Part 19 - Chapter 7 - Family Ties

Hector rubbed his temples as he stared blankly at the computer screen in front of him. His mind wasn't on his work, but on the disaster his last visit to the Townsend's house had been. His plan had completely backfired. He had hoped revealing Eileen's secret would drive her and Lawrence apart, but if anything it seemed to bring them closer together. He should have known it wouldn't work.

He tried to put all of the thoughts of what he should have done instead out of his mind and focus on something that would actually do him some good . . . What to do next?

"What have you done now, Burgess?"

Hector looked up from his work to see Andrew standing behind him, a clipboard clutched in his fist. He noticed that the new employees were trying to act like they weren't watching them, but Andrew had obviously caught the attention of the entire office.

Hector stood up to stand face to face with Andrew. "I don't know. You tell me."

"This." Andrew shoved the clipboard at Hector.

"I don't know what this is," Hector said, pushing the paper work away in disgust. "It doesn't have anything to do with me."

"The hell it doesn't," Andrew fumed, his face turning red. "This is you trying to sabotage me, yet again."

"What? You've got to be kidding me. I didn't have anything to do with this account."

"Isn't that convenient! Then tell me why this amount is off by $10,000."

Hector grabbed the clipboard for Andrew and stared at the numbers on the paper.

"Well?"

"Would you stop prodding me? I'm looking at it . . . I don't know. Maybe you just can't add."

Andrew snatched the clipboard away from Hector and handed it to the person at the next cubicle. "Would you check these numbers for me, Carr?"

Andrew and Hector stared down at Lacey as she nervously did the math.

"There is an addition error," she replied, handing the clipboard back to Andrew. "Either one of the values was typed in wrong or someone forgot to carry a one."

"Thank you," Andrew mumbled. Thoroughly embarrassed, he avoided eye contact with the rest of the office, especially Hector. He couldn't stand to look at his smirking face at that moment. All he wanted to do was slink back to his office, but Hector stopped him.

"I think you owe me an apology," Hector said. "If you're going to make accusations in front of the entire office, the least you can do is apologize in front of everyone."

"An apology? I wouldn't-"

Andrew was cut short by Lawrence. "Andrew. Hector. Can I see you in my office?" Lawrence asked. As he glanced around the office, the other employees turned back to their work.

Once they were safely out of earshot behind his office door, Lawrence asked, "Do I have to remind you both that this is a place of business? If the two of you have an issue, handle it in private. I didn't think I would have to remind the two of you to not fight in front of the other employees."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Andrew said, pushing back his glasses. "I shouldn't have confronted Burgess in front of everyone. The next time something like this happens, I'll call him into my office first."

"Next time? You're already planning for the next time?" Hector cried out. "Is that's the way it's going to be around here? Something goes wrong, blame Hector?"

"Why not?" Andrew asked. "You're always up to something. Chances are if something goes wrong around here, you're behind it. You can't play the victim anymore."

Hector looked from Andrew to Lawrence, who stood in front of him with his arms crossed and shrugged. Everyone was on to him and they were all against him.

"Fine. Whatever. I won't let it happen again. Can I just get back to work?"

Lawrence nodded and Hector retreated back to his desk. Working here was getting to be miserable. As he sat down at his desk, he knew he had to find a way out. He wondered if R.J.'s offer was still good.

Cassandra and Blaine stood outside in the parking lot, waiting for Reese.

"How did it go?" Reese asked eagerly as she hurried towards them.

"We've got it," Blaine said, presenting the file to her. "And don't worry, we didn't look inside."

As she took the file from Blaine, Reese was starting to feel overwhelmed. All of the answers she had searched for her entire life could finally be right here in her hands. Or maybe what she held was nothing at all. If the answers weren't here, then chances were they would never be found. She had run out of places to look.

"Are you ok?" Blaine asked, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, trying to steel her nerves. She couldn't stand there wondering, 'what if . . .' she just had to open it and find out.

As she opened the folder and began skimming over the contents, she leaned back against the car. "Oh my gosh, there it is. 'Mother's name' . . ." she was almost too nervous to make sense of the letters.

"Lydia Flemming," Cassandra finished for her.

"No," Reese said sternly, looking up to glare at Cassandra. "Elyse Hudson. That's my mother's name," she said, smiling at Blaine excitedly. "'Father's name," she read on. "'Philip Hudson'."

"No, that can't be right," Cassandra said, confused. "That information must be wrong."

"It's not wrong. It's right here in black and white." Reese tapped at paper with her index finger for emphasis.

"No . . ." Cassandra shook her head in disbelief. "My mother said-"

"I don't care what your mother said," Reese snapped. She looked away, embarrassed about her outburst. She hated to be cross with anyone, but Cassandra was really getting on her nerves. When she spoke again it was in a more subdued tone. "I don't even know why you're here anyway. This doesn't have anything to do with you."

When Cassandra reared back offended, Blaine decided to speak up. "Look, why don't I take Cassie home and I'll call you later tonight, Reese."

"Ok," Reese said, looking down. "I should get back to the office anyway."

Blaine gave her a kiss on the cheek before getting into his truck and driving away with Cassandra, leaving Reese standing alone as she watched them ride away together.