Alex sat on a bench in the gardens watching a small flock of birds eat the piece of bread he had thrown out to them. It was now a whole day since Kaylen and Alex had their fight and had separated. He had not slept and had avoided the room except for grabbing a change of clothes. Alex had walked around most of the night, checking out the nightclubs for any sign of Kaylen. Things were going from bad to worse. He needed a shower and food. He also needed his friend back. Alex also had about a million questions he needed answering, mostly about how this could ever happen in the first place; imagine carrying on that lie for all of that time. Kaylen would never have the chance to discuss this with her parents. It is almost like they purposely died so they would never have to answer her questions. How could you be so vindictive not to tell your own child something that major? Alex felt angry now, angry that Kaylen�s father had not told her before killing himself. Her mother hadn�t a chance to tell her but he did not have an excuse. He bailed out on telling Kaylen just like he bailed out on being a real father. He wasn�t even a half good adoptive father, just useless through and through.
Alex stood up and turned to walk back to the hostel to have a shower and write in his diary. He needed solace from the world he had found himself detesting for the things it allowed to happen. Had they been afraid Kaylen wouldn�t understand and never speak to them again or had her parents simply been childish and jealous of the relationship Kaylen might have formed with her birth mother and father? If only Lord and Lady Chapman knew half of what Kaylen�s father had done to her over the years, they would not be impressed. Alex sighed and rubbed his head, man he really needed to wash his hair. As he walked around the corner, at the other end of the path he saw her. Kaylen looked up and saw him too.
Kaylen didn�t know whether to run towards him or away in the opposite direction. In the end she decided to sit down on the nearest park bench and wait for him to come to her and be apologetic. When Alex arrived he stood directly in front of her and pulled her up, so she was standing facing him. He pulled her into his arms and held her. Nothing more had to be said; it was all exchanged in the way he held her and the way she started crying on his shoulder. Kaylen pulled away after about five minutes.
�Alex, please don�t yell at me like that again. I don�t think my nerves could handle another argument with you.� Kaylen smiled at Alex and they walked back to his room. He checked out of his hostel, then they went to Kaylen�s and she also checked out. They had been through a lot and needed a bit of pampering. Alex decided to finally spend some of that money he had been avoiding by doing the backpacker thing and splurge on a really nice motel unit with its own spa pool and queen size bed.
Kaylen
I must say, straight off the bat, that I love spa pools. My family couldn�t afford any luxuries like spas. I have been in them before, at a friend�s house, but it is so nice having your own private pool. One day I will own one and then I can relax in them all day if I want, just like now. I need a bit of pampering like this with the goings on that have happened over the past couple of weeks. Thinking about It, I do not think I haven�t completely wound down since my mum died. What a funny moment to finally feel free, when all this stuff if happening. I guess I can�t change what has happened, but I can control what happens from now on. There will be no other times in my life when I will be left out of the loop with things that affect me. And I also know now that I want to learn about where I come from. I know they were looking for me and I want them to find me, just when I am ready. At the moment I�m happy to be a tourist in a new and exciting place. There will be lots of chances for them to find me. I need to know everything. Some day, some way I will talk to these people and learn at least some of the truth about my life and my place within this earth. I�m not sure if I want that time to be now. I might just try and enjoy this place and this boy all on my own for a bit longer. We were getting off to a good start and I really want to see where this leads. I think this is the beginning of something good. I don�t want anything to spoil what Alex and I have.
Alex
I am ashamed for what I was feeling before and for the things I said about Kaylen. If I had only known the truth I would have dealt with the situation with a bit more tact. I think those people looking for Kaylen have a lot to answer for, even if they are a Lord and Lady. I haven't told Kaylen that yet, there is no reason. I think she has enough to deal with at the moment and adding that to the mix I think will tip her over the edge. I have no idea how Kaylen would be feeling at this moment. I am glad that she has stopped crying now and is resting. I think that after I finish writing this up I will have a soak in the spa and a rest myself. Both Kaylen and I are tired, not just from this latest escapade but this whole trip has been exhausting. Kaylen has been dealing with her stuff and the latest with Rachel. Everyone has just been thrown into a very mixed up world.
Our motel room had Internet capabilities so I checked my email. My mother has informed me that Lord and Lady Chapman are on their way to New Zealand and will most likely be here tonight as they are flying in their private jet. I hope Rotorua is prepared for them. Mind you I hope Kaylen isn�t too grumpy when I tell her they are arriving. It is not as if she has to see them unless she is ready. I will be telling her, I have learnt my lesson not to be keeping anything from Kaylen and just tell her what is happening. There is no way I want a repeat of the other day, I like her too much and respect her integrity. Mind you that probably seems to be a bit hypocritical judging by the way I attacked her so horribly. But I have learnt my lesson; I will never question her again. I just never thought in a million years that she would have no idea about the adoption. I emailed Mum back and let her know where I am staying, and gave her my phone number. I didn�t tell her that I met up with Kaylen again because some things are better left unsaid.
