Chapter 28
twenty-eight
Kyler
The couch at my mother’s is fucking uncomfortable, and the food sucks.
I miss my bed, my house, my damn teammates, and unfortunately, I miss Thea.
I miss her smile, the food, the sex. But mostly, I just miss being in her presence.
I never thought my cold, dark heart could break, but it has, and I don’t know what pain is worse: the pain my face feels, or the ache in my chest.
The front door opens and Lacey rushes toward me, barely dropping her backpack before she’s checking me over. Since my incident—as she calls it—Lacey is determined she will be a doctor instead of a hockey player. Honestly, I’m sad because having another Rose on skates would be badass.
Lacey looks me over. Her touch is soft, and she moves my head from right to left. “Does this hurt?” she asks.
“No,” I tell her truthfully.
She reaches for her school bag and pulls it onto the couch, unzipping it and removing a notebook. I try not to laugh when she uncaps a pen and starts writing. “Did you take a nap?”
“Yes.”
“What time?”
“I think after lunch?”
“Okay, good.”
Lacey writes this down.
“Did you play video games?”
“No, my doctor said I needed to rest.”
“Yes, I did,” she mutters as she scribbles on her notepad. “Did you take all your medicine?”
“Yes.”
She sets her pad aside. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”
Don’t worry, kid.
When she comes back, she has packages of gauze and medical tape.
We already made a deal she could play doctor but bandaging me up was out of the question for many reasons.
One, she doesn’t need to see how gruesome some of my injuries are.
Two, I don’t need her to accidentally pull my stitches out.
And three, while she may be gentle, every part of my body aches and I don’t want to be touched right now.
The agreement we came to was she can tape up my arm—literally the one part of my body which isn’t bruised.
I hold my arm out and let her add the bandage and gauze. The tape is a bit tight, but I don’t tell her. It’s something I can fix when she’s not around. No need to hurt her feelings when all she’s doing is trying to take care of me.
“There,” she says. “All your ouchies are getting better.”
They are, except for one.
“Do you think Thea can come over?” Lacey asks as she sits next to me. “Maybe we can go ice skating.”
“Thea has school, and I can’t skate right now.”
“What time does she get out?”
“I’m not really sure.”
“Can we call her?”
“My phone is dead.”
Lacey gets off the couch and takes my phone from the end table. She presses the screen, and the stupid thing lights up. “It’s working.”
Yay, me. I know I should tell her no, for my own sanity, but I can’t.
She’s an innocent child caught in the stupid game of life.
She’s not going to understand why Thea isn’t a part of our lives anymore, nor do I have the heart to tell her.
Lacey isn’t going to grasp the magnitude of what Thea did or how it affects her.
“Later,” I tell her as I reach for my phone. A sharp pain shoots through my ribs and I grimace.
“Oh, no, Uncle Ky.”
“I’m okay.”
Lacey pouts and I beckon her forward. She gingerly crawls into my lap and nestles her head against my chest. “Do you want to watch a movie?”
She nods.
I press play on her DVD player and Aladdin comes to life.
I wish she’d pick another movie and not one about a guy who has nothing going for him, except for being in love with the princess.
That’s how I feel about me and Thea. She’s the princess and I’m the thief. I suppose this makes Lacey my monkey.
It dawns on me that Ally isn’t here, which doesn’t make sense. “Where’s your mom?”
Lacey shrugs and I look down to see her sucking on her thumb.
I’ve suggested to Ally she do something about the thumb sucking, but Ally refuses, saying something about how Lacey needs to figure it out on her own.
I don’t agree, but Lacey isn’t mine and Ally puts her foot down if I try to parent too much.
I gently push Lacey’s hand away from her mouth. She doesn’t protest, which is good.
“Did your mom pick you up from school?”
“Yes.”
“Did she leave after she dropped you off?”
Lacey shakes her head. “She’s on the phone.”
I glance toward the window, as if I have X-ray vision and can see outside. I’m sure there’s a new boyfriend on the other end, someone else to take time away from Lacey and Ally’s job. Every day, I wish Ally was independent and nothing like our mother.
The door opens and Ally comes in. She’s carrying some boxes with her, reminding me they have to move soon.
They still haven’t found a place to live, at least one they can afford, and it’s looking like I’m going to have to move with them, which means I need more hours at the bar.
Which means . . . well a laundry list of shit I won’t be able to do.
Ally sits down on the couch and sighs.
“How was work?”
“Not good. Made a whole forty bucks in tips.”
“That’s forty more than you had this morning.”
“Yep, paid some of my phone bill so at least it won’t get turned off.
” Ally covers her face and I know she’s trying to fight back the tears.
It would be easier for her to work at night, in a bar or bigger restaurant where she can make a couple hundred in tips.
But it’ll also mean paying a babysitter, which is going to defeat the purpose. Single parents don’t have it easy.
I think about the check Adam Nelson gave me and how I left it on the table at the house. That money will go a long way to help out Ally, but the thought of cashing it turns my stomach. I don’t want that smug bastard to think he owns me. He doesn’t. I can make my own money, somehow.
There’s a knock at the door. Ally and I stare at each other with nervous trepidation. No one comes here, ever. Ally doesn’t invite anyone over, and I’ve never brought anyone here. There’s another knock.
Lacey sighs and crawls off my lap. Before I realize what she’s doing her hand is on the doorknob and she’s pulling the door open. Ally is right behind her but not fast enough. Lacey says, “Hi,” but Ally stands there, looking from whoever is on the other side to me.
