Chapter 15

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Nearly five hundred people attended the memorial service at St. Ignatius, and the memorial reception afterwards hosted by the Red Hatters club at the marina. Bernadette and Beatrix stood next to their grandmum's picture and hugged or shook hands with everyone who attended. Their grandmum helped so many people. At the reception, almost a hundred stood up and told stories about the way Emma Austen changed their lives. Bernie and Trixie always helped with Emma's endeavors, but they had no idea the full scope of it.

Bernie's roommate, Amy, came to the memorial for Emma and told them how Alex showed up less than twenty-five minutes after she and Carly left. She explained how the brothers both claimed Carly was a criminal, but the police sided with the girls and ordered them to leave. Alex bothered Amy for days with the crazy story that Carly, or Carla as he called her, set up the whole thing. He never could explain why he never told Bernie that he and his brother were identical twins, though he vehemently denied he and Anthony ever shared girlfriends. Amy revealed she threatened to file a harassment complaint with the university and hospital to get him to leave her alone.

In the only pictures Bernie had seen of them, they hadn't looked identical, but then, they were twelve and Alex was skinny and sickly looking. There was no way she could have known unless Alex told her. Amy also told Bernie's boss Craig what was going on and he sent Bernie a glowing letter of recommendation with Amy, so Bernie could find a job quickly.

In a personal note of sympathy, Craig promised to hold her spot with the work-study program if she decided to return to finish her last year. Bernie called him and thanked him. She revealed she was skipping her last year and hoping to reopen her grandmum's café. Craig wished her luck and thanked her again for the coffee drink manual she had written for the college cafés.

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Alex got out before Anthony put the car in park. He stared at the burned-out shell of a Victorian house in the established neighborhood. A company was tearing down the house. Anthony walked over to talk to the workers then one of the neighbors. His scowl revealed his frustration as he got back in his car. Alex just closed the door staring out the window.

"They said the house burned and the old lady died. The workers gave me the name of a lawyer who hired them," Anthony revealed.

"Oh God." Alex rubbed his face as he murmured. "No wonder she got drunk. Her grandmum Emma meant everything to her."

"Let's go talk to the lawyer."

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Two days after the funeral, Bernadette and Trixie were called to Mr. John Thornton's home in Emerald Hills. Sitting in the posh living room, Bernie stared at the grainy images of Alex and his brother sitting in the waiting room at Mr. Thornton's office. His grandson Clark sat quietly observing. Trixie was swearing colorfully under her breath as their grandmum's lawyer and oldest friend spoke in his usual monotone manner.

"The young man on the right was quite insistent on speaking with you, Bernadette."

"Screw him." Trixie's blue-green eyes radiated her rage.

"Easy, Beatrix. Bernadette, I need to know what happened between the two of you, so I know how to proceed." Mr. Thornton's grandfatherly manner pushed Bernadette to break down into humiliated tears. "I believe the young man and you were engaged?"

"He just asked her so he could get in her pants and get her in bed with his brother," Trixie snarled, but she looked distressed by her sister's pain.

"Yes, we were engaged," Bernie whispered. "I met him through the hospital coffee kiosk. We became friends. At least, that's what I thought." She twisted the ring on her finger as she tried to find the words.

"I didn't know he and his brother were identical twins. I was helping cater his fraternity's Memorial Day Party. I got drunk after Trixie called me about grandmum. When his brother came up to me... I... I didn't know..." Bernie sobbed brokenly between her words. "I didn't know... it... it wasn't A-a-Alex a-and I... k-kissed him. We went... up... up t-to his... r-r-room. We... I thought i-it w-w-was Alex." Her voice squeaked as Clark handed her another tissue.

His hand was shaking slightly, he had known the Austen sisters since he was ten years old. It was as though someone had done this to one of his sisters. He thought it was despicable.

Trixie finished the story as she held Bernie. "They screwed then Alex came in, both brothers got on the bed, and Bernie bolted. Her roommate Carly is Alex's brother's ex. They tried to pull the same crap on her, but she left Anthony and then he began threatening her. She was terrified of them. She brought Bernie home, and then we got Carly a plane ticket across the country. She's got friends there. Alex's brother works for the State Department as some kind of cyber-surveillance guy. She was going to live off grid."

