Chapter 13
Carrington House
Searcy, Arkansas
"Sounds like all the old feelings just came roaring back the minute you saw him after all those years?" asked Harvey Cox.
"The feelings never went anywhere. They were always there. They were just buried under a lot of hurt and pain. Eleven years dulls the pain of being cheated on and lied to. It shouldn't, but trust me, it does," replied Poppy.
"So what happened next? Did Bennett go and see the paintings? Did he realize he had a son?"
"No. Bennett, being Bennett, had a work thing come up as he left my classroom.
The call he got was from the Anderson campaign.
They told him he was being vetted for the vice-presidential spot, and they had to meet with him that day.
So instead of going to Emerson as promised, he called one of his staffers, Kelly, to go and look at the paintings. "
"If he did not go that day, when did he see them?" asked Harvey.
"The day of the incident at the club. That was the first time he saw them. That was how he found out. Twenty minutes before the luncheon started, he found me making final preparations on the exhibit and hauled me into that library room."
"You are telling me he had no idea until then?"
"Correct. The staffer he sent told him the exhibit was great and to give his approval.
The next day, I got a text from him saying he was good with the exhibit.
He told me he would be tied up with a new political opportunity for a few weeks and would like to talk soon.
He also said he would be in DC for several weeks and gave me his office number if I needed anything.
"How did he get your cell number?" asked Harvey.
"From Edna Stone," replied Poppy.
"Makes sense," replied Harvey. "What happened next?"
"What happened next is that I got mad. I mean, I got really, really mad.
At this point, I am still thinking he has seen the paintings.
I had expected some reaction from him. I don't know exactly what, but something.
I would have expected him to demand some answers, and demand to know his son.
I knew I was opening Pandora's box when I sent him to see the paintings.
I guess part of me wanted that from him.
Some kind of a fight to prove that he cared.
That he was the kind of man I always thought he was before he cheated on me.
But I got that super casual message giving me the exhibit's go-ahead.
I was so angry that I picked up the phone and called Edna Stone.
I thought, if he did not care enough about his child to ask any questions, what did I care about what this might do to his ‘new political opportunity?’ Of course, after I booked it, I had hours of worry and regret that I was doing the wrong thing by going. "
"I can see that. Question, how did Greer Stone end up your date?"
"Oh, that. After I was totally committed and had already had the work crated and sent to Arkansas, I found out about the gala.
I tried to get out of attending. Being in a room with Bennett and his wife with our son's pictures everywhere sounded horrible.
I don't know if you have met Edna Stone, but she is a force of nature.
She would not take no for an answer. When I told her I did not have anyone I could bring as a plus one, she said she would take care of it.
A week later, I got a text from Greer saying he would be my date.
"You know, in all the years I was alone, I was too busy raising my son, caring for my dying friend, and building my career to worry too much about dating. Before Bennett showed up in my classroom, I was ready to start dating again. I had even considered Greer and wondered if he and I might be a good match. Gran was still in Gulf Shores. I had thought the next time I was in town, I might try and see if there was anything there. One look into Bennett’s eyes, one minute back in his arms, I was done for.
Loving Bennett is like a lifelong disease that can go into remission, but you never can get totally over. "
"Ouch! A disease, huh?" asked Harvey. “I hope my wife never refers to our love like that."
"Okay, that was a little extreme. But, you get what I am saying," said Poppy.
"I do, "replied Harvey. "so, let's get back to the story. When exactly did Bennett first see the pictures? How did he react?"
"How did he react? Aw, he exploded,” replied Poppy.
"Oh, this is getting good. I can't imagine Bennett Carrington ever losing his cool."
"Oh, he did, and then some. You have to understand.
Bennett figured it out before he saw the pictures or at least the possibility of it.
The night before the luncheon, he overheard the staffer he sent to see the exhibit in New York talking about it.
They worked late in DC Bennett was scheduled to fly to Searcy later that week for the gala.
Many of the staffers were coming with him.
They talked about what to wear, and someone asked about the art.
I guess Kelly gave a brief explanation, but one part caught Bennett's ear.
