Chapter Seven
Runa
There was something a little nostalgic about the game center. Flashing lights, the music, the sounds from the machines, the smell of pizza and cotton candy, the cheers as people won.
It reminded me in a small way of the night I’d met York.
Instead of playing to try to win a silly capybara plush, though, I was standing back holding three of Denny’s stuffed animals as she and York went from machine to machine. Until they got to Skee-Ball machine. Denny was in love with it.
And watching York show her how to throw the ball so it didn’t bounce or jump made my heart do all the bouncing and jumping instead.
I hadn’t anticipated how much it would impact me to see Runa with her father.
I’d given them meeting some thought over the years, of course.
But I think when I imagined it in my mind, I worried more about the ways it could go wrong—him not wanting her, being mean to her, making promises he didn’t keep.
I hadn’t spent much time thinking about how it might go right. Or how good that would feel.
It was impossible to be a single parent and not think about the what-ifs.
What if I got sick? What if I got hurt? What if I died?
What would happen to my baby with no close family to take care of her?
Would she wind up in the system? Would she be one of the lucky kids who got a loving home, or would she age out of the system with no family, or—worse yet—would she end up in an abusive family?
The whole death thing had been heavy on my mind for obvious reasons. Reasons that still hurt if I ran my hand over my ribs or turned too fast.
Knowing that if I died the horrific death that was seeming more and more likely lately, that Denali would still have one loving, attentive parent, that was an unexpected weight off.
It was a topic I was going to need to broach with York sooner or later. But I was enjoying seeing them interact, watching my little girl not just have a good time, but connect with her father too much to ruin it with a serious adult conversation.
I was just going to have to stay in the area long enough to find time to have that difficult discussion.
I had a lead on a job. It was just one rental cleaning job, but it was a deep clean.
I low-balled the client at just two hundred, wanting to scoop the job out from under those who might pay what the job was really worth—which was more than double that.
But I needed money fast. That would get me solvent for a little bit.
And, hey, if that client owned other properties, I might secure myself a job doing cleanings between bookings for more consistent pay.
“You alright?” a deep voice asked, making me jolt and realize York must have been talking to me.
“Sorry. Spaced out for a minute. What’s up? Are you all done?”
“We’re getting pizza!”
“Oh, fun! I love pizza.”
“It might not be New York pizza, but I don’t think she has a particular palate,” York said.
“She’s going to dunk it in ranch, so I’d say you’re right,” I told him.
As we sat, Denny got distracted arranging her stuffed animals and talking to them, so York looked over at me.
“After this, I was wondering if you two would come with me somewhere real quick.”
“Can we?” Denny, not seeming to pay attention but clearly hearing everything, called.
“Sure,” I agreed, figuring he had plans for ice cream or some other shopping spree.
But after bellies were full, bumper cars were knocked together, rock walls were climbed, axes were thrown, laser tag was played, and tickets were turned in for a massive stuffed dinosaur, we loaded in our car to follow York on his motorcycle back toward Golden Glades.
Instead of going back to his house, or an ice cream shop or store, we pulled into an apartment complex. One of those big ones full of identical buildings that must make it impossible for delivery drivers to find the right one.
It was on the new end with nice landscaping and a big kids’ playground to the side.
“I thought York lived at the house with the tortoise and big bird.”
“I think he does. I’m not sure what we’re doing here,” I said. “Stay in your seat for a minute, munchkin,” I said as I climbed out and walked over to where York was pulling off his helmet. “York, what is this? Why are we here?”
As an answer, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.
“What’s this?” I asked, ignoring the lurch in my chest, trying to remind myself that people didn’t get other people apartments. I was obviously misreading this.
“Keys to an apartment for you and Denali.”
“What?”
“Not to be creepy, but I looked into the motel with the pool and alligator sign, and that’s just not gonna work. I want you guys somewhere safe and clean.”
“So you rented us an apartment?”
“Look. I’m not expecting anything here. If you’re only in town for a couple weeks, then that’s fine.
Well, I hope to see more of Denali than that.
But I want to be clear that this isn’t coming with any kind of obligation.
