Donahue: Foster’s Pride – Lion Shapeshifter Romance (Foster's Pride Book 2)

by Kathi S. Barton

  Lily knew that by the time she got home, not only would Rogue have all their names straight, but she’d know everything there was to know about them. She’d even bet they’d have a few changes of good clothing, a toy or two if they wanted, and Billy and Gabe, the oldest two, would have some kind of handheld game that Rogue knew how to play as well as any teenager.

  At eleven, Lily clocked out. She’d done well in tips tonight and was still counting them out when her sister pulled up in a gray SUV. All four of her children were in the back seats and buckled in properly. Lily asked her what she was doing with such a big car.

  “I rented it while I’m here. By the way, I was told none of them needed to be in a car seat. I’m still thinking smart mouth back there, Donna, needs to have a roll of tape over her mouth. She’s just like me.” With a large grin from Rogue, Lily turned to look at Donna. She gave her a thumbs up. “I’m moving you into a house I rented. I don’t want to hear about how you’re fine in that place you were at. There is only one bathroom and five people sharing it. You know me, can’t stand to share anything.”

  “You’re a wonderful sharer. Is that a word?”

  Rogue pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask her how far she was going to be walking now but didn’t. The kids were talking quietly, the music, something that Rogue had on all the time, was just background noise, and the seat was comfy.

  Being awakened by the door opening and the light coming on startled her. Turning in the seat to count the kids, something she did every time they were out, she saw they were pulling things from the back of the car. Getting out, Rogue handed her a heavy bag of what appeared to be food and told her to take it in the house.

  It was just after one in the morning when the kids finally made it up to the bedrooms. Lily just wanted to lie down and never wake up, but Rogue said she wanted to talk to her about something. Lily had seen how much she’d paid for the food before Rogue had snatched the receipt from her and wanted to say a few things to her as well.

  “Okay. Two things. I can afford whatever is running through your mind to say to me about the purchases tonight. More if you need it. The house belongs to a buddy of mine who is out of the country right now. In effect, we’re doing him a favor, he told me, by being here and keeping the lights on. Also, I have another friend that has a brother who is an attorney. I’m going to call him first thing in the morning. There is no reason whatsoever she should have gotten anything at all from Mark’s estate.” Lily felt her eyes fill with tears. “If you start crying, I’m going to cry, and we’re going to be a slobbery mess when the kids get up in a few hours.”

  “I’ve so missed you.” They hugged again. They’d been hugging since they got here, and it felt better every time they did. “Missy, the kids’ mom, told the judge right there in the courtroom that the kids were heathens anyway, and should be with me. Rogue, the kids were in the room when she said that. How could anyone do that to a child, let alone their own child?”

  “There are plenty of people out there that would, and who do it daily. She’s shit, and we’re going to take care of her as soon as possible.” Lily told her she hoped so. “I know you’ve not done it yet, so I will. We need to call Dad and make him aware of what is going on. I know you and him parted on bad terms, but this isn’t likely to get resolved soon, and it would be nice if he was in your corner.”

  “He was having an affair when Mom was laying there dying.” Rogue didn’t comment, but she knew what she was thinking. “It doesn’t matter that Mom had been in a coma for eight years. He should have been faithful to her. Getting married not a month after she was laid to rest was a terrible thing to do to her memory.”

  “What sort of memories do you have of Mom, Lily? Want me to tell you about mine? She had a stroke when I was barely two. From that point on, the only time I saw her was when Dad would load us up in the car and take us to see her at the nursing home. I haven’t any idea what her voice sounded like. I don’t know the color of her eyes. She wasn’t ever able to do any of the things for me that she did for you when you were younger. No cookie baking. No PTA meetings. Mom was in a coma when I needed her. How do you think Dad coped when he needed someone?” Lily told her it wasn’t Mom’s fault. “No, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Mom had a stroke that took her away from both of us, but especially Dad. And he did try. You know that.”

