Broken (29 page)

Larkin's party went smoothly. Jenna was overwhelmed by the ornament. She was even more overwhelmed as she found out quickly there were no secrets in this family as several of the girls asked her what it was like to be an exotic dancer. But the most overwhelming thing of all was she realized better than Patrick his fears had been silly. Yes, Raif had asked her to get another job and even arranged one for her, but as Neely had said, love in this family was unconditional. Jenna Thornton Gautier was overwhelmed at the miracle of being loved unconditionally and being welcomed with open arms into, as Dupree had noted years before, "The best family ever."

32

A Time to Celebrate

A
t th
e
start of the long winding driveway to one side just inside the electronic gate of the Gautier home, Raif set up the Victorian Christmas village complete with buildings, people, and animals. From the church where people were gathered and others were headed, classical Victorian Christmas carols played.

On the other side of the driveway, he placed his first piece in the developing medieval town. Through the window of the castle, three little princesses could be seen sleeping with a golden retriever curled on a rug by what appeared to be a fireplace with a flickering light to look as if a fire were burning. In the high turret, the queen with long blonde hair lowered a braid for the lost king below in the courtyard to climb to find his way home. A trio of troubadours sang and played historically accurate medieval Christmas music. Harps, viols, lutes, recorders, and other medieval instruments played distinctly and a cappella vocals broadcast crisply. Three little girls jumped up and down as they watched their new father around the displays.

Lacey pointed and clapped. "Yes, Lacey," Lydia said. "The one with blonde hair is supposed to be you."

All three girls hugged Raif around the legs, prompting another awkward piggyback ride with the children hanging off various parts of his body.

Just outside the gate, Raif presented a scale nativity and played only carols announcing the Holy Birth. The nativity had been his first scaled creation. It included a stable with a manger where the Baby Jesus lay, Mary, Joseph, livestock in stalls, shepherds with sheep, the Magi with gifts, half a dozen angels suspended as if in flight, and an electrically lighted star hanging above the stable. Raif knew there would be numerous visitors to view the Christmas displays as there always were. He set up a donation box with all the proceeds going to The Children's Village.

Inside, Neely added her own artistic touches to the holiday decorations. The family room tree was decorated with nothing but hand-crafted ornaments, many of which were done by the children in the family and only beautiful because of the love they represented.

The formal living room was elegant all year. It normally held a sofa of off white with alternating stripes of shimmering gold and crimson roses; two wing-back chairs, one gold and one crimson; a table set of glass and gold; and a white baby grand piano against ivory paint and carpet. This room, which would host an adult-only New Year's Eve party, was trimmed for the holidays with only one item, a flocked Douglas fir that was decorated with only white lights, golden bows, and satin burgundy balls. Neely made the new front-door hanging, a broom with pine cones, small green and golden bows, and deep crimson velveteen apples sprinkled with golden glitter.

The next few weeks went smoothly except that Neely stayed tired. Jenna went to work for Pierre Charmant. She showed him some of her work, even some of her candid photos of Patrick. Pierre was impressed. "Let's give you a Christmas show," he suggested. "You're talented." He chose a dozen photographs, two of Patrick, to display in the section of the gallery he reserved for photography.

Patrick finished another semester and drafted four possible designs for the renovations Pierre wanted to do to the adjacent building to allow expansion for larger pieces, especially sculptures. Pierre groused, "Why are they all so good? I can't decide." He placed each back in its cylinder.
I'll look all of them over with Raif and Patrick at Christmas.

Saul Blackwell got back to Raif regarding the tax situation. "We're filing an amended tax return that'll net you two thousand dollars for supporting your daughter-in-law."

"Are you serious?" Raif asked, shock in his voice. "I thought I might have a major penalty. I even worried about jail time."

Chuckling, Saul said, "You just keep being lucky. These new tax laws play right into your hands." Saul filed the forms for Raif to claim Jenna as a dependent until she graduated.

Raif flew to Ireland and met Amelia Thornton. The elderly woman had a formidable personality. Raif thought
, Oh, boy! Getting her and Colleen together could be dangerous.

Amelia said, "The maternal side of Jenna's family is in Northern Ireland. The lowlife scoundrels aire involved in the IRA. When Jenna's mother married a Protestant from Dublin, they disowned 'er and 'ave never wanted anythin' to do with the child she 'ad. My son and 'is wife died in a boating accident."

"I'm so sorry," Raif told her.

Amelia nodded. "Life goes on. Corin, me 'usband, and I reared Jenna. Corin died the year before Jenna went off to the States."

After a week, Raif left Amelia with everything in order to be in New Orleans on Christmas Eve and the paperwork began to get her a permanent resident visa.

