by Pepper Paris
With my longer hair and reputation for being a bad boy, the cop hadn’t even stopped to consider the facts before he threw me into the back seat of his car.
That image had stayed with me through juvie and through the past few years as I traveled around the country with the band. I’d seen way too many kids get stuck in places that they didn’t need to be all because someone hadn’t been there to help them. I was going to be that for them. I hadn’t told Roxie my reasons or the secret that I was keeping from her. Right now, she needed me to be the same guy that she’d always known. I had to be her rock while she found her footing because she’d always been there for me.
Roxie had decided that she wanted to give her grandparents a call before she just showed up on their doorstep, so we were going to walk around the campus of the law school and see about getting me enrolled to start classes.
“Are you excited to be going to a school instead of doing it online?” She grabbed my hand as we started toward the administration building.
“Eh, not exactly. I’m more nervous about the way the students will treat a lawyer-to-be with long hair and tattoos. It’s not exactly normal for those considering practicing law.”
“Is that why you put on a dress shirt and tie?”
“Maybe.” I tugged at my tie with my free hand to loosen it just a little. “I didn’t want to stand out or give them any reason to not accept my application.”
“Don’t you have to take the LSAT’s to get into law school?”
“Yeah, I took it earlier this year. I looked it up and registered when we were going to be in a town long enough that I could take it.”
“Well, what did you score?” She stopped and looked at me eagerly.
I concentrated on a spot in the grass that needed my attention. “A 170.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Really good,” I acknowledged.
“I only have one other question before we go in there. Law school is really expensive, so how are you going to pay for it?”
“There are scholarships when you have high scores, and I have a grandfather that left me some money. Between both of those, I should be okay.”
What I hadn’t told her was that I could use the money only if it was for school before the age of twenty-five. That was when I would be a millionaire. I didn’t have the exact amount, but it was enough to pay for law school and still have enough left over for anything else I wanted in life. It was invested, and the interest alone would be more than my father made in a single year.
“Great. Then let’s go get you started.” She almost bounced along the path.
“Sure.” I looked up at the imposing building ahead of us. “What’s the worst they can do? Eat us alive?”
“Nope, just your soul.” She stood up to kiss my cheek. “I expect you to come out alive, but don’t let them take all the bad boy away. I especially enjoy it in the bedroom.”
“Oh, you’re just asking for it when we get back to the hotel.”
She raised her eyebrow. “Am I?”
“Ah, Mr. Hicks. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.” The small, mousy man held out his hand as he met us in the front of the administration building.
“Mr. Samuels?” I took his hand as I asked the question.
“Yes…didn’t they tell you? Well, never mind. I’m your guide for the day. If there is anything special you’d like to know, or anything you want to see while you’re here, you only need to ask.” Mr. Samuels waved toward the campus. “Now, if you’ll both follow me this way. This is the first building erected by our founder,” he instructed, starting the tour at a brisk pace.
When he finally took a breath, I broke in. “Mr. Samuels, I think you have me confused with someone else. Not that we don’t appreciate the grand tour, but I was under the impression that I needed to be accepted to go to school here.”
“Oh, didn’t they tell you?” He waved toward the administration office. “Of course they didn’t, they never tell anyone anything. You were accepted the moment you applied. Anyone who makes your kind of test scores and has your connections is sort of grandfathered in.”
“Wade, what’s he talking about?” Roxie tugged on my arm.
“I’m not quite sure, honey.”
Mr. Samuels looked around hastily. “Maybe there was a mistake on the paperwork, but I don’t think so. We’ll just go back to check on a few things.”
Minutes later, we were standing outside of the president of the university’s office.
“Mary, we seem to have a problem here. Is he available to see us?” Mr. Samuels stood in front of her desk.
“Yes, let me tell him you’re here.” She rose and disappeared inside the office.
“I’m wearing converse,” I whispered to Roxie in embarrassment.
“You’ll be fine,” she replied, patting my arm.
“He’ll see you now.” Mary held the door open. “Can I get you anything?”
We both shook our heads no.
“I feel like we’ve been called into the principal’s office,” Roxie whispered.
“I’d been there often enough, it’s pretty normal for me.”
The president rose from his chair. “Mr. Hicks, welcome to our fine campus. I’m so glad that we are one of the schools you’re considering. What can I do to make your choice easier?”
“Sir, I’m a little confused. I know my test scores weren’t terrible, but honestly, I was just hoping that I’d be accepted into your school. Instead, we’re getting the red-carpet treatment.”
“Mr. Hicks, your family has been major contributors to our school for generations. When we got your application, we were thrilled that you’d put us on the list. Your grandfather, and one of your uncles, graduated from our university. We would love for you to have us be your final choice.”
