Chapter 19
Nineteen
Jackson headed over to Mia’s house first thing in the morning.
His goal was to be at the hospital the moment visiting hours started.
That way, he could get in and see Reggie before the police did something outrageous—like arrest the kid.
After all, Reggie was his one link to finding Dylan.
Plus, he liked the kid. Even if Reggie had been in trouble in the past, Jackson had trouble wrapping his head around the idea that he might be involved with drugs. He’d never seemed the type.
Although, in the past few days, Jackson had seen that this new drug was sinking its teeth into the heart of Renegade.
He also wanted to get to the hospital because Reggie probably had no idea that his mother was there recovering from a bullet wound.
It was possible that whoever had shot her was also the one who had taken Dylan.
Jackson felt certain that his brother had been the victim of foul play.
He just hoped and prayed they could find him before it was too late.
He refused to consider that they might have already crossed that line.
He pulled into Mia’s driveway and parked behind an unfamiliar vehicle.
It wasn’t Mia’s, and he didn’t think she’d had time to get a rental after hers was wrecked.
So much had happened in the past few days that his head was spinning, but he had Mia back in his life, and it seemed as though she might be renewing her relationship with the Lord.
Plus, they were closer to finding Dylan than they had been so far.
Whoever she’d found to watch Gus must be the owner of the car.
When he knocked on the door, he nearly fell over in shock. Carol Turner—Mia’s mother—stared back at him.
Her hair, the same dark brown as Mia’s, had been cut in fashionable waves to frame her oval face.
Her dark eyes were the same color as Mia’s too, but didn’t hold Mia’s sparkle.
She wore a light-yellow sundress and a matching short-sleeve jacket and looked like she was on her way to a garden-club meeting.
He had only ever met her once before, years ago, when he’d come to see Mia.
Her parents had been there. Blaine Turner had treated him like he was some kind of insect he wanted to step on.
Carol hadn’t said anything, but Jackson had felt certain she, too, looked down on him.
“Jackson Stewart.” Her soft voice reminded him of Mia’s. “I remember meeting you once.”
He nodded. She hadn’t said a word back then. “Mrs. Turner.”
What did you say to someone who’d stood by while her husband lied?
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He blinked, not sure he’d heard her correctly. “You’re sorry?”
“I didn’t try to stop Blaine. What he said—what he did to you and Mia—it was wrong. And I let it happen.” Her voice broke on the last word. “I was weak and failed my baby girl.”
“Mrs. Turner.” Jackson reached out but didn’t touch her. “I forgive you. Mia’s told me some of what happened. I’m glad you two are mending your fences.”
She nodded, a tear trembling on her lashes. “I don’t know if it’s possible, after all these years. But I want to try.”
He couldn’t ask for more than that. “I hope it works out for you. I’m here to take Mia to the hospital to visit someone we know.”
“Yes, I know. Mia told me some of what’s been going on,” Carol replied. “I’m sorry about your brother. I hope you find him soon.”
Jackson blinked. He hadn’t expected that. “Oh, um, thanks.”
Mia stepped up beside her mother. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
Carol gave her daughter a tentative smile. “I am. You go on. It’s time I took care of my family.”
Mia glanced at her mother for a moment, then suddenly, she hugged her. Carol Turner seemed to freeze before she wrapped shaking arms around her daughter.
“I’ll call you later.” Mia stepped back from her mother. “Make sure Gus gets her pills.”
“I will. You know I’ll do better than Jane.”
Mia wrinkled her nose. “Yeah.”
Jackson looked deeper into the house.
“Gus is still asleep. She’ll probably sleep until nine.” Mia grabbed Jackson’s hand and pulled him toward his truck.
“What—” he started.
“I’ll tell you in the truck.” She had her jaw set tight, her teeth pressing together.
He opened her door and let her climb in before closing it and jogging around to the driver’s seat. The moment they were on the road, he gave her a side glance. “Talk. Now.”
She blew out a big breath that ended in a caustic chuckle.
“This morning has been like a tale straight out of The Twilight Zone. I couldn’t think of anyone else to stay with Gus, and I promised Reggie I’d be there as soon as I had someone to look after her, so I called my mom.
I don’t know which one of us was more shocked—her that I actually called, or me that she said yes.
She’s never shown any interest in spending time with her aunt before.
Anyway…” She shook her head slowly, as if she still couldn’t believe what she was saying.
