My Mother's Secrets: Book One in The Secret Series

By DJ Benz

Alise Addison grew up in a prominent family full of secrets. She spent the first six years of her childhood being neglected by her mother and then her mother suddenly died. She never understood why her mother was the way she was, but little did Alise know she was about to discover some of her mother’s deepest, darkest secrets. As she unveils the truth of who her mother really was, Alise has no idea that these secrets could change not just her life, but the lives of everyone she knows and loves forever.

Excerpt from My Mother’s Secrets: Book One in The Secret Series
“I hate you and I wish you were never born!” These are the words my mother uttered to me when I was six-years-old. They stuck with me for the rest of my life. For a long time I thought her words were said in an angry moment of haste, but I was wrong. There was more to my mother’s angry words than I could have ever imagined. My life is not like that of many people you know, and yet it may appear that way. Before I tell you my story, I must first tell you my mother’s.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DJ Benz
• Release date: Oct 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311203946

DJ Benz

I'm a happily married Cincinnati Native that enjoys reading, exercising, biking, cooking, cleaning, and sports. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Since then I've spent several years teaching Preschool, Head Start, and Elementary School age children. Now, here I am, years later returning to one of my first passions.If you have any questions, concerns, or you’re just dying to know a secret please feel free to contact me. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Please check out the Spotify Playlist for My Mother's Secrets: Book One in The Secret Series and My Secrets: Book Two in The Secret Series and share what rose you think you represent with me on my website on the Roses page. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.Website: www.djbenzbooks.comEmail me @: [e-mail] me on Twitter @: DJ Benz@djbenzbooksFriend me on Facebook @: DJ Benz

Book preview

World of Secrets Family Tree for MMS

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Thomas Family

David Jacob Thomas Sr.

David Jacob Thomas Jr.

Marie Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Elizabeth Thomas

Nathan Thomas

Claudia Thomas

Addison Family

Brian Addison

Emily Addison

Heather Addison

Michael Addison

Alise Addison

Neal Family

Dr. Frank Neal

Dr. Karen Neal

Lisa Neal

Adams Family

Carter Adams

Sandy Adams

Stacy Adams

Pierce Family

Will Pierce

Marilyn Pierce

Dallas Family

Bruce Dallas

Kim Dallas

Bryce Dallas

Sasha Dallas

Rob Dallas

Ford Family

Mikey Ford

Melody Ford

Adam Ford

Austin Ford

Jones Family

James Jones

Evelyn Jones

Lucas Jones

Cody Family

Mr. Cody

Mrs. Cody

Gwen Cody

Other Characters:

Jackson Daniels

Joey Sanchez

Mary Fields

Amber Reed

Tim Moore

Susan Robinson

Drew Robinson

Nate Parsons

Gene

Doris

Mr. Duffy

Michelle Summers

"Secrets hold the power to change everything, which is why they must always be concealed. But secrets can never truly be hidden, and when they’re revealed, brace yourself." DJ Benz

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Prologue

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Alise

From an early age I remember spending a lot of time with my nanny Ms. Blake and my grandparents Marie and David Jacob Thomas Jr, especially when my dad had to take business trips. My mother always said, Alise, I have things to do and they don’t involve you! It always made me really sad that she never wanted to spend time with me, but after a while I guess I got used to it. I loved spending time with Ms. Blake and my grandparents. Ms. Blake and I would play with my dolls for hours, pretending they could make silly voices. She also taught me how to read and write, so it’s because of her that I skipped kindergarten. At my grandparents house we had fancy tea parties with my stuffed animals in my grandmother’s garden. Her garden was full of entwined red and white roses. I recall grandfather telling me that together they represented unity.

Grandfather had the garden designed for grandmother when they moved into the house. He told me that everyday he courted grandmother he would send her a bouquet of red and white roses. Alise, roses are a true symbol of love, so whenever you’re given one it’s a sign of true admiration, Grandfather would say. I laughed when I was a child because the word courted sounded so funny to me. I always thought it was a sweet story of my grandparents beginning.

Sometimes if grandfather wasn’t working he would join us in the garden in his fancy suit for tea. When my father was away, Ms. Blake and my grandparents always gave me extra love and care. Although it was unspoken, they knew how my mother treated me when my father was not around. I think on some level my dad always knew too, but he just never said anything either. Dad would give me gifts on my birthdays and say that a few were from my mother, but, I knew they weren’t. I would just smile politely, and say thank you to my mother. I think my father just tried to love me enough for both of them.

