Chocolate Goodies (9 page)

Coco shook her head sadly. She could see the pain etched on her friend’s face. Elle already suspected the truth, but wasn’t ready to face it. “I’m pretty sure that it’s your father.”

“Does he know about us?” Kaitlin asked. “Is that why he ran out of here like a bat out of hell?”

Coco met Kaitlin’s gaze. “He does know that there are other children. Ransom knows he has siblings. We were going through my high school photo albums and he saw pictures of you. I mentioned that you were a
Ransom and I guess that’s when things clicked for him.”

“The way he left here…It’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t want to get to know us,” Elle said.

“It’s not that,” Coco said. “Elle, I think he’s afraid of being rejected, and he doesn’t want to cause your mother any trauma.”

Kaitlin rose to her feet. “Do you know where he went? I’d really like to talk to him.”

“So would I,” Elle said. “We all need some answers, I’m sure.”

Coco nodded. “He’s most likely in his office across the street. Ransom is the owner of D-Unit.”

Elle looked surprised. “That’s right. You did tell us that he had the same name, but it didn’t register that we could possibly be related.”

“You mean the music store over there?” Carrie questioned.

“Actually, it’s not a music store,” Coco explained. “It’s a center for teens—a structured day program.”

Carrie grabbed her purse. “I say we head over there and get to know this Ransom.”

“I’ll go with you,” Coco said. She wasn’t about to let Ransom face this alone. “I just need to wait until Bryan gets here to help Valencia.”

“Coco, why didn’t you tell us any of this before?” Elle asked plaintively.

“I wasn’t a hundred percent sure and I didn’t want to upset you, especially while you’re pregnant.”

Bryan arrived for work five minutes later.

Coco escorted the women across the street and into
the center. Ransom was in his office. She knocked on the door.

He glanced up from his desk. “Coco—”

“They wanted to talk to you,” she said lamely. “This is Kaitlin, Elle and Carrie Ransom.”

He sent her a sharp glare, then gave the other women a tight smile. “Hello, ladies. Please come in.”

They settled on the sofa while Coco walked around the desk to stand beside Ransom.

Kaitlin spoke first. “I’m sure you have an idea of why we came here to see you. It appears that you might be related to us.”

Ransom did not respond. He gazed at Coco, who was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She wanted to be anywhere but here, but would not abandon the man she loved.

“Can you tell us about your mother and how she came to meet our dad?” Elle inquired. “You were told that Prescott Ransom was your father, right?”

“My mother’s name is Robina Winters and she met your father in Corona, where she lived. He and your mother were separated at the time. My mom said that he was still very much in love with your mom, so she decided it was best that they end their relationship. Your father went back home, and shortly after that my mom discovered she was pregnant. She didn’t tell him.”

Elle studied his face. “I’m sorry for staring at you like this, but you look like my brother Laine.”

Kaitlin and Carrie agreed.

“Wait a minute! I know who you are,” Elle blurted. “I knew that your name sounded familiar. You’re a
songwriter. You worked on some projects for Jupiter Records.”

He smiled. “I’m surprised you know that.”

“I work for Jupiter as a publicist.”

“Ransom, would you be willing to take a DNA test?” Kaitlin asked hesitantly.

“Sure,” he responded. “Look, if I had my way, you wouldn’t know anything about me. I’m not looking for anything from your family.”

“That’s not why I was asking,” Kaitlin replied quickly. “I believe you are who you say you are, but I just thought it would leave no room for assumptions. Our other brothers and sisters may desire something more definitive.”

Coco offered a tiny smile, but Ransom’s expression didn’t change. She could tell that he was furious with her. She was having trouble understanding why. Especially since finding his siblings was what he wanted most in life. He wanted a family.

“This is awkward,” Kaitlin said. “All this time, there has been another Ransom walking around and we had no clue.” She took a deep breath. “Ransom, I’d like for you to come to Riverside on Sunday, so that you can meet the whole family.”

He gave her a polite smile. “Thank you, Kaitlin. It’s a nice offer, but I’m not sure I should accept it. This is a lot to take in and the rest of your family has no idea that I exist. I think it’s best if all of you took some time to digest everything. That goes for me, too.”

She met his gaze straight on. “If you won’t come to us, then we’ll have no choice but to come to you. I need you to understand something—what it means to be a
Ransom. We are a family, and if you’re one of us, that makes you family, too. Everyone needs to meet you.”

“I’m not sure they will be as accepting as you and Elle seem to be,” Ransom said. “This is a lot to deal with.”

