Theron's Hope (Brides of Theron) Read online

  Title Page

  Theron’s Hope

  By

  Rebecca Anthony Lorino

  And

  Rebecca Lorino Pond

  Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Lorino

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Dedication

  For my husband and soul mate Dominic who always inspires me and who gave me the two most wonderful children, Gianna and Jacob.

  &

  For my sister-in-law, Rebecca Pond, thank you my Twin!

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Acknowledgements

  Glossary

  About the Author

  Prologue

  In the beginning, God created Adam. He was alright being alone, busy with the task of naming all of God’s creatures and creations in the Garden of Eden. When all of his tasks were complete, Adam began to feel very lonely. God recognized his need for a companion, someone with whom to share his life, and one night as Adam slept God took a piece of Adam’s body and created Eve. She was literally his other half, his soul mate.

  What if this is God’s gift to us all? What if there really is one person intended for each of us? Could we find them? Would our paths lead us to them and what would happen if we took the wrong path? Would we get another chance? Would we automatically know when we found one another? What if half of our soul had to travel extreme distances in space through the vast universe to find his other half?

  It is my opinion that the concepts of love at first sight and soul mates exist. I was lucky to have found mine early. I knew it the moment we made eye contact that we were meant to be together forever. With him I am complete.

  Chapter 1

  Gracie picked up her cell phone, selected a contact and pressed speaker. Sitting on the bed zipping up her boots, she waited until she heard the rough voice of her editor.

  "Hello, this is Marv."

  "Hi Marv, this is Grace Abernathy. I am just checking to see if you have received the research report and copy submission for the latest story you assigned me. If you did not get the chance to read it yet, I hate to break it to you that I don't think there is much to go on. This woman you sent me to look for can't be found. At over a hundred years old, she is likely dead for all we know."

  "Yeah, I got that from the research report. You did a very nice job outlining her assets and the current speculative theories of her whereabouts. I agree with you about it being a hard story to sell. I think I am going to pull you off from pursuing this story any further. We will print it as a research piece. Are you ready for another assignment?"

  "Actually, Marv, I was thinking about taking a nice long vacation. I have some property that needs my attention and I need to check in with the firm. I will contact you when I am ready to write again."

  "You know, you could always take my offer to do the broadcast news. You could stay in New York all the time and let others do the research. You are a great looking gal, and I could use you there. You are far too pretty to be hiding behind the scenes."

  "Actually, it is the hiding that I prefer. You know that I don't like to draw too much attention to myself. I would never be able to have a private moment in public again if I were to be on TV and actually be as successful at it as you imagine I would be. I like my life the way it is."

  "So you keep telling me. Just keep my offer in mind in case you change it."

  "I doubt that my opinion will change, but I will keep it in mind. Marv, I have to let you go. I am about to catch the red eye to New York."

  "Have a safe trip, and don't be away too long Grace. Goodbye."

  "Bye."

  She hung up the phone and finished stashing away the final items into her travel case. She was not looking forward to the late night flight. Her cousin Michael was dealing with a crisis at the firm and called her to an emergency board meeting. The partners probably could have handled the matter themselves, but Grace made sure that since the firm was called Abernathy and Associates, she still held a vested interest in the direction the firm was headed. Not to mention, she preferred having the chance to review the cases and clients that they chose to represent, ensuring they were maintaining the standards of integrity set by her late father.

  At 5 foot 10, Grace was a tall beauty. She had shoulder length auburn hair with a slight wave and large almond shaped emerald green eyes. She was curvy in all the right places and she was always dressed in the latest fashions. She worked out at least three times a week and she would rock the designer clothes she wore. She also knew how to be invisible if she wanted. It was amazing what ill fitting clothes and a pair of out of style glasses could do to make people ignore her. It was this ability that helped her most in her ability to gather information and not be noticed. However, sometimes when there was a guy standing in the way of her obtaining the information she needed, her looks granted her access to many a juicy story.

  She was an adventurer and traveled all the time, usually planning some sort of exciting activity while on assignment. From sky diving to white water rapids she made sure that she considered some fun journey during every trip. She had friends on every continent, but was not very adept at maintaining relationships with them. She called this a consequence of her upbringing and possibly her job choice. Being a writer she was never in one place for a long period time. Why should she be? She could write anywhere. Always looking for the next story, she was jet setting to a new locale constantly.

