Chapter 3 #2
“Not at all. It’s only fair after the one I just asked.”
“Did you ever try to report your foster parents? I only ask because it sounds like you never got the chance to be a kid, with all the responsibility they heaped on you from an early age.”
“Yes,” she says. “I reported it a couple of times. CPS investigated and said everything was fine.”
Her hands ball into fists in her lap. I can tell she’s getting anxious remembering what happened.
“After each report, there were consequences for making up lies and wasting people’s time,” she continues.
“I was grounded, not allowed to go to the library, and had food restrictions. Their anger even spilled over onto the younger kids. They stopped getting things they needed. They made sure I understood that it was because I made false allegations.”
Feeling anger rise in my mind, I ask, “Only, they weren’t false, right?”
“No, but after the second report, I stopped trying to talk about it,” she says. “Complaining never changed anything for the better. Also, I knew that in terms of foster placements it could have been a lot worse. At least they didn’t beat me or physically abuse me.”
Her words are so matter of fact that I know she’s telling the truth.
I hate that she put up with that shit, but I guess I understand. I force myself to respond calmly. “I suppose that makes sense. I just hate that no one stepped up for you.”
She nods. “Me too. You don’t look particularly surprised.”
“Foster care can be really good for some kind and hell for others,” I answer. “It all depends on what kind of foster care parents are involved.”
Rick’s voice cuts through the moment, calling for her from the doorway. She jumps to her feet and runs to the front door, leaving me sitting there dealing with my conflicting emotions.
Natalie might be young, but she’s a strong person to have endured that foster care home.
Rick’s demand that she be off-limits was easier when she was just his sister.
It’s more complicated now that she’s a person I understand and respect.
I bury those feelings deep as I come to my feet.
Rick deserves something good and pure in his life.
And she deserves the security of having a big brother in her life.
I can give both by keeping an emotional distance from her, just like I promised.
“My arms are heavy with the best burgers in town,” he announces, kicking the door shut with his heel. “Come get ‘em while they’re hot.”
I can hear the warmth in their voices as they banter back and forth. Rather than only knowing each other for an afternoon, it’s as though they’ve known each other all their lives.
“You got a cake!” she exclaims.
“I figure we need to celebrate my baby sister,” Rick responds happily. “It’s white with a strawberry filling that I think you’re gonna love.”
“I’m sure I will, it looks delicious.”
I quickly move to the kitchen and take out plates and flatware. I’m just going to help them have a nice lunch and eat all the burgers my friend brought for me. With any luck, keeping my hands and mouth busy will somehow quiet my internal thoughts as well.
Natalie lights up with bright, unguarded happiness. She beams at him with genuine adoration when her eyes lift from the cake to Rick. “Thank you, Rick. You’re going to be the best brother ever. I can already tell that much from just spending a few hours together.”
Her nice compliment hits my friend square in the chest. A certain proudness shows as he walks into the kitchen.
“The strawberry filling is made with real fruit,” he says, jerking his chin towards the box. “With buttercream icing. The lady at the bakery said it was their most popular cake.”
Her hands come up to her mouth. “You didn’t have to go to that kind of trouble just for me.”
“I absolutely did,” he cuts in. “Sit, both of you. I’ll handle this.”
As I watch Rick move around the kitchen, dishing out our food onto plates and getting our drinks set up, I realize that my anxious, jittery friend is nowhere to be found. In his place is a prospect who’s moving around our shared space, surefooted and certain of his place.
For the first time ever, there is unhindered happiness and the sound of feminine laughter in our house. I might be totally mistaken, but this feels very much like a home, rather than just a landing pad. It feels like we’re living, instead of just existing.
We eat in the kitchen, with the small table piled high with food. We eat our burgers while still partially wrapped in paper and the fries dumped straight onto plates.
Natalie takes her first bite of her burger and lets out a soft sound of approval.
“Oh wow. This is really good.”
“Told you,” Rick says proudly. “Rialto Ribs is the best place in town to get a burger.”
She chews, glancing between us. “So, do you two always eat like this?”
I shrug. “Pretty much.”
“We’re men of habit,” Rick adds, “who enjoy simple pleasures.”
She smiles at that, clearly liking his honesty. “I like everything about Las Salinas so far, especially the two of you.”
She likes me too. I must admit that her words are easy on the ears and the ego.
I keep my eyes on my food, reminding myself of the boundaries Rick laid down earlier.
His sister is off limits, and no exceptions will be made.
Especially not for hefty ass fuckers like me who could accidentally crush her without meaning to.
When we finish with the burgers, Rick clears his throat. “Alright. Now is the moment we’ve really been waiting for. The best damn cake this side of the Grand Canyon.”
He opens the bakery box and pulls the cake out. It has pink frosting, white piping, and strawberries glistening on top.
When Natalie freezes, Rick murmurs, “You’re supposed to make a wish,” grabbing three forks. “Even if it’s just a small one.”
“It’s not my birthday,” she says.
“I’ve missed all your birthdays, so I gotta make up for it,” he says as he lights the single candle he must have grabbed on impulse and sticks it into the frosting.
She hesitates. “I don’t really know what to wish for.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I say quietly. “Just think it. You don’t have to say it out loud.”
That seems to help. She nods, closes her eyes for a brief second, then opens them again. “Whenever you’re ready.”
She blows it out in one soft breath.
We eat cake straight out of the box, all leaning forward around it. We get frosting on our mouths and crumbs on the table, but Natalie just laughs when Rick gets a smear of pink on his nose and doesn’t notice until she points it out.
It’s shockingly easy to like this woman. Right in the middle of having the best time of our lives, Natalie’s phone pings.
It’s a small sound, barely noticeable, but I see the change in her expression the second she reads the message. Her smile falters and her shoulders tense up a bit.
Rick notices too. “Is everything okay?”
She looks down at the screen one more time, her brows knitting. “Yeah. I mean, probably.”
“You sure?” he presses, gentler now.
She swipes the screen dark and sets the phone face down on the counter. “It’s nothing. Just my foster father wondering where I am.”
“You didn’t tell them you were leaving?” Rick asks.
I don’t miss the way her fingers curl around the phone, or how she hesitates to let go of it for an extra second. Or how she suddenly won’t meet either of our eyes.
Rick exchanges a glance with me. He doesn’t push, but I can tell it’s eating at him.
“We’ve gotta head out soon anyway,” he says after a beat. “Bear and I have work to do at the clubhouse.”
Her head snaps up. “Oh. Right. I forgot you were supposed to be working today.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Rick tells her. “You showing up today was more than a pleasant surprise. It falls in the category of life changing in the best way.”
That earns him a broad smile. “Thank you, Rick,” she says again.
Rick checks his watch. “No need to keep thanking me. I should be the one thanking you for tracking me down. Can’t believe I actually have a sister.”
He adds, “Make yourself at home, chill out, nibble on cake, and give us three or four hours. Will that be okay?”
She nods quickly. “Of course. I’ll probably unpack my bag and take a nap.”
“Power naps are supposed to be healthy. You’ve got my number,” Rick says. “If you need anything or something unusual pops off, call me.”
“I will,” she says softly.
I follow Rick outside and he’s smiling and happier than I’ve ever seen him. I can’t blame him. Finding his long lost sister is by far the best thing that’s ever happened to him.