Rattling Around: The Baxter Boys #5 (The Baxter Boys ~ Rattled)

by Charles, Jane

  Kaden lifts his head and suddenly notices that everyone is watching and lets his hands fall from the keys and drops his chin to his chest.

  No, he can’t pull back now.

  Before I can speak everyone in the room applauds, including a group of women by the front door who weren’t here earlier. A beautiful blonde woman, petite in stature rushes forward. “Oh. My. God! You are amazing.”

  “He asked if he could play,” Nina says. “I was expecting Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or something like that. Damn, kid, you’re good.”

  Kaden’s face is getting redder and redder with the praise. He needs to hear it, and believe it. Or maybe he knows but Gary had done his best to poison Kaden against playing.

  “My brother is somewhat of a prodigy,” I finally say.

  “Ya think?” the dark haired woman who came into the kitchen says with a grin. “Who do you study under?” she asks Kaden.

  Kaden looks at me, sadness in his eyes, and almost like he’s pleading for help. Mom was the only one who ever praised him while Gary was the opposite and refused to pay for lessons. Poor Kaden probably doesn’t know how to handle all of this. “He doesn’t.” I finally answered. “Mom was his teacher.” With that, the tears well and I try really, really hard to blink them away, but a few slip out.

  Sean puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close, which is almost my undoing. I haven’t had anyone comfort me since, well, the funeral, maybe. Not until I met Sean, but I can’t break now. Not in front of mostly strangers and certainly not in front of my brother.

  “Kate and I can teach him,” the dark headed woman says excitedly.

  She must be Kelsey.

  “He may be beyond us,” a blond says, so I’m assuming she is Kate.

  “True, but we can help until he gets into the conservatory.”

  “And, if he’s that good at the piano already, I wonder how he’d be with a violin or cello,” Kate suggests, excitement in her voice.

  “They are both musicians,” Sean explains.

  I kind of figured that out on my own.

  “Don’t forget horns,” says the guy with longer hair. “The kid already has an ear for music and movement.”

  Once again Kaden’s face starts to redden from the praise.

  “Conservatory?” I ask as the conversation sinks into my brain.

  “You can’t just send him to any school. Not as talented as he is,” Kelsey insists. “He needs to go to one for children who are musically gifted.”

  That’s not going to happen because those places probably cost an arm and a leg, not that I tell them that. Nobody needs to know that I barely managed to pay rent and even though Gary has deep pockets, I’m not asking that asshole for a dime. “I’ll think about it,” I finally say since they are watching me expectantly.

  “We’ll talk about the school later,” Sean says, almost like he can sense my discomfort.

  Kaden gets up from the keyboard and comes over to me. “Can we go back to Grams now?”

  This has overwhelmed him. The day was long and tomorrow is going to be harder. “Of course.”

  “I’ll walk you home,” Sean says.

  “That’s really not necessary.” I’m not some damsel who needs a big, handsome guy to watch over me.

  “I know.” He shrugs and gives me a boyish smile. “I want to.”

  Damn, is he for real? Not that it’s a bad thing. “Okay.”

  After we step outside, Kaden gets between us. He grabs my hand, and then Sean’s as we walk across the street and to the back of Gram’s and Gramp’s house.

  “You go on. I’ll be inside in a minute.”

  Kaden doesn’t even respond but goes ahead and I turn to face Sean. “Hey, thanks for coming tomorrow, the pizza, wine, massage…” So many things.

  “I’ll help anyway I can.” He takes my hands in his. “But mostly, I’m here for you because you are there for everyone else.”

  “They’re family…”

  Sean lets go of a hand and puts his finger against my lips. “For you.” His eyes bore into mine.

  All I can do is stare into the brown depths, thoughts gone and even more tension melting away. I don’t really need a massage because he is enough. “Thanks.”

  Then he winks and kisses my forehead. “The table is waiting, whenever you need it.” With that, he turns and saunters away.

  With all the crap happening in my world, this is one thing that is good and giddiness that I haven’t experienced since my first crush at fifteen is bubbling up inside.

