Thrown Away/Twisted Roots

Chapter 5

Chapter 5





Casey set her new rucksack next to the back door and stepped out onto the back porch. Tall trees and a privacy fence divided the property from the neighbors. She let her lips lift to a slight smile remembering the numerous calls and letters asking for the chance to sell the house. When she decided to sell the big place, she'd just put a FOR SALE sign on the front lawn and let the bidding begin. Whoever offered the best price got the sale. After all, they were just around the corner from the Portland Mayor's mansion and the Bitar Mansion. You couldn't have a better place. It had been in their family for years.


Casey checked herself. A bitter voice sounded in her ear, "Not your family, but Diane and Tammy's family. Now it's all yours." Her eyes narrowed as the gleeful voice seemed to mock the situation. Bam! the thought disappeared as the door slammed and the voice was cut silent. There would be no thoughts like that allowed. On one hand, she felt betrayed by Diane, but she was her mother. She'd been loved and given everything. Her eyes filled with tears. She'd trade it all to have both Aunt Tammy and her mother back with her.


The sound of her name came from inside the kitchen and she left the thoughts floating away in the slight breeze that touched her face.


"Are you ready to go?" Abby stood in the middle of the kitchen. Her face showed the traces of crying. Casey went into her arms and they hugged, letting the tears flow. After a few minutes, Abby pushed Casey away. "No more tears. This is a quest and you need to do this."


Casey nodded.


"Okay then. Let's go. Your flight leaves in a few hours, we can shop a bit at the airport before you have to get through security." Abby reached for the rucksack, but Casey pushed her hand away.


"No way you're going to carry that. It's heavy. Not that you couldn't, but I wouldn't feel right you calling me on my blackberry to tell me you're in the hospital with a back injury."


"That heavy is it? Then be my guest girl." Abby grinned and tossed her curled hair as she headed for the carport where she parked the car earlier.





After Casey felt the rush of the plane taking off and the flight attendant asked her beverage preference, she relaxed in her first class seat. She wouldn't give in to the pressure to open her file and go over the itinerary she'd made of the people she planned to contact once she got to Austin. She'd already been over it too many times. She needed a rest from it.





The following morning Casey entered the nursing school where her mother had been trained. Men and women rushed back and forth down the halls while she looked for the administration offices. A woman close to her own age sat at the desk staring at a monitor and keying. Casey stopped in front of her waiting to be acknowledged.


"May I help you?"


"Yes. My mother attended this school about twenty-eight years ago. She recently passed away and I've been trying to find some of her close friends. I thought maybe you'd have some records of where they inturned."


"I'm sorry we can't give out personal information on past students."


"I have their names and pictures. I wonder if you might recognize any of them." Casey ignored her protest and spread the sheets she'd copied on the desk.


The woman looked at the pictures and passed over them until she found one she recognized. "That's Ms Brutus, I mean Ms. Bruins. She's the head of admissions. Her office is down the hall. You'll see a sign that says admissions." She turned back to her monitor.


When Casey didn't move she looked up again her nose a little higher in the air and said, "That's all."


Casey pointed to the remaining pictures. "Do any of these look familiar?"


"This was long before my time. I wasn't even born. Go ask Ms. Bruins." She turned away.


Casey gathered her papers. "Remember who I'm going to see. What do I tell Ms. Bruins when she asks if I was treated well when I asked my questions."


The woman didn't turn her head. She didn't move either. Case walked down the hall and found the Admissions office. The woman there smile and asked if she could help.


"Could I speak to Ms. Bruins?"


"Do you have an appointment?"


"No."


She checked the computer, "I'm sorry, but Ms. Bruins has meetings today."


"Grace!" A strident voice called from one of the offices.


"The woman jumped grabbed a steno pad and ran through one of the doors. Casey looked at the other doors along the hallway. She heard talking in one then saw a gold plate with the name Angela Bruins Director of Admissions. The door stood ajar and she knocked as she pushed it open.


The woman behind the desk looked up. "Yes?" She tilted her head to see if someone stood behind her.


"I'm sorry to bother you. I have a quick question. Do you remember Diane Moyer from your nursing class?"


The woman's eyes moved to Casey taking her in, looking for something familiar.


"I do remember Diane. She and I were close friends all through school until she went back to...Oregon. Who might you be."


"May I sit?" Casey pointed to the chair across from Angela.


At her nod, Casey sat. "I'd like to say I'm her daughter, but that's why I'm here. My name is Casey Moyer. I was raised by Diane. She passed away a few weeks ago."


"Oh Honey, I'm so sorry for your loss." She reached her hand out to Casey who took it and felt the offer was genuine.


"She developed pancreatic cancer and died shortly after being diagnosed."


Angela nodded. "Since you know my name there isn't a need for introductions. I did go to school with Diane. During the years she lived here in Austin were good friends. When she left, I didn't hear from her for a long time then I got a call from her saying she was going to a conference and if I was going to be there maybe we could meet up. After that we met anywhere we could get a conference that the hospital would pay for." She threw back her head and laughed. Then looked back at Casey. "I wonder why she never called to tell me she was sick? I would have come to her."


"That's my question. I never met any of her school friends and never went on any trips where we would meet any of them. I look back an wonder if she tried to keep me away from you all. You see, Diane isn't my biological mother."


"You're adopted?"


"I wish it were that easy. No, Afte she died I found out that the date I was born was the only true entry on my birth certificate. I guess she paid someone to slip my birth certificate through the process. It has my name and Diane as my mother and blank where the father's name should be. I'm trying to find her movements in that year before she left here and arrived in Portland. Who was my mother? Was I kidnapped? Taken from my mother because Diane thought her not able to take care of a baby? What gave her the right to do that?" Casey's voice rose a little at the end.


"No, I don't believe that. Diane would never steal or kidnap a baby. This is so unlike her. I knew she loved children but why didn't she ever tell us she had a child. All this time we thought she was living the single life to the hilt.