The Emma Blackwell story

Kate stood and pulled out a chair to allow Harry to move right into the table if he wished. Harry flipped over the top of a tray that came in against his stomach and the side supporting the tray lowered, allowing him to come partly in to be under the table. They'd already greeted one another. Kate decided it was no need to drag it out and so she hugged him and said, "Take this kindly Harry. Are you aware I'm your half-sister?"

"You've done some sleuthing."

"No. Mom told me when I turned twenty. I'm seeking confirmation. I haven't applied to search adoption records."

"Yes you are my half-sister. I'm three years and ten months older than you according to what mom always said to me in recent years. There are seven others who were conceived in similar circumstances to you and carried by her to successfully births. You are the second to last of them to have spoken to me about it."

"I'm sorry and cannot explain my reluctance to do that. I was devastated at the age of fourteen to be told I was adopted although dad was my real father and the secret about who my mother was continued for another six years. I also cannot explain why I then used to watch you mother, my birth mother, in the distance but could never find the courage to approach her. I used to be called a hard-nose reporter but that was crap; when it came to approaching your mother and saying hi mom my courage failed me."

"Look Kate," Harry said. "There is no need to apologize because I understand and the reaction of those six others were mixed or as I said in my manuscript, their reactions ranged from being to a little confused to total confusion. I approached all seven after mom's death last year. Six already knew and the other was devastated. I didn't need to approach you because your mom, being mom's best friend, had said you knew."

"Oh this weighs on my like a burden," Kate said, almost sobbing.

"I'll tell you something Kate. What I wrote in that manuscript I sent you was one hundred percent true, mom repeatedly said to me she didn't regard you eight as being her children. She considered she was only a vehicle that brought about your birth."

"Emma Blackwell was a remarkable woman," Kate sobbed and from out of nowhere Harry produced a paper tissue and handed it to her.

Wiping her eyes, Kate said, "Can you tell me the name of person who so far hasn't spoken to you about it?"

"Mom didn't want any of you to know who the other seven were."

"That's okay and obviously you were reluctant to speak about it yourself.

Harry sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. "Look, if you promise never to disclose the name I'll tell you."

"Okay Harry, tell me. My curiosity had gotten the better of me."

"That young rising star as a TV presenter, Lucy Laurence."

"Omigod. Well she'd so full of herself I can understand what the shock must have been to her when discovering the truth why she was her parent's only child. For all we know she may have regarded adopted children as second-rate citizens within a family."

"That was my suspicious as well," Harry grinned. "Mom always said it was all in the mind because no baby gets to choose its parents."

Kate giggled and felt better.

They had lunch and agreed to meet on Friday, same place and same time but with editor Guy Manning joining them.

"You are not going to publish my submission are you?" Harry charged.

"If that was decided we'd not be having these meetings," Kate soothed. "There are issues to consider and that's why we need to talk. Why did you submit your manuscript Harry?"

He muttered something and looked evasive.

"See what I mean Harry? We need to resolve some questions." Alas, Harry never learned the outcome of that publishing dilemma.

Kate reported her meeting with Harry to Guy and that a lunch had been arranged for the three of them to progress the matter. Kate learned that Guy was interested in publishing a story of the truth about the eight children born to Emma Blackwell and that forced her to declare she wanted Guy to agree to publish Harry's submission in condensed serialized format, but not before careful legal appraisal.

They left that difference unresolved for the time being but then three nights later Harry died in his sleep.

Kate's distressed mother said that Harry had felt since his mother's death that his own death could be imminent. He had been advised medically that the blood supply to his lower body was not good because of inactivity and continued to refuse to have regular physiotherapy on his lower limbs.

"Also in recent years he'd developed heart problems," Helen wept. "He told me he expected an early death because he was dying slowly from the feet up."

Kate wrote the obituary for the Evening Herald and the city's morning newspaper used her reference, wording, that Harry was the only child of the late Alec Blackwell and his wife, the late Emma Blackwell.

