This couldn't be true. It simply couldn't be true.

Could it?

I didn't know anything about my mother. I had nothing of her but my memories. My father had removed all traces of her after she left us. No photos, no trinkets, no letters, not a stitch of her clothing. Nothing. We never spoke of her after she left. Not once.

"Mom and Dad are on vacation in Hawaii. They're coming home on Sunday," Ally piped in, I came out of my thoughts and I looked at her. She was staring at me too and she didn't look like feisty Veronica Mars at all. Her look was both gentle and concerned.

It was too much to take in so, confused, I asked, "What?"

"My Mom, Kitty Sue, your Mom's friend, she's in Hawaii. We've called her and she told us to tell you she's looking forward to seeing you again when she gets back."

I was shaking my head, still not understanding, but Ally kept on.

"I guess me and Lee and Hank, my other brother, knew you too."

"No," I whispered.

"Yes," Ally replied and she gave me a hesitant not at all the Ally I kind of knew grin.

I pulled in my lips and before I could pull together my thoughts, Tom came closer and put his hand on my arm.

"Sadie, you were a part of our lives for awhile. Then we lost Katherine " Tom said and my gaze snapped to him.

"You lost Katherine?" I repeated.

"She died. Cancer. When Indy was five. A few years after that picture was taken," Tom replied and at that, my eyes sliced to Indy and all of a sudden my body started trembling.

Indy's Mom died. Tom's wife died. My Mom's friend died.

I shook my head, wanting to escape, wanting to run, to hide, to get the heck out of there but I didn't.

Instead, I looked back to Tom. "I'm sorry," I said softly.

His fingers squeezed my arm. "It was a long time ago," he responded but I could tell by the look in his eyes that time hadn't healed this particular wound.

"I'm still sorry," I told him.

"Thank you," he replied and dropped his hand. "What I was saying was, once Katherine died, things with your Dad..." He stopped then went on, "See, I'm a cop, so is Malcolm, Ally's father. It wasn't... your Mom... with your father bein'... she didn't feel..." He stopped again, I could tell this was difficult for him because I saw his teeth clench. Then he kept going. "Once Katherine was gone, she didn't bring you around anymore."

That's when it finally hit me. All of it.

Sometime, a long time ago, my Mom had friends. Good friends. People that probably loved her, loads. Made her laugh, made her giggle, made her feel special, made her feel safe.

Which meant...

Sometime, a long time ago, I'd been one of them.

Sometime, a long time ago, I'd been the baby of The Nightingale/Savage/Townsend Clan.

Sometime, a long time ago, my Mom lost her friends and I lost my chance to be a good, normal, nice person surrounded by genuine friends, people that truly cared about me.

I lost all that had been their life. All that made them laugh with each other, tease each other, take care of each other.

Heck, Indy had just gotten married! I could have been one of her bridesmaids!

I tried to hold on but I couldn't help it, I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.

I thought I was used to the loss but, apparently, I wasn't.

And that stunk.

"I hate my father," I told Tom Savage quietly. Then before I could stop it, my breath hitched (repeatedly) and I hissed, "I hate him!"

Hector's hands disappeared from my shoulders, his arms slid around my chest, his body got closer and I felt his jaw against the side of my head.

Still I tried to gain control (this, by the way, didn't work and I felt the tears slide down my cheeks).

"Sadie, sugar " Daisy whispered gently and at her words the Rock Chicks and Ralphie pulled in ever closer.

"I want you to come over for dinner tomorrow," Tom said. "Indy and Ally'll be there. So will Lee, Hank and Roxie. Hector too. The whole family."

The whole family. He said, "The whole family." I'd never had a "whole family". Not their kind of family.

Well, I guess I did, once, but I lost it before I knew I even had it.

I pulled in my lips. Hector's jaw left my head and his arms gave me a squeeze.

There was no way I was going to dinner at Tom Savage's house with all my babyhood friends reunited. There was no way I was going to set myself up for that kind of loss. There was no way I was going to let any of this go on any longer than it had to.

The only thing I knew was that I had to devise a plan to get myself safe, safe from the Crazy Balducci Brothers and safe from any further emotional turmoil.

Tom must have read my intent on my face because he added, "I have pictures. Of your mother. You could "

I immediately changed my mind. "I'll be there."

Hector gave me another squeeze.

Tom gave me a smile.

Indy threw her hands up and yelled, "Party!"

Ally laughed with obvious relief on the word, "Righteous."

I relaxed into Hector's warmth, looked down at the photo and made my decision.

I'd let myself have this one small gift, a gift, I told myself, that was from my Mom.

Then as soon as I could finagle it, just like my Mom, I was going to disappear.

Chapter Eleven.

Hector's Rose.

Sadie.

"Sadie, maybe you should come in and talk. I'm not sure this is " my dead grandmother's financial manager, Aaron Lockhart, said in my ear.

"Please Aaron, just do it," I interrupted him.

It was after work, I was in my bedroom on the landline not delaying a minute in putting my newly formed plans in place.

One thing my Mom left me was Aaron Lockhart. He was old as the hills, stooped, had wispy white hairs across his liver-spotted scalp and he still worked full-time because, he told me, when he tried retirement his wife nearly drove him to murder.

Since he liked his work, and his freedom, he got in his car every morning at 8:30 and his driver drove him to his office in the Denver Technical Center (known as DTC). He left work at 5:30, which gave his wife plenty of time to have a couple of martinis and mellow out a bit before he got home (he told me this too).

