Chapter Three Willow #2
“We’re not puppies,” Ry reminds me, and I can’t help but laugh at that. We’re all quiet for a long moment. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I loved that I got to be a part of their official adoption day.
Aunt Debbie cried like a baby when the judge signed off, and Ray held her tightly, the way he always did.
It was one of the most special days of our lives, and I can admit, I was a little jealous. I wish they could have adopted me as well.
“We’ll need copies of this one too,” I say after swallowing hard, and my guys both nod.
I turn to Gideon, needing to lighten the mood a bit.
“How are you? Are you going crazy being gone from work so long?”
“It’s only been a little over a week,” he reminds me, and I just lift an eyebrow.
I know my guys.
“Yeah, I’ve been checking in every day. It seems Blackbird doesn’t only try to push my buttons. She’s been difficult this week.”
“What does she do that’s so bad?” I ask him.
“She likes to run off. Evading us, sneaking away, is a game for her. She hates having security. Thinks she should have her freedom because she’s an adult. But that’s not how it works.”
“I know the president has Secret Service for the rest of her life, but will her children also have them forever?”
“No. When Madam President’s term is over, she and her husband will have a detail for the rest of their lives, but not their children. Only children under the age of sixteen.”
“Interesting.” I reach for the bag of chips that Ryker tossed on the island for us to share and pull out a handful. “How much longer in this term?”
“She’s up for reelection. So it could be another five years or so,” he replies, shaking his head. “Fuck my life.”
“Can you get reassigned?”
“I could.” Gid shrugs. “It’s all good. At least it’s not boring.”
“That’s true.” I grin at him. “I’m proud of you, you know. You’re pretty cool.”
Gideon shakes his head, but I can see the pride in his eyes when he offers me a small smile. “Thanks, kiddo.”
“I’m one year younger than you,” I remind him, but he just chuckles.
“Still younger.”
I glance up and find Ryker watching us, his jaw clenched.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “Do you want another sandwich?”
“Nah, I’m full. Thanks, though. What can I do next? I need to leave in an hour or so to get Aiden from school. Are we cleaning out Ray’s office? Their bedroom?”
We all frown at each other.
“No,” Gid says, shaking his head.
“Agreed,” Ry adds. “We’ll shut those doors and leave them be for now. It’s too soon.”
I slump in relief. “I’m on the same page. But, Ry, you’re going to need an office.”
“I’ve already commandeered another guest room to convert. It’s all good.”
“I’ll work on another room, then,” I begin as I hop off my stool, but my phone starts to ring, and I scowl when I see it’s the school.
Damn it.
What now?
“Hello?” I don’t bother to leave the room. There’s no point.
“Hey, Willow, this is Ms. Hileman at the high school.”
“Hi there. What’s up?”
Ryker and Gideon are watching me, not even pretending not to eavesdrop.
“I have Aiden in my office,” the principal says with a sigh, and my stomach drops. “Are you able to come in for a meeting?”
“I’m about an hour away,” I reply and rub my fingertips over my forehead. “But I can head that way, sure. Is he sick? Hurt?”
“No, he’s not hurt. But he’s in trouble, Willow.”
I close my eyes and lean against the counter. “What did he do now?”
“Christ,” Ryker whispers, and I do my best to ignore him.
“I think it’s best if you come in, and we can all talk this out.”
“I’d like to speak with him, please.”
There’s a pause. “Oh, well, you can speak with him—”
“Yes, I can speak with him now.” I hear the ice in my voice, and I don’t give a shit. This is my kid we’re talking about.
“Speaker,” Gid says next to me, and I do as he says, setting my phone on the counter.
“One moment.”
“Wait. Why can’t you hand him the phone? I thought he was in your office.”
“He’s just getting patched up by the nurse real quick.”
I hover over the phone. “What in the hell, Melody? You just told me he isn’t hurt. What is going on?”
“Ms. Hileman. He has a cut lip.” Her voice is curt. “But he will be just fine. Let me get him for you.”
I look up into Ryker’s hot brown eyes and then glance at Gideon, whose hands are fisted.
We’re all pissed.
“Aunt Willow.” My boy’s voice sounds so defeated, it makes my heart clench.
“Hey, sweetheart. Are you okay? Do you need me to take you to the doctor?”
“No, it’s just my lip. It’s okay.”
“Buddy, I need you to be honest with me right now. Do you hear me?”
“Okay.”
“Do you feel safe where you are?”
There’s silence on the other end of the line, and that’s all I need to know.
“I’m on my way right now. You sit and you keep quiet. Don’t answer any questions until I’m there, do you understand? I’ve got you, baby.”
“I understand. How long?”
“As fast as I can get there, but I’m at the ranch, so it’ll be a bit.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to hurry. I’m safe.”
