Secrets Read online

  SECRETS

  Nancy M. Popovich

  Copyright Nancy M. Popovich 2011

  Smashwords Edition

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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  CHAPTER 1

  Sighing in unreserved happiness, Sonya’s eyes wandered to her new husband sitting in the adjacent seat, and she couldn’t prevent the smile from encompassing her entire face. They were winging their way to Paris, a honeymoon trip planned for over two years.

  They lived with Sonya’s sister and family in Calgary, in the third floor apartment of their Victorian home, where they only paid for their utilities. This allowed them to salt away both of their salaries for the down payment on their own home. Sonya had been in the process of completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree and at the same time worked for the family company, which was her legacy. And she was determined to ensure its future, its very rosy future!

  With her recent marriage, that future was now set. Uncle Stefan had bequeathed a twenty percent share in Snytyza, Inc., the company created by her three uncles and her grandparents’ best friend. Pride to be a part of this successful family enterprise fired her resolve to make it even more successful.

  Her history with Bryan was somewhat storied. She so clearly remembered their first meeting on the University of British Columbia campus during her second year there. She had been seventeen at the time, and when her father discovered the almost ten year difference in their ages, he reacted in a manner that Sonya had never before witnessed.

  The scene had been most unpleasant, ending in tears and a slamming door. She had not been able to convince her father that her decision to abandon her studies in the Faculty of Education was solely based on the fact that she had come to the realization that teaching wasn’t to be her career. Or, that this decision was hers alone.

  Arguments and rationalization had fallen upon deaf ears. Both her parents had been educators before their retirement. Her father had been the principal of a high school and her mother a grade school teacher. They loved teaching with such passion that they could not fathom their younger daughter’s disenchantment with their chosen profession. Instead, they placed the blame for her decision directly upon her older boyfriend’s influence, refusing to believe that he had, in reality, tried to coax her to remain in the faculty.

  Sonya had no doubt at all that Bryan’s decision to accept a post-graduate scholarship position in Paris to study for his doctorate was his way of giving her time and space to make some serious decisions about her life. It had been so very difficult to watch him walk away and board his flight, but Sonya had accomplished it without a tear – at the time. The tears flowed later, in private.

  When her aunt and uncle decided to take a long-planned trip to Australia, Sonya jumped at the opportunity to stay with her elderly grandmother while they were gone. Her parents lived only blocks away, and she adored her Gran. They spent hours cooking and talking. Sonya had even succeeded in presenting the wonders of the internet to her grandmother, proudly revealing photos sent by her aunt and uncle from Australia.

  Then the bubble burst. Her beloved grandmother died in her sleep at the age of ninety-six while she was under Sonya’s care. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning in a series of deaths that left the entire family devastated.

  The nightmare continued when her parents had been killed in the massacre that was September Eleventh. Her sister Susan’s strained voice informing her that their parent’s plane had been hijacked and crashed, would be forever etched in her brain. She was still numb, even after all the time that since passed.

  Part of it was the guilt of having argued, yet again, with her father regarding what direction that her education would take. Even now, she felt the guilt bubble up in her throat. It had been their last conversation. Certainly, it had not been what she would have chosen to be her last words with her father. She and Susan had discussed it many times since, and Sonya was beginning to forgive herself, for as Susan had so bluntly put it, simply being human.

  A soft caress kissed the back of her hand. “A penny for your thoughts,” Bryan whispered as dimples flashed and his smile widened, sparking into dark brown eyes peeking from behind wire rimmed glasses.

  “I was just thinking that it’s taken us a long time and a few bumps in the road to get here, hasn’t it?” she replied as a slow smile crossed her face and flashed in her eyes.

  Bryan gazed into her striking, china blue eyes and saw the love of his life. The fact that this stunning woman chose to be his wife still had him shaking his head in disbelief and thanking his lucky stars.

