by K. C. Crowne
I told myself to calm down, that I was getting ahead of myself. I’d read way too many mystery novels. Andy was prone to running off for days at a time. Sure, he’d usually call first, but anything was possible with him.
Something didn’t sit right with me still. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I pulled out of the driveway, wanting to get as far as I could from there as I could, just in case. I drove home and fed Caleb and put him to bed in Tabby’s room again.
I didn’t fall asleep on the couch, however. I decided it was high time to get the police involved. Too many things didn’t line up, and it made me nervous.
I called Teddy, the local sheriff, and he answered on the first ring.
“Hey, Teddy, this is Piper. I’m not really sure this means anything, but I haven’t heard from or seen my cousin Andy since he dropped his son off with me two days ago.”
“He’s not working or on another fishing trip?”
“Maybe, but his voicemail box is full and he’s not even reading my texts.”
“He might have turned off the read receipts,” he suggested.
“I don’t think so,” I said with a little chuckle. “He told me he likes people to know he read their messages, even if he doesn’t answer.”
“Huh.” The sound was filled with meaning. Teddy wasn’t crazy about Andy either.
Plus—” I thought about what Caleb had told me. It might be nothing more than an angry client, but just in case, I decided to alert Teddy. “Plus, Caleb told me there was a man yelling at his dad the other day. I just have a bad feeling about all this.”
“I’ll file a report and start asking around.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing, but I’d appreciate it, Teddy. He usually at least calls me when he’s going to go MIA. I’m getting a little worried, and I can’t get into his house to get clothes for Caleb or anything.”
“You know this means I’ll have to alert social services, right?”
I sighed. “Yeah, I know.” I felt like someone was ripping my heart out. “I just want to do what’s best for Caleb. I wouldn’t have called if I wasn’t worried something might have happened. Just please let them know that he has family he can stay with. I don’t want him going into the system. There’s no need for it.”
“I understand. I’ll see what I can do,” Teddy said.
When I hung up the phone, I stared at it for a long time as if willing it to ring. I prayed this was all a misunderstanding, that Andy was just being a selfish prick. Caleb had already lost his mother, not that he remembered her. The idea of him being an orphan broke my heart. Andy might be a jerk, but he was still family - and he had a son that loved him.
I knew that if Teddy put in a call to Social Services, there was a chance I might lose Caleb. As the only family he had locally, outside of Tabby, I would try to get guardianship over him, but I wasn’t sure if I’d get it.
I sat there for a long time and nothing. I checked my texts to Andy again, hoping they’d show up as read, but no such luck.
Andy, you bastard, where are you?
Ooo0000ooo
I was up and starting my day when my phone rang. It was sitting by my purse, near the door, ready for me to grab on my way out. I’d just given Caleb some breakfast and had to run over to grab it before it went to voicemail. I hoped it was Andy. I didn’t even look at the number before answering, nearly out of breath.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Davis?” An unfamiliar voice was on the other end of the line. It was a woman, and I had a good idea what this was about.
“Yes, I’m Piper Davis. You’re calling about Caleb, I presume?”
“Ah, yes, you are correct. I’m Ashley Sutter with Child Protective Services. We got a report from your local sheriff that Andrew Davis, Caleb’s father, hasn’t picked his son up in a couple of days from daycare?”
“Well, yes, but I’m not just a daycare provider, I’m also Andy’s cousin, and I’ve watched Caleb for extended periods of time before.”
“I understand,” Ms. Sutter said. “We still need to check on Caleb and make sure he’s in a safe environment. I’m sure you understand.”
I understood it all too well. Ashley’s voice sounded friendly enough, but it didn’t erase my experiences with CPS in the past. After my mom died and my dad was left in a wheelchair, they’d come to check on us too. They put Tabby and me in a foster home for a couple of days, which was easily one of the worst experiences of my entire life. I wanted to make sure the same didn’t happen to Caleb.
Ashley went over the procedure and said they’d want to meet with Caleb and me to talk about the situation and to determine the best placement for Caleb. They’d also want to look at my home to make sure I was properly set up to take him in, if I decided to keep him.
“Of course, I’ll do whatever you need me to do. I just want Caleb to stay with family, if at all possible.”
“Do you have any other family?”
“No,” I answered. “I mean, not locally. None that we’re close to. We have some distant relatives, an aunt and some cousins that live in Las Vegas, but I haven’t heard from them in years, and I’m not even sure they know Caleb exists.”
“Very well. We’ll be by later today.”
I set up a time to meet with them, told them to come by the daycare since I’d be working. They would then come by the house later that evening. They were working fast, giving me little time to prepare. I knew I wanted Caleb to stay with me, but beyond that, I wasn’t sure what it would mean for any of us.
I looked over at the little boy chowing down on his cereal. He was oblivious to everything going on. His father would often be gone for days at a time, so this wasn’t that weird to him. He had no idea that if things didn’t go well, he could be ripped from the only family he knew. His entire world could be tossed upside down in a matter of hours if I screwed this up.
