Chapter 17: Discovery

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7pm

“Jesse, I have something to tell you,” Eve said as they finished up putting away the dishes from the evening meal. “I believe I’ve found your sister, Roberta.”

Jesse looked at her in surprise. “You have! Is she still alive? Where is she?” he asked, rattling off the questions before Eve could answer.

“She’s in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her name is Roberta Turner and she is married to a man named Kevin Sullivan. Apparently she kept her married name from her deceased husband, the doctor. I think we should talk before we make any attempt to contact her.”

“Okay,” he said, absently. The shock of finding someone from his previous life was more than he could absorb immediately.

“Why don’t we discuss this when Mica has gone to bed? We won’t be interrupted then.”

“Okay,” he said again, still trying to grasp that his sister was alive in living in the United States. But when he spent a few moments thinking about the situation, he realized why Eve was exhibiting cautiousness. How would he approach Roberta after all these years? Would she even recognize him? And more importantly, would she believe that it was really him, and not some impostor. He had no idea how to go about reintroducing himself to her.

“I want to see her,” Jesse said as they two sat on the sofa later than evening.

“I understand, but we have to think about how to do this. I’m convinced she will recognize you, but I don’t know how she will react. I think she might believe you are just a look-alike ... or perhaps a distant relative that she was unaware of. It’s going to take some planning to keep this from becoming a bad situation.”

Jesse nodded, thinking that it will be difficult to make his sister understand what had happened to him.

“I’m hoping she has some pictures and things from my old life, especially my parents and grandparents. I really need something to hang on to from my past ... and maybe for my sanity,” he said, not looking at Eve.

“I’m sure she would have that at least,” she reassured him. “I’m wondering how we should go about this. I will need to be there with you to verify who you are.”

“Yeah ... yeah ... that’s right. You will be important in convincing her. What about her husband?” he wondered.

“I don’t know. I’d rather he was not involved, but I’m not sure how to separate them. I need my investigator to do a little more digging into them. I’ve asked him to find out their usual habits away from their home. They live in a gated community for people 55 and older, so he may be able to find out more from the people who run the place. I’ll leave it up to him to decide how to do it.”

“I’m glad he’s found her,” Jesse said with a smile. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to make a connection with my family again. I want to talk to her about what happened when I got sick. What happened to our parents? What kind of life did they have after I died? So many questions I want to ask her.”

Eve smiled. “I’m sure there are. But first, we have to find a way to meet her on her own. Once we know how to do that, we can plan to go there. Okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah ... sure.”

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 8pm

“I had my investigator call me at the office today,” Eve said. “He sent me a report on your sister’s activities over the past ten days and it looks like there is a pattern we can take advantage of. Apparently, she and her husband play golf each Sunday afternoon at their club, but Kevin plays with a men’s group each Thursday mid-morning until about three in the afternoon. That would be the ideal time to approach her.”

“Good. Let’s go, then,” Jesse said enthusiastically.

“Slow down, Jesse. I’ve got to make arrangements for some time off, and for Mica to have someone to care for him. He will be off school the month of April, so I’d like to get this all done before then. That only leaves us three weeks. I’m sure I can get flights and a hotel reservation, and I’ll soon know about the other things.”

Jesse was frustrated that it would take time before they could leave for Arizona, but understood it wasn’t just as simple as packing up and taking off. He didn’t like the delay, but he’d waited this long, so he steeled himself to wait just a little longer.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 4pm Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

“There’s our luggage,” Jesse said excitedly. He’d been in an anxious state all day since they left Vancouver. He kept willing the 737 forward faster, excited about meeting his sister the next day.

The two had packed lightly, knowing they were scheduled back Friday afternoon. Mica was staying at the Birani’s apartment, thanks to their generosity. Eve had taken a four day chunk of her holiday time for this trip and had booked them into a two-bedroom suites inn near the airport. They would use taxi services to get them from the hotel to the Desert Star Garden community. Everything was arranged except the meeting with Roberta Turner. That would be set up by Eve with a deceptive story.