She loved the piece that showed Ben at his first birthday party in a shirt that said, "I am my Mom's Best April Fool's Gift. "
"After work that night, Bennett asked her to stay. He wondered if she was sure about the birthday picture. Kelly assured him she was. It stood out to her because it was so funny. At that point, Bennett pulled some strings by the next day and had a copy of Ben's birth certificate.
"Ben had been three weeks early, but Bennett did not know that. He looked at the dates, and it clicked. I don't think he totally accepted that Ben was his, though, until he saw the pictures.
"I found out later that February, after we broke up, Bennett, Taylor, and Mr. Carrrington were having dinner at the club. Out of the blue, Mr. Carrrington told Bennett that he talked to my grandmother. She shared that I had gotten married and was having a baby in June.
"Obviously, that was not true. It was just what I told Gran to keep her from being upset.
Mr. Carrington told Bennett that because he had been really down after we broke up.
He wanted Bennett to snap out of it and move on with someone more appropriate.
That was exactly what he did. Based on the dates, he knew the baby was not his.
That night, when he took Taylor home, he supposedly proposed. They married less than a month later."
"Wow. There is a lot to unpack there. You brought up two different issues. Before we go deeper into Bennett's reaction to the news, you mentioned Bennett's relationship with Taylor."
Poppy, who had been very forthcoming, got very quiet. "You know, I am not comfortable talking about my husband's first marriage. I only mentioned it so you would understand why Bennett had never questioned if he was Ben's dad."
"I respect that," said Harvey. "Actually, she said something similar about your marriage to Bennett. Okay, let's backtrack. So, Bennett overhears a conversation the night before the luncheon, giving him pause. He pulls Ben's birth certificate. He sees the dates. What does he do then?” asked Harvey.
"He came charging into the Searcy Country Club like his hair was on fire."
Searcy Country Club
Searcy, Arkansas
March 2012
Poppy wanted to get to the club early to make sure everything was ready.
But, she overslept and got to the club late.
She was worried because the chairperson had said Mrs. Stone liked everyone on time.
She slipped in the back and was making sure everything was ready.
She was just about to head into the main room to meet up with Edna Stone and the other ladies putting this event together when Bennett stormed in and grabbed her by the arm.
"How could you? How could you keep my son from me?" Bennett was practically yelling.
"Shhh, someone is going to hear you," Poppy admonished.
"I could give two shits." Dragging her a short distance to the library room, Bennett followed Poppy in and shut the door.
Grabbing her by both arms, he pulled her to him and growled, "He is my son. Admit it. You have kept him from me all these years. Admit it."
Tears threatened to fall as Poppy said, "Yes, he is yours. But—"
"No buts. How could you do this? How could you keep him from me?
How? I loved you so much. I would have moved heaven and earth for both of you.
" The look of devastation in Bennett's eyes was almost her undoing.
All those years ago, she had thought she was doing the right thing.
Now, she was not so sure. He was squeezing her arms so hard it was starting to hurt.
Trembling, she said, "Bennett, please, you are hurting me."
Bennett loosened his grip but did not let go of her. "Why? Why would you do this to me?"
Shaking her head, trying to gather her thoughts, she said, "I know this does not make any sense, but you have to remember I was only nineteen.
I was alone in a big city. You lied to me and cheated on me.
I did not think I could trust you. I did not want my son to be another one of your dirty little secrets.
I knew how much your future career meant to you.
If word got out that you had knocked up your maid's granddaughter, your future would’ve been dead.
I knew you would try to marry me and do the right thing.
But over time, you would resent us. I could not go through that.
So, I cut ties and moved on, making the best of a bad situation. "
"Moved on is right. You call me out of nowhere on the night before Thanksgiving, disappear without so much as a word goodbye, and then you are married by Christmas. Talk about moving at the speed of light."
“You are a liar and a cheat. I do not owe you a damn thing. Not then. Not now."
"I don't know what the hell you are talking about, but I do know you owe me a hell of a lot. I am going to start collecting right now."