Breakthrough

by Sarah Stevens

  “Whoa, what’s going on now?”

  “I woke up hours ago to a ton of missed calls and a voicemail from an unknown number, it was Angie. She said her husband went crazy, made them fly home last night and then accused her of cheating on him with Cam. She sounded panicked in her voicemail and I haven’t been able to reach her. And I need some coffee.” She yawns.

  “Well shit,” I say as I fall into a chair nearby, pulling Mandy down onto my lap. “We’ll be heading back to Nashville soon, when we get there, I’ll drive you and Callie over to her house after we drop Maggie off at home. We can go see for ourselves that Angie is okay and I’m sure she wants to see Callie after what happened.”

  “Sounds good to me,” she says and yawns again.

  “Henry is getting ready and then we can go get some breakfast and fill you up with caffeine.” I chuckle. “Why don’t you go make sure everything is ready to go so after we eat, we can go straight to the airport. It’s eight-thirty now and the flight is at eleven-forty so we should leave within the next hour.”

  She kisses me briefly and then gets up. “We’ll be ready in five,” she says, then walks out the door.

  Cam isn’t going to like this one bit, but I can’t worry about him right now. Henry emerges from the bathroom dressed and ready to go with one zip of his bag. We go gather the ladies and hit the breakfast buffet downstairs after leaving our bags with the concierge and arranging for a car.

  Now that I have a caffeinated Mandy, she seems to be in a better mood. I make sure we grab a coffee to go just for some extra protection. She can be a bear when she’s in need of coffee. The trip to the airport is quick and we are in the first-class lounge waiting for our flight in no time.

  A quick two-and-a-half-hour flight later we are finally home. My car is still at the arena’s garage along with Mandy’s, so I get her car loaded and then take Henry home. He has a long day at the police station waiting for him, hopefully we gain some answers. I go to meet up with Mandy at her grandmother’s house so I can bring her over to hopefully see Angie and as I get into her little town my phone starts ringing. The caller ID read Henry.

  “What’s up?” I ask.

  “Oh, you know the FBI letting that kidnapping jerk out on bail, that’s all.”

  “What?” I pull the car over the first chance I have to have this conversation. “Why would they do that?”

  “Because he is the face of Boston, their star pitcher. Part of his bail is to stay in Boston, he can’t leave. However, we know he doesn’t like being told what to do. His sister however is being transported to Nashville to face the charges of blackmail, harassment, breaking and entering, destruction of property and a few other things.”

  “Any news on Chris and what’s happening with him?” I ask.

  “I’m not sure on that one. However, I was informed by a friend of mine within the FBI, Connor wasn’t the mastermind behind all of this. It truly was a family affair. Connor and Tamera’s mom came up with this plan once she found out about Callie. Since Tamera couldn’t have children and all the treatments had failed when she discovered a blood grandchild, she decided that baby should be her daughter’s. Connor really didn’t ever want anything to do with Callie, he was fine with the arrangements he had in place with Mandy. So now they are looking at charging the mother with conspiracy, since she planned the whole thing.”

  “So, we should keep watch for Connor, or do you think he’ll stay put?” I ask.

  “I think we’ll be okay. I also wanted to let you know that today at five there will be a press conference by the Nashville police clearing you of any wrongdoing.”

  “Thank you. What about the custody case Connor had going for Callie?”

  “I’ve already spoken to his lawyer and the case has been dropped. The initial paperwork stands where he has relinquished all of his parental rights. We’ll still have to deal with him for a while though because both you and Mandy will have to testify against him and Tamera in court. His career is over. He had everything to lose and he lost it all. Boston has terminated his contract effective immediately.”

  “Serves his little brainwashed self, right. I appreciate the information. I’m about five minutes from Mandy now so I will fill her in on the details. I’ll talk to you later, let me know if you need us. We’ll be here.”

  “Will do, try and have a good day, and get some rest. Tomorrow hopefully will be back to a little bit of normal for all of us.”

  “You too, bye.” I hang up and pull back out to the road and finish my trip to Mandy.