“She showed up on the doorstep this morning with two suitcases!”
“Suitcases?”
“Exactly! Yesterday, I invited her to move in, but she didn’t act like she wanted to do that. Then apparently, after Blaine left for a meeting last night, she packed her suitcases and put them in her car. She didn’t take anything he’d notice was missing.”
“So she’s…what?” Jackson couldn’t wrap his head around this.
“She told me she’s left Blaine. She’s going to find a lawyer—not the one Blaine uses, obviously—and she’s filing for divorce. She doesn’t care about the house or any of the furnishings. That’s going to ruffle some feathers, especially since he’s running for office.”
“He is?”
She nodded. “He’s running for the empty Senate seat. He’s planning to announce his candidacy in November.”
Jackson didn’t know how to respond except to say, “That would be a nightmare.”
“Ya think?” She snorted. “No, I can’t see that as a good thing either. But that’s what he’s doing. My mom stood behind him for years, mostly because she felt she had no choice.”
Mia drummed her fingers on the door for a moment. Jackson remained quiet, giving her time to process. Finally, she glanced his way.
“Blaine was there when I called this morning. I expected him to be gone. When she told him she was coming over to watch Gus, he pretty much said, ‘You can’t. You know your aunt isn’t of your social status.
We can’t be seen hanging around with her.
’ Blah, blah, blah. That kind of thing. And my mom realized there was nothing in her marriage she wanted to keep. So she just walked out.”
Jackson’s hands clenched the wheel. “Did he say anything?”
Mia sniffed. “He told her, ‘If you leave, I’ll change the locks. You won’t be able to get inside to get all your belongings, and don’t bother coming back.
’ He had no clue she’d already packed everything she wanted.
So after he left, she got in the car and drove here.
She kept her wedding band and said she plans to sell it.
So now she’s staying at Gus’s house too. ”
He shook his head. “How do feel about this? You never got along. Now she’ll be living in the same house.”
“I don’t know. It’s only been half an hour. I’m sure we’ll drive each other crazy. But at the same time, I’m glad she woke up and figured out what was going on. I’ve never met a more toxic person than Blaine Turner.”
Jackson had to agree. “You really don’t think of him as your father, do you?”
“No, I don’t.”
“It’s kind of sad,” he said.
“It is.”
“I was eight when my dad died. I can barely remember his voice, but I knew he loved me.” Jackson cleared his throat.
“I’m so sorry.”
He reached over and took her hand. Holding on to it felt natural. “I think the hardest part for me was that my mother…I told you about our history. I always knew that, to her, I was more of a burden. I think that’s why I tried so hard to be what she wanted.”
“You said she remarried when you were eleven?”
“Yes. I was in fifth grade. It was the best. My stepfather was an amazing man. He loved being a father. When Dylan was born—when I was thirteen—my stepdad would take us places and tell people ‘These are my boys.’ It was never ‘This is my son and this is my stepson.’ I can’t tell you how much it meant to have a family again.
But then six months later, he was gone.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.”
He sighed. “Thanks. My mom made it very clear that if she hadn’t had Dylan and me, she could have done anything she wanted.
I spent so many years trying to make up for my dad, and then my stepfather, not being there.
Anytime anyone asked me to do something, I was there.
Sometimes, I exhausted myself because I tried so hard. It was never enough though.”
He turned into the hospital parking lot.
She squeezed his hand. “You are enough, Jackson,” she told him softly. “I’ve seen the way you care for your brother and your patients. And when we were going out, nothing made my day like seeing your smile. Don’t ever believe the lies that woman told you.”
Jackson squeezed her hand before leaving the cab of the truck. He couldn’t speak. Her words had filled a place in him he hadn’t even realized was hollow.
Mia had never thought of herself as a violent person, but if Jackson’s mother suddenly appeared right in front of her, she knew she would have trouble not smacking that woman right in the jaw.
To do that to your own children—not only abandon them but verbally abuse them and make them feel like a burden. What kind of mother would do that? For the first time in her life, Mia felt like her own mother might’ve actually been better than someone else’s.
She didn’t know why, but she had always assumed Jackson was an orphan and that was why he’d been raised by his grandfather.
She hadn’t realized it was his step-grandfather.
She hadn’t really known him when they were kids.
They’d thought they were in love, but both of them had kept so much of themselves from each other.