When I turned 21 my grandmother and I had our annual tea party. It’s a tradition we started when I turned six-years-old. She brought down a sealed box from the attic that she said belonged to my mother. Grandmother said my mother asked her to give it to me when she felt the time was right. On the right hand corner there was a small paper taped on top that had my name written on it. Why did my mother give me a box? In 21 years of existence I don’t recall my mother ever giving me a gift, so why now?

I opened the box and found several photo albums with pictures of my mother from elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. Several pictures were taken at Clifton Meadows Park and at Thomas Manor. My mother seemed happy and so full of life. The pictures made me smile, but also sad too because I wished I could have known that part of my mother. I’d watch her laugh and smile about something funny that dad said, but she never did those things with me. I also found a beautiful quilt with patchwork full of popular landmarks and a basketball with signatures including Uncle Jacob’s, and…Michael Jordan’s! How cool is that! I bet it’s worth a fortune, but there’s no way I would give it up. Michael Jordan, is the greatest basketball player of all time and I can’t believe I now own a basketball that he signed. If she had just given me the basketball as a gift that would have been more than enough. I got sidetracked with the basketball and almost didn’t notice the other things in the box.

There was a jar of beautiful seashells, a diamond encrusted blue hair clip, a Girls Just Want to Have Fun movie poster, an elegant black gown, a small jeweler box containing her favorite diamond earrings, a white gold bracelet with a diamond popcorn charm, and a booklet of old baseball cards. She must have been a big fan of the Cincinnati Reds because she had almost every player’s card from the mid-1960’s to the early 1990s. I remember going to games, especially opening day; it was our family tradition. My Aunt Lisa’s husband, Uncle Bryce is the co-owner of the team, and he collects Cincinnati Reds baseball cards too. At the bottom of the box laid a stack of three worn, thick, black leather journals engraved in the right hand corner with my mother’s initials, E.T. I had never seen them before. The journals were labeled 1985-1987, 1988-1990, and 1991-1992. Curiously, I picked up the journal labeled 1985-1987 and opened it. There was a note taped inside addressed to me.

March 25, 1999

Alise,

Happy belated birthday! I know I’ve never wished you a happy birthday before, but I wanted to, even if it’s just this once. I just wanted to give you some overdue gifts. But I’m not so sure you’ll see it that way once you know everything.

This box contains my most beloved items. They now belong to you, along with my journals. I would like for you to please read them. I made my mother promise to never read my journals and to give them to you when I felt you were ready to learn the truth about me. I was not a good mother to you, and you didn’t deserve the way I treated you. I will not ask for your forgiveness because you were an innocent child brought into this world by a woman whose heart was already broken. I’m thankful everyday that your father loved you unconditionally. He was the best thing in my life, but I didn’t deserve him, nor did I ever appreciate everything he did for me, for us.

I hope my journals help you understand why I was so cold to you and give you the closure you need as your life moves forward. When my father gave me these journals he said, A person with so much goodness in their heart should write down their life, so that they know what they’ve done, and then they’ll know where they’re going. I was once a good person, sweetie, but somehow I lost my way. The things that I’ve done will shock you and may even make you hate me. You have your whole life ahead of you, so please don’t make the same mistakes I did, that our family did. I had hoped that you would never find out what we’ve all done, but you will because secrets can never truly be hidden.

I know you’ll want to share things that you learn about me with Sasha and Marilyn, but my last journal entry, please don’t. I warn you now that it contains my deepest, darkest secrets. These secrets will hurt you, and I’m so sorry for that. All that I ask of you is that when you read it, please don’t share it with anyone, ever. These are the secrets that I’m ashamed of the most and they could change life as you know it. Sorry, I’m being so cryptic saying that, but, you’ll understand why when you read it.

Please thank my mother and tell her I’m sorry. Please tell Marilyn I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better godmother to her and I hope she never loses that incredible loving personality she’s always had. Please tell Sasha I’m sorry, and that it’s all my fault. Hopefully, she’ll be able to forgive me one day. I’m glad you’ll always have your Musketeers looking out for you. Once you discover who I really am and what I’ve done, you’ll need them more than ever. And they’ll need you too. Remember our motto, All for one, one for all. Your grandfather always said, You never know who you truly are, until you know where you’ve come from. And though it pains me to say these words, you’re about to find out.

