Chapter 5 #2
“This will literally just be a discussion between you and the court, probably an interactive session about your ability to look after the babies and the rationale of having them with you versus in foster care. Once foster care is no longer a possibility,” she added, taking a deep breath, “then the triplets will no longer be on my docket, and you’ll be free of me.
” For the first time, she gave him a big genuine smile.
“And I’m sure that would make you happier. ”
“I don’t have anything against you personally,” he shared carefully. “I just don’t want to see anything happen to these children while Talia is in the hospital.”
“Exactly. Please understand why we’re in this situation and accept that we’re simply here to maintain the status quo and to keep things closer to normal for the kids, given that Talia may or may not recover.”
“She will recover,” he snapped, glaring at her.
She studied him and said, “My apologies. I can see that’s a sore point.”
“It’s my sister, and these are my nieces,” he snapped again. “The two of us and these triplets are the extent of my family. No way Talia’s not waking up.”
Pamela didn’t say anything, just turned to Burton, with him glaring at her too. “I see you’re both of the same opinion here.”
“We have a lot of faith in Talia,” Burton began. “Most of the men on our team know her as well. And believe me that we are very interested in knowing exactly what’s happening on her assault case.”
“For that, you’ll have to talk to the detectives,” she replied. “So far, I haven’t heard anything, but they don’t tend to keep me in the loop. However, if you do learn something, I would very much like to know.”
“I’ll see what I can find out,” Anderson said, still trying to get himself under control. “I’m heading down to the station tomorrow, tonight if I can get there. Plus, I’ll visit my sister tonight. However, I can’t do anything until we can get the babies to bed.”
“Right,” she agreed, her lips twitching again. “And I know it’s hard to let them cry.”
“It’s devastating to let them cry because they’re not just crying or because they’re tired or whatever,” he explained. “They’re crying because the one person in their world they love and need so badly can’t be here for them.”
Pamela nodded. “But you are doing everything you can for them, and, while they may not understand that on a cognitive level, they do understand it subconsciously,” she shared.
“So, keep the faith, and let’s do everything we can to get the legal paperwork taken care of and then get your sister out of that hospital.
” She stayed a little bit longer after that, but this time she was a lot friendlier.
When she finally left, Burton looked over at him and smiled. “You’re right. She is a cutie.”
“I know, and that’s a hell of a job she has as well. I don’t think I could do it.”
“No, because you would just want to crack some heads,” Burton stated, with half a smile. “As if I don’t know that.”
“Yeah, I would.” Anderson nodded. “I wouldn’t want to deal with the courts. I wouldn’t want to deal with any of that.” The thought of the judicial loops in front of him just made him more upset.
“Because we’re all about getting things done.
We’re all about action,” Burton noted, “and sometimes our way of getting things done is a little on the unorthodox side. So, tomorrow it’s important that we play the game in that court hearing and that we also find out what the hell’s going on with your flaky brother-in-law. ”
Seeing the immediate tension on Anderson’s face, Burton added, “We haven’t spoken about it, but it’s pretty fishy that he’s not around. So, if that asshole is the one who put Talia in the hospital …” With that said, he let the rest of his words fall away.
“Then he’s dead,” Anderson declared. “I’m not sure when or how, but that guy will not be a menace to this family anymore.”
Burton nodded. “I’m not against that, but we just have to keep things somewhat under control.”
“Nah,” Anderson countered, glaring at him. “If he did this to my family—”
“I know,” Burton stated, “and I get it. Believe me that I do get it. But we must have all the information before we do anything at all. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Fully informed.”
“Which is why, as soon as we get these guys to bed, I’m hoping”—he looked over at him—“I can go to the hospital and leave you here.”
“Yeah,” Burton replied, though he looked slightly terrified at the idea. “I guess that’s one of the things about having a second set of hands—being able to step out and get something done. I think you also need to shop too.”
“Shop for what?”
“Diapers.”
He stared at him in horror. “Are you telling me we’re almost out?”
He nodded. “At least I couldn’t find any more in that bin. You’ve got to go to the hospital anyway, so that’s on you,” he noted. “But, if you are one minute later than you absolutely have to be, I may have a nervous breakdown or something.”
