All We Ever Needed

by D. A. Young

  Vivienne wouldn’t care if her best friend gave birth to a fucking Martian as long as it didn’t take after her evil, racist-ass husband, Patrick. Moira laughed weakly, using her forearm to swipe the perspiration and the damp, raven curls that were plastered to her flushed forehead before returning it to press against her aching back. The baby was six weeks early and rebuffing her OBGYN’s efforts to be denied his birthright.

  “Aye, Viv. Except, I was referring to the fact that he’s a stubborn cuss that’ll stand his ground fer sure to make a point! This wee one should have been out ages ago!” Her Gaelic lilt was even more pronounced in her fatigued state.

  Vivienne stayed with Moira while Evil Spawn was out God knows where, doing the Devil’s idle work, she was sure.

  “Thank ye fer being a true friend, Vivienne,” Moira sobbed when the squalling newborn was finally placed in her arms. She adjusted him carefully to offer him her bare breast and after a moment, he latched on as if he’d always been there. Moira peered up at Vivienne, shadows as dark as her tresses underneath her eyes. “Ye have been a Godsend to me in my time of need! Jaysis, I dinna ken how I would have managed without ye in my life. I’m forever grateful to have such an incredible human as a guardian angel.”

  Vivienne kissed her cheek, tears dampening her own cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself, lady. Fate brought us together seven months ago, and you’ve filled a void that I feared would remain so. I’d been feeling out of my element here in Whiskey Row. It’s hard to make friends in a town that is terrified of your husband.”

  “He’s a good man, Vivienne,” Moira replied somberly. Sadness clouded her eyes. “They’re hard to come by, so let him be good to ye, sister.”

  “Yes, Alexei is very special,” Vivienne agreed, readily acknowledging her blessings. If only Moira had one too. She ran her fingers over the newborn’s tufts of light blonde hair. “He’s awfully small, yet so determined to get here! A force of nature, complete with little wishbone legs, Mar. What will you name this little miracle?”

  Moira carefully shifted her son to her other breast and examined him proudly. “I dinna ken. I’ve always favored the name Casey. It was my older brother’s name. He died in a motorcycle accident at the age of fifteen, and I still grieve him to this day. He had no business being on that bike, with no helmet to boot!” She sniffed disapprovingly. “I also had an Uncle Aiden, who always took up for me. Especially when I refused to return home. He was fond of saying that I’d sort myself out eventually.”

  “Casey Aiden,” Vivienne tested it aloud. The baby stilled and opened one eye to her. She touched his cheek, falling harder for him when he stopped suckling to fully look at her expectantly. “I think he likes it, Mar.”

  “T’would seem so. Casey Aiden it is.” Moira bent and kissed his cheek. “Son of mine may ye have enough happiness to make ye sweet, enough trials to make ye strong, enough sorrow to keep ye human, enough hope to make ye happy, and a good woman to cherish sunbeams and endure storms with ye. This be my blessing to ye always, my wee babe.”

  A young Hispanic nurse appeared in the doorway, her hands clasped together in front of her with distress evident on her face. “Excuse me, ladies. I just wanted to let Mrs. Sullivan know that her husband was just spotted in the parking lot with the children.”

  Her eyes connected with Vivienne’s, and she understood the silent message being conveyed. The town was no stranger to Patrick’s xenophobic, belligerent behavior. He was a humiliating blight in Moira’s life. Behind the nurse stood two security guards, their attention fixated on the elevator. As much as she wanted to stay and tell the sonofabitch what she thought of him and congratulate Jackie and Darby on their new baby brother, Vivienne only wanted peace and quiet for Moira to enjoy this new chapter in her life.

  Vivienne leaned down and hugged her friend. “I should get going. Congratulations, my love. I’ve hired a cleaning service and a housekeeper/cook for you for however long you need it.”

  “Ye shouldna, Vivienne,” Moira protested, hating that their time together was coming to an end. She wanted to tell the hospital to refuse the bastard but didn’t want to upset the boyos on this special occasion.

  “Yes, I should’ve. I don’t want you lifting a finger! Just enjoy your children, and…I’ll try to come by when it’s…convenient. I don’t want to make things harder for you. Please make sure to get plenty of rest.”

