Eric and his father switched roles as Eric assimilated back into the business under the close guidance of his uncle. Rick took over the construction projects while Eric took on more of a financial role. Linden stepping up to help out made Grandpa Will very happy to see all his boys working together. But Eric felt most at peace when he was in the music studio. He loved taking Ericka with him to the studio and teaching her to play the piano.
Dinner time became a family afair. Right after dinner Ericka would sit with her father and showed off to everyone how well she could play the piano. Eric thought she was pretty good for a kid not yet three.
Eric and Ericka was at the piano playing, when the phone rang. Tanya almost jumped out of her skin. She was afraid to answer the phone after Becky told her that someone kept calling and hanging up. She was afraid it was Neil or Luke. 'I should tell Eric about Luke before Sahita does'
Eric watched her. 'Why is she just standing there looking so panicked to answer the phone?' He walked over and took the phone from her. He slowly put the phone to his ear and said hello. No one answered, but someone was on the line.
"Is this how you get off? Terrorizing people? Looks like you are tired of living," Eric said and hung up.
"How long this been going on?"
Tanya was petrified. "About two weeks,"
He thought that maybe it was Lola. She was blowing up his office phone but he refused to talk to her or it could be someone else from his past trying to reach him. He wrapped his arms about her and kissed her forehead. "I will have the numbers change and add some more security." Tanya nodded.
Eric went to his office to investigate the call. It was an international call. 'Who could be calling and not saying shit?'
<><><><><>
Eric met Lola at the bay. She was sitting on a bench when Eric arrived and she immediately stood up with open arms to embrace him. Eric avoided her hug and headed towards the food stand nearby. "I am hungry, lets grab something to eat," he said.
The challenge for him was to carry on a conversation with her without divulging his memory loss. "What do you want? The jerk chicken sandwich is good," he said. Last time she had that she almost choked to death right in front of Tanya; she decided to play it safe and settle on a beef patty and a soda. They took their food and headed back to a picnic table.
"You seem different, but I cant pick up on what is different," Lola said.
"Maybe I am not the Eric you knew," He smiled.
Lola was taken aback by that comment. "Stop weirding me out,"
Eric got straight to the point. "Why you been blowing up my phone?" Eric asked much too calm.
"Why are you ignoring me? I dont like to be ignored," she said.
"And you have been a pest; you have to know what happen to pests,"
"All I want is to talk to you Eric; are you going exterminate me for that?" She said.
"Have you been calling the house phone too?" Eric asked.
"No, just your home office phone," she said.
He pushed an envelope over to her. Lola looked at him then opened it. She looked at the content then back at Eric. It was a clear picture of Lola on the beach outside his home taking pictures. "This is private property. What were you doing by my home? Are you a stalker?" Eric asked.
Lola smiled. "No, nothing like that, I heard so much about the house, I just wanted to see it," she said. "It is the most gorgeous house. Tanya is a lucky woman," '
'That house should be mine, she was leaving why didn't she?'
"So what do you want?" Eric asked.
"Well...just before your accident we talked, remember? You were going to leave Tanya. I thought there was hope for us," she said.
'Leave Tanya? ' He wanted to know if they slept together but his grandfather's words kept ringing in his head. 'Some things are best left in the past'
"Why would I say that I am leaving her?" Eric asked.
"Well... you said that things were just not working out at home and you were very upset when you found out about her and that guy Neil," Lola said.
'Why is it this fucker name keeps coming up?'
Eric kept his poker face on "Yea that was fucked up."
He quickly changed the subject. "Is everything ok at the office? They treating you ok?"
"Yes, your father and everyone treats me very well but I miss working with you. I went to the hospital to see you, but Tanya told me to get lost," Lola continued.
"Look, Tanya and I are working through things; we are having another baby. I am not going anywhere and neither is she. Is that clear?" Eric asked.
'Should be my baby' "Yes it is clear," Lola said
"Look I need to go but I wish you all the best Lola."
