"Welcome to our little family," Taryn said, carefully picking up Liam. Phoenix looked startled, but I didn’t miss the small spark of hope that lit up her eyes. Maybe she needed us as much as I wanted her here.
Pushing away from my desk, I grabbed Gem from her lap, too. "Eat whatever you want."
"I can wait for you," she said, looking unsure now.
"How about you open what Taryn brought and decide on what you want. I promise to just be gone for a minute or two," I explained gently.
I wasn't sure what my sister put her through but I didn't want her to think that I would do the same thing. We didn't have trust yet, but I would prove that I wasn't anything like my sister.
Five texts.That’s how many texts I sent to my sister that went unanswered. I was growing more angry with every single one I sent. She couldn’t even give me one damn response.
Phoenix was happily set up in the main room in the back of our shop. Dani’s guys had brought over a TV, beanbag, and a game system.
I finished my emails before gently introducing her to the others, letting her meet my little family one by one so it wasn’t overwhelming.
She greeted them with just as much closed-off politeness as she’d given me.
I hated that she had to hide so much of herself. I wished there was something I could do to erase whatever her mother had put her through.
With her preoccupied, I slipped into my office to try one more fucking time to reach my sister. This time, instead of texting, I called. This time when she didn’t answer, I called three times back to back. Every time it rang endlessly, I grew more and more angry.
I would never get over the fact that she abandoned her child with me. She had no idea who I was anymore. Not only was it reckless, it wasn’t fair to Phoenix.
On the third time it sent me to voicemail, I finally started speaking. “Look, Dee. I’m not here to fight with you, but I promise you that if you do not send back these papers that I’m emailing you here in a second, fully signed, giving me guardianship so I can get this girl enrolled in school and put on insurance so she can see a fucking doctor, I am going to report you to the police for neglect and abandonment. I have it on video that you drove away and we have no evidence of a prior agreement. This would look awful for you.”
My breathing was rapid, my face hot as fury coursed through me. Phoenix deserved so much better than this. I didn’t even know if she had allergies or medicine that she needed to take. Hell, I didn’t even know ifsheknew at this point.
“Either way, you need to call me back.” With that, I ended the call before I could say more that I would regret.
“Hey, Bea?” Dani called out.
“In here!” I yelled back. She pushed open the door, eyes studying me before she spoke.
“Holt and my pack are setting up dinner at my place. I snagged us a tour of your new lake house. In fact, I was confident enough that you’re going to love it that I begged them to not take any offers until you see it.”
“Dani,” I breathed out, unsure what to say. She waved her hand between us before going on.
“It has more bedrooms than you need, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine with the extra space, and it’s areallygood price. The older couple that’s renting it out has a shop in town. They were one of the first people I met when I moved here to Willow Lake, and they are so sweet. I may have told them a little bit of your story, mainly just saying that your niece had to comelive with you suddenly and you needed a bigger place as soon as possible. So, they knocked a couple hundred off the rent for you.”
“What? Oh, wow,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s incredible. I don’t want to take advantage of anyone, though.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Oh, trust me, you’re not. They have several properties, and they make more than enough profit,” she reassured me.
How could I argue with that?
“Perfect,” I said, relaxing a little more. It was insane how much they were helping me handle so quickly. I wouldn’t have gotten half of this done if I tried on my own.
Yet another reason to let people in once in a while. My friends were helping me work past some of my issues.
Dani gestured to the phone still clenched in my hand. “Any luck?”
Taryn poked her head in beside Dani, checking in as well.
I sighed. “Unfortunately, no. I left her another voicemail, threatening her this time. I told her I’d report her for child abandonment if she didn’t get back to me. She can’t leave me with no way to take care of Phoenix. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to report her.”
My stomach twisted at the thought, but my niece came first. If that meant turning in my sister to make sure Phoenix got everything she needed, I would happily do it.
“How sure are we that she’snotcoming back?”