Chapter 5
Grant
I had no intention of going to the daycare when I woke up that morning. Leah needed some things done at the hotel, so I figured I’d spend my day there. It would keep me busy, and as far as I knew, there was nothing more for me to do at Piper’s place. However, my plans changed when I pulled into the driveway shared by both.
I saw an unfamiliar car pull up and park, and a woman I didn’t recognize got out dressed in a skirt suit. She didn’t have any kids with her, and her outfit as well as her demeanor made her seem official. Curiosity got the best of me. I was worried something might have happened; maybe some random inspection or a complaint from a parent.
I followed the official-looking woman into the daycare, grabbing the door and holding it for her. She offered me a tired smile.
“Thank you,” she said, stepping inside.
I nodded and followed behind her.
Piper greeted the woman at the door, her gaze flicking to me briefly. There was something in her look, an unease that didn’t sit well with me. She smiled politely at me, but her focus was on the woman, not surprisingly.
“You must be Ms. Sutter,” Piper said, reaching her hand out. “I’m Piper Davis, and Caleb is right over here.”
I didn’t want to eavesdrop, especially since it had to deal with a family matter apparently - not a business one - and walked past them, heading toward the back exit that led into the hotel.
On my way out, Caleb saw me.
“Grant!” He rushed over to me.
Piper and Ms. Sutter were behind me, obviously looking to talk to Caleb.
“Hey, little man. How’s it going?” I asked.
He grinned up at me, holding up a picture he’d painted. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it, it looked like a brown blob to me.
“Look! It’s a dog!” Caleb said proudly.
“It is!” I exclaimed. I glanced behind me, and Piper was nibbling on her fingernail. I didn’t want to take up too much of their time. “Hey, listen, I have to get going, but I think this nice lady wants to talk to you.”
Caleb’s face fell
as he looked past mine at Piper and Ms. Sutter. The woman knelt to his level and reached out a hand. Her face and entire demeanor was warmer before. “Hello, Caleb. I’m Ashley. Can I ask you a few questions?”
Caleb looked at Ashley, then at me, then at Piper, as if trying to understand what was going on. He didn’t answer Ashley but stepped closer to me. Ashley turned to me, rising from her kneeling position. She was tall for a woman - probably five foot eight or so, but I still managed to tower over her.
“Excuse me,” she said in a serious tone, reaching out her hand. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ashley Sutter with Child Protective Services.”
It all clicked now. I looked at Piper. This couldn't be good. A CPS visit meant Andy still hadn’t shown up or had somehow failed his son in other ways. My chest tightened as I imagined him going into the foster care system.
“Grant Barnes,” I said, shaking her hand.
“Do you work here, Mr. Barnes?”
I kept my eyes on Piper. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. Running my hand over the stubble on my face, I answered. “My sister and I own the building, and I do some work around here.”
“And how do you know Caleb, Mr. Barnes? He seems awfully close to you.”
I wasn’t sure what she was insinuating, but I didn’t like it one little bit. I know people side-eye grown men who get along well with kids, but that was bullshit.
“I’m also a family friend. I’ve known Piper since she was just a little older than Caleb. We grew up together, you could say.”
“And are the two of you close?”
I clenched my jaw tight. I had no idea what any of this had to do with anything, but I sucked it up and answered the damn question. “Yes, you could say that. She’s my sister’s best friend. We’re like family.”
“I see,” Ashley said. She studied my face for a little bit longer before turning her attention back to Caleb.
Caleb was standing behind me now, hiding and peering out from the other side of my leg. I should be on my way, it was none of my business, but how could I leave the little guy who was clinging to me for dear life? Pry his little hands from my leg? Hell no. I wasn’t about to do that. He was scared, and for some reason, I made him feel safe. I wasn’t sure what else I could do.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do anything. Piper stepped up, and Caleb hurried over to her. She lifted him, and the two of them sat down in a nearby chair together. Ashley walked over to them, giving me a once over before resuming her questions for Piper and Caleb.
I turned to leave, but Caleb called my name.
“Grant! Stay, please?”
“I can’t, Caleb. I’ve got work to do.”
“I help again?”
Ashley looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I wasn’t sure what was allowed when it came to daycare services if helping me with handyman work could get Piper in trouble or not. Besides, they had a business to attend to.
“Sorry, little man. Not today.”
It killed me to walk away from him. What if the state took him away, what if I never saw him again? I stopped in the doorway and looked back at the three of them. Caleb had his thumb in his mouth, something I hadn’t seen from him do before. He looked so scared, and Piper looked like a nervous wreck too. I wanted to be there for them, but I wasn’t sure how - and it wasn’t really my place.
Ashley said something that made Caleb smile, then he laughed. Hearing that sound calmed my nerves a bit. Her job was to protect that little boy, and if she was good at her job, she’d see there was no better place for him than with Piper.
Ooo000ooo
“So I guess Andy hasn’t come home yet,” my sister said, shaking her head.
We were at the front desk, and she was leaning on it. Business was slow this time of day, everyone had either checked in or checked out, and I’d just finished fixing the heaters in one of the rooms for her.
“It’s Andy, what do you expect?” I shrugged.