Anderson nodded. “As much as I might want to stop and have a beer and just shake my head of thoughts about diapers and baby food, I can’t,” he admitted.
His gaze immediately went to the formula that they had both tried to figure out, only to have all three girls immediately upchuck it.
“I would never take for granted anybody who came to help me out at this moment,” he declared. “Not even for a minute.”
“Damn right, but, when you get back, I may have to go for that beer,” Burton shared with feeling.
Anderson laughed. “I hear you, man. I really do hear you on that one.”
“Anyway, let’s carry on with this.”
He looked down at the babies and saw that one had just puked right in front of them, and they hadn’t even noticed. Looking down at Burton’s feet, he asked, “Dude, were those good shoes?”
Burton sighed as he looked at him. “Not more than any others. They’ll wash.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Anderson said, “because everything around here needs to be washed. Washed, cleaned, and scrubbed at a level I have never contemplated before.”
“You and me both,” he muttered.
Anderson looked around. “Now that they’ve eaten, it’s bath time.”
“How did you set up a schedule?”
“I didn’t,” he admitted. “It came out of necessity. I mean, have you ever seen anybody come out of a meal looking like this?”
“Only toddlers apparently.”
And, with that, the two men scooped up the three babies between them and carried them, giggling and squealing, into the bathroom.
“Can they be in there all at once?” Burton asked.
“Yes, and they can sit up, but they’re wobbly, so we have to put these little sling things in,” he shared dubiously, as he looked at it.
“Wow, you sound so confident.”
“I’m not confident at all, but I did a lot of searches on Google about it, and I found this. So, I’m wondering if they can still use these. There are three of them, so it makes sense. Let’s give it a try.”
And with that, they filled the bathtub, only to discover it was too high so they had to drain off a bunch more water.
They determined that the babies could only handle about six inches of water.
Then stripping them down, they helped them sit up for the first bit, then put them in these weird little sling things.
They secured the buckles around them, one by one.
“These things are magical,” Burton noted, as he sat back and stared at the cute little sling chair that the babies were in.
“It gives you just that second to breathe, particularly with three. Jesus, your sister’s a freaking supermom, you know?
” They watched as the babies seemed to like their bathtime and their slings.
Anderson nodded. “I know. I have no idea how she’s really been doing because we’ve been on such crazy communication schedules.
We’ve had only about two minutes to talk here and there, and that’s about it,” Anderson replied.
“I called to check in to ensure she was doing okay, and she was always laughing and telling me how she and the girls were fine.”
“Nobody who takes care of triplets by themselves all the time is fine,” Burton argued. “It’s not possible.”
Anderson shook his head. “I’m starting to feel hella guilty, you know?”
“Oh no, let’s not go there, but I tell you what. When she’s back on her feet, the phone calls, they need to be a whole lot more often, and you need to figure out if she’s really fine or if she’s just saying that because you’re heading out on a mission, and she doesn’t want you worried.”
Anderson scrubbed his face. “That’s exactly what she’s been doing,” he muttered. “If Tim did this to her, he’s dead. That’s just all there is to it.” Burton tried to change the subject to get Anderson off that again. “Dude, I know I’m not supposed to say that,” Anderson replied, “but—”
“It doesn’t matter,” Burton stated. “I get it, but you also need to talk to the cops.”
Anderson explained his first telephone conversation with Detective Colt and how badly that went. “I’ve tried talking to Colt again, but I’ve called and had to leave messages, and nobody’s gotten back to me. That’s pissing me off too.”
“Is your ringer even on?”
“Pamela got a hold of me easily enough.”
“That’s true.” Burton stood up, stretched, and asked, “Look, are you okay to stay here for a minute?”
Anderson looked up at him and nodded. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“I will go clean up that pile of puke on the floor so that we don’t have to step in it.”
He closed his eyes and whispered, “Yeah, right, I forgot about that.”
“I think there’s another one too. I saw it somewhere else in the dining room,” Burton noted. “So, let me take a few minutes and clean up some of that stuff, and I’ll come back and give you a hand when you think these guys are ready to come out of the bathtub.”