In Memoriam (31 page)
“I’ve always said she was a snake.”
“Mother, I think it was Marie who said it. And now she’s raising Marie’s child. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a little nervous. I was thinking of asking Lisa if she’d consider taking over custody of Miranda.”
Nelda’s eyes glazed over, a look of pure terror replacing the previous derision about Sandra. “Oh my God!”
Pam grabbed her arm. “Mother, what is it!”
“I can’t believe I’m only remembering this now,” she said, lips trembling. “All of Marie’s diaries. I left them with my other belongings when I fell at Sandra’s. She never returned the books to me.”
“What are you talking about? What books?”
“I never wanted to tell you, honey. I read them. Marie’s life. The details of her life with you and Jack. It was horrible. I meant to get rid of them, but then when I fell, I forgot they existed.”
Pam started to pace. “Should I just come out and ask her to give them back? I mean, why didn’t she do so right away?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she never noticed them. Maybe she thought she could use them as leverage, just in case.”
Sandra did have a lot at stake. Even the house she lived in was owned by Pam. And now Brent’s flesh and blood…
“Mother, we have a lot to think about. I hate to say it but I’m calling Dan the snake right now. Now that I can’t trust Jeff, we need to keep this in the family.”
Chapter 29
The following weekend, church bells rang out over Williamsburg as one of New York’s finest married his beautiful bride. Sandra waited on the sidewalk across the street, hoping a disguise of scarf, dark glasses, and a winter coat as protection from the blustery fall day would be enough. Back at the brownstone, the nannies, with Nelda supervising, were taking two bundled-up children out for a stroll to the park while their mother spied.
The attendants lined the granite steps from the wide double doors, officers in dress blues and beautiful girls in form-fitting plum velvet, dresses never to be worn again. Then the groom, gorgeous and familiar, and his bride, tiny and voluptuous, the antithesis of Sandra, who felt like an amazon standing across the street, conspicuous and silly.
Tom and his bride disappeared into a long limousine that quickly pulled away from the curb. The paper said the reception was at a country club in Bayside, must have been one his father and Gwen belonged to. But it was the guest procession that took her breath away. Heart thumping, Sandra couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Among the stragglers at the end, a resplendent Pam Smith in a beaded full-length dress, posing like a statue for paparazzi, and Jason, glorious in black tie. They must have been preparing to go somewhere else, unless the reception was black tie.
Why in the hell was Pam there? And why didn’t she tell me?
Then, the final humiliation—Pam and Jason, synchronized, looked up from the cameras and spotted Sandra. Later, she’d think they knew she was there all the time, but chose that moment to expose her. Pam waved to her, but Jason just looked, stony.
Why?
The cameras followed the wave, but Sandra was too fast, ducking in the local coffee shop, begging to go through to their alley door. “Is she famous?” someone at the counter asked.
When she finally got to the safety of her house, the door was wide open, the interior ransacked.
Chapter 30
It would be a year of the heaviest snowfall on record for the month of February. Another snow day for the shore towns of Long Island, Dan was cuddling in bed with his family when the phone rang. It was the jail. He spoke for a moment and then hung up from the call.
“Are you ready for this?”
Lisa grasped his hand, knowing what was to come. “Is she in labor?”
“Nope, she already delivered. We can pick him up now if we can get there.”
Lisa didn’t realize she was shaking until she tried to speak. “We can’t leave him in a prison nursery. Can you go?”
Dan thought for a second. “I’ll call my brother-in-law. He’s got a big truck with a plow over at the farm. We can just plow our way through.”
“Don’t forget to take the car seat! I’ll get the diaper bag.”
He came to her and embraced her. Lisa had never seen Dan cry, but this was over the top, even for Lisa, who was the kindest woman he’d ever known. She pulled him from her, looking into his eyes. “Are you going to be okay? Maybe you should get Catherine to go with you.”
“That’s a good idea. Lisa, thank you so much. I know what I’m asking of you.”
But she shook her head. “No, you really don’t, but that’s okay. Just be warned, I don’t think we need any more kids for a while.”
Lisa was excited, and she knew it was so perverse that
no one
would understand. But her mother did. Pam knew because Lisa was made of the same stuff she was made of, long-suffering, tough, forgiving. She wasn’t going to miss out on one second of her life because of what other people thought of her decisions. Married to an infidel? Oh well, he was trying to change, and she wasn’t giving up on him because
people
thought she was a fool.
“Come on, kiddos, let’s get ready for baby brother!” She carried Marcus while Megan followed, holding on to Miranda’s hand.
Resigned, Sandra knew it was the best thing for everyone after all. When Pam told her what the plan was, she didn’t even fight it. Miranda
should
be with Lisa’s family. She still had Brent’s flesh and blood. Just let them try to take him away.
Baby Brent was napping. She was snowbound with hours of peace ahead of her. Making tea, she finally had a second to pick up where she’d left off reading Marie’s diaries months ago, before so much had happened. Going to her closet, she opened the box and discovered…they were gone. After the break-in, she was so upset about her jewelry box and photo albums, her keepsakes and memorabilia that she never even gave the diaries a second thought.
The fire pit provided damage control since Jack had died. But on this day, it was more about protecting the dignity of a little girl. The last book to go in the flames had its vinyl cover removed first. Placed in Miranda’s keepsake box, it depicted a childhood icon wearing a pair of mouse ears.
Pam threw the last page into the fire.
I will always love Jack,
the written words of Marie, curled and turned to ash, gone forever.
<<<<>>>>
Also by Suzanne Jenkins
The following are available on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon.com. Click the titles to follow the links to Amazon.
