by K. C. Crowne
He turned toward me. “Ms. Davis, you’re currently caring for Caleb, and as long as you’re willing, can continue to do so until a decision is made about the best place for him.”
A knot formed in my throat. They were talking about ripping Caleb away from me. Now that there was money on the table, everyone seemed keen on taking care of him. I’d like to hope money wasn’t their only motivation, but it was hard to think otherwise when no one here had really been active in the child’s life.
“May we see Charles?” Grace asked, the first words she’d spoken to me since we arrived.
“Charles?” I raised an eyebrow. “You mean Caleb?”
“Yes, sorry,” she said rather flippantly. “I’d like to meet him.”
I looked at Tabby, who shook her head as if to say no. I then looked at William, who spread his hands in front of him. “It’s up to you, Ms. Davis, but please know, at some point, we will likely set up visitation among all parties who are interested in caring for him.”
I felt like my voice might not come out, but I found the strength. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, right now, as he’s already very confused and scared. Introducing too many potential guardians into his life might make things worse.”
“I just want to meet him,” Grace huffed. “He’s family, after all.”
“Yes, I understand that, and I’m sure you’ll get your chance. But right now, I’d rather not upset his routine too much.”
It took everything in me not to say something about how we were family too, and she’d never made any attempt to meet us. Or how she hadn’t been interested in Caleb until there was an inheritance over his head. But I kept that to myself, remaining tactful, to keep the peace. After all, God forbid she get custody of Caleb. I’d have to get along with her if I ever wanted to see him again.
“Will he be at the funeral?” Thomas asked me.
I turned toward my uncle, the man who’d abandoned my family after my mother died, leaving his own brother disabled and with no support from anyone.
“Maybe.” I’d already decided he probably would attend, at least for a short while. But I was beginning to have second thoughts. My family now looked at him as a prize to be won, and I wasn’t okay with that.
Damn you, Andy. You knew how our family was. Why didn’t you do one good thing and think of Caleb? He could have given all the money to his family and left Caleb with me. I didn’t care about a dime of it. Except, of course, it rightfully belonged to Caleb. I didn’t trust any of these people to think about his future, not more than their own profit.
Tabby was watching me closely. Like me, she didn’t trust any of these people as far as we could throw them.
“I was planning on bringing him to the funeral, at least for a little bit. I’m afraid he won’t understand what’s happening or might get overwhelmed, so we may not stay long at all.” I injected all the strength I had into the next statement as I looked into the eyes around me one at a time. “I’d rather he not be surrounded by new faces. He’s shy and tends to be nervous around new people. I don’t think he needs that stress on top of losing his father.”
I spoke the truth. Yet, from the look on Grace’s face, you’d have thought I’d told her that bread had no carbs.
“Well, I don’t see why family should add to his stress.”
“He’s three,” Tabby said rather bluntly. “He doesn’t know that you’re family. He’s never met you before. To him, you’re a bunch of strangers, and he’ll be dealing with one of the hardest moments in his life. Please, respect that.”
I didn’t really have to add to it. Tabby had done a damn fine job. I couldn’t wait to pat her on the back. Grace stared at us with disdain before grabbing her purse and her husband’s arm and dragging him from the room.
“You can’t keep him from us forever,” she spat before leaving.
Thomas and his family gathered their things as well. I thought he might leave without saying a word, but we weren’t so lucky. He stopped beside my sister and me on the way out of the door and put a hand on my shoulder.
“It would be wise to work with us, Piper. We’re not the enemy here, I promise.”
I shrugged his hand off me and stood up. My blood was boiling, and the fact that he thought I was the one causing problems only pissed me off even more.
“I’m not the enemy either. I’m trying to do what’s best for Caleb. If you can’t see that, well, that’s your problem. Not mine.”
Tabby followed me out of the room, and we managed to reach the elevator before Thomas and his family could join us. The idea of sharing such a small space with him and his spoiled wife and daughter didn’t put me in the best mood. I might accidentally say something I shouldn’t. I was trying to keep the peace for Caleb’s sake. It was hard, but it was the right thing to do.
“You handled that like a pro,” Tabby said.
“You helped.”
She gave me a crooked half-grin and a shrug. “Yeah, maybe a little.”
“We’re a good team, sis.”
“Oh yeah we are. No one can take care of Caleb like we can,” she said, slipping into the elevator with me.
“Yeah, let’s just hope the state and William sees it that way too.”
“They will. There’s no way anyone would give those leeches a child.”
“Well, Thomas and Nadia did raise a child of their own already.”
“And did you see her?” Tabby cackled. “Her Louis Vuitton purse seemed to be the most interesting thing about her. She had no emotion, nothing.” She scoffed. “I don’t think she has feelings.”
I shook my head, but I was laughing with her as we stepped from the elevator. I’d never really known my cousin that well, but she hadn’t been nice. I never cared to know her after a run-in I had with her when we were kids when she stole one of Tabby’s dolls and proceeded to lie about it. And she got away with it because her parents never punished her for anything. I’d like to think she’d grown up over the years, but Tabby was right. She seemed just as petulant and spoiled as she had back then.
ooo000ooo
“Do you still think we should take him to the funeral with those vultures looming?”
