by K. C. Crowne
“Just some work around the hotel,” he said. “We’re working on updates to the ballroom.”
“Do you mind keeping an eye on Piper for me? Just for about an hour or so. I have to run an errand.”
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. It’s just— well, it’s a long story. It’s probably nothing, but better safe than sorry, right?”
Unlike my sister, I didn’t get interrogated as to why I cared so much about Piper’s safety. He just understood that some things needed to be done without question. This was one of those times.
“Sure. I can leave one of the guys in charge and head over to the daycare. Should I tell her you sent me?”
“Nah, just tell her you want to check on Matilda.”
He chuckled. “She’s probably used to me stopping by randomly, just to make sure she’s okay.”
Matilda was Kellen and Leah’s adopted daughter. She was still a baby, about six months old. Cute as a button, but she kept Kellen and Leah on their toes, to say the least.
I hung up feeling much better. Kellen used to be a firefighter and was used to working under pressure and saving lives. He was one of the few people I trusted in the world to keep my loved ones safe. Another reason I loved that he ended up with my sister. As long as they were together nothing would ever hurt her.
And as long as he was watching Piper and Caleb, I had no doubt they’d be safe too. Still, I made it my goal to get back as quickly as possible.
Chapter 16
Piper
“Today? William, you can’t possibly mean they want to see him today, after everything he went through yesterday.”
The front door of the daycare opened, and I turned around to see who it was. Kellen Mayberry walked through the door. William was blathering on and on about how it made me look bad if I kept Caleb away from family who just wanted to get to know him, but I wasn’t paying attention. Seeing Kellen caught me by surprise.
I held my hand over the phone and whispered, “Grant sent you to keep an eye on me, didn’t he?”
Kellen smirked and raised his hands. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just came to check on Matilda.”
I frowned, holding a finger up to tell him one second. I had to finish my call with William first. “So there’s nothing more I can do? I should just let them see him?”
“There’s really no reason not to, Piper.”
Maybe he was right; maybe I was being too harsh. I was just so scared to lose him, and it felt like they were merely being opportunistic leeches.
“Can it be supervised at least? I can be there, right?”
“They requested you not be. Said that you tend to cause drama, and they want the meeting to go as smoothly as possible. But you are the appointed guardian and it comes down to what you want.”
A knot formed in my throat. I didn’t want to do this. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Do you think I’ll get custody of him? Please be honest with me.”
“I can’t say,” William said honestly. “Not for sure. Not without looking into everything further.”
“What do you need to know? I’ve taken care of him on and off since he was a baby, while they can’t even remember his name.”
“You have a good case, Piper, which is why I’m encouraging you to work with them and to make this as easy as possible. Prove that you’re willing to work with everyone, that you’re willing to let the rest of his family visit with him. Because as it stands now, there’s really no reason his other relatives shouldn’t be able to meet him.”
“He just lost his father, William. He’s scared and shy, his whole world has been upended. I’m just trying to make this as easy for him as possible.”
“I know, but they could make this a whole lot harder for you. Until we’ve established who gets custody of Caleb, I’d advise you to work together.”
Fuck working together, I thought. But I knew he was right. It wouldn’t be easy, Caleb didn’t deserve this shit, but in the end, it would make me look better if I didn’t cause any drama with the rest of my family - a family that had a lot of money and powerful lawyers who could sue my ass in a heartbeat and probably win. Then I wouldn’t just lose Caleb; I’d probably never get to see him again.
“Alright, let’s set something up. Just tell me when and where and inform them that I will be there.”
William agreed and hung up. I turned back to Kellen, surprised he was still there. If he’d really been there to visit Matilda, he’d have gone back to the nursery on his own. Instead, he stood near the desk and studied my expression.
“You’re doing everything you can for that boy,” he said with a strong tone. “Keep it up.”
I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Thanks. Ready to go on back?”
Kellen nodded and followed me to the nursery to see his daughter. He was probably the only person I knew that could possibly understand what I was going through, so I decided to ask him a very serious, very invasive question. “Do you ever wonder if maybe you’re not the best person for her?”
He seemed taken aback. We stopped just outside the nursery doors, and he pondered it for a moment. “I used to worry that I wouldn’t be a good parent. I mean, look at me.” He tapped his chest playfully. “I’m not exactly the fatherly type, but after a while, I realized every parent has those thoughts. No one can raise a child without doubting their ability at least some of the time. It’s hard work. But if anyone is prepared for that type of work, it’s you.”
He opened the nursery door and stepped inside after his comment. I considered following him inside, but Frannie greeted him and all I wanted to do was to get back to Caleb.
I hurried to the toddler room where he was seated on the carpet by himself. He had his trucks, and it didn’t seem to faze him that the other kids had someone else to play with. I hated to see him sitting alone with his trucks. So I joined him.
“Where’s Grant?” he asked me, turning those dark eyes toward me.
“He’s probably working, sweetie. We’ll see him at some point, I’m sure.”