“We’re strong enough to handle anything that comes our way,” she responded. “There was a time I couldn’t have stood here and said something like that, but after everything I’ve been through, this is a piece of cake.”

Ransom looked puzzled.

“At one point my family thought I’d died in a plane crash,” Kaitlin explained. “Instead, I was basically held prisoner in Mexico. I pretended to have amnesia, and married my captor to stay alive.”

He was shocked.

“We all have stories to tell,” Carrie said. “Including you.”

“Mine doesn’t come close to what you must have experienced,” he told Kaitlin. “How did you escape?”

“Matt St. Charles, he’s my husband now, and some of his friends came looking for me. I’ll tell you the whole story one day.” She smiled. “If you’ll let me.”

“I’d like to hear it.”

“Ransom, please consider coming on Sunday,” Elle pleaded. “You have nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters that I know will want to meet you. And my mother—she’ll definitely want to meet you, too.”

“Maybe you should check with them first,” Ransom suggested. “It might be a good idea to have the DNA test, too.”

She shook her head. “I don’t need a test to prove what I already know. Kaitlin’s right. If you won’t come, then
we’re going to come looking for you. Carrie’s husband and…our brother Ray…is a U.S. Marshal, and he’ll find you. Matt…well, he was in special ops, so he can find you, too.”

Laughing, Ransom gazed at Coco, who nodded and said, “I’ll go with you if you want me to.”

He didn’t respond.

Carrie looked from one to the other. “Please don’t be mad with Coco. This is not her fault. When we saw you, we knew something was up. You look too much like members of this family, and then you carry the name Ransom…We put this together.”

His silence stung for some reason. This had to be a weird situation for him, Coco told herself, and he didn’t need to deal with her insecurities right now.

“We have to get going,” Elle said. “Ransom, I hope you will come to Riverside on Sunday. We need to talk this through—all of us.”

“I’ll give it some serious thought, but that’s all I can promise at this point. I’m sorry.” She nodded.

“We’ll talk later,” Coco said to him.

Ransom’s eyes never left her face. “Definitely.”

“I
don’t need a DNA test to tell me that Ransom is my brother,” Elle stated. “I can feel it in my heart—he’s one of us.”

“I have to say I’m with you on that,” Kaitlin said.

“What do you think your brothers and sisters will say?” Carrie asked. “I’m not sure Ray is going to handle this well. You know how much he adored his father.”

“I don’t think any less of my dad,” Elle responded. “It’s not like he cheated on Mama. They were separated.”

“They were still married,” Kaitlin interjected. “How do you think Mama is going to feel? This is my biggest concern—what it will do to her. Elle, you’ve been there. You know what it feels like.”

“That was just some drama, though. It’s not quite the same. Besides, Daddy is gone and we’re all grown.
Personally, I think she’ll handle it like she’s handled everything else.”

Carrie and Kaitlin agreed.

“I’m pretty sure that Ray is going to insist on a DNA test,” Carrie stated. “Laine and Prescott probably will also.”

“I’m really sorry for not coming to you with this before now,” Coco said. “I had my suspicions about Ransom, but I didn’t know how to tell you. It’s not like I had any real proof, and I didn’t want to just jump to conclusions.”

Elle nodded in understanding. “I guess I would feel the same way if I were in your shoes.”

“I really did want to say something,” Coco insisted. “I wanted to tell you that day we had lunch, Elle. But then you mentioned how any woman would be affected by an outside child, and I thought it was best that Aunt Amanda not know.”

“I knew there was something going on with you,” Elle told her. “You just didn’t seem like yourself.”

“I guess we need to call an emergency family meeting,” Kaitlin said. “I’ll send out e-mails as soon as I get home.”

“You might just want to make the phone calls,” Carrie suggested. “I’m not sure you should sit on this.”

Not too long after they left, Ransom walked into the shop. “Coco, do you have a moment?”

She took a quick, sharp breath. “I was just leaving. What about you? What time are you calling it a day?” As their eyes met, she felt a shock run through her.

“I’ll follow you to your place.”

Coco nodded.

He was definitely upset with her.

“How long have you known that they were my siblings?” Ransom demanded as soon as they walked inside her house.

“I realized it the night we were going through my high school photos,” she said quietly. “When did you know?”

“That same night,” he said. “When I saw the photos.”

“Why didn’t you say something to me?” she asked.

“I don’t remember you being that forthcoming, either.” Folding his arms across his chest, he asked, “Why did you open your mouth this time? That’s what I’d like to know.”

Her body stiffened in shock. “They wanted to know who you were,” Coco said. “What was I supposed to say?”

