39. Keeping Secrets

39

KEEPING SECRETS

T he following Sunday, Michael and Kelly had brunch and then were going to pick up Ty from Michael’s parents’ house.

It’d been a rough week for Michael and she tried not to bring it up much. If he wanted to talk about things, he would, and she noticed he didn’t want to.

She’d done her best on Friday night and Saturday morning to distract and entertain Ty. A five-year-old was easier to do that with.

When Ty had asked if he could spend the night at Michael’s parents, they’d gladly taken their grandson, giving her and Michael the night to themselves.

Maybe they needed it too.

They finished their meal and were leaving the restaurant when Kelly heard her name called.

She turned and the last person she expected to see was Brian’s mother. “Grace,” she said. “How are you?”

Grace just stared, Bruce next to her. Time hadn’t been friendly to her late husband’s parents.

They’d aged horribly and still had bitter looks on their faces. Something they’d never had when she was a teen and dating their son.

“Not as well as you, it seems,” Grace said.

“Let’s go, Grace,” Bruce said. “There is no reason to bother with her. She’s made her choices in life.”

Kelly didn’t know what this was about. Or why they’d even call her out.

“Are you going to introduce us to who you are with?” Grace asked.

She didn’t want to but wouldn’t be rude like them. “Michael Marshall, this is Grace and Bruce Dunlap. Brian’s parents.”

Good thing she’d told Michael who he was; otherwise that would have been a hard thing to explain now.

“Just a word of warning to you,” Grace said. “Kelly never does anything without an ulterior motive.”

Her jaw dropped. “What does that mean? I loved Brian. I’ve always loved Brian.”

“You stole from him. All you wanted was easy money,” Grace said.

“We are leaving,” Bruce said and pulled his wife away.

“What was that about?” Michael asked when they got in his SUV.

He didn’t start it to pull away either.

“I told you there were things said at the end. I’m not sure why she even called my name and didn’t move on.”

“She had a reason for it,” he said. “Wanting to warn me off. You stole money?”

“The fact you have to even ask me that is horrible and insulting,” she said.

“I’m not trying to insult you, rather find out what this is all about. I’ve never questioned you much on things and have honored the fact that maybe you didn’t want to talk about it in your grief.”

“I’ve told you what happened and the reason it all did,” she said.

“But you left something out about money?” he asked. “Why else would they bring this up?”

She sighed. “I’ve never wanted to tell anyone. It was part of the reason things got so bad.”

She started to sniffle. She didn’t want to relive this and wondered why she never said anything before.

“Obviously,” he said. “And it only makes me think you are keeping secrets from me when I’ve been more open with you than anyone else in my life. Ever.”

His voice had risen some and she knew he was pissed.

“Don’t get mad at me,” she said. “For something that you have no understanding of. This isn’t about knocking someone up and her not wanting her kid. Or not being a parent. This is about a person I loved for years.”

“And admitted that you married him to make him happy at the end knowing that it wouldn’t last. Or are you denying that?”

“I’m not denying it,” she argued. “I’ve never denied it. I was honest about it all.”

“But not whatever this money issue is?” he asked.

“I knew nothing about a life insurance policy,” she said. “Nothing. He’d worked at his job for about a year or less. Not even sure. Then he got sick. He was out of work for months before he died. I never asked, I didn’t know. I didn’t care. It was meaningless to me, nor would I have thought of any of it.”

“You got money when Brian died?” he asked.

“About six months after Brian died, I’d already had no relationship with his parents. Nothing. I told you what happened at the funeral. They accused me of taking their son from them at the end. I didn’t. They didn’t even call to tell me he died and he was my husband.”

“But no one considered you married,” he said.

“No,” she said. She wasn’t going to argue with him over something she’d admitted.

“Then how did you end up with a life insurance policy?”

“Beats me,” she said. “He must have called his employers and changed it after we were married. It’s not like he was working or could go in to do it. I got a call telling me I’m the beneficiary and they were surprised I hadn’t come in to do the paperwork or make a claim. It was a hundred thousand dollars and I was listed.”

“Jesus,” he said. “That’s a lot of money for a nineteen-year-old.”

“That’s right,” she said. “It was. And you know what? I never once thought I should get it. So even though I had such a horrible ending with Brian’s parents, I went to their house and knocked on the door. I went alone. My parents offered to go with me and I said no, that I could do it. If I called, they wouldn’t answer. I had to do this in person.”

“Do what?” he asked.

“Give it to them. I told them what was going on. That I didn’t think I should get it. I didn’t even know about it. It wasn’t mine. They had all these medical expenses and the funeral. It should go to them.”

“If you gave it to them why are they accusing you of stealing?” he asked, frowning.

“They wouldn’t take it. They told me to keep it and think about everything I took from them in the end. That they hoped I could live with that guilt. What the hell was I supposed to do? I was mailed the check and I couldn’t rip it up. That’d be stupid.”

“So you cashed it and kept it?” he asked.

“I can see you’re condemning me for doing that,” she said. “You don’t even want to listen to the rest of this. Just take me home. I’m done with this conversation.”

“What?” he asked.

“Do it,” she said firmly. “You’re ready to find me guilty too. To judge me like so many other people and this is why I never told anyone. I told you thinking you of all people would and could understand, and yet, you’re not much different than the rest of them.”

She felt the tears trickling down her cheeks.

He started his SUV and drove her back to his place in silence. She got out and went to her car and just drove away.

She couldn’t believe this was happening.

To finally find the man she loved and wanted to be with and he couldn’t even give her the courtesy to listen to what was going on.

He could give his ex five years to make excuses and get her shit together, but wouldn’t give her ten minutes to fully explain a painful event in her life.