AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But it was too late.
I blew out a few shallow breaths as everything started to hit me.
Patty stepped out of the car. “Stop.” She placed one palm on my face, gently wiping away my tears. “Don’t cry.”
My arms wrapped tightly around her, and my head went to the crook of her neck. I owed Patty my life. She’d taken me in like her own daughter, trusted me to care for her mother, given me my livelihood, and now had found me this job. I was forever indebted to this woman.
“It’s not like I won’t visit. I have to see all my girls, you included.”
“Thank you, Patty. You’ll never know how much I appreciate you.”
“Just take care of my girls,” she whispered so softly that I barely heard her. “And take care of Charles. Out of all the men, he needs the most care.” There was a pointed meaning to her words.
I blinked back my tears, and when I pulled back, she patted my cheek.
Charles handed a distraught Mary to Brad before stepping into Patty’s embrace, lifting her in a fierce hug where her feet dangled from the ground, and then he kissed her cheek in the sweetest way.
After placing her on her feet, he leaned into her, getting in her line of sight. “You’re family … you hear that, Patty?” He placed one fist on his chest and one on her shoulder, peering down at the much shorter woman. “I owe you so much. You’ve loved my girls, our family … and I am just so grateful that you came into our lives.” His voice choked with emotion. “Whatever you need, whenever you need it, it doesn’t matter what it is, you come to us, okay?” He brought her in again, patting her back. “If there is one thing you’ve learned about us, it is that we take care of family, no matter what the cost. And you, Patty, are family.”
I took a few healthy steps away, giving everyone time to say their good-byes.
Truth be told, if I heard Brad and Mason and Sarah’s proclamation of love and gratitude and their sad hugs, I’d be a goner, in a bucket of tears again.
When Brad encased Patty in a hug and shook her as though she were a tiny doll, Charles walked toward the far end of the van.
I watched him a good distance away. He turned the opposite direction, his back toward us. He pinched his nose, his chin dropping to his chest. After a long beat, he placed both hands on his hips and lifted his eyes to the open blue sky, as though searching for an answer written in the clouds.
He turned around, and I purposely focused my eyes on the group congregated around Patty. It was either that or admit that I’d secretly eyed him when he wasn’t looking.
Suddenly, Charles made his way toward me. The lines of his jaw were tight, his shoulders raised, back straight, as though he was disconnected from what he was watching in front of me, though I felt how distraught he was, as it was coming from him in waves. It was in his eyes, which held such sadness.
I didn’t know what came over me or where all my courage came from, but I reached down and gripped his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Everything will be okay. I promise it will be,” I whispered. Because I had promised Patty it would be, that I would care for these children like they were my own.
He surprised me by intertwining our fingers in the most intimate of holds, though his gaze stayed on the group. “I know it will be. It has to. Because that’s my job—to make sure it is okay.” And I felt the weight of his responsibility in his voice.
At that, I held on tighter, hoping he could feel my own determination and little bit of strength there. I hated how he’d been dealt such bad cards in life, but he had to know, at least for the moment, that he didn’t have to go through this alone.
Just then, his gaze swung over to me, and I swore I had seen a ghost of a smile.
Or maybe it was just wishful thinking, but either way, my heart flipped and flopped.
Chapter 9
Charles
Becky was great with the girls when we came back from the airport. She played Barbie with Mary for at least an hour and built some sort of fortress with Sarah in an online forum.
After dinner, everyone was emotionally and physically exhausted from the long day of bidding Patty good-bye. Becky was getting the girls ready for bed, and I was cleaning the kitchen when Brad and Mason strolled in.
“Hey …” Mason said, approaching with his Cartier messenger bag over his shoulder. “I’m heading to Janice’s tonight, if that’s okay. It’s been a few nights since I’ve seen her.”
Brad scratched the top of his head. “Yeah. I wanted to go to the city tonight, too, and check on my place.”
I lifted my head from the sink, leveling them with a stare. “You don’t need my permission to leave.”
They ignored the statement.
“Do you want me to stay to help with the morning routine tomorrow?” Brad asked. “Because I can just go to the city tomorrow night.” He shared a secret glance with Mason, and it annoyed the hell out of me because this was what they did—worry about me when I was perfectly fine.