About 400 people attended the funeral that included a large contingent newspaper, TV and radio representatives. Kate looked for TV presenter, Lucy Laurence, attending to say farewell to her half-brother but saw no sign of her. However she did spot two other of Emma's eight surrogate children and she was glad about that but sad those two were unaware they genetically were half-sisters to Kate.

Kate believed those children, now adults, had the right to know who their relatives were, even that conceited cow TV presenter Lucy Laurence. She decided to really think about that dilemma. Kate had received a call from the Alec and Emma Blackwell Family Trust lawyer to visit her at 10:00 on the morning and she wondered whether the other seven adoptees would be there, or would they be given separate appointments.

The short and severe-faced Mrs Blake greeted Kate politely and Kate accepted the offer of coffee.

"According to your mother Kate, you had lunch with the late Harry Blackwell on Friday eleven days ago."

"Friday week ago, yes that's correct."

"And what was the purpose of that meeting?"

"Didn't my mother tell you that?"

Mrs Blake said she was asking Kate.

"Well I see no reason why I shouldn't tell you. It was a preliminary discussion about a manuscript he'd sent to the Evening Herald and it was addressed to the associate editor, and that is my position on the newspaper."

"Are you presently in possession of that manuscript?"

"Yes I am."

"Good because I have found an entry in Harry's diary that says he believes you intend trying to get his manuscript published but he doubted you would manage to achieve that but never mind. You had a real interest in that story and he wanted you to have the manuscript even if publication attempts failed. So it's yours to keep. I find that statement of intent unequivocal and as the executor of Harry's estate I would be failing in my duty if I did not carry out his wish to have you keep the manuscript. I have no idea of its value and am not interested in having it valued."

"Thank you Mrs Blake."

"Oh that's not all. In this envelope are a list of the names and last-known addresses of your seven half brothers and sisters. Harry instructed three weeks ago to give you the list as he felt he might pass away in the not too distant future."

"Why me?"

"Harry said you are the eldest of the surrogate children."

"But that's not fair. Harry told me three of his half-siblings had visited him fairly regularly. Should not they share this list instead of me?"

"That is not for me to say Kate. I am carrying out Harry's instructions and now is the time for me to tell you of Harry's wish, as that is that you, treading carefully, unite the eight of you or as many as you can managed to bring together. He doubted that you would have any luck in persuading TV presenter Lucy Laurence to join the fold."

Kate thought for a moment and then said, "Well I have no problem doing this for Harry and I believe I should first approach the difficult Miss Laurence."

"Ah so Harry told you about her. Well I admire your strategic thinking Kate. Win her over and I would assume the other will be easy to muster."

"Finally it's my duty to tell you that all of Harry's non liquid assets, including the house he inherited from his mother, are to be sold and the net return is to be shared equally by you eight half-siblings. The liquid assets of cash and money on fixed deposit total $38,000 are to pass to you."

"To me?"

"Yes Kate but don't get too excited. That money comes with a string attached although I must advise it is simply Harry's wish and is completely unenforceable."

CHAPTER 2

Kate had lunch with editor Guy Manning in his office.

Guy said, "I keep thinking of your tits Kate and how you squeezed me into the biggest ejaculation I've ever had."

"Well that was a one-off Guy," she laughed. "Just remember you are married and so am I."

"Christ Kate, don't be so cold-hearted. Are you saying we can never do it again?"

Kate considered that. Her husband Noel had arrived home exhausted and it was three nights before he came looking for sex. The mongrel had probably been banging some bitch while he was away on that assignment. Kate wondered had he taken his young PA with him? When preparing his clothes used on that trip she'd found a pack of five condoms in the back pocket of his sports pants. He never used condoms at home; in fact Kate hadn't been aware he knew what they were. The sly bastard, cheating on her, she sighed.

"If we can guarantee security, like going away for a naughty weekend, I guess I could be persuaded to roll over for you."

Guy leered at her and then diverted and asked did she have a successful meeting with Harry's lawyer.

"Let me get this straight," Guy said, after listening to what Kate had told him.

"You want to publish a book about Emma Blackwell because that is Harry's wish but it cuts across Emma's wishes and so that gives you a tough choice. But you think Emma's stance was to keep the anonymity until all the children were at least in their mid-twenties so that they should be mature enough to decide whether they wanted exposure to their half-siblings. And you think you should win over the other siblings to consent to their story being told and it's up to them to get their families onside."

