His Texas Wildflower by Stella Bagwell Page B

visits. But a few years before my father lost his life, they were killed in an automobile accident.”
    â€œThat’s hard,” he said softly.
    Her lips took on a wry slant. “That’s life. At least, that’s the way it is in mine.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy rush. “So neither of my parents had siblings. Or that’s what I was led to believe. So I had no aunts or uncles or cousins. For most of my life it’s just been my mother and me.”
    His forehead puckered in a frown, he squared around to face her. “How did you find out about Gertrude?”
    â€œA lawyer from Ruidoso called me at the department store where I work. He explained that Gertrude had left strict instructions to notify me of her death, but not before. And that all of her belongings, including the land and mineral rights, go to me.”
    As she talked he rested their entwined hands upon his knee and Rebecca was amazed at how one minute his touch could be so exciting and the next comfort her like nothing had before.
    â€œDear God, that must have been a wham in the gut.”
    She sighed. “At first I thought someone was playing a tasteless joke. I even argued with the lawyer and told him that I ought to know my own family.” The faint noise she made in her throat was something between a self-mocking groan and a sob. “Can you imagine how I felt when I learned that I didn’t know my own family?Initially I was in denial. Then when I realized he was serious, I was stunned and embarrassed.”
    He stared thoughtfully out to the stand of aspens and the barn partially hidden by their branches. “I can’t imagine what any of it must have felt like. You learn you have an aunt at the same time you learn that she’s already died.” He focused his gaze back on her face. “How did all this happen, Rebecca?”
    Shaking her head with defeat, she tried to keep her emotions in check. Yet her voice quivered when she finally answered, “I don’t yet know, Jake. I’ve asked my mother to explain, but she’s told me very little. She and Gertrude were twins. But at some point, after they became adults, they parted ways and lived totally separate lives.”
    â€œAnd she hasn’t explained why?”
    The dismay in his voice matched the disbelief she was still feeling. After years of believing her mother was a morally upright person, she now had to face the fact that Gwyn was deceptive. Not only deceptive, but unfeeling along with it.
    â€œThe only thing she says is that they were entirely different people and they simply chose to live different lives.”
    â€œDo you believe that’s all there was to it?”
    Rebecca let out an unladylike snort. “Of course I don’t believe it! If it was all that simple, there would have been no need for my mother to keep Gertrude a secret from me.”
    â€œHmm. Maybe she thought the woman would be a bad influence on you and didn’t want you to be acquainted with her.”
    â€œJake! Gertrude was the only other blood connection I could possibly have for most of my life. Even if shehad been a bad person, that didn’t give my mother the right to keep her existence from me! Every family has a misfit or two, but that doesn’t make them any less a relative. Besides, I don’t believe Gertrude was a bad person. Do you?”
    He appeared surprised that she’d asked him such a thing.
    â€œWhy, no. I don’t,” he answered. “How could she have been bad? She kept to herself and as far as I know never caused anyone a problem. Did your mother try to paint her sister as a bad person?”
    Rebecca grimaced. “Not really. She refused to say much at all. And that infuriates me. I can hardly bring myself to speak to my mother. Most days I don’t bother answering her calls. It’s always the same. Begging me to come home, but refusing to explain