Relentless Pursuit: A Novel (Secrets of Roux River Bayou) (25 page)

Lord, I don’t want to have this conversation.

Chapter 27

It was all Zoe could do not to get up and assist Adele as she took those last tedious steps across Cypress Park to the bench where Zoe sat. But why act as if she welcomed Adele’s involvement in something so shameful and embarrassing? Still, this precious woman loved her with a maternal love that Raleigh Ruth Sieger never had.

Adele arrived at the park bench and paused a few moments, trying to catch her breath.

Zoe had no idea what to say to her, so she said nothing.

Finally, Adele sat next to her on the bench. “This is awkward for both of us. Pierce told me the details of your confrontation earlier. So you’re aware your brother came to me, not the other way around.”

“You could have turned him away,” Zoe said.

“Not without lying. He asked me point-blank.”

“Adele, you could have found a way to dismiss him without lying, if you’d wanted to. I haven’t worked for you in fifteen years. I left no forwarding address. That’s the truth, and it would have been enough.”

“I suppose it would have.” Adele took a hanky out of her pocket and dabbed the perspiration from her face. “But an important opportunity would have been lost. I didn’t feel I had the right to make that choice for you.”

Zoe sighed, her hand gripping the left arm of the wrought-iron bench.

“Do you want me to refer to your brother as Michael or Sax?” Adele said.

“I don’t know. They seem like two entirely different people.”

“Is it so hard to believe Michael could’ve changed that much after all this time? You did.”

“This is not about
me
.”

Adele raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

“No, it’s about Shelby Sieger, who no longer exists. I don’t want to resurrect her or anything from the past.”

“You changed your name, Zoe. You very effectively ended the paper trail. You didn’t change your DNA or your history. That reality must be dealt with.”

“I did deal with it. I forgave my parents and put the past behind me. I’ve moved on.”

“Michael’s a significant part of your past. And he’s anything but behind you.”

“That’s his problem.” Zoe linked her fingers together. “I shouldn’t have to make it mine. I haven’t seen him in almost three decades. What’s the point in stirring up all those bad memories?”

“He’s been looking for you for a long time. He has a lot to tell you.”

“Maybe I don’t want to hear it.”

Adele gently rubbed Zoe’s shoulder. “From what he told me, hon, I think you do. He didn’t come here to hurt you. He came here because he knows he already has. He’s trying to reconcile the past. I think you both want the same thing.”

Zoe listened as Adele told her every detail of her first conversation with the man legally known as Sax Michael Henry.

“Believe me, I didn’t make it easy for him.” Adele took her hand. “He owned up to his responsibility for leaving you in that dreadful environment. He’s deeply sorry. I think it would help you to hear him out.”

“Am I supposed to jump because he’s
finally
accepted responsibility? It doesn’t change anything.”

“Zoe, when a broken person comes to a Christian, seeking forgiveness, it most certainly does change things.”

Zoe pulled her hand away from Adele. “I am
not
forgiving him just because his guilty conscience got to him! Why should I let him off that easily? He doesn’t deserve it.”

“No. Perhaps not.” Adele looked out at the pond, fingering the gold cross around her neck that was identical to the one around Zoe’s. “Do any of us?”

Zoe’s eyes stung with tears as she remembered all too well Adele’s act of grace that had changed the course of her life—and Pierce’s. Why was it so difficult to find that same absolution for her brother?

“Adele, I can’t. I’m sorry. Tell him to go home. I don’t want to see him.”

“God is with you, child. There’s nothing to fear.”

“Maybe someday. Not now.”

Adele was quiet for half a minute, then she stood, both hands resting on her cane. “I know you, Zoe—to the depths of your heart and soul. I want you to sleep on this. Do it for me. All I ask is that you don’t make a hasty decision that you’ll regret. Get alone with God and think seriously about this and pray. If you still feel the same tomorrow at this time, I’ll tell your brother you don’t want to see him.”

“I’m not changing my mind.”

“Twenty-four hours,” Adele said. “And I suggest you get down on your knees and try to remember what it feels like to be broken.”

Emily and Reba pulled all the clothes out of the Durands’ closet, put them in boxes, and stacked the boxes in the back of Reba’s minivan.

Emily followed Reba back into the house, and Reba dropped into a chair at the kitchen table.

