20. Savannah
Ilisten to the entire conversation through my earpiece while I escort Penelope to the patio, where her grandparents watch intently as everything unfolds.
“What’s going on?” Reggie asks.
“The stalker from yesterday managed to finagle her way onto the property using a disguise.”
Penny adds, “Can you believe that lady said she wants to be my mom? I told her that Anna was going to be my new mom, and she didn’t look very happy about that.”
Martha gasps, “What? Why would you think Anna is going to be your mom?”
Everything is spiraling out of control, and I haven’t even had the chance to talk to Aiden about his proclamation. I’m about to tell Martha that I’ll explain later when Swank walks over and lifts my left hand, “I’m sure the rock on Anna’s finger is the answer to your question, Martha. Congratulations on securing Savannah’s most eligible bachelor, Anna.”
Martha sputters, “When? How? Wha…You know what? It doesn’t matter. Welcome to the family!” She wraps me up in a hug that’s so tight I end up grunting. When Reggie embraces me, he whispers in my ear, “Squeeze me once if it’s real and twice if there’s more to the story.” I squeeze twice.
“Look, they’re taking away that woman, and Dad looks upset!” Penny announces.
Swank picks her up and tickles her rib cage, “I bet a hug from you will make him feel a whole lot better. Your hugs are the greatest in all the land because they have special powers!”
“What kind of powers, Uncle Stanky?”
“They have the power to turn frowns upside down!” he tells her before tickling her more and making her giggle.
I’m not sure what to make of Swank. On the one hand, he’s an egotistical and self-centered person. On the other hand, he’s sweet and kind to Penny and truly cares about the Shaw family. If he ever found the right woman, I think he’d make a great father.
Aiden stomps up the stairs and asks to speak to his parents and me in private. Jessie follows close behind and goes to stand next to Swank and Penny, allowing me to leave with the confidence that she has everything under control. I notice guests are arriving, so we need to make this quick.
“How about we talk in the guest cottage? Your friends are arriving and will undoubtedly be meandering in and out of the house,” I suggest.
Aiden agrees, and the four of us end up standing and staring at one another in the small but quaint living room.
Aiden breaks the silence, “Dad, does the name Amy Potslawski ring any bells?”
Reggie takes a few seconds but ultimately says, “No. Should it?”
Pointing in the direction that Roger and Jerry had taken Amy, Aiden says, “Amy worked for Pa’ Shaw Marketing until last year when she was fired. Because of that, she lost her medical benefits and could no longer afford the medication she needed to control her disorder. As a result, her alternate persona ‘Amy Smith’ has fixated on me. She apparently wrote numerous letters that I did not respond to. I’m wondering now if she wasn’t behind the threats.”
“Son, the company has more than 400 employees in Savannah alone. That doesn’t include the branches in Los Angeles or New York City. I have managers, supervisors, and a human resources department that handles employee hiring and firing. You know this. I stepped back and reduced the time I spent in the office ever since Penny was born, so I’m not hands-on with the day-to-day operations anymore.”
Aiden begins to pace the room. “What about the letters? Do you know anything about those?”
Reggie shakes his head, “No, but Marcus or Gwen would. They handle most of the fan mail for our clients, including you and Swank. I’ll ask them about it first thing in the morning. Until then, can you explain to your mom and me why you and Anna are faking an engagement?”
“Faking an engagement?” Martha asks, almost saddened by the news.
Aiden palms his face, something he does when he’s exasperated. “Yeah. When I went upstairs to let Anna know that the party-planning guys would be arriving, I saw Jerry down on one knee and thought he was proposing to Anna.”
“Are you engaged to Jerry?” Martha asks me.
“Goodness, no! Jerry is like a brother to me. He was playing around showing me a new protype taser designed to look like a ring.” I show her the emerald ring while Aiden displays his Stanley Cup ring. “With a simple clockwise turn of these rings, they can deliver a shock that can render a person unconscious if they get too close and pose a threat. Each subsequent 90-degree turn ups the voltage. After four uses, it needs to be recharged.”
Martha reaches to touch my ring while Reggie looks closer at Aiden’s. As soon as Martha’s finger lightly grazes the stone, I shake my body like I’m being electrocuted and make a “Zzzz” sound, scaring the daylights out of her. I double over, my body now shaking from laughter instead.
“That was not funny, young lady!” Martha exclaims, clutching her chest.
“It really was,” Aiden and Reggie say in unison, smiles on their faces.
