Legacy's Forbiden Love Part 1

Two years earlier


Trey Harrington and his wife Francesca walked from their apartment building in Paris, France into the mid morning sun. Trey was tall with broad shoulders and black hair that fell to just below his shoulders. He had his mother’s emerald green eyes. His skin was a golden brown, inherited from his Crow ancestors.  He was preoccupied with his own thoughts and paid little attention to his wife of six months. Automatically he slowed his pace as she was heavy with child. The baby was due in three weeks, and they planned to fly back to the states in a few days. They hadn’t told his parents about their marriage; they had married quickly as she was pregnant.

He had planned to surprise his parent’s with the news, but he had received word from his parent’s that morning informing him that his twin brother’s wife had died in a car accident. Trey was worried about his brother and knew he must be suffering terribly. His plan was to fly back to the states first thing in the morning, but he hated to drop such shocking news on his parents at a time like this. Still, it couldn’t be avoided any longer, the baby would arrive soon, and perhaps that would help ease his parent’s grief. His Father had sounded weary on the phone.

Beside him Francesca was frowning. His wife was tall with long black hair, and dark eyes. The only extra weight she carried was her pregnant belly. She had small breasts, and tended to be too thin.

Trey was ignoring her again; he barely paid her any attention. She knew he was upset about his brother, but his interest in her had been slipping for a while. He worked long hours on top of school and she barely saw him. They hadn’t made love in a couple weeks, and she had begun to fear he was seeing another woman. Francesca hated what the pregnancy had done to her body; she would be glad when the baby was born. Still she knew they wouldn’t be able to make love for a while after the birth, and she could feel Trey slipping through her fingers. Francesca loved him so much, and he had told her he loved her, but sometimes she wondered if that was true. More and more she feared his only reason for marrying her was the baby.

Turning she stepped in front of him to stop him, she intending to give him a kiss.

As she stepped in front of him she heard a loud boom, but thought nothing of it. The impact of the bullet slammed her forward into Trey. Catching his wife as the loud boom finally registered in his mind. Someone was shooting at them! Picking his wife up, he scanned the buildings around him for the shooter,  but he didn’t see anyone as he raced back into their apartment building. Francesca moaned in his arms as he set her down in the lobby. “Someone call an ambulance, my wife’s been shot.” He shouted in French to the doormen.
         
“I love you.” She whispered weakly. She knew she was dying, but she was fighting to hang on for the baby.
         
“You’ll be alright, help is on the way.” He replied. Trey was in a state of shock. His hand gently stroked her hair as he waited for the emergency crew to arrive. It seemed to take hours for them to arrive, but they arrived within minutes.

Trey backed up to allow them to take care of his wife. She was moaning in pain. He stood there his clothes covered in blood. He watched as the Emergency crew quickly loaded his wife into the Ambulance, climbing in behind them. The ride to the hospital seemed to last forever. Francesca was moaning, her breathing shallow, her body shaking. They finally arrived at the hospital and raced his wife inside. He knew from the looks on the faces of the hospital personnel that his wife wouldn’t make it, but he held out hope for the baby. While he waited in the waiting area he was questioned by the police about the shooting. There was nothing he could tell them, he didn’t have a clue. All he knew for sure was that the shooter had intended to kill him.

An hour later the Doctor came out his face grave. “I’m sorry Sir, but we were unable to save your wife.”
         
“What about the baby?” He dared to ask.
         
“We performed an emergency c-section; you have a son. But the baby is in critical condition, the bullet tore through your wife’s womb.” The Doctor answered.
         
His son, whom he named John Edward after his father and grandfather, died twenty-four hours later in his arms.

Francesca’s parents arrived to find their daughter and grandson had died. Trey left the hospital unable to face their grief, he was overcome with guilt.

Trey quickly made arrangements for his wife’s funeral, before flying back to the states, just in time to attend Laura’s funeral. His parent’s were angry over the fact that he hadn’t returned sooner. Both were grief stricken and didn’t notice how terrible Trey looked. He stayed for the funeral and left to return to Paris the next day, further angering his parents.

Francesca was laid to rest in a small Providence where she had grown up. His son was laid to rest cradled in his mother’s arms for all time. Although Trey spared no expense on the funeral service, her family was put off by his cold manner; he mayt as well have been a statue. He didn’t shed a single tear at the funeral, just sitting coldly through the service, his face set in stone. When the service was over he left.  He had never returned, although he made sure that Francesca always had fresh flowers on her grave.

After the funeral he hired men to investigate the shooting. It took them a month to discover the identity of the killer. Trey in the meantime had hired his own security detail. Once he had the identities of the killers he and Damon, the head of his new security detail, killed the men responsible. It was Trey that pulled the trigger on his wife’s shooter. It was the first time he had ever killed man, but he felt no remorse.

When it was done he returned to the states, he dropped out of school, and went to work for his Dad at Harrington Enterprises.


