Make it Rain (The Montclair Brothers)

by Terri Marie

  "You do know that your picture is shown in the newspapers and television reports whenever Roger Murphy starts running his mouth, right? And by the way, he got admitted again last night for neck and back pain."

  "I've about had it with him! I've been avoiding the news because of this. I hate the guy!" Tyler quickly stood up, sending his chair rolling.

  "I know, we all want to clock Roger Murphy, but we can't. The whole coverage has given us another fish to fry." Vincent handed the papers to Tyler.

  "What the hell?" whispered Tyler through clenched teeth.

  "Yep. It seems like Robert Preston, Renee's husband, wants you charged for harassment. He recognized your face in the newspaper, and my guess is he thinks you're having a fling with his wife. He wants money or your ass, perhaps both. Please tell me this is a fabricated story, and that you didn't go to her apartment." Vincent leaned forward in his chair and raised his eyebrows at Tyler.

  "Well, there was a reason I went there, Vinnie. The guy is dangerous and is going to hurt Renee!" Tyler slammed his hand down on the desk.

  "…And that's why there's law enforcement. You do realize you could get tossed in the can for this? Being out on bail means you can't do anything dumb. This was dumb, Ty, and you could be sent right back to jail. Now the police are doing an investigation. I'm telling you, as your attorney and as your brother, stay out of other people's problems right now. You have enough of your own. If the police can find evidence, you're going to get arrested. If you're involved with Renee Preston, you need to end things. She's a married woman and isn't going to help your case one bit!"

  "I'm not involved with her. I just—" Tyler's could feel the heat in his face. He hadn't admitted his feelings to anyone.

  "Nice. So Sean was right? You slept with her?" Vincent stood up from the chair and walked over to the sofa. He slowly sat down and pointed to the other end. "Sit down, Brother, and start from the beginning. I can't help you unless I know everything, and I do mean everything."

  Tyler slowly walked over to the sofa and sat down. It was time to spill his guts, and as much as he didn't want to, he knew Vincent was right.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Emma stood in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of tea which had gone cold. Her nerves were ready to snap, and she had no idea what her next step would be if Renee did, or didn't, show up. Hopefully if she did, her young friend would have found a different, safe place to go. Her biggest worry was Tyler. If he found out she'd been deceitful, would he fire her? Would their friendship be ruined? She carefully placed the full mug of tea in the sink as a wave of nausea hit her.

  At seven-thirty that evening, Emma heard a soft tap on her apartment door. Her stomach rose to her throat again. She quickly glanced around her living room, looking for some kind of weapon. She trusted Renee, but she had no idea what this friend of hers was like. Maybe he'd told nothing but lies. Maybe he just wanted to get both of them alone and—

  "Emma, it's us," came a faint, familiar voice.

  Emma walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. She could clearly see Renee, but not her friend. Keeping the security latch on, Emma cracked the door open.

  "Hi, Emma. Could you let us in? It's not safe being out here under this light," said Renee softly.

  As Emma's stomach twisted, she unlatched the door and cautiously opened it. She was relieved to see Renee standing there alone. Just as she was getting ready to shut the door, Renee walked back outside and made a waving motion with her hand. Emma could hear fast, heavy footsteps running towards her apartment. She wasn't expecting to see what stood before her.

  Emma eyed the young man standing in front of her. He was skinny and tall, and he certainly didn't smell very good. His dirty blond hair hung in his blue eyes, and his face showed evidence of a fight he had most likely lost. The teen immediately tugged at her heartstrings.

  "I'm Emma," she said as she offered her hand.

  "I'm pleased to meet you, Emma, I'm Brian. Thank you for letting me tag along with Renee." Brian tried to give her a big smile, but the cut on his lip was stopping him.

  Emma watched as Brian surveyed the apartment, and placed his hand on the door knob.

