Chapter 19 – Logan
Nineteen
LOGAN
“You have a lot of tattoos,” Coop says, staring at Nalia’s dad with a wide-eyed look on his face. An expression that hasn’t changed much since Nalia and her parents showed up with pizza about thirty minutes ago.
“Coop, seriously?” Billie sends her brother a disapproving look.
“What?” He frowns at her.
“Don’t be rude.”
“I’m not being rude, it’s just the truth, he has a lot of tattoos.”
“He’s not wrong, I do have a lot of tattoos,” Nico tells her, taking a huge bite of pizza.
Fighting back the laughter I feel in the back of my throat, I look over at Nalia sitting next to me at the dining table and watch her hide her smile with the crust of the pizza in her hand.
I’m relieved to see her smile and so relaxed after witnessing her breakdown this afternoon.
More, I’m relieved that she was able to speak with a lawyer and get some reassurance that things will be okay.
“So, Billie, Nalia was telling me that you’re performing in your high school musical,” Sophie says, and Billie looks over at Nalia with a hint of surprise then looks at Sophie.
“Yeah, we’re putting on Clue.”
“Like the board game?” Sophie asks her.
“Kind of, yeah, but it’s also funny.”
“And it’s a musical,” Coop mutters, and his sister glares at him.
“What? You sing all the time.”
“She has an amazing voice,” Nalia tells her mom softly, and Billie looks at her as she continues. “Her and her friend Cat were practicing on Sunday while they helped us with the kids and their science projects, and I was blown away by how good she is.”
“Thanks.” Billie ducks her head.
“So what role are you playing in the show?” Sophie asks her.
“Miss Scarlett.”
“That sounds like a very important role.”
“Yeah, kinda.” She shrugs, and Sophie smiles, then asks in a whisper.
“Are you the killer?”
“I can’t tell you.” Billie laughs. “You’ll have to come with Nalia and find out.”
Shit. I look over at Nalia. She looks surprised by the suggestion. I’m surprised by the suggestion.
“Have you ever ridden a four-wheeler?” Nico asks Coop, and Coop looks over at me.
“We have a couple of times, it’s been a while,” I answer for him.
“Gotta get you guys out to our place then, we have a riding trail.”
“You have four-wheelers?” Coop asks in awe.
“Yeah, and Grandma and Grandpa also have two mini horses and chickens,” Zuri tells Coop, and I see Nico and Sophie share a soft look.
“Really?” Billie perks up.
“The chickens are ours; the horses are a friend of ours. They didn’t have room for them at their place, so we’ve been keeping them,” Sophie explains.
“Are they friendly?”
“Yes, and cute,” Nalia tells her, then continues. “I’ve been trying to convince Mom that she should also get a llama and one of those cows with the long hair.”
“I love those cows!” Billie cries.
“Me too.” Zuri’s whole face lights up.
“We’re not getting a cow or a llama.” Nico shakes his head.
“Dad, look at Mom, she totally wants one,” Nalia tells Nico, and he looks over at his wife.
“Do you want a farm or to be able to travel to the beach whenever we want?”
“Oh, that’s master manipulation, Mr. Mayson.” Sophie grins, then looks at Nalia. “How about you get a cow and a llama and keep them out at our place?”
“I would, but I don’t have time to take care of animals.”
“I’ll take care of them,” Zuri says, then looks at Nalia. “Please, can we?”
“Wow, thanks, Mom,” Nalia mutters, and everyone laughs.
“Anyway,” Sophie says, “if you guys come over Sunday, you’ll be able to see the horses and chickens.”
“Sunday?” Billie looks over at me and Nalia. I haven’t had a chance to talk to the kids about Sunday since I just found out about it this afternoon, and it’s been controlled chaos since they all got home from school.
“They’re having a barbecue,” Nalia tells her.
“And pool party,” Sophie cuts in.
“And pool party,” Nalia corrects with a smile in her mom's direction before focusing back on Billie. “You kids and your dad are invited.”
“Right on.” Coop grins.
“Cool,” Billie agrees.
“We’ll have to talk to your mom since you guys are staying with her this weekend.” I remind the two of them.
“We could come home early Sunday.” Billie shrugs like it’s not a big deal. I’m not sure Kristy will feel the same since she hasn’t had any real time with the kids in a while, and I know she’s looking forward to spending time with them this weekend while Aaron is out of town for work.
“If you can make it, you’re welcome to bring a friend since most of the other kids who will be there are little.”
“Awesome, I’ll see if my best friend Cat can come.”
“Before you ask Cat, you need to talk to your mom,” I remind her.