“Why say anything? If you’d kept your mouth shut, they just would’ve assumed that I look like their brother. There are people walking around who resemble you, Coco. It doesn’t make them family.”

“What happened to you wanting to get to know your siblings? You said it was one of the reasons you moved back to Los Angeles.”

“None of this was your concern,” he told her in a dull and troubled voice. “Who knows what chain of events you’ve just set off by opening your mouth? You should have left well enough alone.”

Coco didn’t like his tone and told him so. “Maybe you should leave, Ransom. You know, you really should be grateful to have a family.”

“I had a family,” he snapped. “They may not
have been as perfect as yours, but they were still my family.”

Ransom stormed out of the house before she could utter a response.

He’s right. I shouldn’t have said anything. What have I done? I should have heeded my father’s advice. Why couldn’t I have just kept my big mouth shut?

Coco felt sick to her stomach.

She wanted to reach out to Ransom once more, but decided to give him as much space as he needed. He could deny it all he wanted, but Coco knew he was afraid. Ransom was afraid that his newfound family would have no room for him in their lives.

Coco was not the enemy.

Yeah, she should have talked to him first before saying anything to his siblings. It was not her place to get involved in such a sensitive matter. Even if they had pressed her for information, Coco didn’t have to tell them anything.

Feeling angry, Ransom smashed his fist into a pillow.

However, he had no right to be so harsh. Deep down, he knew that no matter what she said or didn’t say, Coco was only trying to help him.

The doorbell sounded.

He got up and quickly made his way to the front door, wondering who’d come to visit him. He opened it as soon as he realized that Coco was standing outside, and stepped aside to let her enter.

“I know that you’re still upset with me,” she said.

“But I think it’s time for us to clear the air. Hopefully we can talk like adults.”

They hadn’t spoken for two days after the argument at her house.

She followed him into the den.

“I was angry initially,” he admitted after they sat down. “I do understand that you only wanted to help me, but I just wished you had come to me first.”

“Ransom, I wanted to discuss this with you.”

“I owe you an apology for the harshness of my tone. I’m sorry.”

“I understand, Ransom.” After a brief pause, she asked, “Are you sure it’s anger that you feel? Or is it fear?”

“Fear? What are you talking about?”

“Now that they know, they can either embrace you or reject you. I think that’s what scares you, Ransom. I think that’s why you didn’t say anything to me, or try to approach them.”

“I don’t know which way this is going to turn out for me, but deep down, I’m glad that everything is out in the open finally. Coco, I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell me that you knew I was related to them.”

“I don’t know,” she responded. “I guess I thought it was best all around not to say anything to you or them. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. Ransom, I don’t know how the rest of the family is going to react, but Elle and Kaitlin…they know the truth and they want to get to know you. You have two sisters who haven’t rejected you. Also, my dad urged me to stay out of it and I really respect him and his advice. I always have.”

He shook his head. “I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“I’m sorry, Ransom. I never meant to upset you. I thought I was helping to bring a family together.”

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry for the way I snapped at you. I know that you’d never deliberately try to hurt me.”

“I love you, Ransom. And no matter what comes out of this, you will always have me.”

His kiss was surprisingly gentle.

“I hate that my mother isn’t here any longer,” he told her. “I think she’d be happy for me. She always regretted not telling my father about me. She said she felt like she did me an injustice. I kept telling her that she wasn’t responsible for my choices.”

“I don’t know about you, but I think we should celebrate,” Coco said with a smile.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Ransom, you need a mental break. We could go dancing,” she suggested. “It would take your mind off of things for a little while. Have you been to The Purple Door?”

“Once,” he said. “Honey, would you mind if we just stay here tonight? I really don’t feel like going out.” He paused, then murmured, “I’ve been thinking about Sunday. I don’t think I’m going to Riverside. Initially, it sounded like a good idea, but now…Honey, I don’t know.”

“I disagree,” Coco replied. “This is what you’ve always wanted, Ransom. Why are you trying to run away from them?”

“I’m not running away. This is going to change the way they think of their father.”

“No, it won’t,” she countered. “All of the Ransom siblings loved their father, and nothing will ever change that. What’s really going on with you?”

“Kaitlin and Elle may welcome me with open arms, but the rest of them might not take it as well. I’m just not ready for all that, Coco.”

“You won’t know what will happen until we actually go there. Ransom, I love you and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

He smiled. “I love you, too.”

“You have to see this through,” she insisted. “Remember what Kaitlin told you. She vowed they would come to you if you wouldn’t go out there.”