“That’s about all the energy I have for today,” Reba said. “I think I’ll sit here a minute and cool off, then run these clothes to the thrift shop before it closes.”

“Why don’t you let me help you with that?” Emily said.

Reba waved her hand. “The folks at the loading dock will unload the boxes. Why don’t you stay here and keep Chance company? You can tell him how much headway we made today. Mercy, we got a lot accomplished.”

“We did, didn’t we?” Emily opened the fridge, and a few of the leftover containers nearly fell out. “Would you like something cold to drink before you leave?”

“Thank you, dear. A green tea sounds wonderful.”

Emily took a can of Coke for herself and handed Reba a green tea, then sat at the table, facing her. “What’s your plan for tomorrow?”

“I’d like to help you finish cleaning out the garage in the morning,” Reba said. “With two of us, we ought to be done in a few hours. After that, we can come inside and start on Lydia and Huet’s dresser drawers. Once that’s done, I think I’ll drive back to Shreveport. The attorney will guide Chance through everything else. Probate should be easy since he’s the only heir. I assume you’ll be there to support him through that process. That’s probably all he’ll need.”

“You know I will,” Emily said. “It’s sweet of you to give so generously of yourself, especially when Chance doesn’t seem to appreciate your presence here.”

“I’m doing what needs to be done—not so much for Chance as for Lydia. She would want me to look out for him, no matter how much he protests. She loved that boy, and always believed in him.…” Reba coughed as if to cover her emotion. “I do miss my sister so very much.”

Emily put her hand on Reba’s. “I know you do. All the more reason why I admire you for choosing to stay and work at a time when you’re hurting too.”

Reba’s cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t expect you to say that. I thought you were tolerating me because you had to.”

“Not at all. I admit we got off on the wrong foot. But you’ve been invaluable. I’m sure Chance sees that, even if he doesn’t feel like talking right now.”

“It’s easy to see he’s devastated,” Reba said. “I just hope he’s able to pull himself together before he starts classes again in August.”

“I hope so too. Maybe with enough time by himself, he’ll be able to sort out his feelings.”

“Emily”—Reba looked into her eyes—“it’s bothered me all day that I let it slip about Huet’s indiscretion. Please assure me I can count on you to help me honor Lydia’s memory by not telling anyone, especially Chance.”

“I won’t say anything. I promise.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” Reba stood and picked up the bottle of green tea. “I should get down to the thrift shop before it closes. There’s still plenty of food in the fridge for dinner.”

“We’ll be fine.”

Emily walked her to the kitchen door. “Until Chance wakes up, I think I’ll work on his dad’s dresser. I’ll leave your sister’s for you to sort through. There might be something personal you’d like to keep.”

“Sounds good.”

In the next second, Reba’s arms went around Emily.

“I’m glad you’re here, young lady—and I didn’t think I would be. I guess we each prejudged the other.”

Emily smiled. “We make a pretty good team. I’m thinking of coming back in the morning around seven. I’d like to get started before it gets too hot.”

“I’ll come with my sleeves rolled up.” Reba winked. “Bye, now.”

Emily took socks and handkerchiefs out of the smaller drawers in the dresser that belonged to Chance’s dad and put them in boxes, stealing a glance every now and then at the huge family oil painting that hung on the wall above the bed. Chance was blond as a little boy, but his smile was unmistakable. So cute, dressed in pale blue shorts and a matching shirt with a sailor collar. The adoring look on his mother’s face said it all. His father’s expression, though pleasant enough, looked shifty. Was he cheating back then, too? Were there other affairs?

Her mind flashed back to that dark time in her own childhood when she realized her father had had an affair. She would gladly have gone the rest of her life without knowing that about him. She applauded Chance’s mother for wanting to keep her husband’s affair from their son. Emily certainly wasn’t going to tell him.

She opened the bottom drawer and removed some beautiful cotton sweaters that had probably gotten little wear in this warm climate. No point in keeping them. Huet was at least two sizes larger than Chance. She pulled out the last sweater, which still had a price tag on it, and spotted an envelope on the bottom of the drawer.

She picked it up and noticed it wasn’t sealed. She peeked inside and saw only photographs. Probably something Chance would want to take a look at. She pulled out the photos and started looking through them. All the pictures were of one woman—fiftyish—shapely and attractive. Emily didn’t remember seeing this person at the funeral home. Was it someone they failed to inform of his parents’ death?