  “I know. But only a month. I was just getting used to not going to see her when he married again.” Rogue again said nothing. “I guess we’re still going to agree to disagree about this.”

  “I suppose so. But I have something I’d like for you to think about. We had each other when Mom was alive. Dad had no one. Did he ever bring her to our home? Did Dad ever once mention to either of us that he was finding love someplace else? No, he didn’t. You want to know why he might have done that? Because he never wanted us to be hurt. I think what he did in sparing us was more loving than anything anyone could have done for us.” Lily hadn’t thought of it that way. “Another thing he did too. He didn’t ever not visit Mom every day. He took care of her the best he could when she came home from the nursing home in those last days. He did this, all by himself, while we got to live and have a life. Dad did all of that for us. Then after Mom passed, Dad got to live for himself. I think what he did took a great deal of courage. Things could have been a great deal different if he’d not loved and respected Mom the way he did.”

  When Rogue went to bed, Lily sat there for another hour. Everything Rogue said was true. Some of it was things she’d said to her before, but thinking back on the way they had lived while their mom was alive, Lily could see their dad trying hard to make their lives as normal as possible. Yes, he’d done that, and more, for both of them. Lily decided to give him a call tomorrow.

  Lily got up at seven, nearly an hour after she should have been up and moving. The kids were going to be late for school. They didn’t have their lunches made, and she was really thinking about letting them stay home for the day when she made it to the kitchen. The house was empty of any sound. The note on the table had her snatching it up, sure that someone had taken her children from her.

  “Breathe and calm the hell down.” She let out a long breath when she read the first words that her sister had written on the note. “I gave the kids lunch money and took them to school. Gabe has given me a list of things they’ll need now, and I’m picking it up on the way home. If you’re reading this, just sit down, calm down, and have whatever you drink in the morning, and I’ll be there soon. Christ, I love these kids.”

  Lily was brewing a cup of tea that was on the counter when Rogue came back. Her usual brew was a cup of coffee, but there didn’t seem to be a coffee maker in the room. Helping her bring in the things she’d picked up, Lily was positive that a computer wasn’t on the list her son had given his aunt.

  “It wasn’t. I need it. If they can use it too, that’s fine by me. But I have several shots I need to take care of and get them printed. Your boss called this morning. He said the place has been closed up for the next ten days. Something about a fire inspector. Are you really working at a place that needs to be shut down by the fire marshal?” Lily told her sister what had happened last night. “Okay, having the fire extinguisher go off over the stove is messy. It’ll be more than ten days, I’m betting. They’ll have to inspect it before he’ll be able to reopen. If they find any of that retardant on anything in the kitchen area, he’ll shut you down again.”

  Lily didn’t care how messy it was to clean up. All she could focus on was not having money coming in for ten days or more. Rogue shook her shoulders. She must have said something to her several times. There was a look of complete concern on her face just then.

  “Are you going to listen to me now?” Nodding, she said she would. “Good. As I’ve told you several times, I have enough money to support you and the kids until we get this court thing looked into. If you can
hold the fort down while I make a few calls, maybe I can get it resolved before the restaurant reopens, and you won’t have to go back. Just chill out. Together we can keep the kids happy and fed. Don’t freak out about money, Lily. I told you, I make great money at my job, and I don’t have anyone or anything to spend it on but you and the kids. All right? Say it’s all right, Lily.”

  “It’s all right.” Hugging her sister, something that she was coming to depend on to get her going, she looked at her when they were apart. “I’m also going to call Dad. You’re right. I was being selfish to him.”

  “I never said that.” Lily said she knew that too but felt that way. “I have his number. I’ll give it to you. Then I’m going to call my buddy. If he can’t help us, I’m betting he knows someone that can.”

  Lily got the number and wondered at the area code. It occurred to her that she had no idea where her dad was living, nor what he was doing with his life. Picking up the phone to call him, she decided that she needed to get help. There wasn’t anything she could do alone that wouldn’t go much better with help.

