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I feel helpless where Sunshine and her situation are concerned. I know what I did today when Marta was here helps, but I also know that sometimes the system seems to pick and choose who they want to make an example out of. I know some parents who fuck up once are at risk of harsher punishments, just like parents who never have a chance of getting their shit together seem to have their children placed back with them.
I use the landline in my bedroom to call Rivet.
I need to speak with Kincaid. He has to know about this. The way I’m feeling must be leaning toward the truth because I want to trust her, but I also know that Cerberus does extensive background checks. Sunshine wouldn’t be in this house with me if they didn’t trust her as well.
I don’t make small talk with my oldest friend when she answers the phone. I simply ask her to have Kincaid call me because I don’t have his phone number. I’m wondering if it was purposeful that I was provided a business credit card, but my phone is nowhere to be found.
God I want to believe her, but I know better. My mother was a beautiful liar as well. It’s how she fooled so many people, and even me on occasion.
It doesn’t take long before Kincaid calls me back on the landline.
“The social worker for Sunshine’s case showed up to do a home evaluation today,” I say after I answer the phone.
I don’t bother with niceties. I’m feeling a little blindsided by this man right now.
“Really?” Kincaid says, shock evident in his tone. “I knew Faith was good, but I had no idea she could get things moving so quickly.”
“I don’t know who Faith is, but I was forced to lie today when the woman showed up because I didn’t have a fucking clue what was going on.”
A beat of silence fills the line before he speaks.
“What Sunshine is going through isn’t my story to tell.”
I clench my fist, wanting the anger about this entire situation to drift away, but I find myself having a hard time letting it all go.
“Still doesn’t negate the sucker punch to the gut,” I challenge.
“She should’ve told you, and before you get even pissier, I’m not pointing fingers or blame. She’s the one who should’ve had a conversation with you.”
“That caseworker thought I was her boyfriend. Why would you expect her to tell me the truth?”
“I doubt Sunshine lied about who you are, so I have no idea how things got twisted that way. She isn’t the type. If anything, her biggest flaw is thinking she can handle everything on her own. With that ex of hers, she’s been a one-woman show for a long time. You can only ask for help and get rejected so many times before you stop asking.”
“She stayed with him too long,” I mutter.
“She didn’t do anything a million other women haven’t done.”
“She can be trusted?”
“There isn’t anything in her past that makes us think otherwise. Her son starts school in the fall. She changed daycares the second the first one handed Ryder over to his dad without asking who he was. It’s what led to the ex’s first arrest for DUI. She has been as active as a working mother could be. She had him at every single t-ball practice, and every game that was scheduled through the youth program here in town. Hell, when I offered her a full-time job, making more than twice as much as she was at the care facility, despite needing the money, she turned me down at first. She told me she wouldn’t abandon her other patients like that. The woman has an amazing moral compass, she just picked a shitty guy to have a kid with.”
He doesn’t tell me anything bad about her, and it solidifies that voice in my head, telling me she’s a good person even though past experiences want to convince me she was just as manipulative as my mother.
“I understand if you don’t want to stay. I know how close to home this hits for you.”
It doesn’t surprise me that he’s well aware of my past. I have no doubt I spoke with him about it during my interview process.
“We can hire a professional in-home babysitter, and she’s also been offered a spot here at the clubhouse daycare if that’s the route she wants to go.”
“There’s a clubhouse daycare?”
He chuckles. “Everyone around here is having kids. My daughter Gigi has four with Hound.”
I tilt my head to the side, because surely I didn’t just hear him right. “One of your men has four kids with your daughter?”
“He’s an amazing husband and father, but I wasn’t exactly ecstatic when they first got together.” Kincaid speaks as if that’s a distant memory for him and he can’t imagine things being any different now.