Emily looked through the entire stack of pictures. The last photo was a close-up of this same woman with Huet Durand. They were cheek to cheek, and it was obvious that he was holding the camera. Was this the woman he’d had the affair with? She turned over the photo and saw a name written in pencil.
Joanna Arceneau
. Where had she heard that name recently?

Emily studied the woman’s face. She looked familiar, though Emily couldn’t place her. Perhaps she was a customer at Zoe B’s. That had to be it. Emily had likely seen her name on a credit card.

Emily put the pictures back in the envelope and set it aside. She closed the empty drawer and opened the one above it. She began removing golf shirts and shorts and putting them in the box.

“Where’s Aunt Reba?”

Emily turned and saw Chance standing in the doorway, looking disheveled.

“She left,” Emily said. “She took the clothes from the closet and some boxes from the garage down to the Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop.”

“Is she coming back?”

“Not today.” Emily stood. “I’m emptying your dad’s dresser now. I thought Reba should do your mom’s. Are you hungry?”

“Not really. But it would be nice to come out of my room. When’s Aunt Reba going back to Shreveport?”

Emily shrugged. “Maybe tomorrow afternoon. We’re going to finish cleaning out the shelves in the garage in the morning and then empty your mom’s dresser. I doubt it will take long. After that, we’re pretty much done with everything we can do. Your attorney will take it from here.”

“What’s in the envelope?”

“Photos of a woman. I thought she might be a relative.”

Emily handed the envelope to him and studied his expression as he quickly sifted through the pictures. He didn’t flinch and either missed or pretended not to see the picture of his dad and the woman on the bottom of the stack.

“I have no idea who this woman is. I might as well trash these.”

“Okay,” Emily said, folding down the flaps on the box with the sweaters, pretending not to notice that his tone belied his words.

Chance must have known about the affair. She wasn’t going to add to his shame and pain by telling him that she had seen the picture of his father with the woman or that Reba had blurted out the ugly truth. Some secrets were not meant to be shared.

Chapter 28

Sax went for an evening stroll on the grounds at Langley Manor, feeling a little sad that he hadn’t seen any of the Broussards when he was at Zoe B’s for dinner. He hadn’t realized how much he enjoyed what little of their time and attention they had shared. Not only had it helped pass the time, but it helped him not feel so lonely while he waited for Shelby’s husband to talk her into meeting with him.

“Hi, Mr. Henry!”

Carter Langley waved from about thirty yards away and ran toward him, Angel barking and romping playfully.

Carter came to an abrupt stop and immediately started talking. “Would you like to throw the Frisbee for Angel? She’s really,
really
good at this. I’m not just saying that because she’s mine.”

Sax nodded. “Sure. Let’s see what she’s got.”

“Angel, sit,” Carter said. “On your mark … get set …
go
!”

The yellow lab ran full throttle across the grounds. Sax took the Frisbee and gave it a good spin in her direction. Angel lunged and caught it in midair, then brought it back and laid it at his feet.

“Good girl.” Carter bent down and rubbed her neck. “See? Isn’t she awesome?”

“She sure is. Did you train her?”

“All by myself.” Carter looked up at him, a mop of strawberry-blond hair covering the boy’s eyebrows, a grin stretching his cheeks as Angel licked his face. “She was a rescue dog. We don’t know if she got lost or if someone just couldn’t take care of her. But she’s part of our family now. I’m never ever letting her go.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“Do
you
have a pet?”

Sax shook his head. “They don’t allow pets where I live.”

“Too bad,” Carter said. “Do you like to swim?”

“Sometimes.”

“Well, I’m going to be in the pool later.” Carter stood, his bright blue eyes looking remarkably like his mother’s. “If you feel like it, I could play volleyball with you.”

“I might take you up on that. I don’t have swimming trunks with me. Would cutoffs be okay?”

“Oh, sure.”

A loud whistle came from the direction of the manor house.

“That’s my dad,” Carter said. “I’m supposed to do my chores. Maybe I’ll see you in the pool, Mr. Henry.”

“Call me Sax.”

“My parents might not like that.”

“I’ll tell them it’s okay, that I like it better.”

Carter cocked his head and flashed a lopsided grin. “Good-bye, Sax.” He laughed. “I think I’ll have to practice. It’s weird calling a grown-up by their first name.”