“It might be better to meet them on my turf.”

Coco took his hand in hers. “Ransom, baby, I want you to trust me on this. You are the one who is the risk-taker. You’re always telling me that I play it too safe. Well, it’s time you followed your own advice.”

He gave her a sidelong glance. “So you really think I should go?”

Coco nodded. “I do. It’s time you had a chance to get to know your own family.”

“I hope you know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m positive things will go well for you. Ransom, I just believe it—you and your siblings are going to be close.”

Coco reached into the huge tote she’d walked in with. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?”

“I brought you a box of white-chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, just in case you nixed the club suggestion. If you
don’t mind company, we can just sit here and enjoy a movie.”

“Thank you,” Ransom said. He bit into a strawberry.

“Before I forget, my parents invited us to dinner on Saturday. It’s my mom’s birthday and the family’s getting together at her favorite restaurant.”

“This I have no problem doing,” he said. “Your parents seem to like me.”

“The Ransoms are going to love you as much as I do,” Coco declared. “You’ll see.”

He gave a short laugh before saying, “I love your optimism.”

Coco wrapped her arms around him. “It’s going to be fine, Ransom. I can’t really explain how I know, but I just do. This is going to work out the way you’ve always dreamed it would.”

“It makes me happy knowing that I have you in my corner.”

“Ransom, I will always be here for you. I really care about you.”

Her words brought a tiny smile to his lips.

Coco prayed that she wasn’t giving Ransom false hope. That would only make the situation worse.

She hadn’t talked to Elle or Kaitlin since the whole “outside brother” revelation. Mostly because she was afraid of what they might say. She knew they needed time to process the information, just like Ransom did.

Please let this work out for all of them. Ransom yearns for a relationship with his brothers and sisters. Please give that to him. Please.

She glanced over at him.

Ransom appeared to be engaged in the movie playing on the huge TV screen, but Coco knew better. His mind was on Elle, Kaitlin and the others.

“Do you want to talk about them?” Coco asked. She reached into the tote and pulled out a photo album. “These are pictures that I have of the whole family. There’s even some of your dad. This album’s for you. I made copies of photos from my other albums.”

“I’d like that,” Ransom said, looking at her. “Coco, I feel like you’re the other part of my soul. Especially since you always seem to know exactly what I need.”

She smiled. “I’m your woman. It’s my job to anticipate your needs.”

Taking her hand in his, Ransom said, “I don’t know how my life would be without you. I really love you, Coco.”

“Ready?”

He nodded.

“You have ten siblings. I don’t know if you knew that already.”

“I knew it was a lot. I was thinking five or six.

Ten?
”

She nodded. “You might want to get a pen and paper to write down their names.”

Ransom opened a drawer and pulled out a pad and pen. “Ten living?”

Coco laughed. “Yeah, they’re all alive.”

“That’s a lot of children.”

“You make eleven.”

Stunned, he shook his head.

Coco opened the photo album. “This is your father.”

“I have a copy of that picture,” Ransom told her. “My mother had it, and she gave it to me when I was around ten. I wanted to know about my dad.”

“This is a photo of the entire family. This was taken when they were much younger, though. I think it was the last picture of them together. He died not too long afterward.”

“This is his wife? She’s beautiful.”

“Aunt Amanda is so sweet, Ransom. She and Uncle Prescott were my other parents. He was a good man.”

“That’s what I’ve always heard about him…Okay, so give me their names,” Ransom said.

“This is Prescott Jr., then you have Garret over here,” Coco said as she pointed to the photo. “This is Laine and this is Ray.”

“He’s the U.S. Marshal.”

Coco nodded. “This is Ivy. Next to her are Kaitlin and Jillian. This is Nyle. Beside him is Allura. You met Elle. Her name is Rhyan Elle, but she just likes to be called Elle.”

“Wow,” Ransom murmured, looking at all their faces. “It’s a little weird. These are my brothers and sisters.”

Coco wrapped her arm around him. “You really should meet them.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I’m ready to do that, sweetheart.”

“I won’t push,” she told him, holding up her hands.

“Are they all married?” Ransom inquired.

“Ivy is divorced. The others are still married. Garret’s
wife, Daisi, has breast cancer. Her percentages are good from what I’ve heard. They caught it in time.”

“They all look so happy.”

“They are,” Coco said. “They’re a strong Christian family, and like you, they try to live their lives according to the Bible.”

“I hope that they can survive this,” he whispered.

“I’m sure they will,” she said. Deep down, Coco shared that same hope. The Ransoms were at their strongest when they were united as a family.