Andy’s funeral was the day after our meeting with the lawyer, and I was starting to have second thoughts.
Tabby was dressed and ready to go in her all-black attire, which to be fair, made both of us look a little too goth for my liking. We had dark hair and fair features, and when you add black clothing, well, that’s what you get. My sister turned and stared at me, her hands on her hips.
“We’ve talked about this already, Piper. He should go, at least for a few minutes, to say goodbye to his dad.”
I sighed and fell back on my bed. I still wasn’t dressed, dreading the entire affair. I hated funerals. Ever since I had to attend my own mother’s funeral at a young age, just the thought of going into a funeral home filled me with anxiety. I didn’t like crying in front of people. I always had to be strong for my baby sister - when Mom died, then later when Dad died. She was a grown-up now, but I still didn’t want her to see me fall apart.
And I had Caleb to think about too.
“I should probably wake him up and get him ready then, I suppose.”
I rolled off the bed and out of my room. When I opened the door to Caleb’s room, he was already awake and playing with some toy cars on the floor.
“Hey, booger,” I said, trying to sound cheerful. “Why didn’t you let me know you were awake?”
Caleb shrugged his shoulders but didn’t look up at me. I sat down on the floor beside him, crossing my legs. I noticed he wasn’t so much as playing with the toy trucks as just running them into each other over and over again.
“I miss my daddy.” His voice trembled as he spoke.
“Oh honey,” I said, putting an arm around him and hugging him close. “I know. We all do.”
“I wanna see my daddy.”
A knot formed in my throat. He was going to see his daddy again, bu
t it wasn’t like he expected. I dreaded having to explain to him that his father was in the coffin. It was a closed casket funeral as Andy was found in pretty rough shape, or so I’d been told when I talked to the funeral director about plans for the funeral. I’d wanted Caleb to see his father, thinking it might offer closure, but there simply was no way. His father wouldn’t look like the man he remembered, and it would only make the funeral worse for him.
So I couldn’t tell him that he’d see his daddy, because it wouldn’t feel that way to him. He was too little to understand the complexities of death.
“We’re going to say goodbye to your daddy today, Caleb, but I’m sorry, you won’t get to see him.”
“Why?” He looked up at me with red eyes and tear stained cheeks.
“I— I don’t know how to explain it, honey.” I felt like honesty was the best policy. I knew that lying or talking about religion would only confuse the boy further. I had to think about everything I’d said and make sure it wouldn’t make it harder for him.
“Why, Piper? Why?” He buried his head into my chest, his hands balled into little fists and holding tightly onto my t-shirt. His sobs caused him to shake against me. “I want my daddy.”
“I know, baby. I know. I wish I could bring him back for you. I’d do anything to make that happen.” I stroked his hair and cried with him. Once he calmed down and the tears stopped flowing, I wiped his cheeks and told him. “It’s okay to cry, and it’s okay to miss him. You’re going to see a lot of people crying for your daddy today. If you get scared, just tell me and we can leave, got it?”
He sniffled and nodded his head.
I hoped he understood what I was saying. God, I wanted him to trust me, to come to me whenever he was hurting or stressed. I’d do anything for that little boy. Absolutely anything.
“Alright, sweetie, let’s get some breakfast and get you dressed.” I stood up and helped him to his feet. He took my hand and we walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, where Tabby had already set out some bowls of yogurt, fruit, and granola for us.
Caleb usually ate it right up, but today he stared at the bowl and pushed the strawberries around.
“You okay, sweetie? You usually love strawberries.”
“Daddy gave me cereal.”
“You want cereal instead? What kind of cereal?”
“The kind with marshmows.”
“Marshmallows, you mean?” He nodded. “We don’t have any here right now, but I promise the next time I’m at the store, I’ll pick some up. Is that alright?”
Caleb seemed to think about it for a second before nodding in agreement. He started eating the strawberries from his bowl. I looked at Tabby, feeling like I might break into a million pieces. My sister reached across the table and squeezed my hand.
As if she could read my mind, she said, “You’ve got this, Piper. I believe in you.”
Chapter 13
Grant
The trip to the doctor with Caleb had been difficult. He was pretty down that day, and he didn’t talk as much. He’d stared at me with those big, dark eyes, like he could see through my soul, and every time, it brought back memories I wanted to forget.
I couldn’t have an episode when I was alone with the boy. It was hard, but I managed to keep my shit together. He behaved, mostly just seemed sad, and was checked out by the doctor, who said he’d need some special shoes - which we’d get for him. No problem.
I was already sucked in. I’d do anything for Caleb. Just like I’d have done anything for another little boy on the other side of the world, if I could have saved his life.
I knew Piper was taking him to the funeral. Funerals were tough for me; I’d seen too many good folks die in my life already. I would have avoided the funeral altogether if I could - I hardly knew Andy, after all. But I wasn’t going for Andy.
I was going for Caleb and Piper.
I waited in the parking lot for them to arrive. I recognized Piper’s car as it pulled in and watched as she got out of the driver’s side. She was wearing a black dress with a delicate lace overlay and lace sleeves. Her hair was down but straightened smooth and looked like silky framing her face. It blew in the wind as she stepped toward the back door to grab Caleb.