  8

  The guys and I head up the steps of the courthouse, ready to sit in the courtroom for as long as it takes to get Kaden through his testimony. Nina is with us but Kelsey had to go to the tattoo shop because Alex still doesn’t have an employee to sit at the front desk to greet clients and answer the phone. Hopefully he finds someone soon since Kelsey starts teaching in August.

  Christian made Bethany stay home because he worries about her working and being on her feet all night and then spending a good part of the morning puking. She doesn’t throw up nearly as much as she used to but he’s not taking any chances with her health.

  Ahead of us, already going through security, is Mary, who is dating Dylan, and the girls who went to school with us: Mia, Kate, Zoe, Alyssa and Joy.

  The girls wait for us to get through security and then we head to the elevators. Kaden brightens when he sees us, but it’s more him seeing Nina. I recognize that look. It’s a crush and pretty much the same thing I’m feeling for Noelle.

  “Make sure you sit right up front,” I whisper to her. “He’s the most comfortable with you.”

  She gives me a nod then smiles at Kaden before going to him.

  Noelle and Tink are standing with the female prosecutor and a court officer and Tink points to me as we approach.

  That tension that invaded Noelle last night is present today, and if anyone needs a full body massage, it’s her and it’s the first thing I’m going to do as soon as this is over.

  They turn and her eyes meet mine. They’re strained and her mouth is taut.

  I pick up the pace to get to her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Sean Vines, Zachary Hawk and Dylan White?” the court officer asks.

  “That’s me,” I answer slowly, looking to Noelle and Tink for answers while Zach and Dylan come forward.

  “You’ve been served.” He slaps a piece of paper into my hand.

  “Seriously?” I open it up to read. Kaden’s sperm donor is a fucking piece of work.

  She nods. “Gary must have had an investigator nosing around.”

  That just pisses me off. Has some PI been snooping into my business or hanging out and watching the neighborhood.

  “So, we can’t go in?” Zach asks.

  “No,” the prosecutor answers.

  “They may have anticipated you three.” Tink starts to grin. “There is no way they anticipated them.” He nods to my friends.

  “Who are they?” the prosecutor asks.

  “The rest of the backup plan,” I answer.

  Tink’s grinning when he turns to Kaden. “Where’s your courage?”

  Kaden puts a hand over his heart and the other pats his head.

  “If it slips or starts to, what are you going to do?”

  With that, Kaden slips his hand into Nina’s.

  Definitely a crush but it’s all good. Today she’s his adult somebody to get him through the crap he has to face today.

  “You got this.” Tink ruffles Kaden’s hair.

  “I got it,” he confirms with determination.

  The prosecutor brightens. “Well, then we should get going. Court’s going to start in a few minutes and I’ll call Kaden first so he can get it over with.”

  Noelle bends over and gives her brother one last hug and we watch as everyone heads into the courtroom. Noelle follows and stops just outside the door.

  “She’s going to try and hear, like she did yesterday,” Tink says.


  Can’t say I blame her. I’d be doing the same.

  “Let’s walk and talk,” he says.

  “We’ll stay with Noelle in case she needs anything,” Dylan says as Zach nods.

  I give her one last quick look but she’s too busy trying to hear what is going on in the courtroom. Zach and Dylan head to the closest bench and take a seat.

  “What do you want to talk about?” I ask Tink as we walk away from the others.

  “The board.”

  “What board?” I have no idea what he’s talking about.

  “Big one in your dining room. Is it what I think it is?”

  “Probably,” and I explain about giving forward.

  “The Christmas presents and soup kitchen are self-explanatory. What was instruments?”

  We added that to the list while we were eating pizza and trying to figure out how to make it happen. I explain how Christin applied to teach music—the band and orchestra—but that they also need better instruments. I assume they have some or they wouldn’t be looking to hire a teacher.

  The whole time Tink is nodding thoughtfully.

  “When all of this is over,” I gesture back to the courtroom where Noelle is still trying to listen, “I was going to see if you could give me any pointers on fund raising because I know you have experience with that kind of thing with your motorcycle chapter.”

