Call it fate, p.27
Call it Fate, page 27
I finished my bourbon in one gulp and snatched up the file. As I’d seen before, there were several financial papers from my father nosing around in Em and her mother’s business. Nothing that alarmed me. I breathed a sigh of relief until I flipped over the last paper. There was a check, one that was made out to Emalee Dawson, dated around the same month she said she’d tried to find me. It was for five hundred thousand dollars, a drop in the bucket for dear ol’ dad but a fortune for Emalee. The back of it showed it had been deposited not long after Iain had been born.
How much is your son worth to you? I know how much he is to your… I couldn’t repeat the word my father used, but his words returned to me as I stared at the piece of paper.
A half a million dollars. Was my father trying to say he paid Emalee off to keep silent about the baby? That’s how much her silence was worth? I poured more bourbon into my glass and drank it. Then I dialed a number I thought to never call again.
“Son. I’ve been waiting for your call.”
“What does this prove?” I challenged, even as I knew I’d hate his answer.
“We offered your Emalee money if she never showed her face again and left you alone. As you can see, she made her choice. Still think I’m wrong about her?”
“What I think is you took advantage of a scared, pregnant young woman. And you didn’t give a shit about her or her child, who also happens to be my child. How could you possibly think I wouldn’t care about that?”
“And what would you do, Zachary? Give up your studies and coach his T-ball team and go to juvenile concerts?” He sneered. “Please. Your place was here, not some little Podunk town with a clingy wife and snotty kid. You need to settle down with a woman who comes from and understands our world, not someone who cooks and cleans sheets for a living.”
I hung up. What the fuck did he know about what I needed? He never had before. This only made it more obvious.
I felt like I was in Hell. Part of me couldn’t blame Emalee for taking the money. God knows she would have needed it to raise our son. But where did the money go? She didn’t drive a fancy car or wear nice clothes. And while Iain seemed perfectly content and happy, she was raising him in a tiny home. And that kind of money invested right should have given her enough cushion to provide our son a more comfortable life. Hell, even uninvested, she should be doing better.
Then again, the bed-and-breakfast looked like it had been designed professionally. Could she have invested in the inn instead of giving my son a better life? Not that he seemed distressed, but wouldn’t having a home with a yard he could run around in have been better for him?
And none of that mattered compared to the hole in my heart caused by the knowledge she took the money knowing the conditions. I wasn’t sure I could forgive her for that. It was just another lie of omission.
I grabbed my phone.
“Zach! I was getting worried about you.”
She looked sweet and fresh as she curled up on her couch. Through the camera, I saw she was wearing one of my sweatshirts for NC State. I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse.
“Iain’s already gone to bed. I’m sorry. He stayed up as late as he could, but he wore himself out earlier playing with Milo at the park.” Her face moved closer to the screen. “You look tired, too. Are you okay?”
“I went to see my father today.”
Even through the screen, I could see her blanch. “Oh, god. What happened? Please tell me he isn’t still a threat.”
“Oh, he had plenty to say.” I held the folder up to the screen. “And to show me.”
“What is it?”
“He’s kept tabs on you. It’s a file of information about you and The Dogtrot.”
Her hand slapped across her mouth as her face paled. “He did what?” she whispered.
“Don’t worry. I threatened him if he came near you or Iain.”
“Oh, my god, Zach. I don’t know what to say.”
“You could start by explaining this.” I held the check up to the camera.
She gasped. “Where did you get that?” she whispered hoarsely.
“It was all right here in the folder. You know, I get that you would have needed money.” She was shaking her head, but I kept on going. “I know you were scared, and my father was an asshole to you. But to take it under the conditions you did? That makes you as bad as my father. Maybe even worse, since he only offered the money. You actually accepted it.”
“No,” she repeated, her voice more frantic. “I never took the money.”
“Em.” I sighed, weary of unraveling all the lies that had made up my life. “Your signature is on the back. I even found the deposit made to The Dogtrot’s bank account.”
“It can’t be. I have the check right here. I never cashed it. I would have never accepted a deal like that. You have to believe me.”
“I believe you were scared and didn’t know what else to do. But you kept my son from me deliberately. And then you lied about it.”
“No!” She sobbed. “This is your father playing his tricks again. I still have the original check here. Wait. I’ll prove it.”
She scrambled off the couch, and I heard drawers opening and slamming shut. “Shit,” I heard her whisper repeatedly. “Shit, shit, shit.”
I might have laughed at her uncharacteristic swearing if it wasn’t such an obvious act. She grabbed her phone. “It’s here. I swear it is. I’ll find it and show you when you come here in a couple of weeks.”
I ran a hand across my face. “About that. I think it would be best if you just dropped Iain off at the rental until we can work something else out.” I’d almost given up my lease on the rental, but since it still had two more months to go, I decided to keep it so we’d have someplace more private than The Dogtrot to spend time together. It had been a fortuitous decision.
“Zach, no…”
“I’ll call Iain tomorrow. I’d like to get him his own phone so I can contact him directly. I’ll have it delivered to you. Please don’t fight me on this.
