No More Good

by Angela Winters

  So, she decided, it was time to do something about that. It was time for her to do something that would turn the attention back where it belonged: on the baby. But what would she do to shake this family back up to her satisfaction?

  “So many choices,” she said to herself. “So little time.”

  Leigh lightly knocked on the door to her parents’ bedroom before opening it. The massive room included a bedroom and a sitting area facing the front of the house that was the size of an average living room. Janet wasn’t in either, but Leigh could hear her voice. She poked her head in the six-hundred-square-foot master bath and found no one. There was only one other place Janet could be.

  The master closet was the size of Leigh’s entire bedroom with closets, cabinets, drawers, and retractable levels. Haley passed through it into the dressing room, a small room with a wall of mirrors. Her mother was sitting, partially dressed, on the rose-colored cashmere bench talking on her cell phone.

  “They have to be somewhere!” Janet let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know, but how far could she have . . . What money?”

  Janet looked up as soon as she noticed Leigh walking toward her. Leigh had enough problems to deal with. She didn’t need to know that Kimberly was missing with the boys and one million dollars that she stole back from the pimp she killed.

  “Steven, call me back as soon as you can.” Janet hung up without waiting for a response. “What is it, dear?”

  “Is something wrong?” Leigh asked, joining her on the bench.

  Janet felt like laughing. “Silly stuff. How are you feeling, baby?”

  “Haley showed me a gossip blog.” She paused. “About Lyndon.”

  Janet leaned back against the wall, studying her daughter’s face. “It’s a hard choice, Leigh, but I decided I’d rather be your mother than your friend. So if you’re—”

  “I’m not mad at you.” Leigh leaned against her mother.

  Janet ran her fingers through her baby’s hair. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

  “I don’t want to know anything. I just know I’m done being the naive fool.”

  “You were never a naive fool, baby. You’re an incredibly intelligent, accomplished, and strong woman. And you have the biggest heart I’ve ever known.”

  “So why am I always losing?”

  Janet knew that no matter how old your kids got, a parent would always pray to take their pain for them. But it just wasn’t possible. “You bring light into this world. If you let Nick and Lyndon stop you from being who God meant you to be . . . that’s when you lose. Besides, you’re the only sane person in this family. We need you.”

  Leigh laughed a little bit, snuggling up closer to her mother. “If I’m the only sane person here, this family is in a lot more trouble than I thought.”

  Janet wanted to protect Leigh and Haley from the inevitable mess that would be this summer because of Kimberly. “Your baby sister wants to go to Australia and New Zealand for a couple of months after school is over in one week.”

  “You want me to go with her so I can keep an eye on her?”

  “Just to keep the damage down to a minimum,” Janet said. “You could use the break from working like a slave at that clinic.”

  “That clinic allows me to escape the world.”

  “So would a luxury presidential suite overlooking the harbor at the Four Seasons.”

  “I can’t argue with that,” Leigh said. “I can promise to think about it.”

  “Feel better?” Janet kissed Leigh’s forehead.

  “I will.” Leigh didn’t expect to say that and really mean it, but she thought she might.

  “I have more good news,” Janet said. “It’s about Carter.”

  “I need those passports today, Neil.” Kimberly was leaning over the desk against the wall in the small Santa Barbara hotel room talking into a prepaid cell phone she had purchased at a convenience store a few hours ago.

  “Mrs. Chase, I can’t . . .”

  Kimberly heard him sigh or breathe or something, but he wasn’t talking anymore. “Neil? Are you there? What about my passports?”

  “Your husband contacted me an hour ago, Mrs. Chase.”

  Kimberly shivered in fear. “Did you tell him . . .”

  “No, I didn’t tell him where you were, but I can’t help you anymore. They’ll know.”

