guys have started to tame things down some in regards to the nighttime activities and the volume. Very rarely do the guys have sex out in the open anymore, and if it does happen, its usually when someone’s had a fair amount to drink.
Following the kids to their room, I help them get into their snow gear and when they tear through the clubhouse down to the main floor and out through the back door, all of my brothers’ faces soften into various degrees of smiles at their childlike innocence. And surprisingly, they all get up and head to their rooms, only to come out a few minutes after us dressed for the cold.
Noticing Mary has stopped right outside the door, I frown as it dawns on me she can’t get down and play with the kids like she is. But then a smile forms as I think of a way she can be involved.
Grabbing a shovel, I start scooping a wider path around the door and then head inside for a stool that I know is kept in the original playroom. Then I grab some blankets and some supplies out of the med room. Heading back outside, I grin as I hold up everything for her to see. “Let’s get you out there and making memories with the kids as well.”
The blinding smile I get in return has me knowing I did the right thing.
I pack down an area by the kids and set her stool down. Walking over to her, I tape her cast over her heavy clothes to make sure no snow accidentally gets inside and carry her over to the stool.
For a moment, I just stand back and watch as Mary and the kids build the base of a snowman together.
“This is so much fun!” Cassie squeals. “Our first snowman!”
Instantly, my smile vanishes along with everyone else’s. Mary looks down and I can tell by how her throat is working that she’s trying her damndest not to cry.
As one, my brothers and I start getting to work.
“Well, if this is a first, then we’re going to make it a fu—I mean, a freaking awesome snowman,” Ryder says as he packs snow into a large snowball and starts rolling it around.
“To heck with just a snowman. Let’s build a family of snowmen,” Dragon says as he picks Cassie up and tosses her slightly in the air before catching her.
“Yay! A family of snowmen,” she cheers as she hugs him.
And for the next two hours, that’s exactly what we did. In the end, the kids made a snowman for each of them. Then our kids wanted to make one for Mary and I and Lindsey wanted one for Drae and Elvira.
Looking down at them, I realize we need to get the kids inside and warm.
“How about we take a break for hot chocolate?”
The kids all moan.
“But we wanted to make Auntie MaeMae and Auntie Levi’s snowmen families as well,” Lindsey pouts.
Timber comes up and scoops up Lindsey and Cassie. “Well, how about we do those ones tomorrow?”
“Okay,” they reluctantly agree.
Dragon and Thor come over to grab Ash and Isaiah and they head inside.
Picking up Mary, I give a chin lift to Axe who comes over and picks up the blanket and her stool.
“Thank you for getting those things so I could play with the kids, too. I don’t know if I would have thought of that.”
I kiss her temple. “Don’t mention it, Siren.”
Once inside, I help her strip off her gear and the kids’, hanging them over a chair for now to dry.
“You kids hang out here for a bit and play. We’ll get you your drinks.”
“Okay, Mom,” Isaiah calls out before he runs over to the pool table, and the others follow him. He loves playing pool any chance he can get. Timber even made stools for all of them so that they’d be able to be at the right height to shoot properly.
I turn and follow Mary into the kitchen, not surprised that Mae is already warming milk on the stove and is working on mixing something else in a pan as well.
“Oh, the kids are going to be beating down your door for the rest of the winter, Mae,” Mary tells her with a laugh. “I’ve never made it homemade before, so we either made do with the powder packets or getting a tin of the mix.”
Mae gives her a mock outraged look, but it’s quickly ruined when they both laugh. “You and I both know that I love your kids and they are welcome anytime. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how I make it.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
While Mae cooks, I get down some mugs and look around in the pantry for some marshmallows.
“Hey, Patch. Can you grab a couple of packs of chocolate chips out of there for me? Both the regular sized and the mini ones?” Mae calls out.
Grabbing them, I bring everything over to the island, but spotting the time, I kiss Mary on the forehead.
“I hate to say this, Mary, but we’ve got to get around to head to the bank.”