“Thank you for explaining it to us. I wasn’t aware that my family had connections here. I would’ve chosen another school to attend, but you’re the closest to where my girlfriend is going to school.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I mark your admissions file as no special extras? Your affiliations will be kept hidden, as we do for all of our special celebrities.”
I rubbed my thumb over the leather chair. “It doesn’t feel right to use my family when they’ve disowned me. I’m sure that even if they knew my present career choice, it wouldn’t change anything.”
The president seemed taken aback. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that you were estranged from them. They spoke highly of you when I made the call to congratulate them.”
“They don’t like to talk about the fact that they haven’t spoken to me in years. Becoming a lawyer is something I want to do to help others.”
“Which is completely admirable. We are just the means to get a little closer to your goal. I do hope that you’ll consider choosing us even though we are a reminder of things you hope to forget.”
“This is the best school for the location requirements that I need. Unless there are problems with my registration, I’d love to go ahead and get things set up to begin attending in the fall if I’m able. I just don’t want a lot of fuss or get invited to extra events that I didn’t earn on my own merit.”
He nodded. “I think we can work something out. When asked, just allude to a possible connection, but don’t claim it outright. You’re more likely to fly under the radar if you just laugh it off. We’re very pleased to have you.” He offered his hand. “If you need anything, though, just let my secretary know and I’ll take care of it if possible.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said as we made our way out of his office.
The door shut behind us, and I still had no idea what was going on until Mr. Samuels appeared out of thin air.
“I hope that we covered all of your questions. Are you ready to continue onto the registration office to schedule your classes?”
“Is there a way we could get some lunch and then come back this afternoon?”
“Absolutely.” He rubbed his hands nervous
ly. “I’ll let them know to expect you this afternoon then? Is there anything else you’ll need?”
I glanced at Roxie. “I think we’re good for now. We really appreciate your help. If anything comes up, we can find you.”
“Very good, sir.” Mr. Samuels handed me a card. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”
I just stood there, hoping that the world would stop spinning as I tried to process what had happened.
“Lunch?” Roxie questioned from my side.
“Yeah, and evidently, I need to look for an apartment as well.”
We found a small café just outside the campus that looked promising.
“So, do you know why they were giving you all of that information about being on the A-list?”
This was the question I’d been dreading for a while.
“My family have been lawyers for several generations. When my grandfather was alive, he was a well-known attorney before he became a judge. It was always assumed that my father would become a lawyer, but while he managed to get the degree, he wasn’t able to pass the bar exam. It was a huge deal, and part of the reason that my parents were so worried about appearances.”
The waitress brought our drinks and I continued. “When he didn’t live up to expectations, my father was able to use his knowledge and work for a title company. Grandfather passed away two years before I went into juvie. We’d always gotten along really well. He was such a passionate man with many thoughts about how honor and family were to be regarded.
“As long as I choose to go to law school and pass the exam, then all of my tuition will be paid. Once I pass the bar, then my allowance will become the full amount of my inheritance. If I don’t, then what I’ve spent will be subtracted and I’ll be given a modest amount to help me find a career. Any children I have will then have the rest bestowed upon them when they have a law degree.”
Roxie twirled her straw around her cup. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
“Honestly, I never considered that I’d want to go to school, much less attend law school. As I started being the manager, I noticed that it would be helpful to have a few classes that would grow our brand. It was fun, and there was a lot of downtime when we were driving from place to place, so I started taking a few more until I found that I had an associate’s degree. Law school popped into my mind and here we are.”
“What about your grandfather? Why did he do that to your father?”
“It wasn’t so much that he did it, but that it’s a family tradition, and they set up the family money to help those who carry it on. Those who don’t? Well, they get to work like normal people and try to make their own fortune.”
“Are there any other clauses?”
“No, but you’d think they wouldn’t have wanted someone to be a pro-bono lawyer.”
“Pro-bono? You’re going to defend those that need help?”
“I wouldn’t have gone to juvie if I’d had a good lawyer. I don’t want to take all of the cases or defend criminals, but I think I can do a lot of good for those that don’t have someone to help them.”
She leaned forward, brushing her lips across mine. “I’m so proud of you.”
“You don’t think it’s crazy to go against what my father would want and become a lawyer?”
“Of course not. Besides, you’re doing what your grandfather wanted you to do. It does explain why your dad would always get so mad at you when you went to visit his father in the summer.”
“He hated lawyers, and my grandfather even more. Each person sets the terms of their will, and he could have changed it to include his son, but he skipped him and picked me. Which also didn’t help my parents’ attitude toward me.”
“Well, we’re both discovering our family connections, aren’t we?” Roxie smiled at me as our orders arrived.
“You’re okay with me being over here while you’re in school hours away? I could come over on weekends if you and Sarah get a house off campus.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll see what Sarah says. They frown on other people staying in the dorms more than a night or two. It would give us a lot more freedom for whoever came home because Sarah won’t care if you’re staying in my room.”
