Passions Uncovered

Chapter 8

After making Bianca's family move into her hospital room, I took my seat once again by my sleeping wife. The minute everyone was in the room nothing but silence waited for us. Nobody spoke as all eyes were focused on Bianca. Brian and his mother were the first to venture over to the other side of the bed, where Edith leaned down and kissed her granddaughter on the forehead.

While they visited with Bianca, my eyes stayed glued on her mother. Not really believing for a minute what she said. Any woman I know who was attacked and woke up in the hospital their first thought would be about getting her baby back. Joyce could have easily told the US Marshalls about her missing child. And then they could have gotten the FBI involved in finding her stolen child. Finally reuniting them in the end, putting both in hiding together.

With the deep connections I have inside the FBI, and other areas of law enforcement I am well versed in the Witsec program. Not everyone gets placed in witness protection. Only those who have connections or information about major criminal activities. Once inside Witsec you are given new identities the relocated to another location usually across the country where nobody knows who you are. Even your own family can never know where you are.

To a point, I can believe her story. But at the same time, it seems a bit shady on her part. The main thing which bugs me deep down about this entire mess is Joyce leaving her daughter in the dark all these years. It still irritates me how she woke up in the hospital and letting everyone including her family believe she was dead. When you take into consideration her being in the witness protection program then it would be hard to let her family know. On the other hand, I still say if she truly cared about her child, she would have been beating down the door letting the Marshalls know Bianca was missing.

Edith lifted her head eyebrows raised and lips set in a thin line. I don't think the shock of Joyce's sudden arrival will be forgotten any time soon. By the glare in that woman's eyes, she wanted to do nothing right now except beat some sense into her wayward daughter. Her eyes raised to the ceiling as her lips moved in silent prayer, and a small sigh escaped while she gave a quick shake of her head.

"Joyce, I can understand you not reaching out to us while you were in their custody. But why didn't you tell them about Bianca, she is your daughter, didn't she mean anything to you?"

"Oh, please mother, I didn't even want to have the child. You and father forced me to have her remember."

"Then you could have signed her over to us instead of just leaving her at the mercy of her father. Do you know what Bianca has endured because of you? Abuse, and neglect, both psychical and emotional. As her mother, how could you let her live through that?"

As I sat there holding my wife's hand, I tried not to pay too much attention to what the women were saying to each other. But I damn near broke my neck. When I jerked my head up quickly at the mention of Joyce saying she never wanted Bianca in the first place. If she didn't want her daughter, then why show up here at the hospital then? The more I thought about it the harder my head hurt none of this made any sense to me.

When all is said and done the only true family my wife has ever had was mine. And I thank whoever brought this ray of sunshine into my life. Yeah sometimes she is like fire on wheels but what is life without any fun in it. I glanced over at my brother and shook my head I knew from his stormy eyes and face he was only seconds away from kicking Bianca's mother out of the room. Not that I could blame him, but right now wasn't the time or place to be causing a scene especially when my children are in the room right now.

While glancing at my brother I motioned for him to come over and take my place beside Bianca. Ever since her father kidnapped her last year it's been hard for me to leave her unattended. I don't trust her family any further than I can throw them. Yes, her grandfather and her cousins helped me rescue her. But at the same time, none of them bothered to do a legit search for Bianca and left her fending for herself. If my brother hadn't become friends with her and brought her home for my mother to meet, who knows where she would have ended up. And I, for one, wouldn't have gotten to watch her mature and grow into the woman she is today. Most important thing Bianca wouldn't have become my wife.

When Vince finally made his way over to my side, I got up and joined the rest of my wife's family. I told them to follow me outside, leading them out of the hospital room and to the café. For two reasons one so I could finally eat and second to settle the nagging question racing in the back of my mind.

"Ok, you guys. Now that we are away from Bianca's room and my sleeping children. Joyce do you want to tell us the truth, why did you even come back here, if you didn't even want your daughter to begin with?"

I turned around staring at Bianca's mother waiting to see if she would even answer the question. All Joyce did was looking down at the fingernail she was chipping away at.

"You know what? Why don't you just get to stepping and leave here don't even attempt to message or get a hold of my wife in any way! You had your chance to come clean, and you chose not to. For whatever reason, you may be keeping to yourself. Mother or not, you will not get another chance to hurt my wife again. I will end your life if I have to, just so my wife can live peacefully for the rest of her life."