by Andrew Grey
Clay chuckled. “Yes. I learned at summer camp one year. It’s been a long time, but I suspect I can remember enough.” He made himself useful by setting the table and watching the kids play on the living room floor.
“Excellent.” Andrew smiled as he pulled out a stool to sit at the snack bar that surrounded the open-concept kitchen. The “cabin” was gorgeous, with wood walls, mellow wood cabinets, granite counters, wood floors that covered the entire area, and a stone fireplace that broke up the large area into dining and living space while soaring to the ceiling. Off the living room was the door to the huge master suite, with a walk-in closet bigger than one of the bedrooms in his house.
“I promised Auburn I’d talk to you to see if maybe she could have a brief phone call with her mom.”
“Let me try.” Andrew grabbed his phone and made a call, waiting and getting more frustrated by the minute. “I hate those voice call systems.” He ground his teeth and eventually got to a person. “They’re transferring me…. Yes. I’m Andrew Phillips, Mary’s brother, and I’m taking care of her children. Is it possible for them to talk to her?” He drummed his fingers on the counter. “They’re her children and they miss her.” Damn, Andrew was playing the guilt card. “What do I tell her kids? That your rules won’t let them talk to their mother?” Andrew’s cheeks grew red. “All right. I’ll make a few phone calls, and you can explain your rules to a judge. In fact, you are… I’m a judge. … I see….”
Andrew smiled and waited, covering the phone with his hand. “She’s going to see if Mary is awake.” Andrew sighed. “I hate being pushy, but she wasn’t being helpful.” His attention returned to the phone as someone came on the line. “Hi, honey,” he said gently. “How are you? I’m going to put you on speaker. Duane and Auburn really want to talk to you.”
Clay got the kids, lifting Duane onto one of the stools.
“Hi, Mama,” Duane said.
“Mama, I miss you,” Auburn said, sniffling.
“I miss you both.” Mary’s words sounded slurred even to Clay. They must have her drugged to the gills. “Are you having fun with Uncle Andrew?” Her forced happiness was clear, but the kids seemed to buy it.
“Yes. We going swimming and to ride horses tomorrow. Me, Auburn, Clay, and him,” Duane prattled on.
“Who is Clay?” she asked more clearly.
Auburn snickered. “Uncle Andrew’s boyfriend. I saw them kiss once last night.” She grinned as she made kissing noises.
“When you come home?” Duane asked, leaning most of the way over the counter and practically yelling into the phone.
“I don’t know, sweetheart,” she answered softly. “Both of you be good for Uncle Andrew, and I love you both.”
Both kids said goodbyes, and Auburn slid down off the stool. Clay helped Duane down, and both of them went to the other room to play.
“They’re gone,” Andrew said. “What have the doctors said?”
“Who is this Clay and why is he around my kids?” Mary demanded. Dang, that was one hell of a mood change. “Where are you?”
“At the cabin in the Poconos,” Andrew answered calmly.
“Why aren’t you home? Are you trying to get my kids as far away from me as possible?” she snapped, and Clay flinched.
But Andrew didn’t jump to the bait. “You need to calm down. The kids miss you and ask about you all the time. I needed to get out of town for a few days and thought this would be a good place. There’s plenty of things we can do to try to keep their minds off the fact that they can’t see you.”
Clay slipped onto a stool. “This is Clay, and it’s good to meet you. Auburn and Duane are wonderful kids.”
At first she didn’t speak, but there was a gasp followed by what he thought were tears. Then she said, “I know Mom and Dad were so disappointed with me when I got pregnant, and I probably should have learned my lesson, but….” She sniffed. “I don’t regret having either of them, even if Mom told me I should’ve had an abortion.” The sobs rang through the phone.
Clay heard thumps overhead from the kids playing. He was so grateful they weren’t hearing this from their mother.
“Mary, just take a deep breath and calm down, okay. I have the kids, and you know I’ll care for both of them. They need you, so you have to get better and work with the doctors.” Andrew kept his voice incredibly calm, even though his bouncing hand betrayed just how nervous he was.
