His mother spun around, stalked over to where he was standing, and jabbed a finger into his chest. “How dare you accuse her of anything other than loving you? You’re a selfish, spoiled, pig, and I raised you a helluva lot better. Grow up!”
Julian held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “What the fuck?”
Everett sent him a look of disapproval. “Don’t speak to your mother that way. Why don’t you go to my office . . . I’ll be there in a moment.” He picked up the set of keys, a paper, and envelope sitting on counter and headed for the study.
Julian and his mother locked gazes once again, before she turned and stalked out of the room. He and Liza were going to have a discussion and it wasn’t going to be pleasant. He strode across the living room and into his father’s office.
“What the fuck is going on?” Julian demanded as he slammed the door behind him.
“I have no idea. Please feel free to enlighten me? Because Liza handed me these and the keys to the car saying she couldn’t take the car without paying me.” Everett handed Julian the letter and the envelope. “Then your mother comes in madder than a hornet and chews you out the moment you walk in the door.” He sat down in one of the two chairs across from his desk.
Julian looked down at the letter in his hand as he tried to process everything his father told him.
“She what?” He dropped into the chair next to his father. He opened the envelope to find three hundred and fifty dollars inside along with the signed title to her old car. “Damn it, Liza.”
“What was it?”
“Money and the title to her old car.” Julian stared down at the letter. “So what all did she tell you?”
“She gave me the keys and told me if I wouldn’t accept her money she couldn’t accept the car. I assume that’s her first payment to you.”
“She doesn’t owe me anything. I don’t want her money.” Julian wadded the letter and threw it across the room. “I didn’t think about over paying and the bank sending a letter.”
“I’m not sure if she told your mother something or not, but it’s more than the car Liza’s upset about, Julian. You did something to her to make her this upset.”
“And that’s the part that’s none of your business. I can’t handle the situation if she refuses to talk to me.” His knee bounced.
“How am I supposed to clean up your mess if I don’t know all the details?” Everett scrutinized every move his son made.
“There’s no mess to clean up. I’ll give her a week or two to calm down and then I’ll deal with this. Don’t worry, I’ll figure out a way to set things straight.” Julian shifted in his chair. First one side and then the other.
“I can tell by the way you’re fidgeting there’s something more. Spit it out, son.”
Julian his father’s gaze. “She’s pregnant.”
“She’s what?” Everett’s eyes widened. “Well that explains some things. No wonder your mother’s upset.”
“What do you mean?” Julian’s eyes narrowed.
“Liza appeared a little queasy while she was here. I thought she was going to throw up. She ran out of the house and your mother followed. When Mom came in she was livid.” Everett undid the top button of his blue shirt.
“Mom would assumed pregnancy if she was throwing up.” Julian shook his head. “I didn’t react to the news the best.”
“She’s pretty pissed, Julian. I’d say you screwed up royally.”
“You could say that.”
“What’d you do? Ask her if it was yours?”
“I said the wrong thing and she left. It surprised me when I saw her car here, because she wasn’t happy last night.”
“What are you going to do?” Everett steepled his fingers. “She’s pregnant with your child. Even if you have no feelings for this woman . . . which I don’t think is the case . . . it’s your responsibility to take care of her and the baby.”
“She doesn’t want my money. She gave you the car back.”
Everett gestured for his son to come a little closer. When Julian leaned in, Everett smacked him in the back of his head. “Taking care of someone isn’t all about money and things.”
Julian rubbed his head. He should have seen that coming. “I’m not ready to make any commitments. I don’t know what I want. I’ve been married twice.”
“Your two ex-wives wanted two things from you. The first being your money and the second being the drugs you grow in your basement. They wouldn’t have hesitated in taking the car no matter who paid for it. And believe me, if they had gotten pregnant, they would have sued you for everything you’re worth.” Everett placed his hand on his son’s shoulders. “Liza’s not like them.”
“I know she’s not like them, but it doesn’t stop me from questioning everything, because of my past experience.”
“Come here, son.” Everett motioned for Julian to lean in again.
“No thanks.” Julian sat back in the chair to avoid being smacked — whether he needed it or not — again. “I need to figure things out before I can even think about working out my relationship with Liza. Let me do this on my own time and in my own way.”
“Yeah – look how well it’s worked for you so far.”
Julian stood the last thing he needed was to hear more of the lecture from his father. “Let me live my own life, please?” He headed out of the room.
*****
April 21st
Liza sat in the living room of the visitation house her head in her hands, her elbows on the desk. Her week sucked. Between the constant nausea, the back-to-back visitations, and the endless hours of driving, she was exhausted. Tomorrow was her day off at least. Sleeping in sounded like a wonderful idea.
Her phone chimed, a text from an unknown number, she opened it to read it.
It’s Kaitlyn. Give me a call. Really, if Julian’s not in the picture there’s no reason for us not to be friends.
Liza deleted the message. She grabbed a package of crackers she’d been carrying with her, they helped fight the nausea. Another text message, this one from Julian.
We need to talk, call me.
Liza laughed. He thought he was calling the shots. No way.
The door opened. “Liza? Are you here?” Kate called to her.
