“Very,” Aden said. “I don’t know how to choose.”
“Well, the best place to start is with the pets that have been here the longest,” the attendant said. “That’s over here.”
“I want a dog that’s good with kids and other dogs and can join our family and…”
“There’s a few of those over here,” the attendant said.
They were walking down a hallway with animals in spacious pens. The dogs pressed their noses against the cage to see what was going on.
“Why haven’t these dogs been adopted then?” Aden asked.
“They’re either too excitable or, in one case, too ugly,” the attendant laughed. “Great dogs though. A couple have been fostered and we know they’re great with kids. How old are your kids?”
“Ten and twelve,” Aden said.
He looked at five dogs in the corner pen and knew immediately which dog was too ugly. There was a mottled brown dog whose proportions were all wrong. Medium sized, he had short stubby legs and a brown sausage body. His face was textured brown, black, white and who knows what. He had one blue eye and one dark eye.
“I see what you mean,” Aden said.
“Yeah, Buster’s not attractive,” the attendant said. “He’s about a year old. His owner had to give him up because his girlfriend wouldn’t be seen with him. He was fostered at a house with four dogs and four kids.”
Dismissing the ugly dog out of hand, Aden evaluated the other dogs. There was a black muttish looking dog, a small hyperactive dog that reminded him of Noelle, a yellow midsized lab-mix and another bigger black dog. Glancing over the dogs, his eyes locked with the ugly dog.
The dog gave a sharp bark.
And Aden knew he was in the wrong place.
“I’m sorry,” he said to the attendant. “I have to go.”
Turning on his heel, he raced through the Dumb Friend’s League trailing the attendant.
“But… sir! Sir!”
Turning at the door, Aden said, “I’d like Buster, the ugly dog. Can you reserve him for me? I’ll be back.”
Aden ran to his car. He wasn’t sure why he left the kids with Nuala. He only knew it was a mistake. He drove like a mad man to Teri’s office. Jumping out of the car, he took the stairs two at a time. He ran through the office to the observation chamber. Breathing hard, he saw the kids through the one-way glass.
Nuala was asking Noelle to stop talking. Anxious, Noelle’s voice raised and her words came out faster.
In a flash, everything went wrong.
Nuala slapped Noelle hard across the face. Noelle fell back from the blow.
And Aden was in motion.
As he ran into the room, Noelle began to scream. Teri moved to help Noelle but Noelle scooted away from her. Nash got in front of Noelle to protect her. Nuala screamed for Nash to move away.
And Noelle was in Aden’s arms. He lifted her from the ground and held her to him. Screaming, screeching and crying, Noelle dissolved into him.
Teri ordered him to put her down.
“She’s neurologically highly sensitive. Any pain is magnified one hundred fold by her nervous system,” Aden yelled over Noelle’s screams. “Her mother smoked crack while she was pregnant. She… I’m taking her to the hospital.”
Nuala lunged at Aden but Nash held his ground. Using his martial arts skills, he was able to keep Nuala back. Teri screamed for Nuala and Nash to stop fighting.
Finally the prison guards intervened. To the soundtrack of Noelle’s screams, Nuala was pushed to the ground, cuffed and shackled.
“Nash!”
Aden held his hand out for Nash. Nash took his hand. They sprinted toward the door. Teri caught up with them near the door.
“You have to leave them here! They haven’t completed their time.”
“In your care?” Aden asked. “Never again. I was a fool to leave them in the first place.”
Holding Nash’s hand, and Noelle in his arms, Aden made it to his SAAB sedan. He laid Noelle in the back seat, Nash in the front then raced to the front of the car. Aden jumped in. He took Iliff Avenue to Havana Boulevard then shot down Colfax Boulevard to Children’s Hospital Emergency. Lifting Noelle from the back, he grabbed Nash’s hand and they ran into the emergency room.
The hospital workers came running to Noelle’s screams. He laid her on a stretcher then kissed her forehead. The stretcher moved his precious daughter away from him. Still screaming, Noelle was wheeled back into emergency.
