Something Like Family
Page 24
Tuck scratched his head. “They’re not in there?”
“No. When did you take your meds tonight? Before or after dinner?”
Tuck’s face scrunched into a frown. “Good Lord. Both.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “I was getting ready to take them early, but I got distracted helping Daniel with his shoelaces. Had one in a knot. But I—”
Sharon stood and put an arm around her father’s shoulders. Then she stepped away from him, toward Rave, and reached for the phone. “Rave, can I speak to the doctor?”
He recoiled.
She leaned closer and whispered. “Drug overdose is something I know a little bit about.”
Rave hesitated only a moment longer and then handed over the phone. He was at Tuck’s side in less than a heartbeat while Sharon talked to the doctor and explained what had happened.
She listened, nodded as if the doctor could see her, and addressed the group in the living room after hanging up. “He said you’ll be OK, Dad. No need to go in. We just need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
A collective sigh passed through the room. “How could I be so stupid? Where was my mind?” Tuck scratched the thin spot on his hairline.
Sharon shook her head. “Dad, I show up out of nowhere, a ghost, someone you thought had been buried long ago, and you’re wondering where your mind was? It was distracted. That’s all. Your doctor said to skip your morning meds tomorrow. By tomorrow evening, you can resume your regular schedule.”
Rave had to admit he was surprised that she took the blame for this. Sharon Wayne had never assumed responsibility for anything back when . . .
Back when she was a drug addict. She wasn’t anymore. At least, she wasn’t right now. Time would ultimately tell how committed she was to staying clean. Still, he wouldn’t take a risk that made himself or Tuck collateral damage.
Sharon’s cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and answered. She stepped away from the group and chatted in perfect Spanish while Rave could only watch in disbelief. When she hung up, he spoke. “You know Spanish.”
She nodded. “Yes, learned in prison. It was a prerequisite for going to Peru next month.”
When he stared at her, mouth gaping, she said, “I’m not the person you knew, Rave. I’m trying to become the best version of myself. And right now, that’s a person who hopes you can one day forgive me.”
Forgive her. That was a long way away. If it was even possible.
Rave and Becca left the house in Tuck’s Chevy early the next morning. They’d kept a close eye on Tuck, all of them staying awake late into the night. Sharon had ended up sleeping on the couch. Becca had curled up on Rave’s bed, but Rave had stayed in the armchair at Tuck’s side, watching him breathe and only dozing for a few minutes at a time. Tuck suggested the two young people get some air, so they went to town and picked up breakfast at the drive-through.
Rave drove them to the corner of the square, where he parked in the early-morning shade of a flowering tree. “I need to check in at the memorial park. They’ve added some flowering plants, and Carr’s Landscaping has offered to run irrigation throughout the park.”
Becca picked at her biscuit sandwich. “That’s fabulous. Wait, why didn’t I know about this?”
“Pastor Keith called me this morning.” After talking to him, Rave had tried to call Ashley to check in. There’d been no answer.
Becca took a drink from her lidded cup of coffee. “I vaguely remember hearing the phone ring.”
Rave wasn’t hungry, but he tried to eat.
Once they finished their food, Becca opened the truck door. “Shall we walk to the park? It’s a gorgeous morning.” She didn’t wait for him to answer.
Rave got out and looped his arm through hers, and they headed toward the memorial park. It was halfway to completion now—a marvel, considering that only a short while ago, it was as abandoned as the desolate streets of a ghost town. Often, he’d drive by to find people he didn’t even know spreading mulch or planting flowers. The gate was always left unlocked now so local citizens could have access. They paused at the gate. Rave didn’t want to go in because he was getting anxious about getting back to the house. Everything looked in order.
“Rave, since last night when Tuck had his dizzy spell, I’ve been thinking.”