  "It's okay, Brian, no one's here but me. Come on in and I'll fix you something to drink. Would you like a sandwich?" Emma could only guess how hungry this poor kid was, but first things first. "While I'm busy in the kitchen, you can grab a towel in the closet there and take a nice hot shower. I'll find something clean for you to wear." Emma was happy when Brian nodded and smiled instead of getting offended. She was glad that she had a large t-shirt and dark blue pajama bottoms he could hopefully wear for now. Tomorrow, she could go shopping and buy him some new clothes. Renee, she knew, could fit into anything in her closet with room to spare. Every time Emma had seen her friend, she could tell she'd lost some more weight. Renee didn't look or smell quite as bad as Brian, but she wasn't in the greatest of shape. She didn't dare guess how long it'd been since Brian had the ability, or facilities, to bathe. Emma had always been a nurturer, and now more than ever was the time for her to put that instinct into overdrive.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tyler couldn't stand the silence in the room. Vincent sat there staring at him while he nervously bobbed his knee up and down.

  "Vin, say something," Tyler pleaded. He knew he'd given his brother a lot to digest, but he did not want or need to be grilled. He felt like Vinnie was preparing to give him a long lecture.

  "I'll do it," said Vincent.

  "You'll do what? Ring my neck?" Tyler asked nervously.

  "I'll get her the divorce. Maybe she's the one you're supposed to fight for, or maybe she isn't. Either way, she should get away from that jackass husband of hers. I don't personally have the time to deal with Renee, nor am I a divorce attorney, but my buddy is. I'll pull in some favors. Give me her number and address." Vincent took out his phone.

  "That's just it. We can't find her, and trust me, I've tried. Emma has had contact with her, but so far, Renee has declined all help. I really don't know what to do. She's living on the streets, Vinnie." Tyler nervously ran his hand through his hair.

  "Let me think on this, Ty. You read through the file I gave you, and let me know if you have questions. Don't forget what I said about staying out of trouble. Hopefully you don't end up behind bars again for trying to save a damsel in distress. I'll help you with Renee, but first things first…your freedom."

  Tyler watched his brother gather his papers and walk out of the office with the utmost confidence. It reminded him of when he'd turned eighteen and left foster care, adopting his three brothers. The life insurance policies, which were awarded to them, coupled with Tyler's plans for Montclair Pharmaceuticals, allowed him the opportunity to keep what was left of his family intact.

  Tyler would never forget the first night he, and his siblings, were together on their own. Vincent, just a child back then, had looked him square in the eye and said, "Don't worry, Tyler, we got this." He was right. But Tyler needed for him to be right in this situation too, when he said not to worry and that everything would work out.

  After getting out monogramed stationary, which Tyler used when he had to handwrite a letter or a thank you, he wrote a thoughtful note to Emma, walked into her office, and sat it on her desk. Hopefully she'd feel better tomorrow; he'd take her out for a nice lunch and they could chat like old times. He needed to take better care of her, the most loyal and honest person he'd ever met.

  Chapter 16

  Emma sat on the kitchen chair across from Brian. She'd made grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, tossed salad, and a couple cans of chicken noodle soup. She tried not to notice how fast Brian devoured his meal, but it was obvious to her, he hadn't had eaten in a while. When she offered him a third sandwich, he declined and rubbed his stomach. He was clean and smelled of lilacs, which she guessed he didn't mind. The t-shirt fit in length but was a little too big in the shoulders. Emma knew if he'd been fed properly, he'd have filled out the shirt with no p
roblem. The pajama bottoms, though way too short, fit him in the waist because of the elastic.

  "I have some extra toothbrushes I'll leave on the bathroom sink. The spare bedroom is all set up and the couch is a sofa sleeper. You two can decide who sleeps where." Emma smiled, though what she really wanted to do was cry. She couldn't understand what was wrong with Brian's parents. He was the sweetest kid she'd ever met, and didn't deserve anything that life had handed him thus far. She had every intention of making things better for both of her guests. She watched as Renee smiled at Brian, and his face softened. When it did, his young age was much more evident.