  “Do you know how much money you’d need to raise to have enough instruments for a band or orchestra?”

  “No clue.” I shrug. “But, we gotta try.”

  I can’t hear a damn thing. I’ve practically had my ear pressed against the crack between the two doors, but nothing.

  Blowing out a frustrated breath I resume my pacing. I can’t sit. Not when my brother is in there. What if he freezes again, even with all the support in there? He is the only actual witness to what happened and if he can’t testify, the jury may believe Gary’s story and if he’s found not guilty, I’ll be fighting for custody.

  Terror churns in my stomach, tightening and squeezing it. I swallow down the bile, determined not to get sick but to stay strong and be a positive force for my brother no matter what happens.

  Uncle Tink and Sean are at the opposite end of the hall talking. I don’t know what about but I wish I felt as calm as they looked.

  Zach and Dylan on are a bench talking quietly but watching me with concern, like they’re afraid I’ll break or something.

  Thank God Sean’s friends volunteered to come today, or my brother would be in there alone again. Gary’s intimidation knows no bounds and I should have anticipated that he’d pull this shit, but who thinks on that level except evil? Kaden is his son and Gary has done everything in his power to silence him.

  Uncle Tink and Sean head back my way.

  “Were you able to hear anything?” my uncle asks.

  “No. But he’s in there longer than he was yesterday.” That has to be a good sign. The judge wouldn’t let Kaden sit in the witness box indefinitely if he wasn’t saying anything.

  This waiting and nervous energy is putting me to the edge and if something doesn’t give, I may be the one snapping.

  “Can I get you anything?” Sean asks.

  “A kitchen.” That’s impossible, I know.

  “Kitchen?” my Uncle Tink asks in confusion.

  “Cooking relaxes me and I haven’t been able to really cook or bake or do anything that requires more than a skillet or a 9x12 baking pan since I left Paris.”

  “I’m really sorry about the stove,” Sean says.

  I just wave him away. “I get it. I really do.” There is no way we can hook up the stove or Grams will try and cook and possibly burn the place down. With the front door blocked, the only other way out would be through the kitchen--we’d all die. I didn’t come back here to take care of my brother only to get him killed because I need to cook.

  “I’m sorry,” I apologize when I realize that I kind of snapped at him. None of this is Sean’s fault and he’s already done so much for me and Kaden.

  “No apologizes necessary,” he assures me. “I get that this is really tough, but it has to be doubly so without an outlet.”

  “Hey, will you be okay for a bit?” my uncle asks. “I just need to make a call.”

  I’m not a child who needs a babysitter and I’m not going to lose it outside of the courtroom but maybe I’m giving off that vibe. Besides, Sean is standing right here. It’s not like I’m all alone. “I’m fine, but if you’re headed out, could you bring me back some water?” Anxiety always makes the thirsty.

  “Sure thing.” He kisses my forehead and then strolls to the elevator.

  Sean just stands there, hands shoved in his jeans, watching me.

  What is it about this goofy guy that makes me believe everything is going to be okay? He doesn’t even have to say a word, I just feel it when he’s around.

  “What’s your outlet?” For Mom it was playing the piano. My dad, well he runs, and Moira, my former roommate, she goes biking. I’m pretty sure she’s ridden her bike all over Paris.

  “I destroy things,” he laughs.

  That doesn’t seem very positive.

  “Construction,” he confirms.

  “I thought that was a job, not an outlet.”

  He shrugs. “Both. Tearing out walls can really feel good when I need to let off steam but so does building things. When I’m working on a renovation, especially the kind where people are keeping the character of the house and just updating it, that’s when I’m the happiest. No different than you wanting to cook, and it’s your profession too.”

  He has a point. “Maybe my grandparents will let you renovate their kitchen, then we can child proof it for my grandmother.” I give a little chuckle, even though it is so wrong to do so, but that is where my state of mind is.

  “Maybe,” he stays. “I’m sure it can be done and I’d be happy to try and figure it out.”

