by Emily Camp
“Bryson, settle down.” Bree stood and glanced at Spencer flirting with the girls.
“Can I go home with you? Huh? It’s boring here.” Bryson’s words came out quick and barely understandable. Bree wished she knew if he had his medicine or not today. It was a good guess that he hadn’t.
“Maybe.” Garrett patted him on the back.
“Did you tell Jake?” Maggie rose to her feet, pushing the wild hair out of her face.
Garrett shook his head, “He wasn’t at practice.”
“He didn’t answer my text.” She blinked her bright honey eyes a little too quickly.
“I’m not sure Parker would want him here,” Bree said.
“If Garrett’s here, why can’t Jake be?” Maggie clamped her hand on her jutted out hip.
“That’s different, Gare …”
“What is he doing with Bailey?” Garrett’s voice was loud, especially for an emergency room waiting area. Before Bree could explain, Garrett was striding toward him, Bree scrambling at his heels. This was the last place a scene needed to be made. It was no secret Garrett couldn’t stand Spencer, but it wasn’t like Paige was her favorite person in the world, either.
“Dadadada,” Bailey reached up, opening and closing her fists toward Garrett.
“No, I’m not dada,” Spencer laughed.
“Your niece is adorable,” one of the girls, the blond, sitting with her skinny legs crossed, said.
“She’s not his niece, either,” Garrett said, lifting Bailey off Spencer’s lap.
“Awe, are you her daddy?” The other girl blinked her overly lined eyes at him. Her dark hair sat in perfect waves over her shoulders.
Who has the time to do their hair before an emergency room visit?
Spencer leaned back. With his arms empty now, he stretched them across the back of the seat, an arm around each girl. “She loves her Uncle Spencer, right?”
“Dadada,” Bailey patted Garrett’s shirt.
“Yes, I’m her dad.”
“I love her little pigtails.” The blond motioned to the top of her head where Bree had put her hair up, looking like two little water spouts.
“Her cheeks are so chubby,” the dark haired one squealed.
Garrett smiled down at Bailey, “She gets that from her mom.”
Bree felt her face flush, but resisted the urge to put her hand to her cheek. Garrett thought they were chubby? What else did he think about her?
The loud commotion brought her attention behind her, where Bryson was running down the aisle and jumping on the chairs. Maggie was planted back in her seat on her phone oblivious to her little brother.
“Bryson!” Bree ran after him, despite not wanting to leave Garrett, Spencer, and Bailey with those girls. “Bryson, this is a hospital, not a playground.” She bear hugged him just before he could jump again. Bryson laughed, dangling from Bree’s arms.
“Maggie, why weren’t you watching him?” Bree sat him down.
“Why weren’t you?” Maggie didn’t look up from her phone, as she punched her thumbs on the screen. “Afraid Garret might pay too much attention to blondie?”
As if that gave her permission to look, she turned back toward them. Sure enough, the blond stood beside Garrett now, her head tilted and near Bailey’s.
It was when Bree heard the click, click, clunk of heals that she knew it was about to go down.
“Breanna, Maggie, Bryson?”
Bree turned to the petite woman, her hair pinned up in a bun, a pair of dress pants and a fitted turtle neck on her body that didn’t help make this one feel approachable.
“I’m Bree. This is Bryson.” She wasn’t sure if his arm being in a cast would help their case or not. She nodded toward Maggie, who barely lifted her head in acknowledgement. “And that’s Maggie.” Why wasn’t she cooperating? This could mean they either stay together or are separated.
“I’m Andrea.” She held out her hand. Bree shook it to be polite. “I need to ask you some questions.” Her smile was a nice welcoming smile, but Bree knew better. She knew this lady was only getting paid to be nice.
“Do I have to go live with a stranger again?” Bryson crossed his good arm over his chest.
Bree’s heart broke for him; this was his normal. It shouldn’t be.
Andrea knelt down to his level, something Bree learned they all do. “Your mommy doesn’t feel good, so you won’t be able to go home with her.”
