Back to the Grimes mansion, Marcus and Ingrid's bedroom
"Ingy, what is going on?" Marcus asked his wife. He was becoming intrigued at what she had to say that would change their lives forever.
Ingrid took a deep breath, then exhaled. "My mother called today, while you were at the office." Marcus eyes' widened. Ingrid clasped his hands. "I know, it was shocking. It was totally out of the blue." She took another deep breath and continued.
"She told me Father had d-died." Marcus touched her cheek out of sympathy. "No, it's okay Marcus," she said. "Actually, I'm glad he's gone." She got off the bed and strolled over to the window, gazing out at the magnificent sunset, shades of purple and orange enveloping the sky like a royal carpet unfolding. "But there's something else Mother admitted to me. She didn't do it willingly, but it just came out."
Marcus got off the bed and moved closer to her. "What did she say?"
Ingrid gulped. This wouldn't be easy, no matter how she said it. She knew it had to come out. "Marcus, she told me she had another baby after I left home!" She turned around again, aghast at how abrupt the words sounded. She began to cry again.
Marcus just stood there. Ingrid's statement had hit him like a ton of bricks. He tried to open his mouth to reply, but there was only silence. All he could do was sigh and rub his temples, as if trying to erase away what his wife had just blurted out. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tight.
"Oh God Ingy, I'm so sorry," he finally said. "Why do people keep secrets from each other?" he wondered. "Can't they see how much damage it does to their lives and families?"
Ingrid faced her husband, but couldn't answer his question. She had told him about her brother, but she wasn't ready to tell him about what happened to her and Kane all those years before she left home. And she had to make sure Kane didn't say anything either.
"What should I do Marcus?" Ingrid asked, overwhelmed with emotion. "Should I try to locate my brother?"
"I don't know what to tell you Ingy," he replied. "But I do feel you should tell Kane. After all, it's his brother too."
"He's gone through too much grief already," Ingrid said softly. "Will he be able to handle this?" She flopped on the bed, letting her legs dangle over the side. "I don't know how much more of this I can take---we all can take. One thing's for sure, I don't want Mother's revelation spoiling Lance and Rosie's happiness."
Marcus lay down next to his wife. "Let's just concentrate on those two for right now." He let out a chuckle. "Our son is getting married. To our maid. How soap opera is that?"
"I think it's romantic," Ingrid replied, a dreamy look on her face. It was nice to think about something positive for a change. "Admit it, you know she's the best woman for him. And he's done wonders for her."
"I'm so glad they're happy honey. It's going to be a beautiful wedding," Marcus admitted. "And, it is nice to worry about planning a wedding rather than worrying about family skeletons."
Valerie Talbot's home
"Thanks for the doll Kane." Zoe Talbot gave him a hug. "You're super."
"I know Amaya will love hers too. You've been so wonderful to the girls sweetheart," Valerie gushed.
Kane sat down in a recliner in the living room. "Well, they didn't have their father around---speaking of him, have you heard from him lately?"
"Well, he's not in Indiana anymore," Valerie said. "I talked to his brother Mitchell a few days ago. He wrote to me and gave me his phone number. Mitchell told me Drennen found a new therapist in North Carolina, after they went there for a vacation. He said Drennen fell in love with the beaches and decided to move there, and he's doing fine."
"He hasn't attempted to contact you at all since the move?" Kane asked his girlfriend. Even though his family didn't want anything to do with him at all, Kane found it a little strange Drennen wouldn't try to write or call Valerie and her daughters.
"No," Valerie replied quietly. "Probably because he's doing so well, he figures talking to me or the girls would jeopardize his sanity." She walked behind Kane and put her hands on his shoulders and started to massage them. "I'm sure he's still upset by our breakup."
Kane didn't answer her. As he closed his eyes and felt the tension in his shoulders ease up, he began thinking about the suspicion he was being watched while he was in the toy store. Could it have been a figment of his imagination? Could he be losing his mind---again?
Valerie walked around in front of Kane and sat down on top of the coffee table. She took her hands in his and stared into his dark brown eyes. "Kane, you seem troubled again." She was afraid he was going to snap again, and it made her uneasy.
"Me?" Kane said, returning her gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that---well, it's kind of silly actually." He forced a laugh.
"Kane honey, nothing is silly with you, Valerie replied seriously. "What happened?"
He sat back in his chair. "When I was at Joe's shop earlier, I got this weird feeling I was being watched." He rubbed his wrist. "Who knows, maybe I'm just seeing things. Let's face it, my mind hasn't been right for a while."
Zoe, who had been sitting in another chair across from her mother and Kane, got up and walked over to him. "Don't worry about it Kane. Everyone goes a little mental now and then." She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. I'm gonna go upstairs and call Emily. She wants me to go with her to the movies Friday, and we've gotta decide whether to see Legally Blonde or America's Sweetheart's." See you later." She bounds upstairs, clutching her doll.
Valerie smiles as she watches her daughter exit. "You know, I think it would have been more difficult adjusting to Drennen being gone if the girls were an only child. Having a sibling makes it so much easier," Valerie said. "It lessens the pain."
Kane nodded. "If I didn't have Ingrid, I don't know how I would have coped with Gretchen's death---or finding you and Paul." He leaned in and kissed her. After a moment, he stopped and smiled at her. "I'm lucky to have her for a sister."
Valerie patted his knee. "And Ingrid's lucky to have you for a brother.