“Yeah, but usually he calls or something. His voicemail box is still full, which, considering his addiction to working, doesn’t seem like a good business practice. If Piper can’t reach him, neither can his clients.”
She had a point. I didn’t know Andy all that well. Sure, we all went to school together, but he always thought he was too good for the rest of us. While Piper’s family had fallen on hard times after the car accident that took her mother and disabled her father, Andy’s family continued thriving. They were all lawyers, but none of them even bothered to reach out to Piper’s dad to offer their support. His own brother, Andy’s dad, lived in the same town as him and never stopped by for a visit.
I didn’t wish ill on anyone, but damn if I cared about whatever trouble he found himself in. My chest ached when I thought about the little boy he was screwing up by his selfishness, however.
“Does Teddy have any leads?”
“Nope. None of the people in his office has seen him all week, and they said he didn’t mention going on vacation. They can’t reach him either.”
I thought about Ashley Sutter, the woman who’d met with Piper. “So did Piper mention Social Services stopping by?”
Leah frowned, but nodded. “Yeah, she’s stressed. She’s freaking out a bit, worried they’ll take Caleb. I don’t think she has anything to worry about, though. I mean, who better to care for him than her, right?”
“You’d think so,” I muttered. “Have you talked to her since the meeting with them?”
“Not yet, figured I’d check in once she closes down for the evening. Didn’t want to distract her or get in the way, you know?”
“Yeah.” I’d felt the same way. I looked over at the clock and realized it was late enough, most of the kids had probably gone home already. “I’m going to check on something, then head out.”
I don’t know why I didn’t tell Leah where I was going or why. It felt weird to admit I cared about the outcome with Piper and Caleb. As far as I knew, Leah didn’t know about the time Piper and I almost hooked up, and I’d done my best not to give her any reason to suspect there was more going on between us than there was. We were essentially one big family, and I didn’t want to fuck that up because I thought Piper was hot as well.
But it was more than just my physical attraction to her that made me head over to the daycare. I was worried. Not just about her, but also for Caleb. I hated that I was becoming so attached to the little guy, especially since he could be ripped away from all of us at the whim of Social Services. The last thing I needed was to fail another little boy.
I walked over to the daycare, and as expected, it was mostly empty. Piper was on the floor with some toy trucks playing with Caleb, who was giggling as if nothing strange had happened. Piper seemed to be feeling better too. I was about to turn and leave, relieved to see that Caleb was still there and they were both smiling, but Caleb turned as I opened the door to leave.
“Grant!”
I couldn’t contain my smile at hearing his little voice call out my name. “Hey, Caleb,” I said, turning around just in time for him to run into my arms and hug me tightly. It was the first time he’d hugged me, and from the look on Piper’s face, she was pleasantly surprised.
“He doesn’t usually get this close to people this fast,” she said, standing up from the floor. “He really likes you.”
I had no idea why. Not like I’d done much for the kid. I’d let him hold a tape measure, that was about it.
He pulled away and tugged on my arm. “Come play.”
“I can’t, buddy. I’m heading home,” I said. Truthfully, I could have stayed and played but wasn’t sure it was good for either of us. I looked to Piper. “I just wanted to stop in and make sure everything went okay with Social Services?”
Her smile wavered a bit, but she lifted her head. “It went okay, I think. They’re going to come by my place this evening to inspect everything, then they’ll make their decision.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, and even though I wasn’t much of a hugger
, I felt the urge to comfort her. I stepped closer, reaching out a hand, and squeezed her shoulder. She stared at me with wide eyes, seemingly shocked by even such a small gesture of affection.
“Everything will be fine.”
“I hope so,” she said with a long sigh. She stared up at the ceiling a second, wiping at her eyes until she could smile again. “We need to get going, Caleb. We have visitors coming by, remember?”
I looked down at him and found him pouting. His lower lip was trembling, and all smiles and giggles were gone. He wasn’t crying yet, but it reminded me of a ticking time bomb.
Piper dropped to her knees to be closer to him. “Oh no, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“Is Grant mad at me?” His voice trembled.
“Oh no, buddy,” I said, dropping down beside Piper. “I’m not mad at you. Why would you think I was mad at you?”
He didn’t answer, but I had a good idea. He’d asked to work with me earlier in the day, I’d said no. And just now, I’d said no to playing. He’d already lost so much, and for whatever reason, he was attached to me now. I couldn’t push him away.
Truthfully, I didn’t even know how to play or interact with kids. I had very little experience with children, and they made me uncomfortable. Not just because of the Afghan boy that I’d gotten close to and lost, but because I had no fucking idea what I was doing half the time. I was afraid I might cause them some harm or something.
But obviously pulling away from Caleb caused more harm than anything else I could have done. With a sigh, I looked at Piper. “Do you have a few minutes for us to play?”
She nodded, a faint grin on her lips. “Sure, I’ll finish closing up while you two play a bit.”
She stood up and went about her business, leaving me alone with the little guy. I had no idea what to say or to do when we were alone. How do you talk to a three-year-old? I had no idea.
