Chapter 4

September 18, 2007

Matt Traverse looked at the file on his desk, his pencil tapped the manila color and his thoughts played seesaw in his head. Philip had called a couple of weeks ago, catching them up on their father's condition. He sounded concerned. More and more Chad Traverse mentioned Delilah, seeing her, talking to her, missing her. After that call, Matt reflected back on the years, years that were full of laughter and sadness, joy and pain. He thought of the lies that were woven in his family and the deceit that had destroyed his marriage. He didn't like lies. He'd kept a big one now since he was sixteen.

Matt hired several different agencies a week after his talk with Philip. Philip had informed him that he met a lovely lady and from what Matt could tell Philip was playing it very slow, taking his time, and riding the waves of what very well could be love. When they had finished talking he had thought over Philip's life and knew that Philip deserved the truth and when Chad passed, he would be ready with the news. He'd wait a few weeks, sit him down, and then tell him. He hoped to share with him other vital facts. He didn't want his brother starting a new life when an old one was built on a lie.

Janie on the other hand disagreed with him. Her feelings had been shouted at him, when he called and told her what he was planning on doing. She'd railed at him that Philip was fine with his life and whoever this new woman was, didn't need to know who Philip was for the first four years of he was breathing, neither did Philip. Janie was afraid. Matt knew this. He was too. Would Philip be angry with them, with mom and dad? Would he caste them off? Matt asked himself these questions for years. Every time he did, his answer was yes. But this time, when he asked them, he hesitated. The sound of Philip's voice had been different. He seemed concerned for Pop and when he spoke of the woman, it was with respect and not like he had when he described the latest floozie in his bed.

A cough brought him back to the file and he looked at the man across from him.

"Sorry," Matt said, opening the file.

"No need to apologize, Mister Traverse. I was just saying that I was able to do a lot once you made those phone calls to some higher ups. You must contribute a lot to the pockets of some mighty important people," the private investigator replied.

"Yes, sadly, it doesn't always help out the way we want it to though," he stated, shrugging as he scanned the information.

"As you can see, your brother was born the day that the State told your parents. The date was given by Miss Kingston. It goes on to say she claims to have delivered the child at home. A friend was in attendance, but the name is never given. They took her word at the date of birth and put that in the files."

Matt read and then looked up. "Says here she was found to be unfit, but willingly gave the kids up?"

"Well, she was never taken to trial. A social worker came out and found her unfit. It states she was drunk and possibly high at the time. Beer and Whiskey bottles as well as other narcotics were found throughout the residence."

"I see that. So Philip has a brother or a sister?"

"Sister. Her name was Tiara Desiree Kingston, but her name could have been changed, just like Ethan... I mean Philip's had been."

Matt sighed. "Yes, true. Tiara is an unusual name, she'd probably go by Desiree."

The detective smirked. "It is a unique name."

"Anything else?"

"Ruby Ann was married to a John Andrew Kingston, but they divorced two years before Tiara's birth. Father unknown is listed on both the female and the male child's records. So Misses Kingston seemed to be loose with her favors. Getting knocked up by either the same man or by different men."

Matt closed the file and looked back at the detective. "So to sum it up, Ruby Ann gave birth to a girl in 1966, in a hospital, where we have a legal birth certificate. Two years later she gave birth to a son, Ethan at her home so no birth certificate."

"Right. The State arranged one, your parents took it, then decided they wanted one naming them as biological parents."

"Mom's idea probably, but Dad would drain the Mississippi for her if she asked him to. Sometimes having connections is a splendid thing, sometimes it's not."

The detective said nothing. It wasn't his job to set people's mind at ease. He was simply paid to give them the ammunition to screw it up.

Matt continued, "So mom and dad picked up little Ethan, change his name to Philip and came home to Pulaski with him. They take up residence in their little cabin and Dad continues the commute to Nashville, visiting us on the weekends. What happens to little Tiara?"

"Like I said Sir, I didn't look her up. Do you want me too?"