  Through the reflection in the mirror, Kimberly could see her boys playing on the bed completely oblivious of her hell. How was she ever going to get them out of this country and away from Michael? After she ran out of the bathroom in Steven’s office, Kimberly went straight home. She grabbed some clothes and the money she had taken back from David. In the fervor of everything, Michael had not yet put it back in the bank. Staying the night at a hotel, she thought of how she could get the boys and get away from Michael.

  She picked them up from school and drove them as far as Santa Barbara before she realized she wasn’t getting anywhere as Kimberly Chase. She decided to call Neil for fake IDs, which she needed quick before the furor of the Chase family came down on her full force. Now that was falling through.

  “Is he on to me?” she asked nervously. She was trying her best to keep her wits about her, but it was hard. She was scared to death.

  “I don’t know, but I think you should hang up now.”

  “Neil, I need someone in Santa Barbara who can—”

  “Don’t say that over the . . . I can’t tell you. Good-bye, Mrs. Chase, and good luck.”

  As soon as he hung up the phone, Kimberly realized he was saying that the phone was bugged and now Michael knew she was in Santa Barbara.

  Kimberly knew they had to go, but where?

  She heard a noise and thought it was the television until the hotel door opened.

  She jumped up from her chair. It felt like her chest caved in when Michael entered the room. It was as if he moved in slow motion with an intense anger defining every inch of him.

  “Daddy! Daddy!”

  The boys hurtled off the bed and stumbled over each other to jump all over their father, and Michael smiled and laughed as if nothing were wrong. While they were each hugging a leg, he took a quick glance at Kimberly and his eyes darkened and bored into her.

  Kimberly was shaking so badly her teeth were chattering. He wouldn’t kill her in front of their children, would he?

  “Daddy, are you coming with us?” Daniel asked, looking up.

  “Where?” Michael asked, smiling gently. They’d only been missing for a day, but he felt as if they’d been gone a year.

  “Mommy said we’re going on a trip,” Evan squealed. “And we don’t have to go to school, which I really liked about this whole thing.”

  “And you can’t come ’cause of work,” Daniel added. “But Mommy said you’d come later.”

  “Did she say that?” Michael looked at Kimberly, feeling crazy over the fact that he felt something at seeing her too, something along with wanting to slit her throat. “Well, there has been a change of plans. We’re going back home for now.”

  “No!” Evan stomped his foot on the floor. “I wanna go!”

  Daniel turned to his mother. “Mommy, tell him.”

  “We’ll . . . have to see,” she answered with a noticeable tremor in her voice.

  Daniel frowned. “What’s wrong, Mommy?”

  “Nothing is wrong with Mommy.” Michael put his hand on Daniel’s chin and turned his face to him, away from Kimberly. “We’ll go on the trip after school lets out.”

  Kimberly gasped when she noticed a tall, burly raisin-brown man enter the room, his attention on both boys.

  “Go ahead.” Michael stood up.

  “No!” As soon as Kimberly saw the man move toward Evan, she ran at them. No one was going to take her babies!

  Michael grabbed her by the arm just as she passed him and pushed her back. His dark face was set in a vicious expression. “This can be easy or hard.”

  “Mommy?” Daniel looked back at her.
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  Michael turned to the boys, blocking Kimberly from their vision. “This nice man is going to take you two to the car while Mommy and I pack up and bring your stuff down.”

  The boys mumbled their disapproval, but didn’t fight as they were led out.

  Kimberly felt her heart breaking into sharp, stabbing pieces. “Please, Michael. Don’t . . .”

  He wanted to kill her. She had ruined his life. So what was that voice in the back of his head telling him he didn’t want to give her up? “You must be the craziest bitch on the planet. Have these last seven years taught you anything?”

  “They’re my babies,” she stammered.

  “I guess not.” Michael looked around and saw the duffel bag full of money. He went to retrieve it. “Even before this, you should have known there was no escaping me. I guess you thought if Avery could elude Carter, why couldn’t you do the same?”

  “You said you were going to kill me.”

