by Kathryn Shay
Instantly infuriated, Seth bolted up. “Moral character? Do you mean because he’s gay and openly admitted it to the interviewer?”
“His parents think that, Mr. Casella.”
Seth looked at the hearing officer. “Those two people kicked Johnny out their house when he was sixteen. He lived in a group home for a year, then his grandmother found out he didn’t run away, as she’d been told. He’s lived with her ever since. I contend that John’s parents are of poor moral character because they did such harm to a vulnerable, underage child. Not Mr. Cordello, who took care of his grandmother before and after hip surgery and showered two children with love and attention.”
Anderson sighed. “I have more objections.”
Ms. Lucas listened quietly to the complaint that Johnny had to work some nights and that even then, his income didn’t reach the level required.
“That’s misleading and you know it, Mr. Anderson. His grandmother has a teacher pension and social security. The household income meets the criteria.”
Anderson shrugged. “The report only states Mr. Cordello’s income.”
Ms. Lucas closed the folder. “All right, I’ve heard enough. I need to talk to the children. Would you please leave the room?”
Anderson strode out first.
Seth spoke to Johnny briefly, gathered his things and he and Johnny were heading out the door when they heard behind them, “Johnny! Johnny!”
John turned in time to catch two bundles of energy who’d come in a different door and threw themselves into his arms. Each kissed him all over his face. He hugged them and his eyes closed to savor the affection.
“Are they going to let us live with you?” Marcy asked.
“We want to, Johnny, really bad.” Juan’s voice was pleading.
Ms. Lucas approached them. “Why don’t you two come and tell me why you want to live with Mr. Cordello and his grandmother?”
They hugged Johnny one last time and went to sit in chairs the officer had pulled up to her table.
Johnny swallowed hard and moisture filled his eyes. They got outside the room, and Seth circled the boy with his arm. “We’re gonna win, Johnny, I feel it.”
“When will we know?”
“I don’t think today. Probably this week.”
“Hell, more waiting.”
“It’ll be worth it.”
“I hope so.”
* * *
Later that week, Julianne waited in her studio for Maddie Rogers to arrive for her lesson. Her sister had come for three days while Julianne stayed home with her injured shoulder, and they’d spent the time talking till one in the morning, eating big meals, and making popcorn for watching movies. Though Liliana was angry at Seth for how he’d treated Julianne, she gave Julianne the leeway to follow her heart. They even had dinner with him once. Thankfully, her shoulder didn’t ache anymore, and she’d been freed from the sling and she could come back to work when her sister went back to D.C.
Now, at six, there was a knock on the door. Expecting Maddie Rogers, she peeked through the window, then opened the door. “Logan, hello.” She glanced past him to the car. “Where’s Maddie?”
“She didn’t come with me.” He cleared his throat. “I need to talk to you alone.” He started inside and she backed up. He shut the door.
Primal fear kicked in. She was alone with a man who she knew peripherally, and something didn’t feel right. “Um, I’m sorry. I left a message I canceled my lesson with Maddie.”
“You just asked for her.”
“I-I thought maybe you didn’t get the voicemail.” Slowly she reached in her pocket for her phone. “I’ll show you.” Could he tell that was a lie?
“Is something wrong?” His brow furrowed and he seemed puzzled. “You’re acting, I don’t know, afraid of me.”
She pressed 9-1—
A big, strong male hand reached out and gripped hers. “Julianne, I’m not here to hurt you. I came to apologize. And to tell you Maddie won’t be taking any more lessons.”
“Please let go of me.”
“All right.” He held up his arms and backed away.
When he did, she indicated the phone. “I’ll call the police if you try to hurt me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you. I only wanted to scare you.”
“Scare me? Now?”
“No, Julianne, when I keyed your car. I wanted to scare you so you’d close your studio, at least temporarily, and I wouldn’t have to pay for Maddie’s lessons. And maybe she’d forget about Julliard if you weren’t in her life.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I lost my job four months ago and have run though my savings.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t tell my own daughter what happened. I couldn’t bear for her to think less of me. I don’t have much else in my life.”
“Why are you telling me this? Surely, if I know what you did, the plan won’t work.”
“I woke up at three almost every morning since I did it. I hated myself for my stupid actions. Then Maddie told me she’d read in the paper about the break-in at your house earlier in the month. She was afraid to tell me, because she thought I wouldn’t let her come here.”
“This is so convoluted, Logan.”
“The tangled web stuff, you know. Shakespeare.”
“I guess I’m not in any danger from you.” She clicked off her phone. “And I’m sorry you lost your job.”
His face brightened. “I had three interviews today. I hope one of them comes through.” He shrugged. “Unless you press charges. Which you’re entitled to.”
“No, no charges. And I hope you get one of those jobs. Meanwhile, I can affect one thing in your life. Let’s talk.”