“I….” She sniffed. “Just watch after my babies. They’re the best thing I ever did, and they deserve so much more than me.” Her voice grew stronger. “I know you’ll keep them safe and raise them right.” The line went silent, and Clay realized she was gone.
“God, what do I do? She sounded awful.”
Clay grabbed the phone and dialed the hospital. “I need to speak to someone on Mary Phillip’s floor, please. It’s important.”
“I’m sorry, but….”
“I’m concerned for her safety,” he pleaded, and was told to hold for a moment. The phone rang and was answered. “Is Mary Phillips in your ward? She was just speaking to her brother.”
“Yes…,” the woman answered cautiously.
“I’m with her brother and heard the conversation. I’m also a police officer. You need to keep an eye on her. Some of the things she said seemed rather final. Like she was saying her goodbyes and wrapping things up. She didn’t threaten to kill herself or anything. It was just the way she was talking. Please just watch her.” It was obvious to Clay that she needed help. He met Andrew’s gaze. “It may be nothing and the two of us could be wrong, but I thought it important enough to alert you.”
“All right.” She paused. “I’m making a note. We normally check on each patient every half hour, but I’ll be sure to look in on her more often.” She paused again. “Thank you for letting us know.” She ended the call, and Clay shrugged, handing Andrew back the phone.
“I hope that was okay. Just blame any fallout on me. Okay?”
Andrew reached across the counter to take his hand. “It’s fine. The way she was talking had me on edge too.”
“Do you think she will get better?” Clay asked softly.
Andrew sighed. “I hope so.” He leaned forward. “I don’t know how I can be a parent. I’m so not prepared for something like that. I know the law and can study anything I need to. But I can’t just go out and read a book to become a good parent. I know there are people who can, but it’s not how I work, really….” He rolled his gorgeous eyes. “How can I do this?”
Auburn and Duane raced down the stairs like a herd of elephants, running into the room. Duane fell and began to cry, holding his knee. Andrew hurried around to check his knee, then comforted him.
“I want Mama.”
“I know. But I’m here.” Andrew held Duane tightly, rocking gently. “Does it feel better?” Duane nodded, and Andrew continued holding him. Clay figured they both needed some comfort.
The doorbell rang, and Clay left the room. He checked outside before opening the door, paying for the food, and taking it into the kitchen.
His fall forgotten, Duane sat right down and dug into his lunch as soon as Clay set his plate in front of him. Auburn sat as well, eating much more slowly, but she didn’t seem to need the near-constant coaching she had yesterday.
Once the kids were settled, Clay and Andrew sat down as well. Duane and Auburn chatted, and Andrew seemed nervous and unsettled. Clay watched all three of them. He reached over to rest his left hand on Andrew’s thigh, which twinged and bounced, an outlet to the tension that strung him so tightly. He barely ate anything except a few bites before pushing his plate away.
Clay finished his lunch, listening to the kids talk between them.
“We gonna ride horsies?” Duane asked.
“Yes,” Andrew said, Duane’s question pulling him out of his silence. “We’re going to go swimming too. But we need to go to the store first. So if you’re done, go up and get ready to go.” Both kids hurried away, and Andrew sighed. �
�What in the heck do I know about caring for kids?” He groaned.
“You did fine with Duane.” Clay took Andrew’s hand. “My advice is to take things one day at a time. They already know and love you. So just love them back.” God, he thought of his mom and dad and the job they’d had raising him. That couldn’t have been a picnic. “When in doubt, think about what your parents did.”
Andrew scoffed. “I love my parents, but I’d want to do better than that.”
Clay chuckled. “Then think about what they would have done and do the opposite. The things is, just do your best and follow your heart.”
Andrew looked down at the table. “Sometimes I don’t know if I have one of those.”