He took off and Lola busted out crying. 'He was ready to leave her and that frigging accident changed everything, but I have news for you too. I am not going anywhere either'
<><><><><><>
It was almost six years since that tragic day when Tanya's father died. There was not one civil word between Tanya and her mother since that day. That coming December it would mark the six year anniversary of his death. Daphne wanted to have a memorial but not near the holidays to spoil everyone's holiday with sadness. Despite Edie's objection, Daphne insisted, since they never had one for him.
Edie agreed to the memorial, but did not want Tanya to attend.
Daphne voiced her opinion. "That is bullshit Edie, he was my brother long before he was your husband or Tanya's father and I am saying it is full time the hatchet is buried and the family start to heal."
"I can't forgive her for marrying my husband and her father's killer."
Daphne shook her head. "You are missing out on so much."
Edie could think of nothing she was missing out on. "Like what?"
"Your grandchild," Daphne reminded her.
Edie was silent. "You can bring the baby to the memorial." Edie said.
Daphne opened her mouth to argue. "Only the baby, I am not ready to see Tanya."
Daphne brought Ericka to the memorial and for the first time Edie saw her granddaughter close up and in person and Ericka met her mother's siblings, Kevin and Beverley. Edie couldn't get over her granddaughter's striking beauty but the child would have nothing to do with her. Ericka hid behind Jess and stared at her grandmother from afar.
After the memorial service ended, all the family and close friends of the Johnsons gathered at the Johnson's home for lunch. Edie tried to coax Ericka to her. She offered cookies, ice cream and a doll from Jess's collection, but as much as Ericka loved all those things, she would not take anything from her grandmother. Edie kept staring at her granddaughter; she couldn't get over how much Ericka looked like Eric. 'She looks just like that bastard who killed my husband and took away my daughter.'
"She looks like them...the Willbrooks I mean except for her eye color; that is definitely Gampy Tim's eyes," Edie said.
Daphne was surprised at that acknowledgement. 'Those green eyes...nobody knew who Ericka got them from. So now we know.'
"So your grandfather had green eyes?" Daphne asked.
"Oh yes as green as the grass outside there and hair so red; he migrated here from Scotland," Edie said.
"Too bad the child does not look more like her mother," Edie continued.
"Well she is a beautiful little girl regardless of who she looks like." Daphne said.
"What a pity."
"Get over it Edie, if you ever want to be a part of your grandchildren's life."
"Grandchildren?" Edie asked.
"Yes grandchildren, Tanya is pregnant again," Daphne said.
Edie pondered and could not understand why the outgoing little girl had conversation for everyone except her. That upset Edie so much. "She talks to everyone but me; I am sure that Tanya and that bastard is poisoning the baby's mind."
Daphne scolded Edie. "Stop talking shit Edie; If you would stop staring at the child as if she is the boogy man maybe she would talk to you."
Edie did not realize she was staring at Ericka.
"I am sorry; I did not know that I was looking at her funny," Edie said.
"Look, she does not know you; I offered several times to bring her to see you and you refused; you never wanted to know your own grandchild," Daphne bluntly told Edie. Edie opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it as Daphne stared her down.
<><><><><><>
Eric and Tanya picked up Ericka from Aunt Daphne's house. She always love to spend time with Aunt Daphne, especially if Jess was around. "So what did she say about Ericka?" Tanya asked.
"She loved her, could not take her eyes off her, thought she was the most beautiful little girl she had ever seen," Daphne said.
"Look, give your mother a little more time; I see it in her eyes; she misses you terribly," Daphne said. Tanya nodded.
As they headed home Tanya was quiet. Eric knew that she was thinking of her father and how her mother did not want her at the memorial. He wanted to cheer her up. It was October but the mall was already decorated for Christmas. He heard how much Tanya loved Christmas. "Hey want to stop at the mall? Ericka couild meet santa and tell him what she wants for Christmas," Eric winked.
