N. Walters - Erin’s Fancy

Erin allowed him to lead her back to the blanket where they both collapsed and began eating their picnic feast.

The next hour flew as they ate and talked. She told him about the upcoming harvest and Abel told her that he was halfway through his parent’s papers. He popped a cracker topped with a piece of cheese in his mouth before offering her one. They’d been taking turns feeding each other. He chewed and swallowed before taking a sip of iced tea.

“I found an old journal of my mother’s. It seems to be quite old.”

“Really.” Erin was intrigued. “Are you going to read it?”

“Of course,” Abel replied. “Giving my chosen profession, how could you think that I wouldn’t?”

“That’s right,” she teased. “You’re a professional snoop.”

Abel didn’t take offense. Instead, he popped a grape in her mouth. “I think it’s from the year I was born. It’s a chance to maybe understand what she was thinking and feeling at the time.” He ate a fresh strawberry before continuing. “It’s strange to see your parents as people in their own right and not just as your parents.”

“I imagine it would be. I know I’ve never really thought about it before.” Erin’s mind drifted to her father and her brothers, as well as to the mother she’d never really known.

They fell into a comfortable silence until Abel began to put away the remains of their picnic. “As much as I hate it, you have to get ready to go if you’re not going to be late for supper.”

Reluctantly, Erin stood and began to search for her clothing. It took her awhile to find most of it, but she couldn’t find her panties anywhere. Finally, she gave up and hauled her shorts up over her bare butt. When she’d retied her sneakers, she shook out the blanket and handed it to Abel. He placed it on the top of the satchel he’d brought and turned to her. She slipped easily into his arms, not wanting to ever let him go.

“Thank you for this afternoon.” She nuzzled her nose against his chest, loving the feel of his hot skin. He hadn’t buttoned his shirt and she was taking full advantage of that fact.

“You’re very welcome. But I should be thanking you.” He kissed the top of her head before he took a step away from her.

“Go, before I change my mind and keep you here with me.” From the look on his face, Erin could tell he was only half kidding.

“I’ll be over first thing tomorrow morning.” With that, she turned and ran towards home. She never looked back, afraid that if she did, she’d never find the strength to leave him. He was fast becoming the most important thing in her life and she didn’t want to imagine what her life would be like after he was gone.

He watched her until she totally disappeared from sight before he reached into his back pocket and withdrew a bundle of white cloth. Shaking it out, he rubbed the soft fabric against his cheek and inhaled the rich perfume of a woman’s arousal before placing it back in his pocket. It was a way of keeping her close even when she wasn’t here, and he rationalized, she wouldn’t miss one pair of panties.

Erin cautiously opened Abel’s back door the next morning, holding her breath as it creaked slightly. Last night had dragged on forever as she’d wanted desperately to spend it with Abel. Instead, she’d sat through supper with her brothers enduring their banter and small talk about work, crops, and town gossip. Nathan had watched her constantly. She’d wondered if he’d suspected something when he’d casually asked her if she’d talked to Carly.

She’d managed to talk to her, but it had been brief as Carly had worked a double shift yesterday when one of her waitresses had called in sick. Her friend had sounded tired but excited. Erin figured if they didn’t talk soon, Carly would show up at the house and drag her upstairs until she spilled her guts about everything. She might be small, but she was tough. Erin grinned as she imagined Carly grilling her about her “mystery” date.

Finally, she eased Abel’s back door open and let herself inside. She didn’t want to wake him if he was still asleep. In fact, she was hoping he was still sleeping so she could hop in bed and surprise him.

Instead, she found him already sitting at the kitchen table, slumped over a cup of coffee. “Well, darn. I was hoping to surprise you.” She walked to the counter, grabbed a mug, and poured herself a cup of coffee from the mostly full pot.

There was silence behind her. No teasing reply or quick comeback. Only silence. Concerned, she turned back towards the table. He hadn’t moved a muscle. Leaving the coffee on the counter, she hurried over to the table to his side. “Abel?” Her voice shook slightly. His unnatural silence was beginning to scare her.

