Part 18:

Joseph glared at his family and walked slowly down the stairs behind Marianne. His parents and brother refused to meet his eyes. "How dare you . . ." he hissed dangerously.

"It was for your own good Joseph--" his father started but he saw the look in his younger son’s eyes and knew better than to continue.

His other son wasn’t as astute. "Oh please, you know it was the best thing. She’s nothing but a whore. That’s all she ever was and all she’ll ever be." And with those words the two brothers were rolling on the floor. Marianne watched, horrified and yet frighteningly appeased by the scene before her. Justin, Luke, and Josh had to drag Joseph off his brother and the three of them could barely hold him. He froze however, when a little girl ran through the doorway. Sarah looked at her and decided she couldn’t possibly be older than Amanda, if she was even that old. She ran straight to Joseph, giggling and wrapping her arms around his knees. "I missed you Daddy!"

"I missed you too, my little angel." The change in him was amazing, almost as if he had simply blocked the fact that his parents were there from his mind. He picked his daughter up and Marianne made a choking sound before her knees gave out and she sat weakly on the bottom step. Katie darted over to her friend, putting an arm around her for support. Marianne looked up and found a smaller version of herself staring back at her. Except for the eyes. The eyes were the same soft golden brown of her father’s. Just like she remembered her.

"Daddy . . . she looks like Mama’s picture . . ." the little girl said, obviously confused.

"Rachel, she is your Mama."

"But Gramma said Mama went to live with the angels."

"It was a mistake," Marianne found the strength to say. Rachel’s father put her down and she took a timid step forward, one hand holding something on a chain around her neck. She reached out with the other and picked up the locket that her mother always wore.

"Like mine . . ." Rachel said. She opened her hand to reveal a matching locket around her neck. Her little fingers worked at them until both were open. In Marianne’s was a tiny portrait of a curly haired infant. In Rachel’s was a picture of Marianne.

"Mama?" Rachel said timidly. Her mother could do nothing but nod. Rachel climbed into her lap and hugged her tight.

"Marianne . . ." She looked up at her mother-in-law. "I will never be able to tell you how truly sorry I am. I believed all the lies people told me about you. I didn’t know . . . and I am so sorry. You have every right to hate me for the horrible things I let happen. I never knew the truth . . . not until your sister and brothers told me."

Katie looked at her friend oddly. "Sister and brotherS, Angel?"

"Yeah, Sug . . . you know Justin’s my brother. Anna’s our half-sister, and the young man hiding back there," she said, pointing to a younger version of Justin save for his slightly darker hair and green eyes, "is Travis. He’s the baby."

Everyone sort of drifted away, knowing that they wouldn’t hear anymore right then. Joseph took his wife and child back to the hotel. Erin nearly went hysterical when the infamous Angel dared set foot inside HER hotel, but she quickly regained control. The people with her were very powerful and wealthy customers. And something told her there was more to the story. She forced a smile and let it go.

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