Chapter 5 - The Waitress Who Was Already Family
DNA and sealed records revealed that Emily was Arthur’s granddaughter.
Before Arthur married, he had dated a waitress named Susan Hale. They
separated before Susan knew she was pregnant. Arthur’s father paid Susan
to disappear and told her Arthur wanted nothing to do with the baby.
The baby grew up to be Rose.
Rose later had Emily.
Margaret discovered the truth years before her death and quietly created
a trust for Emily’s future child—Lucy.
Arthur sat across from Emily.
“I didn’t know.”
She studied him.
“Would you have wanted us?”
Arthur resisted the easy answer.
“I wish I had been given the chance to know you.”
Emily nodded slowly.
“That answer I can believe.”
Arthur confronted Grant.
“You let your own family’s child work downstairs.”
“I didn’t know she was family.”
Arthur’s voice hardened.
“That should not matter. She deserved protection when you thought she
was a stranger.”
Grant began crying.
Then Arthur asked the question he dreaded.
“Did you ever see Derek hurt her?”
Grant looked down.
“Once. He lost his temper after she dropped a box. He struck her hard
with a wooden handle. I stopped him.”
“Did you call police?”
“No.”
“Fire him?”
“No.”
“Tell Emily?”
“No.”
“Then you stopped one blow, Grant. You did not stop the abuse.”
Grant whispered, “Vanessa said she would leave me.”
“A child paid for your cowardice.”
Christmas Eve dinner at Bennett & Pine became something entirely
different.
Arthur invited employees and their families. Police arrested Derek on
financial charges and opened an investigation into what had happened to
Lucy. Vanessa was also removed while investigators examined her role.
Grant sat alone.
Lucy asked Arthur, “Is Mr. Grant bad?”
“He did bad things.”
“Can bad people get good?”
“Sometimes.”
“How?”
“By telling the truth when lying would be easier. And by accepting
consequences even when they hurt.”
Lucy nodded thoughtfully.
Then she pulled a folded note from her new coat.
“I found this in Grandma Margaret’s box.”
Margaret had written:
Arthur must never know who introduced Vanessa to Grant.
Arthur read it twice.
Across the room, Caroline dropped her water glass.
Arthur turned.
“You know.”
Caroline whispered, “Yes.”
“Who?”
May you like
She looked toward the church across the street.
“Someone Margaret trusted every Christmas.”
