A Family Reunited

by Dorie Graham

  He merely shook his head and continued his slow shuffle along the sidewalk.

  “Should we schedule you a massage? It would make you feel better.”

  He shrugged. “You know, kissing my ass isn’t going to make me any happier about you being here.”

  “Or how about some energy work?”

  “That sounds like Megan’s idea.”

  “It was,” she admitted. “I can look online and find someone. I’d get referrals, of course. Do you think Dr. Braden knows any good energy workers he could recommend?”

  A sarcastic chuckle escaped Robert. “I can’t quite see that, but I’m open to it, if you want to find someone.”

  Satisfaction filled her. Maybe she was making progress with him. “Okay. I will then. I’ll find you both a massage therapist and an energy worker. Maybe I can find one person to do both. It probably wouldn’t hurt to get a nutritionist on board, either.”

  The wind blew softly around them. The late May breeze felt wonderful to Alex, maybe a little too warm even, but Robert pulled his old hoody closer around him. She hated that even on a good day, he seemed to suffer. No wonder he was so cranky.

  “So what’s going on with you and Chase these days?” he asked.

  His question shouldn’t have surprised her. Still, she tensed. Her breaking things off with his best friend had only been one more strike against her back in the days when everything fell apart. It had been a sore subject between them ever since.

  “Nothing,” she said. “I’ve told you. I’m just tutoring Kara.”

  “Have you asked him about his aunt Rena yet?”

  “What do you mean by ‘yet’?”

  He shrugged. “If you haven’t already you will at some point. I know you, Alex. Once you get an idea into your head it’s only a matter of time. And the fact that I told you I don’t want you to find my biological father wouldn’t stop you if that’s what you wanted.”

  The sweet scent of honeysuckle filled her nostrils as she inhaled slowly. The last thing she wanted was to fight with Robert. No good would come of that. Was she wrong to think she could just disappear for a day with Chase without her brother noticing?

  She didn’t want to lie to him. If she denied wanting to find Chase’s aunt he wouldn’t believe her and he’d think she was up to something, but she couldn’t very well admit to her plan to find his father and solicit the man’s help for the son he’d never known.

  “If I did ask about his aunt,” she said at last, “I would do so only because I might want to talk to the woman. It would be nice to understand why Mom did what she did. Don’t you want to know about that?”

  “And you want to find my biological father.” He stared straight ahead as he spoke.

  “I would just want to talk to his aunt,” she reiterated. “So she could tell me why Mom did what she did and how long the affair lasted.”

  He was silent a long moment and then he asked, “And?”

  Her skin warmed. “And what?”

  “And what did Chase say? Did he put you in touch with his aunt Rena?”

  Maybe admitting she’d already talked to Chase would appease Robert for now. “She moved away some years ago and they lost touch.”

  “So, you’re giving up on trying to find her?”

  She bit her lip. Why couldn’t he be reasonable and see that finding his biological father was a necessary evil? Was she the only one who saw the sense in it?

  “I don’t see what other choice I have,” she said, hating being untruthful.

  His eyebrows rose, but he only said, “So what about you possibly having the same father as me? What if this was a long affair lasting for years?”

  At least he was focusing on that aspect of it. She shrugged. “Dad doesn’t know how to find the man. Mom doesn’t know who we are most of the time, let alone who a man she hasn’t seen in decades is. How would you propose I go about looking for him?”

  “You could ask Dad to take a paternity test. He’d do it for you. He isn’t the evil person you make him out to be.” He kicked a branch in his path. “Maybe he is your real father. Maybe that’s why you weren’t a match.”

  That did stop her short. She hadn’t thought of a paternity test. “I don’t think I could ask him to do that.”

  Robert scowled. “What? So, now you’re afraid of hurting his feelings? After all these years of cutting him out of your life, you step back in only because circumstances are dire around here and suddenly, you can’t ask him to take a simple test to determine if he’s actually genetically linked to you.”