  "Emma," began Renee. "I can't thank you enough for what you're doing. While you're at work, we'll handle all the chores around here. I have money in my account and I'll give you some tom—"

  "No. No more talk of money, okay? All I ask is that you two make yourselves at home. Watch television, make some food, sleep in…you both have seen some pretty rough patches. I want you to focus on getting your bodies healthy. Tomorrow we'll make something delicious for dinner. I'm sorry this wasn't the greatest meal, but I tend to slack when it comes to grocery shopping. We'll plan some great dinners. Brian, what's your favorite food?" Emma patted his arm, noting that there wasn't a lot of meat on his bones.

  "My grandma used to make one heck of a roast. Before she died, she gave me a cooking lesson! I was only ten, but I remember the day vividly. If I have the ingredients, I'll make it and you can come home to a hot meal." Brian gave as big of a smile as he could, without making his lip bleed.

  "I'd love that! There's a pad of paper on the desk over there and a pen. You write down what you need, and I'll pick it up. Maybe I can bring home a pie or something for desert too." Emma thought the conversation was going great, until Brian jumped from the table and ran to the bathroom.

  "Renee, what's wrong with him? Is he sick? Did he eat too much too fast? I feel horrible." Emma looked towards the bathroom door. If he was her son, she'd have gone and checked on him, but she had no idea where the boundary lines were and didn't want to cross them.

  "I don't know, Emma. Let me see what's up," Renee walked to the bathroom door and softly knocked.

  Emma watched as the door finally opened and Renee stepped inside.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Renee didn't hear a sound after knocking a few times on the bathroom door. When she didn't get a reply after calling Brian's name, and didn't hear any water running or other sounds, she got worried and opened the door. She didn't know if there was a window in the bathroom or not, and if so, she feared he'd climbed out of it. She certainly didn't expect to see Brian slumped in the corner on the floor, looking like he was five instead of fourteen.

  "Brian, are you okay?" asked Renee quietly.

  "Dinner was great and all, but I don't think my stomach's used to so much food in one day." He smiled but held his belly.

  Renee could tell he didn't feel very good. After the large breakfast and dinner, both of which he'd consumed too quickly, she could understand why his stomach hurt." Let me see if Emma has something to settle your stomach," she said as she rubbed Brian's arm and then walked back into the kitchen. Emma offered her a variety of teas, but she chose the peppermint. As the tea kettle was whistling, Brian appeared back in the kitchen and sat down.

  The two women exchanged concerned glances as Brian sipped his tea. After a few minutes, his face appeared less pale, and he seemed to relax some. He lifted his hand and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

  "Brian," spoke Emma when she took his empty mug to the sink. It's getting late. Would you like for me to show you your room? I bet you're exhausted."

  "That would be great, Emma, thank you." Brian stood up and hugged Renee goodnight, and then disappeared down the short hallway with Emma.

  After a minute, Emma came back out and sat on the couch, motioning for Renee to come join her from the kitchen.

  "Thank you for giving the bedroom to Brian. You read my mind," said Renee as she grinned and nodded her head in approval.

  "I figured a fourteen-year-old boy should have a little privacy, because you two might be staying here for a while, not that I'm complaining. I love having company." Emma smiled brightly.

  Renee hoped that Brian wouldn't get frightened and run. If he took off, she didn't know what she would do. Renee definitely had a fondness for him, but it was more than that. She knew he didn't belong out on the streets alone, and it wasn't his fault that he'd been dealt such a bad hand in life.

  "I want to ask you something," began Emma as her expression changed to a more serious one. "What's going on with the divorce and Robert?"

  "I need to get a job first. Divorces are expensive and I'm sure Robert will put up a fight. He's crazy. I'll start looking for an attorney tomorrow. Someone called me back regarding an application I filled out. I applied to a lot of places, so I wasn't sure which position they were contacting me about. Before I could get the information, my phone died," Renee replied, as she rolled her eyes.

  "Is it possible for us to go get your things?" It was obvious that she wanted to help.

  "He'd probably flatten me if I showed up, and there's no way he'd let a stranger in, especially someone he thought was on my side. I still need to call Carol, my friend. She's probably worried sick about me. But if I involve her any more than what she already is, she could get hurt." Renee felt guilty about leaving Carol in the dark, but knew she'd come looking for her, and possibly lead Robert to Emma's apartment.