Trixie turned to the Thorntons. "Isn't there some way we can... oh, I don't know, have them arrested for what they did to Bernie?"

"Beatrix, it is going to be very difficult to prove it wasn't consensual in a court of law. Bernadette, did you go up to the bedroom willingly?" Clark scowled as he asked.

"I thought it was Alex," Bernie repeated, and sobbed harder. "It wasn't until they were together that I knew I made a mistake."

The elder Thornton sighed regretfully, "I am so sorry, Bernadette, but there is very little we can do." Clark looked equally upset.

"What about a restraining order?" Trixie asked, "If Bernie feels threatened, can we get one of those? Carly left a letter, and Amy was their other roomie. She could definitely back up Bernie's side that Alex is stalking her. Alex harasses her almost every day wanting to know where Bernie is."

"The letter and your roommate's testimony would help. Bernadette, may I play the recording of today's meeting for a

judge friend of mine?" John requested. Judge Hollister was a mutual friend of Emma's and would help him protect her granddaughters. "And I hate to ask but are you still wearing the ring he gave you?"

Nodding, Bernadette slipped the chocolate diamond off her trembling hand. Her breaking heart choked her as she whispered, "I r-really love him. I... I d-do." Her tears flowed like a river down her cheeks as she held it out. "I... I... I thought he... h-he loved me too."

Mr. Thornton nodded as he closed his thick fist around the ring. "I will take care of this, Bernadette. I will make sure he can never hurt you again. Beatrix, I am going to include you in the restraining orders."

Clark added, "If they can't get near either of you or look for you online that will help protect Bernadette, but I am afraid you will both need to reduce your social media presence greatly."

"Not a prob," Trixie insisted. "Bernie hates social media and I only use it for work. My boss knows what is going on and Leah'd tell them to go kick rocks or kick them in their rocks."

"Very well, I shall return this and serve them with paperwork to keep them away. I don't want either of you to come back to my office. We will handle the probate and estate work through a courier so they can't have you followed back to your residence," Mr. Thornton insisted.

"I am going to use Emma's L.L.C. and change the name so it will look like someone else owns the 38th street property. My grandfather and I will make sure they cannot find you through public records," Clark promised.

Mr. Thornton squeezed their hands. "Go home, girls. We'll be in touch."

After seeing Bernadette and Beatrix to the door, Clark found his grandfather pouring himself a scotch neat. "Make me one too, Granddad."

"I can't believe how sick those two young men are. And to do that to Bernadette. Thank God, Emma's already in heaven or I'd be defending her for murder." The old man sat down in a high-back leather chair.

Downing half his drink, Clark nodded, "I'd get her off on justified manslaughter. Though I am surprised Beatrix hasn't gone after them. She said if I swing by later, I can get the letter and the former roommate's number for a phone interview."

John looked at the scotch and swirled it in his snifter. "Get them, and I'll meet you at the Barrister's Club tonight. Judge Hollister and I both play poker there. The sooner we get this done, the better."

Clark nodded to his grandfather, "See you later."

As John Thornton finished his drink he wondered how anyone could do such a thing to a girl like Bernadette. He always expected to get a restraining order to protect Trixie from one of her lovers but then he realized, Bernadette was perhaps more desirable because not only was she as beautiful as her sister, but she was also everything gentle and feminine that appealed to men. Beatrix had this off-putting brashness, and he was glad Clark got over his infatuation with the younger of the Austen sisters, although his wife did bear a striking resemblance to Beatrix. He shook his head; he was getting too old for this. He would finish with Emma's estate and then he would retire and let Clark take over.

He held up his scotch and said to the empty room, "Don't worry, Emma. We'll keep your granddaughters safe."

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After the elderly lawyer learned the story of their separation from Beatrix, he and his grandson Clark decided to stall Dr. Marvillis and his brother while the prepared the documentation.