  She was born to a family of "old" wealth in New York. She went to one of the best boarding schools in the country because her parents weren't used to having children around and were too busy with the family business and the social engagements that were required of them to be involved in the day to day upbringing. They generally left the child rearing task to the governess and numerous nannies that they employed until the kids were shipped off to boarding school for most of the year. This particular situation was not by choice but practice. It was how all the Abernathy ancestors raised their children. Similarly from the time she was born, the youngest of three, she was destined to practice law in the family firm.

  The family firm handled many of the most prominant clientele in the country. Her father was carefully selective in the cases he took and he won every case he defended. She was prepared and committed to accept this life until 9/11 took out her family. She was 16 years old and away at school when the planes hit the buildings of the World Trade Center reducing it to rubble causing her family to perish at the hand of terrorists.

  She never saw her immediate family again. Her mother, father, older sister and brother were gone. Her life went on as usual with the only notable difference being her Aunt and Uncle were in charge of her finances and important decisions regarding her care until the age of 21. She decided to go to unive
rsity in New York City and live in the penthouse on 5th Avenue which was her parents’ former primary residence. She enrolled in Columbia University majoring in pre-law to appease her Grandmamma Agatha.

  To deal with her own suffering caused by 9/11 she kept a journal and wrote various stories depicting her grief. She wrote a story about the loss of her family and the resulting pain caused by the terrorist’s actions. When she published her first story in the New York Times, she knew that research journalism was what she wanted to focus on and changed her major. Her grandmother objected to her choice of career and made it known that she did not approve, insinuating that she was a traitor to her family business interests. However, the popularity of her stories made her realize that maybe she should spend her life writing about her experiences and doing the thing she loved best, helping people and making a difference. She was always looking for a story that made her an advocate. She would help those people who experienced injustices in their lives at the hands of others.

  In her profession, she was a master of discovery and getting the story down to all its dirty little secrets. Her philosophy was to find the story, research it to oblivion, and write all the facts. She got better with more experience and she noticed that her editor was starting to assign her the stories that most reporters would fight for. When asked by Michael, she would take the occasional research job for the firm on the side.

  In reality, she did not have to work, she just didn't know how not to. Her money was family money that was built upon the generations of lawyers and judges from Europe to the first colonial days in the brand new United States up to the present. When her parents died she inherited all their possessions and a vast number of properties. She was also the sole beneficiary of the large insurance policies her parents had taken out before their untimely deaths. After 9/11 she was the only remaining immediate inheritable family of her mother and father’s wealth. When Grace died, unless of course she had children of her own, there was no one else to leave it all to.

  Her money remained in trust until her 21st birthday. It was then that she took control over her wealth and the board of Abernathy and Associates. All was going well with the firm until about a year ago. She began to notice that the cases that the firm began representing became more controversial. The firm’s name was starting to make headlines for questionable tactics in the cases they accepted. She did not approve of the direction the firm was headed so she used her majority vote in the company’s board meeting and restructured its management by putting her cousin Michael in charge.

  Her cousin, Michael Jameson, was a successful lawyer by his own right. It was just in his DNA. He was surprised when Gracie approached him with the offer of running the firm. In her opinion, he was doing an excellent job as CEO. Since he was appointed, he was responsible for tripling the cases that they represented as well as increasing the profit margin by 25%. He did this by diversifying the types of law practiced by the firm as well as making other adjustments to services the firm provided to their clients.

  She knew Michael better than anyone, even his wife in some ways. From the time she was born, they grew up spending most holidays and summers together sharing the same governess like siblings would. While she attended college, she introduced him to his wife Emily. Emily was her best friend and roommate throughout her time at boarding school. In her opinion, there was no one better for Michael than Em. Come to find out, he thought that too. Three months later they were engaged and one year later they were married. Now, they had three children and were very happy.

  Returning to New York had the added bonus of seeing her nieces 6 year old Gianna, 3 year old Chelsey, and her 18 month old nephew Jacob. Gianna adored Grace and was stuck to her like glue whenever she visited. When she was born Michael and Emily initially planned to name the baby girl after Grace but she refused to let them. They just managed to find another way to honor her. In a way, she was named after Grace. Gianna means God's Grace in Hebrew.

  Getting out the cab, she walked into the airport and straight to the Delta Airline counter to check-in. She always flew first class so she was looking forward to stretching out and sleeping during the three hour flight to JFK. A quick power nap would be just the thing, she thought. After boarding the plane she fell fast asleep and was awoken by the stewardess after landing. She collected her travel bag and computer from the overhead bin and left the plane. Making her way to baggage claim, she hoped William would be there waiting to drive her home. She would have to be up early to make her way to the firm. It is a good thing she scheduled all her driving arrangements earlier this afternoon. All she wanted to do at this moment was find her bed and pillow and crash.

