by KD Bryan
Rob turned to Jillian and gently pulled her around to face him again. “Look at me, Jillian,” he said softly. When her eyes were trained on his again, Rob shook his head before saying, “For the record…that morning… I told your mother to get the hell away from me and never come near me again. I got dressed and left immediately. And yes, it killed me knowing I needed to keep what she’d done from you, please believe me. Things were already so strained between you and your parents…well, I just didn’t want to add to it.”
Shrugging one shoulder, Jillian murmured, “I understand, Rob. I do.”
Turning to Monica, Jillian said coldly, “I told you to leave. You’re not welcome here, and I’m not sure you ever will be again. You’ve manipulated me for years, or tried to at least. You’ve never been there for me…but I’ve repeatedly put all of that aside hoping that one day you’d change. You’re never going to change, and I realize that now. Someone like you isn’t capable of change.”
Straightening her shoulders, Monica looked at Jillian and said, “I’ll leave, but there’s something you should know first. When he leaves you…when he realizes how tiring this illness is going to get for him…then don’t bother calling me. I’m leaving for Europe in two days…actually I’m to be married again this weekend. I’ll be otherwise occupied for the next several months, and I won’t be available to run back here to pick up the pieces. I just hope you don’t regret refusing my offer to place you somewhere so you’ll be taken care of.”
Striding to the door, Monica stopped when she heard Jillian say brokenly, “You’ve never been available, Monica. Why should the fact that I have cancer…that I’m basically fighting for my life here…why should that change anything? I don’t need your kind of help…and besides, you’d be the last person I’d call anyway.”
The sound of the slamming door echoed through the room, and the only sound that followed was of Jillian desperately sniffing back tears. I will not let her reduce me to tears thought Jillian. Squaring her shoulders, she looked at Rob and then held her arms open toward him. In three steps he was there pulling her into his embrace, and Jillian felt the solid warmth of his chest under her cheek. Closing her eyes, she breathed in his cologne and everything that was just Rob.
Remaining in his arms, Jillian asked quietly, “Why did you finally tell me this today?”
She felt Rob’s head move against her own before he pressed a kiss to the material of her scarf. His hands glided gently down the length of her back, and Jillian realized he needed a moment before answering her question.
“I saw what she was doing, Jillian. She’s been here twice…and both times she tried to manipulate you into doing what she wanted. And this ridiculous idea of hers…that you’d actually go stay in a care center somewhere…it was insane. I also saw what she was doing with regards to us, babe. Her entire argument stemmed from trying to put doubts in your head. Stupid shit about me growing tired of taking care of you…or that I wasn’t taking good enough care of you…that I’d leave you when things got tough,” stated Rob.
“I’m tired of it, and I decided to get rid of her for good. I’m sorry if what I told you hurt you in any way…that wasn’t my intention. However, I knew it was time for you to see just how manipulative and conniving Monica can be.”
Swallowing hard, Jillian asked the question that had been haunting her since Rob had spilled his story. “Do you think she really wanted to sleep with you? That she would’ve done something like that behind my back if you’d been willing?”
Sighing quietly, Rob confirmed what she already knew in her heart. “Yeah, she would have, babe. There was no doubt in my mind. Hell, I was the one standing there buck ass naked in the shower and discovered her behind me.”
Did she want the details? Jillian wasn’t sure, but there was one other thing she needed to know. “What did you do, Rob? Other than get away from her and then leave?”
Pulling back, Rob took Jillian by the hand and led her to the couch so they could sit. Threading their fingers together, he let their hands rest on his thigh while he recounted what else had happened that day.
“I basically shoved her away from me before I climbed out of the shower and grabbed a towel. I went back into the bedroom to grab my clothes and she followed me, but thank God she’d put a robe on by then. I can remember avoiding looking at her while I threw my clothes on. She accused me of being a tease…that she knew I was attracted to her, and that she’d noticed the way I’d looked at her,” said Rob with a shake of his head.
