Rock point collection, p.93
Rock Point Collection, page 93
Bathrooms at sports fields are a hit and miss I’ve discovered, but I’m pleased to find this one was recently cleaned. The pungent smell of bleach greets me when I pull open the door.
Maybe it’s a good thing I’m not that familiar around Farmington and didn’t stop for another fix of caffeine. It would’ve made us even later. The boys and I were already slow getting up, last night’s movie night had gone a little long.
It’s nippy this morning. Even with my warm hoodie and down vest I can feel the chill seeping in. I see some parents sitting on the sidelines who were smarter than me and brought blankets. I didn’t even bring a hot drink to keep me warm. Maybe next year, I’ll have this soccer mom thing down.
It’s clear Dylan has more experience, since he’s sitting with a huge thermos beside him, talking to my boys. Clint and Beth sit one higher, and clearly also came better prepared since Beth’s knees are covered with a throw.
“Morning.” Dylan grins at me, looking a whole lot better than when I saw him last night. Just a shadow of whatever was haunting him is visible in his eyes.
“Hey. Hi, guys,” I toss at Beth and Clint as I sit down beside Dylan, who uses my distraction to lean in for a surprising touch of his lips to mine.
I feel my face flush and my eyes immediately dart to my boys, sitting on the other side of him. Harry is oblivious but Theo noticed. I’m not sure what I expected, but the sardonic lift of his eyebrow and barely contained grin wasn’t it. I bulge my eyes at him and the grin breaks free. A quick peek over my shoulder gleans me a similar smirk on Beth’s face and a rumbly chuckle from Clint. Guess I’m the only one a little freaked by the public display of affection.
“Mom, can we get something to drink?” Harry pipes up; his best ‘please’ face in place.
“Boy, we just walked a half-marathon to get here and now you tell me?”
“It’s cold,” he complains, like that explains it all.
Before I have a chance to shut him down—because there’s no way I’m going to leave the warmth of Dylan’s thigh pressed against mine—Beth comes to the rescue.
“Anyone for hot chocolate? Hand me the thermos, Dylan.” The boys make it known they’d love some, and I send her a grateful smile. She pulls some foam cups from the tote between her legs. “You hold these and I’ll pour,” she instructs me. When everyone is taken care of, she dives back in the tote and pulls out a large Tupperware container, handing it to Clint. “Pass these around, would you, honey?”
“Take two,” Clint rumbles when he offers the boys what look to be giant oatmeal cookies.
“They’re practically a breakfast food,” Beth says behind me, and I throw a smile over my shoulder.
“Let me guess,” I say softly, leaning into Dylan. “You played soccer when you were a kid?”
He grins in response. “Six years. Ma never missed a game.”
“Figures,” I mumble, sipping my hot chocolate, thinking Beth knows her shit.
When the coaches call the teams to the sidelines for their final instructions before kick-off, I hear the low rumble of a motorcycle. I spot it rolling down the path on the far side of the soccer fields, carrying two people.
It’s not until the pair is walking this way I recognize Ouray, and the smaller figure is Luna.
“Morning,” she says easily as she plants her butt on my other side, her silver-fox hubby simply lifting his chin before sitting down beside her.
“What are you doing here?” my curiosity has me blurting out, instead of the friendly hey or good morning they received from everyone else.
“Just out for a Saturday morning ride before winter settles in,” Luna answers with a grin.
Ouray leans in front of her, “Got a guy keepin’ an eye out in the parking lot.”
Dylan bumps my shoulder and whispers in my ear, “Told you they’d show up.”
Now that he mentions it, I recall him saying something about that.
It had slipped my mind.
Dylan
I listen with half an ear to Marya chatting with Ma and Luna beside me, when the halftime whistle sounds.
I’d like to hang around, but I’ve got to get to the office, so I tap Marya on the shoulder.
“I’ve gotta head out, babe. Call you this afternoon?”
Her face lifts to me and I don’t hesitate in covering the slight pout on her lips with a quick kiss. Wedged between her kids, my folks, and my partner, I can’t do much more than that, which sucks.