Out of breath, Aden and Nash watched Noelle disappear behind the doors.
~~~~~~~~
Tuesday mid-day – 12:35 P.M.
“What do you think?” Valerie asked Delphie.
“It’s too early for me to make a connection with them. That’s all right. Right now you have to focus on making really healthy vessels for their souls.”
“Oh.” Valerie was crestfallen.
“Your mother is thrilled,” Delphie said. “We’re going to have a house full of babies very soon. I do love babies.”
Valerie’s lips turned up then dropped into an anxious line.
“Can Mom help?”
“No, Valerie,” Delphie said. “You’re doing the very best thing by eating well, exercising and taking good care of yourself. Let Mother Nature do what she needs to do.”
“Mother Nature?” Valerie bit her lip.
“How far along are you?” Delphie asked.
“Less than a month,” Valerie said.
“Why don’t you give it a couple weeks?”
Valerie shook her head. Lost in thought, she answered her cell when it rang.
“Val?” her agent asked.
“Hey, what’s up?” Valerie asked. She rolled her eyes to Delphie.
“The movie’s on. They want you there by Friday,” her agent said. “Someone leaked what happened to you to the production team and they kicked the producer off the film. I’ve heard he has to leave the studio.”
“Wow,” Valerie said. “Just wow.”
“They were quite contrite. Offered more money up front and percentage points later,” he said. “But you have to get to the Czech Republic ASAP.”
“And I can bring Mike?”
“They requested him,” her agent said. “He’s not in the movie but they wanted you to be comfortable. They asked if he could come with you.”
“Wow,” Valerie said. “There is one thing…”
“What’s that?” her agent asked.
“I’m pregnant. Twins. It happened after we thought the movie was lost.”
“How pregnant?”
“Less than a month.”
“I don’t see a problem, Val,” he said. “You’ll be in the Czech Republic for six weeks and do post production in LA for four weeks. You can announce that you’re pregnant after that. I’ll let them know. If they’re serious about wanting Valerie Lipson, and the director said he had to have you, they won’t care.”
“Oh, wow,” Valerie said.
“Should I call you back for your decision?”
“Give me a couple minutes,” Valerie said. “I’m going to talk to Mike.”
“Good thinking,” her agent said. “Let’s let them sweat.”
“Talk to you in a half hour or so,” Valerie said.
“Movie?” Delphie asked. “Looks like our misfortune is shifting.”
“I hope so.”
~~~~~~~~
Tuesday afternoon — 1:40 P.M.
“Aden! There you are,” Sandy said. Sandy leaned back against the couch in her living room. Tanesha and Heather looked up. “I’ve been calling all over for you.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Aden said. “I’m used to you working all the time. I forgot to check in.”
“Did you pick out a dog?”
“Yeah,” Aden said. “Sandy, I’m at Children’s.”
“What? What happened?” Sandy said.
Her raised voice brought Jill in from the kitchen.
“Aden’s at the hospital,” Sandy said to the women
.
“Nuala hit Noelle in the face,” Aden said.
“Oh my God,” Sandy said.
“That’s not the worst of it. She cracked Noelle’s cheek bone and gave her a concussion. They put Noelle out and want to keep her overnight. I’ve been here with Nash. Noelle’s in pretty bad shape. They’ve scheduled every test known to mankind. She’ll be here at least overnight and maybe a couple of days depending on the test results. There’s a chance her eye is injured.”
Aden’s voice cracked. He blew out a breath.
“What can I do? Shall I come there?” Sandy asked.
“Please come. We haven’t eaten and… I know Noelle will love to see you when she wakes.”
“Gosh, Aden, of course, I’ll be right there.”
“Oh thank God,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. I really didn’t know what to say. I never should have taken them this morning. It’s all my fault.”
“Don’t be silly,” Sandy said. “How would you know? It will take me twenty minutes to get there.”
“I didn’t even think of that,” Aden said. “I was so desperate for you to come I didn’t think you wouldn’t have a car.”
