Masquerade Ménage (Ménage Series Book 4 of 6)

Chapter 3: Return to Heath Grove - Amy

Amy

Setting down the report, I look at Dave and try to decide if I should ask him about my grandmother. He must have read the report, so why didn't he mention this to the others? I haven't finished it yet, so maybe there is a reason as to why he kept this to himself.

Maybe that is why I am this way. Mom said they had a copy, so she knew all of this already and probably didn't want him to embarrass or upset me.

As I look down at my bracelet, I notice the letters, S&B, then D&M, it's their initials. Looking at all the charms, it was right here on my wrist the entire time. Thinking about the rest, I have so many questions.

"Dave, do they know where Edward is now? I didn't know Mark had a twin brother." I state and wait for his reply.

Jay looks at me and he seems confused by my question. He didn't know either?

Dave answers, "Yes Amy, he has been dead for a long time. Mark's twin brother Edward Roth joined the marines and was killed during the Battle of Hamburger Hill on May 20, 1969. His father wanted him to run the family business, but when Matt died, his two sons could do whatever they wanted at 18 years old. Edward signed up and became a soldier. I found something interesting out recently. Before Edward left for Vietnam, he had gotten a girl pregnant. He and Evelyn Goodwin were in love and she gave birth to a baby boy. That boy's name is Steven Allen and Calvin thinks he is his cousin when in reality he is Calvin's half-brother. They are 15 years apart, so Steven is much older than Calvin. Mark covered the entire pregnancy up somehow, and Evelyn's family never knew about him. He is your cousin, Jacob."

They look at each other, but Jay says nothing and is taking it all in. What a mess Mark made of his family.

Dave continues, "She and Edward were never married, but Evelyn wanted to give him the Roth name. Mark agreed to do it as a wedding present if she agreed to marry him. Except it was a lie, and after Steven was born, he made her give the child to his Aunt Agnes. She brought him up as her own and never told the boy the truth. Steven did not get the last name Roth as Mark promised. He is an Allen, but got more money and power as well."

Jay and I are completely shocked by this, and that Calvin's entire family history is built on lies.

"So, Steven Allen is a Roth, and Mark had a brother? Well, this is news to me. I know Steve. We met a few times, just at a couple of charity events over the years. He kept to himself, but I sat with him once and he seemed like a nice guy. How could Mark be so cruel as to force her to give up her kid? It's sick, the way he treated Aunt Evelyn." Jay says, and I agree with him.

"Why would she agree to that? If he was my child, I would fight anyone tooth and nail to keep him. How could she allow that to happen?" I ask.

This is nuts, and I can't help but wonder what kind of person Evelyn Roth was to allow someone else to raise both her children.

Dave answers, "Well Amy, from what we have found out, she was Edward's slave. Her father, Andrew Goodwin, gave her to Edward as payment for something. We are not sure what that was entirely. Eve was to be his and then once he died, she was going to be sent away with nothing, out into the world, with her unborn child."

"That would never have happened! My father loved his sister, so dad would have taken them in and cared for her." Jay says in an annoyed tone.

Dave replies, "What you have to remember is Evelyn was 13 years old when she got pregnant and believed all of Mark's lies. He wanted her so badly, that Mark offered her a deal, and she took it. He promised to take care of her bastard child if Eve stayed with him and Mark swore her to secrecy."