by Claire Adams
"Oh, I think you'll be surprised by how wide the welcome mat is at my mother's house," he grinned as he reached out and rested a hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad you'll be having dinner with us, Leah."
I swallowed hard and nodded, knowing that whatever came out of my mouth at that moment would be completely inadequate. I looked up and smiled.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Jack
It was well after six when I ushered Leah and Riley to the waiting car and told Jimmy to take us home. Riley peppered me with questions about my mother's house for the entire ride, which relieved the tension between Leah and me.
"How big is her house?" Riley asked.
"Super huge," I replied.
"That's not an accurate measurement in real estate terms, Jack," Riley said with a disapproving look. I laughed because I remembered the way in which I used to give my parents the same look when they gave me an unsatisfying answer to questions I'd asked.
"Fine, my mother's house is approximately ten-thousand square feet," I said.
"You're kidding, right?" Riley said as she dropped her jaw and stared at me.
"Not kidding at all," I replied seriously. "It's why she can have guests like you come and stay at a moment's notice."
"Our house is less than two-thousand square feet," Riley observed. "That means your mom's house is … four, no five times bigger than ours."
"Good job on the math," I said nodding. "At least you know you're not losing anything while you're out of school."
"Very funny," she said as she flashed me a grin that I understood to mean exactly the opposite of what she said.
"Looks aren't everything," I replied, much to Riley's delight as she cracked up, then turned to watch the city rush by. Leah gave me a grateful smile before she, too, turned and looked out the window. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but I knew the answer was likely to be something she didn't want Riley to hear so I let it go.
When we pulled up in front of my mother's house, Riley let out a small shriek before she shoved her weight against the car door and went running up the front steps. I laughed as I helped Leah out of the car and nodded at Jimmy as he went around to the trunk to get the packages I'd asked him to pick up.
"Who are you?" Riley asked as the butler opened the front door and invited her inside.
"I'm Martin, the butler," he replied in a formal tone as he gave me a quick questioning look. I simply nodded.
"Do you always open the door?" she asked.
"I do," Martin nodded. "Mrs. Yates is waiting for you in the dining room at the end of the hall. Please join her."
Riley, Leah, and I walked back to the dining room where my mother was sitting at the head of the table already surrounded by Lincoln, Jessie, Joey, and Mimi.
"Uncle Jack!" Joey cried as he hopped down off of his chair and ran around the table. "I waited for you!"
"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" I said as the small child threw his arms around my leg and hugged it tightly.
"It's me—Joey," he said looking up at me through eyes that looked eerily like his father's. "Don't you recognize me?"
"Indeed I do," I said reaching down and grabbing him under his arms so I could swing him up to sit on my hip. "And I've brought guests I'd like you to meet. Joey, this is Riley, and this is Leah. Leah and Riley, I'd like you to meet my nephew, Joey."
"Hi, Joey," Riley said as she stuck out a hand for him to shake. He shook it while staring at her without saying a word.
"Hi, Joey," Leah said as she, too, offered her hand. Joey shook it and then looked at me.
"They are grown up ladies, Uncle Jack," he said solemnly.
"Yes, they are," I nodded. "But I think they like the same kind of food you do."
"Hamburgers?" Joey asked as he looked around the room. "You like hamburgers?"
"I love them," Riley said as she moved around the table and shyly introduced herself to Jessie and Mimi.
"How are you, brother?" I asked as I eyed Lincoln. We hadn't had a conversation since the day he lost his cool over the renovations.
"I'm well, thank you for asking," he said stiffly. My mother watched the two of us, shaking her head.
"I'm glad you could make it for dinner," she said smiling at Leah and Riley. "We're so happy to have you here. Jack has told me all about the miracles you performed in the warehouse since Bernard died. I know he feels lucky to have your skill and expertise keeping that part of the business running."
