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“How many haven’t been paid?” Charlie asked, snapping me back to the present.
“Technically some were paid, but that lovely Mayor died with the money. Currently there are thirty-two houses and six businesses that haven’t paid for this fiscal year. It’s close to fifty grand in outstanding money for the town.”
The problem was trying to decide if we should be collecting those taxes or not. Technically we were supposed to. However, so many of those places had paid their property taxes in the past, and Mayor Campbell took it for himself and never put it back into the town. It was kinda hard to start demanding money from the town when they didn’t even know us. They knew Charlie in a sense of him being a celebrity, but they had no idea who he was at his core. If he could be trusted. Everyone was friendly as we walked by, but you could see they were also hesitant, and I couldn’t blame them.
The other issue was the fact that some of them might not even have the money, and that was why they didn't pay it. Again, that went back to Mayor Campbell because he didn’t care what happened to the town any longer. He just wanted his money and screw it if the town survived. It put us in a very uncomfortable and awkward position, because if we did give these people a break, then the others that did pay their property taxes could feel like we didn’t care about them either.
“I think this time around we are going to need to go against every rule of business and let them slide. As well as return the money that has already been paid for this year,” Charlie said with a soft sigh.
“You want to refund all that money? You do know that is close to a hundred grand right?” I knew he was a billionaire, but still a hundred grand seemed like a lot of money to me.
“It’s not like I need it,” he said with a playful smirk before he continued. “It will go far on goodwill. Plus, if the townspeople have more money in their pocket maybe that will encourage them to spend it at other shops and restaurants in town.”
“Alright, it’s your call to make. I will go through the accounts and see who has paid and what. Then you can cut the checks. I do agree; I think people will be ecstatic to get that money back, and everyone else will be relieved for the break.”
It was good that they would be able to have this money back. Some people most likely were desperate for it. Before our conversation could go any further, the sound of the front door closing caught our attention. People had slowly started to come in to speak with Charlie or to meet him. The flyers for new business owners were doing relatively well, but some people were still skeptical. I couldn’t blame them considering everything that had happened before our time. We were hoping as we progressed more people would trust us and want to take that chance to open a business here.
When someone finally rounded the corner to Charlie’s office, we both gave the woman a kind smile. She was older, probably in her late fifties, early sixties. She had dark brown hair, but I could see different strands of grey coming through it. She had deep brown eyes that were filled with a mixture of emotions that I couldn’t really discern one from the other. As if she was feeling every emotion imaginable all at this very moment. She was dressed in simple blue jeans and black flats. Her shirt was a regular dark pink t-shirt, and she pulled it all together with a denim jacket that matched the color of her jeans. She looked good for her age.
“Welcome. I’m Charlie Beaumont, and this is my wife Maya,” Charlie said as he stood up and held his hand out for the woman. Only she didn’t even look at him. Her eyes were firmly on me. She acted as if she didn’t even know he existed right now.
Her staring was making me feel uncomfortable. I had no idea who she was, and she was staring me down like I was magically supposed to know her.
“You are so beautiful,” the woman finally said with nothing but pure awe in her voice.
“Um … thank you,” I said awkwardly as I looked over at Charlie.
“Can we help you with something?” Charlie asked as he went and moved closer to me just in case he needed to step in.
“I’m sorry,” the woman said as she went to sit down in the other chair. I quickly moved my legs as the lady continued. “I have dreamt of this moment for so many years; I never thought it would actually come.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t really understand what is happening right now,” I said, feeling even more uncomfortable now.
“I don’t know how to tell you this. As I’ve said, I’ve dreamt of this moment, but I never thought my dream would be a reality one day,” she took a deep breath in to try and calm her nerves or excitement I wasn’t too sure. “My name is Hellen Cabot. I’m your mother.”
That wasn’t possible. I had no idea what game this woman was playing, but I wasn’t buying it. She was most likely looking to try and get money from us. Somehow she had learnt that I didn’t know who my mother was and now thought she could show up for a payday because I was “married” to a billionaire.
“Get the hell out,” I snapped.
“Please,” she began but I cut her off.
“I don’t know what game you think you are playing here, but I’m not going to tolerate it. You are not my mother, and you need to leave.”
“Amarya, I am your mother. I have been looking for you since you were eighteen and I was legally allowed to.”
“How do you know her name?” Charlie demanded this time; he moved all the way in front of me to protect me fully. I should have told him not to, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that she knew my name, my real name. A name I hadn’t used in five years. How the hell did she know it?
“I gave it to her. Twenty-five years ago. I know this is a shock. I mean no harm to either of you. I have been trying to find you, but I didn’t have a photo of you or know if you kept your name. You could have been adopted out and often with newborns the adoptive parents change their name.”
“And yet you supposedly found her,” Charlie said with an edge to his voice. I knew what he was thinking; it was the same that I was, someone that Diablo or Santiago had sent. But Lucas had said they were dead, and no one was looking for me. He brought the files as proof. And why would someone who was most likely sixty be used to kill someone? None of this was making any sense.
“It was pure luck, happenstance. I was on Facebook looking through different news feeds, and I saw a woman had posted about her new Mayor in Rose Falls. I had never heard of this place, and I was curious to see where it was. In the photo was the two of you. I didn't think much of it, until I saw the birthmark on Amarya’s right forearm. It always looked like a butterfly to me. Birthmarks are just as unique as fingerprints; I just knew it was my baby girl,” she said with pure love in her voice, and I could see tears building within her eyes as Charlie moved back slightly so I could see the woman.
I didn't know what to do about any of this. Yes, I had the birthmark, but I never thought much about it. It was true that they were unique to each person; however, they could also be similar to another’s, and there was a good chance this lady was mistaking me for someone else.
“You have me confused with someone else. I’m sorry, but you need to leave,” I said as I went and stood, trying to get some distance between us.
“I’m not mistaken. The second I laid eyes on you I knew you were my sweet baby girl. I’m not asking for anything. I just want the chance to speak with you. You must have questions,” she tried.