“May I come in?” The female voice is unfamiliar to me, but not to Ally. She looks back at me, as if I’m supposed to do or say something.
“Um . . . my brother. He’s not feeling very well right now. Maybe another time?”
“What I need to say, won’t take up much time.”
“Who is it, Ally?” I finally ask, growing tired of the stalling.
“It’s Mrs. Nelson,” she says as her voice cracks.
The mere mention of that last name has me off the couch, injuries be damned. I stride toward the door, moving Lacey out of the way. “What do you want?”
Mrs. Nelson blanches. Either at my harsh tone or my appearance. Both are pretty bad. She stands tall, unaffected it seems. “I’d like to speak with you and Ally; it will only take a minute.”
I nod but not in agreement with her. “Ally, take Lacey into your bedroom.”
Ally does as I tell her. Once I hear the door close, I look at Mrs. Nelson. “Look, we’re not stupid or na?ve enough to let you in so you can use this in your fight for custody. I think you should leave.”
I start to close the door, but Mrs. Nelson sticks her hand out, halting it. “Please,” she says. “I understand you don’t want me here. But I have some things to say, and I’d like the opportunity to say them. It’ll only take a moment.”
“Let her in, Ky.”
Against every fiber of my being, I hold the door open for the woman. Ally has the audacity to apologize about her living situation as she turns Aladdin off. “Please, have a seat.”
Mrs. Nelson sits down on the couch, also known as my bed, while Ally sits at the other end, leaving me no choice but to stand. I want to yell at Ally and remind her I’m hurt, but figure now is not the time. We have to show a united front, for Lacey’s sake.
“I have a lot to say, so if I could have the floor for a moment.”
Ally nods. I glare.
She clears her throat and tries to smile, but her lips barely move.
“I want to apologize to you, Ally, because I had no idea about Lacey until my husband pulled up to the skating plaza and we went in. All morning, he and my son kept saying they had a surprise for me, and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why we were at a skating rink.
When I saw . . .” she pauses and inhales deeply.
“The fear on your face when my husband approached you.” She shakes her head.
“Needless to say, that day I realized I’m married to a very evil man, and not one I want in my life. ”
“Yippee,” I say sarcastically.
Mrs. Nelson’s eyes go to mine, and I see kindness mixed with pain. “To find out I have a grandchild that way is unthinkable. To find out the extent my husband and son have gone to make sure my grandchild suffers is incomprehensible and disgusting. I want no part of their games.”
“Why are you here then?” I ask her.
“I come with a much-belated peace offering.”
I scoff and Ally shoots daggers my way.
“You have every right to be suspicious, I would be if I were in your shoes. I’m sorry. But please, let me say what I need to.”
“Go ahead,” Ally tells her.
“I know about the tear down of the park and how my husband isn’t willing to negotiate.
This is beyond unacceptable and frankly I wonder if my husband has a shred of human decency left.
So, I’m here with a request. I want to be a part of Lacey’s life.
I would love to be her grandmother or whatever title you want to give me, and I also want to support the both of you.
If Austin . . .” She pauses again and takes a deep breath.
“If he wasn’t in the pickle he’s in, he would’ve taken care of you. He would’ve brought you home to us.”
“What do you mean, support us?” Ally asks.
“Child support and a place to live. I won’t stand for my grandchild and her mother living on the streets or in some shelter or some drug-infested neighborhood.
You need a safe place to raise her, nurture her.
You need a place to call home. I don’t care about the cost, wherever you want to live, I’ll pay for it. ”
“I knew it,” I say. “You Nelsons just buy everyone off with your money.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Mrs. Nelson says.
“Right. You’re going to pretend you don’t know Adam came to me with a check to stay away from Thea?”
Mrs. Nelson’s eyes go wide. She shakes her head and looks down at the ground. Finally, she reaches for Ally’s hand. “Please think about my offer. It’s not going anywhere. Whether, today, tomorrow or a year from now, it’ll always be there.”
“I don’t want Mr. Nelson anywhere near Lacey. I don’t trust him.”
She laughs. “Oh, sweetie. Don’t you worry. He won’t be anywhere near that little girl or you.”
“I don’t understand,” Ally says. “Why?”
“It’s simple. I’m disappointed with Austin’s choice of lifestyle.
He didn’t need to sell drugs to make a living, and now I’ve learned he has a child.
A child I very much want to know and love.
But if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with, I understand.
The money is still going to come to you. My son owes you that much.”
“You’re going to pay me money even if I don’t let you see Lacey?” Ally asks.
“Of course,” she says. “I am nothing like my husband. I don’t deal in ultimatums. I do what’s right, and this is right.
You are owed child support to help raise your daughter.
” She reaches into her purse and hands Ally an envelope.
“My number is on the front. When you find a place, call me, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
Mrs. Nelson stands and slings her purse over her shoulder. “As for Adam and the check, cash it, but don’t you dare give up on Thea. She’s one of a kind and a true gem. If you’re lucky enough to be loved by her, take it and run.” She nods at both of us and then sees herself out.
After the door closes, Ally opens the envelope and gasps. “Ky, there’s so much in here.”
“Good, but it comes with a price.”
“What if the price is genuine?”
What if? Unfortunately, the only person who would know, is the one person I don’t want to speak to.
What if?