truth. And you’re right, I shouldn’t be getting my hopes up. These people aren’t my family. My mom was my family.” And now she’s dead, Janie thought, but left that part unsaid.
“Janie.” Aaron’s voice was soft. Full of pity. It made her angry.
“Screw it. We’ll go meet Linda. I’ll find my dad and let him know what he missed. He doesn’t deserve a daughter twenty-three years late, anyway.”
They drove in silence for the next several miles, interrupted only by the computerized voice of the GPS, directing them through Shreveport traffic. Twenty minutes later, they were in front of a two-story brick house in a master-planned subdivision. Aaron stopped the car, but didn’t turn off the engine.
“Do you want to do this now? Would you rather go and get a cup of coffee or something?”
“No, let’s get it over with.” She knew she was being unfair, unleashing her anger and hurt on Aaron, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Aaron just nodded, taking her mood in stride.
The front door was answered by a tall, awkward girl, with a long French braid and braces covered in rainbow-colored rubber bands.
“Hi, is your mother home? Linda Hartford? We have some questions we need to ask her.” Aaron sound calm and professional. Janie was still seething with anger, and could barely look the girl in the face. They were cousins. Was this Christina or Natalie?
“No, she’s still at work.”
“Hey, dumbass, you’re not supposed to tell strangers that your parents aren’t home.” This from the back of the house. Janie heard footsteps, then saw another girl, tall like the first, but with none of the younger girl’s homeliness. She was a knockout, with a curvy figure encased in black spandex workout shorts and a pink tank top.
“Who are you?”
Aaron went through his spiel, mentioning the law firm and the probate paperwork. Janie wanted to tell him to save his breath—these girls clearly didn’t know or care what a probate case was.
“We just need to ask your mom a few questions. About your uncle,” she said.
“We don’t have an uncle,” the younger girl declared, her face now a mask of suspicion.
“Your mother’s brother. Ken.” Aaron added.
“Who’s Ken?” The younger one looked confused. Workout Shorts ignored her.
“Who’s Ken?” The younger one repeated.
“Shut up, Nat. I’ll explain later.”
“Christina,” Janie began. The older girl came up short at the sound of her name. “Listen, what we told you before—it wasn’t the truth. I don’t work for a law firm. I just need some information about Ken. And I think your mom can provide it for me.”
“Why? What’s it to you?”
“Ken’s my father.”
“So you’re Janie.” Christina said, her face grim. “I figured. You look like him.”
“Who. The hell. Is Ken?” Natalie screeched.
“You must be Natalie,” Janie said, extending her hand. “I’m Janie. And this is my friend Aaron. I need some information, and I’m hoping your mom can help me. Do you know when she’s going to be home? I can leave my cell phone number.”
Natalie remained still, and didn’t respond to Janie’s questions. Christina moved back and opened the door fully. “Come on in. Mom will want to meet you. She should be home in a few minutes.”
Aaron stepped back and let Janie go in first. They were led by the girls to a family room with two overstuffed couches. Janie sat in one and sank so low that she doubted her ability to stand up again.
“Would you like some juice or something?” Christina asked.
Aaron opened his mouth to decline, but Janie placed her hand on his knee. “Sure, I’d love some juice. He would, too,” she said, pointing her thumb at Aaron with a grin. After both girls retreated to the Janie gave Aaron a sheepish look.
“I couldn’t lie to kids, okay? Plus, I just want information. It’s not like
“Janie.” Aaron’s voice was soft. Full of pity. It made her angry.
“Screw it. We’ll go meet Linda. I’ll find my dad and let him know what he missed. He doesn’t deserve a daughter twenty-three years late, anyway.”
They drove in silence for the next several miles, interrupted only by the computerized voice of the GPS, directing them through Shreveport traffic. Twenty minutes later, they were in front of a two-story brick house in a master-planned subdivision. Aaron stopped the car, but didn’t turn off the engine.
“Do you want to do this now? Would you rather go and get a cup of coffee or something?”
“No, let’s get it over with.” She knew she was being unfair, unleashing her anger and hurt on Aaron, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Aaron just nodded, taking her mood in stride.
The front door was answered by a tall, awkward girl, with a long French braid and braces covered in rainbow-colored rubber bands.
“Hi, is your mother home? Linda Hartford? We have some questions we need to ask her.” Aaron sound calm and professional. Janie was still seething with anger, and could barely look the girl in the face. They were cousins. Was this Christina or Natalie?
“No, she’s still at work.”
“Hey, dumbass, you’re not supposed to tell strangers that your parents aren’t home.” This from the back of the house. Janie heard footsteps, then saw another girl, tall like the first, but with none of the younger girl’s homeliness. She was a knockout, with a curvy figure encased in black spandex workout shorts and a pink tank top.
“Who are you?”
Aaron went through his spiel, mentioning the law firm and the probate paperwork. Janie wanted to tell him to save his breath—these girls clearly didn’t know or care what a probate case was.
“We just need to ask your mom a few questions. About your uncle,” she said.
“We don’t have an uncle,” the younger girl declared, her face now a mask of suspicion.
“Your mother’s brother. Ken.” Aaron added.
“Who’s Ken?” The younger one looked confused. Workout Shorts ignored her.
“Who’s Ken?” The younger one repeated.
“Shut up, Nat. I’ll explain later.”
“Christina,” Janie began. The older girl came up short at the sound of her name. “Listen, what we told you before—it wasn’t the truth. I don’t work for a law firm. I just need some information about Ken. And I think your mom can provide it for me.”
“Why? What’s it to you?”
“Ken’s my father.”
“So you’re Janie.” Christina said, her face grim. “I figured. You look like him.”
“Who. The hell. Is Ken?” Natalie screeched.
“You must be Natalie,” Janie said, extending her hand. “I’m Janie. And this is my friend Aaron. I need some information, and I’m hoping your mom can help me. Do you know when she’s going to be home? I can leave my cell phone number.”
Natalie remained still, and didn’t respond to Janie’s questions. Christina moved back and opened the door fully. “Come on in. Mom will want to meet you. She should be home in a few minutes.”
Aaron stepped back and let Janie go in first. They were led by the girls to a family room with two overstuffed couches. Janie sat in one and sank so low that she doubted her ability to stand up again.
“Would you like some juice or something?” Christina asked.
Aaron opened his mouth to decline, but Janie placed her hand on his knee. “Sure, I’d love some juice. He would, too,” she said, pointing her thumb at Aaron with a grin. After both girls retreated to the Janie gave Aaron a sheepish look.
“I couldn’t lie to kids, okay? Plus, I just want information. It’s not like
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