That was such a weird thing to say. Clay knew what Andrew was capable of. He’d felt the depths of Andrew’s emotions the night before. “Why do you say that?” Clay leaned closer.
“Because….” Andrew faltered. “I love those kids, but is it wrong to feel put-upon…? What if something happens to Mary and she isn’t able to care for them again? What if I have to raise them? Is it selfish to think that I’ll have them for twenty years and that I’m not sure how I feel about that?” He pushed his plate away. “Does that make me a bad person?”
“Why? Because you’re scared?” Clay squeezed Andrew’s hand. “Everyone would be scared. It’s a lot to expect, a lot of change all at once.” Clay actually understood. “You’re the kind of guy who likes things orderly, and you like to be in charge. But I’ve got news for you. Like it or not, those kids are in charge now.”
Andrew shivered. “That’s what scares me.”
“But is that so bad?” Clay came nearer, lowering his voice. “Think about it. Close your eyes.” When Andrew did as he asked, he continued. “Picture yourself in ten years. They’re teenagers, beautiful and on the cusp of adulthood. They’re getting ready to take their place in the world, and you’ve been a big part of that.”
“We have…,” Andrew corrected. “Why do I see you in this picture?” He didn’t open his eyes. “But you’re there with me.”
“Okay.” Clay smiled. He liked that idea. “The thing is, how do you feel about the fact that they’re getting old enough to think about leaving home?”
Andrew shivered.
“How about all the years of love and care? Those kids need you, and you need them.”
Andrew slowly opened his eyes. “That doesn’t mean I’m not scared to death,” he countered.
“I know that. Anyone would be scared. Suddenly taking care of two kids is a frightening thought. But do you want your mom and dad to raise them until Mary is able to again?” Clay asked, and Andrew shook his head.
“My mom and dad are better grandparents than they were parents. But no. I want them to be loved and to have every chance in life. I hope Mary is able to care for them, but what if she can’t? Even if she can, she’s going to need more support than she’s gotten in the past.” He sniffed. “And I know I can do that. But what if I screw up? What if I mess those kids up so bad that….” He clamped his eyes closed.
“That one of them turns out like Harper Grange?” Clay asked, and Andrew nodded. “My aunt is pretty messed up, and she turned a blind eye to everything her son did and does.” That reminded Clay that he needed to make a few phone calls. He was still convinced that his aunt was the best way to find out where Harper was. In his heart Clay knew she’d been in contact with him.
“Yeah. But I doubt she set out to raise a criminal,” Andrew said, and Clay caught his gaze. They stared at each other and then each shook their heads at the same time. “I just had the weirdest thought.”
Clay colored. “Me too. It was stupid, but what if my aunt and uncle did just that?” He thought back to when they were kids. Both his aunt and uncle always covered for Harper. They dismissed any talk about his behavior and got him off the hook each and every time in school. “I used to think they were the most clueless people on earth, but now I wonder….” It was the weirdest idea he’d ever had, but it kind of fit. “I need to stop this.”
Andrew nodded. “That was kind of weird. Parents don’t raise their kids that way.” He stood and began taking care of the dishes.
“I need to make a few phone calls,” Clay said, heading to the other room. He didn’t want to be overheard or for his caller to hear anyone else. Once he’d closed the door, Clay phoned his mother as an idea took root in the back of his mind. “Hi, Mom.”
“Sweetheart. It’s good to hear from you. I take it you aren’t dead,” she added sarcastically.
“I talked to you a few days ago, and I’ve been pretty busy since then. Because my cousin is on the loose, I keep getting looked at funny by the other deputies.” He wished he didn’t have to fib to his mother, but he needed information. “They think that because we’re family, I have to know something about him, and they’re sure I’m holding out on them.”
His mother snorted. “Please. We don’t have much to do with that side of the family.”
“Mom, you talk to Aunt Marlene all the time. At least to share gossip,” Clay pressed. “So how not-close can you be?”