“Now we just have to find a place for me to stay, and then you can visit me and your family.”
The day was starting to really look up, and I couldn’t wait to go apartment shopping with my girl.
As we looked around for someplace to stay, an idea started to grow. I needed to see what the guys thought about it. Everywhere we looked, Roxie made sure that there was enough space so that we could all fit when we were together, even if it was a tight squeeze.
Chapter Eight
Roxie
Nervous didn’t begin to describe the feeling in my stomach before meeting my grandparents. They had wanted to meet us for dinner instead of us coming to their home.
I didn’t care about the fact that they wanted to meet in a public place. Really, it made perfect sense considering they had no idea who I was and if I was nice, or simply casing their house to rob them.
“Babe, you can’t drink anymore coffee.” Wade slid his arm around me to hold me still.
A couple approached the table, making the subject moot.
“Roxie?” The petite, silver-haired woman asked as she held on tightly to her husband’s thin arm.
“Yes, and you’re Elizabeth Haworth.” I knew immediately where my mother had gotten some of her looks from, but her years of partying had stolen the laugh lines from her face.
“You look like your mom when she was a little girl.” She turned to my grandfather, asking for confirmation that she was right.
“Please, have a seat,” I offered quickly. “I never saw any pictures, but Aunt Saundra said the same thing.”
“Who would you be, young man?” My grandfather’s deep voice had a tone that didn’t leave room for discussion.
“This is my boyfriend, Wade Hicks. He came with me for moral support, and to sign up for law classes at the university.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Roxie has been looking forward to this since she found out that you were still alive.”
“We were never dead, young man. Her mother just told lies to keep us all apart. If those girls had just come home, we’d have welcomed them.” His gruff tone said it wouldn’t have been that easy.
“I’m sorry that I was the one to bring bad news, but they both passed away. Mom just a few days ago, and Aunt Saundra back in March.”
My grandmother leaned over to grasp my hand. “We’d given up on them long ago. With everything your Aunt Saundra was into, we didn’t think they would survive very long. And then, when poor little Vicky got it into her head to follow, there was nothing we could do. We hired a few private investigators, but they couldn’t get any solid leads on any of you. It must have been before you came along that they completely vanished.”
“From what I’ve gathered over the past few days, my mom took my dad’s last name, even though I don’t think they were ever married. Aunt Saundra had hers changed as well. I hadn’t realized they were hiding from you.” I couldn’t imagine doing that, even though my mom hadn’t always been the best. If I had decided to leave her, then she wouldn’t have tried to find me.
“Well, it’s just another example of how messed up your mother was.”
“Now, Richard, this isn’t a blame game. Roxie had no control over what they did, and she’s here to get to know us.” She turned to me. “Honey, we were devastated that our girls had left home. We thought they would come back when they realized how much hard work they were in for, but it didn’t happen.”
“They were certain that you wouldn’t take them back. At least that’s what they told me. Now, I’m not so sure. There may be more to it than I originally thought.”
“Things don’t always seem as clear cut when you’re in the moment. Later, it’s so much easier to look back and know what we should have done,” Wade a
dded, laying his hand on my knee.
“We thought it over so many times. How did we go wrong? What could we have done differently? Then you show up with as little information as we had before.” She wiped at a few tears. “We just wanted to love them. They were so young and had so much life. It’s not right when your kids pass on before you do.”
“I’m really sorry that I had to be the one to tell you. I didn’t want you to be wondering for the rest of your lives what happened. I was also hoping that I might be able to find my family.”
“Aw, honey, of course you’d want to be with your family. We’ve just gotten our hopes up so many times, only to be let down over and over again.” She looked sadly at my grandfather before looking back at me. “We’d love to get to know you. If you’re able to come over from school and spend Thanksgiving, it would be the perfect time to get to know the family. Everyone else will be coming in, so you’ll be able to meet them all then.”
“I’d love that. Wade just got an apartment rented today, and I can stay at his place for the holidays.” I noticed the way a frown started to form on her face. There was no way I was going to tell them that I had three other boyfriends, or the things they did to my body.
“With the holidays, of course, you’d want to spend as much time as possible with him while you’re in town. Once you get to know us, then you might feel more comfortable sleeping in your mom’s old room. We’ll leave that up to you when the time comes.”
“I have a friend in the army, and we’ve kind of grown to be our own little family. I’ll have to see what he and the others in our group are able to do, but I know that I can certainly make it for dinner that day. Plus, I just met my dad and his family a few days ago as well. I’m going to hope that there’s enough of me to go around during those few days I have off.” I really hated to let them down, but I wasn’t going to put myself in a situation that I couldn’t leave if I really needed to.