Chapter 2

Rachel--New York--1978

Rachel's day began like any other day in the busy city she called home. She woke early that day, wanting to get to the antique store early. After all it was inventory time, and she was the only employee of her adoptive father's store. He didn't trust too many people with knowledge about his life, and even she wasn&'t so sure about parts of it. All she knew was that he had adopted her nearly 40 years ago and had raised her as his own. There were many times that she wondered about the man she called Father. He never seemed to grow older or change at all. He did look as young as when she first met him. She loved him dearly though and would never question him too much about his past. She knew that his past caused him pain however. All too often she would catch a glimpse of him when he wasn't looking and she could see the pain etched memories in his eyes. She often teased him out of his depressions with a joke about how he should bottle his youthful appearance formula. He would often burst out in a soft laugh and say "Aye Rachel, if I only could we'd be richer than we already are. But daughter along with this youthful face comes many a curse, and I would not wish that on a soul." Many was the time Rachel wished he would finally tell her his secrets, as she knew he had more secrets than most men, but she held her counsel. She loved her father after all, and his life was his own. That did not mean that she couldn't wish for him to tell her though.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts of the past, Rachel went into the kitchen to brew up a morning pot of tea before getting ready to go in and open the store. It was, after all going to be a very busy day.

As Rachel showered her thoughts again turned to her life with her father. She had never thought to marry, until late in her life. Taking care of her adoptive dad seemed to her to be more important. She had a great love of antiques, as did her father Russell. He had a knack for finding the most beautiful objects of art and furniture from some of the oddest sources, which he would never name. Although he seemed to specialize in antique weaponry, his shop carried a bit of it all. He stored his favorite things, along with his memories in a secret round room behind one of the shelves, which was always off-limits to Rachel, but she respected his space and never tried to inventory that.

Finally at the age of 30 she had met and fallen in love with a man named Jake Ellenstein, who loved her more than life and respected her father greatly. Their life together for the last 10 years had been full and happy. The only marring of sadness on their otherwise happy marriage was the absence of children. Rachel fretted never giving Jake a child, but he constantly reassured her that she, Rachel, was all he needed. Rachel remembered voicing her despair over her childlessness to her father once and his words stayed with her always. "Ah, Rachel, I understand you far more than you know. I have never been able to have a child of my own, but I have learned over time that there are many out there needing a family. Remember Daughter, I adopted you and I love you as if you were my own. This will happen for you as well, in the right time and place." Her father then hugged her in that strong bear hug way that made her dizzy and smiled at her. "Don't worry Rachel. You will be a wonderful mother when you are ready to be."

Brenda--New York--1978

Angry, that's what she was, angry. Connor had never stood her up before, yet here it was, nearly 2 p.m. in the afternoon and he had never arrived for their lunch at their favorite restaurant. "Well, he is going to get a GOOD piece of my mind as soon as I see him. How dare he not show up at all??" Brenda knew that time had no meaning for Connor, and she loved him none the less for it. Many a time he would be thirty minutes late then arrive with a soft embarrassed laugh and say "Sorry love, I forgot the time." She always forgave him, but he'd never forgotten to show up at all before. Her anger gave way to worry in the next few minutes. New York wasn't such a safe place, that psycho Kurgan was proof of that. A little shiver passed over her as she wondered if Connor had an accident or something as equally as bad happen to keep him from showing up. All thoughts of her good news vanished as she turned and hurriedly caught a taxi, wanting to get home to see if he had left her a message, or just in case a phone call came telling her he was in some hospital or another after being robbed.

As she sped home her mind ran the gamut of every conceivable bad thing that could have happened to Connor before he could meet her. Brenda had worked herself up into a righteous paranoia about his absence. The thought that he was hurt wiped away any anger she was feeling over his lateness. The taxi screeched to a halt in front of her brownstone, and Brenda hopped out of the cab paying the driver far more than what the ride is worth. She turned and hurried up to her building without a backwards glance. As the cabby drove off he muttered about crazy women and their lack of respect for money. Brenda never heard or cared one bit about any of it. Her only thoughts centered on Connor and his absence.

Brenda hurried into her apartment and went straight to the answering machine. She waded through a lot of useless messages from friends inviting her and Connor to different functions, but found no messages from Connor. "What the hell has happened to that man?"; she thought as she turned to put her coat on the coat stand. She turned as she always did, out of pure habit, to check her hair and makeup in the mirror there. As she looked up she saw an envelope on the mirror. The only word on the front was Brenda, and it was in Connor's writing. She quickly took the envelope from the mirror and opened it. One single sheet of paper fluttered out. Opening the folded page with both curiosity she begin to read. What she saw on the page filled her heart with a mixture of anger, despair and grief.

My Dearest Brenda,

What I have to say now is not easy, has never been easy for me. There is never an easy way to say goodbye, and that is what I must do. I have to move on now. Never think that it is anything you did or didn't do. It has nothing to do with you. I love you and probably always will. But circumstances which are beyond my control at the moment dictate that I have to leave town. How long I will be gone is not known. I will try to return to you my fair Brenda. You are one special woman, someone that I have grown to respect and love like none other. I hate to the depths of my heart to have to leave you so suddenly.

Know that I have made arrangements so that you will always be taken care of. You can do your research with no worries for money or a place to live. The brownstone is now in your name, and you have a sizable monthly income to spend.

I will always love you and I will try to return..

Connor

Brenda was stunned. He was gone! Just like that, no warnings no fights no reasons, just Gone to who knows where. He would never know her news now. She wondered for a moment or two if he had found out and that was why he left. Brenda dashed those thoughts quickly, after all there was Rachel, the lady in the antique store. According to Connor and Rachel both he had taken care of Rachel for years. RACHEL!! She could go to Rachel and find out. Surely Rachel would know what had become of Connor. Yes, Rachel should know.