“About?” Rave was listening, but his gaze roamed over the park. Off to the left, the first of the tall granite slabs had been installed. They would surround the fountain with a wide walkway between each slab and a massive open area with room to roam. The fountain, the centerpiece and, in his opinion, the masterpiece of the park, had yards of space around it where families could enjoy the spray of the water. There were even a few picnic areas in this central section of the park.
“Well, I know we talked about Tuck waiting until the park is farther along to see it, but . . .” Becca’s voice trailed.
“But what if Tuck is running out of time?” It had been on Rave’s mind since last night.
She dropped her head. “Yes.”
“I know. Sometimes I forget he’s not invincible. He’s even been working alongside me at the cabin. Until last night, his illness seemed pretty far away. And it brings up another question.”
Becca looped her arm through his.
“The transplant surgery.”
Becca nodded slowly. “Are you afraid you’re waiting too long?”
Rave pulled her closer. “Everything is depending on Ashley coming home when she’s supposed to. I’ve tried to call her, and she’s not answering. We only have a few more weeks before she’s due home, and I can’t escape the feeling that she’s putting me off.”
“Rave, let’s talk to Pastor Keith. He said he’d be there for you and Tuck. Maybe he’ll have some ideas.”
“Unless he can clone me, I’m not sure he can help.” Without discussion, Rave and Becca both turned from the memorial park and headed back to Tuck’s truck. The park was looking incredible. They should be proud, but right now, all Rave felt was fear of the unstoppable future.
“And what about your mom helping with Daniel? She seems great with him.”
She was great with him. Right now. But what if she slipped? What if she had a bad day and went looking for drugs? “I can’t take a chance like that with Daniel. I’d never put him at risk.”
“Well, you know I’m here to help as much as I can.”
“I know. I love you for it.” He opened the truck door for her and helped her inside. Together, and with more hanging on their shoulders than any two twenty-somethings should have, they drove back to the house.
Sharon had spent the better part of the day coloring on the floor with Daniel. She used to do that with Rave, so long ago. She assumed he didn’t remember. But midday, she’d caught him standing at the top of the stairs watching them. The look in his eyes was haunting. For a moment, his heart was open to her. She could feel it. And she wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs to him and hold him in her arms. But she didn’t. She glanced down at Daniel, and when her eyes went back to Rave, he’d closed off the emotion. She gave him a sad smile and returned to coloring.
Daniel had finally tired of coloring, so the two of them had walked the property looking for wild blackberries. At first, Rave had been reluctant to let Daniel go with her, but Tuck had coaxed him, and finally he’d agreed.
At one point, they’d turned down the winding path and landed at the cabin door. She knew Rave and Tuck were fixing it up. Maybe Rave planned to move into it one day. She hoped. That meant he planned to stay in Barton. Whether she was able to be in his life or not, she liked the idea of her son living here. When they returned home, she found her dad asleep in the recliner and Rave and Becca gone.
She slipped inside, hoping not to wake him. Sharon pointed to Tuck and made a “sshh” sign by slipping her finger to her lips.
Daniel nodded and tiptoed past Tuck. Daniel looked so adorable, his shoulders hunched, his hands clutched in concentration. It reminded her of the many time
s she’d watched Rave sneak through the living room on Christmas Eve, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa. She’d never had much money, but she’d always tried to keep the magic of Christmas alive for Rave. Heaven knows she’d destroyed most of the magic of his childhood.
As soon as Daniel was beyond the recliner, he bolted into the kitchen, where Sharon had told him they could wash the blackberries and make a cobbler. There were barely enough. But baking always helped her think, and when she’d mentioned the idea to Daniel, he’d gone all round-eyed and said, “Really? Really, I can help?”
She’d propped her hands on her hips. “Not just help, you can do the whole thing. I’ll just supervise.”
They were just getting started when a groggy-looking Tuck came into the kitchen. “Sent Rave to the store. We’ll fix dinner here, and then he can take you over to Ashley’s place.”
Sharon chewed her cheek.