"Yes."

"And that this gives me the choice of allowing you to take leave of absence for six months to research and write the book, or for you to work here to noon each day on half pay and then go home and work on the book including negotiating with your siblings and working through legalities or that I accept your resignation."

"Yes."

"Kate you are forty. If I accept your resignation I would have to fill your position and the board would be very unhappy about that because you are being groomed to take over as editor when I retire."

"If I live that long," Kate said and they laughed.

"At forty you would have a tough time attempting to break back into newspapers in a senior role when the book is published."

"I don't care. I need to do this for Emma and Harry, particularly for Emma because she birthed me into the life I've had."

"Christ Kate, did you have to say that. How can I be ruthless when you say soppy stuff like that? If you must know I had sex with Emma Blackwell in the summer after I graduated high school. We both were at a co-ed camp as support staff. Emma was a senior in charge of kitchen staff and output and I worked maintaining and repairing equipment. I was a novice at sex and Emma taught me all she knew and that was plenty."

"Omigod."

"Yes well sometimes guys get a lucky break," Guy grinned. "Let me talk to the chairman about this. He's due in mid-afternoon to discuss building maintenance."

"God Guy, you and my surrogate mother. I can't believe it."

"Yeah well don't forget she was young and acted sexy and was three years away from her first wedding."

"First wedding?"

"Yes and that indicates you have a lot of research to do before you start rewriting Harry's manuscript darling."

Guy came into Kate's office late afternoon and said, "Eileen (the board chairman) believes the best option for us is the one with the least disruption, and that's to give you three months' leave of absence on 15% of salary and that is to retain you to come in and cover for me if I'm sick or are away at a conference or whatever. I thought that was good thinking and I agreed with Eileen you already possess a meaty manuscript. You should be able to fill in the gaps through research and complete the rewrite and get the edited manuscript off to her brother within three months."

"What has her brother got to do with this?"

"I knew Eileen's brother was CEO of a book publishing company and that's why I referred this matter to her. She now feels involved. She called her brother while I was with her and bullied him into committing to publishing on the proviso if the manuscript comes up short then we will pay for a professional writer to do another rewrite."

"What damn cheek. I'm a professional writer."

"Yes of course but tell me Kate, how many books have you had published?"

"Asshole," Kate muttered. "Well why's Eileen Rogers guaranteeing payment if a professional writer has to be called in?"

"That's easy to answer. Anthony Kennedy, one of you half-siblings, is Eileen's twin sister's only child and although he's now thirty-three they both love him to bits. I had explained to Eileen you were committed to this project because Emma Blackwell was your birth mother. Eileen hadn't been aware there had been other children born via Emma and was absolutely flabbergasted when I told her that Anthony was one of eight. Her response was this book would be a real winner because it was such a unique story. Her brother the publisher thought so too."

Guy added quietly, "Are you intending to fully expose yourself as one of Emma's surrogate children in this story?"

"Absolutely."

"Then when the time comes I'll talk to Eileen about contributing some cash toward the publisher's promotion of your book."

"Thanks and much appreciated. Thanks to your encouragement I'm in a hurry to start."

"Then finish up here today. I'll advise HR you are on ninety days' leave of absence, starting from tomorrow and will remain on 15% of basic salary as a retainer to be standby acting editor."

"Thanks Guy and I truly mean that. I'll stay in touch and if you wish to take me away for a dirty weekend give me a call."

He grinned.

Kate called Mrs Blake, executor of the late Harry Blackwell's estate, who sounded rather excited that Kate was taking three months leave of absence from her job to commit to writing the book and that a publisher had been arranged.

"Mrs Black may I request that you release to me all of Harry's diaries, papers and photos on trust as a loan for the duration of this project. Hopefully he would have retained childhood photos and perhaps documents passed on to him after his mother's death."

"Yes dear, I'm agreeable to that and all you have to do is to sign a simple document that all the material sent to you under this agreement must be returned to me at the conclusion of this project. My feeling is publication of a book will bring posthumous fame to Emma Blackwell and local museums and libraries could be interested in possessing some of those documents for their archives."

