Chapter 38
Claire
If I was on cloud nine with just the heater working in my car, I was in another dimension after leaving the attorney”s office this morning.
It took me nearly my entire shift to believe that what he told me was true. After checking the online account and seeing that I couldn”t even log in because it was no longer active made me realize he wasn”t being a jerk and lying to me. The man actually did something that I”ll be grateful to him for the rest of my life.
Kristina asked me several times if Walker had something to do with the wide grin on my face, but I just rolled my eyes and waved her away.
Walker has a lot to do with how I feel, but he wasn”t the one to change my life.
I think about that as I climb into my car after my clinic day is done.
Isn”t he though?
Had he not mentioned my credit card debt to Barrett Hyde, then I wouldn”t be thousands and thousands of credit debt free. I can”t even be mad at him for talking about my business to someone else with the outcome it caused.
I feel weightless as if I”d float away full of happiness if my seatbelt wasn”t pulled across my body.
At the four-way stop in town, I opt to turn in the opposite direction of Madison”s house to pick Larkin up, but then I think better of it. I need to have a conversation with the Kennedys. Maybe it makes me a coward to want my daughter there as a buffer, but I know myself, and there”s a solid chance I”ll lose my shit on Nora if her horrible attitude persists.
I turn around in someone”s driveway and head to Madison”s, making quick time of getting Larkin ready to leave and once again mentioning to my new friend that we need to work out a payment schedule. Daycare costs won”t be an issue any longer.
Hell, there”s a solid chance that I won”t even have to pick up shifts at the bar now that I don”t have a heavy cloud of debt hanging over my head. Corbin has always paid me well, but just not well enough for the minimum payment that was due each month on Hux”s credit card.
Madison waves me off like she”s done before, and this time I let it slide because I really need to have a serious conversation with Nora and Leo before I lose my nerve.
Sticking my head in the sand and avoiding them forever can”t happen. If anything, that punishes Larkin because she loves her grandparents and I”d never do that just to spite them for not liking me.
Larkin squeals when we pull up outside the Kennedys’ house, and she’s all smiles and flailing legs when I pull her from the car seat.
As always, Nora meets us on the porch and she dips to give Larkin a hug.
”Claire,” she says as I approach. ”Please come inside. It”s blistering cold out here.”
I freeze with one foot on the ground and one on the top step as I stare at her. Today isn”t even the coldest day we”ve had so far this winter.
I pull in a deep breath, wondering just what she has planned for me because a nice and considerate Nora isn”t one I recognize. She”s more likely to offer me hot cocoa and then hit me in the head with a baseball bat than be generous and kind.
I step inside just in time to see Larkin run into Leo”s arms. The man scoops her up and holds her to his chest, a smile on his face as he squeezes her with his eyes closed. When he releases her, I see the effort it took in his eyes. He all but plops down into his recliner.
Guilt swims inside of me. I don”t see the man very often. He”s always inside when I drop Larkin off. Some days I forget he”s even around because Nora is quick to wait on the porch for me. I haven”t been inside the house in years.
I notice the pile of pill bottles on the small table beside his chair and I feel even guiltier for keeping Larkin away from them even for a few days. It”s proof that she won”t have them forever, and it”s selfish of me to keep her away from them.
”Please have a seat,” Nora says, waving her arm to indicate the chair I sat in when I came to town and told them who I was.
”I”m going to keep Larkin at Madison”s,” I begin before I sit because I can”t lose my nerve. ”She needs the socialization with other kids, and she really enjoys it over there.”
Nora looks at Leo who narrows his eyes as if telling her she needs to think before she speaks. I don”t know enough about their dynamic to fully understand what it means. I always thought Nora was the one who was leading the charge in their relationship, but maybe I was wrong.
”I”m not doing this to punish you,” I clarify. ”I know how important you are to her, and I wouldn”t take that away from her. I will confess that it”s more about her than about you at this point.”
I look directly at Nora because I haven”t spoken to Leo much, but the times I have, he”s been kind to me.
