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“Why didn’t you hire movers, Mom?” I grabbed a box from the U-Haul, sweating my ass off. It was late May, and the heat had hit a record high of ninety degrees.
“Because you and Kane have half the football and cheer team here to help. Why would I take a great learning opportunity from them?” She laughed, then hurried down the ramp. “Not to mention, Kane’s family is helping, too. At least it’s not over a hundred degrees here like it is in Tennessee.”
We walked together to the front door of Mom and Dad’s new house. “It’s different from back home, but I’m so happy you’re close again, and that Conner is here. It’s been hard without him the last several months.”
“Me, too, honey. Your father and I adore Kane, and he’s so good with Conner. We simply wanted to be nearby to help with our grandson while you two finish school and Kane prepares for his last year of playing ball. Plus, we’ve been a huge part of his life since he was born. It would be too hard on all of us not to be able to see him every day. A gradual shift will be best for him, and this will make it happen.”
“Giddy up, Dad!” I turned around, laughing as Kane ran across the front yard with Conner on his shoulders, giggling. My heart warmed at watching the two men I loved most in the world.
“I don’t think I could do this without you and Dad.” I set the box down on the new living room floor.
“Conner has a new set of grandparents and his dad now. You’re surrounded by people who love you.” Mom patted my cheek, and I pulled her in for a hug. Sometimes, nothing made me feel better other than realizing my mom was there for me.
Over the last several months, Kane and I had discussed looking for my biological mom, but it had been too much to take on while acclimating to our new role as parents. After some additional sessions with Alida, Kane and I decided to talk to Conner with our families. In some ways, Conner was too young to fully understand what we had shared with him, but he seemed to adjust quickly with the help of an amazing therapist that specialized in working with blended families. When I’d shared with Alida how well Conner was adapting, she said she suspected it was because I’d been in his life the entire time. She also advised us to be prepared for a lot of questions and for the families to consider how we would answer them. To me, it had been simple. We would tell him the truth.
Kane led the team to the playoffs, then won the championship. Nothing was set in stone, but the NFL had reached out to him multiple times, and we hoped like hell he would be drafted, then offered a contract after he graduated.
My meeting with Wagner paid off in spades. It was enough new information to press charges and keep the additional elders behind bars for years. Some of them would most likely die before they were ever released. I can’t say that I felt bad for them. The fuckers deserved to rot in hell … slowly.
After the sentencing, one of the elders, Randy, admitted that he’d followed me the night I escaped the compound, then beat and raped me. He assumed that I would die in the freezing temperatures, but he’d underestimated me.
I guess my subconscious had shown me bits and pieces of the hell I’d lived through in my dreams and flashbacks. In a way, I was grateful I couldn’t remember most of what had happened.
Thankfully, the cult wasn’t the only bullshit I’d put behind me. Since the day I had a chat with Marc, I hadn’t heard a word from him. I wasn’t sure if he had returned to Tennessee or not. Honestly, as long as he was gone, I didn’t give a shit.
To my surprise, Kane walked away from the society, leaving it in other capable hands. He said it was part of his past, and all he wanted to focus on was his future with me, Conner, and his career. I was pretty sure I fell even more in love with him that day.
After discussing it, we decided to keep the house and allow the society to continue using it. I was all for the idea. He hadn’t told the members yet, but I suspected they would be relieved that they didn’t have to move again.
“Watch your head, bud.” Kane crouched down as he entered the home, Conner still on his shoulders. “I have the best workout buddy ever.” Kane grinned at me, his smile lighting up his handsome face.
“Are you excited to spend time with all of us this summer?” I asked.
“Yeah!” Conner yelled, his voice echoing through the foyer.
“It’s a good thing we have plenty of space. We’ll get your playroom and bedroom set up for you,” Mom said.
Kane knelt, and I lifted Conner off his shoulders. “Why don’t you see if Grandpa needs any help?” I ruffled his hair, which had grown darker over the summer.
“Let’s explore while the guys help unload the truck.” I held out my hand to Kane.
“How are you doing?” he asked as we walked up the stairs.
“Good. I think the arrangement will be great for Conner. Plus, we’ll have time to study. At least we have the summer to spend with him before classes start. I think spending some nights and days with both sets of grandparents and us will help him realize that the only thing that changed was our names. We’re all in his life.”
I slowed as we reached the end of the hall. The six-thousand-square-foot home would allow plenty of space for Conner when he was here part of the time. Mom would enjoy decorating their new place too. She and Amelia already had plans to shop for new items. It had been a relief to watch everyone get along so well, but we all had one little guy we loved with all our hearts bringing us together.
“His new birth certificate will be in soon. I’m kind of excited to see my name as his father.”
We strolled into a large room filled with windows. “Me, too.”
Kane stood behind me, pulling my back to his front. “Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be standing here with you in my arms. Everything I ever hoped for has finally fallen into place.”
I turned and placed my palms on his shoulders. “Me, too. It’s crazy how much can change in a year.” Laying my forehead against his chest, I took a breath, then peered up at the man who had healed my soul. “I still worry about remembering the past and what that will do to me—to us.”
Kane stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Brie, we’ve tackled a lot together. If your memories return, we’ll get through that, too. The most important thing is that you and Conner are next to me.”
The floor creaked, and I peeked around Kane. Quinn, Sterling, Jagger, Anderson, Teagan, Everlee, Gabby, Leighton, and our families filed into the room. Conner held Alexandria’s hand as she smiled down at him. She quickly took the aunt role seriously and doted on Conner as if he had always been a part of the family, and I loved her for that.