Liza stood and headed into the dining area to meet Kate. “I’m here.”
“Oh good, can we talk?” Kate straightened her three quarter sleeved blue blazer and rested her bag on the table.
“Sure.” Liza sat down at the table across from her boss.
Kate sighed. “I’ve been getting complaints you’re not answering your phone again.”
“I didn’t think I had to answer calls after nine? I mean, if they’re from you or Trina I do, but if it’s a client, I call in the morning. I haven’t missed any calls.”
Kate scowled. “Trina complained you didn’t answer her call the other night and said you never called her.” She scanned through her appointment book until she found the right note and tapped her finger on the date. “It was last Saturday.”
“Saturday night.” Liza shook her head, the night her world came crashing to the ground. “My day was terrible on Saturday, but I was very careful to watch my phone and make sure I didn’t miss any calls. I double and triple checked before I even deleted a text message. I didn’t get a call from Trina.” Liza brought up her call log, scrolling through until she found the night in question. She handed Kate her phone.
Kate scanned through the call logs. “Julian sure called a lot that night.”
“We had a bit of a fight and I wasn’t answering his calls.”
Kate nodded.”Well, Trina’s threatening a write you up, because she didn’t get a call.”
“You went through my call logs – there is nothing in there saying Trina called me. I don’t have any unplayed voicemails and my text messages have all been checked. If she didn’t call me how can she expect me to call her?” Tears streamed down Liza’s face. God, the pregnancy hormones were messing
with her.
“Are you all right?” Kate handed Liza a tissue.
Liza shook her head, wiped away the tears, and then blew her nose. “I’m pregnant. I wasn’t going to tell anyone, but the last couple weeks have been rather rough.”
“I had no idea. Who’s the father?”
“Julian.”
“Oh Trina will be thrilled. It may get you out of your write-up though. Employee pregnant with donor’s kid, gets fired doesn’t bode well for our donor list.”
Liza pursed her lips. “Not funny.” The flippant remark from Kate caused her blood to boil. “I’ve been a little distracted, but I’ve been answering my phone and done all my visits. I’m doing everything in my power to meet my numbers, working between sixty and eighty hours a week to make sure I do. Hell, I’ve been going above and beyond my numbers. Now, it’s not good enough?”
“I don’t know what to tell you. You know how Trina gets and ever since Julian pulled his power play, she’s looking for anything to get you on.”
“Excuse me?” Liza tilted her head. “She’s been out to get me? When she hired I worked nine to five. A desk job helping therapists with paperwork and doing an occasional supervised visitation. If she’s going to be targeting me, I think I have some complaints of my own.”
“Your job description changed. You’re now doing different things and if it takes 60-80 hours a week, well, we’re an at-will employment state. Just try and stay out of Trina’s way. Answer your phone and make sure all your paperwork is turned in on time. She can’t catch you if you’re not doing anything wrong.”
“I’m not doing anything wrong now. The only thing I did wrong was get involved, with a donor, who happens to run his mouth when he shouldn’t. Well, you can tell Trina she doesn’t have to worry. Julian’s no longer in the picture.” She was done with this conversation. She hoped her lack of being in a relationship with Julian, but being pregnant with his child would be an advantage to her. Trina wouldn’t want to risk firing her a newly pregnant woman. “Anything else or am I free to go?”
“Next weekend, I need you to do a visitation.” She pulled the paperwork out of her bag and handed it to Liza. “I’m going to do the first one, but the following weekend they’re going to need transportation. I’ll need you for both the transpo and the visit.”
Liza looked over the paperwork. “Am I picking up the children or the parents?”
“Both of them need transpo.”
“The parents live in Bryton and the kids are here in Marion. I come from Bryton, how am I supposed to do that?” She read over the paper to make sure she had the logistics correct “I would have to pick up the parents first and then pick up the kids. Would it be okay?”
“It should be fine.” Kate shrugged. “I don’t see it as a problem.”
“I’d have to drop the parents off here first, but no one else will be here. I can’t, so I’d have to take them with to the foster parents house. That goes against protocol? Someone else will have to pick up the kids, if I pick up the parents.” Liza knew everything about this was wrong, but she wanted to hear Kate say it was right or wrong before committing to do it.
“It shouldn’t be a problem if you pick up the parents and then the kids. The parents and the foster parents know each other. No one should have a problem.” Kate shook her head. “Just don’t be late.”
“Just to clarify, you want me to pick up the parents — go against protocol and take them to pick up the kids at the foster parents house?” Liza repeated.
“Why are you being so difficult? I said yes?” Kate snapped.
“Fine. I have a visit at the other office in thirty minutes. I should probably get going.”
“Don’t be late.” Kate grabbed a paper from her bag, disregarding Liza.
“I’ll make it.” Liza gathered her stuff and headed out the door.
*****
April 24th
Julian managed to get the vehicle off the road before it came to a complete halt. Smoke spitting out from under the hood. He slammed his hands into the steering wheel and let out a growl before grabbing his phone from the cup holder and getting out of the vehicle. He should have drove the Camaro. He kicked the door of the car twice, putting a substantial dent in the door. At least he was thinking clear enough not to throw his cell phone.
