Color Me Smart

by Jen Talty

  “Hi, baby,” he said, immediately getting down to her level. “How are you?”

  Coralie shied away a little, grabbing ahold of Jackie’s arm and almost hiding her face behind it.

  “Remember me?” He pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen. He held up a picture of him and his daughter.

  Coralie reached for the phone and giggled.

  Jackie made a mental note that Coralie seemed to be more timid around men than woman. Not necessarily abnormal, just an observation. “How are you this morning?”

  He swiped at his face. “Better now.” He reached out and tapped on Coralie’s thigh. “Guess what Daddy brought?” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small pocketbook. “Grandma sent this. It’s pictures of our entire family that she had made into a baby book.”

  Quickly, Jackie glanced at it, noting that each page had an image or two with names. “That’s very sweet.”

  “That’s my mom.”

  “And what a great idea to help a child remember or get to know family.” Jackie knew what she was going to make for her niece as a gift for her first birthday, when it came around.

  As gracefully as she could, she rose and made her way to her desk. “I know this is awkward but try to pretend I’m not here.”

  “Okay,” he said as he stretched out on the floor, resting his head on his hand. He fiddled with a puzzle that Coralie had been playing with.

  Jackie sat in her leather chair and focused on paperwork while observing father and daughter. It was a refreshing sight to behold. Most fathers in this situation were uncomfortable and often looked to her for guidance on how to interact with their kids.

  Or they felt self-conscious with her in the room and it showed in the behavior.

  Alston was able to truly ignore her presence and enjoy his daughter to the fullest, right up to the point where she laid her head on his lap and fell fast asleep.

  “Well, at least the visit is almost over,” Jackie whispered, helping him put the sleeping child in the stroller.

  “I wouldn’t mind sitting and watching her sleep for hours if that meant I could be with her longer.”

  “Well, the good news is, I’ve got a nice schedule for you. The judge just sent it over this morning. I’ve sent it to yours and Kari’s attorneys while you and Coralie were playing.”

  “Can I ask what it looks like?”

  “Of course,” Jackie said, waving her hand at the sofa and chairs. She made herself comfortable on the couch. “You will have your daughter two nights a week and every Saturday. I have to tell you that you will need to tell me what you plan on doing and where you plan on going, and I can show up at any time.”

  His jaw slacked open. “Are you serious?”

  “Do you have a problem with that?”

  He shook his head, running his hand over his face. “God, no. Absolutely not. I mean, I’d like more, but it’s a start.”

  “One more thing. For now, I’ve recommended that I be the one to be the go-between. So I’ll pick up Coralie and bring her to you.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Is that normal?”

  “No. Not always.”

  “Then why?”

  “Because I think it’s best for all parties considered.” She glanced at her watch. “Unfortunately, Kari will be here in about ten minutes. I think it’s best if you leave now. I’ll be in touch tomorrow, okay?”

  He nodded. “I’m at your mercy.”

  She stood and stretched out her hand. “I wish you wouldn’t think that way.”

  “What the hell is he still doing here?” Kari’s voice bounced off the walls, startling Coralie who jolted from her nap.

  Alston bolted into action. He reached into the stroller and lifted a screaming Coralie into his arms. “Shhhhh, it’s okay,” he whispered, patting her back, and she immediately calmed down.

  “Give her to me,” Kari demanded.

  As gracefully as possible, Jackie stepped between Kari and Alston. “Kari, please, let’s not upset everyone.”

  “His visit is over. I want him away from my daughter.” Kari held up her phone. “Give her to me now, or I’ll call the police.”

  “There’s no reason for that.” Not only was there no logical explanation to bring in a third party, Jackie couldn’t understand why Kari would go to such a drastic measure for a non-issue. “We were just finishing up.”

  “I was about to leave.” Alston kissed Coralie. “Daddy loves you. Don’t you ever forget that.” He handed her to Jackie. “Thank you for today. I can see myself out.” He strolled right past Kari without even giving her a second glance.

  She, on the other hand, glared at him as if her eyes were machine guns waiting for someone to pull the trigger. “If something like this ever happens again, I’ll have you fired.” Kari snagged the stroller and stomped out of the office with Coralie waving frantically over her shoulder.

  “Well, that was weird,” Jackie mumbled. Nothing that happened today that warranted that kind of response. And Jackie hadn’t found anything in the short three-week fling that Coralie’s parents had that would warrant that kind of bitterness.

  Something else was going on here, and Jackie was determined to find out what.

  Alston found himself at the same bar, half hoping that he’d see Jackie, but he figured two nights in a row would be pushing it. He sat on the outside patio where he could eye the front door and enjoy the fresh outside air at the same time. A band on the water side played soft country rock. The music filtered through the restaurant, soothing his anger and frustration.

  He’d really liked Kari when he’d first met her. It hadn’t just been her looks that he’d been attracted to. She was smart and fun, and she made him laugh.

  Until she didn’t.