From,

Your Mother

P.S. I wrote a letter to your father. It’s inside the last journal, but please don’t give it to him.

Chapter 1: Family History

Alise

My mother wrote a letter to me? I can’t believe it! She even wished me a happy birthday, she’s never done that before. I recall her being present for my birthdays, but she was never really interested.

Why did she apologize to Sasha and grandmother? Why didn’t she want me to give my father his letter? The sad part is that my father is not happy. He still misses my mother after all these years, and maybe that letter could give him the closure he so desperately needs. So why can’t he read it? I have so many questions to ask my mother, but sadly I can’t.

My mother died 15 years ago while boating in Lake Forest, Illinois. Someone discovered one of our boats, the Thomas Manor 2, abandon several miles away from Thomas Manor. There was an empty bottle of wine along with a little of mom’s blood on the side of the boat. The official assessment was that my mother hit her head and fell overboard. Search and Rescue, along with several volunteers, spent fourteen days searching for my mother and all they found was her blood stained jacket floating several miles away from the boat. With each passing day, more hope was lost that my mother had survived. It was hard for everyone to accept, especially my dad. After searching for a few more days the police closed the case.

Dad was sad for a long time. At night when I was little I would go into his room to turn off the TV, so that he could get some rest. He would watch their wedding video over and over, but he made me promise not to tell grandfather and grandmother. He didn’t want them to worry about him too.

I recently discovered that my dad could never legally declare her deceased. Sometimes, I still see him crying, flipping through their wedding and other photo albums. He loved my mother, and honestly, I don’t think he ever got over her. My dad has not gone out on a single date since my mother’s untimely death. In fact, I recall women flirting with my dad when we would go out. They still do, but he never seems interested. I guess once you give your whole heart to someone, its kind of hard to get it back. My mother seemed to love dad too, so why didn’t she love me?

Those first six years of my life she rarely ever addressed me unless absolutely necessary, except for that one time, but I don’t want to think about that now because it’ll just make me sad. Granted, I was just a child, but a child never forgets their mother. I could think of a hundred, maybe a thousand times I would have loved for her to pay attention to me in a positive way. Like when I got an A on my first spelling test, or when I won first place in the Science Fair, or when I hit my first home run in T-ball, or when I found her favorite tennis bracelet, and so many more times.

If dad wasn’t on a business trip he attended my milestones, along with the rest of our family, my nanny Ms. Blake, and my best friends Marilyn and Sasha. Even Aunt Heather came from time to time when she wasn’t busy with work. I remember dad saying, Your Aunt Heather is married to her job, but he made me promise to never repeat that out loud. My family and friends were all proud and it meant so much to me. But a part of me always wanted my mother there too, no matter how she treated me. I never truly let her go either. I desperately wanted to know my mother, so I had to read her journals. For now, I promise to honor my mother’s wishes, but I also wonder what secrets my mother’s journals are hiding?

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Elizabeth

April 5, 1985

My dad gave me three journals as a birthday gift yesterday, and he had them engraved with my initials. He said, Elizabeth, your 13th year is like your right of passage and a person with so much goodness in their heart should write down their life. So that they know what they’ve done, and then they’ll know where they’re going. Dad always has interesting sayings like that. I think he gets them from grandfather. My favorite saying is You never know who you truly are, until you know where you’ve come from. I come from a wonderful family, so because of that I know I’m going to do great things in this world. Dad always reminds us of the good fortune our family was blessed with, and that we should use it to do good things in the world. Dad is pretty wise and he gives great advice, but most of all he’s a great father.

Now that I’m 13, my mom and dad have agreed to stop calling me Lizzie. I liked it when I was little, but now I think I’m too old for that nickname. I just prefer Elizabeth. Stacy Adams is the only person in my life that calls me Lizzie, even though I have asked her a million times to stop! Eventually, I think she will once she realizes that she’s the only person on the planet that still calls me Lizzie. A girl can dream, can’t she?

Everyone in my family is taller than me. I’m about 5’6, but I think I’ll get taller one day or at least that’s what my dad says.

My mom has perfect dark curly hair and mine is just like it, only totally unruly. Mom is thrilled that she doesn’t have to do it anymore because it takes forever to style it. Since mom turned over the reigns to me, I think I manage it okay.