“You’d better answer your dad’s whistle. I’ll come to the pool around eight.”

“Okay, bye.” Carter ran off toward the manor house, Angel alongside.

Sax’s cell phone rang. He looked at the screen and saw that it was Adele Woodmore. Was this it—the moment he had been waiting for? He took a slow, deep breath and put the phone to his ear.

“Hello, Mrs. Woodmore.”

“Hello, Sax. I wanted to keep you apprised. I have contacted Shelby and talked with her personally. At the moment, she refuses to see you. But as a favor to me, I’ve asked her to take twenty-four hours to think and to pray. Her husband also approached her. I can’t say it went any better. But I know what Shelby’s made of. She’ll make the right choice.”

“And you believe the right choice is for her to contact me?”

“Truthfully, I’m unsure about the timing. But when the time
is
right, I do believe her contacting you is the right choice.”

Sax’s heart sank. Could he endure weeks, months, maybe even years of waiting for Shelby to act? “Sounds like you have real doubts that it’s going to happen anytime soon.”

Adele sighed. “I wish I could tell you something definite, hon. But the truth is I just don’t know. I’m not sure you realize the full extent of that girl’s suffering and how hard she worked to forgive your parents and put the whole nightmare behind her. Asking her to open that door again, especially when you’ve been out of the picture for almost three decades, is asking a lot.”

“I just want to tell her how sorry I am. That’s all. She deserves to hear it from me.”

“I agree with you. That’s why I chose to get involved. But Shelby has to want this for it to have the desired effect. Otherwise, you’re going to be sorely disappointed and end up with a worse situation.”

“I doubt that’s possible,” Sax said.

“It certainly is for Shelby. And she’s the one I’m most concerned with at the moment.”

“I’m not asking her to talk about the details of what she suffered,” Sax said. “I just want to apologize for leaving her there and explain some things.”

“I hope you’re not thinking about offering excuses, young man, because she—”

“I’m not. I made a choice, and I’m responsible for it. But Shelby also deserves to know that I did go back several times and tried to convince Mom to take Shelby and go to a shelter, and she never would. I think if I hadn’t been in denial about the extent of Shelby’s abuse, I would have taken her myself and let the shelter deal with getting her into foster care. But I believed my dad would kill my mother if I did. It was a terrible choice for a teenager to make.”

“Yes, it was.” Adele’s tone was tender. “I’m very sorry the two of you had such dreadful experiences.”

“You told me that Shelby was happy and had found peace. If that’s true, how hard can it be for her to share with me how she got there? Because I really need to know. I’m hanging by a thread here.…” His voice cracked. “Look, you didn’t ask for this. I don’t want to create a problem for Shelby. But she’s all I’ve got left. I’ve pretty much staked my future on this reunion.”

“It’ll never be enough, Sax. You’re just asking to be disappointed.”

“How can you say that?”

Adele sighed into the receiver. “Because even if Shelby welcomes you with open arms, it can’t give you the peace you’re looking for.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Actually, I do. You’ll never find true peace while you’re at odds with the Prince of Peace.”

Sax paused for a moment, his mind racing in reverse.

“I hope I didn’t offend you,” Adele said. “I tend to get right to the point.”

“I was just trying to remember where I’d heard that before. It was in a conversation I had with Zoe. She said the same thing.”

“Maybe God wants you to listen.”

“Please don’t take this personally, Mrs. Woodmore, but I really don’t care what He wants. He’s never been there for me. I’ve never understood why. But I’ve ceased to care. I’m not giving Him my heart, my life, or my attention. About the only thing I
am
willing to give Him is a piece of my mind.”

“And you keep falling deeper and deeper into self-pity,” Adele said. “I’ve been there, Sax. You will never find peace without Jesus. You wonder how Shelby did it. That’s how.”

“Shelby’s a Christian?”

“She doesn’t wear it on her sleeve. But yes. She’s given her heart to Christ, and those terrible memories have become a distant shadow. I think she’s afraid that seeing you will bring them back. I have faith it won’t. But only God knows the perfect timing for the two of you to connect.”

Sax moved the phone to his other ear. “Okay, let me make sure we’re clear on something. Y’all can involve God all you want. Just leave me out of it.”

“I respect that. But there’s something you need to understand. If you’re expecting Shelby to give you a how-to lesson on finding peace, she’s going to tell you it begins and ends with God.”

