13. Nat
Nat
I listen as Cassidy tells us about everything the girls have been dealing with at summer camp with barely contained rage.
Nobody has ignited the level of hate I feel right now since before my grandfather died. I’ve never wished ill of anyone other than him either.
But with every word I hear, I want to hunt down Mrs. Bertram and run her over like Chase suggested.
The woman has no place being in charge of so many young minds. Her ideas are antiquated and damaging and when I think about the hormonal teenagers in her care, I can’t imagine the harm she’s done over the years.
Who in their right mind suggests no one talk to two girls whose parents have just died?
I’m on the verge of calling the police when the doorbell rings. I push to my feet. “That will be dinner.”
I need a few minutes to get myself under control. I don’t want either of the girls thinking my anger is aimed at them. They don’t need to deal with my emotions when they’ve got plenty of their own.
The Hawkins siblings continue to talk as I walk away. I know I can’t be involved in everything even if I want to be. I’ve put my hand up to help Chase with his sisters but who am I really?
A woman with a plan to put their brother on the ice for the benefit of her team.
That’s what me being here boils down to.
Except I’d be lying if I said I’m not invested in this family beyond my role as the Rogues’ GM.
I’m going to have to tread carefully for all our sakes. The Hawkins family have suffered enough. I’d hate to add to their situation in a negative way.
My marriage of convenience suggestion might be sound, but is it the best way to give the girls the stability Chase is looking for?
Can we do it another way?
Can I adopt Candace? The twins?
I’d be a single mother, but their brother would be their primary carer. I’d be their…what? What would that make me?
In the eyes of the law I’d be their mother, their guardian. Would Chase remain a guardian too?
I’m so stuck in my thoughts it takes me a minute to realize the person on the doorstep doesn’t have our dinner.
“Hello.” I force a smile. “Can I help you?”
“Yes. I’m Deanne. Melody’s mom.”
The woman’s words shed no light on why she’s standing at the door.
“Mel goes to school with the twins. I was friends with Sienna.”
“Oh. Did you want to come in?” I look past her to see if Melody is with her.
“If I can. I’d like to speak with Chase about something.”
“We’re waiting for dinner, and the girls had a rough day?—”
“I know. That’s why I want to talk to Chase.”
She eyes me as she enters the house and I realize I failed to introduce myself. “I’m Nat. Friend of Chase’s.”
“Nice to meet you.” She offers her hand. “But I have to admit to knowing who you are. I’m a hockey fan. I’m looking forward to watching the Rogues play this upcoming season.”
“Ah, right. Well, I’m not here to?—”
“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone I saw you here. But I have to say, if you’re courting Chase for the team, you can’t find a better goalie. The boy is a genius in the net.”
I smile. “I agree.”
Deanne sobers. “So, the reason I’m here.”
“Right, yes, let me get Chase.”
“I’d like to talk to him without Cassidy or Crystal hearing what I say.”
“Is it that bad?”
“I’ve been hearing some things from Melody all summer, didn’t think much of it until she came home today and told me the twins had been suspended. I’m a teacher at the girls’ middle school. I have a lot of contacts within the teaching community, so I made some calls. Most of what I came to say they know, they’ve been dealing with it. But what Mrs. Bertram told the summer camp staff should not be shared with them.”
“Nat? Oh, sorry. Hi, Mrs. Harper, I didn’t realize you were here.”
“Please, Chase, it’s Deanne. I think you’re old enough to drop the Mrs.”
“Probably, but you’ve always been Mrs. Harper.” He shrugs.
“Are the girls still in the kitchen?” I ask him.
“Yes.” He must see something in my gaze because his head tips to the side and his brow scrunches in concern. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Deanne has something to tell you about the camp coordinator. It’s best if the girls don’t hear what she has to say.”
“Okay.” He drags the word out and I can tell he’s trying to decide if this revelation is going to be good or bad.
“Can we step outside?” Deanne suggests.
“Sure.” Chase moves to open the door. “Do you mind if Natalie joins us?”
If Deanne is surprised by his request she doesn’t show it. “Of course not. After what I tell you sinks in, it might take the two of us to stop you from tearing off in a rage.”
“When have I ever gone off in a rage?” He holds the door for both of us to walk through.
“Never before this afternoon.”