“Okay, honey,” she mumbles, the cute blush back on her face.
“Mom, I’ve gotta go to the bathroom.”
I look at Harry. “I’m heading out anyway, kid, I’ll take you.” I’m surprised when he easily slips his hand in mine. It’s been a few years since Max held my hand, and it occurs to me I miss it.
“I’ll come too,” Marya’s oldest boy announces, jumping up as well.
“Straight back, you guys,” she calls after us.
I drop the boys at the bathrooms on my way to the parking lot, where I spot Paco having a smoke leaning on his bike.
“This is why I ain’t never havin’ kids,” he grumbles when I walk over. “The little shits keep you up at night or get you up at the butt crack a’ dawn. Either way, they mess up your sleep. I fuckin’ need my sleep, man.”
“It’s near eleven, Paco,” I tell him, biting my lip to keep from grinning. “Hardly the butt crack of dawn.”
“Was fuckin’ nine when we rode out, smart-ass,” he retorts, and this time I don’t bother holding back on the grin.
“Sun rose a few hours before that, my friend.”
“The fact you know that just proves my point, brother.” He tosses his cigarette on the ground and crushes it under the heel of his boot. “Kids. Sheeet…”
I’m still chuckling when I drive off the parking lot.
The good mood sticks with me until I’m in Aztec, waiting to turn north on Highway 550 and my phone—tossed in the cupholder when I got behind the wheel—buzzes with a message. I glance over at the screen.
Marya: Harry still with you?
It’s been twenty minutes at most since I left the sports fields. I turn the truck around first chance I get and pull off to the side, my fingers already dialing.
Marya’s phone bumps me right into voicemail.
Marya
I watch as the kids head back out on the field, before my eyes return to the buildings on the far side, where I know the bathrooms to be.
Ouray gets up and walks over to the fence behind the bench, appearing casual, but I note his eyes aren’t on the field either.
Time crawls along as the slightest twist in my stomach coils itself into a tight knot, until finally I see the familiar lanky form of Theo jogging this way. There’s no sign of his younger brother, though. Something Ouray apparently has noticed, because he swings around and looks straight at me, a frown between his eyes, before stalking away to intercept Theo.
I immediately pull out my phone and dial Harry’s new number, noticing Luna standing up beside me, as the phone keeps ringing until a generic voice invites me to leave a message. My fingers whip over the screen, shooting off a text to Dylan and then I try Harry’s number again.
Same result.
“What’s going on?” Beth leans down over my shoulder.
“I’m not sure.” My voice is already shaking as I watch Luna join the huddle with Ouray and Theo. He’s gesturing wildly, pointing toward the bathrooms.
I try Harry’s number again, my body shaking now. Same automated message. I don’t seem to be able to do anything other than sit frozen in my spot, while hitting the redial button over and over, my eyes locked on the huddle. Ouray breaks off and starts jogging to the bathrooms.
“Marya, Theo says you didn’t park in the main parking lot?”
I look up at Luna who walks up, an arm slung around Theo’s hunched shoulders. I can’t take my eyes off my boy, who won’t look straight at me.
“Marya,” she repeats a little more sharply.
“Uhh…we missed the main entrance and ended up parking by the baseball diamonds, on the other side of the golf course.” I point at the tree line. “Back there.”
“Shit,” she hisses, letting go of Theo to pull out her phone.
The bench moves when Clint climbs down and stalks off along the fence line on this side.
“Yeah, there’s a second entrance down the road,” Luna informs whoever is on the phone. “A parking lot by the baseball diamonds—Right, I’ll call him now—Yes, I’ll tell her. ”
I’m listening as I reach out for my son, grabbing his hand, and pulling him down on the bench beside me. He still won’t show me his eyes.
“What’s happening?” I ask Luna, not even sure what exactly I’m asking myself. I feel disconnected, like I’m watching a movie, except I’m in the middle of it. It’s almost like an out-of-body experience and I hold on tightly to Theo’s hand.