*****



Standing inside the crowed airport, waiting to board the plane that would take Kristen and her Grandmother to California to see her cousin Jamie, Kristen could hardly stand still she was so excited.  Not only was she excited to be going to California with her Grandmother but she was also relieved because it would be taking her away from her mother for couple of weeks.  Over the last few weeks Kristen had been falling deeper and deeper into depression, suicide had become the only answer too her many problems. And than out of the blue, her Grandmother had asked her to accompany her on her trip to California. Kristen could hardly believe her luck, her Grandmother had even convinced her mother to let her go which had been no small task. Since Rebecca (Kristen’s mother) was dead set against Kristen going at first, but Bernice (Kristen's Grandmother) had insisted that Kristen go along saying she didn't like traveling alone. And so Rebecca had ever so reluctantly decided to let a much relieved and excited Kristen go. As she watched Kristen and her mother disappear down the hallway to board the plane, she began to have second thoughts, but it was too late they had already disappeared from sight.  She and her other two children watched as the plane took off, she had the distinct feeling that something awful was going to happen on the trip her daughter was taking. She watched until the plane was out of sight and than turned and walked through the Airport with her two children. Still feeling uneasy but not sure why after all what could possibly happen.

*****
Joshua Harrington’s world had come crashing down on him two years earlier when he received a call from the police informing him that his wife had been involved in a car accident. Laura was his High School sweetheart they had dated all through high school, than they had gotten married right after high school.
Laura had gotten pregnant right away and given birth to a little girl whom they named Kayla. Their daughter was only a year old when Laura died.
Laura had gone to a party while Josh stayed home with Kayla. Unlike Joshua, who had settled right into married life, she hadn’t settled down. She wanted to party and have fun with friends and wasn’t ready to care for a baby. The night of the accident she had gone to the party with Josh’s best friend Brian. They both had too much to drink, but had driven home anyway. Brian had rounded a sharp corner going too fast and had lost control of the car, causing it to flip over several times. He was killed instantly while Laura was transported to the hospital. Josh had raced to hospital and was able to see his wife one last time. It would have been better if he had been too late. Because on her death bed Laura had revealed a terrible secret that still haunted Josh’s dreams.
He was devastated by the loss of his wife, and Brian had been his best friend since Junior High. They had grown up together and shared everything. He had been closer to Brian than he was to his own twin brother.
After the funeral he had crawled through daily life. Josh returned to college and took care of his baby whom he loved dearly. He had a lot of help from his parents, and had finally graduated in May. . His friends had talked him into going to L.A for the summer to celebrate their college graduation. Josh was also working part time at Harrington Enterprises until the summer was over. This was something that annoyed his brother Trey to no end. His twin brother  believed he should be working full time, not messing around with friends. They were identical twins, but other than physical attributes they were as different as night and day. Both were tall like their father standing at 6”4. They had broad shoulders and hair that was as black as coal. Josh’s hair was cut short, while Trey’s hair touched his shoulders giving him a rebel like appearance. Their skin was a deep bronze taken from their Crow ancestors, but they had their mother’s green eyes. Josh had a calm and gentle nature, while Trey had a much darker nature.

         
         “Josh, this is crap!” Trey told him, holding up the report in question. He was reviewing Josh’s reports for their father.
         “What’s wrong with it?” Josh asked. He was standing by the window in his office looking out at the city of Los Angeles.
“It’s sloppy and inconcise.” Trey replied. “You need to spend a little less time partying and a little more time doing your job! This part time shit isn’t going to fly.” He told Josh.
“Dad told me I could work part time this summer.” He reminded his brother.
“I know what Dad told you. This dead wife shit is only going to work for so long!”
“What?” Josh demanded his face darkening.
“You heard me. Your wife has been dead for over two years. Get over it!”
“I don’t expect you to understand. You’ve never given a damn about anyone!” Josh exclaimed.
“These reports need to be redone before you give them to Dad.” Trey said, rising from his chair.
“I’m not redoing them.” He replied, shaking his head.
“Fine, turn them in like that. Dad will just hurl them back at you! If you don’t want to work that’s fine resign, but if you’re going to work here then work!” He ordered.
“When was the last time you got laid?” Josh wondered aloud.
“This morning. Why?” He asked.
“Squeeze it in between meetings?” Josh asked shaking his head. “Have you ever had a girlfriend?”
“Not recently. What’s your point?” He asked with a frown.
“Aren’t you tired of having meaningless sex all the time?”
“You should talk. According to the guys you’re going to set a new record in one night stands.” Trey told him.
“I’m not like you, I want a family of my own.” Josh replied.
“Then stop moping around and get one already!” Trey told him coldly.
“I wish it was that easy.” Josh muttered.
         “I don’t have time for this.” Trey told him as he started for the door. “I suggest you redo those reports, because if Grandpa sees those he’ll be flying in from the Island for sure.”
Josh watched as his brother exited the office before turning back to the window. He wished he could be as cold as Trey; nothing seemed to bother his brother. But at the same time he felt sorry for him his brother had never known what it was like to be in love.