Johanna smiled sympathetically. “Divorces can be difficult. Maybe he's trying to shield you from being dragged into a messy court battle.”
“That's what he says. I have to constantly watch everything I say and whom I talk to around here and in Philadelphia. No one knows anything about us.” She looked sheepishly at them.
“I understand.” Frankie leaned forward. “But you two were in the open together at Kramer Insurance Company.”
She shook her head. “Everyone thinks he's just helping me out by getting me the job and giving me transportation. He treats me like his daughter in front of them. They don't suspect anything.” Her face reddened. “No one thinks any differently because he's so much older than I am. They think he's just acting fatherly.” She shrugged. “And they probably wouldn't say much anyway because he's a very wealthy and powerful man in Charleston.”
“I hope you know that you can trust us,” Johanna said. “After all, we're not from around here, so your secret is safe with us. All we care about is getting our picture made. Your personal life is your own business, but of course we'll be there if anything arises and you need a shoulder to lean on. We'll be spending so much time together that you'll almost think of us as your second family.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes grew bright. “It's not easy waiting for my fiancé and me to be able to move on with our lives. This movie is just what I need. We don't get to spend much time together. I only see him for a little while every day when he picks me up from work. He's trying to figure out how he can get away for a weekend. He did that a few times, but he's worried his wife might do something violent if she finds out about me and especially now with the baby. When she was in the mental hospital he came to Philadelphia and we got to spend a glorious weekend together. We want to go on a camping trip, somewhere far away from everyone. There's a shop near Kramer's I told him about where we can get some camping gear. I want to do some rugged camping, but he wants to find a secluded cabin because he wants to bring the baby.”
Frankie listened while Kristin went on and on. Once the dam was open, Kristin began spilling all kinds of details about her relationship with Thatcher. Frankie was surprised, but surmised that it was because the woman was lonely and since she thought she and Johanna had no connection to Charleston or anyone in it, Kristin felt comfortable sharing all that she'd been holding inside. She spent most of her time inside the hotel, and outside of her job, had little social contact with anyone.
Kristin smiled. “We're planning to be married soon. He said there are just a few loose ends to tie up. I can't wait!”
Frankie struggled to control her emotions. She wondered how much Kristin really knew about Thatcher Longman. Had he just used Kristin and was planning to dump her and the baby once he got everything he wanted? Or did he plan to marry her and raise his child with her? Still, where did Becca Manning fit into everything? Her name hadn't come up. Frankie racked her brain, but came up blank. She couldn't just come right out and bring up Becca's name.
“I'm sure it'll be a relief once you and your fiancé can bring your relationship into the open,” Johanna said. “Have you had any luck tracking down your birth mother? Sometimes it can seem like you keep hitting a brick wall, but there are some places that can help with the search.”
“I never knew how to even try to contact my birth mother until Thatcher got the ball rolling. Somehow he got the birth records unsealed. My adoptive parents didn't even know who my mother was, but Thatcher has so many connections. Whatever he wants, he seems to get.” She smiled.
“So you've found her.” Johanna smiled brightly. “I hope it went well.”
She made a face. “Not as well as I dreamed it would.”
“What about your birth father? Did he locate him, also?”
“No one was listed. I was hoping my biological mother would tell me, but her lips are sealed.” She bent and kissed her daughter's cheek. “My hope was, and still is, that I can forge some kind of relationship with my birth mother. It never mattered to me until I became pregnant with Chloe. Then it became almost an obsession with me to find her. I didn't want to ruin her life. I only wanted to meet her. I thought maybe she'd be happy to know that I'd turned out okay. I suppose I wanted to know that through the years she'd thought about me and hoped through some twist of fate we'd meet. I expected too much. I never allowed myself to think that she gave me away and never looked back as though I'd never even existed.” Tears sprang to her eyes.
“You said there were two reasons you stayed here,” Johanna said gently. “I take it you found your mother here in Charlestown.”
She nodded and then swallowed hard. “It's almost like a fiction novel. I swear no one would believe it. I even have trouble myself at times.” Her eyes slanted. “I think I'm still in disbelief at times. She was so close all this time and I never knew it. I know she didn't either.” She ran her fingertips over her daughter's plump cheek. “Thatcher got me the job at Kramer Insurance Company for a few hours a day so I wouldn't go stir crazy cooped up in the hotel all day and night with the baby while I waited for him to tie