Her head whips over to look at the clock on the wall and winces. “Crap, sorry, Mae. Can you guys watch the kids for us for a bit?”
She waves me off. “Girl, I was already planning on it. Now, shoo. Go do your thing.” Mae winks at her and Mary grins in return. Once again, I’m thankful Mary gets along so well with the Old Ladies.
Heading back out to the main room, I slip off my cut and put my coat back on. We don’t wear our cuts when we’re in a cage.
“Ethan,” I call out and he comes over to me, walking briskly. I hand him my keys. “Go grab my truck out of the garage for me, will ya? With it still snowing, I didn’t want to grab it too early.”
“You got it, Patch, sir.”
Slapping him on the back, I watch the kids play while I wait for Mary to be ready.
When Mary comes back down, she parks off to the side of the door and I plug in her chair to charge while we’re gone. Picking her up, I carry her out to my truck and am grateful that Ethan left it warming since we’d only just came inside and Mary’s still cold.
Sliding behind the wheel, I head into town.
About five minutes into the drive, I notice Mary wringing her fingers together and I reach over, taking her hand in mine. She’s been wearing the sling less and less as her arm and shoulder grow stronger, but I know she always has it on her for if it becomes too much.
“What’s going through that pretty head, Siren?”
She sighs and lays her head back on the headrest. “I just keep wondering if there’s anything else in πατ?ρα (dads) safe deposit box. I hope it’s just the daggers and Eileen’s ring. I really don’t want to add anything else to this confusing mess.”
Squeezing her hand, there’s really nothing I can say to comfort her, because those same thoughts have been roaming through my head as well.
We’re silent for the rest of the ride and when I put the truck in park in front of the bank, she exhales heavily. Lifting her hand to my lips, I place a kiss to her knuckles. “Whatever is in there, we’ll handle together.”
Her body relaxes slightly as she nods. “Together.”
Turning off the engine, I get out, slip my cut back on, grab her wheelchair out of the backseat and then get it set up on the sidewalk. Walking back to the truck, I help her out and carefully carry her over the slick streets and over the small mountain of packed snow by the curb.
Minutes later, we’re in the lobby of the bank waiting for the manager.
“Hello,” a deep voice calls from behind us. “I’m Earnest Young, the manager of this branch.” We turn around and my gut clenches when I see his eyes roam over Mary with interest.
Mary and I both shake his hand, and I make sure my grip is tight. “I’m Mary Catarino and this is my boyfriend, Luke Morgan.”
His gaze flicks to me, and I give him a hard look.
Mary’s mine.
Keep your eyes to your fucking self.
He frowns slightly, but otherwise turns back to business. “Please, come with me. My office is just down the hall.”
We follow behind him and once inside; I move the chairs around slightly so Mary can sit in front of him. He checks his notes and nods to himself.
“So, you wish to retrieve the items in a safe deposit box, is that correct?”
“Yes, it is.” Mary reaches into her purse and pulls out a note and a key. “This is the box my father left for me.”
His face softens and he gives her a sympathetic smile. “My condolences.”
Mary gives him a tight smile, but says nothing.
“We have a room set aside for those depositing or retrieving items from their safety deposit boxes. My apologies for not leading you there right away, but I make a rule never to mention the boxes out in the open of the lobby. Please follow me.”
It takes a little finagling due to the tight space, but once Mary is out of Earnest’s office, we follow him down the hall to a small room with a table and a few chairs. Earnest gestures for us to go inside.
“Please wait here and I will return in a moment with your box.”
I move a few chairs so Mary can comfortably sit at the table in her chair and take a seat beside her. Taking her hands in mine, I rest my forehead against hers.
“Whatever is in there, we’ll handle together,” I repeat to her, somehow sensing that’s what she needs to hear right now. For her sake, I really hope it is just those three items in the box.
After a few minutes, Earnest returns with the box in hand.
“Please take as long as you need. To my knowledge, no one else will need this room for the rest of the afternoon. Just please be aware that the lobby closes at 5:30 pm.”
