Chapter 16 #2
“Mr. Hatcher,” Officer Reynolds interjects. “According to the law, Mrs. Barber is next of kin. I’m sorry, truly. But you need to surrender the child.”
“Dad?”
My throat tightens when I hear Claire’s small voice behind me. I do my best to use my frame to block her from view, but Ruby pushes past me.
“He’s not your dad, sweetheart.” She opens her arms for Claire, but she steps away. “Don’t you remember your real daddy?”
“Dad?” Claire sidesteps Ruby and puts her hand in mine. “Why is Mrs. Barber here with the police?”
“I’m your grandma , Claire. Don’t call me Mrs. Barber.”
“See? She’s basically a stranger to Claire.” I’m begging the officer to see reason. “She belongs with me.”
There’s an unmistakable snarl on Ruby’s lips. She smooths her gray bob-cut hair behind her ears. “Claire, where’s your room? Let’s grab your toothbrush and pillow for tonight. We’ll come back for the rest later.”
She makes her way down the hallway, but I don’t stop her.
Hopefully she gets lost in my mansion and keeps herself busy exploring all the things I gave my girls that her son never could.
She can take whatever she wants. I squeeze Claire’s hand tightly.
I’m holding on to the only thing that matters to me.
“This isn’t happening,” I tell the officer. “You need to wait while I get my lawyer on the phone.”
“Mr. Hatcher, please understand that this is above you and me. I really am sorry, but you’re not Claire’s biological father nor her legal guardian. There’s nothing to justify her staying here.”
“What about the fact I’ve been providing for her and her mother for years now? What about the fact I love her? How can you do this? Her mom died yesterday! How can you attack us like this while she’s in mourning?”
As understanding sweeps over Claire, she clings to me with both arms. “ No , no ,” she whimpers. “I don’t want to go. Please don’t make me go.”
Ruby returns to the foyer empty-handed. “I couldn’t find your room, but it’s fine. We’ll buy you new things, honey. Come on, it’s time to go.”
When Claire refuses to release me, Ruby intercedes, roughly removing my daughter’s arms from me, one by one. It takes everything in me not to strike her across the face. Every part of me wants to. But I don’t hit women. I’m not her son.
“Daddy, please. I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.
” There’s fear and panic in her eyes. I know in my heart this is inevitable.
I always meant to adopt Claire officially after I married her mom.
The date was set… We just didn’t make it.
Hot tears burn tracks down my face as I do the only thing I can right now, which is to not make this worse.
“You can at least give us a moment,” I snarl at Ruby. “Get the fuck out of my house.”
“I’m not leaving without her.” Claire winces when Ruby tightens her grip around her wrist.
“Let her go before I remove your hand from your body,” I growl.
“You see?” Ruby directs at Officer Reynolds. “He’s violent. ”
“You gaslighting bitch. You know who the real monster is.” I never use language around Claire, but I’ve lost control.
“ Stop ,” the officer roars. “Mrs. Barber, you’re escalating the situation unnecessarily at this point. Please wait in your vehicle. I’ll bring Claire out in a moment.”
Disgust painted across her face, Ruby reluctantly acquiesces and releases Claire. She points between my eyes. “You two had no right to keep her from me all these years. This is what you get. Make sure when you say goodbye, you mean it. You won’t see her again, I’ll make damn sure of it.”
She storms off, leaving Claire hysteric in her wake. As soon as I squat down, her arms are shackling my neck. “If I sleep over with her tonight, you’ll come get me tomorrow, right? Just bye for tonight… right ?”
I so badly want to lie to her to make it okay. But is that fair? “Claire, look at me.” She pulls away just enough to meet my stare. “I will do everything I can to bring you home. Okay?”
She nods. “Tomorrow?”
I bite my lip so it doesn’t tremble. “I don’t know.”
“Then I’m not going.”
“Here.” I pull the golden chain over my head and drop it over Claire’s head. It’s way too big for her, and the heart-shaped locket dangles almost to her belly button.
She touches the heart. “But it was a gift.” Elise didn’t love again easily after her abusive ex.
Trusting me with her daughter took even longer.
But the first Father’s Day we really felt like a family, they gifted me with this little picture locket.
Elise on one side, Claire on the other. They signed the gift tag, “from your girls.”
My girls.
“Exactly. This is the most valuable thing I own. I wouldn’t give it up without being sure I’ll get it back. Keep it safe for me. I want it back when you come home.”
She nods emphatically, believing me with her whole heart.
I pray I’m not a liar. Ruby’s threat circles through my mind and I pretend she has no power. But does she?
“Okay, time to go, sweetheart,” Officer Reynolds says.
“I’ll walk with her.” I rise, Claire’s hand in mine.
Officer Reynolds holds his palm against my chest. “Mr. Hatcher…” He looks almost as tormented as I feel. “In my experience with these situations, it’s best if you say goodbye here. We don’t want to stress Claire out any more than necessary.”
With his hands around Claire’s shoulders, he guides her through the door. Her fingertips glide against mine one final time as he pulls her way from me.
“Claire,” I call out.
She freezes, allowing the officer to get a few steps in front of her.
Slowly she turns around, like she barely has the strength.
It kills me that she’s staring at her untied sneakers.
She doesn’t want to look at me, like out of instinct she’s detaching.
“I love you, Nate. I tried to say it back earlier, but couldn’t. I love you .”
Putting us out of our misery, the officer doubles back to escort Claire away, down the path to the wraparound driveway. He gently shuts the door behind them.
It must be shock. Grief. Fury. Fatigue. I don’t know, but I can’t actually move my feet. All I can do is drop to my knees. I listen quietly until the low rumble of car engines completely dissipates.
I need to get to my phone and jump into action. This is all a misunderstanding. The lawyers will clear it up. Claire will come home. We need each other. To grieve. To heal. She’s the only part of Elise I have left. She can’t just be gone.
Move, Nate. I have the power to wake up our entire legal team in the middle of the night with a snap of my fingers. But for some reason, I still can’t move my legs. All I can do is replay Ruby’s threat in my head over and over again.
You won’t see her again. I’ll make sure of it.
It’s not until I hear a crack that I realize I’m punching the floor with all my might. Swing after swing, my knuckles bleed and bruise, but I ignore the ache and sting.
I keep punching harder and harder, falling into a rhythm.
Pushing past the pain…
Just trying to stay focused on the task at hand.