Consequences ( Book 3 in the Hijacked Of Innocence Series)

Chapter 3. Life Happens

Tanya thought it was time to make things right with her family.  At least she was going to try.  Of all her siblings, only Jess was left at home with her mother.  Her brother Kenny couldn't wait to finish high school to leave the island and her sister was living in the island capital. From what Jess said it was very rare that Beverley came back home for visits.  Country  life was not for her.  While Tanya  reached out to Kenny a few times over the years, she had never reached out to Beverley.  They were never close as sisters and the tragedy with their father only widened the gap between them.  

Tanya wanted to catch her mother before she left for church.  She had hoped that her parents would retire and grow old together, but her father was now gone and once Jess left home, her mother would be all alone.  'Why couldn't she see that she needed me as much as I need her?'  

Jess was shocked to see Tanya. They hugged each other and Jess picked up Ericka. Tanya's Mother came to the door all dressed up with her bible ready to leave for church.

"Mummy," Tanya cried. Her mother hesitated for a moment then she reached for Tanya. They were both overcome with emotions and they just held each other  and cried. 

Ericka reached for her mother, wanting Tanya to carry her.  "Mommy up, up."  

Her grandmother took her from Jess and kissed her.  "Do you remember me Ericka?" Edie asked.  Ericka took one look at Edie and busted out crying.  Tanya sat down and pulled her into her lap remembering Eric's warning that  she should not be carrying Ericka around anymore in her pregnant state.  

"You hungry?" Edie asked putting down her bible and reaching  for  her apron. 

Tanya rubbed her belly.  "Starving,"   She had not eaten anything since the day before.  She had been too upset to eat.

As they had breakfast out on the back deck,  Edie caught Tanya up on what was happening with the business.   As they talked a beautiful butterfly landed on the window ledge. Tanya smiled. 'Oh Daddy I miss you so'

"I am getting up there in age and it's getting hard for me alone to run the business. Eventually I may need to sell it all if one of you dont take it over," Edie said.

"Mom, what are you saying?" Tanya asked.

"Your father always thought that you had the head for it; It would be good if eventually you and Jess took over the business; your father would have wanted it that way," Edie said.

Tanya had never given much thought to running the business, not since she was a young girl helping out her parents at the stores, but her mother was right, her father did say that she was the only one of the four of  them who had the head for it.

"Just think about it; you would be an independent business woman and free of the Willbrooks family for good," her mother said. 

Tanya knew better.  'Not as long as I have his kids; I will never be free of Eric, but this is worth giving some serious thought to' 

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Eric checked the suite after Tanya and Ericka left.  She did not take anything except a few things for Ericka...her blanket and teddy bear.  He decided that she was not gone too far and decided to give her the space she needed at this time.  For him this was now war with his mother and Mila.  He didn't know what his old self would have done but he knew what he had to do.

He looked outside and saw his brother feeding the dogs.  His dogs had become Lloyd's.  There was a bond between him and his brother like no other.  They could practically read each other mind.  He walked out on the deck and sat on the step.  Lloyd soon joined him.