“I had no idea what the crazy bitch was talking about at that point, and I told her as much. I’d never looked at her with anything but contempt for years because of the way she’d always treated you. I told her that, too, and she got angry. I couldn’t let it go that day without asking one thing, though. I asked her how she could even think about doing something like this to her own daughter. She laughed and said, “Easy.” I knew from her response that Monica was capable of anything, and she didn’t care who she hurt in the process.”
“Did she ever bring that day up again?”
“No, not really. There were times when she’d give me this look, and I knew what she was doing…I’d just ignore her because I refused to play her game. After a while she finally stopped, but of course I wasn’t around her very often. If I never have to be in the same room with her again it would be too soon,” said Rob fiercely.
“It must have been difficult coming home and finding her here…in your house. I’m sorry for that,” said Jillian quietly.
“Not difficult, babe. It just pissed me off more than anything. Especially when I walked through the door and found you throwing up because of her. Today I decided that I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she’d upset me. I was going to beat her at her own game. Then it all just came out…a part of me wanted to expose her for the insincere, narcissistic person that she is. It made me so angry that she’d shown up here trying to manipulate you by coming between us.”
Jillian looked at their entwined fingers and then placed her other hand over both of theirs. It was all too much, and she felt like she’d been through an emotional wringer. One thing was clear after her mother’s visit, however, and Jillian said as much to Rob.
“Well, at least we know why she was so adamant about putting me in a care center. She’s leaving the country again, and getting married. In her warped way of thinking I’m sure she wanted to prevent any possibility of someone calling her to say she needed to come here and take care of me. That definitely would’ve put a kink in her plans,” said Jillian bitterly.
Pressing a kiss to her cheek, Rob tipped Jillian’s face up to his with a finger under her chin. A comfortable silence settled between them for a moment until Rob said, “Jillian, I don’t care where your mother ends up…she can fly to the damn moon and stay there. Nothing else matters other than you being here with me, and we will get through this together. I need you to believe that, okay?”
With a slight nod, Jillian lifted her mouth to meet his in a kiss so perfect she was blinking against tears again. Her parents had always chosen to live their lives with little to no regard for her through the years, and Jillian had known that from an early age. Now she was fighting to save her own life and the man sitting beside her, as well as his family, had surrounded her with their support and love. A twist of fate had brought the Santos family into her life years before, and now they were fighting this battle right along beside her.
Jillian realized in that moment just how desperately she wanted to win… for herself, for Rob…and for whatever future they might have together.
“And though she be but little, she is fierce.”
-Shakespeare
Chapter Twenty-One
The Brandt household was blissfully quiet, and Carli had her parents to thank for that. Ric and Sylvia had insisted on taking all three girls this afternoon, and Carli had agreed realizing just how desperately she needed a break. She was exhausted, and the stress of the past few w
eeks was taking its toll resulting in a nagging headache she hadn’t been able to shake. Relaxing on the couch, Carli picked up her e-reader and tried concentrating on the recent book she’d purchased, but to no avail. Her thoughts simply wouldn’t turn off, but instead kept running to all the things that had contributed to her recent increased stress level.
Her plans for today had actually included going with Jillian for her second chemo treatment, but her brother had axed that idea last night on the phone. He was taking Jillian in for her visit today, and he’d made a good argument stating that both of them shouldn’t spend the day just sitting there. He’d also pointed out that Jillian might possibly need her more over the next few days rather than holding her hand while she received her chemo meds today.
Still not convinced, Carli had grumpily asked Rob when he’d gotten so smart and his reply had been, “Big sister, I’ve always been the smart one. You just have to get past my blinding good looks to see it.”
