I cannot believe I brought that shit here. I have a pretty good idea what happened, and I want to kill him. He almost ripped Brielle from her happiness, and I know seeing him again may set her back. I step up to Tyler, “I have this, man. It is my mistake, and I will clean it up. Go get my parents and tell them to leave.”
I haul Brent up and shove him towards the driveway. I need to get him the fuck out of here.
He stops walking and faces me. “I know you heard everything. Both conversations I had with your sisters. Do you want them safe?”
“Of course I do. That is why you will never come near either of them again, or I will end you.”
He leans over and spits blood out of his mouth. “Not so fast, boy. You don’t make the rules. I do. Here is a proposition for you. You want so much daddy time, here is what is going to happen. You are coming to live with them for your senior year. You will give up your little hobby of soccer and travel with us, being the dutiful son, announcing to whoever will listen, that you intend to follow in his footsteps and enter law school. You will be very convincing.”
“And if I say no?” I ask him.
“I think you know the answer. You can’t protect them every second, and I will get to one or both of them. Or maybe your sweet niece, Riley?” I know this sick fuck is serious. I could tell my family, we could hire bodyguards, get protection, but I know he has reach. He has far more power now that my dad is throwing his name in for the Presidential race. I will do whatever I have to for my family. I have been such a blind idiot.
“Fine. What are the details?”
“You have two weeks to wrap everything up. Your sisters have legal custody, so you better make it convincing. I don’t care what you have to do, but you will be at your parents’ house in two weeks, or I will have some fun.” I just nod, and he goes to the car and gets in. My parents soon follow and they disappear. Too bad they aren’t disappearing from my life.
Fuck! How am I going to do this? I can’t imagine how my announcement will kill Brielle. I can’t tell them the truth. I have to protect them this time. Giving up my dreams is small to ensure their safety. I make my way in the house and see Addy crying, trying to console Brielle. I have made my choice; I will never allow her to feel like this again. I make my way to my room and try to come up with a plan.
A few hours later Cambree comes in my room. “I am leaving.”
She is still pissed at me, and this will work in my favor. “Bye.”
“You still don’t get it. Don’t you care what happened here today? Brielle is making herself sick with memories and is damn near hysterical. Addison is beside herself because she cannot get Brielle to calm down. Colby and Tyler are probably going to end up in jail, not to mention everything your nieces and nephew witnessed. I don’t know who you are anymore, Dustin, but I sure do miss my brother.”
“I will fix it. Just trust me,” I tell her. She stares at me for a while, and I don’t know what she saw in my eyes. I hope she saw the regret I feel for hurting my family. She comes over and hugs me. “I love you, Dustin. Remember we all do.”
I want to go downstairs and apologize to everybody. I am too ashamed, and I need them to think I am a prick. That is the only way my plan will work. I hope one day I can tell them how much I love them. Until then, I have to keep reminding myself I am doing the right thing.
Chapter 37
Tyler
Things have settled down over the last week. Brielle is coming around, with help from Colby. I still can’t believe that situation. It was as fucked up as a soup sandwich. I thought I had miserable parents, but those sperm donors take the cake. I don’t know how Colby kept it together, but seeing Brielle needed him more than killing that douche must have kept him from having a record.
When Brielle told us what he said about watching Cambree, I immediately filled Mitch in on what was going on. I still don’t know the whole story, but it somehow revolves around Brent and the Parkers. I respect his job and know he can’t tell me what is going on, but I can make it easier with passing along what information I have. I just hope keeping it from Addison and Brielle doesn’t bite us all in the ass.
Dustin has called a family meeting, and I can only guess what he has done now. A few days ago, Brielle got the call he dropped out of the soccer camp he had been selected for this summer. He didn’t tell anyone; he just did it. He has made himself scarce this past week, but nobody blames him for what happened. I think he is blaming himself, but he needs to snap the fuck out of his issues and be united with this family. The kids are at the farmhouse with Amelia and Colby’s parents, per Dustin.
We are all sitting around the table at our house, and he strolls in the kitchen like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He walks to the refrigerator and grabs a bottle of water and sits down without making eye contact with any of us. This is bad. I am already wondering who he got pregnant or what kind of STD he contracted.
“I appreciate you meeting with me. I know the last week has been rough. I guess I should apologize for what happened, but I can’t.” Did he really just say that? I look at Colby, and I can see it is taking everything he has not to jump across the table and beat him like the little bitch he is becoming.
He continues, “Truth is, I asked you here because I want to let you all know, I am giving up soccer. I want to be a lawyer like Dad. When I mentioned it to him, we came up with a plan. I am going to live with them my senior year . . . travel and learn some ins and outs of the political circuit. Then I will be attending college with aspirations to go to law school. I leave next week.”
“You are out of you fucking mind, Dustin.” Yep, Brielle is back. “You cannot waltz your little ass in here and tell us what you are going to do and what you aren’t going to do. You are seventeen years old and still a minor. I don’t know what kind of smoke they blew up your ass, but it is not happening.”