“He’s sending a guy to your car, in case he went there. Ouray is checking the skate park and the putting green. He says to let you know they’ll find him. I’ve gotta call Dylan.”
She walks off and puts the phone back to her ear.
The game on the field continues uninterrupted.
“I thought he was still in there.” Theo buries his face in my neck. “I waited, Mom. I promise. I even went back in to see what the hold up was. He wasn’t there.”
I twist in my seat so I can wrap my arms around him. “I know, baby. They’ll find him.”
My mouth spouts out the words in response, like the automated message on Harry’s phone. I feel paralyzed. Terrified if I move, if I get up, I acknowledge this is happening and I can’t deal with that. So I’ll just sit here, with my arms around the only thing that feels real.
“You think Dad has him?”
He lifts his head and finally meets my eyes, his red-rimmed and frightened, begging for reassurance. His question cuts right through the paralysis and finds hot anger.
“He does, it won’t be for long. I can promise you that,” I tell my son, fire in my voice.
“Atta girl,” I hear Beth mumble behind me.
“Go sit with Max’s grandma, Bub, I’ll be right back.”
He does as I ask and I walk over to Luna, who’s just ending her call.
“Stay put, Dylan’s just pulling into the parking lot.”
“Like hell, my kid is out there.”
“Marya…” Luna puts a restrictive hand on my arm when I try to pass by her. “Best you can do is sit tight.”
The anger erupts; I twist my arm loose and get in Luna’s face. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss, and take off running toward the bathrooms.
“Marya!” I look up to find Dylan approaching the building from the other side. He doesn’t stop moving until I’m in his arms. Just for a second, I let his strength soak in before I try to wiggle free.
“I’ve gotta find him.” I shove against his chest and he takes a step back but grabs onto my wrists.
“And we will, but we can’t go running off half—”
“Harry!” Dylan swings around when I rip my arms from his hold and start running to where I just caught sight of my baby coming out of the trees edging the golf course. Beside him is the dark-haired biker I saw with Ouray the other day, holding fast to his hand.
I drop down on my knees in front of my baby and pull him down on my lap, wrapping my arms around him. I vaguely hear the crunch of footsteps stop behind me, and the deep rumble of men’s voices over my head, but I’m focused on my boy in my arms.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
Dylan
I look at Marya sitting in the passenger seat beside me, her face pale.
She didn’t object much when I told her I would drive her and the boys home. I wasn’t going to let her get behind the wheel, not in her state. Luna offered to drive her Jeep back to Durango. Max went with Ma and Clint for the rest of the weekend.
The boys are unusually quiet in the back seat.
Paco had found Harry by Marya’s Jeep. He’d crawled underneath to hide, he said. Apparently he’d come out of the bathroom, didn’t see his brother, and wanted to go have a look at the pond, where he’d seen people fishing earlier. He walked around the water’s edge, to where the small dock juts into the water, near where his mother’s Jeep was parked.
That’s when he says he saw his father park a silver car just a few spots away from his mom’s Jeep, get out, and head for the path through the golf course toward the soccer fields. Harry got scared, wanted to let his mom know, but had accidentally left his new phone on the back seat of the Jeep. Of course the doors were locked, and afraid his father might come back and see him, he figured he’d be safe hiding under his mom’s vehicle.
The kid had been gone for forty-five minutes. A fuckofalot can happen in forty-five minutes.
By the time I helped both Marya and Harry on their feet, the teams were already coming off the field. I left them in the care of my folks, with Paco standing guard, while Ouray, Luna, and I went to check out the supposed silver car.
There were seven of them in that damn parking lot, but none parked near his mother’s Jeep. If it had been there before, it was gone now.
“Weren’t you supposed to be at the office?” Marya asks and I take her hand, pressing to my thigh.
“Luna’s already let Damian know I’ll be a little later. I’ll get you settled in at home first.”
I’m also curious how Harry would’ve recognized his father, but any questions will have to wait until I get them home. I don’t want to grill the kid when I can still hear him sniffle every so often in the back seat.