Ray and Larkin had developed a close relationship with Saul and Deanna Blackwell due greatly in part to the two budding romances between their households. The week before Christmas, the Blackwell family came to Eau Boueuse until the New Year. Christopher and Kimberly and Kyle and Courtney made themselves scarce. The parents were not sure if the four were together or if they vanished to two separate places, but they had to trust the young people to make wise choices. Parker and Sheena popped in from time to time. Parker wanted to make sure Ray was handling his impending retirement well. He was. As a matter of fact, he already had a European itinerary laid out for half a year and was looking into an Asian experience, an African photo safari on which he was considering inviting Jenna, and a cruise on the Amazon. Parker looked at Larkin who rolled her eyes.

During the holiday, the family received news that Lloyd Palermo's trial was set for February 5
th
. The prosecution would be seeking the death penalty.

On Christmas Eve, Raif picked up Amelia at the airport. For the evening, she would be staying with Walter and Audrey so as to surprise Jenna the next day.

That night, Charity Chapel presented a live nativity. Walter and Audrey sneaked Amelia onto the back row and she discreetly left to wait in the car before the other churchgoers exited the building.

Christmas morning buzzed with excitement at both Raifords' homes. Cherie Reynolds, six, always hated waiting for Parker and Sheena to arrive in order to open family gifts. She was forced to content herself with the items Santa had brought because Parker and Sheena visited the Johnsons first. At least this year, she had Tate Blackwell to play with while she waited.

At last, Parker, Sheena, and Ashton arrived, and the mound of gifts beneath the tree dwindled. Since Kyle had become fascinated with dragon lore after getting his Celtic guardian, Courtney gave him a snow globe with a dragon inside and a book on multicultural dragon beliefs. Kyle loved it, and his gift for Courtney was an ivory Celtic guardian with ruby, her birthstone, eyes on a chain. He fastened it on her consciously beneath the mistletoe so he could claim a coveted Christmas kiss.

Kimberly and Christopher also exchanged special gifts. Since Christopher had been a child, he had been obsessed with tigers, so, perhaps, it was a good thing that he attended LSU as the mascot was a tiger. One whole wall of Christopher's room was devoted to his tiger collection. He personally donated funds to the tiger exhibit at the Audubon Zoo each year from the time he was twelve. Because of his love for the creature, Kim chose a topaz and onyx tiger sculpture. Christopher caressed it as if it were alive.

Then, Christopher gave Kim a cubic box. It contained a small diamond, only about an eighth of a carat, in a tiffany setting in fourteen karat yellow gold. Christopher slipped the ring on Kim's finger in the presence of two sets of stunned parents. As he did so he said, "It's a promise ring, Kim. I promise when we're both finished with college, the diamond will be a lot bigger." Kimberly and Christopher did not even pretend to need mistletoe as he kissed her soundly for everyone to see.

"Well," said Ray. "I guess the last gift I have for my true love pales in comparison, but I'm gonna bring it in anyway." Ray went to the garage and returned with a soot-black, blue-eyed, six-week-old Persian kitten.

"Ray!" chided Larkin. "If we're going to be traipsing across Europe, how could you get a cat?"

Ray scratched the kitten under the chin. "He'll just have to be a traveling tom. He might be pedigreed, but he's gonna have to learn to be tough like Cyclops."

At the mention of her beloved Cyclops, Larkin teared up. Emotionally, she said, "This is not Cyclops. I hope he never has to save my life like Cyclops did, but he needs a name."

Cherie scooted close so she could pet the kitten. She suggested, "How about Traveling Tom? If he's gonna be one, we might as well call him that."

"Traveling Tom?" laughed Larkin. She picked up the kitten to look into its blue eyes. "What do you think?"

The kitten let out a squeaky little mew. So, Traveling Tom, or T. T. Reynolds, as he became affectionately known, joined the Reynolds family who prepared to migrate to the Gautier home for Christmas dinner.

Larkin whispered to her husband, "You know Raif will have to cat sit if we go to Europe."

Ray shrugged. "Or Parker can come by and visit T. T. every day."

Refusing to let him get the last word, Larkin hooded her eyes. "I'll let you explain to Cherie why T. T. can't go on our trip with us."

33

Headstands

W
hil
e
the Reynolds family opened gifts and had a few surprises, the Gautier family did as well. In addition to the medieval town castle, Raif had built a collapsible castle for his little princesses to use with their Barbies and Kens, which Santa brought. Trista had pulled her old dollhouse, a collapsible, modern condominium, from the attic and had her father refurbish it for Christine, though she was still too small to play with dolls.