A grinning Daniel looked over from the kitchen chair that sat propped at the sink. “I’m making cobbler. It has blackberries and sugar in it.”
Tuck walked over and looked into the sink, where the pitiful pile of berries sat under streams of running water. He raised his brows and glanced at Sharon. A moment later, he dragged a shiny new phone from his pocket. “Rave bought this. One for him, too. I still haven’t mastered it, but maybe you could give him a call.” He lowered his voice. “Pick up some extra . . .” His words trailed off, but he nudged his chin in the direction of the berries.
Sharon’s hands grew sweaty as she took the phone. After a few crushing moments, she held the phone back to him. “Maybe you should call.”
“He’ll come around. You’ll see. Needs time is all. He’s a good boy, Sharon.”
Daniel looked up with a mouthful of berries. “I am a good boy. Miss Sharon told me when we were picking berries, and I promised her I wouldn’t go too close to the river.”
Sharon went to him and gave him a hug from behind, maneuvering around the chair back. “You, sir, are an amazing boy.”
Daniel giggled. “I’m not a sir.”
She leaned back where she could look at him. “Well, you’re not a ma’am.”
The giggle became a full belly laugh, prompting Bullet to come prancing in to see what he was missing.
Sharon scratched Bullet’s ears. It was so easy with dogs and children. They held so little resentment, so little bitterness. If only she could turn back the hands of time and do things right. But she couldn’t. One thing she’d learned from Maria and Don and her long years away was that a person couldn’t change the past. She can only control its effect on the future.
She had a future waiting for her in Peru and Texas. She had a job and a life plan. But she’d give it all up in an instant to have her son and her father. She just still wasn’t certain that was a possibility.
After eating dinner and a delicious cobbler prepared by Daniel, Sharon followed Rave to Ashley’s apartment. It was late in the day, and although she’d felt so at ease with Daniel and her dad, Rave’s reappearance at the house had made her stiff as a poker.
“Rave, are you sure about this?” Sharon asked when Rave used his key to unlock the front door.
“Mom, this is the last request Ashley gave me before going off on her ‘romance adventure.’” He made air quotes when he said the last part. “She wanted you to stay here.” He flipped on a couple of lights but hovered near the front door.
Sharon nodded. “I know, but she could show up at any time and—”
“It’s going to be a while. I could tell by her tone. She’s always been so ready to jump into a romance, and this guy is rich and obviously into her. She’s a big believer in fairy tales.”
The apartment held an old loveseat and a recliner that must have been made during the seventies. Still, it was better than the motel by a wide margin. Simple, old, but clean. “And you, Rave? Do you still believe in fairy tales?”
He leveled her with a look. “I had too much reality thrown at me while growing up to believe in happily ever afters.”
She knew he didn’t really believe that. Even as he said it, his eyes told her the truth. In the deepest part of his heart, Rave still believed that life could be happy. If a person only gave himself a chance. She’d pushed this conversation enough. Sharon turned their attention back to the one of the two things that always made Rave smile. “Daniel is so amazing, Rave. Such a smart little boy. Inquisitive. He asked about everything while we were looking for blackberries.” Sharon placed her suitcase on the floor while Rave changed the setting on the air conditioner. She’d hoped they could bond over Daniel. It was common ground, and after all, he’d left the little guy alone with her, so maybe some of the outer crust that kept Rave distanced was starting to crack.
But when he looked over his shoulder at her, that hope dissolved.
“Should I make us some tea?” she asked.
“No. I need to get back.”
As he opened the door, she stepped beside him and said, “Rave, have you considered what you’re going to do about Daniel if . . .”
He closed his eyes. And closed the door. “I’m not giving up on Ashley. She’s had a momentary lapse of judgment, but that doesn’t mean she won’t come to her senses quickly.”
But Rave needed to think about what could happen. “You’re not Daniel’s father. Unless . . .”
