Chapter Eleven
It is Just the Plan Man
Kaylen came home from her day out and found the following letter in her email inbox.
Kaylen,
Hi sweetie, I know you probably don�t want to hear from me right now but I really needed to let you know the part I played in all of this issue. Just to reassure you, I am really your aunt and your mother�s little sister. I loved you from the moment your mother brought you home. She was beaming so much, we thought she might explode with the love she had for you and your little baby needs. We knew you two had some special bond, I think this is where your father began to take a backseat in the relationship and he didn�t take it very well. Your parents never had it confirmed that you were the product of a mixed union until you were several years old. They came home one day and found a young black man waiting and hoping to at least see you and get a photograph, he was your father and the Chapman�s even phoned to let your parents know who he was. Your father did not take this news very well. You know as much about this issue as you want, I need not go into this whole story again. He didn�t want you to have any contact with your real father and it was him who devised the story, except it wasn�t your mother who had the affair � it was your father. I don�t know how to tell you this but the woman he had the affair with was my big sister, your aunt Louise. Your cousin Ethan was the product of this union.
There is a lot more I could tell you, about the reason your parents had to adopt you and things that have happened since. I will tell you at a more appropriate time. I believe you need time to process what information you do have so far. I know it is not fair that all of this has happened and that you should have been told sooner. I just didn�t know how. I am only one person and Louise quite liked the system. Part of the mortgage that was taken out on the house was a stipend of �30,000 your father organised for Ethan before he killed himself. Please do not hate me, Kaylen. Feel all you like about your parents, aunt and cousin. I have tried my best to help you out and be there for you. I am also the person here now telling you the truth about your life. I know you probably feel as if I am only saying these things because everyone has been caught in their web of lies. I want to tell you now about the part I played in your birth family finding and following your path around the world.
When the house sold there must have been some action that triggered the attention of your grandparents� lawyers. They contacted the Chapman�s who knew now that you would have come into contact with your intended inheritance and they wanted to see how you spent the money. They approached me and I told them to go away because you had just lost your parents. They went away and then must have been alerted again when you left the country. They contacted me again to find out where you had headed in the world. They then put out their feelers to family and friends to see if anyone knew someone in New Zealand, which is how they found Alex. They were only meant to observe you to see how you enjoyed the money. I was letting them know your movements and they would pass them on to Alex through his mother. They had never expected that you two would have formed a relationship and so they had never thought to tell him you didn�t know about the adoption. You probably already know this information but I needed to put it across from my point of view. Our agreement was that they would just watch from a distance and that no contact would be made. When you returned to England after having an enjoyable time I was going to tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
When you eventually come back to England if you need somewhere to stay I will gladly give you a bed. Your other aunt will not be very forthcoming with assistance. She holds you personally responsible for her son having a mostly absent father. I think she is just crabby because Ethan hasn�t shared any of the money with her, he hates the fact his father was so nasty towards you. Ethan still cares about you Kaylen; I want you to make an effort to forgive him for being your father�s son. They are nothing alike and you know that for a fact. Ethan would like it if eventually you liked him as a brother. He is living with me at the moment because his mother is being very nasty. Jealous that her son didn�t get all the money that you were entitled to and that you have this other family that is presenting itself to you in the present time. A family I might add that is very wealthy and with more love than your aunt could ever manage. Your father and her deserve each other.
I better be off and deal with the hungry mouths wanting feeding. I hope I get to hear from you soon. Please do not forget that some members of the family love you and still want to be a part of your life.
Lots of Love
Auntie Carolyn (and cousin/brother Ethan)
Kaylen sat on her bed and wondered if anything more was going to happen today, this week, this month, and this year that would further throw her life into the washing machine of life. The spa pool was looking mighty comforting at this point in time. Kaylen now had a brother of some kind who had always just been Cousin Ethan. The things Carolyn had said in the letter made a lot of sense. It answered a lot of questions about why Louise had been so mean spirited towards Kaylen and the relationship between her mother and father. It also raised a lot of questions. Her father had come to see her, Kaylen. He wanted to be a part of her life and to see her. Why wouldn�t her father just let him take her away and be done with it? Had he ever tried to see her since then? Would he still care about her enough now and want a relationship? The more Kaylen learnt, the more questions she had. At least the questions were becoming more directed towards a common goal. Who was her father and what was the big deal with the adoption? There were always these hints from her aunt that there was something big, something that was too big to even mention over the phone or in an email. Maybe the only place where Kaylen would find the answers would be back in England.
Kaylen stretched back in the bath and enjoyed the bubbles as they soothed the mixture of frustration and desolation she was feeling. She planned on staying here all afternoon and night if need be to avoid watching eyes and the calm cool temperament of her grandparents. Kaylen had no qualms about calling them that, they were her grandparents and they were nice and friendly, no reason to doubt their feelings. She had not worried about anything after reading that letter but getting into the bath. Kaylen hadn�t put on a swimsuit or remembered to lock the door. Both got a big shock as Alex burst in the door of the bathroom to use the conveniences and was surprised by a naked laughing Kaylen. He turned and ran out apologetic. Kaylen relaxed back into the bath. She really didn�t care, there some things more important than being caught naked in a bath. The bubbles would have covered some of her body. It wouldn�t matter anyway, she had made the conscious decision to book a ticket back to London and fly out within the week. Kaylen was not worried about the great expense because there were more important things in the world than money, like truth. Kaylen climbed out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel and walked out to the lounge where she found Alex reading a magazine � up side down.
Alex tried to avoid her eye and continued �reading� his magazine. He could not avoid remembering how she looked, all relaxed and comfortable when she was lying in the bath. Alex jumped up and pushed past Kaylen to get into her bathroom. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and whom she wanted to do it with. Kaylen also knew she had to tell Alex her plans before jumping into bed with him. When he returned she sat him down on the edge of the bed and sighed before telling him her news. �Alex, I have to go home to England. I found out heaps more stuff today, from my aunt and Lady Charlotte. Please do not be disappointed. I just need to get all this stuff sorted out before I can put my mind at ease. I know we said we would go to Wellington, and I feel really bad for leaving while Rachel is still in New Zealand, but I really need to go home.� Kaylen plopped her head on the side as she waited for Alex�s answer. His answer was to plant his mouth on hers.
�Kaylen, I am not angry. I expected that you would travel home after this episode. I would like to come home with you as well. You will need a friend that is not your family. Can I be your friend, Kaylen?� Kaylen nodded. She hoped more than expected Alex�s answer. He could definitely be her friend. Her mother would definitely approve of this boy. Kaylen chuckled to herself as she wondered what her father would think of him, her real father � not the guy on the adoption form.
Later that evening as Kaylen and Alex ate with Charlotte and Albert again, the couple could not stop smiling. Kaylen explained that she had decided to travel home to this whole situation sorted out and put her life back on track. She had phoned the airline and there were seats on a flight leaving in two days time that would allow Alex and her to drop into the hospital and see Rachel. Albert offered them seats in their own private jet. Since Kaylen was leaving New Zealand there was no point in them staying, and if they could provide the transport they would be honoured. The plane would be leaving from Auckland anyway, so there would be time for Alex and Kaylen to visit Rachel. The jet had been too big to land in Rotorua so it was parked in Auckland and they caught a smaller scheduled flight to Rotorua. The following day the group headed back into the air, beginning the journey home to a land of change.