Page 33 of Cole
“Not me, baby. It’s Kate, Ajei, Sophia-Ann, and Gwen.” He looked toward the new senior foursome and they nodded.
“Two wedding dresses coming up,” said Gwen. “Ajei, you get the flowers. Sophia-Ann, take care of the food. Kate, you call the priest. We’re about to have a double-wedding!”
It was chaotic and everything seemed to be spinning but in the moment that the priest called them husband and wife, Layla knew it was the best decision of her life.
“I didn’t even think to ask you,” said Cole frowning at his new bride, “but do you want the marriage blessed by a religious head from your country?” Layla smiled at him, shaking her head.
“Cole, why would I do that? I wasn’t religious. My grandfather was. I secretly followed my mother’s religion. She was Presbyterian.”
“Presbyterian? What Syrian is Presbyterian?” asked Ham.
“This whole whirlwind relationship had its advantages and disadvantages,” said Layla. “We haven’t had a lot of time to speak about my parents. My father was Syrian, my grandfather’s son. My mother was English. Born in Cornwall. They met when he was attending Oxford.”
“Wait. Your grandfather allowed your father to attend Oxford?” asked Luke. “Why would he do that?”
“I’m not sure. My father was studying nuclear energy and my mother was an engineering student.”
“Shit,” muttered Cam. “Honey, your father and mother probably refused to help your grandfather. That’s why he killed them.”
“I’m not following,” she said staring at them.
“If your mother was an engineer,” said Sophia Ann, “of any discipline, and your father understood the physics of nuclear energy, he could have used them to help with creating nuclear weapons. Unless they refused.”
“Oh, my God,” she whispered. “That’s why he killed them. They refused to help him.”
“Most likely,” said Cole. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“No. No, it’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay but I feel better about all of this now. My parents weren’t helping him when they tried to escape. They didn’t want to help him.”
“He found another way, obviously,” said Eric. “But you can take great comfort in knowing your parents were trying to do the right thing. Maybe that’s why he didn’t want you to go to England. Maybe there was someone there that knew the truth.”
“I don’t know who,” said Layla. “I mean, as far as I know my father was his only child.”
“And your mother?” Layla stared at Eric. “Was your mother an only child?”
“I-I don’t know. I wasn’t old enough to ever talk about such things with them.”
“What was her name?” asked AJ.
“Jillian. Jillian Montgomery. She was born…”
“April 2nd. 1978. Oh, shit,” said AJ.
“What? Oh, shit, what?” she asked walking toward him and his computer.
“Jillian Montgomery was the only daughter of Lord and Lady Montgomery of Cornwall. They own a castle. Like a legit, towers and everything, castle. They’re both still alive.”
“I-I have grandparents?” she asked.
“You have grandparents,” smirked AJ. “Would you like me to reach out to them? Maybe they don’t know about you.”
“It’s possible, I suppose,” said Layla, feeling confused. “I mean, maybe my mother attempted to write them but my grandfather intercepted the letters. I don’t know. What if they did know about me but don’t want me?”
“It’s up to you, babe. If you want to know, we’ll find them. If not, we ignore this piece of information.”
“We’ve got a problem,” said AJ.
“AJ, why do you have to start conversations that way? What kind of fucking problem now?” asked Luke.