  As I pull up to Maggie’s house, Mandy is sitting on the front porch with Callie, looking beautiful as ever and Callie holding on to that pink flamingo I gave her. I step out of the car with a huge smile on my face, this is something that feels familiar. They stand up and I pull them both into my arms giving Mandy a quick kiss.

  “Hey, beautiful ladies. Are you ready to go see Angie?” I ask

  “Let me run in and tell Grandma we’re leaving.” She hands Callie to me and turns to the door then looks back at us and smiles. It’s hard to imagine a few short weeks ago she wanted nothing to do with me, yet so much has happened it feels like a lifetime ago. Mandy comes back a few minutes later with Callie’s car seat in tow along with her diaper bag. Once Callie is all buckled in, we drive over to Angie’s house on the other side of town, the more money saturated part. Even though I have all this money at my disposal this area feels too rich for me.

  We pull into Angie’s driveway and Mandy goes to the front door to ring the bell while Callie and I wait in the car to see if anyone answers. There’s no answer but I see the curtain move in the window next to the door. Mandy sees it too and rings the bell again and I hear her yell, “I know you’re in there, I’m not leaving until I see Angie.” She rings the bell a few more times before the door opens. John stands towering over her in the doorway.

  I grab Callie out of her seat in record time and get to Mandy’s side before John can say anything besides, “What do you want?”

  “We want to see Angie. I want to make sure she is okay since the last time I saw her she was in the hospital before you had our friend kicked out.” She’s just short of yelling at him. I wrap my arm around her waist showing her support, and him a united front.

  “Angie isn’t available, she’s resting,” he tries to tell us, but my girl won’t have any of it.

  “I don’t believe you,” she says, then barges past him into the house. She starts yelling for Angie while John follows her trying to stop her.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You touch her and I’ll knock you flat on your ass.”

  John slows down allowing Mandy to complete her search with us following her. Eventually she locates Angie sitting on the back porch, crying. Mandy rushes to her side. Angie won’t look up at her, so Mandy lifts her chin up so she’s looking eye to eye with her then I hear her intake of breath, “Oh my God Angie, these weren’t here yesterday. Did he do this to you?”

  What the fuck is she talking about?

  I go to Mandy’s side where I see what she sees, Angie has a black eye and a fat lip. On top of mild bruises, that I imagine were part of the initial injuries.

  “Angie, what happened?” I ask

  “Nothing, leave it be. Okay?” she begs us.

  I hand Callie to Mandy, who is still by her side and get in Johns face. “Did you do that to her?”

  He pushes me back as he says, “None of your God damned business.”

  I want to push back but I can’t, I can’t get in a physical altercation especially after that video and trying to clear my name. “Stand there and lie all you want; you aren’t fooling anyone.” I turn back to Angie and kneel down next to her.

  “Are you okay?” I ask as Mandy hands Callie over to Angie and gets up storming over to John.

  “You sorry piece of shit. Can’t stand that your wife has a job and opportunity to do some traveling without you. What do you think I hired her so she could be a bunny and sleep with all
the players on the team? Yeah, no. I hired her so that she could help me with that little girl right there. When I’m working, and it’s a lot on the road, Callie is with Angie. She isn’t and has never been in any player’s bed. You know that guys can be friendly and care about a woman even when they aren’t sleeping together. Cam was with Angie that morning because she fell into the lobby and he happened to be in the right place at the right time and because he is the kind of man he is, he was concerned and went to the hospital with her. He wanted to stay and make sure she was okay. You however felt threatened by him and thought he was sleeping with your wife so instead of thanking him, you got him kicked out. Then what? Rush her back home so you can beat on her some more when she’s already been through enough?”

  John says nothing but I’m damn proud of my girl. Then she turns to Angie.

  “Angie, do you want to stay, or do you want to come with us? Grandma has more than enough room for you.”

  “I’ll be fine Mandy, I promise.”