  Lexi answered the phone on the second ring.

  “Hello, Lexi. It’s Lily. Is there any way I can talk to my dad for a little bit?” Lexi said he’d just gone to the store, but she’d love to talk to her. “I’ve a major problem here....”

  Telling her everything she had going on, Lily and Lexi were both sobbing by the time her dad was back home and available to talk to her. She wanted her daddy here. After promising Lexi a hug, Lily wanted a hug from her dad too.

  ~~~

  Loman answered the phone with a snarl. Whoever it was, they’d fucking better have good life insurance, because he was going to hunt them down and kill them. When the laughter greeted him on the other end, Loman knew exactly who was calling him.

  “Hi-Men. What are you up to?” He smiled and told her he’d forgotten about the nickname. “I nearly did as well, but that’s how I have you listed on my phone. Are you still clipping pictures out of magazines and claiming them as your own?”

  “Are you still taking pictures of the dead and hoping one of them is the teacher that failed you in art appreciation?” They both laughed. “How are you, Rogue? It’s been forever since I spoke to you. At least five years.”

  “My phone said it was seven. Sheesh, where has all the time gone?” He told her he’d like to know that too. “I did call you for a reason. Not a shitty one like the last time I called you. You were a saint in letting me blow off steam to you. I’ve never forgotten that.”

  “It’s all right. All of us need a person we can lean on when we’re ready to quit the job we were born to do. You’ve been there for me enough. What’s going on? You know I’ll do anything I can. I still owe you for my life.” She said it was never as much a hardship as he made it out to be, saving his life. “I’m not dead, and you’ve no idea how many times a day I thank you for that. What do you need?”

  “Is Hop-Along still an attorney?” Loman told her he was. He’d forgotten that Cass had been called that in college. He told her he was working for their sister-in-law. “Oh. Then he might not be able to help out my sister and her kids. She’s been shafted big time.”

  After she told him everything going on with Lily and her family, Loman was sure if Cass couldn’t help them, he’d find an attorney that could. Rogen really had saved his life long ago. And the beating she’d given him, both physically and verbally, had gotten him on the right track again and made him a better photographer. He would literally lay down his life for her.

  “I’m going to see him here in about an hour. Where are you?” She told him she’d rented a house for her sister and kids, but Lily thought they were house-sitting. “She’s still as stubborn as I remember her to be, isn’t she? Can you get to Ohio? I know my family has a couple of houses here they can let them stay in. No charge.”

  “I can get there, but shouldn’t you talk to your brother first? I mean, he might not be able to help, and I don’t want to give up this house. They were living in a one bedroom flat when I found her. The kids literally had nothing but their clothing. This isn’t the way to treat any kids if you ask me.” Loman wondered what Rogue would do when she found this Missy person. Kill her, more than likely. He knew he would be hard-pressed not to do her some serious damage himself. “You call me when you have his okay that he’s going to be able to help her, and we’ll be there.”

  “Cass will help you if for no other reason than I’ve asked him to. Even if he can’t, he’ll for sure know someone that can. You guys make your way here. I’m still living in the same town I was in when we were in college. My own home, but in the same town. My dad is dead now, and my mom is finally getting to enjoy life again.” Rogue knew the story about his dad and told him congratulations on that. “Yeah, I am thrilled too that Ronan is now the king of all lions. He’s doing a bang-up job at it too. Mom is also getting the party house redone, so perhaps by the time you get here, it’ll be open.”

  “I’d love that. Okay, yeah, I’ll get them there. I want to show the kids a good time while we’re getting there, so it might take me a few days of driving to make it. It’s not that far, I know, but there are a lot of sights we can see on the way. Amish country is going to be one of the places we go too.” He had gone there with her once and vowed never again. She bought so much cheese and other things from around the town that there had barely been enough room for him in the car on the way back. “I’m not going to be buying out the cheese market again, Hi-Men. Do you ever think of the things we did while we were supposed to be studying? Christ, what I wouldn’t give to go back and actually learn some of the things I had to learn by hard knocks.”