SEVENTEEN
Marya
“Answer the question, Bub.”
Harry’s eyes drift from me to his brother. He’s hiding something and Liam’s in on it, judging by the tight press of his lips.
We arrived home ten minutes ago, got some sandwiches for lunch ready, and just sat down with the boys at my dining table. Dylan caught me in the kitchen earlier, wanting to know if I was okay with him trying to get some more information from Harry over lunch. I agreed, I was actually curious about a few things myself.
Dylan was casual and relaxed when he asked Harry how he’d been able to tell it was Jeremy in the parking lot. I immediately saw the change in my youngest though; he froze up with his sandwich halfway to his mouth and then quickly took a massive bite. Boy knows he’s not to talk with his mouth full. I guess he thought we’d forget.
I’m a mom. I don’t forget.
“Harrison Berger, I’m not going to tell you again.”
He throws another furtive glance at his brother before turning to Dylan. “I saw pictures of him.”
“Bub,” I call him out. “I’m not buying it. The last pictures of your father we have left; his hair came down to his shoulders and he was wearing glasses. I saw him last weekend, I was married to him for ten years, and it took me a bit before I recognized it was him. Try again.”
“Don’t.” The low voice is Liam’s. He’s glaring at his brother.
“Don’t what, Liam?” I demand to know, standing up and bracing myself with my hands on the table.
He’s engaged in a staredown with Harry, who looks near tears and doesn’t answer me.
“Leave him alone, Liam,” Theo jumps to his little brother’s defense.
“I saw him, okay?” Harry sobs, his big teary eyes now on me. “He was outside the school.”
“When?” Dylan’s been quiet for most of the exchange. So focused on the boys, I almost forgot he was there.
“Liam?”
Defiance on his face as he reluctantly turns to me; but it’s Theo who answers.
“Harry saw him talking to Liam on Tuesday by the bus stop outside the school. I was late because Mr. Robbins asked me to stay after class, so I didn’t see him, but I walked in on them fighting.” He cocks a thumb at his brothers.
“Is that why you guys were fighting when you got home that day?” I ask, remembering them walking in, Liam with a bleeding lip.
“Liam was pushing Harry around,” Theo volunteers with a shrug.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I throw up my hands, exasperated. “I asked you what was going on, and you guys went mum on me. I don’t get why you wouldn’t tell me that.” I direct the last at my oldest child specifically. He looks duly scolded, two spots of red appearing on his cheeks.
“I thought it was under control,” he explains, but it doesn’t help me. I still don’t understand.
“Under control? I’m your mother, your father shows up out of the blue after years, and you don’t think that’s something you might wanna share with me?”
I know my voice is going shrill, but I can’t help myself, if my kids don’t share with me, how the fuck am I supposed to keep them safe?
“Marya,” Dylan’s deep cautioning rumble from behind me is paired with a firm hand on my shoulder. “My guess is Theo was trying to protect you. Take care of it without involving you.”
“He’s thirteen, it’s not his job to protect me,” I snap, and watch as the red spreads over my oldest boy’s face.
“Sweetheart, he saw you get hurt by the man when he was too young to do anything about it. Now he could, by shielding you. I’m a guy, I get it.”
Theo throws a look of gratitude over my head at Dylan, indicating he was right on the money.
Christ, I love my kids with all I am, but there are days when I’d like to pack them up and ship them off to boarding school. Of course that would require a budget I don’t possess.
I miss the times when the biggest hurdle I would face any given day was getting them to brush their teeth and eat their vegetables. Looking at their faces, I feel powerless; Harry’s is worried and guilty, Theo’s stubborn and defiant, and Liam…Jesus, Liam…he’s just so angry.
“Liam? Wanna tell me what your father said to you?” His answer is to push his chair back and stalk from the room. I look at his brothers. “Either of you know anything?”
Harry shakes his head and looks down, but Theo’s eyes stay on me, his expression gentling. “He doesn’t look like us,” he says, baffling me.