I just don’t feel right about the motel thing.
And I have a lot of years of money I owe you.
This is a small way of paying some of it back. ”
I glanced at the building, heart flipping over. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? A safe place for my little girl? A kitchen to cook her good meals in? Somewhere she could spread her toys out?
“It’s… a lot.”
“It isn’t,” he countered. “It is in my name, since I didn’t have your information, but if you want, we can draft something up, get it notarized, so you feel safe knowing you can stay here.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I trust you.” He hadn’t given me a single reason not to yet. And I’d been looking for one. For our safety, yes. But also as a potential solo parent to our daughter if the worst happened to me. He’d passed all my mental tests.
“I would really appreciate it if you let me do this for you guys.”
“Okay,” I agreed, nodding. “Yes, we’ll stay here. Thank you.”
“Good. I know you need to go grab your shit, but do you want to check the place out first?”
“Yes,” I said, then grabbed Denny, telling her we were going to check out a new place for us to stay, then followed York into the building.
We ended up on the highest floor, and I felt both relaxed and tense about that. It would, on one hand, allow me to see anyone if they were snooping around. On the other, we couldn’t just jump out a random window and make a run for it.
I guess there was the chance of making friends with neighbors so we could hide in their apartments if something happened while I waited for York to come for us.
And with the way he was wrapped around our little girl’s finger already, I had no doubt that he would come.
Hopefully with that gun he owned when I’d seen him last.
Everything about the building was brand new. The carpets and hardwood floors were pristine, the paint on the walls fresh, the windows completely spotless.
I unlocked the door to our new place and stepped inside.
My heart nearly burst.
Because I’d been expecting to need to stalk online forums to find a couch, end tables, a dining set, and beds, which would be very doable in an area like this.
But no.
The apartment was fully furnished.
“You found a furnished unit?” I asked, voice breathless.
“No.”
Denny rushed ahead toward the giant casement windows in the living room that stretched from floor to ceiling, showing her stuffed animals the view.
“You… you managed to get us an apartment and get it furnished in, what, a day and a half?”
“I have a pretty big circle who was willing to help lug furniture, paint walls, and put together furniture.”
It did still smell a bit like paint in the apartment, even though the living/dining/kitchen area had all white walls.
The living room set was in a deep green with dark wood end tables and a coffee table over a rug with mixed browns and greens. There was no art on the walls, but there were lamps, a basket on the coffee table for remotes, coasters, and a TV on the wall.
The kitchen was all white with white marble countertops, a big stainless steel fridge, a range, and a dishwasher. God, a dishwasher.
Emotion clawed its way up my throat, and I fought it back down as Denny turned back to us.
“Want to see your room?” York asked.
“Yes!” Denny said, running over to him to lead her down the hall.
“This is Mommy’s room,” he said as we passed that one first. “I took a chance that green would be your color,” he said as I looked in the door to find green walls, a dark wood bed and matching nightstands, and a rug.
“It’s her favorite color,” Denny told him as I blinked away the sting in my eyes.
“It’s perfect,” I said, giving York a smile.
“This is the bathroom,” York said, gesturing into the other door. “And… this is your room.” He threw an arm out and waited for Denny to rush past him to take it in.
I could hear her gasps and exclamations as I moved toward the doorway. And immediately understood her reaction.
While the whole house was furnished, it was clear York had spent a lot of time on Denny’s bedroom.
The walls were a sweet pastel purple. It matched the rug that dominated the floor. She had a rope swing in a corner, a bookshelf, a mini desk, toy storage, and a bed with a canopy, purple bedding, and a small collection of the various princess dolls lined against the wall.
A little overwhelmed, I stepped back out, letting him have this moment with her.
I saw a door at the end of the hall near her door, pulled it open, and saw a stacked washer and dryer.
That, it seemed, was my breaking point.
I was turning to walk back to the living room so Denny didn’t see me cry when York happened to look over and see me.
I rushed into the bathroom and closed the door but heard York ask Denny to stay in her room for a minute so he could talk to me.
I should have locked the door.
I didn’t want to analyze why I didn’t.
The door opened as I buried my face in my hands.