  He laughed softly. “That’s rich, Alex. You’re all heart. I’d think you’d jump at the chance to prove you aren’t related to him. Ah, but then of course, if the test proves he isn’t your father, you’d share the blood of the dick who slept with Mom while she was married to Dad and then impregnated her, but never claimed his offspring.”

  Her face warmed and tears pricked her eyes. Why did he have to be so hateful to her? It wasn’t as if he’d made any effort to repair things between them over the years. He’d been happy to wash his hands of her.

  And she was here now, trying as hard as she could to help him, while all the while he was a dick to her. Did she really deserve this?

  “I think you and I could use a break from each other.” She tried to keep her voice steady. “I asked Dad if he’d be okay with me taking some time to clear my head. He’s checking with Becky to see if he can find a day when she can be at the store or has someone else to cover for them, so he can be home for you.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “We know that,” she said and then inhaled a calming breath. “It makes us feel better to have one of us around, though. Besides, you’ll need to get used to it. Once you start the transplant you’re stuck with at least one of us hovering around 24/7.”

  “Yeah, I know the drill. And that’s if we start the transplant,” he said, his gaze sweeping hers before shifting away. “If we don’t find a donor soon, I may want to schedule my surgery to remove the central line.”

  “No, why would you do that?” Alex asked. “You need that for the transplant.”

  “I hate having this hunk of metal in my chest when we don’t know if I’ll even need it.” He laughed a derisive laugh. “It’s a real babe magnet, you know? It’s bad enough I have this thing.” He lifted his left arm, with the scar just above the inside of his left elbow, indicating the portacath. “I’ll have this taken out, too. It’s done nothing but give me trouble.”

  “It got you through your initial chemo and from what Dad says, they’ve used it plenty since then, as well.”

  “And a lot of good all of it has done me.” He gestured with his arms wide.

  Her heart squeezed. He may be a dick, but he was going through the worst of times. Maybe she needed to cut him some slack. “We’ll find a donor, Robert.”

  “I hope you’re right,” he said as he trudged along the path. “Because if we don’t find one soon, I’m ready to call it quits on all this bullshit and live whatever time I have left with what little remaining dignity I have.”

  Her throat tightened. “Then we’ll find a donor, Robert. We just have to.”

  * * *

  STEAM CURLED UP from the pot on the back of the stove. Alex stirred the quinoa, checking to see if the small grains had cooked. “This looks ready.”

  Becky shifted beside her as she removed one medium-size baked potato from the microwave. She stabbed the potato with a fork. “Potato is done. That’s organic quinoa, right?”

  Alex pulled the box from the recycling and showed it to her sister. “It’s what you brought in with you in that big bag you shouldn’t have been lugging around.”

  “Honey, come sit and prop up your feet.” Becky’s husband, Michael, patted the empty chair beside him.

  He sat at the table, slicing a tomato for the platter of toppings Alex’s father was preparing at the adjacent counter. Robert, who’d been feeling a little better after their walk, sat
across from Becky’s husband, husking ears of corn.

  “Yes, Becky, please sit. I’ve got this,” Alex said.

  They had way too many people in this kitchen. When her father had called to tell her Becky and Michael were coming to dinner, apprehension had knotted her stomach. Could this have anything to do with her talk with her father that morning? Her sister hadn’t been by since Alex’s arrival. What else could have prompted her sudden craving for southwest quinoa veggie burgers at their father’s house?

  “Well, someone needs to toast the buns,” Becky said.

  Alex turned from the stove. “I’ll take care of it once I get the patties made and in the oven. Just relax. It’s going to be another half an hour before everything is ready. Do you want to go stretch out on the sofa while you wait?”

  “No,” Becky said. “I like being here with everyone. Isn’t it nice to have us all together? Alex, I’m so happy to see you here. I didn’t think it would ever happen. Now, if only we could get Steven and Megan to come down, as well. We could have a family reunion.”