“Jill’s here,” Sandy said. “I’m sure she’ll either take me or I can take her car.”
“Jill’s there? Why is Jill there? I thought she had school.”
“Just a girl’s lunch,” Sandy kept her voice breezy. “See you in a few.”
“Ok. Thanks. Love you, Sandy.”
“Love you, too.”
Sandy hung up her phone.
“The ex hit Noelle and cracked her cheekbone. They think she might have injured her eye.”
“Oh my God,” Jill exclaimed as the women gasped.
“He wants me to come there. How do I look?” Sandy asked. “You think he’ll know?”
“That you’ve been crying all afternoon? Yes, I think he’ll know,” Jill said.
“No, he won’t,” Heather came in from the kitchen. “I’ll drive. You can put some teabags on your eyes. We’ll do a quick make-up before we go into Emergency. He’ll never know.”
“But you’re going to tell him, right?” Jill asked.
“He’s got all this going on. I can tell him later,” Sandy shook her head.
“You tell him when you’re good and ready.” Tanesha hugged Sandy.
Sandy nodded. She’d tell him when she was good and ready. She just wasn’t sure when that would be.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
What happens today…
Tuesday afternoon – 3 P.M.
The Castle
Jill opened the Castle side door to let Anjelika and Perses in. Her siblings had been there for a half hour. Each person seemed more nervous than the last. Gratefully, Candy brought a variety of cookies from the bakery. Megan had made a pot of coffee. Focused on their own thoughts, her siblings sat munching cookies and drinking coffee in the main Castle living room.
Jill hugged her mother and Perses. They followed Jill into the Castle. Megan and Mike got up to hug their mother. Candy went to the kitchen for more cookies and Steve nodded.
Candy and Steve seemed the most upset by everything. Arriving first, Candy told Jill that she and Steve felt like they were going to be kicked out of the family. They were the only connection to their abusive father. They both felt ashamed and a little rejected. Jill could only hug Candy and tell her that she would never kick her out of her family.
But one thing was true. Whatever happened today could change Jill’s family forever.
~~~~~~~~
Tuesday afternoon – 3 P.M.
While most of the medical tests came back negative, Noelle still had a cracked cheekbone, a concussion and retinal tear in her eye. A normal child would be awake and going home soon. But every time they tried to reduce Noelle’s medications, her blood pressure rose and her heart raced. Her nervous system went on overload. The plan was to keep her unconscious for at least tonight and maybe all day tomorrow.
When Sandy arrived, Nash and Aden seemed heartbroken. Both blamed themselves for Noelle’s injuries. She had to bully and badger them to get something to eat. They seemed to recover a little bit after a few bites of cafeteria food.
Social Services had come for a long visit while Noelle was getting her tests done. Sandy wasn’t sure what the outcome would be but a child abuse report was filed against Nuala. Teri, the special advocate, had taped the session. While the social worker couldn’t promise anything, it looked like Social Services would recommend terminating Nuala’s parental rights.
Again.
And maybe for good this time. Aden was guarded, but hopeful.
Because Nash was on probation at school, he had to go to check in with the assistant principal and pick up his homework. He could take the rest of the week off to be with Noelle. Aden insisted on staying with Noelle, so Sandy agreed to take Nash to school. Before they left, Aden took her in the hall and held her to him. She felt his warmth and heat. He kissed her lightly, with promise, and thanked her for being the blessing in his life.
Even a half hour later, she was still warm and tingly from his embrace. Driving Aden’s SAAB sedan, Sandy pulled to the curb near school.
“Your Dad called ahead,” Sandy said. “Your homework for the week is at the office. You just have to give them the note and you’re out all week. That seems like a great deal to me.”
“But I get to go to Mr. Colin’s martial arts class, right?” Nash asked.
“I think so,” Sandy said. “We’ll see. Hopefully, Noelle will be home tomorrow. Your Dad and I will trade off taking care of you guys.”
“You don’t have work?”
“It’s pretty slow,” Sandy said. “I’ve moved some people around to have a few days off.”