Jenna said very little during the gift exchange. Raif had told her right before that the paperwork to get Gram to America just wasn't complete. When all the gifts seemed to be finished, Raif handed Jenna another box. He said, "This is because Leah prophesied you." Inside was a delicate hand-blown glass fairy with red hair. "Oh," Raif added, "and this." He handed Jenna an envelope.

Jenna opened the envelope. One folded piece of paper read in meticulous handwriting:

Completed paperwork.

Love,

Dad.

Jenna looked at Raif as the doorbell rang. "Answer the door, Jenna," he said.

Jenna ran to the door and flung it open. With Walter and Audrey, stood Amelia Thornton. Raif laughed at Jenna's childlike screams of elation. She and her grandmother engulfed each other as they lapsed into a Gaelic conversation.

Jenna ran back into the family room and wrapped her arms around Raif's neck. "Thank you, Papa! Thank you!" she cried.

Raif held her a little from him. "Papa?" he questioned.

Jenna blushed. "Dad," she corrected.

"No," Raif choked. "Papa is fine with me because it came from your heart."

The Gautier women exited to the kitchen to finish their part of Christmas dinner before the Reynolds family and other friends and family arrived, although there would not be quite as many guests as Thanksgiving. Neely suddenly sat down on a barstool and put her head in her hands.

"Neely, darling, are you all right?" asked Audrey.

"I was very dizzy for a minute, but I'm all right now."

"Are you sure?"

"I've been really tired. Maybe I just need some iron. I'll get checked out after Christmas."

"If you're sure."

"I am. Let's finish the food for the army," laughed Neely.

The horde descended on the Gautier home with three more additions—Amelia Thornton, Pierre Charmant and Charles Bastille, Pierre's lifelong partner. After the meal and the clean-up, the group assembled in the family room. With an assortment of musical instruments played by different guests, such as Larkin at the upright piano, Dupree on guitar, and Patrick on trumpet, they played and sang Christmas carols.

Amidst the hoopla, Neely slipped into the entry hall where everything went black. Having seen her leave, Kyle poked Courtney. "I don't think we've actually wished Neely a Merry Christmas."

"Okay," agreed Courtney, tired of the carols.

They found Neely lying in the entry. "Get Raif!" commanded Kyle.

Courtney dragged her uncle from his yearly rendition of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" while Ray donned a Grinch mask and pretended to steal the children's gifts. Raif carried Neely to their room where she began to come around. He was followed closely by Trista, Larkin, Audrey, Courtney and Kyle. Kyle hung just outside the door feeling a little awkward.

With all the people around her, Neely protested, "I'm fine. I just got dizzy."

"Again?" asked Audrey. "How often has this happened, Neely?"

"A few times, but I'm fine. I've just been tired."

The older woman puckered her lips. "Are your breasts tender? Do you need to urinate a lot lately?"

"Yeah. So?" Neely responded with her brow furrowed.

"Neely, honey," Audrey continued, "I think you're pregnant."

"You know that's not possible, Audrey, not with the damage from what happened to me. I can't have children. You know that."

Kyle stepped into the doorway. "You…you can't…can't because of
me
. Oh, my God!" Kyle took off like a fox with its tail on fire.

"Kyle, come back!" Neely called, trying to get up.

"Lie down," commanded Raif.

"Go get him, Courtney," begged Neely. "Please. He'll do something stupid. He can't handle the guilt. I never wanted him to know."

Courtney followed Kyle in hot pursuit. Kyle had exited through the front door and left it wide open. Courtney flew out the entrance.

"Courtney!" called Ray.

"Daddy, we have to find Kyle. He just found out Neely can't have kids because of the assault. He's gonna do something crazy. Daddy, please!" Courtney yelled everything over her shoulder, but she never stopped moving. She noted none of the cars were gone. Kyle was on foot. Thinking of the deserted train trestle two miles through the woods, Courtney headed that direction.

All the able-bodied adults in the house spread out around Raif's property. Courtney stayed her course. She was terrified as she followed her instincts. "Kyle!" she screamed as she hit the relative clearance at the end of an overgrown path where the bodies of Robert (Row-Bear) LaFontaine and his clerk, Dinah Horn, had been found beside the old rickety trestle. She hurdled the fence that separated Raif's property from the old train track. She fell flat as her foot caught a spike on the fence but jumped up quickly.

"Go away, Courtney!" Kyle yelled back with one foot on the rail.

"Kyle, don't be stupid!"

"It's too late for that! I've already been stupid!" He shook long curly blond locks. "Look what I did to Neely! I'm more despicable than my father! I don't deserve to live! It's only fitting I should die in the same place he did."

"Kyle, none of that matters! It's over! It's past!"