His first call was to Drew. “Come get my fucking car.”
“Sure, but give me five minutes to get there since you so graciously told me your exact location and asked nicely.”
Julian kicked the door again, wishing it was his brother’s head. He clenched his empty fist and spoke through clenched teeth. “Sorry, I’ve had a bad day. I’m half way to Marion. Highway 22.”
“On your way to see Liza?” Drew chuckled.
“Drew, please just come and get the car.”
“I’ll head out now. Give me twenty minutes.”
Julian pulled at his hair. No way was he dealing with Drew’s snark all the way to Madison and then home. He dialed the number he knew by heart and waited for the response.
“Well hello there.” Gramps’ voice always brought a smile to his face no matter how bad off he was.
“I need a favor, could you come get me?”
*****
He sat on the ground, back against his vehicle, when Gramps black Cadillac pulled up behind his car. Gramps got out as Julian was standing.
“Was there an accident?” Gramps gave Julian a knowing smile while pointing toward the door.
“No, my foot hitting the door was pretty intentional.”
Gramps chuckled and opened his arms to hug him. “You my dear boy, have one hell of an anger issue.”
Julian chuckled. “Drew should be here soon and then we can go.”
“Didn’t want your brother driving you to Madison to see your girl?” Gramps gave him a wink and leaned against the car.
“More along the lines of, I didn’t want to hear the snark on the way there and the way back.” Julian mirrored his grandfather, but folded his arms across his chest. He sighed as he checked the clock on his cell phone. Seven o’clock. If they got on the road soon, he’d still make it to her office by seven thirty.
“I figured you’d try and get Liza to take you home.”
“Yeah – right. The way my day’s going? I’ll be happy not to get slapped.”
“That bad, huh?”
“I screwed up my daily lab work twice. I had to send Vince an e-mail telling him I’d get him his report tomorrow, because I couldn’t get my numbers to come out right. I had a package delivery I missed, so I had to run to the post office, to have them tell me to come back three hours later. Which I did, and still had to wait forty-five minutes for it to be processed. I get no response from Liza — calls or text messages and now my car is broken down on the side of the road. Yeah – it’s been bad.”
Gramps put his hand on Julian’s back. “I’m sure you two will work out your differences.”
Julian grabbed the blue Tiffany’s jewelry box out of the glove compartment and brought it over. “I got her this.”
Gramps chuckled as he opened the box to inspect the gold necklace with a small teddy bear charm hanging off it. He snapped the lid shut and handed it to Julian. “It’s beautiful, but it’s going to make her madder than a wet hen.”
“Why do you say that?” Julian looked at the box in his hand.
“She’s not somebody you can buy, Julian.”
Julian smacked the hood of his car. “Why does everyone keep saying that? I’m not trying to buy her. It’s my way of telling her I’m on board about the baby . . . that’s all.”
Drew pulled up with the tow truck, ending their conversation. “What’d you do? Try and ram your foot through the door?” He walked up shaking his head.
“Something like that.” Julian hid the jewelry box in his pocket, hoping Drew didn’t see it.
“I’ll take it to the shop and see what I can do about the door.” Drew bent closer to examine the damage. “You’re not plann
ing on giving the Tiffany’s box to Liza are you?”
“Just tow the fucking car and let me get out of here.”Julian’s fists clenched at his sides.
Gramps chuckled. “I hinted at the same thing right before you drove up.”
Julian swore. “I’m going to wait in the car.” He stalked over to his grandfather’s car.
“Why don’t you drive, you know where you’re going better than I do.” Gramps tossed him the keys.
Julian caught them and slid into the driver’s seat. He pulled out his phone and scanned through his messages. Nothing from Liza.
Please, can we talk? I feel like an ass. Call me.
His phone chimed.
You are an ass, leave me alone.
Ouch. He dropped his head against the headrest. Why’d he have to be such an idiot?
“Ready when you are.” Gramps slid into the car.
Julian nodded, but didn’t respond. He started the car and headed out onto the road. Gramps waved to Drew as they drove past.
The ride was quiet. Gramps could read him like a book. He knew when Julian wanted to talk and when he needed to think. Thinking wasn’t helping him out any. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
“Well I wasn’t going to leave you out here alone. You sounded like you may need to bend an old man’s ear.” He patted Julian’s shoulder. “When you’re ready we’ll talk.”
“Thanks.” He maneuvered the car into a spot in front of the counseling and development center.
“Good luck.” Gramps smiled as Julian got out of the car.
Brenda gave him a little wave as he walked in the building. “It’s been awhile since we’ve seen you around here.”
“Can you let her know I’m here?” Brenda’s willingness to talk to him said Liza hadn’t talked to her about their break up.
Brenda nodded. “I’ll tell her. Her visit ends in about five minutes, so if you want to, have a seat.”
“Thanks.” Julian rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the room at the people sitting there. He took a seat close enough to the door so Liza could see him.
It wasn’t too long before the door opened and a young couple with a baby came into the lobby. Liza followed after them and laughed at something one of them said. She smiled, but it disappeared from her face when she saw him.
If You Only Knew (And Then Came Love Book 1) Page 19