Some of my friends have been getting acne lately and I’m thankful that I have not. It just seems like such a pain to deal with. I don’t gloat about it though because I don’t want any bad karma coming my way. On top of styling my hair, I don’t need anything else slowing me down in my hometown.

Cincinnati is a pretty cool place to live, its where my dad’s from. Mom grew up in Tampa and they met in college. My nanny, Mrs. Blake, is from Cincinnati too, but I think my goofy older brother Jacob is from Mars! Ms. Blake keeps saying she’s going to retire in a few years, but we’ll see, she has worked here for over 17 years. I don’t want to think about it too much, because I know how much I’m going to miss her when she leaves. She promises that she’ll still visit me often.

I just found out how old our house is. It’s the original Thomas family home in Clifton Hills that my dad grew up in. My grandparents gave the house to my father and mother as a wedding gift. They moved into a smaller house just a few blocks away. Our house looks like its straight out of a home decor magazine. It’s a beautiful house and I love living in it! Dad said my grandparents built it, shortly after the family business became very profitable.

Last week for English class we had to write an essay on the person we admire most in the world, so I interviewed dad. And from him I learned all about the family company, Thomas Global or TG for short. My grandfather, David Jacob Thomas, Sr. built our family business from the ground up. Growing up dad said grandfather was always fascinated with making things and selling them, so that’s how he came up with the idea for the family company. With a few of his college buddies investing in the company, he was able to get it off the ground. Now grandfather is leaving his legacy to his family, starting with my dad.

Thomas Global Headquarters or TG is located in downtown Cincinnati in the Twin Towers on Sixth Street. It’s the largest building in downtown Cincinnati. Dad said that TG has four divisions. My dad said the best way to learn something new is to write it down and study it. I’m trying to remember the divisions, so I’m writing them down in my journal.

TG Divisions:

Global Family Care, which includes the top selling brands in diapers and body wash.

Global Cosmetics, which includes the top selling brands in make-up and hair care products.

Global Home Care, which includes the top selling brands in laundry detergents and household cleaning products.

Global Charity, the newest division provides all of Thomas Global products free around the world to non-profit organizations that help families in poverty. Two times a year the company host a Charity Ball. One in Cincinnati in March at the Contemporary Arts Center and one in Lake Forest, Illinois in August at our summer home, Thomas Manor. Each charity ball makes around $220,000 due to the plate fee, various auction items, and donations. It’s a cause that’s dear to my parents’ hearts. My grandmother was dad’s inspiration because she always wanted to help out those in need and when she passed away two years ago, dad worked hard to build up the division. My mom is the Director of Global Charity. Mom loves the position and hopes to keep building the division. I love attending the TG Charity Balls.

TG employs like 26,000 people and the number keeps growing every year. Dad started the Charity Division and opened up a new office in Lake Forest, Illinois seven years ago. My grandfather is the CEO and my dad is the COO. In a few more years grandfather plans to retire and is grooming dad to be his successor. Grandfather said dad was born for the role and the board has already approved of dad taking over. Although Grandfather has a board to answer to, he’s still the majority owner of the company. Dad was the Director of Global Marketing, before he became COO. Dad knows everything there is to know about TG and he’s very excited about his future endeavor.

I love going downtown to TG to eat lunch with mom and dad. TG has a huge cafeteria where you could order just about anything you want. It’s hard for me to have lunch with dad during the school year, so that’s why we only go down for lunch every once in a while. Every year he takes us to Bring Your Child To Work Day. Dad said grandfather gave him some important advice when he started working for the company, In the corporate world time is usually forgotten and there are a lot of late nights and long weekends, but you should always make time for your family because they come first. So son, if you need to take a day or two off to be with your family, please do so. Here at Thomas Global we treat everyone like family because family is the most important thing in the world and we always want to promote that image. Dad works hard, but he always makes time for us, and that’s what I love about him the most.

April 6, 1985

I’m having a sleepover tonight with my best friend Lisa Neal. She moved here last year from Palm Beach, Florida when her parents accepted new positions at Clifton Hills Memorial Hospital. Dr. Patrick Neal is a Gynecologist/Obstetrician and Dr. Karen Neal is a Neurologist. They are rated two of the top five doctors in their fields. They were thankful that Lisa was able to find a new friend. Now that I know what a Gynecologist does, there was no way I was letting my best friend’s dad see my girly parts.