Beatrix went with Clark to meet Judge Hollister and charmed the entire Barrister's Poker group by making them coffees and drinks as she told the story of her sister to all of them. Judge Hollister and two others offered to sign the restraining orders on the grounds of mental distress.

The next day, the lawyer's secretary was wary when the Marvillis brothers returned, and after calling someone, she told them again to make an appointment.

Raging, Alex had an outburst on the second afternoon they visited the office. "I want to speak to Bernadette Austen personally."

Security removed him from the office while Anthony argued, "My brother is not being unreasonable to ask for a supervised meeting. We will bring in our lawyers."

Clark retorted, "Since they weren't married yet and were not in a common law state, Dr. Marvillis cannot demand Bernadette's presence."

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On the third day when the Marvillis twins arrived, John and Clark were ready with all the necessary paperwork. John Thornton loved Emma's girls like his own grandchildren, and it enraged him that a seemingly upstanding young man was such a cad.

"Dr. Marvillis, you need to remain calm in my office. I have spoken with Bernadette and her former roommates, and I think that it would be best if you had no further contact with either Miss Austen." Mr. Thornton sat behind his desk, a man in complete control. "Clark?"

His grandson stood up and leveled them both with a malevolent glare, "These are for you." After the lawyers had stonewalled them for three days, they were being served with restraining orders.

Clark handed them each an envelope and then to Alex he handed a small jeweler's box. "Bernadette wishes to return this to you. Included with your court paperwork is a document relinquishing her lease and a check for her one-third of the rent for the next six months."

Alex didn't hear anything else the lawyer, who was only a few years older, said, he was looking at the ring he had given to Bernadette. He wondered if the pieces of his heart and soul that she owned were in the tiny velvet box too.

Clark took a breath and continued, "Under the new anti-stalking laws, if either of you come within five-hundred feet of the Austen sisters, you will be arrested. If you attempt to contact them via phone or internet, you will be arrested. If you hire anyone to keep tabs on them, you will be arrested."

"This is absurd. We have never threatened or harmed any woman," Anthony snarled.

Alex blinked back the tears as his brother and the young lawyer argued, then he reached over with a flailing hand and pulled Anthony back.

"It's over, Anthony." Alex stood up and straightened his jacket. "Mr. Thornton, and Mr. Thornton. I know you think the worst of us right now. It was never my intention to hurt Bernadette in any way."

"No, you let your brother do that," Clark snapped at him but stop whatever else he was going to say when the older man cleared his throat. Alex squeezed his brother's arm before he could retort.

"My brother didn't know who Bernie was. He thought she was just a flirty girl from school looking for a fling. He didn't know she thought he was me... I don't want her money, I never intended to let her pay any of the rent. I just want to tell her it was a misunderstanding." Alex never looked up from the ring. "Please tell her I'm sorry and I still love her. Let's go, Anthony."

With nothing left to do, Anthony drove Alex the four hours back to the flat he rented with Bernie. After an hour of silence, Anthony couldn't handle his guilt or Alex's misery.

"I'm so sorry. We'll figure it out, bro," Anthony promised.

"I'll never get her back," Alex groaned like he was in physical pain.

"You don't know that... We just need to find a way for you two to talk... I'll explain..." Anthony started but Alex just shook his head.

"She's gone, Anthony. There are things about her you don't know. I broke her trust, it's over." As Alex stared out the window at the park where they used to run, he had tears running down his face.

Anthony vowed to find Carla and make her pay.

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Sinking into a deep depression, Alex quit school for an entire year. He stayed in Hawaii with their dying mother. The whole family seemed to be sinking into despair until Anthony caught Carla. She was mooching off another wealthy family by working as a nanny and was using their identities to make false credit accounts. She had run the same scam in Florida, Colorado, and New York. Watching her convicted and sent to jail was immensely satisfying to the Marvillis twins happening so close before their mother's death. But it didn't relieve Alex's anguish over losing the only woman he ever loved. The tragedy was compounded by their father dying of a heart attack.

When Anthony got offered another job overseas, Alex insisted he take it. They said goodbye to each other the day after Christmas. Alex threw himself into finishing school and worked as much as possible for the two years until graduation.