“Great!” Nash smiled.
“Remember, to the office and back,” Sandy said.
“Yeah, like I want to go anywhere but to the office,” Nash snorted.
Hopping out of the sedan, he ran down the block. He turned on the cement path and ran up the steps of the school. While he was in the office, the bell rang and excited kids started streaming from the school. Sandy got out of the car so she could see the school doors over the kids heads. After a few minutes, she saw Nash come out of the office door. Waving to Sandy, he looked down at his papers and shoved them in his backpack.
Nash was down the stairs and halfway down the cement path when Sandy saw a group of six bigger boys move toward him. Focused on Sandy, Nash didn’t see them.
The boys were upon him. The first boy punched Nash in the back of his head. The second boy punched his face. Nash fell forward but found his feet. As he turned to defend himself, Sandy ran down Holly Street. Even running as fast as she could, she could see that the boys were too many and too big for Nash.
Screaming, taunting kids surrounded the fighting boys. A big boy grabbed Nash from behind but Nash was able to shake him off. She neared the school when Nash’s friend Teddy Jakkman came running out of the school. Teddy fought his way to Nash. Nearing them, Sandy lost Nash and Teddy in the crowd.
She pushed her way through the crowd of kids. As she neared the fight, she heard a boy yell, “Look! It’s the slut.” She felt something hard across her face. She would have fallen backward but she was buffeted by the crowd of kids. The kids pressed her forward into her attacker. A boy hit her over the head.
Sandy fell unconscious to the ground.
~~~~~~~~
Tuesday afternoon – 3:10 P.M.
The Castle
After a few minutes of uncomfortable chit chat, Megan and Mike settled into armchairs. Candy and Steve sat next to each other on the couch between the armchairs. Angelika and Perses sat on the opposite couch. Jill wasn’t sure which side of the room to sit on – her beloved Mama’s side? Or her loyal loving siblings? Refusing to choose sides, Jill brought a chair from the dining room to sit in between.
“You were going to…” Mike started just as Megan said, “Mom, what…?” They laughed.
“I will start,” Anjelika said. Perses kissed her cheek then took her hand. “It’s your story, your life, but it starts with me.”
“You know my family was involved in organized crime. Bratva brotherhood, that’s what we called it. At the time, in Russia, there was either government crime or organized crime. If you wanted to live well, you had to be involved in either or both. Like his father and grandfather, my father was involved in government and organized crime. He married early to the girl he was supposed to marry. They had five boys. He was almost forty when he met my mother. His first wife was ill, alcohol I think, but I don’t really know. My father had fooled around the edges of his marriage for a long time. He met my mother and…”
Anjelika shrugged.
“My mother used to say he loved her more than anything in this world. And, I guess I believe her. My father was still married when she had my older brothers. His wife had died by the time I was born. I remember them — my mother and father. My mother would get dressed for my father’s arrival. And my father would almost skip into the house after his day. We were very happy.
“I grew up with a doting father and mother. I knew there was poverty. I knew people struggled. But I felt none of it. I had everything I could possibly want – ponies, private instructors, beautiful dresses, gourmet dinners – truly everything I might want. I was very sheltered and spoiled.
“I still am.” Anjelika looked at Perses and he laughed.
“I am my father’s only daughter. I think that explains a lot of things. My brothers and half-brothers are all a part of the Bratva. But I was sheltered. I was kept like a trophy on a shelf. My father would bring me out for parties. I would play the piano or sing. He adored me.
“When it was time for me to marry, my father insisted that I marry for love. I went to University but lived at home. I dated but nothing significant. I met Perses at one of my father’s parties. I was twenty-one years old.”
“She wasn’t very impressed with me,” Perses said.
“I wasn’t,” Anjelika laughed. “I was so pursued. It seemed like every man wanted a piece of my wealth or family standing or beauty or… I had no time for men. I was almost done with school. I was going to travel the world for a while with a girlfriend, then see what was next.”
Cascade Page 15