Chapter 108 - Hot Hands

After Jewel settled down, Cordell went to check on Delia. He knew she would indeed be a wreck. He found her awake and slipped into bed next to her.

"I spoke to Jewel," he said softly.

"She told you?"

"Yes, she did. She broke up with Hanson. She promised nothing happened."

"Thank Heaven," said Delia. She smiled as she felt like a weight had been lifted. "When I saw them, I had flashbacks of Victoria being pregnant at 16 and lost it. I think I said as much out loud because she asked me what I meant. I told her I was just tired. Thank you for talking to her."

Cordell sighed at the sound of his crying children. "I hear babies crying. Let's talk after we settle them. There is still more I need to tell you."

They got up and went to tend to their youngest children.

Delia grabbed Corrie and talked to her before settling her down with a bottle and a toy while Cordell changed little Angelica's diaper before putting her down for a nap.

Delia was feeling much better and figured a workout might help so she changed into her gym clothes and went into the basement. She had forgotten Cordell said there was more they needed to discuss.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cordell found Delia in the basement so he made coffee and handed her a cup. They sat down at the little 'discussion' table in the basement. He didn't want the girls to overhear their conversation.

Cordell took a deep breath and said quietly, "Delia, Jewel has discovered that I adopted her; that I am not her real father."

Delia went very still. "This is because of what I said isn't it?"

"I don't know. She didn't say why or how she knew, she just knew. I assume she found her birth certificate where it shows me as her adoptive parent."

"Oh No! Is she okay? I should go to her. Why did you wait to tell me!"

"She is okay for now. She just needs time. And, we aren't going to ground her by the way. She needs to get out and be with her friends. But, she did ask about her real father."

Delia felt sick. "What did you tell her?"


"Nothing, not even his name, just that he left and no one knows where he is."

"She may try to find him."

"She won't. There is nothing to find. No record of his name. It was replaced with mine when we got married and I adopted her."

Delia felt horrible, but it sounded like Cordell had handled it as well as he could. Then she remembered it was Corrie's 6th birthday and she had promised the little girl a cake. She needed to think anyway before she talked to Jewel. And I was just starting to feel normal again she thought.

Delia got up in a fog and said, "Don't forget, we are having a quiet party for Corrie this afternoon. I need to go make her cake," and walked off.

When she got upstairs she saw Joy was playing with Corrie.  So she called to Joy and told her she was going to be in the kitchen making a cake for Corrie's birthday that afternoon.

Delia was so proud of her daughters. They always seemed to care for each other. She had even noticed that Joy had been especially becoming closer to Jewel the older she got.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that day, they all celebrated Corrie's birthday. All except for Jewel who had holed herself up in her room. It totally broke Delia's heart. She looked at her husband and she could tell it was taking a toll on him too. Corrie didn't understand why her sister wasn't joining them. Delia just told her that Jewel didn't feel well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jewel continued to stay in her room rather than socialize. Finally Delia had enough. She needed her to ask the questions and to start getting back to normal. Prom was coming up and that seemed to be a good time to force the issue. The twins were excited for their first one and already had dresses picked out.

Delia asked Jewel to come outside with her and get some fresh air. She reluctantly agreed. Once outdoors, Delia apologized for the way she found out about her adoption.

"Mom - everything I thought was true about me turned out to be a lie. My sisters are only my half-sisters but they are full sisters with each other. It's like I don't really belong. I am a fake."

"Oh honey. You are the reason for them. If it hadn't been for you, Cordell and I may never have gotten together. You ARE so much more a part of our life than you know. Please don't ever think you are less than that."

"Daddy - uh Cordell didn't tell me what happened, only that he had cared for me since I was a baby. I don't think I wanted to hear it. Was I an accident?"

Delia snickered. "Well, no more of an accident than any of your sisters. None of them were planned either."

"No way!"

"Yes, way - but please, don't tell them. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world."

"So, I was an accident? Who was my father? Why did he leave? Where is he? Did you love him? Did Cordell break you up?"

Delia cringed when Jewel insisted on referring to Cordell by name rather than saying Daddy. "Whoa - full of questions today. So yes, an accident - but one conceived in what I thought was love. It turns out I wasn't his type and we would never have been able to be together. He would have been miserable. He actually had a partner. I think I was just a confirmation that he was who he wanted to live his life with."

At that Jewel's silent tears began again.

"No, please don't cry baby. Please hear me out. We were together one time. He decided that same night we were through. He told me to keep away from him. I pressured and chased him leading up to that night. I didn't know he already had a boyfriend. When I found out I was pregnant, I sought him out to let him know. He didn't believe that you were his until after you were born. But his partner didn't want children. Then he disappeared. No one knows where he is or why he left and he never claimed you as his own. So you see, Cordell, your father, didn't break us up. He and I become friends AFTER he left. You were 6 months old and I had no interest in another relationship."

Delia was upset that she had to lie about parts of the story, but she kept as close to the truth as she dare.

Then Delia began to smile and choked up as she thought about how hard Cordell worked to win her over after he rescued Jewel from Troy. "Cordell loved you from the first time he saw you. 6 months old. He moved in with us as a roommate to help me out and have a place to live. I think he fell in love with me only after he fell in love with you. He was relentless in his pursuit of the two of us. His charm won me over and I finally caved and the twins were conceived. Before I knew I was pregnant, we moved here to Lucky Palms. When I found out I was expecting, we decided to go ahead and get married and he officially adopted you at that time although he had always been your father Jewel."

"But mom, who was my father, what was his name?"