  She kissed Moira’s forehead and grabbed her purse. Moira’s hand suddenly shot out, halting her when it wrapped around her wrist. With a questioning look, Vivienne turned back to her sister-friend.

  “Houl yer horses a sec! Promise me, Vivienne! Should anything happen to me, the boyos may have a home with ye!” Moira urged thickly. “Patrick canna have them! I only have one other person that I can trust with them, and well, he and I have been on the outs for as long as I’ve been married. I know my life went arseways, but the boyos are the one thing I did right.”

  “He?” Vivienne couldn’t see that asshole allowing his wife to have a male friend.

  “Aye, my best friend from college, Ian Rusnik. You’d love him. Like ye, he doesna approve of my marriage. Shocker, I know,” Moira smiled grimly. “Tis a long story, but I do plan on making amends with him. Now, Patrick’s sorry arse will be here soon, and I’d like yer word that this can be done before ye go, Viv. Alexei is a man of honor, who loves ye greatly. He would do this for ye if need be.”

  “Then you have it,” Vivienne promptly reassured her. “Now is not the time to worry, Mar! We’ll figure a way out of this. No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for the four of you.”

  Vivienne barely managed to slip away, using the emergency stairs at the end of the hall as the elevator opened, revealing Moira’s family.

  ***

  And now, they’d come full circle.

  “Hell, we don’t say it enough and shame on us.” Jack raked a hand through his disheveled hair. He moved to envelop Alexei in a fierce bear hug and then did the same with Vivienne. “Thank you both for takin’ on roles that you never expected to in our lives and willingly steppin’ into them. You didn’t ask for us, but you never shirked your responsibilities or treated us like deadweight to shoulder. You simply opened up your homes, loved us, and did your best despite the situation. For that, we’re eternally grateful.”

  “Amen,” Darby seconded, his arm curving around a trembling Vivienne’s shoulders. “Not only that, but you made sure that we received the much-needed therapy following Ma’s death. We would have been further up shit creek without it.”

  Casey leaned into an emotional Alexei, who clasped his shoulder and kissed his forehead, stating, “The honor is ours entirely. We couldn’t have been blessed with finer sons. Thank you for trusting us enough to allow us into your lives and never losing faith.” His eyes met his wife’s, and Alexei smiled shakily at their unwavering confidence in his decisions.

  “No matter how bleak things may have looked, you made sacrifices and put our happiness first. Our story is complex. It’s beautiful and brutally heartbreakin’. The past needs to stay there. Family isn’t defined by blood, but rather the depths that we’d go to for each other because of our love and loyalty.” Casey stepped out from underneath Alexei’s arm and hugged an emotional Vivienne, who was still holding a now sleeping baby Moira.

  “Thank you for bein’ the best mom a lost trio of boys could ask for, Mama Bear. You’ve always had our backs, and now, it’s our turn to pay it forward with this next generation. On our lives, we promise to not let either of y’all or our own families down,” Darby added, and his brothers gravely nodded their agreement. “Even if it was done separately, the both of y’all and Ian, continuously filled our homes with love, humor, respect, comfort, and wisdom. If there’s a better foundation to build our lives on, hell, I can’t imagine what it would be.”

  Vivienne moved into Alexei’s arms and faced them, with a tremulous smile. She was too hypersensitive to express what really mattered. She’d known nothing abou
t raising children, especially boys, when they came to live with her and Alexei. Then they split up, and therapy had been the first order of business for her and the boys. As they processed their grief and were finally able to take a full breath without fear of collapsing from it, life got very interesting.

  She had no idea how lively three boys could be. They wrestled and shouted at one another from across the room, and the constant demand for space, only to be drawn back to each other like magnets, mystified Vivienne. The amount of food they consumed rendered her speechless. The pull my finger game with burps and farts drove her insane. Watching them play sports and get tackled or body-checked gave her gray strands. But the precious hugs Jack, Darby, and Casey bestowed upon Vivienne more than made up for the chaos. And the older they got, the longer the hugs grew, and their deep voices were surpassed by their even deeper hearts. Her sons were fearless, confident men who were perfectly comfortable and unafraid to love their women and honor their loyalty and commitment to the family because of Alexei, the man who’d helped to raise them.