Bryson’s hand clamped around Bree’s and he stepped behind her leg. “But I want to be with Bree and Parker.”
Andrea squinted up at Bree. “Why do you want to be with your brother and sister?”
“Parker plays with me, and he gives me food, and Bree tucks me in, and reads me stories, and she gives me food, too, only, don’t tell her, but her cooking stinks.” The more Bryson talked, the further he eased out from behind Bree. “I just don’t like it when they make me do my homework or go to bed early. My mom lets me stay up late even on school nights.”
“Your mom doesn’t make you do your homework?”
He shook his head. “Can I stay with Parker and Bree until my mom gets better?”
“What happened to your arm?” Andrea’s voice was sweet as she pointed toward his cast.
“A dare.” He held his chin high, like he was proud of himself now.
“Who dared you?”
He shrugged, swiping his nose with his good hand. “Just some kids. Do I still get to stay with Parker?”
“We’ll see.” Andrea stood and turned to Bree.
Bree’s heart thundered in her chest, hoping that was enough for Andrea to be able to make the call for Bryson and Maggie to at least be turned over in temporary custody. “I have a few more people to talk to.” She nodded to Bree. Bree wasn’t even sure if she could speak right now if she wanted to, let alone answer any questions, but she knew she had to do what she had to do. “Do you want to go over with your other sister and I’ll talk to Bree.”
Bryson curled his lip and looked back at Maggie. “Can I go with Garrett?”
“Who’s Garrett?” Andrea smiled, looking down at her clipboard.
“Bree’s boyfriend.” Bryson pointed toward Garrett and the others.
“That’s fine,” Andrea said.
Bree felt numb as she followed Andrea. They didn’t leave the waiting room, but eased into a set of chairs apart from everyone else. Bree hated the way Andrea stared at the papers on her lap.
“You have an infant. Is that right?” Andrea’s gold bracelets jingled from her wrist as she lifted a pen to her clipboard.
“Yeah, but she’s taken care of,” Bree said a little too quickly.
Andrea smiled up at her, “Don’t worry. I have no reason to believe your baby isn’t taken care of. It’s about your mother. You were living with her, right?”
“I’ve been staying with Parker. I had a fight with my mother.”
Andrea tilted her head. “What about?”
Bree looked back at Maggie, who was still on her phone. “We don’t agree on how to parent.”
“She tried to tell you how to take care of your baby?”
“Not exactly. I tried to get her to take care of Bryson and Maggie.”
“How so?”
Garrett sat by those girls, Bailey on his lap. He sat beside the blond, Bryson on his other side. Bailey giggling at him.
Bree didn’t feel any better getting things off her chest. Not only was she preoccupied with Garrett, but maybe a little jealous of Spencer, too. She tried to be as honest as possible with Andrea without incriminating herself or Parker. Andrea seemed nice, and seemed to be on her side. However, seemed didn’t mean that was the way it was. Her stepmom also seemed nice before she married her dad.
Chapter Twenty-three
If only sleep wasn’t Bree’s enemy. She lay in bed. Maggie’s light breathing the only sound. The ceiling was grey in the dark. With everything else going on in her life, she wished she wasn’t thinking of Garrett talking to those girls. She hated how stupid all
this had made her.
“Are you asleep?” Maggie whispered, her shoulder against Bree’s. It was a queen bed, but ever since they were little, if they had to share a bed, Maggie would sleep right against her. Usually, Bree would complain and push her off, but she let her tonight.
“No.”
“Do you think that social worker will let us live here?”
Bree wasn’t prepared for that question. “Do you want to live here?”
Bree felt Maggie take in a breath beside her. “It’d be better than with her.”
“Yeah.” They’d only talked about how horrible their mom was a few times. It wasn’t like with Parker, who she felt understood a little better. Maggie was fickle sometimes. She’d go back and forth. Though Bree almost hated Mindy, there were times Maggie thought the world of her mom, especially since she was allowed to do anything she wanted there.