* * *
“So, Seth, let’s pick up where we left off.” This was his third visit with Christina Bell. By now, he discovered he liked her sharp questioning and how she didn’t let him get away with evasion. But the sessions were grueling.
“Right up to your teen years, you were well-liked. The good guy. But that’s when your cheating started. Do you know what you were feeling when it first happened?”
He thought back. “I’m not sure. I know I loved Julianne.”
“But?”
“Does cheating on her mean I didn’t love her?”
“Not in my opinion. People in love hurt each other. But it seems so uncharacteristic of the picture of the young man you’ve created for me.”
“Yeah, I don’t understand it either.”
“Tell me about the first time. What were you feeling?”
He described how he went to get the car, excited about maybe having sex with Julianne. He bumped into Sandy, and she came on to him. He’d been…blown away by the adrenaline rush and the sexuality.
“Julianne was so hurt when she found us.”
“What did you do?”
“I took her home. And went to the party at the lake Sandy told me about. We, um, did it there.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let’s go forward some. Tell me about when you were in college. Were you an all-around nice guy then, too?”
“Yeah, I guess. Well, I think I am a nice guy.”
“And yet you cheated with whom?”
“My professor’s assistant.”
“And when you were in law school?”
“A classmate and I had an affair.”
“Hmm. So, all your life, you’ve been a nice guy, yet all your life, you cheated after Julianne took you back.”
“I did.”
“And you still considered that being a nice guy?”
“Not anymore.”
“What do you think that means, Seth?”
“Hell, I don’t know.” And he still didn’t when the hour was up. He left Christina’s office dispirited. But his phone rang, and when he saw the ID, his heartbeat escalated.
“Seth Casella.”
“Mr. Casella, this is Gretchen Lucas from OCFS. We’d like you and
John Cordello to come in today, if possible. Could you meet at four?”
“I’ll clear my schedule. I’ll call Johnny and get back to you.”
He was on edge all day. Because of that call? Or the negative things he was feeling about himself.
When he and Johnny were shown into the same hearing room, and Tom Anderson was not present, Ms. Lucas stood. “Hello. Come sit at my table.”
When they did, she said, “I’ll get right to the point. I’m deciding in your favor, John. With conditions.”
The kid swallowed hard. “A-anything.”
Ms. Lucas smiled. “You’ll have to take the Foster Parent training course the OCFS offers. You have no parental experience, even though your grandmother has. I liked her, by the way.”
They knew Ms. Lucas had visited Dorothy.
“How long does that take?”
“Five weeks. It covers what services are available to foster parents, finding your own strengths and needs, developing skills to deal with troubled children, learning about the stages of child development and managing behavior of the children in your care.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it, but I practically lived with these kids for two years. And, ma’am, I’m worried about them bein’ in the Craigs’ home.”
“I am, too. I’m releasing them to you while you take the training.”
Johnny’s eyes filled. “Really?”
“Really. But social workers will visit twice a week and meet separately with the children, too.” She studied him. “John, my guess is, after a certain length of time, you might even be able to adopt them legally.”
Tears fell down his cheeks and he swiped at them. Since he was so overcome, Seth asked, “When will this take place?”
In answer, Ms. Lucas got up and went to the far door. Opened it. And out ran Marcella and Juan Torres. Once again into Johnny’s arms.
Seth watched them and sighed happily.
* * *
“He what?”
Julianne walked a few more steps before she realized Seth had stopped. She faced him. “Logan Rogers lost his job. Out of desperation, he keyed my car in the belief I’d get scared and close my studio and he wouldn’t have to explain the shortage of funds to his daughter.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I know. He knows it, too.”
She could tell Seth wanted to say something. Probably how to fix this. But he stayed silent until he finally asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I called Anabelle and told her what happened and that I wouldn’t press charges.”
“The police still can.”
“Why would they? The punishment is a fine. And he can’t pay it.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Anabelle said she’d have a talk with him, then let the whole thing go. They’ve done that before with vandalism cases.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He smiled. “I have good news today, too. Johnny got the kids. He has to take a five-week course in parenting. But the best parts are he gets them in the meantime and the officer said he might be able to adopt them eventually.”
She threw her arms around him. “Oh, Seth, I’m so glad.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
She drew back. He didn’t sound happy. They started walking again. The end of September was still warm and they tried to take a walk every evening. “You saw Christina today, right?”
“’Fraid so. She dug deep. We had a two-hour session and it…hurt, I guess.”
“That happens in therapy.”
He waited a long time before he continued. “She concentrated on me being a good guy to everyone but you.”
“I always wondered how the cheating fit in with the boy and man I knew you were, down deep. You tried so hard to be kind and generous to everyone. Help them out.”
“She compared it to kids being angels at school, then coming home, dumping their backpacks and coats on the floor and snapping at their parents.”
“They can let down at home. Be their weak selves, so to speak.” She watched him. “I guess you didn’t have to be your best with me.”