  “As if the three of you ever could with Moira’s kind, loving spirit living on inside of you. She’s given all of us a beautiful gift with the impact of her love. It influences us and has sustained for two generations, and God willing, many more to come.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “Are you leaving?”

  Holt took Jules from Cleo and chucked the baby under the chin. Jules chortled and the sound, like always, pulled at Holt’s heartstrings. The little boy had Matty’s laugh and was growing leaps and bounds. It broke his heart to know he would never know how honorable and decent his father was. Holt vowed to make sure to always tell him. Now more than ever, he was convinced that his cousin hadn’t betrayed anyone. It was an opinion he kept to himself, not wanting to upset Cleo further.

  “I am. My goddaughter will be arrivin’ soon if she already hasn’t. It wouldn’t be right if I wasn’t there to welcome her into the world.”

  Cleo smiled her understanding. “Go and do your part. It takes a village to raise a child. We’ll hold down the fort in your absence. Thank you for all that you’ve done and continue to do for us.”

  “That’s not necessary. I’m happy to be able to contribute somethin’.”

  “We know you have your life in the States and can’t stay forever, but it’s been refreshing having you here.” Cleo’s smile dimmed. “Even with the awful circumstances.”

  The door to Ivar’s study opened, and Daniel Samuelsson stepped out. Holt narrowed his eyes. That office was off-limits to everyone.

  “Hej, Holton. How are you?”

  “What are you doin’ in my grandfather’s office?”

  Daniel looked at Cleo with surprise. “Sorry, I thought you knew I was working from there.”

  “I verified it with Julian, He said that Ivar wouldn’t mind, especially as the foundation’s workload is increasing. Plus, it helps that I’m able to be here with Jules during downtime,” Cleo explained. “Vera has stepped back to help me with him, but she comes in as well. It’s not a problem, is it?”

  “Find another office. As I said, that one’s off-limits.”

  “Yes, of course,” Cleo hastened to say when Daniel opened his mouth. “Well, don’t let us keep you. We’ve taken up enough of your time. We’ll see you when we get back.”

  “Will do. First, I’m going to take this little guy and check on Tage. Samuelsson.” Holt offered him a terse nod.

  Holt headed to his uncle’s room and found him painting. Because of his suicide attempt, Tage wasn’t allowed to stay in his family’s apartment by himself. Ivar had a security guard accompany him everywhere, watching his every move. Holt had rectified his situation when he moved into his family’s apartment. Tage was now able to freely move about the estate’s grounds. It was something he appreciated.

  When Holt arrived, his uncle was wasting away. Tage didn’t even weigh a hundred and twenty-pounds at six-feet-two-inches. He was emaciated and ate only under duress. His hairline had receded, and most of it had fallen out, leaving it patchy and scraggly. Tage wasn’t comfortable around people and remained in his room seventy-five percent of the time. He indulged their visits but watched the clock and fidgeted the entire time. However, he did love Jules. Holt made sure to bring the toddler to see his great-uncle every day.

  Holt didn’t think he’d be welcome but knew he should try, given Otto’s death. Tage hadn’t taken the news well. He’d said nothing about Ivar’s heart attack. Holt was the one who delivered the news to him, watching helplessly as his uncle curled into a ball before him and shut his eyes as if to ward off the bad news.

  ***

  “Otto and I had our differences, but I am sorry for his death, Uncle. I spent my entire youth wishin’ we could be closer. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. If you need anythin’, please let me know.”

  Holt was about to leave the room when Tage spoke.

  “The baby.”

  “Did you say something, Uncle?”

  “I’d like to see the baby, please.”

  Holt brought Jules to him. At first, the little boy balked at Tage and fretted. Eventually, he settled down and allowed his great-uncle to sing him lullabies. Holt sat in the corner of the room and listened to the songs of his childhood, respecting the bonding moment between the baby and his great-uncle.

  “I know you tried with Otto, Holton. I’m sorry for how he treated you. I should have intervened. I had the opportunity to do so every day yet took the deadliest one of all. I chose to remain complacent, saying and doing nothing.”

  Holt sat up and leaned forward. Tage refused to meet his nephew’s eyes as he spoke cautiously.