  Michael glared at her. “But it isn’t really an accurate comparison because you know I’d do things that Carter never would.”

  “What choice did I have?”

  Michael’s laugh was laced with bitterness and hate. “Just my point, baby. You had none. You used up all of yours. You have nothing, are nothing now. Avery had a whole family on her side. Who will help you?”

  Kimberly tried to keep her fragile control. “I don’t need help. I just need my kids.”

  “My kids!” He lifted the bag up. “My money. It’s all mine. The sooner you learn that, the safer you’ll be.”

  “I don’t care what happens to me.” Kimberly swiftly backed up as Michael took three steps toward her.

  He looked her up and down, hating and wanting every piece of her. “I wish I could say the same, but I can’t. I do care what happens to you because I want you to suffer.”

  Kimberly rigidly held her tears in check. “I don’t deserve that.”

  “In that case, I’ll only enjoy a little bit instead of a lot.”

  “Michael!”

  Michael was spurred by the fury of his emotion. “You didn’t have to fuck him, Kimberly!”

  “He wasn’t going to stop!”

  “I would have stopped him,” Michael asserted. “Even if I had to kill him. Mom and Dad never had to know anything.”

  “But you would,” she argued. “I had already lost so much of you since we moved out of that house.”

  “Which was your fault!”

  “And yours!” She met him with a determined stare of her own. “If you had put me ahead of your father’s golden approval, none of this would have happened. We both know you haven’t been faithful during our marriage. Your hypocritical ass is mad because you’re not enough of a man to own up to that.”

  “Not him!” Michael yelled. “Anyone but him!”

  Kimberly placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side. “So that’s it, right? It’s not me. It’s David. You’re mad because I slept with the only other man who owned me. You wished you could forget that you married a—”

  “You say one more word and I’ll—”

  “Hit me, then!” she yelled, coming so close she pushed against him. “You think you’d be the first man to do that? You think you’re the first man to tell me I’m nothing? I survived all of them and I’ll survive you. So go ahead and do it!”

  Michael saw her eyes water up, but he fought the urge inside him to feel anything for her. “You may survive, but if you ever try to take my boys from me, you’ll wish you hadn’t.”

  “I don’t want to take them away,” she said. “I just want to be with them.”

  Michael turned away, cursing himself inside. “Then be with them.”

  He waited only a second before heading out of the room and he knew she was behind him. She said nothing. He said nothing. She was with him and he still hated her.

  Nikki turned away from the window to warn her family. “Here they come.”

  “Please be nice,” Avery pleaded. “Connor is a part of their family too.”

  Carter had been by every day since Avery returned from the hospital to her parents’ house. Each time had been difficult for Avery for reasons she had to keep to herself.

  First, he had been on his best behavior, and although her mother and Anthony weren’t buying it, Avery was touched. She wanted desperately to believe that Connor would change the way Carter acted around the family.

  Second, when visiting, Carter barely paid any attention to Avery except to ask her if she was all right. And that wasn’t what she wanted. Watching him with Connor tugged at her heart, but she felt excluded when he was with her as if she’d had a right to be included. She didn’t, which was why she never said a thing.

  But today would be different. The whole Chase clan was coming to see the baby for the first time, and everyone in the Jackson household knew the drama was just about to begin.

  Anthony was sitting next to Avery on the sofa and Connor was in the bassinet right next to her. As soon as the door opened and Carter walked through, Anthony stood up. Avery could see he wasn’t okay with this even though he’d said he was after she explained everything.

  “Anthony.” She tugged at his pants until he looked down at her. “Let’s give them a chance.”

  Anthony leaned down. “Nikki told me how to deal with these people.”

  “Oh no.” Avery stood up. “Just let me handle Carter. I don’t want him getting into it with you.”

  “I’m not afraid,” Anthony whispered.

  Things started off well. Not everyone was there, only Steven, Janet, Carter, Leigh, and Haley. Avery wondered where Kimberly was.