  He had never considered himself to be handsome. In true fact, his childhood had been spent wearing the labels of geek and nerd. In an effort to fit in, he had let his dark hair grow, but unfortunately, his thick, curly hair had portrayed far less than the ‘cool’ image he strove for and made him even more of an outcast. The fact that he grew up on a ranch cemented his fate as an outcast.

  Finally deciding to be true to himself, Bryan cut his hair and stopped trying to be someone that he wasn’t. Graduating from high school a year early, he pursued his love and talent in art, and graduated with a degree in fine art.

  Because he could, he continued his studies, next obtaining a degree in teaching. It was while working on a post-graduate degree in art that the lightening bolt that was Sonya entered into his life.

  That first encounter flashed into his mind as if it were yesterday. A goddess walked into the department office and he had been in a word, thunderstruck. Hair the colour of ripe golden wheat was windblown around a perfect face flushed from the wind. Then, she looked at him with the most brilliant china blue eyes that he had ever seen.

  What struck him the most was her absolute lack of conceit. It had been his experience that beautiful women seemed to be very aware of their effect on men, especially those men that they considered to be geeky and awkward.

  This stunning creature in the office had no such hang-up. In fact, she appeared to be totally unaware of her effect on men. He found himself wondering if this girl ever looked into a mirror. Surely, she knew just how beautiful she was. To his surprise, she appeared to be somewhat shy, but she spoke to him as if she was actually interested in what he had to say. She made him feel so comfortable, that he seemed to lose his awkwardness and spoke to her as if they were old friends.

  Before he knew it, they were dating, and he considered himself to be the most fortunate man on the face of the planet. Perhaps God was rewarding him for his difficult youth, for which he would be eternally grateful. It had been an idyllic time. For the first time in his life, Bryan had confidence, something foreign to him until then. He felt desirable, and the longer that they were together, the more self-confidence that he gained.

  Then, Sonya decided that she didn’t want a career in Education. He did his best to change her mind, but she was adamant. As sweet as she was, she was just as stubborn, and once her decision was made, her decision was non-negotiable.

  Unfortunately, her father didn’t agree with his daughter’s choice. It was easier to blame Bryan than to accept Sonya’s decision. Their argument about Bryan, especially when the difference in their ages became an issue, had become really bitter. That was one of the reasons Sonya had jumped at the opportunity to stay with her grandmother while her aunt and uncle were in Australia.

  It was the beginning of a string of the t
ragedies that had paralyzed the family. The first of which was the death of the venerable head of the family, and only weeks later, came the news that Sonya’s parents had perished in the wake of the massacre that was September Eleventh, Two Thousand and One.

  He had been in Paris at the time, and had gone so far as to put his name on a waiting list for a flight to Canada after the North American air embargo was lifted. Sonya had been steadfast in refusing his offer of support. She had shown him a strength that he never knew that she possessed, insisting that he remain in Paris and finish his art scholarship and doctorate. Her decision had been devastating. Why wouldn’t she accept his support? Why didn’t she want it?

  Her emails had, over the course of time, explained her frame of mind. She still needed him, his input and his point of view, but she was trying to deal with life on her own, especially now that her parents were gone. It took every ounce of strength for him to stay in Paris but finally, they reconnected upon his return to Canada. At that time, Sonya had been living with her sister, Susan and her husband, Kevin. To their credit, Susan and Kevin had welcomed him because Sonya wanted it that way, something for which Bryan would always be indebted.

  Sonya’s decision to change her education direction to the Faculty of Commerce, was triggered by her part-time job with Snytyza Inc, a family owned company. The tragic suicide of her elderly aunt and uncle had only fuelled her need to succeed. Her uncle’s bequeath of twenty percent of the company stock had come because she was the only member of the family other than his son, Peter, that took any interest in the family company that he had been instrumental in creating.

  And Bryan supported her all the way. Whatever she wanted or needed, he would move heaven and earth to provide, regardless the cost.

