by Tara Brent
“I thought Ted had a gambling debt?” I asked, confused.
“He does,” he replies, “He did. It’s odd, but I didn’t mind paying off his gambling debt with dirty money. I minded paying it off with my own.” He scoffs softly while shaking his head. “It’s insane, I know. I don’t know how much you know, but I understand why you were so freaked out when we connected again.” Jackson looks at me in the dark, but I can feel the intensity of his stare. “Maya, I’d never let anything happen to you or your son.”
I chicken out and don’t tell him. “I’m tired. Can we talk more in the morning?”
I had one last chance. The drive from Ohio was about eight hours, and we’d probably stop somewhere in Pennsylvania. I knew something was wrong, and I’m relieved that he told me. Vince’s behavior toward Jackson makes apparent sense. But I wouldn’t have stayed away even if I had known. Not from the man I consider the epitome of his sex. Jackson carries Lucas into my bedroom. I’m drained from the drive, dinner, and his confession, and for a second, I lay down before I have to get up again.
“I’m going straight to bed as soon as I can,” I state this with my head on the pillow. Lucas starts crying, and I begin to pull myself up off the bed.
“I got it this time, Maya.”
I raise my head to look at him. “You must be tired too.”
“I’m good.” Jackson cradles Lucas in his arms as he feeds him his bottle. He hums a random mix-up of tunes—a mix of nursery songs with hints of pop. I give myself another pep talk as I drift off to sleep. I’d tell him the second I see the first signs for New York. I knew only bits and pieces of what he had told me. I was shocked that my brother had been involved as deeply as Jackson claimed. What a kick to discover my straitlaced brother was the neighborhood thug. That night, we share a bed leaving the other room empty. Jackson is spooned against me when I wake up in the middle of the night, and I pull his arm over my waist. It was my best night’s sleep since the day before I found out I was pregnant.
***
In a dreamy haze, it penetrates my consciousness that someone is knocking on the door, followed by a voice that’s slightly muffled. I jump out of bed, pulling on a sweat jacket to cover up as the tapping grows more frantic. I open the door, and Belinda is standing in the hallway, pointing down the stairs.
“You need to go outside, dear. It looks like someone broke into your vehicle last night.”
Jackson jumps out of bed as soon as I shut the door and starts pulling on yesterday’s clothes. I stand by the bassinet staring down at Lucas in a deep sleep. I’m not leaving him to investigate until I know it’s safe.
Jackson pulls on his shoes and opens the door. “Maya, lock the door.”
“Do you think...?” I start to ask.
“Stay inside and be careful.”
He’s out the door, and I look out the window, but it faces the back, and I can’t see the SUV. I pace the floor, and though he tells me to lock the door, I can’t help but look out into the hallway every thirty seconds. I listen to every noise and wonder what it is I’m hearing until I hear his heavy footsteps thundering up the steps. Jackson appears and pulls me back into the room.
“What happened?” I ask.
Jackson blinks a few times, catching his thoughts. “The back of the trailer was open. Stuff was tossed around. Nothing appears to be missing as far as I can tell.”
He starts tossing his things into his duffel bag. Jackson stops long enough to face me. “Maya, get packed.”
I nod and start grabbing stuff with one hand and dressing with the other hand. Soon, we’re downstairs with our bags by the front door.
“I’m sorry, Belinda,” I tell her, “but we have to take off.”
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, stuff like this doesn’t normally happen.”
The poor woman was blaming herself, Jackson had another theory, but he didn’t seem ready to share it with me.
Before we leave, he patiently reassures her, but I’m not reassured. Sitting in the passenger seat, I watch Jackson and Belinda speaking together. The tightness in her face slowly relaxes into a smile. Jackson pats her back. He just lied to that woman and made her feel good about it.
I shake my head, thinking I was so close to telling Jackson the truth. If he didn’t already know. Jackson couldn’t, but how could he not? Maybe, he expected me to tell him. His son is literally staring him in the face, but Jackson trusts me so much he denies it. I refuse to be upset. Jackson admitted to being involved with organized crime. Obviously, it won’t be the last job. I won’t say anything to him now.