Of course she’d had an unladylike rebuttal to his remark, but they’d hung up a few minutes later with Rob still laughing at his own wittiness. Smiling to herself, Carli was just thankful he’d actually been able to laugh in the midst of everything he was dealing with. Their abuela Rosita had called Carli last night to fill her in on the situation with Monica, and it had taken every ounce of self-control she possessed to not pick up the phone and call Jillian’s mother herself. The nerve of that stupid woman thinking they’d ever consider placing Jillian in a care facility.
Carli had hung up the phone and then let loose with a string of words in Spanish that’d brought Reid hurrying from the kitchen to see what was going on. Of course he hadn’t understood a fraction of what she’d been saying, but her tone alone had alerted him that something was wrong. She’d filled him in on the latest, and he’d quickly agreed that Jillian’s mother was indeed crazy and best ignored.
Setting her e-reader aside, Carli’s thoughts drifted to where they often did these days…to the horrific reality of Martina’s recent death, and the unexpected arrival of Angelina into their lives. The situation had become all too real when she and Reid, along with their attorney, had met last week with the judge in charge of their guardianship case to review the paperwork. The legal aid attorney who’d handled the original paperwork for Martina had been present as well, and the young woman had been visibly shaken upon learning about Martina’s death.
The judge had questioned each of them extensively, and Carli recalled how she’d sat clutching Reid’s hand in her own. So much had hinged on their meeting with the judge, but their attorney had assured them afterwards that things had gone well. The judge had ordered a home evaluation to be done by a court appointed social worker, but Carli hadn’t been overly concerned about the pending visit. In fact, the social worker had made her visit two days later and left with a slight smile on her otherwise stoic face. Carli had chosen to take that as a good sign.
Their attorney had presented paperwork documenting their financial stability, as well as the fact that Carli was planning to take a leave from her job to stay home with the girls. She and Reid had discussed it at length, and they were in agreement that all three girls needed her here while they adjusted to Angelina coming to stay with them.
The first week had been rough with Angelina crying almost nightly for her mom, but she’d gradually started sleeping for longer periods and was now sleeping through the night. Carli smiled thinking back over the past few weeks when she’d awakened to find herself alone in bed without her husband. The first night she’d made her way to the nursery, but Reid was already settled into a rocker with Angelina in his arms. Carli’s heart had turned over at the sight of her husband holding the little girl close and talking quietly to her. She’d realized that Reid was telling Angelina a story, and the little girl’s eyes had closed before he ever finished.
Reid had carefully placed Angelina back in her bed, and Carli had followed him back to their bedroom. Snuggled in with her head on Reid’s chest, Carli had asked him why he hadn’t woken her to check on Angelina.
Stroking her arm, Reid had simply shrugged and said, “She’s ours now, or she will be as soon as the legal aspect is completed. It’s important that she realizes we’re both here for her…that we’re both going to be her parents. I thought I should start now, and what better time to reassure her than when she’d woken up scared.”
His simple words had touched Carli so deeply, and she’d known right then that they were making the right decision to keep Angelina in their lives. Also weighing into their decision was the fact that they’d finally met Martina’s family at the burial mass. Very few members had even bothered to show up, and although Carli and Reid had been cordial, they’d both sensed what Consuela had been trying to tell them. The family appeared to be grieving over Martina’s death, but when Consuela had introduced them to Carli and Reid their disinterest was evident.
Consuela had confided to Carli later that day that she’d spoken with her oldest brother and explained what Martina had done regarding Angelina’s guardianship. Evidently the man had questioned her extensively, but Consuela assured Carli that in the end she’d been able to convince him to see things her way. Carli hadn’t asked what their conversation had specifically entailed, and Consuela hadn’t offered any information either. The only thing she’d shared was that her brother was now head of their familia, and the others would follow his direction.
The sound of her phone ringing pulled Carli from her thoughts, and she frowned when she saw the unfamiliar number on her screen. After saying hello, she felt her pulse begin to race when she heard the voice on the other end.
“Mrs. Brandt? This is Alexia with Judge Ford’s office. We’d like to set up an appointment for tomorrow if possible for the Judge to meet with you and your husband,” said the woman.
