Chapter 58 Kiera
KIERA
Metal clattered overhead as Spencer lifted the gate of the storage unit, letting it settle on the rail just below the ceiling.
My jaw dropped as Spencer flicked on the lights. Bright overheads illuminated a deep storage unit, lined with metal shelves and box after box of organized documents.
“Holy shit. It’s like an accountant’s office.” I shook my head as Spencer stepped inside, a laugh escaping her lips.
“Someone has to make sure everything is in order.” Spencer gestured for me to step inside, grabbing the plastic bag full of Chinese takeout from my hands as I walked inside.
Walking through the place, I tried to wrap my head around it. “When did you have time for this?”
Spencer let out a sigh as she set the bag of food down by the door.
“It’s been a work in progress for a long time.
” Moving toward a specific shelf, Spencer grabbed a couple boxes and stacked them on the floor.
“The lawyer wants some vaccination records which should be in these boxes but the older ones might be mixed in elsewhere.”
I took a seat on the cold floor, letting the chilled concrete seep through the denim of my jeans.
Sliding a box over to me, Spencer dug into one of her own.
“Where did all of this come from? Shouldn’t their dad have this stuff?” My eyes flicked up to Spencer’s face between documents, trying to keep my spot in the stack.
Scoffing, Spencer nodded. “Well he should, but that doesn't seem to make him do it. Anything from before my sister passed was stuff she stored here, everything after I either got myself or the kids brought for me.”
I knew what it meant, that Spencer’s brother-in-law was probably a negligent ass with little fucks to give for his own kids.
The paper was dry on my fingers, making each page stick together. “So did it go to you in her will?”
Tilting her head, Spencer shrugged. “Not quite. Her husband was an asshole, well far more than an asshole. Every few years Jess would swear she was going to leave him so she asked me to open this storage unit in my name and let her keep records here.”
“So if they ever got divorced, he couldn’t get access to it.” I nodded. My mother had been with plenty an asshole since my father passed, and I’d gotten used to seeing her tactics to get out when it got too bad to handle.
“Our mom hadn’t ever dated a good guy, so we knew it was important to keep shit separate. Every time the kids went to a doctor or she opened a new account, the originals came here and the copies went to his place.” Spencer kept sorting, her eyes peeled for the right pages.
As I reached the end of my first box, I slid it to the side and popped open another. A waft of preserved plastic smells rose to my nose. “So what about after she passed?”
Letting out a deep breath, Spencer shook her head. “There were a couple years that I’m missing. But then Caleb got old enough to realize how much a shitbag his dad was and started asking me to do the same.”
“Really?” My eyebrows raised, surprised by the young teens ability to read the room.
“Yep. Then the plan shifted, I couldn’t adopt them without a house and money and lawyers. So instead, I started working on getting them emancipated.” Spencer finished her first box, pausing to check on me with a gentle hand on my back.
“What does that do for them?”
“Gives them some freedom to live alone. They’d still need his approval for medical stuff but at this point, Caleb is almost 18. If they follow through with emancipation, he’ll only need Ned’s approval for a couple appointments.” Spencer sighed. “And then there’s Abi.”
Biting my lip, I watched Spencer’s face flood with concern. “How old is she?”
“13.”
“Oof.” I kept flipping through the box, pulling anything that may be helpful.
“Yeah.” Spencer shrugged. “Ultimately, if Caleb is of age, he can petition for custody which is the hope. I’ll help him pay his bills and prove that he has a familial support network to take care of his little sister.”
Lifting my gaze from the box, I met Spencer’s eyes. “You should be really proud of yourself. This is… so much to keep track of. Jess would be proud.”
“Don’t say that until you see the back, that shit is a mess. I’ll have to sort it out soon if I have any hope of fixing it.” Spencer got lost staring back there. “But yeah, I just have to be very careful about who knows this exists.”
Warmth spread across my chest, her trust making my heart melt.
“I’m honored to be here. Secret’s safe with me.” I flashed her a warm smile.
But the heat passing through my chest quickly rose to my cheeks. I couldn’t believe how special she was, how kind and good.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever met someone like her, and I couldn’t deny that a part of me wanted to bridge the gap between us and feel her lips on mine again.
Maybe I was just growing touch starved after being stuck in their mansion for weeks. Or maybe I wasn’t quite as rigid as I’d thought.
That kiss in The Hollow made me question what I really wanted. And I was starting to suspect that it was her. Even if it confused me.
But it wasn’t a conclusion that settled easily on my conscience. Because if I was wrong, I could ruin everything.