Caleb went back to playing with his truck. His question had hit me harder than I thought it would. He was so attached to Grant, and while I thought maybe he was ready to open his heart to us last night, today I wasn’t so sure.
Maybe I was being too hard on him. We’d had one little fight, but I was scared. I’d seen what he’d been like since coming back from the war, and it wasn’t pretty. Maybe I jumped in too soon, letting myself get caught up in the “What ifs…” Well, the next move was on him, and I prayed that for Caleb’s sake, he wouldn’t fuck things up.
About an hour later, the front door of the daycare opened and Caleb went running toward it. He called out, “Grant!” and I was relieved. At least Grant wouldn’t fail him. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face him after the night before, but I had little choice. I stood up and followed Caleb, putting on my best neutral, friendly look.
“Look what I got you!” Grant bellowed, sounding more chipper than I expected.
“Shoes?” Caleb responded, sounding a bit disappointed.
“Not just any shoes,” he corrected. “These are supposed to help you get around a bit easier. Wanna try them on?”
“Okay,” he said, sounding cautious.
I helped sit Caleb down as Grant pulled off his regular tennis shoes.
“The doctor explained that his feet turn out a bit, which causes some balance issues,” Grant explained. “She said it’s nothing too serious, and these shoes can help with that, making it easier for him to run around. Once he gets used to the new shoes, of course.”
“Thank you.” Like always, it didn’t feel adequate. And before I could stop them, the tears started falling from my eyes. Grant turned toward me, dropping the shoes to the ground.
“What’s wrong, Piper? Everything’s fine.”
“No, it’s not, but I can’t talk about it here. Take care of him for me, will you? I’m going to get cleaned up.”
>
I hurried to the bathroom, trying not to let any of the other kids see me crying. I was so grateful for Grant and everything that he did, but I still wasn’t sure if I should give him my heart. Was he ready for that level of commitment?
But the tears weren’t just for him. I was just so scared of losing Caleb. The phone call with William was embedded in my heart, digging in my mind like a mole.
I locked myself into the bathroom and let myself cry until I couldn’t cry anymore. After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.
“Yes?”
“It’s Grant.”
I flinched. “I’ll be right out. Can you keep an eye on Caleb for me?”
“Tabby’s got the kids in a game right now,” he informed me. “Thought I’d check on you.” He was silent for a tick, then asked, “Is this about last night? If so, I’m sorry…”
I sighed. He wasn’t going to leave easily. I opened the bathroom door and stepped out, wiping away the tears on my cheeks. “This has nothing to do with last night.” Only a partial lie.
“Then what’s wrong?”
“My aunt and uncle are insisting on visitation this evening.”
“Tell them no.”
“William, the lawyer, told me it would be in my best interest to work with them, and I think he’s right.”
“You do?”
I told him all my fears about how they could take him away, not allowing me to see him again if I didn’t try to work with them. And that maybe I as being unfair. Maybe they really did care about Caleb and I shouldn’t keep him from them. I unloaded everything on him, and by the end of my tirade, I felt a lot better.
“I trust you to do the right thing. If you think this is right, then I support it.”
“Thanks, Grant. And about last night, I know we shouldn’t have—”
“That’s not what I was apologizing for.”
He stopped me. “Then what?”
“The way I talked to you in the hallway. I had no right to speak to you like that. I was just scared, and as much as I hate to use the word, triggered. I’ve lost people before because they wanted to help and weren’t capable of doing so. I don’t want to lose you for that reason.”
My heart leapt into my throat. “Grant, I—I don’t know what to say.”
“No need to say anything,” he said, shrugging. “If you don’t forgive me, I understand.”
We were in public, at the daycare, so I couldn’t kiss him. But God knew I wanted to. Instead, I placed my hand on his chest to silence him. “I forgive you.”
“I know it’s not easy, I know I’m messed up, but I don’t want to hurt you with my issues.”
“Let’s just take it one day at a time, okay?” I smiled at him, and he nodded. “Right now, I need to prepare Caleb to spend time with complete strangers.”
His face softened. “I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”
I thought about what I was about to say very carefully. “Maybe come and keep me company? To keep me calm. Tabby can be a bit of a loose cannon and feeds into my angst and anger. I need someone to keep me grounded. I can’t risk losing my head.”
“Sure, I’d love to, but God knows, I may not be the best person to keep you grounded. I can lose my head pretty easily too.”
“I know,” I said. What I didn’t say was that just by being around him, I felt like everything would be okay. His presence calmed me like no one else could. “But you’re still better than Tabby, trust me.”
He chuckled and ultimately agreed. It was nice knowing I didn’t have to face my family alone.
Ooo000ooo
I was given the choice of meeting places, and since I’d recently been given permission to enter Andy’s house, I chose there. Caleb would feel more comfortable at home with his things. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, Caleb perked up, recognizing his home immediately and getting excited.
Grant had driven us; my nerves were too shot to drive. His pickup truck looked out of place beside the BMW and the Mercedes sitting out front already.
“Ready to meet your aunt and uncle, Caleb?”
Caleb didn’t respond. He was looking out the window at his home.