“You heard about that?” he asks as he follows us onto the porch, closing the door behind him. “Let’s sit.”
I lead the way to the end of the porch with the rocking chairs and small table between them. Chase leans against the railing opposite, his arms folded over his chest, his posture braced for whatever it is Deanne is about to reveal.
“I won’t beat around the bush. Mrs. Bertram didn’t want the girls to attend camp at all when she found out you were keeping them. She made no bones about her thoughts on a child raising three children,” Deanne says.
“Yeah, I got that impression this afternoon when she told me the children in my care were suffering.”
“She didn’t!” Deanne shakes her head. “We’ve tried for a few years to have her removed from the position but her late husband’s family are the major supporters of it, financially. And there hasn’t been anything like this come to light that might have made it possible.”
“What did she tell her staff? The thing that you came here to tell Chase?” I ask. I don’t want to get us off track. The girls are going to wonder where we are sooner than later.
“Oh, yes, sorry. She told the staff at the start of summer to not include the twins, to discourage the other kids from hanging around them. When someone mentioned bringing in a grief counselor, she shut it down and told them the girls were to be left out of group activities as much as possible.”
“She told me they weren’t—wouldn’t—take part in group activities.” Chase’s fists are clenched tight at his sides now and I stand, move to him.
With a hand over one of his, I say, “Take a breath. Dinner just got here. Take it inside and I’ll finish talking to Deanne. We can’t do anything about this tonight. Not without a plan.”
“I should be in on any planning. They’re my sisters.”
“You will be,” I reassure him. “I’m only going to gather more information, like name and contact details of the camp organizers. You and I will talk about it after the girls are in bed. Tomorrow, you will do what needs to be done to protect your sisters and anyone else this woman sets her sights on.”
“I have a list of people willing to go on record. I also have the names and contact details of the camp board,” Deanne pulls her phone from her pocket. “I can email them to you right now.”
“Chase?”
His gaze meets mine.
“I promise you. I won’t make any decisions regarding the girls without you.” I lower my voice. “I know it seems like I’m taking over a lot, but I’m not, at least I’m not trying to. I only want to help.”
“Hey, did you order two large pepperonis and a cheese pizza?” The voice of the delivery guy pulls Chase’s gaze from mine.
“Yeah.” He moves away from the railing and turns toward the front door. “Let me get your tip.”
“Don’t worry about that, man. It’s already paid.”
The look Chase shoots me has me laughing. “Sorry. Habit. I don’t carry cash most of the time.”
Shaking his head, he takes the three pizza boxes and thanks the guy. When he turns back, I can see he’s still warring with what to do, but Deanne takes the decision out of his hands.
“I’ll get going. Leave you to eat your dinner. Can I get an email for one of you before I go?” Deanne stands, phone in hand. “I’ll send this list now, and you’ll have my contact information if you need it. Although you already have my cell number, Chase.”
“I do. And thank you. For coming over. For telling me what you found out.”
“I couldn’t not tell you. Those girls, you, you’ve all got enough to deal with as it is. And your mom was someone I thought of as a close friend. I won’t lie and say we were best friends, but we were close. Hearing what that woman—” She shakes her head. “I know your mom would have done something if the situation was reversed.”
Chase seems lost for words and instead of letting the silence drag out I nudge him along by saying, “Take the pizza into the girls before it gets cold. I’ll give Deanne my email.”
“Yeah, okay, thanks again.”
I wait until he’s inside, the door pushed shut behind him, before I give my information to Deanne.
“That’s my personal email. I can count on one hand the number of people who have it. Please don’t abuse it.”
“He’s going to move them, isn’t he?”
Her question takes me off guard but I’m not going to lie to her because her daughter is close friends with the twins. “Probably. After today I’d say he’s leaning more toward it than against.”
Deanne nods. “It might be good for them all to have a fresh start. The number of times I’ve overheard conversations about them since Sienna died is ridiculous. And disheartening. No one has anything nice to say about that boy taking on his three sisters.”
“He’s hardly a boy.”
“No. I guess not. But this community doesn’t see him any other way. We expected Sienna’s death but to lose Mitch the way we did…”
“ They lost him.”
“Yes. Yes. Sorry. I’ve wanted to help but other than picking up the twins and taking them with Melody I haven’t known what to do.”