  The way she behaved at the good doctor’s office today actually frightened him, and it broke his heart that he had to let his daughter go home with Kari. He hated that he even thought for one second that a mother would hurt their own flesh and blood.

  But he knew all too well that not all parents were good people.

  He took out his cell and pulled up the reports the private investigator had sent over. He didn’t understand half of it, but he knew something didn’t add up. Frustrated, he slammed his phone down. It immediately vibrated.

  The doctor’s number flashed on the screen.

  His heart tightened, and the air in his lungs deflated. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Alston, this is Jackie Monroe.”

  “What can I do for you?” He took a sip of his bourbon on the rocks for a bit of courage.

  “I was hoping we could talk before your next scheduled visit. Do you have time tomorrow?”

  He glanced down the street and noticed a woman with long dark hair walking toward the bar. No way. That couldn’t be her, could it? He squinted, trying to get a better look. In the office, she wore her hair in a ponytail, but this lady had her hair down.

  But so did she last night.

  And she was wearing the same maroon sleeveless top with dark slacks.

  “Why not right now?”

  “I don’t make a habit of meeting parents after hours.”

  He stood and waved. “But you’re about to walk right past me.”

  She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “I guess I am.”

  “One drink. I ordered an appetizer, and I’ll probably order dinner.”

  “Where’s your father?”

  “He has a couple of old college buddies that live in the area that he’s having dinner with.” Alston sat back down. “Please, join me.” He held his breath until she took a step toward him.

  “All right. A girl’s got to eat. I hope whatever you ordered is greasy and fattening.”

  “I got the platter.”

  “Next time start with that, and I won’t think twice.” She tucked her phone in her purse and headed in his direction.

  Next time. That was interesting.

  He had to admit that from the moment he laid eyes on her, he
found her incredibly sexy. If she weren’t standing between him and his daughter, he’d certainly consider hitting on her. Of course, his lawyer suggested he stay away from women until this evaluation was over.

  Jackie was a woman, and one that was off limits, and he understood what that meant.

  “Thanks for the invite,” she said as she pulled out the chair and tossed her purse over the back. “But let’s not make a habit of this.”

  He tossed his hands to the side. “You called me.”

  “True,” she said with a smile. “And I’ll be honest, the things I wanted to talk about, I’m not sure they are dinner-friendly topics.”

  “My turn for frankness. I’d rather do it over a drink than in your office. I feel stifled and judged there. Not to mention it reminds me of a clash between my childhood and psych evals in the Army.”

  “Fair enough,” she said.

  The waitress came over with a platter filled with wings, cheese sticks, quesadillas, and a couple other fried tasty treats. Her stomach rolled and growled while her taste buds ignited. She took Jackie’s wine order and then left them to their heart attack delight, as his mother would have called it.

  “So, what do you want to ask me about?” He dug into the wings. They weren’t buffalo, but close enough.

  “Your birth parents.”

  He coughed on the blue cheese mixed with the hot sauce. “Are you always so blunt?”

  “No, but I figured you’re tired of everyone beating around the bush and giving you a bunch of doublespeak.”

  “Amen to that,” he said, wiping his fingers on the wet wipe. “Tell me what you know, and I’ll fill in the blanks.”

  “I’d rather hear your perspective of the story.”

  “You probably know more than I do on the subject, and I’ve avoided any tell-all books or documentaries about my biological parents.”

  “It’s one of those cases that has everyone in my profession scratching their heads.”

  “I was nine when it happened. My memories are fuzzy from back then.”

  “But it had to have affected you.”

  “Of course it did,” he said, trying not to laugh. It wasn’t funny. Not even close, but everyone acted as if they were so shocked when they found out his parents were into cocaine and swinging. “But to me they were just my folks. My biological mom tucked me in every night like every other mother. My biological dad coached my soccer team, which by the way, half the parents were also swingers.”

  “And how do you know this if you’ve avoided anything about your parents?”

  “I’d prefer the term biological because while they took care of me for the first nine years of my life, they never loved me half as much as the man and woman who adopted me when I might as well have been emancipated.”

  “How about if I call them by their names, Ben and Phoebe.”

  “Works for me and I’ll join in using their names,” he said. “Thing is, when the police came with the social worker to take me into custody, I had no idea what was happening. When I was told Ben and Phoebe were dead, I reacted like any normal kid would. I cried like a baby. I didn’t know about their lifestyle. I mean, I did, but I didn’t understand what that all meant. Ben’s cousin took me in. He lived in the same area, which proved to be a bad idea for me. As the details of their murder-suicide during a swinging party got out, kids started picking on me, and their parents wouldn’t let any of them be near me. So, I ran away. I kept running until finally I wound up in the system.”

  “I read that,” she said. “I’d be angry too if I were you.”

  “I wore that anger for a long time like a badge of some kind. I used it to keep people at a distance, until my parents came into my life. They didn’t let me push them away. They were the first people who weren’t afraid of me, nor did they put up with my shit, and that was kind of different.” It had been a long time since he’d told that story. His insides trembled, but he was grateful that he’d been able to keep his voice level and monotone. Perhaps that made him sound cold, but he was nine when his biological parents had gone on their murderous rampage before turning their weapons on each other.