  After quick hellos, they darted for the bassinet. Janet picked Connor up and refused to let anyone else hold her. Avery was touched at the sight of Steven softening to the baby. He smiled and cooed, let her grab his finger with her tiny hand before kissing it. Even Haley, of all people, cracked a smile and leaned in for a quick kiss. Avery felt proud this was because of her baby, her little Connor.

  Nikki expected to hear threats over their attempt at deception, wanting them to believe the baby wasn’t Carter’s. But there weren’t any. Avery told her mother that babies change everything and she’d hoped that Connor would change the relationship between the Chases and the Jacksons.

  And Carter continued to ignore her. Avery hated that this was what she thought of the most. Janet and Leigh showered her with affection. Even Steven gave her a compliment or two. Carter only smiled and again asked her how she was doing. She said fine and he hadn’t even looked at her since. And for some reason, Avery couldn’t stop looking at him, waiting for him to acknowledge her. She was insane, but watching him holding Connor standing with Steven away from everyone else, she wanted him to look at her.

  It wasn’t until Anthony yanked at her blouse that she realized that someone was talking to her. She apologized, but could tell that Anthony had noticed because he so abruptly walked away.

  “Is your husband all right?” Janet asked.

  “He’s fine,” Avery answered. “I’m sorry I was distracted.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Janet said. “I can’t take my eyes off her either. She’s beautiful. Where is your mother now?”

  “She’s in the bedroom checking in on Dad. Leigh went with her to say hello.”

  “That’s fine.” Janet scrolled through her BlackBerry. “You can fill her in later. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Moss and Elizabeth Prescott. They’ll meet with you and Carter next week.”

  “Who . . . are they . . . What?”

  “Didn’t Carter tell you? We have to apply now if we want Connor to get into Post Academy when she turns five.”

  Avery started laughing until she realized from Janet’s expression that she wasn’t joking. “How much does that cost?”

  “It’s only twenty-five thousand dollars a year.” Janet made a dismissive gesture. “That’s now. Who knows what it will be five years from now? But Carter can take care of that, no
problem.”

  “Janet, I don’t—”

  “Avery.” Janet placed her hand on Avery’s shoulder and looked at her intently. “You want what’s best for Connor, right?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “You may have tried to avoid this, but she is a Chase.”

  Avery’s eyes gave away her guilt. “I’m sorry about that, Janet.”

  “I know.” Janet gently touched her cheek. “I don’t need your apologies, dear. I just need you to understand that your baby is a Chase. That means something and you can’t deny her that.”

  “I don’t plan to.” Avery nodded her compliance. She would have to pick her battles and she didn’t want any today.

  “Good.” Janet returned her attention to her BlackBerry. “From now on, you will have to see Dr. Lauren Green. She’s the best pediatrician in L.A. County. She hasn’t taken new patients for a year, but she’ll take Connor. I’m still working on the christening. Let me run a few dates by you.”

  “You see that?” Steven asked, pointing to the flowers on the console table near the front door.

  Carter looked up from Connor to where his father was pointing. “People send flowers when a baby is born, Dad.”

  “Look at the name,” Steven ordered.

  Written in big, red letters was an aluminum sash that read WELCOME, BABY HARPER. Carter sneered his displeasure.

  “You get that changed right away,” Steven directed. “It probably says Harper on the birth certificate.”

  “I’m sure it’s just someone who doesn’t know yet.” Carter leaned down and kissed Connor’s tiny mouth. That was his favorite. Her little mouth and the bottom of her tiny feet. “No one knows yet.”

  “We’re going to make sure they do.”

  “Dad, you know what we talked about the other night.”

  Steven still couldn’t believe this was Carter’s reaction to a woman who had been willing to keep his child from him until just a week ago. “You still want her?”

  Carter nodded.

  “Fine,” Steven said. “Nothing changes. It’ll just be easier.”