Written In The Stars: Book Two

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: SOULMATES

Elijah removed the plank of wood that acted as a barrier to the back patio door and wheeled Madeline out into the early morning sun, Kevin behind them as he balanced three mugs in his grasp.

"I feel like I interrupted something," Madeline admitted as Kevin handed her a single mug.

His uncle just shrugged it off as he sat in the army green plastic chair. "Nonsense. I remember you from the funeral. You've been in his life a long time, Madeline, and you should be here for him now. Elijah may act tough, and look even tougher, but from my understanding, you were always the one to be his rock. He needs that now more than ever."

Madeline's face turned a light shade of pink, and she tucked her hair behind her ear, looking down at her lap.

"Before I forget," Kevin continued, then went into his coat pocket and pulled something out, handing it over to Elijah. "Your mother's concert ticket stub, and a photo of her and your father from that weekend. From what I remember her telling me, they took one with her camera, and took one with his."

Elijah didn't know this man nearly long enough to have a breakdown in front of him, so he didn't so much as glance at the items in his hand before setting them down beneath his leg so they wouldn't blow away in the early morning breeze. "How in the hell did you get those?"

Keven did a half sort of shrug, took a sip of coffee, and then his lips gained a subtle sort of smile. "Your mom used to call me her secret keeper," he began, the smile fading once he spoke the words. "All my friends used to make fun of me for idolizing a girl, but I knew they all secretly had a crush on my big sister. She was feisty and spontaneous, and drove my parents absolutely crazy with her wild spirit. I loved it, though. I wanted to be as free as her. As fearless.

"She used to tell me absolutely everything, because I never told a soul. Even after her death, I kept all her secrets. She may have barely known him, but she came back from that concert in love. They spent three days and nights together, walking the streets of the city, and having these deep conversations and creating a genuine connection that she hoped would stand the test of time.

"Truth is, they'd made plans to reconnect. When their weekend was up, they decided if they were both still in love a year later, they would meet in the same city that brought them together. Sandra told me how excited she was to go, how scared she was to tell him he was a father, and hoped he still loved her enough to give them a try. But you ended up with a high fever the morning she was supposed to leave, and she was a mother above all else.

"That was her biggest secret I ever kept. After she passed, I wanted to look for him. As a lawyer, I knew the adoption couldn't be reversed at that point, but if there was the smallest chance someone could convince Harrison to give up his rights..." Kevin rubbed the back of his neck yet again. "I don't know. It was a fool's mission, I suppose. Technology wasn't what it is today, however, and I think you stand a chance.

"I don't know if you saw that story from last week about a woman finding the nurse who took care of her as a baby after she was burned. All the magic of social media. If you want to find out who this man is, you have the power to make it happen. Ultimately, it's up to you, but my opinion is that it's worth looking into. Sandra truly thought this man was her soulmate, and seeing as you reconnected with your own, it seems like something you'd appreciate. At the very least, he deserves to know why she never showed up that day. Even if I'm the one who explains it to him."

The man was right. Elijah could appreciate searching for your soulmate after years of separation. But there was two issues with that. First, it was now thirty-five years since they'd last seen one another, so the man couldn't have still been pining over her. Hell, no one even knew if he'd been waiting for her the day they were meant to reconnect. The second was that if they were soulmates, his mother was now dead.

As if reading his mind, Madeline's hand reached for his. "You know as well as anyone that unanswered questions can eat you alive. Isn't that why you confronted your grandfather in the first place? To finally get answers after all these years?" She didn't wait for his response before asking another question. "Do you remember the first words I spoke to you when I saw you at my house?"

At first, Elijah was going to shake his head, but that night became seared into his memory. "You said, 'you're alive'."

Madeline nodded her confirmation. "Your mom might not be, but he deserves to know that. All that time apart, I kept questioning if you were dead or alive, and if you were dead, would any of us ever know? The only relief I got was that letter on graduation day, but I spent nine years prior to that with this unbearable fear, and another two years after that, wondering if I'd ever have you back.

"Maybe he's moved on. I hope he has. But he still deserves those answers, Elijah. We all deserve to know what became of ones we loved and lost."

There was nothing Elijah could say to argue against her words, and he wasn't even going to look for a loophole. Truth was, Elijah was fucking terrified, the fear only matched by the phone call he received the call from Mitch. What if yet another father refused to accept him?

But Elijah promised himself he'd stop allowing himself to be controlled by fear, and instead face it head on.

"Okay."

"Are you sure?" Madeline pressed.

"Not really," he admitted, "but I remember when that douche of an ex confronted me in the hospital. He knew exactly where to cut me, and I punched him because he crossed a line, not because he did any damage mentally. He wanted me to hurt, and he failed because he didn't have that power over me. Neither does this guy."

"Speaking of which," Kevin cut in, looking up at the security camera above his head. "I have quite a few connections in this city. Before I went to law school, I attended college here. I have enough friends and clients here to warrant an office and apartment. You tell me this guy's name, and maybe I can help with this security problem of yours. I can't promise anything, of course."

"Jonathan Zanto," Madeline told him with a sigh. "But he was just hurt, and drunk, and I don't-"

Her words seized when his uncle's smile grew. "I'm John Sr.'s lawyer. Known him for a good fifteen years. This, I can absolutely handle."