”We can cover the expense of childcare,” Leo says without hesitation, making me think this is a conversation they”ve already had.
”My survivor”s benefits cover childcare,” I assure them because I”m not here to get money from them. Besides, I would feel like I owe them and the last thing I want is to be obligated to Nora Kennedy. I”ve done that for years, and I”m past it now.
”There”s more to raising a child than daycare,” Nora says as if she just can”t help herself.
I do notice a mild change in her tone from how she normally speaks to me.
I give her the best smile I can manage. ”I”m aware, but I don”t need your money. Although I won”t be working at the bar any longer, I will give you guys the opportunity to keep her when you”d like to visit.”
”She”s welcome anytime.”
Leo clears his throat.
”The two of you are welcome here anytime,” Nora clarifies. ”I”m glad you”ve decided to distance yourself from that man.”
And, here we go again.
I lick my lips, scooting forward on the chair, darting my eyes to Larkin who is playing with a box of toys on the far side of the room.
”Walker is one of the kindest men I”ve ever dated. I understand that you want to demonize him, and I know that has a lot to do with who Hux was.”
Nora swallows, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, but I can”t stop now.
”Hux was wild. We met at the bar I worked at in El Paso. He was there every chance he got. He”d drink until he couldn”t walk some nights. On other nights, he was leaving with women he didn”t even know. I left with him one night. The man had a carefree charm about him that most of us couldn”t resist. He was so comfortable in that bar, it told me that he was probably comfortable in every bar, including the one Walker owns. Hux”s drinking isn”t the fault of the bartender and you need to stop putting your blame on him.”
”We—”
I hold my hand up to silence her. “You know the role you played in the man Hux was, and I’m not saying that to point fingers and lay blame at your feet. There’s no point to it. What I will say is that Larkin’s upbringing will be different. She’s not going to be spoiled and not be made responsible for things, including her own choices. If you plan to interfere with the way I raise her, then speak up now because I won”t tolerate it at all.”
I lower my voice.
”Nor will I allow you to speak ill of me behind my back and that includes talking poorly about the man I”m dating. Hux left all of his money to a wombat reserve because he was angry with you. He also left me in a mountain of debt because he was never taught that sometimes you just have to say no to the things you want in life until you work hard and save enough money to get them.”
”We”ll repay—”
”I don”t want your money. I never wanted that. I came to town so Larkin could know her family.”
Actually, that”s not a hundred percent true. I needed the help both emotionally and financially when I got to town only to be snubbed. Pride stepped in after that, although I was in no position at the time to turn down free childcare when I had to go back to work after maternity leave.
”I guess what Walker said earlier was true,” Nora mutters, earning another cleared throat from Leo.
I pull in a deep breath, knowing I”m going to have to deal with Walker going around town and trying to be my champion, but I”m not exactly angry with him about it right now.
”Give me a call when you want to see Larkin,” I say as I stand.
”She could stay,” Nora says. ”I made—”
”We”ve made dinner plans,” I tell her as I stand and look over at my little girl. ”You ready to go?”
”Pwetty tree!” she says, rushing to put her toys away before scurrying in my direction.
”Can we see her for Christmas?”
”I”m sure I can swing her by for a little while.”
”The offer includes you,” Leo says, wincing in pain when he stands. ”We always have a big juicy ham and lots of sides. It was Huxley”s favorite meal of the year.”
”Let me know what time, and we”ll be here,” I tell him, noticing just how frail the man looks.
I want to pry and ask how sick he is, but it”s not my place.
I stop before I make it to the front door and turn back to look at them.
”She doesn”t have any plans on Saturday and I have the vet clinic.”
”We”d love to visit with her,” Nora says in a rush, her eyes bright and happy at the offer.
I dip my head in a nod and get Larkin into the car.
I have one more man to speak with. Although my plans to do just that will have to wait until after my clinic hours on Saturday, I realize when I pull up in front of my duplex that my hand has been forced because the man in question is sitting in a rocking chair that wasn”t there this morning on my front porch.