“I do not. She calls when she has something she wants to share, but she’s been quiet for days now. I think she’s ashamed of what Harper’s done and can’t face anyone in the family,” she explained with almost surprising care after the years of competition with his aunt. “I know you’ve been working a lot of hours, so I was cooking and thought I’d bring over a casserole.”
“I’m not home at the moment. A friend has a vacation place. With all the stuff happening at work and this whole Harper mess, I thought I’d take a few days and get away. I needed some peace and quiet, so I packed up Petey’s stuff and headed out.” He kept his tone level even as he heard the kids getting excited through the door.
“This whole Harper business drove you away?” She sounded angry. “That isn’t fair. You didn’t have anything to do with that good-for-nothing cousin of yours, and now it’s affecting your job.” Her teeth ground and her sense of righteousness came through the line. “I got a visit from the police the other day. Huge guy with a scar on his face, really intimidating.” That would have to be Red. “I told him just what I told you. He was pushy as heck, but I suspect he was only doing his job. And as long as Harper is out there, no one is safe.” At least she was willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. “I said they should call Marlene.”
“Okay. She hasn’t said anything to you?” Clay asked again a different way.
“No,” she huffed. “I did offer that officer a piece of cake, but he declined.” She was definitely put out by that.
“That’s the rules.” Clay had to come to Red’s defense and was grateful he hadn’t eaten anything, which was probably for the best. God knew what was in that cake. “Anyway, I just called to see how you were and let you know that I was out of town.” He wanted to get her train of thought back to where he needed it.
“Still makes me angry.” Perfect. That was what he needed.
“It’s fine. I have vacation time, and I was scheduled to be off anyway. I’m glad I called so you didn’t make an unnecessary trip. I’ll be gone just a few days, and I’ll call you when I get back so the three of us can have lunch together. Give Dad a hug for me and tell him I’ll talk to him soon.”
“Okay, honey. I love you.” She hung up, and Clay smiled as he set his phone on the nightstand. His mother would be on the phone to his aunt in a matter of minutes, stirring the family pot but good. Now all he needed to hope was that she brought something useful to the surface. This whole thing had gone on long enough. It needed to come to an end.
“CAN WE go now?” Duane asked for the fifth time, standing by the door, shaking with enough excitement that he might fly apart. “All the horsies will be gone.”
“We aren’t going riding until tomorrow,” Andrew told him patiently. “We’ll need to stop in town to get bathing suits and swimmies.” He held Auburn’s hand. She seemed to have decided that if she couldn�
�t have her mother, she was going to stay glued to Andrew’s hip. “Let’s go.”
“Finally!” Duane groaned and raced to the car as soon as Andrew opened the door. He climbed in, and Clay made sure all the gear was stowed while Andrew buckled and checked both kids before getting in himself. Then they were off.
The shopping stop took longer than expected, but they got suits, play toys for the pool, swimmies, and a set of mermaid fins for Auburn. It was the one thing she asked for, so Clay wrangled the last pair in the store for her.
“Can we go there?” Auburn asked, pointing to the candy store across the street. Even Clay had to admit just the sight of the windows made him hungry.
“Sure,” Andrew said, holding hands with the kids as they crossed the street. Clay followed and held the door.
Duane took about three steps, stopped, and just looked around. “Wow,” he said as though he’d died and gone to heaven.
“What can we get?” Auburn asked. “Mommy took me to a store like this once. I got gummy bears.”
“You can get whatever you want,” Andrew said.
“Do you want to look around with me?” Clay asked Duane, taking his hand. He got a small shopping basket and showed Duane around. What surprised him was how Duane looked at nearly everything but didn’t attempt to pick anything up. “What do you want?”
Duane shrugged. “Mommy said no candy.” He blinked and continued looking.
“It’s okay. This once you can have what you want,” Clay explained.
Duane blinked up at him like it was too good to be true. “Like Reese’s Cups? Billy at school brings them in his lunch, but I never get any,” Duane explained, so Clay put a package in the basket. “Are those for me?”