“Thank you.”
Once he leaves and shuts the door, both of our gazes go to the box.
I make no move, knowing Mary needs to do this herself.
A few minutes later, Mary exhales heavily, and with a shaky hand, unlocks the box.
Inside there are three boxes as well as a stack of papers, and a sealed envelope addressed to Mary.
Taking everything out, she first moves to the smaller box and opens it. Inside is a gold ring with the Vasquez family crest. She pulls out the ring and on the inside of the band, Eileen’s name is engraved in fancy script.
Grabbing one of the larger boxes, she opens it and gasps.
Inside is a beautiful dagger and the blade is shaped like a large triangle, with the blade being wide by the hilt and then narrows down to the tip of the blade. The guard kind of arks down toward the blade on both sides. The hilt is intricately carved out some sort of dark wood and on the pommel is the family crest.
Looking closer at the blade, there’s script engraved on the flat section of the guard, right at the base of the hilt.
Eileen Ines Vasquez.
She rotates the blade and on the back of the guard is her birthday, leaving room for the day that she dies.
July 26, 1976—
And the day that will be filled in for her death will be today, I think grimly. That is, unless Antonio disowns them all before killing them. Then I don’t know what will happen.
Looking up at Mary, a myriad of emotions flit over her face as she stares down at the blade, running her thumb across the engraving of Eileen’s name.
“I wish she would have been a better mom. That I could have had a normal mother-daughter relationship with her. To share some of our hobbies—books, going out to get our nails done, little luncheons together, or just shopping. Why couldn’t she have just been a good mom?”
Her shoulders shake and I carefully slide the dagger out of her hands, setting it back down in its box, and pull her into my arms.
I’m not sure how long I hold her as she grieves, but I make no move to rush her or to pull out my phone to check the time. If she cries until they close the lobby, I’m sure Earnest will come back to get us before locking up.
Eventually, her tears taper off and she pulls back, wiping her cheeks. Sniffling, she reaches for the other box and reveals her dagger.
Mary Elizabeth Catarino.
March 14, 1996—
Other than the inscriptions, it looks exactly the same.
Setting it aside, she picks up the sealed envelope that is addressed to her and opens it.
Immediately, her eyes fill with tears again, and when I look over her shoulder, I realize it’s a letter from her father. She clears her throat and begins to read.
Κορ?τσι μου (My girl) ,
If you are reading this, then I am sorry that I have died before I could give your dagger back to you. If your grandfather, Antonio, hasn’t already explained, this is your Vasquez family eared dagger. Your tie to the mafia side of the Vasquez family.
When a family member is of an age that they can learn the truth about the family history, the Don presents them with their eared dagger. It is a sign that you are trusted to know the truth and, in turn, trusted to keep the truth of the family’s secrets. Even though Eileen and I are divorced, Antonio still looked at me as family.
When I found the daggers after the divorce, I went to Antonio, sensing that they were important, and he told me everything about them and about the family.
For starters, these daggers were not supposed to be in her possession, and to understand why, I need to tell you a bit about your mother’s past in case you don’t already know about it.
Eileen lost her place in the mafia side of the family shortly before I knew about your existence. She was trying to tie the family to the human trafficking and skin business. Something that one of your grandfathers a long time ago declared the family would no longer take part in.
Greed and power consumed her, and she lost focus on the family’s purpose, goals, and beliefs. In essence, she betrayed the family. It was at that point that Antonio took back her eared dagger and her ring of the family’s crest, telling her that she had to earn her way back into the family.
Her betrayal also cost her the man she loved, Raul Guerrero, the son of another Spanish mafia Don. As soon as he learned of Eileen’s true nature and the path she wanted to lead the family down, he cut all ties with her.
With no other option, she came to me, and that was when I learned about you. At first, I had my doubts that you were my daughter. I wasn’t sure if I could trust that she wasn’t intimate with anyone else after me and that she had never been with Raul yet.
