The Ghosts Of Her Past (A Completed, Steamy Romantic Mystery)

Part Sixty Four

Blaine's POV

We got an early start today.  We went to Mom and Dad's house and I introduced Will.  I was surprised at the way my parents reacted.  They weren't stuffy or their usual selves.  Mom cried and held on to the poor kid, while he stood there wondering how the hell he ended up in this place. He is far too mature to be talked to like a baby, and Mom was going overboard.  She even threatened to bake cookies, but Dad talked her down.  We all know she would probably burn down the mansion.

I finally pried the poor kid out of Mom's grip and told him to go to the kitchen to score some sweets from the cook.  I need to talk to my parents privately. 

"Mother, you've lost weight." I noticed.

"It's been hard on your mother, Son."

"Please sit, we have a lot to discuss," I said, and they sat.

"No drink?" Dad asked.

I guess I did a little too much of that before Cora. 

"Not today," I said. "Let's cut the formalities for today, okay?  Right now, I need my mom and dad, not the ones that present like strangers." I said.

Mom gasped, but I ignored it.

"Our lives are about to change dramatically.  I have contacted our publicist to make sure this does not hit the news until everyone in this family is made aware of everything."

They gave me a concerned look.  I dove right in and told them everything, even how Savannah and Corey died.  Mom cried, while Dad cursed and broke a few things.  It wasn't pretty, but once I got them to calm down, I wanted to tell them the rest.

"I'm in love with Miss Ashley," I said as blatant as possible.

Dad finally smirked.  "Yeah, we saw that coming."

"That's not all, she's pregnant, and obviously it's not my child."

I swear I could hear crickets as they stared at me with blank faces.

This is awkward...

"I umm..asked her to marry me.  It's not official, because I've yet to speak to her father."

More crickets, but this time at least their jaws are no longer hanging open.

"Jesus, will you say something?"

Okay, I guess I'll have a one-sided conversation.

"I'm not marrying her to protect her from judgment.  The baby's father is going to be in the picture and he did offer marriage, but she doesn't love him.  She loves me, and, pregnant or not, I would still marry Cora.  Through everything we went through together, she was my rock.  She makes me happy, and I can see a future for myself again.  She is everything I ever wanted in a wife and mother of my children.  It's not like it was with Ciara, and I feel alive for the first time in my life.  She has agreed to give up her career and move here to New York.  I couldn't care less about that baby not being mine, and I will raise it as if it were my own." I said.

"I guess you found one that can look past your lack of finances and ugly face," Dad smirked, and Mom busted out laughing. 

"What?" Did he just say a joke?  My Dad just joked.

Mom stood up and wrapped her arms around me.  "I'm so happy for you, and of course you have our blessing.  She's a lovely girl, and I'm so proud of you for accepting her child as your own."

Dad patted my back.  "I was starting to get worried you'd never find one that would accept your countless flaws."

"That's enough joking around." Mom said.

"I'm on a roll." He said, and laughed. 

"You're really not that funny, Dad." I patted his back.

"I am too." He said.

"Dear, you should quit while you're ahead." Mom said, then looked at me. "Well, I have a mother to confront, a sister to bury, and a grandchild that needs a grandmother.  Let's get packed."

Mom went upstairs, and Dad smirked at me.

"What?"

"I didn't miss the way you were staring at that girl.  I had a feeling this was coming, and I told your mom to get ready to start planning a wedding."

"She's amazing, Dad."

"I know she is, she's got a great set of.."

"Dad!" I snapped at him.

"I was just going to say she has a great set of legs.  I wasn't about to bring up her breasts, that would have been just wrong."

"That's better somehow?" I asked.

He shrugged. "What can I say, my son has great taste."

"So does your grandson, I heard it from him, too." I chuckled. 

"She's going to help raise him?" Dad asked as I walked him to the steps.

"Yes, there wasn't a second thought about it."

He stopped and looked at me.  "You know, Ciara needs to see some consequences.  She cheated your mother and me out of our daughter's last years. How do you feel about that?  She is your former wife."

I don't know what to think.  "Let me talk to her and figure out why she did it first.  I need to hear her side of the story."

"You're marrying Cora, working with your former wife after she already deceived you won't work.  You need to be able to trust the person in that position.  I'll talk to her father before we go to the board." He said.

"Let me talk to her first.  We had over a decade together, and I need to figure out the personal parts of this before we make any suggestions to the board." I said.

"Fine, but do it as soon as we return home.  She may do some damage if she finds out we know the truth." He said.

"What Ciara did was wrong, and I will have a hard time forgiving her, but she's not a threat to the company," I assured him.

"Let's make sure our PR is on it and none of this gets out before we address the board." He said.