  "Okay, I understand. If you need anything, let me know. But getting a divorce is paramount, Renee. I don't care what we have to do to get it done." Emma sounded determined, and looked almost angry.

  After the girls were done chatting, Emma helped Renee fix up the sofa sleeper, and then went to her room. Renee curled up under the covers, grateful for somewhere clean, soft and warm, to rest her body. Her mind, however, wouldn't shut off. She quietly got up, went down the hall, and cracked open Brian's door. She listened with relief when she heard his deep breaths of sleep. She didn't know what the next day would bring, or the day after. What she did know was that they couldn't stay in Emma's apartment forever. She'd do whatever it took to keep her and Brian together. Without someone who cared about the teen, he'd be on his own. Remembering his badly battered face made her even more adamant about giving him a better life.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Emma woke up at six the next morning. Normally she'd turn on the lights as she walked through her apartment, but after hearing Renee cough in her sleep, she remembered to stay quiet and keep the lights off. She went into the bathroom and got ready, making as little noise as possible. When Emma left, she was happy she hadn't woken anyone up. She doubted that Brian had slept in an actual bed, in a safe location, in a long time. She also knew that Renee hadn't been sheltered in a decent environment since she'd left Robert. Even though her friend had sought refuge in the kitchen at Montclair Park, it was hardly sufficient.

  Emma found herself feeling slightly paranoid as she pulled out of the parking lot. She knew Renee's husband Robert would go to any lengths to cause harm. Though she didn't think he'd figure out she had any connection to his wife, other than through the catering events, Emma had to be cautious. Robert had hired a cop to do his dirty work, so there was no telling how easy it would be to have Renee followed.

  When she walked into her office, she immediately saw the note from Tyler sitting on her desk. Normally, Emma would have jumped at the offer to go out with her boss, because they had such a great time when it was just the two of them. She had gotten pretty good at making him relax and laugh. But if Emma were to get in a lengthy conversation with Tyler now, she was sure he'd bring Renee up, and then she'd have to lie again. She instantly felt the tension creep into her neck.

  She jumped when she heard a tapping on her door.

  "Tyler! Good morning," Emma smiled, though she was sure he'd see right through it.

  "You up for lunch today? Is your schedule free?" Tyler handed her a
large cup of coffee, fixed with cream and sugar, just the way she liked it.

  "Oh my gosh, you made me coffee?" Emma was dumbfounded as she took the cup and sipped it.

  "It was the least I could do. Besides, there weren't any florists open when I got here at five. How are you today?"

  "I'm okay, just tired. I don't know about lunch though. I have to type up your monthly reports and work on the next event."

  "As your boss, I'm telling you to put it all off for a couple of hours and come for a nice lunch with me." Tyler raised his eyebrows and stared at her.

  Emma had difficulty meeting his gaze. She knew she'd have no choice but to go with him and hope for the best. "Okay, I'll go," she smiled.

  "Great. I'll pick you up at eleven thirty. Unless you'd rather have breakfast? In which case, we could leave now." Tyler looked at his watch then back up at Emma.

  She thought about her options and realized if she went to breakfast, she could play the tired card to avoid talking too much. "I am pretty hungry. Let's get breakfast." She picked her purse back up and made sure her desk was locked.

  Following Tyler outside, Emma looked at the sky and knew today would be gorgeous, which worried her greatly. She hadn't discussed with Renee the risks that would be involved if she decided to leave the apartment either alone, or with Brian in tow. Someone had already attacked the poor kid, and Robert had Renee in his crosshairs. Emma would have to find a way to contact her, but it wouldn't be easy. Renee didn't have a cell anymore, and Emma didn't have a phone in her apartment. She'd have to run over there on her lunch break. Until then, she'd worry.

  She climbed into Tyler's Mercedes and scoured the streets for Renee as they headed to a local restaurant, which was known for their great breakfast buffet, but Emma wasn't concentrating on food. Any other day, she'd be chatting away with Tyler as they drove along and people watched; now she was watching for an entirely different reason.