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“No, the General Tso’s was definitely better,” Adam said firmly. “What’s for dessert?”
Brian smiled at the exchange, shifting on his chair. This was his favorite part of the night, hanging with these two and eating good food, and catching up.
The doorbell rang and they all went still. He met Sage’s gaze. “I’ll get it,” he said, pushing to his feet. “You guys stay in here.”
Sage caught his arm. “No. Stay with Adam. Please. I’ll handle this.”
He could see the need in her eyes to do something about this situation, so he nodded.
“Let’s clean things up, buddy,” Brian said, motioning to Adam to help him.
Adam didn’t want to do anything other than see who was at the door. Brian could see the anger and fear in his eyes, but he trusted his mother. And he trusted Brian, because he started gathering up the remains of their dinner.
That was when they heard a very distinctive,you’re a fucking idiot, Tim. Without even considering if it was any of his business or not, Brian crossed to the living room doorway. He parked himself on the threshold, legs braced, wiping his hands on a dishtowel.
A man was standing in the open door, tall and lean. He had dark, shaggy brown hair and pale blue eyes, and he didn’t look like he was very healthy. There was a sallowness to his skin that Brian didn’t like. It normally came from advanced sickness or drug use.
“I have a right to see my son,” he said, leaning over Sage.
Brian started to step forward. No one had the right to try to intimidate a woman like that. Then he noticed that Sage seemed supremely unaffected by the move. She probably had men do that all the time to her in her job.
“No, actually, you don’t,” she countered, voice calm. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re thinking, coming here like you have a right. The court has denied your parental rights unless you follow a process to get back in line with the child support. It’s not that hard to figure out, Tim. I know I’ve told you several times, and your parents have told you several times. The world does not revolve around you. When two people get married and have a child it revolves around the child. You get that, right?”
Tim shook his head. “Stop shooting words at me, bitch. What did you tell the school? Why did they cancel?”
“I told them what I just told you, Tim, that you had no rights to act on anything in Adam’s life, or even be a part of it. You’re toxic.”
He blinked and swayed, and Brian wondered if he’d had to drink to build up his courage to come here.
“How did you even know to come up here,” Sage asked him. “We didn’t tell your family.”
His smile turned oily, and some clarity returned to his eyes. “Well, you put me down as the father, with an old phone number. That’s why they called me and invited me up. Told me how brilliant my son was and that they were thrilled to have him. When I asked more questions, imagine my surprise when they told me there was a grant to relocate. Obviously, I took advantage of that grant because I wanted to be close to my son. But Ohio? Really?”
Sage was furious. Brian could feel the anger radiating off her, and he wondered if he would need to rescue the asshole at the door.
“Let me warn you of something, Tim,” she said, voice low. “That is fraud you just committed. And I have it all on camera. You are going to pay back that money, because you are not Adam’s legal guardian. That was one of the stipulations of the grant money, asshole. You have to be the legal guardian of the student receiving the scholarship, and you are not. If I have to, I will go to the university and have them file fraud charges against you. I’m on the Columbus Police Department, and I’m meeting new people every day, like attorneys and vice detectives. All I have to do is drop a word into one of my new colleague’s ears, and suddenly you’re having to explain yourself. Again. In front of a judge. Again.”
Tim’s face closed down, and he pointed a finger in her face. “You’re such a bitch. Why can’t you let the goody-two shoes act go? Why can’t you let me have a little bit of luck?”
Sage threw up her hands. “Because it’s illegal, you idiot. And I’m not teaching my kid to skate through life looking for every loophole and side hustle he can get away with.”
A small hand slipped into his and Brian looked down. Adam was staring at the altercation, frowning. He held the kid’s hand and gave him a smile. “You’re all right,” he whispered.
Tim must have heard him, because he shifted his attention. As soon as he saw Brian, his expression shifted to anger. “Oh, and who is this? You’ve only been here a few months and you’ve already got a fuck buddy.”
“That’s enough, Tim,” she snapped. “It’s time for you to go.”
She started to close the door, but Tim’s gaze landed on Adam, and his expression lifted. “Oh, hey, son.” Without regard to Sage, he pushed through the door, shoving her out of the way, and crossed to kneel in front of Adam. Brian tightened his hand on the boy’s, ready to jerk him out of reach if he needed to. Adam held on just as tight, but his feet were planted.
“Mom is right,” the boy said, voice quivering just the tiniest bit. “You need to return that money. All you do is steal. From us, and your mom and dad, and Mom’s mom and dad. Why are you here?”
Tim blinked, letting his hand fall. “I’m here for you, son. It’s Thanksgiving.”
“No, you’re not,” Adam said softly. “You’re here to make trouble and upset Mom, and potentially endanger my future at the university. I know you are my biological father, but I don’t want to see you. And I especially don’t want to see you like this.” He waved a hand. “There’s an excessive amount of bilirubin in your blood, which is causing the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. Your breath is heinous, another marker of liver disease. That’s why your belly is swollen. It’s called ascites. You’re a long-term alcoholic and if I had to guess, you don’t have a long life ahead of you. Why would you think I want that in my life?”
Tim blinked, looking shocked, and swayed. Then, pushing to his feet, he rounded on Sage. “You’ve poisoned him against me.”
Sage’s arms were down at her sides, and she was ready to respond to anything he did. “No, I didn’t. You did that yourself.”
