Three cheers went up and I got back in the car to do exactly that.
It wasn’t until a couple of hours later and all the kids were in bed and sleeping that I finally let myself process and think. In the dim lighting of the living room, I stared blankly at the TV, not even paying attention to what was on it as my emotions swirled inside. Caitlyn wasn’t back from her trip yet, and I knew I needed to tell her not only what happened but to figure out ournext steps. Cait trusted me completely when it came to decisions regarding the children, but the idea forming in my mind needed both of us to be on board.
Knowing she had an event tonight, I sent her a message that everyone was okay and it wasn’t an emergency but asking her to call the second she had a free moment. A few seconds later, I got a thumbs up and the wordsabout 10.That meant I had about forty-five minutes before she was free. Which was just enough time to call my brother.
Usually I sent a text making sure he was available before calling. He and Teague were still in the honeymoon stage and I didn’t want to interrupt anything. But this time I took a chance and made the call without checking first. He answered on the third ring.
“Hey, Blue!”
He sounded so happy I couldn’t help but smile for a second. It was a long time coming, and I was thrilled that he was finally in a good place. Teague hadn’t been the magic cure, but he definitely helped the process along. Having someone love you that completely always had a positive effect.
“Hi, Charlie. How’re things?”
“Good. Great even. But what’s wrong? Your tone is weird.”
For a second, I thought about stalling. Making small talk. But that would just get Charlie’s anxiety going, and I tried to avoid that whenever possible. Besides, he knew me too well.
“She’s gone too far this time.” I didn’t have to explain whoshewas. Charlie would know.
Silence from the other end for five whole seconds, and when I pulled the phone away from my ear to make sure the connection hadn’t dropped, the screen for a video call popped up. I immediately accepted and a second later, my brother’s worried face and Salem’s butt greeted me.
“Thanks, cat. Because that’s what I wanted to see.” I tried to make light, but my tone fell flat.
Charlie scooped Salem up and held him out, presumably to Teague, as he sat up straighter. “What happened?”
Realizing there was no way to sugar coat this, I relayed what happened. Exact words, as best as I could recall them, and trying not to show too much emotion. I didn’t want to get Charlie any more worked up than he already was, judging by the outrage on his face. I was glad to see it, to be honest, as the words could have had a completely different effect on him. I didn’t want him to remember his own experiences with our mother and send him spiraling. But perhaps it was Teague’s tight hold on him that kept him together.
“She what?!”
Teague’s face pushed into the picture, and his gaze was as murderous as mine had been earlier. “Nic and I can fly out tonight and give her a piece of our minds.”
He was dead serious, too. But the image of the hulking Viking and the tiny contractor putting the fear of god into my mother, was enough to have me laughing. And feeling the love. We had a support system. It was just twenty-five hundred miles away. Which was exactly why I was calling.
“Thanks, but it’s not necessary,” I managed once I got myself under control. “As of tonight, we’re officially no contact with her.”
“Good.” Charlie seemed pleased with that, and considering he’d gone no contact with our parents months earlier, I knew he approved.
“Hey, listen. Were you serious about what you said?”
“I usually am. What, in particular, are you asking about?” The glint in Charlie’s eye said he knew exactly what I was referring to, but I also knew he didn’t want to get his hopes up until I said the words.
“About us coming to Fairville? Moving there and me working for Nic and Dana.”
The sheer joy that lit his face warmed me from the inside out. To see that on my brother’s face was all I’d ever wanted. I was so busy basking in that I almost missed his next words.
“Yes! When are you coming?”
“I have to talk to Caitlyn still. I’m waiting for her to call. And I need to talk to the kiddos. But I was thinking, if we can make it happen, then we’ll be there by Christmas. The kids are on break, and it’s the perfect time to move. And it would be way better to spend the holiday with you than here.”
Charlie went absolutely still for a heartbeat. Then he spoke, his words hardly more than a breath. “That soon? Are you serious?”
“Why wait?” I shrugged as though it wasn’t a big deal, even though I knew it was the complete opposite. “I can’t imagine Caitlyn will disagree. And Fairville is a hell of a lot closer to Boston than Phoenix. That’ll make it easier on her and the kids.”
Charlie didn’t seem to be breathing. Teague gave him a nudge, and he gasped, sucking in a breath. Teague chuckled and kissed Charlie’s cheek.
“I think you broke him,” Teague said, humor lacing his tone.
I chuckled. “You okay, little brother?”
