“She’s alright then?” I remember when she was taken as a teenager. The press was terrible with her. “I always thought she was incredibly brave and smart. To get out the way she did.” A tear enters Lilith’s eye, and I feel terrible. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said anything. You probably still feel that day.”
“Oh no, don’t apologize. You’re right. I do feel that day over and over. But coming across someone who has never met her yet admires her tenacity, it’s refreshing. The press was not kind to my daughter when she returned home.”
“Well, the press can shove it where the sun don’t shine because they truly have no idea about anything.”
“On that, we can all agree!” A woman who looks a little like Lilith emerges from a large closet with a dress rack. “Hi, I’m Meadow,” she says. Her smile is kind as she offers her hand. “This is Catalina.” She points to a dark-haired woman following behind her. “And these are my offerings from my daughter's closet. Holden said you were similar in size.”
“Thank you.” Everything is so…elegant. Gazing down at my clothes, they’re not necessarily raggedy, but cheap. I’m not sure I belong in any of these gorgeous gowns.
“Oh, I know that look,” Lilith says, making me look up. “Take a seat, Noelle. Let’s talk a minute.” I do as she suggests, on the edge of the bed. She sits next to me. “First, before I build you up, I need to know something.” I nod. “Did you come to Sparrow House because of my relationship with Holden, or was it coincidence?”
Swallowing harshly as the three women stare at me, I know I have to be honest. I just hope they can...will...keep my secret. “Neither really. But also, both.” They share a puzzled look. “My parents were killed in a freak accident when I was nine. I was thrown from the car minutes before impact and an explosion. I should have died that day.” My hands begin to show my agitation. “I often wish I had,” I whisper.
“I was sent to live with my dad’s sister and her husband. They had no kids, no police records, no reason to believe they wouldn’t love me.” I hate thinking back on that time. “I was traumatized, hurt, felt betrayed. I hated the world. Turned out, they didn’t really care about me, only the money that came in from having me around. When that began to decrease, they started talking about having their own child and making me take care of it.”
“That’s terrible.” Catalina reaches out a hand to place on my shoulder in comfort.
“It was. But as time went by, they realized my aunt couldn’t get pregnant.” Their audible gasps indicate that they've figured out what’s coming next.
And I can’t bring myself to say it, either. “For years, I have protected Sawyer. I've stepped in whenever they want to punish or hit him. I’ve taken every single beating. Every lash. The degrading remarks. That’s all on me, and I don’t care.”
Closing my eyes, I take a harrowing breath, needing the strength to continue. “I started working at this café/bookstore combo when I was a teenager, and there was this woman who came in.” I can’t stop the tears this time. “She was radiant. She told me her life had truly just begun. I envied her that, the happiness she felt. Then she noticed the bruises I had attempted to cover with makeup. She handed me a card and said they could help.”
“Sparrow House,” Lilith says, and I smile.
“For years, I’ve wanted to come. I've wanted to get help. I just didn’t know how. Maybe I wasn’t ready. But, honestly, I didn’t think anyone would believe me because I was still just a kid.” Meadow hands me a Kleenex when I pause. “Holden started coming to The Snug a month ago. He showed me kindness in a way I hadn't felt before. When he told me who he was, I started thinking about Sparrow House again. I thought, this has to be a sign. Now we can get out. I had hope.”
“Until we told you that because Sawyer wasn’t in physical danger or hadn't been harmed, the courts likely wouldn’t help.” I hear the guilt in her voice. “We are going to help, Noelle. You and Sawyer will get out, but I need you to say the words for me. You have to say them out loud.”
I gulp, nearly choking as tears stream like a river. I’ve never told anyone. “Sawyer isn’t my cousin, he’s my son.” My chest cracks with the emotion hanging over my head.
Chapter4
Lilith
My son’s jaw nearly hit the floor when he watched Noelle descend the stairs in a beautiful peach-colored dress with a high neck and low back. It was a sight I’ve longed to see. Her bruises were atrocious. Her agony nearly suffocating as she spilled her secrets to us. I felt terrible for forcing her to speak aloud what I suspected she had never told another soul.
I learned that upon the boy's birth, a home birth by a doula that was paid extra to shut her mouth, his birth certificate was forged, showcasing Seth and Karen as the biological parents and not Noelle.
“That poor girl,” Meadow whispers beside me as the couple leaves for dinner. A typical date like any other.
“I can’t believe how long she’s held that in.” Cat shakes her head, likely thinking of her own mother’s secrets.
“She won’t have to anymore. I’m going to fix this.” And come hell or high water, I will.
“Oh shit,” Meadow mutters as I spin on my heel, going back inside and straight to my husband’s office, where Sawyer is lying on the floor with the dogs, watching a show on one of the tablets.
“My queen.” King stands, a smirk on his face until he pays attention to the storm brewing inside me. “What’s wrong?”
“Get Daniel here,” I order. Something I don’t do unless it has to do with my children.
“Talk to me,” he says as he’s texting.
Crouching down to Sawyer, I smile at the handsome boy, and I see it now. His eyes are identical to his mother's; he has her jaw and the little button nose. “Meadow and Catalina will take you to the kitchen for a snack, and then they will show you the game room.” His face lights up as he follows the girls, the dogs following along.
“Lilith!” King barks my name, and normally, I’d melt for him, but I’m too angry.
“I’m going to tell you something that cannot leave this office or reach our son's ears.” He nods, sitting behind his desk. I climb on top of it like I’ve done for over three decades. “Noelle was raped by her uncle.” Murder enters his eyes. Our family is many things, but you don’t mess with women. Ever. “Sawyer is her son, not her cousin. That family has been manipulating that girl since her parents perished, and she wants out. She wants her son out.”