"Oh, well, I'm glad to be of service," Leah replied blushing a little at the compliment. "Mr. Yates was so kind to me and gave me a chance when no one else would have. I feel like I owe him at least that much."
"You must be starving after a long day at the office!" my mother exclaimed as she motioned towards chairs for Leah, Riley and me, and then nodded to the serving staff. Soon the room was filled with the smell of freshly grilled hamburgers, homemade French fries and potato salad, and platters full of freshly sliced tomatoes, onions, and pickles. I could see Riley's eyes widen as she fixed an enormous burger, and then tried to figure out how to open her mouth wide enough to take a bite of it.
"Easy, tiger," I said, nudging her with my elbow. "I'm not sure you can open your mouth that wide."
"Sure I can," she said with a stubborn grin. "I've eaten burgers way bigger than this one, haven't I, Leah?"
"Oh sure, right," Leah said rolling her eyes, watching as Riley stretched her mouth as wide as she could and took the first bite of her hamburger. Catsup and mustard dripped out of the sides of the bun and dropped onto the plate and table around it.
"Oof," she said as she chewed with a satisfied grin. Once she'd swallowed, she looked at me and said, "Told you so."
"I guess you did," I laughed. "I'll never doubt you again."
The conversation turned to questions about Riley's schooling and what things she was learning. My mother kept it all light and easy as my brother and I occasionally shot murderous looks at one another. I knew she saw them, but my mother was the consummate hostess and never let anything ruffle her feathers. By the time dinner was over, she'd gotten Riley and Joey to sing "The Wheels on the Bus." She then helped Joey recite as much as he could remember of "The House that Jack Built," which was punctuated by, "That's you, Uncle Jack!" every time they said, "the house that Jack built." By the time it was over, we were all stuffed with hamburgers, chocolate cake, and ice cream.
"Oh God, I'm so full," Jessie groaned as she pushed herself away from the table. She picked up Mimi and said, "C'mon Joey, time to get ready for bed!"
"I'm full, too," Riley echoed as she wrapped her arms around her midsection and rolled her eyes as Jessie and the kids headed up to the second floor. "I ate way too much!"
"Then you'll sleep well tonight," Leah said as she patted her on the shoulder. "C'mon, get your things together. We need to get going."
"Going?" my mother asked as she gave me a confused look. "I thought that since your house burned down, you'd be staying with us."
"Oh, I … well … I mean," Leah stammered as she quickly looked at me and then back at my mother. I could see the tears begin to well up as her face crumpled, and she cried, "Oh, Jack, how could you?"
Leah pushed her chair back, leapt up, and shot out of the room. I heard the front door open and slam shut, and I knew I'd made a big mistake. Riley looked at me and then looked at the hallway before looking back at me.
"Jack, go talk to her, darling," my mother prompted. "Tell her that you're sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I said defensively.
"Sorry for fucking up in such a big way," my brother said in a dry voice. "Even I recognize that."
"Shut up, asshole," I shot back.
"Boys!" my mother shouted. "I will not have that kind of talk around my table!"
"Sorry," we both muttered.
"Jack, go find Leah and tell her that you're sorry you embarrassed her," my mother instructed. "Lincoln, Jessie’s getting the children ready to go home. Go help her. I'll he
lp Riley get settled in her room."
I got up from the table and headed outside. As I stood on the front steps trying to figure out where Leah had gone, I saw movement in the garden. I headed over and found Leah sitting on a bench with her face in her hands. She was crying.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."
The silence that followed was deafening.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Leah
I heard Jack approach and then listened to his apology. I wanted to stand up and yell at him and make him feel as terrible as I felt. But I knew that he had only meant to help and that yelling at him would only serve to upset me more. Plus, I didn't want to yell at my boss and find I'd lost my job on top of everything else. So, I said nothing.
"Leah, I really am sorry," Jack said as he sat down next to me. He sat close enough that I could feel the heat from his body, and while everything in me wanted to lean in and feel him pressed against me, I also wanted to run away.