I’d tried to hype it up, make it sound like it was exciting, not something he should worry about. The snow had started falling, and Grace had mentioned wanting to play in the backyard. I’d bundled Caleb up in preparation for some snowy fun. The weather was supposed to turn bad pretty quickly, but thankfully, we were in the clear for now.
I got out of the truck and unbuckled Caleb just as Grace and John climbed out of their car. I had the only keys to the house, so they’d been waiting outside for us. Thomas and Nadia got out of the other, with Michaela remaining in the vehicle.
Grace rushed us, reaching for Caleb as he clung to me for dear life.
“Come here, sweetie. Give your auntie a hug,” she said.
Caleb looked at me. It was my job to stand up for him. “Give him some time. He’s always a bit shy when he first meets someone.”
Grace pouted. “Well, I think you should teach the boy some manners. He’s supposed to hug his family when he sees them. You shouldn’t coddle him, Piper.”
I gritted my teeth. “I’m sorry, Grace. I don’t consider it coddling to teach him about bodily autonomy and allowing him to have boundaries, but we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
I was shocked at how well controlled my answer was. It took everything in me not to snatch Caleb away to protect him forever from these people. But it would be better if we could work together, as William had instructed. Maybe, in time, I could get Grace to come around to my way of thinking.
One could only hope.
“Here, let’s go inside,” Grant said, breaking the tension between us as Grace scowled at me.
I carried Caleb inside after Grant unlocked the door. When I put Caleb down on his feet, he took off down the hall.
“Sweetie, come here,” Grace called out, sounding annoyed. She put her hands on her hips. “Are you going to let him run off like that?”
I was already following him when she spoke, so I ignored her. Caleb had run down the hallway and pushed open a door that appeared to be his playroom. He was in the middle of the room, playing with his old toys like his life hadn’t been flip-turned upside down. I sat down beside him as he pushed some toy cars around on a mat with roads on it.
“Want to take those into the living room?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“You can bring any toy you want out there.”
“I don’t want to.” His voice was soft.
“You don’t want to what? Go out there?”
He shook his head. I smoothed back the hair from his face.
“You know, they only want to spend a little time with you. Then guess what? We can stay here tonight, and you can sleep in your own bed. Would you like that?”
He nodded.
“What’s taking so long,” Grace huffed from behind me.
I turned to find her standing in the doorway. She entered the room and sat beside Caleb, really close to him. Without even asking, she picked him up off the floor and placed him in her lap. He looked startled and struggled to get up, but she held him down.
“See, that’s not so bad, is it? Just sit with me awhile,” she said.
“Grace, please, if he doesn’t want to be held, don’t force him.”
Caleb let out a soft cry which turned to downright sobbing. He fought against her even more, eventually breaking free. He ran over to me and fell into my arms, crying into my shoulder.
“You think you’re the only one who can love him, Piper? You’re not. He’ll learn to love me, in time.”
“Not if you continue treating him the way you are now.”
Grace seemed to mull over what I’d just said. She stared at Caleb and I with pursed lips. “Fine. I’ll give him his space, but we have agreed upon visitation.”
My heart clenched in my chest. Everything in me wanted to tell them all
to go straight to hell.
Thomas’s wife, Nadia, spoke from doorway. “It’ll be fine, Piper. I understand why you’re worried, and I’ll make sure Caleb’s boundaries are respected.”
I knew Nadia, briefly, from before my mother died. She’d always seemed a lot nicer than Thomas. Almost too nice for him. She was quiet most of the time, but I never had any ill feelings toward her like I did the others.
She came into the room and sat down on the floor beside me, a friendly smile on her face. “Besides, we’ll just be out back.”
“Maybe you should stay here, with his toys. He seems more comfortable here.”
Nadia nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. Besides, the snow is really starting to come down. It might be getting too cold.”
Caleb unlatched from me, and I turned his little face to me. “I’ll just be in the other room, if you need anything.”
Caleb reached for me. “No! No! No!”
His arms latched around my neck, preventing me from standing up. I looked at Grace and Nadia helplessly. Grant was now in the room as well and walked over to us. Caleb finally let go of me but only to reach for Grant, who lifted him into his arms.
“I don’t think stressing him out like this is a good idea,” I said firmly. “You can visit him with me here. I won’t interfere.”
“He won’t pay us any attention if you’re here,” Grace spat.
Nadia jumped to my defense. “You know, Grace. She’s right. It’s clear the little boy is traumatized. I think we need to take these things slowly.”
Grace made a noise that sounded like a growl under her breath. She wanted to argue, but Thomas had come into the room as well, which was large, but not large enough for this many people.
“Nadia is right,” Thomas announced. “Come on, Grace. Piper has proven to be reasonable. We can set up short visits until he’s no longer afraid of you.”
Grace turned her hateful eyes toward Thomas as she stood up. “That wasn’t the plan,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Well, the plan will have to change, won’t it?” Thomas raised his voice, and it sent a chill down my spine. I didn’t like his tone at all, and I immediately wanted them all to leave.