“Zach—”
I hung up on any more lies she could spin.
Chapter 41
Emalee
* * *
Today had passed as a total blur. Mama had taken over the kitchen for me, and Shannon took one look at me and declared I would scare off the guests and said she’d tackle all of the cleaning. I’d spent the rest of the day tearing the house apart for that damn check. I couldn’t find it anywhere.
I didn’t know what my next step should be. Maybe it was time to contact Marcus and alert him that I might be embroiled in a custody battle. Zach would have the evidence he needed to paint me in a bad light.
And that’s when I lost it. I sank to the floor and sobbed. I couldn’t imagine my life without my son in it every single day.
Everywhere I looked at home I saw something of Iain, his plastic baseball bat I’d propped at the door, his shoes kicked carelessly by the front closet where part of his black coat poked out. His favorite book was on the coffee table, and his favorite games and movies were on the shelf below the small TV. I looked at the picture he’d drawn recently that said world’s best mom in his large print.
I decided to seek refuge away from The Dogtrot, somewhere I felt safe.
“Are you okay, Mama?”
I drew my gaze from the fire Chase had built in his fire pit on his large back patio. Despite its blazing logs, I couldn’t get warm. I hadn’t been able to in the two days since Zach called.
“I’m fine, baby.”
“You look sad. Is it because you miss Dad?”
It was as good of an excuse as any. “Yeah, honey. That’s it.”
“Cheer up, Mama. He’ll be back. I won’t make you tell me a happy thought, and I’ll still tell you a joke since you’re so sad.”
Oh, god. This boy. He was my heart.
“What kind of tree fits in your hand?”
“I don’t know.”
“A palm tree. Get it?” His grin made me smile even more than his joke.
“I’m gonna tell that one to Dad when I see him.” He hugged me again. “See ya, Mama. Marta is gonna let me help her make cookies.” And he was off.
It wasn’t right that a six-year-old child was trying to hold the adults in his life together. Zach and I were going to have to do better for him.
I continued to stare at the fire, still trying to unravel what had happened. Early yesterday, everything seemed like it was going well. Mama and I talked about new rates and started making longer-term plans such as moving her to a small home of her own and turning the side house into a manager’s home, who could live on-site after Iain and I moved to be with Zach. Money would be tight again for a while, but in the end, it seemed like a good business decision that would pay off eventually and give us more freedom.
Then Zach called and all the good news I had for him was obliterated.
“I’ve given you wine, solitude, and fire. You ready to tell me what’s going on now?” Chase dropped into the Adirondack chair next to me and stretched out his long legs. “And just in case your answer is no, you should know I’m not going to let it drop, so you might as well spare us both.”
I knew my attempt at a smile was pathetic by the way he grimaced. “That bad, huh?”
I replayed my conversation with Zach to him.
“Son of a bitch.” Chase stood from his chair and pulled me from mine. He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me while I soaked his shirt with my tears.
“I’m not sure who I’m more pissed at,” Chase commented when my tears finally dried up. “Zach or his father. His father is a grade A asshole. We knew that. But Zach should have listened to you. He should know you better than that.”
I hiccupped. “I just can’t imagine what happened to that check. I guess I was just so frazzled by everything that happened, maybe I didn’t put it where I thought I did. I need to find it, though.”
“You don’t need to look. I know where it is.” A quiet voice came from behind me. Chase and I both swiveled to see my mom standing there wringing her hands.
“Mama?” She hobbled without her cane onto the patio. I quickly stood and helped her to her chair. She looked pale and shaky. “When did you get here? Are you all right? Let me get you a glass of water.”
She latched on to my hand. “No. I need to tell you something. I cashed that check.”
Chapter 42
Zach
* * *
I stood in front of my open fridge, contemplating which sounded better for dinner: two-day-old Chinese food or cheese and crackers. I’d already finished all of the frozen meals Em had sent. Not that it mattered. I didn’t have an appetite anyway.
I couldn’t focus for shit today. I’d been off my game at the hospital, almost wrecked driving home today, and now, I couldn’t read up on a medical procedure I was supposed to assist with next week.
A sharp knock on the door pulled me away from the unappealing dinner options. It was probably the kid from downstairs. I’d seen him in a Scout’s uniform selling popcorn earlier. Maybe he had some cans on him I could snack on instead of finding dinner.
I opened the door, expecting to see a little blue uniform. Instead, I was met with a fist.
I stumbled back into my condo. “What the fuck?” I looked into the angry glare of Chase Allen.
“That’s for the punch I didn’t give you back when I should have.”
“Come again?”
“With pleasure.” His fist drew up again but was stopped by a small hand.
“That’s enough, Chase.”
“Raelyn?” Why was she here? “Is Iain with you? Emalee? Oh, shit. Are they okay? Why are you here?” I was having trouble catching my breath.
Chase seemed to care less about my breathing issues. “Do you really care?”
“Of course, I do.”
“Then you shouldn’t be here being a dumbass. You should be back in Sterling Mill fixing the mess you made.”