Sax looked up as three ibis flew overhead, pure white in the evening sun. “If that works for her, I’m glad. Just don’t try to push it on me.”

There was a long moment of dead air.

Finally Adele said, “I know you feel as if the Lord has turned a deaf ear to your suffering. That’s a difficult place to be. I’ve been there myself. But things may not be what they seem.”

“Meaning what?” Sax sat on a wrought-iron bench near the flower garden.

“Have you ever considered that it might not be God who’s turned a deaf ear? That He’s tried to speak to you and you’ve turned Him off?”

“Speak to me how? I’ve never heard anything.”

“He speaks mostly through the Scriptures. But He also speaks through music, books, people. A still, small voice. A strong nudge.”

“Not to me, He doesn’t.”

“You’re here, aren’t you? Perhaps it was God prompting you to pursue Shelby.”

“It took me three years,” Sax said. “It wasn’t easy. Trust me, I didn’t get any divine intervention.”

“Are you so sure? God works in mysterious ways, Sax. And He’s in relentless pursuit of souls who need His love and grace.”

“Well,
I’m
not one of them.” Sax lowered his voice. “Look, I truly appreciate your trying to help, but we’re never going to see eye to eye on religion. Let’s just wait and see what Shelby decides and go from there.”

Zoe stood on the gallery above Zoe B’s and watched the nightlife on
rue Madeline—
neon lights flashing, people going in all directions, horses pulling carriages, street entertainers, folks waving from neighboring galleries. How she loved this unique little corner of America, a place where families and friends came to make memories and celebrate the Cajun culture. It was here she had found her heart’s desire. Here she had nearly lost it all, but for Adele’s willingness to forgive Shelby Sieger for stealing her valuable ring and selling it to get money to start Zoe B’s under a whole new identity. If it hadn’t been for Adele’s example of grace, Zoe’s marriage to Pierce might not have survived. And she might never have known what it was to give herself—heart and soul—to the God who wanted a relationship with her. Who had already paid the price for her trail of deceit.

Adele told her to remember how it felt to be broken. But Zoe had never forgotten the violent past that had taken away her voice and her hope. Or the dishonesty that began when she stole Adele’s ring and continued until she got caught in a web of her own lies. In God’s plan, none of it was wasted. Not a single tear. Not one gut-wrenching moment. He had known from the beginning of time that, when she finally came to the end of herself, He would be there with open arms to cleanse the memory of her father’s despicable acts and give her a new identity in Christ. That He would wipe the tears from her eyes and the sin from her own heart.

Zoe sighed. God had forgiven her for being a thief and a liar. So had Adele and Pierce. Was her brother’s sin any worse than hers?

Lord, I know I need to forgive Michael. Help me. Make me willing.

She heard the door slide open and close again.

“Would you rather be alone?” Pierce said.

“Not really. I’ve been standing out here since the sun went down, and I’m no closer to knowing what to do.”

He came up behind her and put his arms around her, his cheek next to hers. “Adele told you to take twenty-four hours before making your decision.”

“I’m not sure it will matter. I know I need to forgive Michael. I’m not ready.”

“Maybe it would help to hear what he has to say. It couldn’t have been easy for him to come here, looking for you. Adele thinks he’s sincere about wanting to make amends.”

“Good for him,” Zoe said. “But I’m not prepared for his showing up out of the blue. I had accepted that he abandoned me and haven’t thought about it in a long time. I don’t want to talk about the past and dig up all that pain.”

“Maybe what still hurts is just the unfinished business you have with Michael.”

“I’m really scared to deal with it, Pierce. It’s terrifying, feeling this vulnerable again. But I’m also scared that, if I don’t meet with Michael, he might disappear again, and someday I’ll be sorry I passed up the opportunity.”

Pierce kissed her cheek. “That’s an awful lot of scared. Would it make any difference if I went with you?”

Zoe reached up and touched his cheek. “Thanks. But whatever I decide, I have to stand on my own two feet as the adult I am now, not as the frightened, helpless victim he left behind. I’m Zoe Broussard, not Shelby Sieger.”

“And he’s Sax Henry—not Michael Sieger. You were both terrified teenagers the last time you saw each other.”

Zoe shuddered. “Well, one of us had a lot more to be terrified of than the other.”