#1
Pam of Babylon
Long Island housewife Pam Smith is called to the hospital after her husband Jack suffers a heart attack on the train from Manhattan. It is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery and sadness, growth and regrets, as she realizes a wife and mother’s worst nightmare.
#2
Don’t You Forget About Me
The family begins to sift through the evidence of a life of deceit, putting together the pieces left behind by Jack.
#3
Dream Lover
A gritty, realistic portrait of the aftermath of deceit, more pieces of the puzzle come together as the women each attempt to go on living in the wake of despair. More characters are introduced, including Ashton.
#4
Prayers for the Dying
Jack Smith’s victims attempt to move forward while grappling with the pain and horror that he left behind. Pam makes startling revelations about herself, while Sandra hopes for a future with exciting expectations. Marie is in a most unlikely place, with the happiest news in the bleakest circumstances. Ashton’s story of a lifetime love affair with Jack is finally told, with his heartache revealed.
#5
Family Dynamics
Heartbreak and devastation move toward triumph in the fifth and final installation of the
Pam of Babylon
series. Pam is at last able to overcome the pain of Jack’s rejection, and her own role in perpetuating his deviance, when she meets Dan and falls in love. Her children move on with their lives in ways Pam would have never believed. Sandra fulfills her dreams with Tom, and a gift from Marie helps to complete their life together. Ashton and Ted build a beautiful life, and new discoveries make it richer than they thought possible, but with a twist. But don’t be deceived; what you hope for is not what you may get.
#6
The Tao of Pam
A beautiful life at the beach is marred by secrets and lies as the legacy of Jack Smith's debauchery continues to haunt his widow, Pam.
The Tao of Pam
finds Pam at a crossroad which will take her to the next phase of her life, offering her choices she didn't want to make. Her children, Brent and Lisa move on, dealing with their own life choices, as one by one, they all come down off their pedestals.
The Tao of Pam
prepares fans of the Pam of Babylon series for Book Seven –
In Memoriam
.
~ ~ ~
The Greeks of Beaubien Street
is the first book in
The Greektown Trilogy.
Although it may be read as a stand-alone novel, character development is on the continuum of all the books in the series.
Nestled below the skyline of Detroit you’ll find Greektown, a few short blocks of colorful bliss, warm people and Greek food. In spite of growing up immersed in the safety of her family and their rich culture, Jill Zannos doesn’t fit in. A Detroit homicide detective, she manages to keep one foot planted firmly in the traditions started by her grandparents, while the other navigates the most devastated neighborhoods in the city she can’t help but love. She is a no-nonsense workaholic with no girlfriends, an odd boyfriend who refuses to grow up, and an uncanny intuition, inherited from her mystic grandmother that acts as her secret weapon to crime-solving success. Her story winds around tales of her family and their secret-laden history, while she investigates the most despicable murder of her career.
The Greeks of Beaubien Street
is a modern tale of a family grounded in old world, sometimes archaic, tradition as they seek acceptance in American society. They could be any nationality, but they are Greek.
Thirty years ago, Terry Smith was Detroit's top news anchor. She set the standard for excellence in investigative journalism, staying at the news desk long after her time should have been over. Just as Terry's son-in-law is murdered in the city, Detective Jill Zannos faces upheaval in her own life. A new man, family intrigue and the dregs of the last case she investigated becomes the lowest priority as she and her partner Albert untangle the mess of Terry Smith and her family.
As Christmastime approaches, the family prepares for another get-together in Greektown. Relationships blossom and some end during the hardest time of the year. But as Jill and others discover, when one door closes, another opens, often with more wonderful opportunities.
~ ~ ~
We meet Alice Bradshaw when she is at a crossroad. She’s just beaten cancer and is suddenly unsure of what her next move should be. Looking back on where she’s been and what the future may hold, she knows she needs to make a big change in her life. Then her car dies on the highway after an argument with her daughter. Dave, a stranger on a motorcycle, pulls alongside her and saves the day. He offers Alice a chance at adventure. She jumps on it, much to the dismay of her children. The adventure starts a chain of events that will have Alice and her children, as well as Dave, questioning every aspect of their lives. There will be a few casualties along the way, a lot of anger, life changes and a few shocking surprises.
Alice’s Summertime Adventure
is the story of an average American family as they struggle with dilemmas we all have, and making choices that aren’t for everyone.
In the French Quarter of New Orleans, the birth of a baby to a mentally ill woman marks the beginning of life for The Savant of Chelsea. An abusive childhood segues to the operating rooms of the largest medical center in New York as a gifted but unbalanced brain surgeon waits for just the right time to redeem her past. In the end, she takes matters into her own hands. The reader will decide what happens after the climax.
Contains explicit sexual themes.
Atlas of Women A Collection of Short Stories
Women are the heart of the home. (Unless it’s a home with a man as the heart!) This volume is about women. The stories are a melding of truth from my own experiences and fiction created from both observation and fantasy.
Mademoiselle
, a novella, started out as young adult genre. But as I wrote, Philipa grew up into a young woman who found her way after a short detour, choosing the more difficult path.
The Golden Boy
ended up exactly as I imagined it would. A family deals with a loved one’s mental illness with love and support, but when there is no longer any hope for normalcy, prayer and grace allow them to step aside.
Tribute to a Dead Friend
is my tribute to every woman who’s lost a close friend but continues to be inspired and comforted by her spirit.
A Night Encounter
, currently published on Amazon, is a short story about regrets and self-forgiveness. A daughter's disrespect borne of sibling rivalry comes back to haunt her in a most unusual and gentle way. As in every work, there are elements of truth in the story, but it is pure fiction. I spent time in my garden last summer, convinced my late mother was there with me. It was a very therapeutic and comforting experience.