“I’m not. And I’m still not sure why Tuck felt at liberty to discuss any of this with you.” He wanted to run. She could see it.
“Social services will step in as soon as they discover Daniel was abandoned.”
He spun around. “Stop it. You haven’t earned the right to do this. And Ashley didn’t abandon him. She left for work.”
“Work that she no longer has. Social services will look at it as if she’d left him weeks ago.” She didn’t flinch or move away. This was bound to get sticky. She wanted to prepare Rave for it.
“Social services never stepped in to take me away from you.” But as he said it, she knew his mind had been roaming over this territory. What would he do? What could he do?
“Our situation was different. You were my son.”
A sound escaped his mouth that was part laugh, part huff. “Yeah. Were.”
Rave stepped out and closed the door hard behind him. She’d never heard a lonelier sound.
CHAPTER 18
A week passed before Rave called Pastor Keith. He’d dialed Ashley’s number and left multiple messages, but there’d been no response. Rave sat on the couch with Tuck waiting for Pastor Keith to arrive.
Tuck rubbed his hands on his thighs. “You know there’s no way I’ll let you be a donor for me now that we don’t know about Ashley.”
“Why would you say that?” Rave’s thoughts had been scattered by the what-ifs. If Ashley wasn’t there to help with Daniel, how could Rave move forward?
Tuck leaned forward on his knees. “Rave,” he whispered, “if Ashley really is gone, Daniel needs you more than ever now. We can’t just abandon him for the week you’ll be in surgery and recovery.”
Rave’s chest pinched. Was he really going to have to choose between his grandfather and Daniel? This was an unbearable situation. “I’m still moving forward with the donor plans. It will work out.”
Tuck shook his head, his mouth a straight line. “Already is worked out.”
Rave trapped Tuck in his gaze. “Listen to me, I need you more than ever if—” He had to swallow before continuing. “If Ashley doesn’t return. There’s a way, Tuck. I just don’t know what it is yet.”
Pastor Keith knocked and entered when Tuck yelled for him to come in. “So sorry. For all of you. LaDonna gives her best and made you a casserole. Three hundred twenty-five degrees for twenty minutes.” He set the dish on the table just inside the front door and sat down on one of the easy chairs.
Tuck nodded at him. “Thanks for coming, Pastor.”
His smile was warm, his dark hair shining with some kind of gel or product in it. Rave grinned. “New haircut?”
Tuck rubbed a hand over his chin. “It does.”
Pastor Keith’s gaze drifted around the room. “I’d like to know what I can do for the two of you. There’s a lot on your shoulders right now.”
Tuck shook his head. He was a proud man and one who didn’t rely on outsiders for help.
Rave was a realist. Without help, Tuck wouldn’t survive this. “Daniel’s not my son.”
Pastor Keith’s eyes rounded for a few seconds. “I assumed—”
“Yeah.” Rave sliced a hand through his hair. “Everyone assumes. And now I’m starting to worry that Ashley isn’t going to come home.”
“That does complicate things.”
“Or when she’s going to return. I know Ashley loves Daniel. She’s just had a momentary lapse. The problem is, we’re three weeks from school starting, and I can’t register him. If she’s not back—”
“You’re worried social services would step in? Rave, if Ashley doesn’t return, are you thinking of raising Daniel?” Keith asked.
Rave thought of a world without Daniel. The very notion stole the warmth from his bones. “I’ve always felt like he was my own son. But for now, I just want more time to figure out what to do. Giving up on Ashley doesn’t feel right. If the circumstances were different—”
“Could he start school late?”
Rave had considered that. “It’s not really fair to him, is it? Beginning with a disadvantage. Daniel’s fifth birthday is coming up. I’m not sure his mother is going to be here for it.”
“Ashley really has had a lapse of judgment.” Pastor Keith steepled his hands and stared up at the ceiling. “Did she leave any instructions, anything written about Daniel’s care? If so, we might be able to use that to get the enrollment process started.”