Blood Is Thicker...
By
Christine
Part Three
Chapter 25
The three arrived at Wit and Dora Van Cleaf's home shortly thereafter. Madeleine followed behind Pik and Owen as they entered through the front door. Pik's parents were seated at a small sun room table, and apparently had just finished lunch. Upon the surprise of seeing his youngest son in his home, Wit stood so abruptly that the table was jarred, knocking over their glasses and centerpiece.
"What the Hell is going on?!" he shouted to Owen. Dora had stood just as abruptly, but covered her mouth with her hands, barely choking back her sobs as she brushed past Wit and ran to Pik, throwing her arms around him.
Wit and Owen began speaking at the same time, their volume increasing as they competed to be heard. Pik kissed his mother on the cheek and told her, "Ma, I need to get some things straight here with Pa and Owen. Why don't you talk with Madeleine here while we men deal with this?"
"Madeleine?" she asked, her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Yes," Pik indicated to her with his hand and said quietly, so as not to give more fuel to the uproar of his father and brother, "this is Madeleine, my wife." Just then Owen grasped Pik's elbow and pulled him into the melee.
Dora pulled Madeleine off to the side to a sitting area and, holding both her hands in her own, smiled warmly at the young woman. "You're my Pik's wife?" she asked.
"Yes, and I am so happy to meet you." Madeleine replied through a choking lump in her throat. She could clearly see how much the woman had missed her son.
"Please, Madeleine, tell me what's going on. I know you can without shouting," she glanced to the trio of men, who were still talking all at once.
"The charges against Pik have been dropped," she answered.
"That is wonderful news," Dora said.
Madeleine cleared her throat nervously, "But the thing is, they never should have been filed against Pik in the first place. It was Owen who took the money. I'm sorry, I know you've always felt he was responsible. But Pik was just covering for him. Neither of them ever thought it would become a police matter."
Dora, still clasping Madeleine's hands, nodded her head, her lips taut. The women glanced over to the men, and it appeared Wit had finally settled down enough to let Owen explain. He stared, ashen faced at Owen, "It was you, all this time?'
Pik had to ask, "You have to tell us. Was it you? Are you the one who had the charges dropped?"
"Don't you think I would have done that years ago if I had that kind of money?!" Wit said angrily. He spun back to face Owen, "Son, don't you realize what you've done?"
Pik interrupted before his father said something he would regret, "Pa, it's over. You know I was going to leave home soon anyway…"
"But not that way…"
"I know, but listen, it's behind us now. Don't do to Owen what you did to me. I survived, I'm fine, I did allright, and I'm very happy. This," he held his hand out to Madeleine again, and she stepped forward, "is my wife, Madeleine. We are going to be parents in a few months and we want you, all of you, to be a big part of our child's life."
The mention of a baby brought forth another cacophony of voices…congratulations from Wit, bragging over his own children from Owen, mothering from Dora.
It was decided Pik and Madeleine would stay with Pik's parents until after the baby's birth so they could take their time finding their own home. Wit and Dora's bedroom was on the ground floor, so the younger couple would have a great deal of privacy in the rooms on the second floor. Five months passed by quickly, and Madeleine grew to love her in-laws and Owen's wife and two children as if they had always been part of her family. They welcomed her warmly, although they were puzzled that the disobedient, capricious Pik they had known had managed to find himself such a charming wife.
Pik enjoyed suddenly becoming an uncle, and through playing and caring for his niece and nephew, his confidence grew that he just might be able to handle fatherhood. He had the assurances from his parents and brother that his wife was under the care of the best obstetrician in the area. But it was always there, picking at the back of his mind, that someone had paid a great deal of money on his behalf to clear his name. It kept him restless in spite of the domestic security which surrounded him. He spent time getting to know his brother again, and the pair spent much time together at the plant.
Pik was genuinely interested in all Owen had to tell and show him, but he rankled at the prospect of settling down to run the family business. His own personal investments were strong enough to take care of them, probably for the rest of his life, but Pik was not one to rest on his laurels. He would have to find something to do so as not to lose his mind to boredom, but he didn't think helping his brother run the textile plant would fit the ticket.
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