Jackson gets into the SUV, and looking straight ahead, he starts the engine. I wait for him to say something, acknowledge what happened, and explain it away, but Jackson can’t.
“Is it all okay?” I ask him.
Jackson’s silent as he pulls out onto the street, absorbed in maneuvering onto an empty highway. “Yeah,” his voice is low, “nothing’s gone. Maybe the wind or a prank.”
I scoff louder than I meant to. Jackson reaches over and switches on the radio. I guess he doesn’t want to talk either. He has to know. Strangers on the street notice the similarity between him and Lucas. Jackson stares intently at Lucas’ eyes. Jackson has to know, and he’s hoping I won’t mention it. A love song comes on the radio, and I switch the channel to the weather.
Chapter 14
Jackson
I don’t have a moment alone until we stop at a diner in Port Jervis. Maya sits in a booth by a large window and watches me pacing outside on my phone. She only looks away for Lucas, and I watch her out of the corner of my eye as if she can hear me speaking to her brother.
“Vince, we’re in Port Jervis.” I look across the highway. “I’m looking at the largest Walmart I’ve ever seen. It’s enormous, bigger than LaGuardia.”
Vince laughs. “Well, now you know where to go. How’s Maya?”
“She’s okay.” I hesitate. Maya swore Max and me to secrecy. We’re not to tell Vince that Lucas exists. She’ll do it herself in person. I understand her reasoning because once Vince sees the little guy, he’ll be too busy smiling at the baby to shout at her.
“Listen,” I continue, “We need to talk. Someone might have broken into the trailer while we were in Ohio and gone through Maya’s stuff.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t kids or the wind like the lady suggested?”
Though he can’t see me, I shake my head. “The wind’s not that strong, and I don’t know why kids wouldn’t have dumped the stuff out onto the lawn. If it was on purpose, someone was searching for something.”
“It arrived a few days ago,” Vince speaks in vague terms, but I understand what it is. “Intact. I’ve been stalling and said it was still on the way. You’re almost home. Stay vigilant.”
I glance back at the diner window. Maya is talking to the waitress who’s admiring the baby. Maya’s smile stretches across her beautiful face that I always want to kiss. I’ve never seen her so happy and handling her responsibility with grace and kindness. She really loves her kid. And I don’t want her to have to do it alone. The ring is still in my pocket, and it’s going to stay there until I give it to her.
“I found out who it is. The contact,” Vince scoffs. “I’ll tell you when you get here, but it won’t surprise you.”
“Tell me now.”
Vince pauses. I get that he’s taking precautions. I don’t trust phones either, but who knows what might happen between here and Bridgetown. It’s easier to keep my eyes open if I know what I’m looking for.
“Remember Brandi, the masseuse?”
I laugh. “She’s definitely not a massage therapist. What about her?”
“She’s engaged to Cyrus,” replies Vince, “and bringing him out of retirement. Cyrus is pressuring Derrick to round up the old team.”
My phone almost slides out of my hands. “The conniving gold-digger.”
“If Cyrus wants a trophy wife, he’s going to have to pay for it, and Brandi has a chip on her
shoulder,” says Vince. “She wants all of us to bow down at her feet.”
“Including us?” I ask. “We’ve been decent to her.”
“She’s demanding respect,” replies Vince. “And to get it, she’s looking for someone to break.”
“How did you find out?” I ask.
“Received an invite to the engagement event, not a party, but an event being held at the Hilton in New York. We’re both invited,” he adds.
I moan as I tug at the whiskers I need to shave off when I get home. “This is definitely bad news,” I tell Vince, “I met the rep, and Derrick has underestimated these people.” I pause. “How’s my dad?”
Vince is quiet for long enough to make me feel regret, but he replies with an okay. “He’s asking for you. Cyrus has been visiting the home, and he’s trying to trap your dad in debt again.”
I sigh like I’ve got the world to bear. “We’ve got a lot to deal with. See you soon.”