"I know you meant well," I said wiping the tears from my cheeks and offering him a weak smile. "I appreciate the gesture."
"It's not just a gesture," he said as he looked at me. "I really do want to help. I don't want you to stress about having to find a place to live on top of everything else. I know it can't be easy."
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to hide the fact that my life was in shambles.
"I mean, Riley told me a little about what's going on at home and I just …" he trailed off.
"You just see us as a great way to do your charity work, don't you?" I said bitterly as I felt the resentment and anger rising in my throat. How dare he pity me! "Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Yates. I work hard to do the best I can to support my family, and I'm not a charity case to ease your guilt!"
"Leah …" he said holding up a hand to stop me, but I was on a roll. The emotions that had been building reached their peak, and Jack had knocked down the dam that had been holding them back.
"No, you listen to me!" I shouted. "I'm sick and tired of being 'poor Leah,' the girl whose sister ran off and left her with her kid, or the girl whose mother drinks like a fish and burns down the house, or the girl whose brother ran off and became a priest just to avoid having to deal with such a messed up family! I'm sick and tired of it! I want a life that is happy and has some hope of getting better!"
Jack sat next to me, listening calmly as I let loose with a torrent of anger and resentment, and by the time I was done, I was sobbing loudly as all the pain and disappointment flowed out. Jack leaned over and put an arm around me and drew me to him, holding me tightly as I cried.
"It's okay, Leah," he whispered as he rested his chin on top of my head. "Let it all out. It's okay. I understand."
It took me a long time to stop crying, but Jack sat patiently, waiting for the storm to pass and occasionally patting my shoulder as he reminded me that it would all be okay. When I felt like I'd finally cried the last tear, I wiped my face as I sniffled. Jack offered me a handkerchief.
"I didn't know guys still carried these things," I said as I blew my nose.
"My Pop was big on tradition," he said. "Linc and I always got a box of handkerchiefs for our birthdays, and any other holiday, really."
"Wow, how well did that go over?" I said, laughing weakly.
"Not well," he said grimly.
"I'm sorry," I said peeking up at him and seeing that he was serious. "That must have been rough."
"My father was a rough man," he nodded. "He had a very specific way of seeing the world, and we were expected to adopt that way or suffer the consequences—but this isn't about my childhood. This is about how you feel and what you want to do next."
"It's okay, Jack," I said, sitting up and looking at him. The thoughtful expression on his face told me that he was focused on solving my problems not talking about his own. "It's weird how parents can appear so different to the outside world than they do to their kids, isn't it? My mother is the nicest person on earth to strangers, but at home, when she's been drinking, it's a whole different matter."
"My father was always nicer to strangers than he was to us," Jack admitted. "It made me feel like there was something really wrong with me because I wondered why he couldn't be nice to me, too."
"I've always thought it was because my mother felt so much pressure to make sure we were well behaved and grew up to be successful adults," I said as I leaned into his body. "She didn't have that pressure when it came to strangers."
"I always thought my father was trying to fix what he'd done wrong by making us be better than him," Jack said. "Like he was trying to beat the bad out of us so that we'd be good without having to try so hard."
"My mother did that to Molly, my older sister," I said quietly. "I think it made her go the other way. She escaped into drugs and drinking because she felt like such a failure."
"I think that's what Lincoln and I did, too. We just had the benefit of money and an education," he said sheepishly. "We escaped into success, but it didn't make us better people, that's for sure. I think we're both equally miserable despite the fact that we've achieved everything my father hoped we would, and we both have more money than we know what to do with."
"Are you really that miserable?" I asked.
"I'm not miserable. I'm just not very happy," he sighed. "I feel like I've done everything that I thought would make me happy, and now there's nothing left to do."
"Wow, that's really …" I began, but stopped because I was unsure of what to say next. I didn't have this problem. I had so much I still wanted to do, but I didn't have the resources I needed to be able to do it.
