Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Crystal Starr

Anya Harris called out, "Crystal. Stop fussing and come sit beside me."

I wouldn't call it fussing. I was preparing her medication for the coming week. The doctor once again, had made a change as Anya's health was declining. But as her personal nurse and caregiver, it was my responsibility to make sure all her needs were taken care of. That included dropping everything and sitting to keep her company.

Closing the pill container, I walked over and sat down in the chair beside her bed. I felt horrible for her. In the past three years that I'd worked for her, no one except her doctor and lawyer had come to visit. Even on those occasions, it was always business. I'd asked her several times if there was anyone that she wanted me to call for her, and she always said no.

After a while, I quit asking, and we fell into a routine of my reading to her. She loved books but didn't want to listen to an audiobook. She said she couldn't connect with the characters that way. It was a simple request that I found myself looking forward to as well.

"Which book did you want to read tonight?" I asked.

"None. I wanted to talk instead," she said, weakly.

Anya had had a rough couple of days, but she was strong, a fighter. I had faith she would snap back as she had in the past and regain some of her strength.

"Was there something special you want to talk about, or do you want me to tell you what my nephews have done to my poor sister this time?" I smiled.

"Maybe later. My attorney will be coming shortly for me to sign some documents. He is going to have two people with him to act as witnesses. I thought you should know," she said.

"Okay. Would you like me to escort them here or would you like me to help you to the living room?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'm too tired to bother with all that. Here is fine. It won't take long. He's prepared everything in advance. This is just a formality."

"Would you like me to act as a witness as well?" I had done that on several occasions for her. Anya had changed her power of attorney as well as her will several times. I was glad I wasn't the person in charge of keeping track of all of that legal stuff. Her health was plenty for me.

"Not this time."

I heard the doorbell. "I will show them to your room and let you have your privacy."

"No. I want you to stay with us. There are things that you should know. Things that I should've told you a long time ago."

That was odd. Anya did not share much of anything about her life. Heck, I had no information about her past. By her lifestyle, whatever she did, she was successful at it. I gave her a nod and rushed to let the lawyer in.

When I opened the door, Mr. Cain was standing there, his briefcase in hand. "Good evening, Crystal. Ms. Harris is expecting us."

"Yes. She asked that you all join her in her room." I held the door wide open as the three of them entered. Mr. Cain knew his way and escorted the two witnesses. I followed behind.

"Hello Anya. I have the forms you requested. Did you want to review them before signing?" he asked as he pulled them out of his briefcase.

"No. I am aware of what they say. Just tell me where to sign," Anya stated.

He pulled out a pen, flipped the pages, and pointed. "Here." She signed, and he flipped again. "Here as well." They continued to do so several times before he turned to the witnesses and instructed them to sign too.

Mr. Cain slipped the documents into his briefcase and said, "I will make sure the courts have them on file first thing in the morning."

"Thank you. Please sit. I want to talk to you," Anya said. "Just you and Crystal."

The witness nodded and I said, "Let me show you where you can wait."

"No need. We took our own vehicle. We will leave." He responded in a dry cold tone. It was clear he didn't want to be in the room any longer than needed.

I showed them to the door and then rushed back to the bedroom to rejoin them. Mr. Cain was seated beside the bed and Anya was crying. I hadn't been gone that long, so I had no idea what he had said that had caused such a reaction. She normally was so...reserved.

Grabbing a tissue from the box, I handed it to Anya. "Are you okay?" I asked her, while glaring at Mr. Cain.

"I'm fine. It's...it's just such a painful thing for me to talk about. No one knows except for Mr. Cain," she said.

"If it's that painful, then maybe you shouldn't talk about it," I suggested. I hated seeing her so upset. And it wasn't good for her health either. I could hear her begin labored breaths. I turned on the oxygen tank and put the mask over her nose and mouth. "Now, take a few deep breaths."

She did as I said, and slowly her breathing came back to normal.

When I removed the mask Anya instructed me to sit as well. I did and she said, "I need you to do something for me. Something very important. I can't trust anyone else to do this except for you."