  “I want you to know that I asked for your past psych evals from the military and from when you were in foster care.”

  “You won’t get much out of the military.”

  She laughed. “I’ve already learned that.”

  He arched a brow. “So, you’ve already received that information.”

  She nodded before taking a small sip of her white wine. She held the glass by the stem with her pinky sticking out.

  Normally, he’d think that made a woman a snob, but not Jackie. She had class, yet she was down-to-earth.

  “One shrink…” He closed his eyes for a second. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude about your profession.”

  She waved her hand. “My own father calls me that, so don’t sweat it. Please go on.” She shoved a fried cheese stick in her mouth.

  “Anyway, one psychiatrist or maybe she was a psychologist, told me that I used the anger to avoid feeling pain, which I always thought was hilarious, and I told her so. She didn’t think it was too funny.”

  “What did you find amusing about it?”

  “Because I felt the pain of losing what I thought were parents. What she failed to understand, and I let her know, was that not only did I have to grieve the death of who I thought my parents were, but I had to deal with the very real fact they weren’t the people I thought they were, hence the anger. Then I stood up and told her she should be paying me for doing her job.”

  Jackie covered her mouth and burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, but that really is funny. Though I suppose I wouldn’t take too kindly to an adolescent telling me that. But it’s very insightful on some levels.”

  “I just wanted to move on with my life, but everyone wanted me to keep talking about it, until I met my mom and dad. They didn’t care about the past; they only cared about me and my future.”

  “That must have been a novelty for you.”

  He nodded. “And that’s why this is so damn hard. I’m forty, not nine. I’ve lived a decent life. I’m a good person. I’m not my biology, and while some of my superiors might call me a hothead, they will all tell you I’m not reckless. I never put my men in unnecessary danger. Actually, half of the time I’ve disobeyed a direct order was because I feared it would end up killing one of my men.”

  “I did read that about you. Just about everyone said they were sad to see you leave active duty. It’s why I pushed for home and unsupervised visits so quickly.”

  He downed the last of his drink. The band announced their break, so the restaurant filled with more chatter. “I was advised by my attorney to never say a bad thing about Kari, and honestly, I don’t know her well enough to have much of an opinion.”

  “Do you have something you want to say to me?”

  He tapped the screen on his phone. “Have you visited Kari at her home?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you.”

  He tapped his phone. “I never had any intention of filing for anything but joint custody. I wouldn’t want to take any child from a good home. But after she chose not to give me visitation even before I gave up my career, I hired a private investigator who uncovered some disturbing things, but I don’t really understand what they mean.”

  Jackie held up her hand. “I’m not sure I should be looking at this.”

  “And if I brought it to you in your office? Or if I had my lawyer bring it? Which is honestly what I was going to do first thing in the morning, but since you’re sitting here.” He turned his phone and set it in front of her. “She has taken my daughter to four different urgent care facilities in the last month. And twice to the ER, but two different ones.”

  Jackie scrunched her forehead. She took the phone in her hands and scrolled.

  Silence overcame them for the next five minutes while she read the reports. Nervously, he picked at what little food was left. He was tem
pted to order another drink but decided it was best if he kept his alcohol consumption to a minimum.

  “Would you mind having your attorney send that to me?” she asked.

  “I’ll send it directly to you.”

  She shook her head. “No. It’s best if it comes from Carol.”

  “So, you agree something isn’t right.”

  “I think it’s best if we table this discussion until I’ve had a chance to look at those more closely and do some digging.” She handed him the phone. “Make sure I get it first thing in the morning.”

  His heart tightened. “You’re scaring me, and that’s a hard thing to do.”

  She raised her glass and polished off the rest of her wine. “I don’t mean to, but those reports are alarming.” Her eyes grew wide. “Oh shit.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s my ex-boyfriend, and he’s heading right for us.”

  5

  The last thing Jackie needed right now was Edwin. Maybe he wouldn’t bother approaching her, but she knew that would be too much to ask.

  “Jackie, fancy seeing you here,” Edwin said, standing in front of the table with his hands in his pockets and a huge smile on his face. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”

  “I’m in the middle of something,” she said.

  “We need to talk.” Edwin had the nerve to pull up a chair.

  “Um, I’m sorry,” Alston said. “We’re kind of busy here, if you don’t mind.”

  “Actually, I do mind. Jackie and I have a lot of unfinished business.” Edwin folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t know who you are, but Jackie and I have a long history.”

  Alston stretched out his arm. “I’m Alston. Jackie’s date. So, now you know who I am, and you can leave.”

  Christ. Chest pounding. Wonderful.

  “A date? That’s funny. Jackie isn’t dating, and if she were, she’d be back with me, where she belongs.”

  “Edwin, just leave. I told you we’re done, and I meant it.”

  “I have some things to tell you that might change your mind.” Edwin reached across the table and took her hand.