When his advances first began, Marie told her mother. Of course her uncle denied the allegations. After questioning her brother, Marie’s mother warned Marie to stop lying. A few months later, when Marie became pregnant, her uncle accused her of coming on to him. Helplessly incapacitated with cocaine, how could he resist?

Marie’s parents didn’t entertain her stories to the contrary or debate her options. She was shipped away for the end of her senior year. The following summer, her baby was placed in a good home, with a competent caring mother.

Marie never returned home and hasn’t spoken to any of her family in years. She needed a complete escape. After a few years of odd jobs, she contacted the attorney who handled the adoption. He knew of a possible position. Marie answered a request for a personal assistant.

Nathaniel heard her story before. However, when Marie shared it with her nurse, it helped her move through her continued grief. Nathaniel reveled in Marie’s daily progress as she shed layers of dark veils. He couldn’t be sure, but he hoped, the therapy combined with his support helped his new love learn to live again.

He was unable to help Sharron; he couldn’t bring her back. Therefore, in order to resurrect Marie, no holds were barred. Of course, Nathaniel Rawls had a tendency to show support in unusual ways. He wanted Marie to know there was nothing he wouldn’t do to aid her recovery. At the same time, he had investigators working to find her daughter. The source of her past anguish was easily located.

Marie’s father owned a small business in upstate New York, a car dealership. Nathaniel wondered if an unwed daughter were truly such a great disgrace in 1981 or if it were the allegations of incest that her family feared. As he devised the demise of the family owned business, Nathaniel brought Marie’s father’s greatest fear to reality. The day Nathaniel showed Marie the paper work, in fact giving her rights to the now defunct car dealership, he wasn’t sure how she would react.

Marie couldn’t believe Nathaniel’s gift. Strolling the paved stones through the estate’s gardens, she listened to his deep rich voice and inhaled the spicy scent of autumn. The summer flowers were sleeping, replaced with orange and yellow mums. The various shades of green in the distance were transforming to vibrant shades of red and brown. It seemed as though the nearby hillsides were ablaze with flames, leaving waste in their wake.

Although the world was settling in for the slumber of winter, Marie felt herself coming back to life, enjoying a springtime rejuvenation in the middle of autumn. The journey was draining, yet with each accomplishment she regained strength. Knowing it was the isolating depression that drained her energy, she worked daily to distance herself from the darkness, filling herself with increased vitality.

Marie never thought of herself as vengeful. But every evening as she was forced to eat at the same table as Samuel Rawls, her skin crawled and thoughts of revenge surfaced from recesses unknown. It was the one injustice she willed herself to endure, for Nathaniel. He wanted his family together.

In time, she came to realize the unease she felt during the strained performances of cohesiveness made Samuel more uncomfortable. Especially each time she addressed him or his wife by their first name. At times Marie would do it repeatedly, just to watch the muscles in Samuel’s neck tighten. His unease soothed her. It seemed as though she did have a bitter revengeful side she’d never explored. Surprisingly, each opportunity to inflict discomfort on Samuel or Amanda fueled her rejuvenation, as much as Nathaniel’s love and support.

Now, as she held the ownership papers to a closed, bankrupted car dealership, Marie stood dumbfounded. “I don’t know what to say. Why did you do this?”

His eyes intensified, the blackness overtook the already dark brown, “Because they hurt you. I want them to share in your pain.” He pulled her closer. “I would make them take all of it, if I could.”

There’d been a time she would have argued his reasoning. No longer. She’d experienced pain and loss. She’d been hurt. This feeling of revenge filled places within her soul she’d assumed destined for emptiness. Her smile unknowingly appeared sinister. It was a new sensation; Marie couldn’t control the unfamiliar feeling or its outward manifestation. She could, however, thank the man who obviously welded unknown resources to present this unexpected treasure.

Marie gripped the papers and flung her arms around Nathaniel’s neck. She stretched out her toes and lifted her face higher. As he always did, he leaned down to accommodate. “Thank you! No one has ever done anything like this for me.” She kissed his lips, as her body pressed against his.

Gently he pushed her away, he wanted to see her face as he delivered his final gift. “That took care of your parents. Are you not curious about your uncle?” The mention of the man brought a shadow of sadness across her gray eyes. “Marie, I don’t intend to upset you. I thought you should know -- he had a relapse with cocaine.”

“Is he... dead?”

Nathaniel smirked. His expression was like none she’d ever seen. If it had been directed at her, instead of a reflection of others, she might be afraid. But his expressions couldn’t scare her. She trusted him with her whole life. “I considered that,” he said, “but decided death was too easy. He is serving a sentence for robbery and attempted murder. The police report suggests he performed those acts in an attempt to score more money for drugs.”

Marie considered the implications and searched Nathaniel’s eyes for clues.