“I made?” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but why are you here?”
Chase pushed his way into my condo and looked around. “I’m here to beat the shit out of you. Mama Rae has something to tell you first, though.” He collapsed on my couch with his arms spread wide across the back like he owned the place.
I wasn’t sure which sounded worse, Chase’s fist or Raelyn’s disappointed-in-me lecture I was sure I was about to receive. At least maybe Chase’s punch would lessen the pain in my heart.
Raelyn followed Chase into my living room. Instead of the mama bear glare I expected, I saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“What could you be sorry for?”
“Can we sit? Please?”
“Of course.” I should have offered sooner, but when a guy decks you as soon as you open the door, it throws you off.
Raelyn sat next to Chase. I sat in a chair across from her and waited, no clue what she had driven all this way to say.
“Emalee didn’t cash that check. I did.”
What? “I don’t understand. I saw her signature.”
“No, you saw her name. I signed it. Our handwriting isn’t that different. Emalee never had a clue. She never wanted to give your parents any ammunition to use against her.”
“I don’t understand. Why would you go against her wishes?” I thought of the accusations I made against Emalee and felt sick.
“What she told you was true,” she said, looking directly at me. “When she came back from trying to find you, she told me what happened, the same as she told you. At first, I was angry that anyone could talk to my daughter that way. I thought you owed something to her. That money was the least you or your family could do for her. But my girl said no. She wasn’t going to give your family any reason to show that they had supported her in any way in case they tried to come for him.” She tipped her head to me. “She’s strong, but there’s only so much one person can handle. She helped take care of the inn, the bills, me, and a baby. I don’t know how she did it, but she did.”
“So, you cashed the check?”
“No, not then. But after Iain was born, there were complications. They were both hospitalized. Emalee could have died.”
I felt sick. I could have lost them both? And I was worried about a fucking check? My voice shook as I asked, “What happened?”
“Iain was a few weeks premature. He had a few issues with his breathing and needed to stay in the hospital to be monitored for a few extra days.” At my concerned look, she hurried to reassure me. “He’s completely fine now. We were finally home for about three days when Emalee started to not feel well. Her feet swelled, she had terrible headaches, and she complained about things looking blurry. At first, we chalked it up to being tired and her hormones still being out of whack. She kept trying to work, but one morning she woke up in such agony. Reid saw her and called an ambulance. Thank god, he did.”
I couldn’t sit still. I got up and paced the room as Raelyn continued.
“They ran several tests. Her blood pressure had spiked into dangerous numbers, so they immediately admitted her.”
I stared at her in horror. “What was wrong?”
“I normally wouldn’t share this information with you, but you need to understand. She had a rare condition called postpartum preeclampsia. It’s a situation where the mother’s blood pressure spikes. Usually, it happens during the pregnancy, but occasionally, it happens afterward. No one is sure why. There was nothing during her pregnancy that triggered any alarms.
“They gave her a magnesium drip to help prevent a stroke or seizures and tried different medications to reduce her blood pressure. Needless to say, it was a frightening time. She was completely bedridden. It took several days, but they finally figured out the best medications, and she was able to come home after almost a week in the hospital.”
“It was scary as fuck for a couple of days.” Chase spoke aloud what I was thinking.
Raelyn nodded. “With everything that had happened, we missed the deadline to get baby Iain signed up for insurance coverage. By the time things settled down, they wouldn’t accept him on our plan, so he wasn’t covered. We were already carrying large co-payments from my time in the hospital from months before. It was overwhelming.”
Her eyes looked haunted as she shared the stress they’d been through, something Emalee had never told me about.
“She’d already given up so much, I couldn’t bear the thought of her having any more stress. Checks are only good for six months, so I didn’t have a lot of time to think about the ramifications. I forged her name, deposited the money, and paid off the bills. I’m sorry I betrayed your trust, but I’d do it again,” she added defiantly. “I’d do anything to protect her. And I figured if Iain’s father was anything like the man Emalee described, he’d want that, too.” She grabbed my hand. “Please don’t hold my actions against my daughter. I know it wasn’t right, but maybe as a parent, you understand that you’ll do anything to protect your child. She would have worked herself to death trying to pay those medical debts. I had to do something.”
I sank to the couch, holding my head in my hands. “Does Emalee know about this?”
“I told her last night. She’s upset with me, too.”
So, Emalee knew what happened, but she hadn’t reached out. I couldn’t blame her, not after the way I talked to her.
“Feel like a schmuck now, don’t you?” Chase’s grin was just a little too gleeful.
The condo was quiet. Raelyn and Chase went to Bristol’s place for the night. On her way out, Raelyn had hugged me, apologizing once again. I was angry at the situation, but I couldn’t be mad at her. Em and I both had parents who had done something behind our backs, but unlike my father, whose only motivation was to manipulate us, Raelyn’s had been to protect her family. I was glad she had.
Chase had been more forthright. “Make this right or I won’t stop at one punch.” I took that to mean he was on our side, too.