I got out of my truck and walked toward her, watching her every movement. The way her hips swished as she walked, her cute little ass as she bent down into the backseat. I knew it was the wrong place and time, but damn, she was beautiful.
With Caleb in her arms, she turned back around, and our eyes met. I wasn’t too far away, but it felt like time slowed down as I made my way over to them.
As I got closer, Piper looked more and more beautiful. She’d worn more makeup than usual, her lips a soft red and her eyelashes darker and thicker than I was used to seeing. I didn’t know much about that stuff, but it was obvious she’d put some effort into her appearance - and she looked amazing.
Caleb was the first one to speak. “Grant!” he called out.
Piper put him down on the ground, and he rushed toward me, almost like all was right in the world again. God, how I wished that were the case. I lifted him into my arms and swung his legs outward. He smiled wide at me, and it was the most adorable look I’d ever seen. I was just glad he was happy for a little bit.
Piper walked over to me, followed by Tabby, who I hadn’t even noticed until that moment. Piper’s face was all seriousness. Her jaw clenched tight. Her hands balled into fists. Her eyes darted around the parking lot as if she was afraid of the big, bad wolf jumping out from behind a car or something.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
Tabby answered. “Yeah, just some family drama. We’re trying to avoid certain people, if we can help it.”
My gaze never left Piper. She was still searching the parking lot with anxiety in her eyes. “I don’t think they’re here yet,” she said at last. “Maybe we can get in and out before—”
Her voice trailed off as a black BMW pulled into the parking lot. All of our eyes were on the car. Even Caleb seemed to watch it closely, likely curious about why the adults were staring at it so intently. The car parked on the other side of the lot, and Lars Russo stepped out. Piper and Tabby both let out a collective sigh of relief.
“I think that’s the first time anyone has ever been relieved to see that ass—er, jerk,” I said.
Piper managed a small smile and a chuckle, reaching for Caleb. “I think we should head inside now, don’t you think?”
“Bad man,” Caleb said, clutching onto me instead of going to Piper. He watched as Lars walked into the funeral home.
“Why’s that man bad, sweetie?” Piper asked.
“He yelled at daddy. A lot.”
Piper and I looked at each other. Lars’ brother, Donovan, had caused all kinds of trouble for the town of Liberty. Andy had filed a suit against the Russo brothers' business. While technically his death was deemed an accident, I wouldn’t put it past a scumbag like Lars to murder him and make it look like an accident.
Then again, he was also being sued by Andy, and yelling at the lawyer who’s bringing a lawsuit against your business is probably par for the course. We couldn’t just go off a three-year-old’s words. Still, I decided to keep an eye on Lars.
Piper reached for Caleb again, but Caleb shook his head. “No. I want Grant.”
She seemed flustered, but I assured her, “I’ve got him. Don’t worry.”
Tabby led the way into the funeral home, with Piper following. I took up the rear with Caleb.
“Does that man scare you?” I asked him. Caleb nodded, his eyes as big as I’d ever seen them. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll protect you.”
“Piper too?” he asked.
Piper looked over her shoulder at the little boy, and there was nothing but love in that look. She loved Caleb so much, as if he were her own, and it showed.
“Oh, but let’s not worry about Aunt Tabby, huh?” Tabby teased from the front, playfully sticking her tongue out at Caleb. Caleb laugh
ed and it was such a beautiful sound.
“I’ll protect everyone,” I whispered to Caleb. “You have nothing to worry about, little man.” I ruffled his hair, which Piper scowled at me for doing. I quickly smoothed it back down as we entered the chapel.
She was right about us being some of the first people there. Lars Russo was sitting in the very far corner, away from the entrance and the casket. I wasn’t sure why he’d be there. It felt almost in bad taste, considering everything that had happened, but I tried not to focus on him too much. I didn’t want to draw Caleb’s attention to the big, foreboding man in the corner.
People started filing in, and Piper and Tabby greeted everyone since they were the closest family. Caleb stayed in my arms, eyes wide as he took everything in. He didn’t seem to know what was going on or why people were crying. Piper came back to check on him often.
“You doing okay, sweetie?” she asked him. He nodded, though he didn’t look at her. He watched everyone around them.
“Who are all these people?” I whispered to Piper.
“Some are people Andy worked with, including people from his other offices around the state,” she said. Her eyes narrowed in on a family that entered. Sighing, she added, “And others are long-lost family members who finally decided to show up when they heard about an inheritance.”
I recognized Thomas Davis and his wife. His daughter was all grown up now, but I recognized her as well. All blonde hair and designer clothes, she stuck out like a sore thumb. That and she seemed annoyed at even being there.
Thomas’s eyes fell on us, and he moved toward us. Piper tensed up, then groaned as an older couple entered the room. “And there’s the rest of the leeches known as my family.”
I didn’t recognize those people, but they also headed in our direction. Like it or not, we were about to meet everyone.
Tabby stepped in front of us, blocking the way.
“We don’t want any trouble, Tabitha,” the older woman said.