  Chapter 2

  Her alarm started blaring loud music from her favorite radio station. She rolled over, groaned and tapped the snooze button. Feeling immediately guilty for her attempt at laziness, she rolled out of bed and took a shower. The water from the five shower heads as well as the aroma of the peppermint and rosemary in her shampoo did much to invigorate her. She started to feel better already. Carefully selecting her business attire from her well stocked closet and a pair of knee high boots she made her way to the well lit vanity and put on her make-up. When she approved of the image reflected in the mirror, she made her way to the kitchen. When she opened her refrigerator tshe saw that her maid, Josephincloned done an excellent job of stocking up on supplies for her return. She pulled out a yogurt prepared a bowl of cereal while she selected and brewed coffee in her single serving coffee maker.

  While eating her breakfast, she fondly remembered how she met Jo and her husband Miguel. The couple had just immigrated to the United States from Cuba to be closer to his siblings. Grace was 17 and just moved into the New York penthouse to attend college. She called the staffing agency her Aunt Marion recommended to hire someone who could cook, clean, and shop for her. They sent Jo over the next afternoon to be interviewed. Jo knew that cooking was a part of the job and took Grace a sample of one of her best dishes. Grace thoroughly enjoyed the meal Jo had prepared for her and offered her the job on the spot. It was an offer that Jo readily accepted and Grace felt Jo was glad she did. Jo just happened to be Grace’s first employee and luck would have it that she was completely trustworthy and honorable. She had worked for Grace ever since and was probably one of the highest paid housekeepers that she knew of. Jo deserved every penny of it. She was like a mother figure to Grace after losing her own tragically, and Jo treated her like a treasured daughter, fussing and worrying about her incessantly.

  She finished her breakfast and placed her dishes in the sink, rinsing them off. Now that she had eaten and had her morning coffee she was ready to get to work. At 7:30 the car would be waiting for her at the front door of the building and she had 5 minutes to make it down to the lobby. Grabbing her purse and keys from the table near the door, she left and locked the door behind her, making her way to the elevator that was located just outside her door. Her apartment was the only one on this floor, and you needed a special card to access it. She pressed the button to call the elevator and waited listening to the dinging sound of the elevator as it passed each floor. The door opened and Jo walked out.

  She was short and stocky, about 5'3'' with a dark complexion and dark black eyes wearing a grey dress and white starched linen apron. Gracie compared the woman that she fondly remembered this morning to this woman before her now and could see that the hairs on her head were starting to become greyer than black and her skin had a few more wrinkles. Jo looked up after fetching her keys from her purse and smiled excitedly. Speaking with a heavy Cuban with just a smidge of a New York intonation, she said, "Oh, Hello Miss Grace. How was your trip?"

  "Oh Jo, It is so great to see you. The trip went well enough, but could have been better. I have to get to the office for an all day board meeting. If I make it home early enough tonight I will fill you in then. If not, I will see you tomorrow morning.” She gave Jo a big hug and entered the elevator. “Hopefully, I will see you later. I will call and l
et you know as soon as I know when I will be home."

  As the elevator doors were closing, Jo smiled and said "You have a good day too, Miss Grace. Hasta Luego!"

  Grace prepared to exit the front door of the building as a large man in a red short coat with gold embellishments and hat to match came up to open the door for her. "Good morning, Tom. I hope your family is well." Grace said as she walked past him.

  "The wife is great and the baby couldn't be better. I just wish he would sleep better at night. She wanted me to thank you for the beautiful gift.” He rushed out the door behind her to the black Lincoln Town Car parked on the curb, “Let me get the car door for you Miss Abernathy."

  "I am so glad that she liked the gift." She smiled warmly and after she was seated inside the car she added, "Thank you, Tom. Please, give the baby a kiss for me will you. Have a good day."

  "I certainly will try. Have a good day, Miss Abernathy." Tom said in his heavy New York accent as he closed the door and rapped on the top of the car to let the driver know that his passenger was on board and ready to leave.

  William looked in the rear view mirror of the car and asked, "Where to Ms. Abernathy, the firm?"

  "Yes William, the firm. I have a meeting there this morning." Appreciating the nice unseasonably mild weather she said, "It is a lovely day isn't it?"