“I’ll talk to her about it when we call her in a bit,” she agrees.
“If you can’t come this weekend, we’ll plan for another day. The pool will be open for a few more weeks, and you’re welcome to come over anytime with your friend.”
“Okay, cool,” Billie agrees before finishing the last bite of her pizza.
“Can Zuri and I go up and play Xbox?” Coop asks, changing the subject while picking up his empty plate. I look to Nalia to answer since I don’t want to assume anything.
“Yeah, for a few, then we have to go home and do homework,” she tells him.
“We already did homework, and Logan helped us study our spelling words,” Zuri tells her, getting up with her own plate.
“Thanks.” She looks over at me, smiling, and I brush my fingers down her bare shoulder with my hand hanging on the back of her chair.
“I’m going to head up too.” Billie gets up with her plate. “I need to do homework and study my lines.”
“Alright honey.” I move to my feet and pick up my plate and Nalia’s then take the plates Nico is holding while Zuri and Coop run out of the room with Billie not far behind them after dropping their plates in the sink.
Going to the kitchen, I open the dishwasher, and Nalia follows me with a handful of glasses.
“Thanks for getting Zuri and helping with homework,” she tells me quietly, getting close as she puts the glasses in the dishwasher.
“No problem, baby.”
“Did she ask why I wasn’t there for pickup?”
“Yeah, I just told her that you had to run an errand with your parents,” I murmur, and she nods, glancing to the doorway of the kitchen like she’s checking that the coast is clear.
“The lawyer is going to file some paperwork that will help if Sharon decides she wants to try and take Zuri from me for not returning her e-mails,” she says, and all the anger I felt on her behalf earlier comes back full force.
I don’t know her birthmother or understand the dynamics of their complicated relationship, but I do not like her.
How she could even suggest that Zuri would be better off placed with some random family because she didn’t get a reply to her e-mails is not just ridiculous, it’s heartless. It also shows how selfish she is.
As a parent, I would want my child or children with people I knew loved them, and that I trusted if I could no longer provide that for them.
And It’s obvious to me or anyone who has been around Nalia and Zuri for any length of time just how close the two of them are, and I doubt that she has missed that given she’s spent time with the two of them together.
“Good.”
“I wish I didn’t have to do it, but I know that she’s going to get the paperwork, and that she’s going to be pissed, but…”
“You need to protect Zuri,” I cut her off, and she nods. “You’re doing the right thing, baby.”
“I hope so.” She rubs her lips together then looks over at her parents, who have both joined us in the kitchen. “I do need to talk to Zuri this evening about everything and ask why she hasn’t been e-mailing her mom back.”
“It might not be an easy conversation to have, but it’ll be okay,” Sophie tells her softly.
“I hope so.” She takes the empty pizza box her mom is holding, placing it by the recycling bin.
“She’s a smart kid, just be honest with her,” Nico says leaning back against the counter crossing his arms over his chest.
“I know, I just don’t want her to worry.”
“She’s going to worry anyway,” he tells her gently. “It’s better that she knows everything so she can be prepared if something does happen.”
“You’re right,” she agrees, and her dad’s face softens before he looks over at me.
“I appreciate you suggesting she call me this afternoon. I’m not sure that you’ve noticed how difficult it is for her to accept help.”
“I’ve noticed,” I mutter.
“Really?” She glares at me.
“Babe, you got pissed at me the first time we met because I told you I wasn’t charging you for repairing your Bronco.”
“Yeah, and I told you I don’t like owing people.”
“And I never said you owed me.” I close the dishwasher after loading the last of the plates inside.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t feel like I have to repay people when they do me a favor.” She makes air quotes.
“Then I guess that’s something we’ll need to work on since it’s rare that people do a favor for others expecting something in return, and I for sure don’t want shit back when I do something for you.” I cross my arms over my chest as she continues to glare at me.
“Do you expect to get paid when you return your cart at the store?” Nico asks her.
“No.” She rolls her eyes.
“What about if one of your sisters asks for a favor? Do you expect them to pay you back?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why would you think that anyone else would expect different from you?”
“I don’t know.” She tosses her arms in the air. “I just don’t like it.”
“Do you feel like you owe Daddy and me when we help you?” Sophie asks gently, and she swallows as she turns to her mom.
“I…” She shakes her head. “You guys do a lot for me.”
“No more than we’ve done for any of your siblings when they have needed us over the years.”
“Yeah, but they came into the family with a clean slate.” She instantly pales, the admission obviously catching her by surprise, while Nico’s head jerks back and Sophie gasps.
What the fuck.