Lane fried bacon and ham, scrambled eggs and baked biscuits.
Jamie and Jake offered to do the dishes since Jess was still getting the dining room ready, which left Meg to sit at the counter and entertain Abbey. Ben manned the door as first his Uncle Sal, then Uncle Vinnie and Aunt Elena came followed by Colin Burke.
Ben ushered everyone into the formal living room and offered drinks. Lane came in and he introduced her to his Aunt Elena. Brunch was ready and everything was set up buffet style in the dining room. Lane ushered her guests into the dining room where Jess had carefully set place cards around the table.
After everyone sat, and before anyone went through the buffet line Lane said, “We say grace. Sunday is my day. So if you’ll all take the hand of the person next to you.” She waited, until from youngest to oldest, hands were held. “Oh most gracious heavenly Father, I come humbly before you today and ask you to bless this food and all of the hands who helped bring it to our table. For our family and friends gathered at the table to help us celebrate and for those who could not be with us today, may the Lord to bless you and keep you, may he smile upon you and be gracious to you may he turn his face toward you and give you peace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen”
She looked up. “We’re buffet style, so please help yourselves. Guests first. Ben will you help your Aunt and Uncles through? I hope you enjoy everything. Ben was cooking all night.”
Jess stood with Colin while Jake helped Meg. So, Jess was standing behind Zia Elena as she whispered to Ben in Italian. “La donna non cucinare?”
Ben responded. “Non cuoco italiano, Zia.”
Jess smiled yes, her mother was a good cook, but Ben was right she didn’t cook Italian.
“Ah, ha spiegato.”
Jess almost laughed. With Ben around, there was no need for her mother to cook Italian and without Ben; there would be no need to cook real Italian at all.
They ate and talked. Lane looked at Colin. “You look so familiar to me and it’s been bothering me since we met. I knew a Patrick Burke back in Iowa. Do you have any relatives in Iowa?”
Colin smiled. “Not anymore, but my grandparents did live there for a while. My Dad’s name is Patrick. I think he was there in middle school maybe.”
“Oh my, it is a small world. That’s why you look so familiar. He was several years ahead of me in school. I was six or seven at the time. We were all out at noon recess and Pat Burke threw an apple core which hit me in the face, causing a bloody nose. All of the 7th and 8th grade girls, who had huge crushes on him, gathered around me to hide me from the nuns until my nose stopped bleeding because they didn’t want him to be in trouble. You know, Catholic schools believed in corporal punishment when I was little. Those nuns would have walloped him.” She laughed. “Your dad has probably forgotten all about it, but it was the only time I shed blood in the school yard. It was traumatic for me.”
As they left, Lane kissed each of the uncles and did her best to recite the one line Ben had taught her earlier. “Zio Sal, Zio Vinnie, grazie.” She had told Ben she wanted to say it in Italian out of respect. Of course, she had no idea what they said to Ben.
“Nipote, si sarebbe un pazzo a lasciare questo angelo della valle lontano.”
While Jess agreed that Ben would be a fool to let her mother get away, she didn’t understand the Angel of the Valley reference.
After the Lucianos and Colin were gone, Jake let Meg put Abbey down for a nap on his bed and Ben and Lane sat in the living room and relaxed while the Parker kids and Meg did clean-up duty.
“It really has been a good birthday.” She leaned over and kissed Ben. “Thank-you.”
Then she rested her head on his shoulder and almost immediately fell asleep. Ben leaned his head back and within minutes he’d fallen asleep too which is where Jamie found them. He pulled the throw over them and told everyone to avoid the living room. Jamie, Jake, Meg, and Jess went into Jamie’s room and used his study table to play cards. They could keep the doors separating his room from Jake’s open so they’d know when Abbey woke up but they would be far enough that they wouldn’t wake her.
When Lane awoke, the house was almost dark and very quiet. She carefully got up so as not to disturb Ben. She walked into the kitchen and looked at the clock on the microwave. Nearly seven o’clock. She found notes from the kids explaining where they’d gone.
She rummaged around in the fridge for a Diet Dr. Pepper, got a glass and ice, and sat down at the breakfast bar planning her day tomorrow. She’d told Al last night that she was going to be away from the office until Wednesday afternoon. Jess would fly out Wednesday morning and Lane would go into the office after dropping her off. Lane planned to use Monday and Tuesday to talk with Kyle’s lawyer and Uncle Vinnie and Babs to get the foundation set up. She thought she’d set something up to help not just Gracie Paulson, but other people with medical issues needing a full time treatment facility but no means to pay for it. Uncle Vinnie and Uncle Sal insisted on calling her Angel of the Valley; maybe she’d name it “The Angel of the Valley Foundation.”
She was lost in thought and jumped when Ben bent down and kissed the back of her neck.
“Hey, how long have you been up?”
“Just a few minutes. I tried not to disturb you when I got up. I know you didn’t get much sleep last night and you have a trial starting tomorrow, I know you need your sleep.”
He kissed her. “We’re doing jury selection tomorrow and it should be a light day, but yeah, I need to get going. I’m really sorry I fell asleep on you. I’ll call you tomorrow after court. You’re at least going to try to see Babs and or Vinnie about the foundation, right? Do you need me to check with Kyle’s lawyer to set up a meeting?”
“You’re busy, so let me see if I can call him and set something up.”
“You know why I can’t represent him, right? He tried to set you up for murder; he threatened you and the kids. Yes, he deserves a defense, just not by me. Look at your arm; it has his handprint bruised into it. For that alone I’d like to see him die a slow painful death. But, if I need to help you set up a meeting with his lawyer or his wife or whatever, I’ll do it. For you.”
She walked him to his SUV, kissed him good-bye, and stood in the driveway watching until he was gone.
Chapter 22
Epilogue
On Monday morning, Lane called Babs Edwards to set up a meeting to talk about setting up the foundation. She called Mick to get the name of Kyle Paulson’s lawyer and then called his office to explain what she wanted. She was able to talk to Kyle so she could explain that she wanted her new foundation to pay for Gracie’s treatment. Kyle signed a power of attorney to allow Lane to talk to Gracie’s doctors.
Armed with all of that, Lane called the doctor and made an appointment. She met with the doctor and with Gracie and agreed to contact them when the foundation was complete. She explained her intention to help with the medical expenses. She spoke with Babs and funded the foundation with two million dollars from her newly found trust.
Kyle’s public defender had arranged a plea deal to get the death penalty off the table. Kyle pled guilty to first-degree murder with the possibility of parole in 25 years. Craig could afford his own lawyer and was fighting the criminal conspiracy charges.
Lane talked with Jake, Jess, and Jamie about the Gardino trust. She was going to give $250,000 to each of them. Jake decided to use his money to buy a house and furniture. Jess took her money, invested most of it, and bought several pairs of shoes with a small portion. Jamie invested his in a money market CD.