Somee #2
The door to the rental behind Miranda opened and a large body unfolded from the driver's seat with a scowl on his handsome face and a pair of narrowed eyes directed at me.
He charged toward me, hands jerking.
“Where is she going?”
I blinked and frowned, not responding quickly enough, so he repeated the motion with more effort to make the movements not so choppy.
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand, but I was confused about him signing to me.
“You sign?”
His expression was condescending as if to say, duh, didn’t you just see me do it. A look that had my chin lifting defiantly, but instead of communicating his irritation at my question, he responded with a statement explaining why he knew how to sign.
“Took ASL in college for my foreign language credits. It’s been a while since I had to use it, but I’m fluent. Just a little rusty.”
Well, shit. Didn’t see that coming.
“Oh, I wasn’t aware.”
“Understood, where is she going?”
“I asked Marlee to take her inside so I can speak with you first. I haven’t told her about you yet.”
His expression turned volatile before he signed. “Why not?”
“There have been a lot of changes lately and I felt it was only right to speak with you before dumping another major change into her life.”
He arched a brow then smiled arrogantly. My stomach twisted and flipped because the man was gorgeous. “You’re vetting me? She’s my sister. I’m the one who should be vetting you.”
I rolled my shoulders back and angled my chin a bit higher before I let him have it.
“Your sister has been with me. If you care so much, then why was she left alone? Why was she trusted to a stranger? I have every right to vet you, buddy. She doesn’t know you exist.”
His unfairly handsome face tensed before his hands moved.
“Blame Felicia. Not that I need to explain this to you but I wasn’t aware I had a sister. Had I known, she damn sure wouldn’t be with a stranger. I would have been here. You don’t get to judge me, but since you feel entitled enough to do so, maybe consider having all the facts.”
Miranda came into view and Ryland swung his head to the left, speaking to his mother without signing. I did, however, manage to read his lips.
“She’s vetting me.”
Miranda’s eyes drifted my way and I removed my phone and pulled up the app I used when I had to communicate with people who didn’t sign. It allowed them to speak while the app translated what they said into a typed message. My fingers moved quickly to pound out what I wanted to say.
“I haven’t talked to Rylee yet.”
I held the phone up to Miranda who nodded and tapped the microphone icon to speak. When she was done, I read the transcribed message.
“We’re early, sorry. Ryland was anxious to meet his sister. Can we come in?”
My eyes darted toward Ryland who responded to his mother’s request verbally, addressing her but also signing so I would know what he was saying. The act wasn’t to be kind, but to make sure I knew his intentions.
“She can’t stop me. I have custody of my sister. She doesn’t.”
I tucked my phone under my arm and angrily signed, “Maybe I can’t but the cops can. Ever hear of trespassing?”
He glared at me and was about to respond when Miranda intervened, speaking to her son. I focused on her mouth, reading her lips when she addressed him.
“You’re angry, but not with Somee. However you handle this will ultimately affect Rylee and she loves Somee. She doesn’t know you. No matter how you feel, Rylee is the priority.”
“Thank you,” I signed to Miranda and she nodded. She knew that one. I had taught her a few simple gestures after she asserted that she wanted to communicate with Rylee in her language. She smiled back then turned her eyes on Ryland as did I.
With a tight nod, he spoke to his mother but angled his face so I couldn’t see it, then signed to me, “Can I please come in?”
“Yes, will you let me tell her who you are first?”
The muscles in his jaw flexed then he delivered another tight nod.
“Thank you.”
I accepted the small victory and led the way to the house.
We all entered and located Rylee sitting at the counter talking to Marlee while she cleaned up what was left of my chaotic scramble to make matcha this morning since I’d overslept and we were running late.
I also noticed the living room was cleaned up, the throw pillows I kept on the sofa neatly organized while the remotes were lined up on the edge of the coffee table.
The pile of shoes that always ended up near the door were situated in a row against the wall and Rylee’s backpack that had been tossed on the table when we rushed in to change after school was now hanging on a hook by the door.
I loved my best friend.
Rylee turned to me and frowned when she noticed it wasn’t just Miranda who’d followed me in. She intently surveyed Ryland before sliding off the stool and walking toward Miranda who she hugged tightly before she peeked at her brother and signed, “Who’s that?”