  “If you’re sure. I’m a phone call away. That reminds me, I picked up a replacement phone for you on the way home from the airport today. Mine, Grandma’s, and Parker’s numbers are already programmed in and the phone line is on my account.” She hands her the phone.

  “You didn’t have to do that I was going to go in a few days to get one.”

  “Think of it as a job perk, I need to be able to stay in contact with you when I’m at work.” Mandy smiles at her.

  “Thank you,” Angie says to her. “I appreciate it.”

  “What do you mean when she is with Callie? She’s not going to be working for you anymore, effective immediately,” John pipes in.

  “That isn’t up to you now is it?” I ask. “Angie would you like to continue to work with Mandy and Callie to include going on the road trips with the team?”

  She stands up showing more strength than I have seen since we walked in her house. “Yes, I want to continue my job. John you can’t stop me from doing this, it’s my choice, like it or not. None of what happened is Mandy’s fault. Thinking I’m a whore—as you put it—is on you not me. We were having a fun time, Callie and I, until we were manipulated into going in that car. I like my job and I’m keeping it. Now if you all will excuse me, I’m tired and think I’ll go lay down. Mandy, when do I go back to work?”

  Mandy is quick to answer, “The boys will be back in town tonight after the game and then I think they have an afternoon skate time tomorrow. I’ll call you when I know for sure but probably around two tomorrow afternoon.”

  “I’ll be at Maggie’s at two then,” she says before handing Callie to Mandy and walking back in the house to go lay down.

  I however, turn to John, “If I find out you touched her again, I will make sure you go to jail for a domestic violence charge so don’t try me.” I grab Mandy’s hand and pull her out of the house to my car. As soon as Callie is buckled in, we go back to Maggie’s house hopefully to sit and relax for a bit. The press conference should be getting ready to happen right as we get to the house though, so after that I’m doing nothing for the rest of the night.

  When we enter the house Maggie already has the TV on the correct channel for the press conference, iced tea in a pitcher next to some glasses, and cookies on a plate waiting for us.

  “You all don’t look like you had a good visit with Angie,” she states taking one look at us.

  “We’ll explain later. Thanks for the snack by the way. I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” I say as I grab a cookie and take a seat on the couch. Mandy sets Callie on the floor in front of us then grabs two glasses of tea and her own cookie before taking a seat next to me. The three of us sit and wait for the press conference to start. A few moments later, the police chief is standing at the podium, waiting for all the press to be ready before he gives the release acknowledging the fact that I am innocent and that the person responsible for the edited video was also the person who was blackmailing me. They give a few more details then mention Mandy and Callie. “The person arrested is also the sister of Connor Davis, pitcher for Boston, who has been charged along with his sister in the kidnapping charges of Callie Hutton, daughter of Mandy Hutton, the granddaughter of Jerry Hutton, former coach of the Nashville Notes.” Then they allow some questions from the press and end it five minutes later.

  “I didn’t think they were going to mention that much detail,” I say a little thrown back. I didn’t think they would tarnish Connor’s name that way, but I guess I was wrong. Karma is a bitch.

  36

  Mandy

  I’m a bit taken back at the details they shared in the press conference, but if Boston let him go, he no longer has a team PR person looking after his name and the franchise. Honestly, I shrug it off. Nothing they said was a lie. After the press conference Parker changes the station to the sports channel, where the news of both Connor and Parker is buzzing. I’m really not surprised; these reporters are quick to spread a story and now they are putting details together. Parker holding Callie at the game, a new girl seen with Parker, jealousy is mentioned, and the dots are starting to get connected linking us all together. I’m done listening to people guess what’s going on in my life and with who, making me look like the bad guy, grab the remote and turn the tv off.

  I look over to Parker. “Well this isn’t going as well as I had expected.” He tenses with anger burning to the surface.

  “Yeah not at all how I expected. Mandy, they aren’t painting you in a good light. We need to get this fixed, put the correct information out there. Let me call the team PR rep and see what we can do. I’m sorry.” He pulls me closer and brushes his lips across mine before he deepens the kiss briefly and then he releases me. As he is about to pick up his phone, the doorbell rings.