"Yes let's do that," Tanya said coming back to life.
After Ericka met santa and gave him the longest list including a baby brother, they picked up a few things and headed for the check out. They were standing on the check out line when from out of no where Eric heard a little girl calling daddy. As if by reflex action he turned his head in the direction of the voice and there was this tiny little girl with leg braces struggling and pushing her way through the shoppers and heading straight for him. 'Was she calling him daddy? Wait Steph? Where the fuck is Mom?'
"Daddy, Daddy, Mommy it's Daddy," she screamed all excited. Eric felt sick as he realized his whole world was about to crumble. His worst fear was about to become a reality. This was a calculated plan by his mother and Mila. He had only seen the kid once when he visited his mother a month ago and here the kid was calling him Daddy. 'Who was that with her? Was that Mila?' Was she calling Mila Mommy? Last I knew she was calling my mother Mommy. 'What the fuck'
"Steph wait," the young woman called out but Steph had already reached Eric and she just wrapped her tiny arms around Eric's legs. Eric looked at Tanya and he would remember that look on her face for the rest of his life. It was the day the lights went out. Tanya looked down at the little girl in shock. Ericka was struggling with the tiny girl and prying the kids arm from around Eric's legs. "My Daddy, not yours," Ericka cried. Eric's heart broke for both kids.
"Tell me this is a joke Eric," Tanya said. And then she saw Mila looking at her and smiling.
Eric stood speechless. Tanya dropped the items she was about to pay for on the floor and grabbed the crying Ericka by the hand. She just had to get away.
"Hmm, well I guess she didn't know about Steph," Mila said to Eric with a mischievous smile.
"I tell you this, you will be one sorry bitch when I am through with you," he said as he ran after Tanya. 'I waited too fucking long to act. Mila and my mother just fuck me over...again.'
"Tanya wait," Eric shouted.
Tanya hailed a cab, jumped in with Ericka and told the man to drive. The cab driver kept asking her where to but she was just crying. She told the cab driver to just keep driving and not worry about the fare.
"Mommy why you cry? You belly hurt?" Ericka kept asking.
Eric ran to his car but by the time he got on the road, he had no idea where the cab turned. The cab driver drove around with Tanya and Ericka for a while before she finally told him where home was.
Eric was waiting for them at the house. Tanya hollered for Becky.
Becky came running down the stairs. "Please see about Ericka; please fix her something to eat."
"Tanya listen to me," Eric said.
"Listen to you? You promised me this would never happen," she cried.
"Tanya I don't even know if the kid is mine," he said.
"Stop it, just stop it; she calls you daddy so there must be a bond there and you tell me she is not yours?" Tanya cried.
"You have been messing with Mila for as long as we been together; she was always at your house. She is the one your mother wanted you to marry," Tanya shouted at him.
"Tanya listen to me, my mother planned this shit, she with Mila," How could he explain to her what his uncle explained to him...how his mother and mila drugged him and had Mila seduced him and five months later told him that she was pregnant. He didn't believe it. How could he ask her to believe it?
Tanya ran up to her suite and slammed the door shut. Eric followed her. She was just shaking, she was so angry. She picked up a vase and threw it at Eric; he ducked and it went crashing into the wall and broke into pieces. He grabbed her from behind and held her, She was sobbing uncontrollable. He sat on the floor with Tanya in his arms and he just cried. They both cried.
Ericka slept between the two of them that night as Tanya refused to let Ericka leave her side. Next Morning Tanya got up early and dressed Ericka. Eric followed her around . He wanted to know where she was going, but she just gave him the silent treatment. She put Ericka in the car and drove off without saying a word to him.
******************
Well well, the epic revelation you have been waiting and asking for. Well what do you think of how Tanya found out about that little kid. I am wondering if Sahita had something deliberately done to Steph legs so she could get to Eric's heart.