  “Your mother killed the love of my life. I still miss my wife with every fiber in my body. The pain still feels as fresh to me as when I caught her in my arms and watched her take her last breath. I never expected to love Ziva as much as I did. It was strictly one of Ivar’s business merger’s that turned into the happiest time of my life. With her dying breath, she tried to warn me not to let Otto turn out like Ivar. Ziva knew I wouldn’t be able to handle her death. What no one else knew was that she was also pregnant.”

  Tage held Jules to him when his emotions choked him up. Holt’s eyes blurred with that revelation.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, it’s not your fault. We should never have been there that night! None of us. Ivar forced us to go, and I’ve spent a lifetime of paying restitution for my compliance instead of standing up to him. What he did to your mother was horrific. I hate that at the time, it elated me. I justified my reaction by insisting that it was just her foot and she had another. She still got to live and she and your father are still together.

  I imbibed too much. The thought of being sober enough to face my new reality frightened me. Otto’s pain frightened me even more. I didn’t even know where to begin coping with my own pain, how could I deal with his?”

  Tage shifted a now sleeping Jules and faced Holt. Shame kept his head hanging low. “I served my own son to Ivar on a silver platter. I told myself he’d be fine. I was saving him because he wasn’t being buried alive like me. We had a roof over our heads, and he was being cared for. I let Ziva down. The last thing she ever asked of me, and I let her down! I let her down and let life pass me by. I don’t hate your mother anymore. I’d like for you to tell her that because I won’t ever be able to stop associating her with Ziva’s death. Holton, I’d very much like to get to know you if you are open to the idea? I’m aware that you don’t owe me anything. However, I, on the other hand, owe you everything.”

  ***

  Holt rapped on Tage’s open bedroom door. His uncle looked up from the book he was reading and tossed it aside on the bed.

  “I brought your main man to see you.”

  Tage held his arms out, and the baby eagerly went into them. “Are you leaving now?”

  “Yeah, I’m taking off for a week. You gonna be good?”

  His uncle was in much better
condition and spirits than he was three months ago. He’d filled out a little and was keeping his appearance up. Holt had found him a shrink who came to the estate for a session once a week.

  “Go have fun! You’ve been babysitting us for months. I know you’re tired and need the break from our ugly mugs.” Tage patted Holt’s back. “Don’t worry about me. The family will keep me from backsliding.”

  “I do worry. You’re makin’ good progress. I want you to call me if you need anythin’, even if it’s you just want to talk. Promise?”

  With a shy smile, Tage nodded. “You have my word; I won’t let you down.”

  Even Holt’s last stop before he left couldn’t deter his good mood.

  Ivar was sitting up in bed. Per usual, he was fighting with his nurse.

  “Is he threatenin’ to fire you again?”

  “Every chance he gets, sir,” she huffed and left.

  “Good riddance!” Ivar screamed after her. He was looking much better, but the doctor wasn’t taking any chances. He confined Ivar to bedrest in exchange for the twenty-five-thousand dollars Holt paid him. He felt no remorse in doing that to his grandfather. It was just easier having him out of everyone’s hair.

  Holt rubbed his beard thoughtfully. “You do know she’s the twelfth nurse you’ve had? If she leaves, I’m gonna chain you to that old radiator in the attic and give you a tin cup to bang on it. Behave yourself.”

  “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm, Holton!”

  “Who’s bein’ sarcastic?”

  Ivar scowled at his grandson’s suspiciously bland face. He noticed Holt’s leather weekender and the frown deepened. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going home for a week. Julian approved the vacation time.” Holton gave him a two-finger salute. “See you when I get back. Again, behave yourself.”

  “Get back here! We’re not done yet!”

  Holt’s jaw locked and he counted to ten before managing to reply civilly. “We are. I know all the reports have been emailed to you. Julian is available to answer any question you may pull out of your mean-spirited ass. If you prefer not to speak to him because you can’t stand how well the company is doing without you, Blaise and Thea could answer your questions. Oh, that’s right, they’re not talkin’ to you. We’ve all stepped into our roles, assumed responsibility, no questions asked to do our parts. You are still unhappy because we aren’t jumpin’ through hoops of your design.”