  “That’s dinner, I’ll get it!” Grandma yells from the kitchen.

  “I guess that call can wait a little bit.” He gets up from the couch holding his hands out to help me up and once I’m on my feet he picks Callie up from the floor, leading the way into the kitchen. Why couldn’t a guy like Parker be her real dad? I think to myself watching him with her.

  We feast on all our favorite Chinese food dishes in silence for a little while before Grandma asks about Angie. “Okay you two, you said you would fill me in on Angie, I’m ready to hear it.”

  “Grandma, it isn’t good. I am certain John beat on her last night. She has a black eye and a busted lip she didn’t have yesterday when I saw her. I offered for her to come here tonight but she refused, saying that she will be fine. John tried telling her she couldn’t be my nanny anymore and she flat out refused to quit and said she will be here at two tomorrow afternoon. I’m worried about her though. But I can’t make her leave if she doesn’t want to. I told him that Angie never cheated on him with Cam, that he is genuinely a nice guy who was concerned. I’m here if she needs me but I’m going to be watching her closely.”

  “I can’t believe John is that way.” She’s shocked.

  “I don’t really know him well, we usually ran in different circles. When we were in school, I really didn’t like him but I did remember hearing he was a little bit of a rougher guy with his girlfriends.”

  “I know Mandy, but you can’t do anything but watch out for her and let her know you are there if she needs you. She’s welcome to stay here if she needs it.” Grandma is right, you can’t help the unwilling.

  “Thanks, Grandma. I think I’m going to go get Callie ready for bed, it’s getting late and she’s starting to doze off in her highchair.” I laugh as her little body jerks upwards, trying to stay awake.

  “Let me do that for you, I need a little alone time with Callie. I hear Parker needs to make a call anyway. Why don’t you two go sit on the front porch for a bit. I’ll let you know when it’s time to tuck this little lady into bed.” She picks her up out of her chair, not waiting for my response and walks back to her room.

  “Well what do you say?” I ask Parker.

  “Sounds good to me.” We grab our d
rinks and a blanket to wrap up in then walk out front. Parker pulls out his phone to make his call. I sit and listen to the conversation and snuggle into his side, wrapped in the blanket, because it’s colder than I thought out here. Parker sets up a press conference of his own to set a few things straight before practice tomorrow. He’s told that a statement will be written and sent over to him in the morning for him to read. If I know Parker like I think I do, if it does not say what he wants it to then he will veer off.

  “That sounded good. What do you think?” I ask him.

  “We’ll see what they come up with for a statement. I have a question for you, and I hate to ask, but it’s for your benefit, not mine.”

  “Okay, what is it?” I ask

  “What do you think about keeping things under the radar until the season is over. I’m fine with the team and staff and our friends knowing we have something between us, I think we should keep it out of the press right now. We’re friends and that’s it to everyone else but those who we hold close.”

  “Why?” I’m a bit shook he’d suggest it especially after everything he’s done to convince me to give him a shot. He was able to break through my walls and gain access to my heart.

  “Because I don’t want people thinking badly of you. Because I want what we have to mean more than a press release defining what we are to each other. We have just started to connect on the same level, and I don’t want the entire world to tarnish that for us,’” he says with nothing but love and consideration in his voice. Not that he wants to deny anything, but let it grow on our terms.

  “I suppose I can agree to that. But after the season then what? We make our relationship go public in hopes the whole thing with Connor is cleared up and people don’t think I was playing you both at the same time?” I question.

  “I guess. I hate what they were saying about you, about us. About you replacing Connor with me as Callie’s daddy. That you played us both. Mandy, you have been fighting so long to be the best mother for Callie all alone, and it hurts they are saying so many terrible things about you. I want to take me out of the equation for now and give you a chance to shine on your own as the best mother anyone has ever met in the public eye. I don’t know if I’m making any sense at all.” He runs his hands through his dark hair in frustration, trying not to hurt my feelings and looking out for me at the same time.