"Anya, I'm here for you. Always. You know that." She wasn't just a job to me any longer. I had been her 24/7 caregiver for three years. The only time I took off was on Sunday afternoons, when the doctor sent one of his nurses to sit with her so I could at least attend dinner with my family. This kind of time together had created a different kind of bond between us. One built on trust. This was the first time she had voiced those words.

"Good. I need you to go to Tabiq," she said.

"Where?" I had never heard of that place. Then again, I wasn't all that well-traveled. Unless it had a great beach, it wasn't my vacation spot.

"Tabiq. It is a country that most people have never heard of. I need you to bring this to my son Mayson." She handed me an envelope.

Son? I never knew you had one.

" Wouldn't it be easier to mail it?" I asked.

"No. I need you to give this to him when he's ready to receive it," she said.

What the hell does that mean?

" I'm confused." Very confused. " You mean I am not just going there and handing it to him?"

" I haven't spoken to him in many years. Not since he was a young boy. If you hand it to him, he may never read it. I need you to go and get him to understand that I need him to read this letter," she explained.

"Why would he listen to me? He doesn't know me. Shouldn't you send maybe..." I turned to Mr. Cain and said, "your lawyer?"

She shook her head. "No. He will not accept anything Mr. Cain has to say. He will insist on his older brother Orion being there."

"You have two sons?" I said, surprised.

"Yes. Orion and Mayson. But Orion is...stubborn."

Like his mother?

"If you haven't seen him in years, maybe he's changed," I said. I knew that I wasn't the same person I was when I was a kid. Thank goodness for that because I was a spoiled brat. My father gave me everything I wanted. He called me his little princess. My mother had other names for me.

"He has. He's...a wonderful man. He's about to get married to a beautiful woman named Raya. He's happy and his life is full."

"That's a good thing, right?" I asked. Sounded so to me.

"It is, but he is also full of resentment towards me. Rightfully so. If he learns what I am doing, contacting Mayson, he will put a stop to it. Then I will lose both of my boys forever," she sobbed. "There is so much I need to say to them. Explain why I left. You are the only one who can get him to listen."

She was giving me a lot of credit. I could barely convince stubborn patients to take their prescribed medications, and I was their nurse . How was I supposed to talk someone, who didn't know me at all, into trusting me and reading whatever she had in that envelope?

"I'm not the person for that task. You should ask someone else," I stated.

"Crystal, you know I have no one. And I'm getting sicker. I want to make amends for what I have done. It is my dying wish. Please do this for me," she pleaded.

I wanted to tell her that she wasn't dying but her prognosis wasn't good. The doctor made it clear that Anya had given up hope and without that, her will to live had dwindled as well. Maybe this is what she needed to rekindle her spark for life. Hope. Family. Two powerful things that medicine couldn't provide.

Damn it. I'm really going to do this, aren't I?

It wasn't for any other reason than to give Anya a reason to fight for life and not to give up.

"I'll do this but only on one condition," I said.

"What is that?" she asked.

"You tell me everything. About why you left. And if you do, then I promise I'll go and deliver your letter."

"And make sure that Mayson reads it?" she questioned.

"Yes," I agreed.

She looked at Mr. Cain and he nodded. Then she looked back at me and said, "I will tell you, but it is something that you cannot ever share with anyone else."

"Okay. It stays in this room," I promised.

We spent the next two hours talking, only taking a break for Anya to regain her composure. What she had to tell me was unimaginable. It was something one would imagine happened only in horror movies or fiction novels. If I thought for a moment that she was lying, I would've stopped the conversation immediately. But I could see the pain and turmoil in her eyes. What she shared was horrendous. My heart broke for her.

I reached out for the envelope and with my other hand, I grabbed hold of hers. "I'm so sorry that you went through all of that. I understand now why this letter is so important to you. I promise I'll find a way to get Mayson to read it."

And if I have my way, I'll convince him to come back to the United States with me so you can tell him you love him in person.