“Bree?”
“Yeah?”
“You should give Garrett a break.”
Bree tried not to snap at this. Their night had already been horrible enough. They didn’t need to get in a fight. “You don’t know things.”
“I know he loves you. I know that I’d give anything to know who my dad is and have my parents together.”
Out of the four of them, Maggie was the only one who didn’t know who her dad was. Maggie was the product of Mindy cheating on Bree’s dad. She never did give up who she cheated with. Bree had her suspicions Mindy didn’t know.
“Things are complicated.” Bree let out a breath.
“You should try for Bailey. I mean, when Garrett’s parents came to the hospital tonight … and watching them with Bailey and Garrett, even you … I wish I had that. A family.”
“You do have a family. You have me and Parker and Bryson.”
“It’s not the same as having a mom and dad.”
“I know.” Bree curled her hand around Maggie’s. Maggie squeezed back.
“When I was little, after school I would walk out, and see all these dads waiting for their kids and I’d pretend for a second that one of them was mine and he was there to surprise me, and take me out for ice cream. I’d imagine myself running toward him, and he’d sweep me up and swing me around until I was dizzy.”
Bree had to fight the tears stinging her eyes. She knew who her dad was, but she didn’t have that with him, either.
“Garrett is like that with Bailey.” Maggie’s voice was scratchy.
Bree didn’t speak. Words didn’t come out through the lump in her throat.
“I’m sorry for fighting you,” Maggie finally said.
“Me, too,” Bree’s voice raspy.
And after a few minutes, Maggie’s hand went limp and her breathing slowed.
***
“Call dad.” Parker said, striding through the apartment. Sometimes she felt like she was living the same day over.
“Yep.” Spencer sat stretched across the sofa, television blaring. Beside him, Bryson sat Indian style, wide-eyed and bedhead.
As Bree walk past the television, she caught a few curse words. “Turn that off,” she gasped.
“What? This is a good movie.”
Bree swiped the remote off the arm of the couch and powered it down.
“C’mon, it was getting to the good part.” Spencer pointed toward the TV.
“Little eyes and ears.” Bree nodded toward Bryson with gritted teeth.
“I’m not little!” Bryson crossed his arms.
“You need to call dad, anyway.” Parker’s back was toward them as he poured his coffee.
“I need breakfast, that’s what I need.” Spencer stood, stretching his arms out, then scratching his chest.
“Me too.” Bryson copied Spencer’s actions.
“What you need is to get ready for school.” Bree bent to his height and tickled his sides. Bryson giggled and writhed away from her.
“Can’t I stay here with Spencer?”
“Sorry, little man.” Parker turned with a chuckle, his coffee steaming from his mug.
“Time for a shower,” Bree said.
“That’s what I’ll add to the list,” Bryson mumbled, putting his head down.
“What list?”
“The list of things I don’t like about here.”
“You don’t like it here?” Parker tilted his head, only meeting Bree’s eyes for a second.
“I like it here. I just don’t like to take showers. Mommy doesn’t make me take showers. I miss mom. When can I go home?”
Parker opened his mouth to say something, but Bree noticed he caught himself.
“Bryson, you’re gross,” Maggie groaned as she shuffled through the apartment, her hair still wet. “Can I get some of that?” She nodded toward Parker.
“Help yourself.” He motioned to the coffee pot.
“All right, your turn bub,” Bree ushered him to the bathroom and started the shower for him, while he complained the whole time. She left, hoping he’d actually wash and not just stand under the running water.
“What’s on the agenda today?” Bree said, nearly out of breath when she waltzed back into the kitchen.
“Check on Mindy. She should get out today.”
Maggie frowned down at her mug, swirling her coffee.
“What’s going on with the kids?” Bree walked toward the fridge.
“The social worker says this is temporary until Mindy gets back on her feet.”
“So we can’t get them?”
“Mindy technically didn’t do anything. As long as she doesn’t take Lloyd back, they have no reason to keep them from her.”
