Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 122

Maxine/Fixer POV

The contents spilt onto the table, and Uncle Simon was quick to sort through them.

“Stocks, Shares in what?” I asked, shocked that there were so many.

“Some of these date back to when your Great Grandpa helped a friend start a business, gained a partnership in the company, as payment, and the mining stock would be worth a bit now, I guess, as it was purchased in the early days of that mine’s development, which they helped finance. You have a hand in all sorts of companies because your family has invested their money in people’s ideas, in starting up a business, or in a failing one that needed a hand, and as each company grew, it paid dividends that were reinvested to help other companies. Gaining either a partnership of the company, shares, or bonds, your family never asked for repayment of the money, like it was a loan, but an investment in the business, and if it went bust, the money was void. Tandy had a list of all your part ownerships, looks after the income, and has it all under control, but we are all getting old, so need new people in place, that can be trusted, that will part of Tandy, and my job, to make sure you are not scammed, or taken advantage of, while you learn the ropes. Don’t worry, I have a lot of left in me yet.” He joked as he waded through the paperwork.

“Here’s a letter, looks like your grandmother’s writing.” I looked at the letter in his hand, and a cold shiver ran down my back. A voice from the dead entered my mind, and I took it from him like it was going to bite me.

I carefully opened the letter and pulled out at least a ten-page letter.

“Read it out loud, so that everyone can hear what she has to say.” Uncle Simon asked.

“Dear Zaria, by now I am assuming you know your real name, you should have opened the box I left for you, and seen all the gory and grim pictures, and what details of your mother’s death, we could gather.

Know that both your grandfather and I tried to fight the injustice, but we failed, partly due to Barry. Be careful around him; he would kill his mother if he thought it would make him money. He’s greedy and shares with no one.

Some questions you may be asking.

Now the truth about Sheila, she was my best friends daughter, my best friend lived with us since she was born, and everyone believe she was my little sister, and we never corrected them, we went to school together, and were tied to the hip, where ever I went she was there not far behind, she died at childbirth, and never revealed who the childs father was, the child ‘Sheila’ was from a gang rape, and none of the lads were caught, if they were, we never found out, but I promised if anything happened to her, I would raise the child as my own, so I adopted Sheila, who was a little older than your mum. I gave them both love, but when Sheila knew she was adopted, although I never explained who her father was, she rebelled and ran away from home. When she was sixteen, when your mother got married, Shiela started to show up, at random times, being sickly sweet, but not staying more than a day at a time, she showed up after being gone for about six months, with baby in arms, and needing somewhere to stay, said the father was abusive, we aided her, then after your mother died, and I was full of grief, Barry showed up, and I felt we were being used, from there all things went bad, and out of our control, I got sick, and the rest you most likely know by now. There is a folder with this letter; it contains her birth certificate and everything my mother left me about my friend’s history, whom I call my sister. All my life, I loved her dearly, and am sad that her daughter became so evil.”

Tears were falling down my face, and I couldn’t read any more. Tank took the letter from me, folded it up, and put it back in the envelope.

“You can finish it later.” Tank pulled me onto his lap and rocked me gently.

“Agreed, that was more than I could take. We can resume tomorrow after we have had a chance to process all that we just learned and get some action started on opening those files, or at least finding out what happened to them. Knowing Sheila was not family was a surprise; I didn’t know. Was away more than I was home, I knew my sister was pregnant, and when I came home to visit, there was two girls, your mother, my niece, who was about three months old, and Shiela about one and a half, I thought my sister had two girls close together, I had been gone long enough for that to have happened, I was in another country, playing diplomat, trying to do gain a prisoner exchange. I should have known, but I was so caught up with my job and trying to bring men home that I missed what was going on at my own doorstep. I have lost the best years of my life for my country, and I am guilty of letting my own family down while trying to help others.” I climbed off Tank’s lap, moved over, and climbed onto Uncle Simon’s. His surprise look was priceless; his arms not hesitating to fold around me, and he rested his head on my shoulder, talking in long, slow breaths. He was shaking a little, and I thought he might be crying. He had lost so much and gained so little; what was all his wealth, our wealth, worth? When you are so lonely and miss so much.

“I love you so much, little one.” He whispered to me, pulling me a little tighter to him, and I let him take what comfort he could by holding me as tight as he wanted.