I knew that Eileen didn’t want children other than to carry on the duty she would have needed to fulfill if she had married Raul, but since she was now with me, she especially didn’t want to have you. However, I insisted she keep you. If she never came to love me or you, I told her she could leave and I would raise you myself, but I wanted my child, if you really were mine. Obviously, she agreed to carry you to term.
Then you were born, and my doubts on your lineage were immediately put to bed.
You looked just like my sister Catherine did when she was born. Black curly hair, your olive skin. Though your eyes, your blue eyes are all your mother. In my opinion, they are the only good thing you got from her. I just wish she could have come to love you and me as I had already come to love both of you.
In regards to your dagger, Antonio wanted to give it to you when you graduated from high school. He had it locked in his safe at his house. He had no idea that Eileen had stolen both hers and your dagger from his safe until I presented them to him. When he went to check, the boxes he thought contained your daggers were empty. The betrayal cut Antonio deep, and he asked me to keep them safe, along with Eileen’s family ring, hence why they are in this safe deposit box. I knew there was a high chance of Eileen breaking into our house to get them, so I did the next best thing I could.
I have never forgiven myself for not seeing Eileen’s true nature toward you until that fateful day we moved to Forest Creek. You were so brave to stand up against her, even though I know from later conversations that she threatened you with bodily harm if you ever told me the truth.
I wish I could take away the pain you have endured from her, but this isn’t one of the fairy tales or the paranormal books you like to read. I had tried to shield you as much as possible from her hatred and poison throughout the years. Burning notes she’d left for you or sent to you so that you wouldn’t ever have to see more proof of her hatred for you.
I’m not sure how much time will have passed between writing this letter and you finding it (or me giving it to you), but I hope that you have found the courage to rise above the pain Eileen has caused you and that you are able to live your life to the fullest.
Π?ντα σε αγαπο?σα και π?ντα θα σε αγαπ? (I’ve always loved you and always will) . Please know this, κορ?τσι μο υ (my girl) , I will always be with you, even if I’m not there beside you as you walk through life’s trials and accomplishments. Stay strong, κορ?τσι μο υ (my girl) .
“Love, πατ?ρα? (Dad),” she says before taking a shuddery breath and wiping another tear away. “Well, I guess that confirms what Eileen ranted about before Diego interrupted her. Her heart was as cold as ice. The only things she loved were power, status, and money. And really, all she had was money per what Carmen said last night.”
In the van on the way back to the clubhouse earlier this morning, she had also told us Eileen’s and Diego’s plans. To sneak in after Mae and Levi have the babies, to steal all of the kids, not just the babies and kill all of us. Needless to say, we’ll be upping our defenses and hopefully the feds will be able to bring them down. Smoke had apparently told Creed that when he got back to the clubhouse, he’d be able to send a bunch of encrypted information to him about Oasis.
Shaking off those thoughts, I cup her cheek and turn her to face me. “She may not have been the mother you always craved to have, but I can tell you without a doubt that you are a hundred times better than she has ever been. That much is evident in how much you care for your kids. How you treat your family. How you take care of everyone around you. Even though we made you doubt us this week, you are a member of our club’s family, and we will always be there for you.”
Her shoulders relax slightly. “What…” She pauses as she bites her lips and looks down and to the side.
I think I know where her mind is going, but it isn’t something we can discuss here. I just hope she can wait until tomorrow for my surprise.
“Do you want to look through the last stack of things or do that later?”
She looks over at it and after a few moments, reaches for it and unties the ribbon.
A sob escapes her as she sifts through old notes, pictures, cards, and other little mementos.
“He kept them all.”
It takes her a few minutes to sift through them all, and when she’s done, she reties them and puts everything into the bag I brought with us.
“Ready to get out of here?” I ask her, and she nods, looking lighter than she did when we came here.
After thanking Earnest, we walk outside, and get back in the truck, heading back to the clubhouse.
It’s time to end Mary’s demons.