“Mrs. Turner, my name is Doctor Eve Mikeska, and I’m doing to research on your family. I’m told you were originally Roberta Peterson of West Vancouver, B.C. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” the woman said in a clear voice. She sounded younger than her seventy-five years, Eve thought.

“I wonder if I might meet with you briefly to discuss this project. I promise it won’t take a lot of your time and then I’ll be on my way. Would tomorrow be suitable?”

“Well, I don’t know. What do you want to know?” she asked, sounding wary.

“I’m looking into a lost relative of mine who you might be related to. It would be a second cousin, twice removed. You may not be able to remember him, but your parents would have known about him.”

“My parents are dead. I’m not sure I can be of help. Did you say you were a doctor?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m in the psychiatry department at Coast General Hospital in Vancouver. It would be really helpful if I could spend a few minutes with you.”

“Well, I suppose. What about one in the afternoon?”

“That would be excellent, Mrs. Turner. Thank you so much for helping me. I’ll look forward to seeing you.”

“Yes ... just let the gate guard know you have an appointment with me. I’ll call them. How do you spell your name?”

It was awkward and difficult to convince the woman she was sincere, but at least Eve was able to get the appointment. That would give them two hours to talk to her. Eve felt relief as she hung up the phone.

“You heard that?” she asked Jesse.

“Yes. One o’clock tomorrow afternoon. My stomach is in a knot. I don’t know how I’m going to be when I see her again. I hope I can keep my cool,” he said.

“Don’t get too worked up, Jesse. Let me do the talking at first. She will probably recognize you, but I’m guessing you won’t recognize her. She will have aged quite a bit from the last time you saw her.

Jesse nodded silently. He knew this meeting wasn’t going to be easy.

Thursday, March 22, 2012 1pm Desert Star Gardens Social Center

Roberta Turner had been very cautious, choosing to meet Eve at the social center where there would be other people nearby. Eve understood her strategy, thinking she was a wise woman, taking no chances on a stranger.

Roberta rose to meet Eve as she approached the woman. “Mrs. Turner, I’m Doctor Eve Mikeska. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me.

“May I see some identification, please,” an uncertain Roberta requested.

“Of course,” Eve said immediately, reaching into her purse. “This is my passport, and my security card at the hospital. Will that suffice?”

Roberta examined both cards carefully before handing them back. “I’m just being careful, Doctor.”

“I understand completely,” Eve said, “and please call me Eve.”

The older woman nodded and smiled.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” Eve said, turning toward the large windows looking out over the well-tended lawn and gardens.

Jesse saw Eve raise her hand toward him and knew he was to approach his long-lost sister. Roberta turned to see who she was signalling. She looked at the young man for no more that two seconds before her mouth opened, her eyes went wide, and she brought her hand up over her mouth in shock.

“Hello, Roberta. It’s been a long time. I know it’s a surprise to see me, your pain-in-the-butt brother,” he smiled.

Roberta was speechless for several moments before she turned to Eve. “Is this some kind of trick? Is this boy a double for my late brother?”

Eve was shaking her head. “Can we find a place to talk in private and I can explain the situation ... if it can be explained?”

Roberta was still in shock and Jesse stood quietly waiting for something to happen. The woman didn’t look anything like the sister he remembered. She was tall and slim, just as Roberta had been, but the grey hair, aged face and typical wrinkles changed her appearance dramatically.

Roberta finally gathered herself and pointed toward a room off to the side. “We won’t be bothered in there,” she said, staring at Jesse.

“You said you were my ‘pain-in-the-butt brother, ‘“ she began as they sat around a small, round coffee table. “What did you mean?”

Jesse chuckled. “Until you left home to work in Toronto, you were stuck with babysitting me when Mom and Dad went out anywhere ... at least until I was fourteen. By that time, you were already in nursing school and had chosen a career.”

“How do you know that?” she asked, still confused.

“Roberta ... I am your brother. I know it’s impossible for you to believe, but it’s true. Eve can explain it better than I can. She’s my guardian and saved my life when I had no one,” he said in a low, earnest, tone.

Roberta turned to Eve with a questioning look.