I shove my phone in my back pocket then look over at the diner window. A young guy is talking to Maya. He’s leaning in too close and pretending to check out the baby. I don’t know who the fuck he is, but he better take a quick step away from her.
Chapter 15
Maya
We stopped at a diner in Port Jervis. I always wondered what the place looked like. The conductors always announce it on the trains leaving Manhattan. And after this, it’s a straight shot home. Lucas was cranky in the car. No matter how many times we stop to stretch our legs, the poor kid is tired from being in the car seat. Jackson’s been fidgeting too and checking his phone. I caught a glimpse of the screen and thought I saw Vince’s name pop up.
Funny. I haven’t heard from Vince since we hit the road. After he tried to warn me away from Jackson for almost my entire life, a significant change in my big brother. Jackson walks back into the diner, and his gaze lingers on the man who was talking to me.
I scowl. “Was that Vince?” I ask him as he sits down.
Jackson frowns. “Yeah, he’s just checking in. He asked how you were doing. I didn’t mention the baby.”
A thick lump forms in my throat immediately. I told Max and Jackson that they couldn’t tell Vince. I had to be the one. I place my hands on the table, and I take a deep breath. I can’t get back into that car until I tell him.
“Jackson, I have something I have to tell you.”
He frowns, but I suspect I’ve interrupted his thoughts, and judging by how long he was outside, it has nothing to do with me. He takes a sip of his coffee and makes a face. No doubt it’s cold. The waitress catches my eye, but I shake my head. I have to tell him before I lose my fragile courage.
“Jackson, I don’t want you to be upset, but I have to tell you something, and you may have already guessed it.”
He narrows his eyes. “Maya, just say it.”
I meet his unblinking gaze. “Lucas is your son.”
Jackson doesn’t say anything. He keeps staring as if he’s waiting for me to say something more. Maybe, he wants an explanation, a reason, or an excuse. I crumble under his stern gaze, and my confession rambles on.
“I found out I was pregnant before I moved to LA, and I just couldn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to think it was on purpose. And Vince would’ve lost his shit. The fights you two had scared me. I thought I’d tell you once I was on my feet. I didn’t want pity, and I didn’t expect you to give it. I know you don’t want a permanent woman in your life, and I didn’t want to be your baggage.”
It takes a while before he speaks. “So, there was no one-night stand.”
I shake my head, and a tear breaks loose. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I just couldn’t.”
“So when I suggested we get back together, why’d you tell me no?”
I swallow my tears, and my voice is even. “Who broke into that trailer?”
Finally, Jackson looks away, but he won’t answer my question. “So you had me thinking I was taking care of another man’s kid. Did you think that maybe I may have wanted my son?”
I hadn’t, and I wouldn’t admit that I never thought of him as a father.
“Seriously, we went to the home to see my father. Maya, I haven’t been with anyone else since you left.”
My eyes widen. “I thought—
He shakes his head. “I let you assume. Like you’ve been doing.”
Jackson looks away, and his breathing becomes labored as his cheeks flush. I jump when his fist hits the table, and Lucas, who has been napping, lets out a thin wail. I pull Lucas out of his car seat and rock him in my arms.
“Miss, do you need help?”
A young trucker was talking to me while Jackson was outside on his phone. He saw Lucas and wanted to talk about his own children. He had a baby at home, and he was anxious to return to Florida to be with his wife.
I shake my head, but Jackson turns and glares. “We’re okay.”
“You’ll let me know?” the man asks.
“Back off, and mind your business,” Jackson growls.
The man makes a face but sits back down at his table.
“He has a son,” I’m quick to explain. “The same age as Lucas.”
Jackson throws some cash on the table. “I don’t want to talk here, Maya.”
The only sound in the place is a radio playing somewhere in the back. The employees and the diners watch us intently as if we’re starring on reality TV. They must think the worst, not knowing that Jackson is the one who deserves their understanding. I get up quickly, holding Lucas, and I keep my eyes straight on the door. Jackson follows behind rapidly with the car seat. He opens the door, and someone scoffs as we leave. Someone else agrees and mutters something nasty for us to hear.