Carli swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat and took a calming breath. “Yes, we can do that. What time would you like for us to be there?” asked Carli nervously.
“Judge has court tomorrow afternoon, so could we make it a morning appointment? Would ten o’clock work for you?” asked Alexia pleasantly.
Her brain scrambling to recall if Reid had anything major going on tomorrow, Carli came up with nothing so she said, “Yes, we can be there at ten. Alexia…can I ask…has the judge made a decision?”
Pacing the room now, Carli waited anxiously for the other woman to answer.
“Yes, Mrs. Brandt, he has. Judge has also requested that you bring all of the children with you to his chambers tomorrow.”
Clearly confused, Carli asked, “All of the children? Even our twin daughters?”
Chuckling on her end, Alexia said, “Yes, all three of them, Mrs. Brandt. Judge Ford is a little different than some of the others and he likes to see the whole family interacting with one another. Will that be a problem?”
Quick to respond, Carli said, “No! I mean…no that will be fine. We’ll all be there in the morning.”
The call ended a few moments later, and Carli looked down to see she was clutching her phone so tightly that her fingers had turned white. Hitting Reid’s contact information, Carli continued to pace waiting for her husband to pick up.
“Hey, beautiful, what’s going on? I thought you were resting up this afternoon?” asked Reid affectionately.
“Reid, the Judge’s office just call…he’s made his decision. We have to be there at ten tomorrow morning,” said Carli so quickly that she might’ve actually stumbled over her words.
“Okay, calm down, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. What exactly did his office say?” asked Reid calmly.
Taking a breath, Carli corralled her scattered thoughts before responding. “That he wants to see all of us in the morning at ten. And that he’s made his decision.”
“All of us? I don’t understand.”
“He wants to see the two of us and all three girls. His assistant said he likes to see the whole family together…to see us interacting with one another. If that�
��s the case, Reid, then surely it must mean he’s in our favor, doesn’t it?” asked Carli nervously.
Sensing the underlying panic in his wife’s voice, Reid said, “Baby, we’ll just have to wait and see, okay? It’s going to be fine.”
“How do you know that, Reid? What if the girls act up? What if Malaya decides to pull a Ninja move on someone? Oh sweet Mary and Joseph…I need to call Rosita…she needs to go to the church and pray…light a candle…”
Laughing now, Reid said, “Whoa, sweetheart, calm down. No one’s going to pull a Ninja move, but by all means call Rosita and get her on board if that will make you feel better. Carli, babe…it’s going to be okay. Regardless of what happens the Judge will simply see the true picture of us. Our life with three little girls…three little girls who are loved beyond measure, and who are happy and healthy.”
Sighing through her tears, Carli whispered, “I love you, Reid Brandt. What are you doing right now?”
Curious at the sudden change in his wife’s tone, he asked slowly, “Why? What did you have in mind?”
“The girls won’t be home for another two hours at least…I thought you might want to come home and get naked…”
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes! Hold that thought,” said Reid quickly.
Carli chuckled on her end when she heard the line go dead without even a good-bye from her husband. Glancing at the clock, she quickly made her way towards the stairs and then up to the master bathroom. After a quick shower, and a little extra pampering, she was more than ready to spend the next few hours showing her husband just how much she appreciated him.
The next morning Carli rolled groggily out of bed and headed to the bathroom leaving Reid to sleep for a while longer. She’d slept fitfully last night despite her husband’s best efforts to steer her in another direction. Admittedly, her emotions were all over the place, and she was anxious to get the meeting behind them this morning. Anxiety had her placing a hand on her churning belly, and after using the restroom she stepped to the sink to wash her hands. Suddenly, the churning became a reality as Carli barely made it to the toilet to lose the contents of her stomach. Heaving and sick, she groaned thinking that of all days for her nerves to get the best of her this wasn’t the day.