Dustin stays calm, “Sorry you feel that way, Brielle. I realize that I am a minor, but I also know ways around that. I can either petition the court for emancipation, or I can get Dad and Mom to file for custody. I am one year from being eighteen, and I don’t see a judge denying me what I want. Or you could keep that guardianship and let me live with them on a trial basis. The outcome is entirely up to you.”
Who is this kid? Brielle starts screaming and crying, and Colby just looks at Dustin with disappointment and disgust. I look at Addison, and she is as clueless as I am. Brielle isn’t making any sense, and I know this will hurt her the most. My heart is breaking for both her and Addy, hell for all of us. We are a family, and what he is doing is breaking us.
Addy stands up, “Dustin, I don’t know about this. Can you give us a reason, a real reason?”
He won’t look at any of us. “Well, you have your own families now. All of you are so preoccupied with your own kids, and now that Cambree is gone, there is no reason for me to be around. You can focus on the next step of your life and let me start living mine.”
Colby jumps up. “You are not going to make your sisters feel guilty for moving forward with their lives. You are not going to sit there and act like our marriages and children have ever taken away from you. They have loved you and raised you from day one. Hell, my wife makes herself sick over you and is constantly feeling like she is failing you somehow.”
Dustin actually looks like he regrets what is happening. Then he steels himself and stands up. “Like I said, ball is in your court, what you do with it is up to you. Let me be clear, I will move in with them, one way or another. I have to.” He walks out the door leaving all of us shocked.
None of us can make sense of what is happening, and Brielle is a basket case. He used the words on her that would hurt her the most.
“Addy, have we let him down? I have tried to focus on my kids and him, and now he is telling us we somehow made him feel unwanted. This is the last thing I wanted.”
Colby tells her, “Baby, don’t do this to yourself. I don’t know what is going on, but this has nothing to do with
you.”
Addy goes to her, “B, we have loved him and supported him in everything he did. We have dealt with his attitude and dismissal of our feelings the past year. Maybe this is not such a bad idea. Maybe he will grow up.” I know it kills her to say that, but there is some truth in that.
Brielle stands up, “I can’t hear this right now. I need to think.” She turns around and walks out. Nobody goes after her; we all know where she is going. It is the same place she always goes when she needs to think. The dock at the lake . . . that was her and her grandfather’s special place.
Colby looks at Addison and me. “I swear I am going to kill that boy.” He goes to leave and says, “Let’s talk later and figure out what we are going to do.”
Once he is gone, it is just Addy and I. “Lil’ Bit, are you okay?”
She comes to me, climbs into my lap, and starts sobbing. “No, Tyler. I don’t know what to do, for any of us. He is just seventeen but seems so much younger. Maybe it is our fault he is behaving like this. We overcompensated for so many years with his medical struggles, and then we tended to overlook a lot of his behavior after because we knew he had never really had freedom. I just don’t know.” I feel that is a complete load of crap. Dustin had been given a shitty hand with life-threatening food allergies, but they sought ground-breaking treatment for it, and it wasn’t an easy route. She just lies there sobbing for what feels like hours. Once she falls asleep, I carry her to our bed and lay her down. I send a silent prayer for someone to heal this family.
Chapter 38
Brielle
I sit and stare at the memorial for my grandparents. How did it come to this? I don’t speak to them because I feel like I have let them down. I promised that I would make sure Cambree and Dustin were okay, and I haven’t.
“I am so sorry. I feel like I say that a lot to you. I have gotten so much better over the years, and I feel like it is all unraveling. First, Brent showed up here, then Dustin tells me I have made him feel like he is not worth my time. I remember feeling like that, but I had you. He doesn’t have that. I don’t want to go back to the same girl I was, but how did I fail him? God, what do I do? Please, tell me.” I bend over and sob. I can’t lose him. They will ruin him.
I hear footsteps behind me. I expect Colby but am shocked when I see Dustin.
“Brielle, I don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t want to hurt you. You may not understand, but I am doing this for you. I can’t explain why I know this is right, but just respect that I know what I am doing. You have loved me, protected me, and provided for me my whole life. You have been my champion. It is killing me to hurt you. I am still the same little boy who worships the ground you walk on. You are my hero in so many ways. I can’t explain why I think this is best, but I do. I hope you will respect me and know this has nothing to do with my love for you. I am doing it because I love you. My whole life I have been the little boy, the one all my sisters championed for. It was fucking awesome, too. But now I need to do this for my family.”
“What are you talking about Dustin? What do you have to do for your family?” I am so confused.
“You wouldn’t understand. Just know I need to grow up and do this for me. Not because of you or Addison, but for me. Can you give me that?” He is silently begging me.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know, Dustin.” I am being honest with him. I don’t know if I can let him go.
“I understand, Brielle. Just always remember that I love you. Remember when you used to sing me to sleep?” I just nod at him. “It was always your voice, your embrace I craved. For as long as I could remember, you were my safety net. You were my compass in this world. Now it is time for me to make my own way. It is time for me to clean up all my mistakes and be the man you raised me to be.” He stands up and kisses me on the head. “You will always be my compass in the world, because wherever you are is my home. I won’t ever get lost as long as I have your support.”