I put Lucas in his car seat, hoping no one will try to be a good Samaritan. I climb in next to Jackson, and he’s glaring back at the diner. The trucker is turned around in his seat, watching us from the window.
“Maya, I’m upset that you tricked me,” Jackson explains. “And I could’ve missed out on his life if I hadn’t shown up. All this because you lied.”
“I’m not the only one,” my tone cuts deep, “I knew you had a dirty past, but I thought it was in the past.”
It was the longest two hours of the trip. We sat in silence listening to an all-news channel as the car drove along a highway that became increasingly familiar with each quarter mile. I recognized the old factory on the outskirt of town. Its shadowy silhouette was recognizable even in the dark, but the longer I look, the sense of dread swells. Soon we were on the road leading toward my childhood home. The SUV pulls up in front of the old Victorian, surrounded by new townhouses on either side.
My voice is soft, but I don’t dare look at Jackson. “Thanks for bringing me home.”
“You’re welcome.” That’s all Jackson says to me before he jumps out of the SUV and starts unloading the trailer.
Vince rushes down the porch of the house, smiling when he sees me in the car. He’s confused, staring at the changing table as Jackson places it on the walkway leading up to the house. I take Lucas out of the back, and Vince stares at the baby, but Jackson passes him the bassinet-stroller. Vince decides to work first and ask questions later as they empty out the trailer.
It didn’t take long to bring everything into the house. My boxes were stacked in Max’s old room, and Vince had made my bed in my old room. I sigh with the relief so deeply it bends my bones. It’s so good to be home. Jackson walks into my room, carrying in the bassinet. He refuses to look at me.
My sadness morphs into a rage. “Are you ever going to talk to me again?”
Jackson looks at Vince, who walks into the room carrying the car seat. And maybe it was spite, I don’t know for sure, but in a second, my happy homecoming ends.
“Your sister’s baby is my son.”
Vince’s eyes widen as the car seat slides out of his hands and drops to the floor. He blinks his eyes while staring at Lucas. I pull my baby tight against me as Jackson folds his arms over his ches
t. He eyes Vince daring him to lash out, and I wait for the bloodbath to begin.
“I have a nephew?” he asks. Vince walks past Jackson in a daze and stares at Lucas. His face softens as it fully connects to what is going on. He brushes his finger along his nephew’s arm, and Lucas coos softly before sticking his thumb in his mouth.
“Wow, I didn’t know,” replies Vince. He stays in a trance for a moment longer, and then he looks at Jackson. “Why don’t you go? I’ll call you.”
Solemnly, Jackson nods. His feet thunder down the steps, and the front door shuts. The loud bang makes me cry. My face is covered with tears as Vince pulls Lucas out of my arms and guides me to the bed.
“Lay down, Maya, you’ve had a rough...time.”
“What were you going to say?” I gasp.
“A day,” he replies, “but this has obviously been going on longer than a day.”
Vince climbs into the bed with me and leans against the old wood headboard. I lay curled up on my side while he hugs Lucas in his arms. Smiling, Vince stares at his little face and makes reassuring sounds as Lucas drifts off to sleep. It dawns on me that Vince has been on his own, and he’s never been on his own before.
“Why aren’t you angry?” I ask. “Did Max tell you?”
Vince scoffs. “He gave me a hint. But I didn’t guess this. He told me to go easy on you. And I can see why. I don’t know why you didn’t tell me, but considering how I rant and nag, I can’t really pretend to be surprised.”
“Jackson didn’t take it well.”
“He’ll come around, Maya. It may not be as quick as you like and I don’t know what kind of relationship you’ll have with him after but don’t worry about it. What’s his name?”
“Lucas Vincent Stewart.”
“After Dad?” he smiles.
“And you.” I roll onto my back and watch him while he falls in love with his nephew.
“He’s got Dad’s eyebrows.”
“Please don’t wish those bushy brows on my innocent baby.”
“I’ll help out, Maya. And it’s not a threat,” he laughs.