“She’ll take him back; she always does,” Maggie said.
“Do you want to live here?”
Maggie brought her coffee to her mouth and sipped. Making eye contact with Parker, she nodded.
“We’ll see what I can do.” Parker patted her on the shoulder before turning toward the sink and rinsing his mug out.
“Where’d Spencer go?”
“Out, who knows? You think Bryson needs help?”
“Probably, but he won’t let me help.” Bree held her hands up.
Parker nodded and strode toward the bathroom.
“I’m still confused on how they’re brothers. Parker and Spencer.” Maggie leaned against the sink.
“Spencer’s parent’s adopted Parker. Parker’s biological dad was his adopted dad’s brother.”
“So they’re really cousins?”
“Biologically they’re cousins.” Bree gathered Bryson’s homework up, tossing it in his backpack. A heavy weight hit her chest as she thought about her homework that didn’t get done. Last night, after the drama with her mother, and helping Bryson with his, there was no time for her own.
“I wish I knew if I had other brothers or sisters or cousins.”
Bree laughed. With Bryson’s backpack packed she scanned the room for her own. “You barely get along with the ones you have.”
“Whatever.” Maggie mumbled to her coffee mug.
“Did you get your homework done?”
“Didn’t have any.” Maggie shuffled back down the hall to the room they now shared.
Bryson came running out like a puppy who’d just had a bath, as if water energized him. His hair was a damp wild mess, but at least it was clean.
“Maggie, you ready?” Parker called down the hall.
“In a minute.”
Bree saddled Bryson’s backpack over his shoulders. “Be sure to eat your breakfast and lunch at school. Listen to your teachers.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
“Did you give him his medicine?” Bree looked up at Parker with her hands still on Bryson.
“I did, mother hen.” Parker winked.
Bree didn’t know why she felt like everything was falling apart. She had more help here than she did with Mindy.
“Carly should be here any minute to pick up you and Maggie. I’ll get kiddo to school. You can relax. We can do this.” Parker nudged her with his shoulder.
<
br /> “Can we ride with the top down?” Bryson squinted up at Parker.
“Little cold for that this morning,” Parker chuckled, ushering Bryson out the door. Maybe they could do this, but as smoothly as this morning went, she couldn’t help but think of what it would be like when Bailey was added.
***
When Bree knocked on Garrett’s front door, she was greeted by Robin and Bailey.
“I told you, you don’t have to knock.” Robin stepped to the side, making room for Bree.
“I know.” Bree glanced down at the floor.
“Dadada,” Bailey’s arms shot out for Bree.
Bree reached out and took Bailey from Robin. “When will you start saying mama?”
“It’ll be here quicker than you think. Before you know it, she’ll be walking, then she’ll be in school, then she’ll be graduating and getting married.” Robin sighed, making her way inside. Bree followed, Bailey babbling the entire time. As always, the house smelled like fresh baked cookies and casserole.
“I don’t want to think about her doing things I haven’t even done yet.”
Robin laughed and turned to Bree. She did look a little more frazzled than normal. “I’m sorry. Everything is hitting me today. We sent in a paper for senior night, and Miley called about wedding planning.” Robin rested her chin in her hand, leaning on the counter, smiling at Bailey. “You, little one, are never allowed to grow up.”
Bailey giggled and buried her face on Bree’s shoulder.
“I know you have a lot going on. I keep forgetting to turn in that form for the school daycare.”
“That’s not what I meant at all.” Robin shook her head. “I told you, she can stay with me. It’s fine. I love having her.”
Bree hiked Bailey up on her hip a little more. “I just thought.”
“I’m serious. I want her here.” Robin held out her finger and Bailey latched onto it.
“Do you want to take some cookies home to your siblings?”
“Um, sure? Bryson would love that.”
Robin pulled a plastic container from under the sink and began placing the cookies carefully in it. “You know you can still come around right? You’re still family no matter what happens.”
“Yeah.” Bree nearly squeaked out.