  “Steven can’t get away and Megan won’t come for just a weekend. It’s too far and she won’t pull Carly out of preschool for a longer visit,” Alex said as she put all the ingredients for the burgers into the food processor, consulting the recipe on her father’s tablet as she went.

  “We don’t need everyone to come right now, Becky,” Robert said. He might be feeling better, but his sour mood had remained.

  “Well, surely they’ll come after Baxter is born. They’ll want to meet their new nephew. That or they’ll come to celebrate your victory over this awful cancer.” Becky finally eased herself into the chair, swinging her feet up into her husband’s lap and leaning back with her hands folded over her rounded belly.

  Alex glanced at Robert. His frown had deepened. He shook his head as he stripped another ear of corn. He said, “The transplant is a big fat maybe at this point and if I do get it it’ll be a long process. And even then, you’d be better to shoot for a baptism or some other celebration for your son. I don’t see any other opportunities for celebrations on the horizon.”

  “But they’re doing another donor search, right?” Becky asked.

  “Yes,” Dad said as he turned from slicing an onion. “And I’ve put the word out that we’re looking for a donor. Megan has, too. I know of three people already who have contacted the donor bank for typing.”

  Alex touched Robert’s shoulder. She wasn’t usually as optimistic as her sisters, but she had to keep hopeful in this case. “We’re going to find a donor.”

  Robert didn’t respond and a short silence fell over them, filled first by the whirring of the food processor and then by the soft tones of Dave Matthews playing on the satellite radio in the living room.

  “So, Alex, what’s up with you and Chase Carrolton?” Becky asked after a long moment. “I hear he’s been coming by.”

  Alex inhaled slowly. “He’s been bringing his sister, Kara, by and I’ve been tutoring her. She’s having a tough time with math. Trigonometry isn’t easy for everyone.”

  “And I hear you and Chase are going to a big-time ball together. Are you two rekindling the old flame?” Becky asked.

  A short laugh escaped Alex. She shook her head as she formed the patties and dropped them onto a baking sheet. “No, not at all. It’s a fund-raiser for the museum where he works and it isn’t a real date. I’m going as a favor to him to help fend off unwanted attention from at least one of the museum’s benefactors. We’re just going as friends.”

  “That may be true for you,” Robert said. “But what about Chase?”

  “What do you mean? I told you. Chase and I are ancient history. He’s taking me only for appearance’s sake. That’s all it’s about.”

  “Okay, if you say so,” Robert said.

  “You two were so good together, though. I miss having Chase around. I haven’t seen him in forever,” Becky said. “What happened with the two of you?” she asked Robert. “How come you stopped hanging out with him?”

  Robert shrugged. “We kept in touch for a long time. It was tough when I was out in Seattle and he’s had his father to deal with all this time and I guess Kara has always been a little bit of a handful, as well, even though she hasn’t been living with him. Chase has always been a part of her life.”

  “And his job keeps him pretty busy. He travels a lot and he’s getting his PhD in art history,” Alex added.

  “Wow, he sounds so accomplished,” Becky said. “How can you not be interested, Alex?”

  “I’m plenty busy with Robert, and Chase has Kara to occupy his free time these days. She’s already giving him gray hair.”

  “Maybe she acts out because of the foster care,” Becky said. “I’m sure she’s had some good families, but I always thought that was so sad. Chase has custody now, though, right?”

  “For almost a week now,” Alex said. “Though they still have to go through a hearing to make it final.”

  “That’s so great of him. He’s such a good guy, Alex. So, really, what’s the problem?” Becky asked. “Has he gotten fat and bald? Has he completely let himself go?”

  Warmth that had nothing to do with the fact she was sliding the southwestern veggie burgers into the preheated oven crept into Alex’s cheeks. “No, he hasn’t let himself go.”

  Becky grinned. “He’s looking good still, though? Chase was always so hot.” She patted Michael’s shoulder. “Not as hot as you, babe, but Alex always found him irresistible.”