“R-Y-L-A-N-D. I’m your brother,” he signed and kneeled to get eye level with her.
My body vibrated with anger because this wasn’t the plan. Rylee tilted her head back and frowned my way, seeking confirmation. I stepped behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders, moving her closer. It was only an inch or two but I still felt empowered.
Her focus was on Ryland again when she signed to him, “I don’t have a brother.”
For a second time, she turned her head and looked back at me for confirmation but her tiny little brows pinched when I glared at Ryland before signing to Rylee, “You do. R-Y-L-A-N-D is your brother and he’s here to meet you.”
I intentionally left off that he was here to take her from me, which he caught based on the glare he shot my way.
“I’m so glad to meet you, R-Y-L-E-E.”
She smiled and signed her arbitrary name, making the motion against her left shoulder. We came up with this together and it warmed my heart each time she used it with pride.
Ryland returned a smile. “Your name?”
Rylee beamed because he understood, then signed, “Show me yours.”
He made the motion against his chin and she repeated it.
My heart clenched because this was such a pivotal moment.
He loved her already. I felt it, which meant she would love him too and I would lose her.
I was so torn because Rylee deserved to have a family.
Someone who returned the love she could offer, and whether I appreciated it or not, Ryland would be that person.
“Are you Deaf?”
“No but I can sign because I learned in college.”
Rylee’s little brows pinched before she signed, “Your hands move slow. You’re not as good as Somee.”
Ryland chuckled and nodded. “I haven’t done this in a long time. I didn’t have anyone to talk to.”
“You can talk to me.” She grinned and added, “Somee too. She can help you get better. She helps me a lot.”
“I’m so excited to meet you that I want to spend all my time talking to you. Would you like that?” Ryland signed with a huge smile that softened his features, making him even more handsome.
“Yes, you can do that.”
I gave them space. Rylee took her brother to the living room and they engaged in conversation about all of her favorite things.
Ryland asked to see her room and I felt slighted because I would bet everything I owned the room inspection was his way of returning the favor by vetting me.
I sat with Miranda and Marlee, watching Rylee and her brother, neither of us saying much but both thinking the same thing.
Everything about the two of them was beautiful and necessary.
I would have to let her go.
An hour passed and Ryland asked to speak with me privately. I turned on one of Rylee’s favorite shows which she watched with Miranda and Marlee while Ryland and I entered the kitchen to be out of her line of sight. My shoulders sagged because I knew what was coming.
“I have to catch a flight out tonight. If you need time to get her packed, let me know.”
I glowered at him because what the fuck?
“You can’t take her tonight. It’s the middle of a school week.”
His brows slammed in at the same time his hands were in motion. “She’s changing schools regardless. The faster the changes happen, the sooner she can settle into her new life.”
With him…
“I get that but do you even know what school she will go to? You don’t just show up and drop a kid off at school.
She has to be registered and Rylee will need special consideration to be successful.
Have you thought about any of that?” I narrowed my eyes and paused briefly before my hands were moving again.
“You just flew in to save the day without giving a damn about how snatching her from the only thing she knows and dragging her to another city to live with a stranger could be detrimental. She doesn’t know you. You don’t know her.”
When my rant ended, I was met with a sea of calm and, if I wasn’t mistaken, amusement. Both of which only further pissed me off. When he responded, I could have punched him in that handsome face.
Long, thick fingers moved slowly but precisely when he delivered his thoughts.
“I have a team of people to assist me with meeting all of my sister’s needs.
I was provided a list of schools which rank higher than the one she’s currently attending, and as for Rylee living with a stranger, why would that be any different than her current situation?
” He arched a brow and continued. “You are a stranger. Your words, not mine.”
Well, fuck…
I had indeed labeled myself as a stranger, but not with the intention for the label to be used against me. We engaged in a standoff. Me fuming, Ryland smiling victoriously. This man had the right to handle Rylee however he wanted because he held all the power.
“You can pack her things.”
My eyes narrowed when I signed. “You’re not taking her. She has school tomorrow.”
“Aren’t you a teacher? You can come with Rylee and do the teaching.”
What?
“Teaching is my job. I can’t just up and leave because you snapped your fingers.”
“Your job’s more important than Rylee?”