"Neely can't have kids because of me!" He glanced over his shoulder. "That's now! That's forever!"

"No, Kyle! I'm now!" Courtney was very close to Kyle. She spoke softly. "Kyle, look at me."

Blue eyes brimming with tears, he turned slightly, but left his foot on the rail.

"Kyle,
we're
now.
We
can be forever."

"Why would you want to be with me? Pity? You have no idea how disgusting I really am."

"You're not disgusting. You're wonderful."

"Oh, Courtney, you don't know. Nobody knows."

"Kyle, this is more than Neely. Tell me."

"You'll leave me. Then, I might as well be dead." He inched his body higher onto the railing.

"I won't leave you, Kyle. I love you."

"You won't when you know."

"
Yes
, I will."

"I never told anybody what really happened the day I caught my dad with Lloyd." The lakes of tears cascaded down the boy's cheeks. "I couldn't tell my mom. It would've killed her."

"Kyle, did they molest you?"

"Not my dad, but he watched. He let it happen. It hurt so much, Courtney. Then, when I hurt Neely, it felt good to hurt somebody else, but only for a brief moment. Afterward, I felt so dirty, so nasty and repulsive. I never wanna hurt you, Courtney. I love you. You know
everything
about me."

"And I still love you. If you don't wanna hurt me, come away from there. Please?" Courtney begged in tears.

As Kyle leaned further to peer at the swamp, the old wooden rail cracked, and he toppled over.

"Kyle!" Courtney screamed and dashed forward. She fell on her stomach and looked over the trestle. Kyle clung to the broken wood and hung precariously fifty feet above the swamp.

"Courtney, get back!" Kyle yelled.

The stubborn girl twisted one ankle in the old rope supports and locked her ankles around another piece of the railing. "Give me your hand," she commanded.

Kyle grasped Courtney's wrist, and she held on with both hands, putting her shoulder into another piece of wood.

"Don't let go," whispered Kyle.

"Never."

It seemed ages that they hung suspended in air before they heard a welcome voice call, "Kyle! Courtney!"

"Parker!" Courtney returned.

Parker Reynolds crashed through the undergrowth and took in the situation. He jumped the fence with ease. Loosening a piece of rope in the old trestle, Parker lay on his stomach beside his sister. He tied a secure knot around Kyle's wrist.

Parker said with police authority, "Kyle, this might pull your shoulder out of place, but we've got to get you up. This old bridge can't hold the weight of three of us much longer. I'm gonna jerk you up. It'll hurt. Courtney, get out of here."

"Not without Kyle."

"Courtney!" snapped Parker. "I've got him. Now go!"

Courtney ran to the safety of the dried brown weeds. Parker yanked the younger, smaller man up and dragged him to the side only seconds before the old ropes supporting the rotting trestle snapped, plunging the bridge into the swamp and jagged cypress stumps below.

"Thank you," breathed Kyle softly. "Thank you, Parker. I'm sorry I've been such a pain in the ass."

"It's all right," replied Parker, out of breath. "It's actually a miracle we're not all three in the swamp impaled on a stump."

"Courtney!" said Kyle, afraid she had left.

"I'm right here." Courtney reached across Parker and found Kyle's hand.

Kyle winced. Parker said pragmatically, "Walk around to the other side and hold the other hand. That arm is broken. Sorry, man, but that was the only way to get you up fast enough."

"I'll live. I
want
to live now. I could do headstands now."

Parker chuckled, "I'd like to see you do a headstand with that arm."

Courtney sat on the other side of Kyle and took that hand. "If you meant it, say it again," Kyle said to Courtney.

"I love you, Kyle LaFontaine, no matter what."

Kyle laughed softly. "Have I ever told you my first name? Kyle is my middle name."

"No. Is it so dreadful you had to hide it?"

"No. It's just that I was named for the only person my dad ever loved. It's Raiford—Raiford Kyle LaFontaine."

Parker chuckled. "May we, please, take it to the house? Everybody's worried sick about you, Raiford Kyle, especially Neely. Uncle Raif is insisting that she go to the hospital and get checked out, and I know you need that arm set. Kyle, if you love my sister, let the past go. We all love you. Listen to me—I went to jail because I hit my foster father when he tried to rape me. I know the signs. If you ever wanna talk, it'll be between you and me, and, I guess, Courtney."

"Thanks for everything," said Kyle.

The trio stood and started back to the house. Parker sent a mass text,
"Found them. Headed in."

Back at the house, Raif had waited at Neely's insistence to go to the hospital. She would not go until she was certain Kyle was safe.

"Kyle!" she exclaimed when he walked up. The boy took Neely's hand with his uninjured hand.

Neely said, "I never wanted you to know."