I remember when Lisa and I met. It was my first day of school at Clifton Hills Academy. I was walking to the registration office because I accidentally left my map of the campus at home. Jacob was already gone to class, so he couldn’t help me get to homeroom. I didn’t exactly pay attention when we took a campus tour, because I was too busy staring at Mikey Ford. After circling back to the same spot, I accidentally bumped into Lisa and knocked over the books that she was carrying. Luckily, she had a map and we had the exact same schedule, which we thought was fate. We have been best friends ever since!

I’m still trying to figure out what else we’re going to do tonight? For the first time ever, mom’s going to let us campout in a tent in the backyard and roast marshmallows in the fire pit on the deck. Mom was reluctant to let us roast the marshmallows, but she finally relented, and said, Girls, please make sure you attempt to clean up the mess you two are bound to make. How do moms know this stuff?

Opening Day! We just got back from the Reds game. Opening day is like a holiday in Cincinnati because since the 1880s, our team gets to play their first game at home every year. We also have a variety of dignitaries, festivities, and the best pre-game parade in my opinion of course. The Reds played a great game and won 4-1. Every year my family and I go to Opening Day. Attending Opening Day is a family tradition that grandfather started when dad was younger as a way to bond as a family. We often sit with the owners of the team, the Dallas family. Bryce Dallas has been in my class since kindergarten. I think he has a crush on Lisa because he is always asking me about her and staring at her every chance he gets. I think she might like him too, but Lisa is hard to read sometimes.

April 10, 1985

Lisa and I went to the Clifton Hills Country Club to take our tennis lessons. We both take private tennis lessons three times a week in the spring. Mom and Mrs. Neal take lessons too while Jacob takes private golf lessons. Our dads usually just golf with a few of their co-workers. Lisa’s tennis skills are improving. I play pretty well, but that’s because mom, dad, and Jacob taught me how to play a few years ago. Every now and then we play as a family or with Lisa’s family.

My grandfather comes to the club often too. My dad is still trying to beat my grandfather’s golf score. Grandfather’s plaque rests in the center of a trophy cabinet and I catch dad staring at it all the time. I’m laughing out loud again thinking about grandfather and dad bickering over golf. Grandfather has held the Clifton Hills Country Club golf record for over 20 years. He often likes to tease dad and say, Son it’ll never happen, or maybe it will, but only in your dreams. Jacob and I try our best not to laugh, but we always do.

Dad and grandfather are spitting images of each other, it’s so weird when they’re in the same room. They're tall with olive skin, lean with curly dark hair, and brown eyes. Dad never has to wonder what he’ll look like when he’s old, all he has to do is look at grandfather. For old guys, they still enjoy exercising weekly. Sometimes they even sound alike too. Its freaky! Did I mention that curly hair runs in my family? Mom even has curly dark hair and so does my brother Jacob. Mom looks great for her age and she also likes to workout. She’s slim, tall, and has dark brown eyes with beautiful alabaster skin. The great part is that I know my family has good genes, and hopefully I’ll age well too. But then again you never know because the good aging genes could have passed me up.

April 12, 1985

Jackson Daniels and I made a bet that whoever got the lowest score on the social studies test had to buy the other a soda and say, You are the master every day until the end of the school year. I got the second idea from The Last Dragon movie. I thought Shogun was hilarious. In the movie he would constantly say, Who’s the master? And his goons would respond, Sho’nuff! The movie is basically everything the 80s is all about and I’m going on record to say that the 1980s will go down in history as the best decade ever!

Jackson Daniels is this funny guy in my homeroom class. He transferred from a school in Florida last year. He’s tanned, average height with shaggy blonde hair, and has these deep blue-eyes. He’s cute alright, but I have a crush on his friend Mikey Ford. I joke around with him to keep tabs on Mikey without being too obvious.

The results of the social studies test…Jackson got an 85% and I got a 100%. I nearly did a little dance in the middle of class to go along with my victory. I don’t mean to gloat, but I told Jackson not to bet me. I’m a whiz at social studies! It’s my favorite subject. My absolute favorite historical facts are about the Maya Culture.

Last summer we went on a family vacation to Cozumel, Mexico and visited the Tulum Ruins. The City of Tulum was the primary location for the Maya’s extensive trade