Chapter 27 Remington
Remington
The only thing that made me able to walk away from Lainey and go back to my shift at the fire station was my parents showing up to the house.
I texted my dad to let him know what happened and they dropped everything and knocked on my door twenty minutes later.
My mom had Lainey all mothered up on the couch with blankets, snacks, water, and was camped out right next to her.
She told me they were not leaving “their girl” alone for one second and promised to take good care of her for me.
After the horrible dinner with her own mother less than a day ago, this was exactly what my woman needed.
To be shown love, care, and affection not only by me but the other people that are in her life now, too.
She needs to know she is not alone anymore.
Danny promised he would get all the paperwork going to file a restraining order against Cora on behalf of both myself and Lainey.
Never in a million years would I think we’d have to take this step when Cora knocked on my door.
I wanted her to stay the fuck away from both of us, to protect Lainey, but it was hard to believe a couple pieces of paper would be helpful at all.
Not knowing where she was also made it kind of hard to enforce it or even press charges for the vandalism to Lainey’s car.
Just thinking about those disgusting red, dripping letters spelling out Cora’s clear hatred and jealousy made the fury I felt when I first saw it rage through my blood all over again.
“Hey.” Eli clapped me on the shoulder. “Do you wanna hit the gym?” He could probably feel my mounting wrath and knew I could use a few rounds with my gloves on and some punishing miles on the treadmill.
“Yeah, I do, but I think first I am going to give Rodger Tyler a call.” I look at Eli, who rightfully looks shocked.
“Seriously? You have not talked to him in years,” Eli replies.
“I know, but he might have some information, and I don’t like feeling like we’re in the dark on this. I need to know what the hell is going on. Trust me, I don’t want to make this call, but I will do anything to keep Lainey safe,” I say honestly to my best friend, and he nods in understanding.
“Do you want me to sit here with you while you call him?” he offers.
“I appreciate it, but no, man. I got this.” His willingness to do anything for me, because he is my brother through and through, makes my throat feel thick. He had no hesitation to jump into action today for me, to be there to help comfort Lainey, and I know he wants to help protect her, too.
Eli gives a mock salute, his way of trying to lighten the mood, and heads off toward the kitchen. I pull out my phone and bring up Rodger’s number, hoping he will actually answer the damn phone.
It rings and rings several times before connecting. “Rem?” A voice graveled by decades of cigarette use crackles over the line.
“Yeah, hey, Mr. Tyler. It’s been a long time, thanks for picking up,” I say.
“What’s going on?” he says with a cough.
“It’s about Cora.” I cut right to the chase. I am not about to play years of catch-up. I need information, not chitchat.
A deep, exhausted sigh leaves Rodger before he says, “What did my daughter do now?”
“She showed up here demanding I marry her, based on a pact we made as children. I told her I wanted nothing to do with her a couple times. Made it clear that I’m a happily taken man and in a committed relationship.
” He grunts in response, and I continue.
“Then this morning my girlfriend went to get in her car and found the word ‘whore’ spray painted in red along the whole side of the car.”
There is a long beat of silence, and I look to be sure our call is still connected.
“You sure it was her?” Rodger asks.
“We have her on my goddamn security cameras, Rodger!” I exclaim, feeling my temper rising.
“I am so sorry, Rem. Cora is not the same girl that ya knew back in the day. She has been hurtin’ a lot of people for a long time, including me and her mother. Now it seems she’s swingin’ back ’round hurtin’ ya even more.” The pain and exhaustion in Rodger’s rough voice is palpable.
“What happened?” I push.
“Jared happened.”
I growl at the name.
“Yeah, that asshole, one of many of Cora’s horrible decisions over the years. But he helped her with some of the party plannin’ stuff, setting up her business, and that was a big mistake. He got her some investors, but they were not the kind of people ya wanna be mixed up with.”
“Shit,” I say, my mind reeling.
“Then Jared just took off after about four years, leaving Cora with a pile of debt and a drug habit,” Rodger admits.
“What the hell, Rodger. I can’t believe that.
Drugs?” I feel like this is my fault. Had I not kicked her out the night of graduation and worked things out with her, maybe her life would have turned out better, different.
But Cora was Cora, and her manipulative self-centered ways would have destroyed us that day or one in the future.
Plus, if I did not end that toxic relationship I wouldn’t be where I am today, where I am meant to be.
As sad as I am for Cora and the shitty path her life took, I cannot look back or take on any responsibility for her self-implosion.
“Did she move the business back to Fox Grove?” I ask Rodger.
“No, she lost everything almost two years ago. Everything she does now is to try and keep the guys she owes money to off her back and fuel her drug habit. We tried to help her. Tried to get her into rehab, but nothin’ has worked.
She’s stolen money and medication from our house.
Rem, she even took the three pieces of heirloom jewelry that Nancy had in our bedroom.
They were the only thing she had left of her mother, ya know what those meant to her.
” Rodger is a broken man. The sadness laced in his voice is paired with exhaustion and a loss of any hope he might have been holding on to.
Cora is his only daughter, and I know telling me this must be so difficult.
“Rodger, I had no idea. I’m so sorry,” I tell him sincerely.
“Listen, Rem, you and your girl do what ya need to do. Cora needs a wake-up call and to be held responsible for her actions. I am sorry it’s been so long since we spoke.
Nancy and I have always loved ya like a son and hold no ill will toward ya.
Cora treated ya so awful, and you were nothin’ but good to her.
You’re a good man, Rem.” Rodger’s words are something I did not realize I needed to hear so badly.
“I really appreciate you saying that.” I clear my throat, feeling surprised by such a closed-off man expressing so much to me after all this time.
“Seriously, Rem. If Cora is coming ’round causing problems or trying to rope ya into any crazy plan she hatched, it is all ’bout money.
She needs it for those damn thugs that constantly shake her down and for the drugs.
Please don’t give her anything. Don’t let her ruin what ya have goin’ there that’s good in Fox Grove.
” Rodger sounds worried that she might be able to pull the wool over my eyes, like I am certain she did with him more than once to get her way.
She did it a lot when we were growing up, so I can’t imagine what it is like now that she has an addictive motivator.
“I promise to be careful, Rodger. Do you have any idea where Cora might be?” I ask.
“Yeah, a little apartment complex on the south end of town. It’s week-by-week rent and cheap. I think it’s called Riverview? Not sure why, no river in sight, and it has the shittiest views in town.” He huffs.
“I know the place, thanks, Rodger,” I assure him.
“Anything you need, Rem, I mean it, ya call me.” His rough voice is stern, but I believe him.
“I will, thank you.”
I hang up the phone and feel exhausted from the whole conversation.
After a grueling workout with Eli, an emergency call on the highway, and coming back to the station I need to decompress.
I take out Lainey’s new journal, my drawing supplies, and her old, ugly journal.
If I can’t be with her tonight, I can at least work on this and draw her flowers.
Hopefully I can give it to her soon, watch Lainey flip through the pages, and surprise her with her own personal garden at her fingertips.