When he raised his head, she was appalled at the stark look of despair in his bloodshot eyes. His clothing was rumpled and his face unshaven, suggesting that he hadn’t slept at all night. Tortured was the word that popped into her head. He looked like a man trapped in absolute anguish, and it was this look that had her wrapping her arms around him and hugging his face to her chest. “Whatever is wrong, I’ll help you through it.”

The sound of her voice seemed to penetrate his misery. “Erin?” Like a man coming out of a trance, he tugged her into his arms and gripped her so tight she could barely breathe. His desperation was a living breathing thing. Every muscle in his body was tense and she could see the strain on his unnaturally pale face.

“Should I call Jackson or Nathan?” She didn’t have any idea what could have upset him like this, but she was ready and willing to mobilize everyone she knew to help him. She started to ease out of his arms so she could use the phone.

“No,” his voice was raw. “Stay.”

Erin cupped his face in her hands. “I won’t leave you, but tell me what has happened.”

He shook his head and looked away. Determinedly, she brought his face back around so he was forced to look at her. “You’re scaring me, Abel. If you can’t talk to me, will you talk to Jackson or Nathan?”

Abel opened his mouth and closed it. He swallowed hard and tried again. “Mom and Dad,” he began.

“What about them? Was it something you found in their papers?” She couldn’t begin to imagine what he could have found that would have upset him so. All those papers were at least fourteen years old or more.

“They’re not my parents.”

“What?” Erin couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’re adopted?” She could understand why that would shock him. But he was more than just shocked, whatever he’d discovered had wounded him deeply.

His laugh was harsh and angry. “Adopted. I wish.” He rubbed one of his hands over his face and sighed. “I was purchased for cash from another couple.”

Erin was too stunned to speak for a moment. “Isn’t that illegal?”

“Yeah.”

Abel closed his eyes and tipped his head back. She could see he was fighting down the emotions that welled up inside him. “How did you find out?” If she could pull together all the details, then maybe she could help him work through this.

“I found the bill of sale. Look for yourself.” He leaned forward and plucked a piece of paper off the table and handed it to her.

Erin glanced nervously at the document, but she was determined to read it. Perhaps Abel had misunderstood what he’d read. Even as she had that thought, she was discarding it. Abel was a top-notch investigative writer, and he would have checked and double-checked his facts before believing them.

Her hand was shaky as she took the seemingly innocent sheet of yellowed paper from him. Amazing to think such a simple thing could cause such huge problems. Scanning it quickly, she noted the sum of ten thousand dollars was paid to a Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin for the adoption of their son, Abel.

“I don’t believe this.” She felt her anger rising. Erin had loved Abel’s parents, but especially his mother, Sarah, who had taught her so much. If she felt their betrayal so deeply, she figured it must cut Abel right to the very marrow of his bones. “I’m so sorry, Abel.”

A part of her still wanted to believe that this was all just some kind of horrible mistake. “You’re sure there’s no mistake?”

“None.” He gestured to the journal sitting on the table. “I read it in her diary after I found the papers. Part of it was around the same time they got me. Same dates. Everything matches…”

“Tell me,” she encouraged as his voice trailed off and he started to stare absently off into space.

Gathering himself for a moment, he launched into his tale. “Apparently, she miscarried when they were traveling through Illinois on a holiday. She ended up in the same hospital as the Benjamin family. Mom was despondent and the Benjamins were poor and couldn’t afford two children, so they sold their youngest one. Both couples went home with a child and everyone lived happily ever after.”

Bitterness filled his voice, but Erin focused on the most appalling part. “What do you mean they couldn’t afford two children?”

Abel continued to stare at the table, so she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shook him. He barely budged and was hardly even startled by her physical outburst. “Tell me!” she yelled.

“I have a twin brother.” His voice broke on the last word and he buried his face in his hands. “All these years I’ve been alone and I have a brother. How could they do that?” He swiped at his eyes and looked at her as if she had the answers for him. “How could they not tell me?”

“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t know.” Wrapping her arms around him, she rocked him gently, trying to soothe some of the pain in his heart. Betrayed by those who supposedly loved him best. Desperately, she tried to find something to help him. “Perhaps they meant to tell you on your eighteenth birthday, but never got the chance. They were killed just two weeks before. Remember?”