6. Sparrow
There’s not a single part of me that wants to do this, but I know it needs to be done. I won’t know how much I’ll divulge until we start talking, but I do know that King deserves an explanation.
But does he?
“Before I get started, can someone let Ace and River in?” Cam gives me a funny look, so I explain, “I saw them out in the yard when I checked on Telle.”
King stomps over to the door, swinging it open. “What part of stay home did you assholes not understand?” Ace and River walk in, their faces flushed with shame.
Once everyone is seated, King speaks up first, “What happened?” He reaches out and lightly grazes my cheek, making me jerk back.
“Let’s see. The boy who I thought loved me, left. He and his brothers, who I thought of as family, all changed their numbers. I found out I was pregnant two months after you left. When I was six months pregnant, I found out that it was actually twins. Loch had been hiding behind Telle at my previous ultrasounds.” I pause to let that information sink in, while two of the Bluff brothers hang their heads. But not King; King is maintaining eye contact with me.
Taking a breath, I continue, “I overheard Pete and my mom talking one night. Pete said that he had a buyer for the baby, and it was going to be a huge payday. They weren’t aware that there were two babies. I left that night as soon as they passed out.”
King’s face reddens, but he hasn’t heard anything yet. “I lived in my car, thanks for that by the way, until the babies were born. Then we lived in a women’s shelter, until I was jumped for their formula. Then we were back to living in the car. The backseat isn’t very roomy, but I made it work.”
Am I purposely being bitchy? Absolutely yes. I don’t know if King thought he was going to be getting the same Sparrow. Sorry buddy, that person is dead.
“You lived in your car with two babies?” This question comes from King’s dad.
“Yes. We lived in the car for six months until I got into low-income housing. Even then I didn’t sleep, my neighbor was a drug dealer, and people were coming in and out, the walls were paper thin.”
I look over at Skye, and she takes over. “And that’s when I met Sparrow at the coffee shop we both worked at. We got a three-bedroom apartment, and lived together…”
And this is the part I have to tell. “When the kids were five, I started dating a man. A cop. I thought everything was going well, until one night I was at his house, and he hit me. I broke it off, but he kept showing up. I tried to get a restraining order, but the precinct kept telling me that the order was lost, so I had to fill it out again.”
Sensing that I need a break, Skye takes over for me again. “I had come up here with Cam to visit. Telle called me, hysterical. Screaming that his mom was hurt, that he needed me. I hopped on a plane three hours later.”
I get up and start pacing. “He broke in and stabbed me twenty-three times. I should have died; I was in the hospital for almost three months. He was arrested, but I think he’s out. And that’s why we're here.”
King quietly stands up and walks outside, slamming the door behind him. Looking at King’s brothers, the ones I considered my brothers, but now they are strangers, their faces have lost all color due to the details of the last eight years.
I’m sure they had the basic necessities without needing to beg or steal for them.
Ace slowly stands up and walks towards me, stopping a few feet away. “Fuck, Sparrow. I’m so fucking sorry. You're a little badass.” I wish I could say that I get a warm, fuzzy feeling at the compliment, but it just pisses me off.
“I had to be. I didn’t have anyone until Skye,” I say with a shrug of my shoulder, like it wasn’t the hardest eight years of my life.
“Mom, I want to leave. You said Canada’s close, we can go to Canada. No one will find us there.” King walks back in before I can respond to my son about leaving the country.
“I want a name,” he growls out.
Rolling my eyes, I direct my attention to the man standing in front of me. “Well, gee. There has been a lot of shit over the years that I wanted. But life just doesn’t work like that, Kingston!”
“Bird…” King slowly warns.
“She doesn’t like that stupid nickname,” Telle informs his dad.
“Oh. My. God.” Ace doubles over, hysterically laughing. “I fucking love this kid!” I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop my laughter. Telle is never rude to adults, and I will eventually have a talk with him regarding how he spoke to an adult today, regardless of the situation he will have manners.
That somewhat breaks the tension, but King is still glaring at me. For all the ways that I have changed, King has changed more. He was always tall, but he hit a growth spurt after he left me. The man easily stands at six foot four, if not taller. I’m choosing to ignore the sparrow tattooed across his throat and the word bird tattooed across his fingers.
I may think about trusting King with my kids, but I will never trust him with my heart again.
“Thank you for breakfast, but I think that’s enough for today.” Everyone but Skye and King make their way to the door. I should have known that King wouldn’t leave easily.
Turning towards Skye, I say, “Hey, can we come over later so I can use your internet? I have a couple things I need to take care of for work.”
“You know you don’t have to ask. I’m going to the store and then I’ll be home. You guys can stay for dinner.” After a quick hug, Skye leaves, but I notice Cam is still at the door.
King stares at me and Telle, but Loch comes into the room, catching his attention. Loch thrusts a piece of paper into King’s hands. “Here. Just in case you forgot what it looks like.” Peering down at the paper, I can’t hold in my laughter. Ace walks back inside, grabbing the paper.
“Holy shit! Savage kids, I like it.” Ace laughs out.
My daughter drew her dad a picture. Cute, right? Well, my sweet, but savage daughter, drew the car King left for me all those years ago. I have to hand it to her; it’s her best work.
King’s face has lost all color as he takes the paper back from Ace. “I’ll be back tomorrow with breakfast.” With one last stare, he turns and leaves.
At first, I dreamed of finding King. I imagined he’d come to his senses, we’d settle into a cozy little house, and watch our kids grow up together. Every night, I prayed he’d find me. But now that he has, the anger from the past eight years is starting to take over.
Once the kids and I are alone, they waste no time asking me question after question.
“Are we staying?”
“Am I safe?”
“Do I need to like King?”
I reluctantly answered yes to those questions. Deep down past my anger at King, that I don’t even know how warranted it is, I know he will be a good dad to Loch and Telle. And if anything should happen to me, he will protect them.
But I need to remember to not get mesmerized by Kingston Bluff, which is not going to be easy. The years have been too kind to the man. How is it that men just get better with age?