  Who is this guy and where did he come from? “If it were possible, I’d have you build it immediately.” If I’m going to dream, I might as well make it a big one.

  “Almost anything is possible.” He reaches out and squeezes my hand. “And while you wear out the wax on that floor, I’ll go sketch and see what I come up with,” he says as he pulls a sketchbook out of his messenger bag.

  All I can do is watch as he walks away, shaking my head.

  Hell, if he could replicate the guys’ kitchen, I’d be on cloud nine, not that any of us could afford that, but I’d just be happy if he came up with something that worked, that wouldn’t kill a non-existent budget.

  9

  The Dempsey kitchen is really no different than ours used to be and by Noelle’s reaction to our kitchen, I have an idea of what she likes. But, since this is going to be a dream kitchen, before I start sketching, I get out my tablet and start researching chef kitchen designs. As I come across pictures that I like, I save them to Pinterest. I have a ton of boards and this new one is now entitled Noelle’s Kitchen. When I have an idea of all the elements a chef would need or want in a kitchen, I start sketching different layouts and keep asking Dylan’s opinion.

  It probably won’t become a reality because Mrs. Dempsey doesn’t want anyone to even move an envelope from where she put it so I can just imagine her reaction to gutting the kitchen. Painting their walls after each fire had been a bitch because she wouldn’t let me move one damn thing out of the way. I had to wait until she was napping to shift things and even then I took pictures so I got it back exactly how it was. For a woman with dementia who can’t remember that her daughter is dead, she notices immediately if a document or item has been moved a quarter of an inch.

  Still, this gives me something to do while we wait for Kaden to come back out and I really like the design aspect of construction. I’d show Noelle some of my ideas but her head’s inside that courtroom. Maybe later, even if it’s just for fun. But hey, that’s what dreams are, right?

  When one of the doors to the courtroom opens we all jum
p up and head over. Kaden is pale and it looks like he’s been crying. Damn, I hope he was able to testify. No matter how horrible the experience, the kid needed to get that out.

  “How’d it go?” Noelle asks anxiously.

  “He did wonderful,” the prosecutor said. “Kaden said what he needed to say about everything that happened that night and the few days leading up to it.”

  Days leading up to it? Had Kaden been terrorized before his mother died? I’m sure life wasn’t good, but how bad had it been?

  Do I really want to know?

  “So, now what?” Noelle asks.

  “We rested our case, and the judge has given the defense until tomorrow to prepare before we start again at nine.”

  “Seriously?” Noelle asks. “They can’t just go on now? It’s not like they weren’t expecting this.”

  “I think they need to go pray for a miracle,” the prosecutor whispers. “After the earlier testimony and then Kaden’s, I don’t know how the jury can’t find him anything but guilty.”

  “Hey, Kaden, why don’t we go find some junk food,” Nina says loudly and looks at Nicolle.

  “Can I?” Kaden asks.

  The kid is still worried and even though I wasn’t in there, he’s got to be wrung out and Nina is the only one who was smart enough to realize that he didn’t need to be part of this conversation.

  “There’s an ice cream cart down the street,” Kate suggests with a grin. “If you don’t mind, Noelle.”

  Relief floods Noelle’s face. “That’s fine. We’ll meet you outside.”

  “Who are they really going to call?” Noelle asks once Kaden and the girls get on the elevator. “Do they have any real witnesses for their case?”

  “Not that I can tell. Maybe some character witnesses, but I think Mr. Norris was counting on Kaden not testifying or not being able to testify, but your brother did serious damage to the defense. I don’t see how they can recover from it.”

  “So, we come back tomorrow and sit and wait?”

  If I didn’t know better, I’d think Noelle was about ready to cry, but it could be because of sheer exhaustion. Her most urgent concern had been her brother testifying. On the other hand, it could be relief that he got through it. I didn’t sleep any better last night than I did the night before and I don’t think Noelle did either since she took coffee out to the bikers in front of the house around five a.m. for the second day in a row. Now that Kaden has testified, maybe she’ll be able to relax.