Martha feigns being upset, but the impish glint in her eye gives her away. “Maybe someone should use the rings on both of you and shock you into having some common sense. Aiden, you thought Jerry was proposing. How did that transpire into an engagement between you and Anna?”
Aiden clears his throat and avoids looking at me. “When I returned downstairs to find that you had taken Penny outside, Patricia began making unwanted advances. She was speaking ill of Anna, and I wouldn’t allow that to happen in my home. I said the first thing that came to me, and with Jerry’s fake proposal still in my head, I told her that Anna was my fiancée.”
I fill in the next part of the story. “I was coming downstairs when my team and I heard it, and I was going to give Aiden a piece of my mind, but Roger made a valid point. If I can be undercover as a nanny, I can be undercover as a fiancée, too. I placed the ring on my left hand and played along to help Aiden sell his story. I had no idea that it would leave that room.”
Reggie’s disappointment with his son is as clear as a sunny day in Georgia. “I’ve taught you better than that, Aiden. Nothing good comes from lying.”
“I would agree, except maybe this time we can take his mistake and turn it into a positive,” Martha interjects. “Anna’s right. We should consider it undercover work, and then maybe Patricia will back off.”
“Um, Mom. I don’t know if that’ll be the case. Patricia threatened to come after me with lawyers because I wouldn’t force Penny to see her in the future. Maybe I should explain to Swank and Penny that it was all a misunderstanding. If I don’t, people will think I’ve lost my mind and that Anna is nothing more than a gold-digging puck bunny.”
“No. I think you’re on to something. If we all shower Anna with love and support, it will help sell the ruse. Maybe Patricia will realize that she doesn’t stand a chance, your stalker might give up, and your fans will support rather than condemn you for retiring. Everyone’s a sucker for a good love story.”
Aiden snorts, “Mom, are you suggesting that I take the focus off Penny, who is my reason for retiring, and have it directed toward Anna?”
I hook my arm with Aiden’s, “I’d rather focus the negative attention on me instead of your daughter. I can handle myself in sticky situations, and if it keeps her safe, I’m all for it. I would have preferred to have had this discussion before you announced it to Patricia and the train went off the rails, but we’re here now, and I’m fully on board. The choice is yours, Aiden.”
He looks at me tenderly, “You would really do this just to protect my daughter?”
“I’d be willing to do it to protect you both.”
The last six hours have been an emotional rollercoaster. First, I decided that Jesus and I would have a moment later tonight and that I wanted a relationship with Him. Then I found out that my mother attends the same church as the Shaws and is considered a family friend. Lastly, there was Patricia, a fake engagement and a stalker added into the mix. At this point, I’m mentally drained, overwhelmed, and in need of a good release.
When we returned to the party, it was in full swing. The kids had their baskets full of chocolate crosses, coloring books, art supplies, and fun little toys. They were running around having a grand time. The adults helped the kids under ten with the scavenger hunt, and Penny asked me to be her wingman. I was honored, and we did our best. We would have won, too, but Penny stopped me when we got to the last clue.
“I never win these, Anna,” she said bluntly.
“There’s a first time for everything,” I tell her, encouraging her to succeed.
“No. You don’t understand. I don’t win on purpose.”
“Oh. Why not?” I’ve lost a few pageants on purpose, but my motives were never altruistic. I sit on my knees while Penny explains why she loses.
“I enjoy the challenge, but winning comes easy for me. See that boy over there?” She points to a boy about eight years old who’s holding his father’s hand. I recognize the dad. It’s James Berkowitz, a center for the Rockets and the one most likely to take up Aiden’s stead when Aiden retires.
“I do.”
“His name is Doogie. Well, it’s actually Douglas, but we all call him Doogie. He’s autistic. What would it feel like for him to win this year? For me, I’d be happy for a few minutes at most. For him, it would last a lifetime.”
I pull Penny into my arms, amazed by this little girl who thinks of others before herself. When the scavenger hunt ends, it is indeed Doogie who wins. Some of the smaller children are disappointed, but all the other kids congratulate him. Doogie beams with pride, and his smile doesn’t fade for the rest of the party. Penny hugs her friend, and the joy on Penny’s face is brighter than if she had won. I couldn’t be prouder.
I turn to Aiden, “You have a very special daughter. She’s going to grow up and do amazing things.”
His response is drowned out by the loud crack of a shotgun that sounds deafening as it echoes across the expansive lawn. Without thinking, I tackle Aiden to the ground and cover his body with my own.
“Boom!…Boom! Boom!...Boom!”
All I can do is pray that my team kept everyone else safe.