I shake my head. I don’t trust anything that I’m hearing right now. “It’s okay, buddy. I’m coming. Just hang tight.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“I love you.”
He ends the call without saying it back, which doesn’t surprise me at all.
“Sorry, guys, I’m out. My kiddo needs me.”
“Wills, what the fuck’s going on?” Gideon demands, but I shake my head.
“I don’t trust that woman, and I don’t trust whoever hit my boy. I’ll go straighten it out. He likely won’t tell me what’s going on, but if he’s hurt, I don’t want him sitting there.”
“We can come with you,” Ryker offers, and I want to cry.
God, it would be awesome to have help.
But this isn’t their fight.
“Thank you, but it’ll be okay. This isn’t our first time in the principal’s office.” I offer them each a smile that I don’t feel because I don’t want them to worry, and then hurry through the house and out to my car.
I need to get to my boy.
“So he didn’t start it, didn’t throw the first punch, but he’s the only one being suspended? Come on, Melody, that’s not fair.”
The other woman, with perfectly coiffed red hair, straightens her navy blue power suit and purses her lips. I’ve known Melody Hileman since we were in the third grade and she moved to town from Wisconsin. She’s always been a jerk.
Now the jerk is the principal of my kid’s high school.
“The other boy had to go to the urgent care,” she says. “You’re lucky I convinced his parents not to press assault charges.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “No. They’re lucky I’m not pressing assault charges, given that their kid threw the first punch, and my kid was defending himself.”
Aiden shifts in his chair next to me.
“He’s not suspended if the other kid isn’t,” I add. “And what are you going to do to keep my child safe while he’s at school? It’s obvious that boy is doing his best to get Aiden into trouble.”
Melody shakes her head. “I can’t talk about the other child with you.”
“And you won’t discuss my child’s safety with me.”
She simply holds my gaze, and I’ve never disliked someone as much as I do this woman.
“Good to know.” I stand and glance down at Aiden. “We’ll go home now.”
“School isn’t out for thirty minutes,” Melody reminds me.
“And yet you kept him in here for the last two hours, didn’t send him back to class, and you’re worried that he’s going to miss the last thirty minutes? He’ll be here tomorrow.”
She starts to say something, but I just raise an eyebrow until she nods.
“That’s what I thought. Come on, Aiden.”
He’s quiet in the car ride home. Broody. Which is nothing new where my nephew is concerned. When I park in front of our little house, he walks inside, goes through to his room, and slams his door, and I let out a gusty breath.
We have to talk. And getting this kid to talk to me these days is like pulling molars.
When I knock on his door, he ignores me.
“We have to talk about this, Aiden.”
He doesn’t reply, so I try the handle, but it’s locked. I hate that he’s started locking his door. No fifteen-year-old should be able to lock his parent out of his room.
“Open up, buddy.”
Still no response.
So I go find a hairpin and proceed to pick the lock. It’s not easy, but the door finally gives.
When I open the door, I see that my boy is lying on his bed, his back to me, with his big headphones on, listening to music. He didn’t even hear me break into his room.
“Aiden,” I call out, but he can’t hear me, so I walk over and put my hand on his ankle.
He flails, startled, and his sneaker-clad foot hits me right in the shoulder, making me fall back onto my ass.
“Ouch,” I mutter, rubbing my shoulder.
“Aunt Wills,” he says, tearing his headphones off and tossing them on the bed. “What the fuck? Why are you in my room?”
His green eyes go round when he sees that I managed to unlock his door.
“What did you do?”
“I came into the room that I own to talk to you about today,” I reply, climbing to my feet. “You don’t get to lock me out of here, Aiden.”
“It’s my room.”
“And you’ll speak to me when I tell you to. What is going on with you?”
He shakes his head, and seeing the injury on his lip makes me want to punch someone. I’m not a violent woman, but I’ll do whatever needs to be done to protect my kid.
“I need you to tell me what’s up with you, buddy. I can help you.”
“I don’t need help. I’m fine. I’ll go to school tomorrow.”
I sigh with disappointment. “You can tell me anything, Aiden.”
No reaction.
“Okay. Well, I’ll let you know when dinner’s ready.”
“Can I close my door?”
“If you promise not to lock me out.”
His lips twist, but he gives me a curt nod.
I’m exhausted, and a little sore, when I leave his room. I wish he’d talk to me. I wish I knew what was up with my teenager.
More than anything, I wish I didn’t feel so helpless where he’s concerned. I don’t know what to do with him.
“I don’t want to go to the ranch.”
I glance at Aiden in the passenger seat and then out the windshield. We’ve been on the road for almost an hour, we’re only two miles away from the ranch, and he’s just speaking up now.