  “Yeah, we’ve earned what we have,” he readily agreed, pulling her hand up to his lips and grazing it softly. “Happy honeymoon, Mrs. Brody-Mylowsky.”

  “Back ‘atcha, Mr. Mylowsky,” Sonya grinned. “I can’t wait to have you show me Paris from an insider’s point of view!”

  “You will love it! The art, the buildings, the history – you’ll love it all!” Bryan continued enthusiastically. “I know you will. I’ve even rented my old place from when I lived there before. It’s centrally located, and the landlady is a one of a kind gem. Madame Lalonde will make even you gain weight with her cooking. Buckle up, Babe, we’re about to land!”

  They held hands as the large aircraft began its descent, and touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Madame Lalonde, comment ça va?(How are you)” Bryan declared, as his hug engulfed the small, chic woman that welcomed him with a kiss on each cheek.

  “Je veux vous présenter ma nouvelle femme, Sonya. (I want to introduce you to my new wife) Sonya, this is our landlady, Madame Lalonde.”

  “Bienvenue, Chérie. Mon Bryan a dit que son chérie amour viendra. (Welcome, Chérie. My Bryan told me that his sweetheart was coming.) Welcome!” With that, she clasped Sonya’s hand in a vise-like grip. “Vous êtes assez jolie. Très jolie! (You are very beautiful, very beautiful!) Beautiful!” she exclaimed with a Gallic gesture of her hands.

  Somewhat at a loss for words, Sonya didn’t know what to do next. Apparently Madame Lalonde knew all about her, but she was woefully uninformed about Madame Lalonde. All that Bryan had revealed to her was that they would be staying with his old landlady. In truth, he had been somewhat circumspect when it came to describing his time in Paris.

  To be fair, the past few years had been so full of tragedies that Sonya hadn’t really had the strength or the desire to ask too many questions about that time in his life, nor had he offered to fill her in. That, added to the fact that she had crammed two and a half terms of university courses into two, while working part time at Snytytza, had kept every waking hour packed full.

  Bryan patiently waited until she was done, never once complaining. Patience was one of his virtues, Sonya suddenly realized. He had patiently waited for her to grow up, to complete her education and to agree to marry him. Another man would have left. Another man would have demanded, but, he had done neither. It was one of the many reasons that she loved him.

  “Sonya?” Brian’s voice snapped her back to reality. “Madame Lalonde has prepared dinner for us, but she’ll understand if you want to go out and be alone.” Typical Bryan, she contemplated, never forcing his wishes upon her.

  A smile warmed Sonya’s face. “That sounds lovely! Merci,” she said, turning to Madame Lalonde. In return, Madame Lalonde grasped Sonya’s hand and patted it.

  “Bien! I cook now.” Still holding her hand, Madame Lalonde pulled Sonya into the most charming Provencal kitchen she had ever seen. The table was set for four, wine glasses sat at the ready, and candles were waiting to be lit.

  “Sit,” they were ordered. Bryan pulled out a chair for Sonya and chose another next to her. Obviously, Madame Lalonde had expected them to stay. A most exquisite, mouth-watering aroma emanated from the casserole that Madame Lalonde removed from the oven.

  A grin blossomed across Bryan’s face. “This dish was always my favourite,” he explained. “Merci, Madame Lalonde. Ça, c’est mon favori!”

  Madame Lalonde silently nodded in acknowledgement as she continued to prepare their meal. She was just placing crusty bread on the table when a door slammed. Glancing up, her brow furrowed in annoyance as a handsome youngster burst into the room. One look at his flushed face and angelic smile, erased every trace of annoyance, especially when he stopped dead in his tracks and stared unabashedly at Sonya.

  “Sylvain,” Madame Lalonde said quietly. He looked up at her.

  “Je suis en retard, Granmama, je le sait. (I am late, Grandmother, I know)” Obviously what he said pleased her.