He leaves me out there with his words playing in my mind. God, it was so simple when he was younger. I wonder if CJ will ever rip my heart out like this. “Help me make the right decision, please.” I whisper to my grandparents, hoping they can hear my pleas.
I make my way back home and am beyond thankful when Colby is waiting for me. “Pretty girl, it will all work out. No matter what, he is yours. I love you.” How does he always know what to say?
I tell him, “I don’t think we have a choice. Either way he is going to go, and I want him to go with my support and the knowledge that he can always come home. God, Colby please tell me he will come home.” I break down again.
“Belle, he will come home. He needs this for whatever reason, but I promise he will come home.”
I call Addison and Tyler, and when they get here, I tell them we don’t really have a choice and we need to do this. They both agree with me, and part of me wanted them to fight it.
I make my way to Dustin’s room. I knock, and he opens the door. “We have come to a decision. I don’t agree with this, and it is breaking my heart. But we are letting you make your choice. You can go live with them this year, but we will not sign over guardianship, and at any time we think this is not in your best interest, you will come back here.”
“I know you don’t understand, but please trust me.”
“I do trust you, Dustin. Please trust in us. You need to remember, this is your home, and you are always welcomed back with open arms.”
“Brielle, this is my only home. I love you.” I can see he is trying not to cry, and for the life of me, I don’t know what he is doing. I have to leave this one to fate.
I make my way back to the kitchen where they are all waiting for me. I tell them, “I need a minute.” Colby hands me my iPod and gives me a kiss.
I walk out to the back deck and search through my iPod, I pick “Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)” by Dixie Chicks and feel like my heart is being ripped out. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass.
Chapter 39
Addison
I don’t know how we got here, or what we are going to do, but I know we will get through it. We don’t have a choice. So much has happened in the past month. My babies turned one, I got married, Dustin turned seventeen, Cambree turned eighteen and left for college just a week ago, Dustin is leaving tomorrow for my parents, Brielle almost had a breakdown between seeing Brent and then Dustin leaving, CJ turned three, and Riley is now two. Our lives have had so many changes, but until Dustin decided to move, our family had always remained intact. Some may think we are over reacting to Dustin moving out, but it is like the first time your kid tells you they hate you. You know they don’t mean it, but it still hurts like hell.
Brielle is coming over for lunch and some wine. Yes, we are day drinking. Don’t judge. Sometimes you need a day to drink, eat, talk book boyfriends, and just forget life. I would do it daily if it wasn’t frowned upon.
She comes in and drops down. I know she is trying to be okay, but she isn’t.
“Hey, what book boyfriend are you on now?” I am trying to lighten the mood.
She smiles at me. “Declan from Surrendering by Ahren Sanders. He’s a hot rocker and sexy as sin. He likes to give multiple orgasms, and when I brag about that shit to Colby, he gets right to work trying to outdo my fictional fantasy. Win for me.” She starts laughing, and I have to join in.
“Remember when we were talking about Jesse Ward from This Man? I remember the guys trying to give us the countdown. Three . . . two . . . one . . . It was fucking hilarious because no matter what, there is only one Jesse Ward.” I am crying remembering that shit.
Brielle is trying to catch her breath, “Yeah, but I got lots of pretty lace things then.” We are both about to pee ourselves.
Brielle asks, “Have you heard from Kayleigh?”
I shake my head no. “She called right after my wedding and told me she was pregnant and getting married to Mitch. I haven’t heard from her since then except the occasional text. She is acting funny. It m
ay be pregnancy hormones, not sure. I am so happy for her, and when I saw Mitch the other day, he was over the moon. I wanted to throw her a baby shower, but she isn’t answering me about that.” I am missing Kayleigh, but I know all the nerves that go into finding out you are going to be a mom. Plus . . . getting married that quick had to tilt her world a bit.
“So, how is married life?”
“Great. I get to have regular sex without needing batteries.” I laugh as she chokes on her wine. “Tyler wants more kids. I do . . . maybe. But I want to wait until the twins are four to start trying. That way they will be in Kindergarten when I have another one. I want to be able to devote the same time to the new baby that I do to the girls.” I feel guilty because he wants to experience it, and I want him to also. Just not right now.
She shakes her head. “Yeah, Colby and I are undecided. I think he is because he is afraid since CJ is just like me, and Riley is just like him that we will have another me. I think it would be great, because you can’t get better than me. I keep telling him I am signing Riley up for cheer and he gets so mad. Then I ask him about dance and tell him that she can shake what her momma gave her. He doesn’t find that amusing either.” Oh my! Only my sister lives to torment her husband.
“Have you heard from Cambree?”
“I talked to her after you told her about Dustin. I swear she sounded like she was thirteen again with all that screeching she was doing. I was kind of glad at the moment she was a few states away.” I just nod in agreement with her.
It is going to be weird just having our young kids here. No curfews to wait up for, no sports at this time. It is just plain weird. Maybe I will take up cross-stitch or something. I could knit the girls some hats and stuff. That would be laughable. I burn toast, so I don’t want to think about me with needle and thread.
Parker Sibling Series Box Set Page 32