“Yeah, that’s the conclusion I came to.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I made another appointment, of course. She thinks I need to figure out ways to not have to be so perfect, to show my real feelings more, not to have to save everybody. Maybe then I won’t need you to be my…release valve, I guess. God that sounds awful.”
Her smile came easily. “I think that’ll help.” They stopped at a playground and sat down on the bench. She fished in her shirt and got out the necklace she wore. After slipping it off, she handed the ring to him.
His face paled. “You’re breaking up with me? Because of what I learned about myself?”
“No, silly. You can put this on my hand, now.”
“I’m not all better, Jules.”
“No, but you have a plan. You’ll learn to cope with this flaw.”
“I will, honey, I promise.” With that, he took the ring and slid it on her finger.
Epilogue
* * *
The following Sunday, Seth led Julianne by the hand in through the garage for a family dinner. They’d told Ali, Rafe and Mama that the two of them were together. Gideon already knew. “Looking forward to this?”
“I used to love these dinners.” She held up the cloth bag with pies she’d made. “I’m happy she let me bring dessert.”
“I heard you badger her on the phone.”
She socked him in the arm. He was delighted that they could tease each other some. That they’d become more comfortable together now that everything was out in the open. “They don’t know about the engagement. Can we tell them today?”
“Yep. It’ll go well.”
“How do you know that?”
Her eyes got mischievous. “I just know.”
They went in through the kitchen. “Are we late?” he asked when he saw that his siblings were here as well as Finn, Hayley and Paul gathered around.
“No,” Ali put in. “We got here early.”
After the group embraced or gave fist bumps, Gideon went into the kitchen. “Anybody want a bloody Mary?”
Seth crossed to him. “Sure.”
Jules passed.
“How come?” he asked.
“I don’t feel like anything yet.” She reached to the table. “Hmm, I love crispats.” The tasty fried Italian dough that melted with sweetness in her mouth when she bit into it.
Kate grinned. “Me, too. I’m on my third.”
Julianne reached over and patted her belly. She looked adorable in a denim jumpsuit that accented her baby bump. “Seven months, now, huh?”
“Yep, and she’s still growing. No fragile princess here.”
Rafe said, “She can still be a princess.”
“Or a firefighter,” Seth added.
“No!” The two firefighters spoke in unison.
Carmella approached the breakfast table. From where she stood at the entrance to the living room, Julianne said to Seth, “Let’s get this over with.” She held up her hand.
A stunned silence.
Seth frowned. “What the hell?”
“It’s so soon,” Rafe said.
Gideon added, “You in a hurry little brother?”
“To get married? Yeah. I’ve been waiting fifteen years.” He scanned his family. “Never mind. I don’t want to hear anybody’s opinion.”
Hayley stepped forward. “Our turn. We’re tying the knot next month.”
Congratulations all around.
“Now that pisses me off.” Seth again. “How come we didn’t get the same enthusiasm?”
Ali stood. “You’re right. Congrats, Jules and Seth.” She held up a glass.
Hayley put up her hand. “Wait a sec. I’m not done with announcements. We—”
“Oh! Don’t say anymore.” Julianne grabbed Hayley’s arm. “Come into the hallway with me.”
Confused, Hayley let Julianne drag her into the mud room.
&
nbsp; “What’s that all about?” Rafe asked.
“Hell if I know.” Seth turned to her fiancé. “Paul?”
“No idea.”
The two women came back, holding hands. Hayley grinned broadly. “So, we’re both getting married.”
“Yeah, that’s what you said.” Rafe sounded impatient.
Hayley smiled. “And I’m pregnant.”
Julianne’s eyes locked with Seth’s. “I am, too.”
“What?” Seth dropped his bloody Mary. Luckily it was in a red plastic cup. He walked over to her. “You are?”
“Yep.” She put her hand on her belly. “I can’t be more than a few weeks.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and sputtered. His family laughed.
Paul asked, “Did you know about us?”
“Nope, but I got an intuition when Hayley said she had something else to share.” Julianne turned to Seth’s cousin. “When are you due?”
“I’m a month along.”
With Seth’s mouth still gaping, Julianne scanned the family. Her family. “Looks like we’re in store for three little Casella Cousins.”
Hayley grabbed Seth’s hands. “And ours will be born close just like the three of us.”
He nodded.
Hayley nodded.
Even Finn nodded—with a grin.
Then the whole family started to talk at once.
When he could, Seth pulled Julianne aside. “I’m awed. And happy.” He brushed a hand down her hair. “But I have to ask you one thing. Is that why you put the ring on your finger Friday?”
“No, of course not. I only found out last night when I did the test. Believe me, Seth Casella, I want to marry you.” She kissed his mouth. “I always have.”
“All right. I’ll believe you, love. And boy do I want to marry you.” He caressed her stomach. “And this little one.”
His voice caught on the last words. And just like Johnny had on Friday, his eyes filled and tears fell down his face.
* * * * *
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