  “Sylvain,” she continued in the same voice. “Ça, c’est Madame Mylowsky. Sonya, this is my grandchild, Sylvain.”

  With a formality befitting one much older, Sylvain very seriously nodded and shook Sonya’s hand. “It is a pleasure for me to meet with you,” he said in fairly good English. “Welcome to you as well, Monsieur Mylowsky.”

  “Thanks,” Bryan replied with an amused look, tousling the boys’ shining, dark hair in a way that told Sonya that this was not for the first time. “Your English has really improved since I lived here.”

  The youngster beamed with pride. “Granmama allows me to rent English movies on the weekend. Bridgit Jones, it was very funny, yes?”

  A laugh escaped and Brian soberly nodded his head. “Yes, she was.”

  Watching this interaction with fascination, Sonya gauged the boy to be about eleven or twelve, about the same age as her nephew, Ivan. His animated brown eyes almost danced with mischief, and his hair was shining and very dark brown, a stray lock of which seemed determined to hang across his forehead.

  “Pour the wine, Bryan,” Madame Lalonde requested as she dished out their dinner and dispatched Sylvain to light the candles.

  Their meal was as delicious as the aroma had promised. Conversation was a combination of English and French, in deference, Sonya assumed, to the fact her high school French was much less than adequate. Sylvain enjoyed practising his English, and argued when his grandmother sent him to do his school work and then to bed.

  After assisting to clear the dishes, Sonya and Bryan retired to their room which was, as Sonya expected, every bit as charming as the rest of Madame Lalonde’s home. It made her curious about how Bryan had met her and how long he had boarded with her.

  “What do you think?” he asked as they prepared for bed.

  Pausing as she brushed her hair, Sonya’s reply was immediate. “I think this is absolutely perfect. How did you ever connect with Madame Lalonde?” she asked casually, unable to keep her curiosity hidden.

  “A friend of a friend,” he answered somewhat noncommittally. “One of the Profs took pity on me and put in a good word. Apparently, Madame Lalonde is pretty particular about who she allows to board with her.”

  “Does her g
randson live with her all the time?”

  A flash of compassion crossed Bryan’s face. “His mom died and his dad works in the Middle East. They had a family conference as to what would be best, and it was decided he would live with his grandmother in France. His dad comes home every six weeks or so for a visit.”

  “How sad for that boy,” Sonya’s sympathy arose. “Thank goodness he has his grandmother. I’m a lot older than he is, and I still miss my mother,” she admitted as they crawled into bed. “I’m wiped! It’s been a very long day with the flight, time change and all.”

  Gathering Sonya into his arms, Bryan stifled a yawn. He was wiped as well, he admitted as he drifted to sleep beside his wife.

  Awake long before dawn, Sonya sat by the window and watched as night reluctantly surrendered to day. A cat wandered down the street, crossed the road and entered into what appeared to be a garden. By the way it patrolled the perimeter of the yard Sonya surmised that this was where it called home. Sunrise finally struggled through the pale light, bathing buildings with its golden glow and casting deep shadows like tall giants all leaning in one direction.

  “Been awake long?” Bryan’s voice whispered in her ear.

  “A few hours. Time zones are a bit of a bitch. Did you sleep?” Sonya replied.

  “Off and on all night. I’m pretty lucky – for some reason I seem to be able to sleep almost at will. Maybe it’s because my younger brother, the one that died, needed twenty-four-seven care. We all took turns sitting with him. When he died, we didn’t know what to do with all the extra time. Until then, we looked after Kenny. He left a pretty big gap in our lives.”

  She reached over and stroked his cheek softly. “I know that you still miss him. I guess my family was really fortunate not having to deal with a terminal illness, especially in one so young. All of the cousins have been healthy.

  Leaning his chin on his wife’s head, Bryan gathered her into his arms, watching out of the window with her. “Every family has its own hardships. What your family hasn’t been forced to deal with in health issues, it has dealt with in tragedy. No one gets through life unscathed.”