Thanksgiving

Chapter 23

Marcus sighs and puts his glass of wine down without drinking it. "This is probably all my fault."

Sue grabs Marcus' hand, "No dad, this is mom's fault."

He looks around the room as if trying to find the right words to begin his story. "Christian, I loved your mom, Ella. She and I were going to get married. I entered the military and when I had one foot out the door, she informed me she was pregnant with you. We were young, I was just 18. While I was gone I did nothing for my entire tour but think of you and your mom. I wrote her countless letters vowing to come home and make her an honest woman. When I finally came back home, I found her living with some asshole and she wanted nothing to do with me. She was stoned out of her mind. She claimed you weren't mine, but I knew you were. I could see it. I wanted to be your father so bad, Christian. I couldn't prove you were mine, and the ass wouldn't let me near the house. She claimed she loved him, but I knew he was nothing more than a pimp. I had protective services called as many times as I could until one day..." he stops suddenly. "One day, they went to the house and found your mom dead. You were by her side, brushing her hair." A tear streamed down his cheek.

"Why didn't you claim me?" asks Christian.

"By that time you were 4 years old. I had become such a mess over the whole situation. I was suffering some major PTSD, I had started drinking, and I knew I was in no shape to take a kid. I backed out silently and worked my butt off to straighten myself up."

I reach over and grab Christian's hand. He squeezes mine and holds on tight, he leans down to kiss Phoebe on the top of her head, she has fallen asleep in my arms.

"A few years later, I met Sue's mom and decided I could love her enough. I was lonely and needed a companion. She filled that need. Looking back, I'm not sure that I really loved her, but I tried."

I look to Sue, a tear has just escaped her eye.

"We had Sue," he pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and blows his nose. "Jasmine knew from the beginning about you, Christian, and about the love I still had for your mom. Originally, we had very little to go on for your whereabouts. We learned that you had spent some time in a foster home, and then later we found out that a doctor had adopted you. I figured that was about as good as it could get for you. You'd want for nothing. Jasmine was really supportive at first, she tried to help me locate you. She had some strings she pulled at the courthouse and was able to get into some paperwork she shouldn't have – she found Grace and Carrick. As soon as we found you, you and your family moved here to Seattle before I had a chance to make myself known. I was devastated. I was just about to come and see you and you were gone – again."

"Dad, you don't have to do all this, you know that, right?" Sue asks as she links her arm around her dad's.

"No, Christian deserves to know – especially now." He looks at Phoebe, a silent plea for forgiveness evident in his eyes. "I worked double shifts, took side jobs, made Jasmine work extra, saved every penny so we could move to Seattle. Luckily, she had family out here and we were able to stay with them for a bit. Namely Evelyn."

I look at Sue with confusion. "Didn't you recognize her at the hospital?"

"No, Ana, honest. I haven't seen her since I was really young. We moved out of there when I was 12. She lived in a duplex and we rarely saw her anyway. I swear I didn't recognize her!" I hear the pleading in her voice.

"She's changed a lot over the years," says Marcus. "She used to be much thinner. She was more stylish. She had blonde hair back then. I honestly don't know what happened to make her change so much."

"So how did we get to today?" I ask.

"Well, we stayed in the duplex for a few years, then Jasmine got a good job working at a bank, I was collecting disability for injuries from the war, and we were able to get a place of our own. We were doing ok. From the outside I think we looked like a happy enough family, but I had let my obsession with you take over my life, Christian." He looks at his son sadly. "When I first heard the name 'Grey Holdings' I knew that was your company. I could feel it in my heart. I read every news article about your business doings, I even drove by your building in hopes of seeing you. A few times I was lucky and did. You are such a handsome man, Christian. So powerful in your walk."