Aaron and I had never been close my father didn't like him and wouldn't allow it but in an ironclad agreement devised by my dead (but clearly, while she was alive, shrewd) grandmother when she set up my trust, he was appointed to manage my trust fund which had not been touchable until I was twenty-one. He also managed the income derived from the flat in London I inherited which had been rented out since around the time of the Blitz to an old lady named Mrs. Burnsley and a small villa on Crete which was hired out to tourists. I'd never been to either of these properties, my father also wouldn't allow that, but I'd seen pictures. The flat was close to Covent Garden. The villa was in a small fishing village by the sea.

When I opened Art, I asked Aaron to help me to keep it clean, away from my father and entirely law-abiding, and he did.

Aaron was one of the few people I knew who, regardless of his age, was not frightened of going head-to-head with my father. I admired him, totally trusted him and I'd always liked him but, as ever, I'd never let it show.

I'd just asked him to find out Mrs. Burnsley's plans for her future in my flat as well as the schedule of occupancy on the villa in Crete. One or the other of them might well be my next destination or a future one as the case may be.

As I didn't want to put old lady Burnsley out of her home or devastate excited tourists who were looking forward to their time in the sun on a Greek Island, I'd also charged Aaron to find other properties. I didn't care where just as long as they were manageable on a fixed income and there was at least an ocean between me and the Crazy Balducci Brothers. I also asked him to set up an auction of my belongings that were in storage.

Finally, I asked him to find a way to sign over Art to Ralphie and Buddy without a dime needing to change hands. It would be my thank you for taking care of me. It wasn't much, but it was the only good thing I had to give.

I wanted no memory of my old life. I was going to pack up my suitcases, board a plane and set up a new life far away where no one had heard of Seth Townsend. Where no one knew who I was, what I was or what had happened to me. And where I could find some peace to decide who was the new me, get used to her and, if I was lucky and I could forget Ralphie, Buddy, Daisy, Hector and all that came with them and, maybe, I could be content.

I heard the doorbell ring and I pulled in my breath. Hector was there to take me out to dinner.

"I'd prefer to have a chat about this," Aaron said to me as I listened to far away, muted male voices.

"My mind's made up," I told Aaron.

"Please, Sadie, as a friend of your family, a particular friend of your grandmother's, afford me this one courtesy," Aaron pushed it.

"Sadie!" Buddy called up the stairs. "Hector's here."

Darn it!

I had to get off the phone before someone came up to get me and I had no idea how I was going to get away alone to talk to Aaron. In my current circumstances with Hector's edict being followed to the letter by Ralphie and Buddy (and, by the way he was acting, Ralphie had appointed himself my personal, very well-dressed, completely unskilled, gay bodyguard), it was impossible.

Why did everything have to be so difficult? It was my money and my property, for goodness sake!

"Sadie!" Buddy called.

I put my hand over the mouthpiece and yelled, "Coming!"

"Sadie?" Aaron said in my ear.

I took my hand off the mouthpiece. "Either you do it or I hire someone else to do it," the Ice Princess told Aaron. "Your choice but I want it done and I want it done as fast as possible."

I heard Aaron sigh, I knew he was going to give in and I felt a quick charge of relief.

"I'll see to it," he assured me.

Thank God. One thing checked off the to-do list.

"Thank you, I'd be grateful for that."

"Sadie!" Now it was Ralphie yelling from closer to the door and I knew he was climbing the stairs. "Double H is here."

I covered the mouthpiece again and shouted, "I know! I'll be right down!"

"Seems you're busy. I'll let you go," Aaron said. "Stay well."

"Thank you," I replied.

Then I heard the disconnect.

I had the phone in the receiver and I was snatching up my purse when Ralphie burst in.

"Ralphie!" I whirled to the door. "I said I was coming."

"I thought you were climbing out the window," Ralphie retorted.

I wished I'd thought of that and made a mental note to remember it in case I needed it in the future.

"Get a move on, sweet 'ums. I think I already taught you this all important lesson but I'll repeat as necessary. We don't keep hot guys waiting at the door. Skanky guys, yes. Slimy guys, definitely. Hot guys, um... no."

I gave Ralphie a glare, my glare deflected off Ralphie's grin and pinged around the room until it disintegrated.

I squared my shoulders, found My Ice and headed out my bedroom door.

It was debatable whether one could call Hector and my "just the two of us" date "enjoyable".

Firstly, I dressed in my armor, head-to-foot (but not toe) silvery-gray. I had on a shimmery, boat-necked, long-sleeved, tight-fitting, knit shirt with a small, delicate pendant of diamonds shaped in the form of a flower hanging from a platinum chain at my neck and matching drop earrings. This was paired with a slim-fitting, just-above-the-knee, somewhat-shimmery, silvery-gray skirt with four, precise kick pleats, one at the front and back of each of my knees. Elegant, gray, patent leather pumps with a spike heel and black toe, a couple of scent-refreshing sprays of my signature perfume, a quick shake of my fingers coated in my favorite pommade (to define and separate the curls and waves) through my otherwise unencumbered hair and my black trench coat completed my ensemble.

When I walked downstairs and Hector, wearing jeans, boots, a skintight white, long-sleeved t-shirt and black leather jacket (what a pair we were!), saw I changed out of my nice but somewhat casual day wear into Ice Princess Gear, he gave me a little, amused grin and shake of his head.