  “You and me both. But I did go back. I think I read someplace that you did as well.” She said she had a good education. “I’m sure, knowing you, it was the best. Okay, I need to get going. A friend of the family lost his mother a few days ago, and we’re helping him out by being there for him.”

  After telling him she was sorry for his loss, they talked for a couple of minutes more. Excited to have her around for a little while, Loman reached out to his brother Cass and told him everything she’d told him. And about her need for a good attorney.

  You bet I’ll take it. Loman asked him why he said yes so quickly. I’ve been keeping up with the backlash of the trial for a while now. It was all over the papers about a year ago how a judge was being looked into about several cases that had been across his desk. Apparently, it was proven that he’d taken quite a few bribes to make some cases fall in favor of the wrong person.

  That’s shitty. So you think this will be resolved quickly? Cass told him that nothing was ever a slam dunk in the court system. I guess I knew that too. She and her family will be here in a few days. She’s trying to make sure the kids are shown a good time. I feel really badly for them. To know that their own mother wanted nothing to do with them before or after their dad died.

  Giving Cass the information he’d written down as he spoke to Rogue, he was glad now that he’d always been a good note taker. Some of the more complicated questions his brother asked him he had the answers for. Then he asked how Rogue was doing.

  She’s still working for the FBI. She has a Ph.D. in Forensic Photography, which is what is making her someone they depend on to help out with a case. I think she’s also taking pictures under another name. I’ve seen her style in a couple of books I’ve purchased. Rogue has always been a very persistent person, as I remember. I’m betting no one disputes her work, either. She’s really good. Cass pointed out that he was as well. I don’t know about that. You should see her working at a crime scene. I’ve only seen her a couple of times doing it. She’s very intense at it.

  Yes, but you are as well. I haven’t any idea how you get the shots you do. I swear you must be something akin to a master at it. They both laughed. I’m going to start on this before they get here. If you want to tell her I’ll take the cas
e, that’ll be great. Also, I’ll have all the transcripts and anything else I can get from the other trial. Her sister really got the shaft on this one.

  Truer words couldn’t have been better said. As he was getting dressed for the funeral, he thought about Benson. The man was taking his mom’s death better than he would have. Loman thought it was because he had Don there for him, as well as Parker. It also helped that little Pete had taken a great shine to the man. They would sit and stare at one another for hours on end. Loman thought Parker was slightly jealous of the bond the two of them had.

  As soon as he made it to the funeral home, he was glad he’d worn his favorite shirt today. There were so many bright colors in the room; it brought a smile to his face. He thought Benson had it right. This wasn’t a funeral for his momma, but a party of her life. Even the flowers had taken on a festive theme. He hugged Benson when he saw the young man standing near the casket.

  “Mrs. Parker said we were going to have a party later, to help me with bills and stuff. I sure do hope I can do this. Momma wanted me to be able to do things on my own.” Loman told him he’d do great. “I hope so. I surely do.”

  When the service began, he was surprised by all of the football team being there. They’d even volunteered to be pallbearers for their new friend. It was a sight that brought tears to each of the people in the room, to see seventeen teenagers in their new uniforms being there for a man nearly twice their age.

  When the service was over, the players each hugged Benson and told him they’d be there for him. Loman had to wipe the tears as they streamed down his cheeks. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when they handed him their phone numbers as they took turns telling Benson how sorry they were for his loss.

  On his way home, he thought of his friend Rogue. He wondered if, after all this time, she’d finally found someone to love her. Someone that would treat her well. There were things she’d told him about growing up in a house of gloom that he was sure no one else knew about. The drugs and alcohol that she had indulged in. The things that had kept her going when she’d been just a child.