"I know, first world problems, right?" he sighed again. "I feel like my life is so meaningless. Like I'm going through the motions and doing what's expected, but nothing makes me happy anymore."
"Have you thought about seeing a doctor for that?" I teased as I reached up and patted his cheek.
"Ha!" he laughed and was about to say something when a car pulled into the driveway and the front door opened. Jack started to get up and then saw that it was his brother exiting the house. He ducked back down behind the bush in front of us. He put his finger to his lips and said, "Shhh."
Peering through the bush, Jack tried to get a look at the person getting out of the car. When he couldn't, he settled in on the bench and waited to see if he could hear their voices.
"I told you not to come here tonight," Lincoln said tersely. "Everyone's here. What if someone saw you?"
"Oh, do shut up, you silly worrywart," the woman replied. I didn't recognize the voice, but Jack's eyes widened as he listened. "I have information that can't be transmitted via phone or email, and it's urgent."
"Fine, tell me what you need to tell me, and then get the hell out of here," Lincoln said.
"The Chinese are ready to make a deal on the warehouse operation, and the buyers from New Delhi are ready to take over the ordering portion and the customer service phone support," she said as if ticking things off a list. "I think we need to settle the deal with the Chinese before we talk with the Indians. Otherwise we're going to have a hell of a time selling them the partial pieces."
"You should have thought of that before you started bolstering the warehouse operation stateside, Sloan," he replied.
Now it was my turn to look at Jack with wide eyes. I wasn't sure that what I was hearing was correct, but the implications were clear: Lincoln and Sloan were working together to break up Baby Steps. I felt Jack's arm tighten around me and saw him put his finger to his lips again to remind me to stay quiet. I nodded and continued listening.
"If we can break down the pieces of the company, we can sell them at a substantial profit and pay off the shareholders before we take our cut of the deal," Lincoln said. "But you have to stop coddling my little brother. You know we only picked him because we thought he'd run the company into the ground so that he could get back to doing what he was doing before the old man kicked it."
"You're such a cold-hea
rted jerk," Sloan said with laugh, and then more quietly, "I love that about you."
Jack slid forward and pushed the bushes apart enough to see that Lincoln and Sloan were locked in a passionate embrace.
"Son of a bitch," he muttered under his breath.
"Shhhh," I remind him. He nodded and slid back on the bench, his hand squeezing my shoulder tightly.
"I'll take care of your little brother," Sloan said after a lengthy silence. "You take care of sinking the renovation loan and making it look like a bad business deal. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to get out from under this thing in the next month. I want it off the table by the time you make a break with Jessie, and we start to plan the next step."
"Uh, yeah, about that," Lincoln began.
"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet," she said in a terse voice. "I told you when we began this thing that I wasn't going to take no for an answer, Lincoln. I put you in a position to capitalize on the deals that the bank made. You're not going to back out on me now."
"Look, I'm not sure I want to leave my wife right now," Lincoln said. "We have kids."
"Put them in boarding school," Sloan said. "My parents did it and look how I turned out."
"Uh, yeah," Lincoln said hesitating. "All I'm saying is that I need a little more time to figure out the personal side of things, okay?"
"Well, don't drag your feet," Sloan said. "I'd hate to have to pull out the big guns and take aim."
"There's no need to be unreasonable, Sloan," Lincoln said in an icy voice. "I'll figure things out, and we'll get what we're after."
"You'd better hope so," Sloan said as she walked back to her car and opened the door. "I'm not accustomed to being disappointed, and I don't deal well with it when I am."
"Understood," Lincoln said. "I'll see you tomorrow. Usual time and place."
The car door slammed, and Sloan backed out of the driveway, leaving Lincoln standing there alone. He didn't move, but since we couldn't see past the branches in our way, I couldn't tell what he was doing. A few minutes later, we heard him walk up the steps and go back inside the house.