“You did it today. You came here and told us what you knew.”
“I wish I’d done something sooner.”
“Hindsight is always clearer but don’t discount doing what you did. Those girls won’t be back at camp, and I can assure you, we will definitely do something about Mrs. Bertram.”
“If they need anything else, anything at all, please, call me. I’m not sure Chase would have if it wasn’t for the girls’ friendship with Melody.”
“No. I doubt he would have. He’s determined to take care of what’s left of his family.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s Chase. That boy has more determination and courage than most adults.”
“I think we just agreed he’s an adult. One his parents would be extremely proud of.”
“They were proud of him. They bragged about his dedication to hockey and school all the time.” Deanne smiles the first genuine one I’ve seen since I opened the door to her.
“Thanks again for coming over.”
“Oh, don’t thank me. As I said, I should have done something about what I was hearing sooner.”
“Better late than never.”
“I guess.” She frowns. “Can you keep me up to date on what’s happening with camp? I’ve told Melody she isn’t going the rest of the week and depending on what happens, I’ll probably pull her out altogether.”
“Might be for the best.”
“Yes.” She takes a step before saying, “It was nice to meet you even if it’s under these horrible circumstances.”
“Same. And if you’re ever heading to Baton Rouge, shoot me an email and I’ll have tickets to a Rogues’ home game for you.”
“I would love to take you up on that.”
“Be sure you do. And I’ll have Chase let you know what he decides to do about camp.”
I emphasize who the person in control of this situation is because those around Chase need to understand he’s the adult in this family.
With a wave Deanne leaves, and I ponder how involved I’ve become with the Hawkins family.
I know I offered to be the second adult guardian for the girls, but we haven’t discussed it since the night I mentioned it.
Chase needs help, and they all need the security of another adult, but if he signs with the Rogues and they move to Baton Rouge, they’ll have multiple adults available to lend a hand, to support them in whatever way they need.
If he doesn’t mention getting married, I won’t bring it up. Not that I can do anything about it if he does. Johnathon is still dragging his feet, being a prick.
Time to put the screws on that man. I want him gone and I need him to know I’m serious about severing our connection.
Pushing open the door, I head inside. The arguing coming from the kitchen has my pace increasing.
“Say yes so we can move!”
“We hate it here!”
The tearful shouts from the twins echo off the walls and when I reach the kitchen, I glance between the siblings.
It’s two on one. The girls on one side of the island, Chase on the other, the pizza boxes open and spread out in front of them.
They’re in some sort of standoff and while I can guess what kind from their words, I want clarification.
“What’s going on in here?”
“We want to move to Baton Rouge. Live with you,” Cassidy cries, her voice lower in volume but no less tear soaked.
I look at Chase.
“I told them about the offer to play for the Rogues. And your offer to move in with you.”
“That doesn’t explain the yelling and tears.”
“They want to pack now. Go tomorrow.”
Looking at the girls I want to cave to their demands, but I know I can’t. For one, it’s not my decision. And two, if they’re going to learn to stand up for themselves, to understand Chase is there for them no matter what—that I am too—they need to face the difficulties of today’s conflict.
“We can talk more about moving tomorrow.” I hold up a hand when Cassidy opens her mouth. “No, let me finish.”
Cassidy closes her mouth and I’m not ignorant of the way Crystal moves closer to her sister. They aren’t touching but each knows they have someone at their back.
“You need to deal with what happened today. You are not in the wrong. Although you should have said something to your brother about how you were being treated.”
“If you’d told me I would have done something before now, so you didn’t have to go through what you did today. Or any other day.”
“She just yelled at us. A lot.” Crystal’s eyes dart to Cassidy, but the look doesn’t stop her, the words just keep coming from Cassidy’s mouth. “Most of the time it’s okay. We have each other and a few of the other kids who we’ve been friends with since kindergarten.”
Emboldened by her sister, Crystal continues to explain why they didn’t mention anything to Chase. “We didn’t care about talking with anyone else. When we first went, it was only a few weeks after Mom and Dad and we kind of wanted to get away from the house,” she explains.
“Get away from the house?” Chase frowns at his sister’s words.
“Yeah.” Crystal looks at Cassidy before saying in a quiet murmur, “It hurts to be here.”