That was the next question. Did Matt want to delve deeper? When he went to Philip and told him that he was adopted and gave him the records to prove it, did he want to go there with everything, even the possible ways to find his biological sister? Silence filled the room and for several minutes Matt debated with himself. In the end, the detective left with another check and the order to search out Tiara Desiree Kingston.

He called his sister, though he knew she'd be furious, he wanted her to know what he'd found out.

"Janie," Matt said quietly over the phone.

"Matt? You sound strange... everything okay with Daddy?"

"Yeah. I wanted to let you know I met with one of the detectives."

"I don't care."

"Janie, please don't sound like that. You knew I was going to do this. I wanted to let you know what I found out." He could hear her taking a deep breath and he knew that was a sign for him to continue. "Phil's got a sister." He heard the intake of air and thought, "How stupid was that Matt, she was already worried about being displaced."

"Yeah, me!"

"Janie, you're being selfish. This girl is two years older than him. Her name's..."

"Damn it, Matt. I don't care what her name is. I'm his sister. I'm the only one he's got. He's my brother damn it and yours. You can't do this. He'll hate us. He'll hate Mom and Dad. Please Matt. Please just let it go. We've left it alone since he was four. Four What does it matter what happened before we got him. Please... Oh God please don't do this." "Janie. I'm telling him everything and I'm looking for his sister."

"You do this and..."

"Don't say anything you'll regret."

"Don't do anything you'll regret."

He heard the sound of her hanging up and then he too put the phone down. He buried his head in his hands and thought that maybe it was time to let his Dad know what he was doing. A knock on his office door brought him back to the day's work and he looked up to see his fiancé poke her head through around it. "Hello beautiful," he said.

"Hi. Busy?"

"Nope, come on in."

Carolyn Millhouse, a widow from the very same hills that he'd grown up in walked forward. Wasn't that the detective you hired?"

"One of many."

"Did he have any news?"

"Yes, seems he's found out quite a lot."

"What are you going to do?" Carolyn asked.

"Proceed as usual."

Carolyn sat down on the lap he offered and she leaned against him. "You know, everyone has secrets Matt, sometimes they are better left alone."

He smoothed down her long red hair and kissed her head. "Secrets destroyed my first marriage. She had many. You know I don't want that to happen again. Philip's met someone. He needs to know who he is." He cupped her chin and turned her face toward him. His lips pressed against hers and he tasted her morning coffee. "God baby, I love you."

Carolyn smiled. "I love you too, baby."

With his hands on her hips, he lifted her from his lap and set her on his desk. "Stay put," he ordered.

She smirked and watched him walk to the door, peek his head out, mutter something about appointments and then she heard the lock on the door click. Her skin blushed and her pulse raced. He came back to her and sat down. Spreading her legs open, he skimmed her thighs with his fingertips. "Okay, Misses Millhouse, let's see what your secrets are." Her skirt moved with ease as his hands traveled up them to find the source of the heady fragrance that was filling his senses. His mouth began an assault that kept him busy for the next hour.

That same day at the lake

Chad watched the couple head out on the boat. He'd laughed when the young woman had almost fallen in. He looked over to the woman sitting on the porch swing and sighed. "He's growing up Delilah. I told you he would. I told you I wouldn't leave till he did."

He closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber, one that he didn't wake up from until he heard the young couple coming back from their fishing trip.

"Dad, you okay?" Philip asked, stepping up to his father. His naps were coming closer together as well as lasting longer. He had an appointment later that week; Phil made a mental note to make sure he mentioned the extended sleep schedule his father was keeping.

Chad jerked up. "Hell yes, I'm okay, just catching a nap with your Mom. Don't be waking her up. You and Janie get yourself something to eat and stay quiet." Chad closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

Philip sighed and looked over to Tiara. "I hope you don't mind being Janie sometimes."

"No, not at all."

He walked over and took her hand in his. "Come on and I'll fix you some lunch."

They made their way into the cabin and left Chad to enjoy his nap on the porch, with nature surrounding him.

Tiara watched Philip work, again amazed as his culinary skills. "Phil, have you ever thought of doing it again?"