"Jewel, it doesn't matter. A name doesn't mean anything and I feel it's better for him to remain unnamed. He was only a sperm donor. He was never anything more to you. No, I will not dignify him with a name. He is not your father. Cordell is and always was and I don't ever want to here you refer to that man as your father again - ever - it breaks my heart and I can't imagine what it does to your real father - Cordell."

Delia grinned trying really hard to lighten the mood and said, "Now - let's talk about something much more fun! Prom is coming up and since you and Hanson broke up, I bet you would love to go and let everyone know you are available! Joy and Alia already have dresses picked out. You should go shopping and get one too! Come let's go inside."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jewel agreed to go shopping and found a dress. They rented a limo to take them since none of them had dates. Alia and Joy were excited. Jewel was beginning to feel better and yes, her mom was right, getting out was just what she needed. Jewel had a great time and was even crowned Queen of the Prom. Her stupid ex was crowned King so she had to dance with him. At the end she stepped on his toe really hard.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was time for more discussions with Cordell. Delia hoped her conversation with Jewel helped. She felt so bad for Cordell. 

"I told Jewel about Troy - well not ALL about Troy. I didn't tell her his name or that he killed himself trying to kill you. I left that out and the kidnapping part. But I did let her know he broke up with me before he knew I was pregnant and didn't believe that she was his. I told her just disappeared after she was born and you were there to pick up the pieces. That you fell in love with her before you fell in love with me."

"Uh - not true. I fell in love with you the first time you called me out of my lamp!"

"Liar! Maybe after I freed you but not before that!" laughed Delia, "I told her she was the reason for us. And that, my love, is true."

"Yes, I suppose it is. Thank you Jewel!" 

"Come here. I want to practically have sex with you right now my pretty lady!"

Delia laughed and said, "Don't EVER let Jewel hear you say that. I called a truce with her on that one."

Then they heard a little voice in the background, "Daddy! My hands are hot and I am hungry!"

Cordell sighed as he released Delia, "Well I guess our practically sex will have to wait while I tend to Corrie," then he lowered his voice and said, "I think she might be coming into her powers. She said her hands were hot. Maybe I should see if she can do some simple things now. Why don't you go see to Angelica and I will sit with Corrie."

Delia went upstairs and Cordell called Corrie over to sit at the table and tell him about her 'hot hands'.

Cordell had no idea how to do this. It had been too long since he had to learn to use his powers. He felt like he just always knew how.

"Corrie, now, I know you are hungry, but your hands can help you with that. Think about your favorite food and then imagine that if you clap your hands it will appear right in front of you."

Corrie thought about it and asked, "You mean if I want a fudgesicle it will magically appear? I can do that? Hmmm. But I never saw anyone else doing that. Can you do it?"

"Yep, but your sisters cannot. You are special like me. We have a magical power that lets us do special things and we must never let anyone else know about it."

"Why? That's not fair!"

"If you want to learn to do this, you must promise to never, ever do it in front of anyone but me or your mother. Do NOT let your sisters know about this. It could cause a lot of problems. It is our special secret."

"Oh, Cool. Can Mommy do it too?"

"No, but she is allowed to know about it. Okay, now are you ready to try?"

"Yes!" Corrie clapped her hands and the first time nothing happened.

"Try again and concentrate Corrie."

She did it again and the fudgesicle magically appeared right before her.

"Yay!  I did it! I did it!"

"Perfect! Now, let's try another one. You know how you don't like to clean your room? Well concentrate and see if you can magically clean the whole house. You should be able to use your hands to make it happen."

Little Corrie started frowning and thinking about cleaning the house, especially her room. She could feel the vibrations running from the center of her body up her arm and forcing it into the air and then she was shocked when sparkles began to fly out her finger tips.

"Whoa! That was cool Daddy! What else can I do? I want to do more!"

Cordell stood up and put his hands on Corrie's shoulders, "That was great Corrie, but that is enough for now."

Delia walked in and saw the sparks flying from her daughter's finger tips. It was almost more than she could take. She knew she was a Genie but to see proof made her sad. But Cordell was a Genie, why should she be unhappy that two of her children inherited his talents.

"Look Corrie, here comes Mommy. We can show her what you learned to do."

"Yes - I can make her a fudgesicle too and started to clap her hands."

When Cordell saw the look on her face he stopped Corrie and said, "Let's wait and see if she wants one."

Delia walked over to her husband and daughter and was visibly upset.

"Is everything okay Delia - is Angelica alright?"

"The baby is fine. It's just...."

Corrie interrupted her mother. "Look what I can do Mommy!" she exclaimed and then lifted herself into the air amidst a slew of sparkles and mist.

"Oh Cordell. She can't be doing this. How can we make her control it? Should we try to find a cure?"

Cordell couldn't believe what he just heard his wife say. He snapped back at her, "What did you just say? Do you want to cure ME too Delia?"

"NO! I am sorry. I wasn't thinking. She is just so young to have this much power in her hands. I am frightened."

Corrie listened to her parents trying to understand what needed to be cured and said in a sweet little voice, "Mommy, we aren't sick are we Daddy. You said we were special. And I LOVE being special. Daddy you said I could do it in front of Mommy and now she is sad."

Delia immediately felt horrible. She kept thinking about curing her daughters and herself of vampirism and then of curing her grandson of lycanthropy. Perhaps being a Genie doesn't need to be cured after all.

Delia looked at her daughter and replied, "I am not sad Corrie, you and Daddy are indeed special, you aren't sick. I was just worried when I saw the sparkles. He probably also told you I cannot do what you can so it is a little scary for me when I see it."

Corrie put her head down and said, "I'm sorry Mommy."

"Just remember to be careful and not let anyone else know," said Delia.

Go to Chapter 109

Go back to Chapter 107