  “He is not irresistible,” Alex said as the warmth in her cheeks intensified. She could and she would resist Chase’s appeal. “I’m heading back to Baltimore as soon as Robert is in the clear. There’s no way I’m starting up again with Chase Carrolton.”

  “That’s a shame,” her father said. “I like the boy.”

  Becky laughed. “He’s, what, thirty-two now? He’s no boy. He’s got to be all man. We should invite him and Kara to dinner. I’d love to see him again.”

  Alex shook her head and opened the bag of buns. She saw no sense in continuing this conversation. “Who wants their bun toasted?”

  * * *

  BY MIDNIGHT, Chase’s worry had escalated into a near panic. He glanced again at his cell phone display, but he found no response from Kara to his numerous follow-up texts and calls. He paced onto the front porch, breathing in the cooler air to help calm his nerves.

  How did parents handle this? When he had his own kids, which, hopefully, wouldn’t be too far in the future, he was going to teach them from the start to communicate with him. They’d have cell phones as soon as they could talk and learn to operate them and not lose them.

  Had Kara done this to all of her foster parents? No wonder life in foster care had been a struggle.

  The low rumble of an engine sounded up the street as a car approached, its headlights illuminating the quiet neighborhood. Chase tensed as the vehicle stopped in front of the house. He had to hold himself back from storming to the curb and yanking open the door to see if Kara was inside.

  Instead, he forced himself to relax as the passenger door opened. Rap music boomed at a barely tolerable decibel and laughter drifted over the night air. At last Kara emerged from the vehicle. Chase remained on the porch as she sauntered up the front walkway to the stairs.

  When she hit the porch, he unfolded his arms. “Kara, where have you been?”

  She startled and pressed her hand to her chest. “Shit, Chase, you scared the bezeesus out of me.”

  “Good, that makes us even. We agreed you’d be back by ten. That was over two hours ago. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Anything could have happened to you. If I’d thought it would do any good, I would have called the police.”

  “Jesus, you’re overreacting. I’m sorry, my friend offered to give me a ride, and I figured that was safer than taking MARTA and then the bus. But he had to run an errand first and then it got later than I realized.”

  “So, you could have called. I w
ould have come and gotten you.”

  She jiggled her purse. “My phone died.”

  “And your friend didn’t have a phone you could borrow?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

  “What good would his phone do me, when your number was in my phone and it was dead?”

  He took a step closer to her and was hit by the distinct scent of alcohol. Disappointment filled him. “Shit, Kara, I can’t believe you’ve been drinking.”

  With a shake of her head, she turned from him and headed for the door. “It’s not like it’s a big deal. You can’t tell me you didn’t do it at my age.”

  He snorted in disgust. “Do you actually think that after all the crap I’ve been through with my father and his drinking that I’d have any taste for alcohol?”

  Her hand stilled on the doorknob. “Never? Not even a sip?”

  “Why would I?” He leaned closer to her. “It’s a stupid thing to do.”

  She shrugged and pushed open the door. “That’s actually kind of sad. You need to learn how to have fun.”

  Anger simmered through him. How could she be this callous? His father’s drinking had ruined her life every bit as much as it had ruined Chase’s. Why would she drink?

  Ignoring her comment, he followed her inside. “I’m sorry, Kara, but you’re grounded.”

  She paused on her way up the stairs, but didn’t turn to him. “Fine.”

  He stood at the foot of the stairs long after her bedroom door slammed closed from above. She was a seventeen-year-old girl who’d been having her run of Atlanta doing as she pleased with no one but him to call her on it.

  Guilt worried its way up his spine. Why hadn’t he been more diligent in looking out for her in the past? How had a night like this become acceptable to her? He’d assumed it was safe to leave her discipline and oversight in the hands of her foster parents, but if tonight were any indication, Kara had been running on her own for years.

  For her own safety, Chase would have to find a way to rein her in.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “SOME OLD HIPPY Caught Another Hippy Tripping On Acid.” Kara grinned. “I can remember that. Cool.”