"I should inform you I'll have to advise the other beneficiaries from Harry's estate that they are so named and what the processes are that I must follow as executor. I expect to be in the position to send that letter out to you eight beneficiaries today week."

Kate's husband Noel couldn't believe she was taken three months off book to rewrite a manuscript.

"You are a professional writer and should be capable of doing that in three weeks, not three months."

"You are an engineer Noel. I wouldn't expect you to know that a story written by a guy with no writing experience would have as many holes as a sieve and would lack structure, setting and drama that are the elements that make a good read."

"Yes, yes I can accept that. Engineers are not idiots. But why are you writing this?"

"Because my half-brother the late Harry Blackwell wanted me to upgrade his manuscript about our mother Emma Blackwell to get it published."

Noel's jaw dropped.

"But I've always believed Helen is your mother."

"Yes love and you were correct in believing that because that's what you were told. But the truth is my father impregnated Emma Blackwell with Helen's agreement because Helen had found she could never become pregnant and Emma was mom's best friend. Shortly after I was born mom and dad adopted me."

"B-but why wasn't I told about this?"

"My deception occurred because at that time I was too ashamed to tell you. But that's changed now and I'm ashamed I didn't tell you and so ashamed that I never recognized Emma as by birth mother before she died."

"Jesus you poor baby," Noel said, jumping up and going over and sitting beside his wife hugged her. This is such a fucking mess. We'll have to tell the kids."

"Yes and I accept that and it will be a relief to me to tell them. Are you mad at me?"

"Um no. No definitely not and I admire you have the guts to answer Harry's call to try to get the story published knowing that you have to publicly expose yourself as an adoptee if you wish to tell the whole story. That takes guts."

They sat and talked on for a couple of hours and then Noel, standing and yawning and saying he was off to bed, said and sounded absolutely sincere: "I'm with you stopping work and doing this baby. It's a story that should be told because it could inspire adopted kids everywhere and other surrogate moms would be extremely interested as well."

Kate cleared away the coffee cups and left the kitchen tidy, switching off the lights. She arrived in the bedroom just as Noel came from the bathroom.

"Are we going to fuck tonight?"

"Oh yeah," he said, looking quite surprised that she was in the mood. Or perhaps he was surprised that she had used the F-word when not passionately aroused.

* * *

Early next morning Kate used the phone number from the list that Harry had compiled and TV presenter, Lucy Laurence answered warily.

"Hi I'm Kate Scott, associate editor of the Evening Herald. I need to speak to you urgent. Can we meet for coffee?"

"How did you get this number? It's unlisted."

"I'm a trained newshound Lucy, so getting a phone number is pretty elementary. You began as a reporter and you should know that."

"What do you wish to talk to me about?"

"It's confidential."

"Then I'm sorry. I'm too busy to go out for coffee."

"Well if that's the way you feel, then fine."

Kate then waited, half-expecting the pretty Lucy to cut the call.

"Are you people intending to publish something you have about me?"

"Meet me for coffee and find out."

They met an hour later and exchanged greetings but didn't touch.

Kate saw herself as being friendly and relaxed whereas Lucy appeared nervous and ready to bolt. Well perhaps this would send Lucy fleeing, Kate thought, aware that after seeing Lucy this close up the youngster was not a genuine blonde.

"Be prepared to be shocked Lucy. Are you aware you are my youngest half-sister?"

Lucy's face screwed up and Kate almost expected her to scream. Instead Lucy hissed, "Go away and keep out of my life."

"It's too late for that Lucy, the ball has begun to roll. You are aware that the late Mrs Emma Blackwell was your surrogate mother but are you also aware you have seven half brothers and sisters?"

"Seven?" Lucy gasped, "But I've always been an only child."

"Yes it's not been fair has it, having the truth hidden from us all those years? I'm forty and only found out that fact recently following the death of Emma Blackwell."

"I always knew that I was adopted but Mom only told me when I was eighteen that Mrs Blackwell had been my birth mother."