Alex walked back into the bedroom and found Kaylen curled up on the bed asleep. He sat and watched her for a few minutes before she stirred, sat up and looked at Alex. Alex picked up her hand and explained about the imminent arrival of the Chapman�s. Kaylen stiffened and asked if they knew where she was located. Alex reassured her that he had not told his mother that he had found Kaylen. Alex was also trying to come up with a way of telling her about who her grandparents happened to be, that is to say the fact they are titled members of the British population and almost billionaires. He thought it would come as quite a shock to her, knowing her mother was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
�Kaylen, you do not have to worry. They are coming to New Zealand to help look for you. They want to meet you and talk about things, including your mother. There will be no pressure from me, you can meet them or not. It is completely up to you and no one else. They do not know where you are or even if you are still in contact with your aunt. Carolyn is refusing to talk to any of them because of what happened with their first attempt. She is disgusted with the way that I was used as their little search dog. Nothing will be done without your prior permission.�
Kaylen was appreciating the way Alex was now on her side. He was a nice guy with a big heart; he was easy to talk to and seemed to be on her side in this whole situation. She could never completely forgive him for the way he acted so badly just a couple of days ago but he was definitely trying to do the best by her now, and to Kaylen that was the only thing that was important. There had been extenuating circumstances that were difficult for both of them to comprehend and dealing them would take time. Alex was also having to deal with now been the link between Kaylen�s real family and herself. It frightened her that Alex knew more about this family than she; he had even met them and had some prior relationship with the people that now had so much importance to Kaylen. The ringing of Alex�s cellphone, which had mysteriously been turned on, broke Kaylen from her musing. He went off to another room to answer the call.
�Hello, Alex Haverty?� The voice on the phone asked.
�Yes, this is he. How may I help you?� Alex felt that he knew already who this was on the phone, but waited anyway for the answer.
�I am Lady Charlotte Chapman. We have touched down in Rotorua and are heading for our hotel, Rydges Rotorua and we thought we would get in contact with you, your mother passed on your phone number. Have you had any luck getting in touch with Kaylen? Lord Albert and I were wondering if you would like to come over here for dinner tonight and we could discuss our plan of how to find Kaylen. We are desperate to find her; there was no way we wanted anything this disastrous to happen. Alex, we are very sorry for strain put on your relationship.� Lady Charlotte was almost pleading in her voice and Alex almost wanted to tell her the truth, but he could not betray Kaylen. What he could do was talk to her and let her know what was happening. Alex bid farewell to Lady Charlotte accepting her dinner invitation, and headed back to where Kaylen was sitting. She was staring at him with an odd look and he knew he had to tell her about the arrival.
�Kaylen, that was your birth grandmother on the phone. Your grandparents have arrived in Rotorua and I have accepted a dinner invitation with them, they want to devise a plan on how to search the town for any sign of you. To keep them off your trail I will go, but I will not tell them anything.� Alex was sitting next to Kaylen now, holding back the urge to pick up her hand.
�Do you think they would mind if I tagged along for dinner as well? I mean I am the main topic of conversation, and I�m sure it would help. These people have travelled across the world to see Kaylen Knight. I think it only fair of me to at least meet with them and thank them for bringing the person into the world that brought me into this world. Even if that person does not want to show up and face me on in person.� Kaylen guessed that these people would not give up on meeting her and expected that at some stage they would come looking in New Zealand. She had through about almost nothing else since learning the shocking truth. It was time to face up to her responsibilities and meet with these people who obviously cared enough to look for her in the first place. It was not their fault she hadn�t been told from birth about the adoption.
Two hours later Alex and Kaylen were walking towards the hotel. Kaylen was nervous for a range of reasons, mostly because of the big question � would they like the way she had turned out? Alex was nervous because he was now going to have to tell Kaylen about the issue of Lord and Lady Chapman. He just plucked up the courage and blurted the fact out. Kaylen stopped in the middle of the footpath and just stared at him blankly. �My family is rich! I have struggled throughout my life with my parents making enough to live, but not more. Now I find out that my real mother is like the daughter of a freaking Lord and Lady! There goes my belief that maybe they could not offer me everything and gave me up to a better home! Well, I must have been some kind of mutant or they just hated the thought of half black me getting in the way of their pearly white family!� Alex suddenly thought that maybe it hadn�t been the best idea to tell Kaylen the truth. But now it was out there and he could not take anything back. They would all just have to live with the consequences. Now he just had to work out how to introduce the three strangers.
The couple walked into the restaurant hand in hand and Alex saw where their hosts were sitting and walked towards them. Kaylen suddenly pulled back. �Alex, how can I go there dressed like this, they will hate me. I don�t know if I can do this anymore.� Kaylen was wearing a simple, but nice, black dress that was straight down to knee length and then a bit frilly down to midway between her knees and feet. Her hair was up and she was wearing simple black scandals.
�Kaylen, I have already told you that you look great. They will not hate you; in fact I am sure they will love you. So come on now, everyone is beginning to look at us.� Alex pulled them forward till they were standing in front of the Chapman�s table. �Lord Albert, Lady Charlotte, I hope you do not mind but I brought a guest. I would like to introduce you to Kaylen Knight.� Alex watched as the Lord and Lady realised who was standing before them and looked more closely at Kaylen�s face. Lady Charlotte began to cry as she looked into her granddaughters face for the first time. She saw her daughter�s face whilst feeling the love and warmth that she had been without for twenty-three years.
