Dean Snow spoke from behind him. “I heard about that fundraiser your mother had. My goodness, it was nice to see all those teachers on the first day of class with all the supplies they’d need for the year.” Everyone in the room nodded. “The fact is that sometimes we forget the teachers in the grade levels. And having all the supplies for them for the school year meant that the students didn’t have to supply them. That was a capital idea.”
“Thank you. Mom is very good at that sort of thing. My sister-in-law, Rogen, she’s raised a bit of cash for the shelter and hospital that was badly needed.” Another man talked a minute or so about the big to-do at the hospital and was glad that his brother Thatcher had been a part of that. “I’ll tell him you said so. So, do you need me to ask my mom if she’ll help you with one of the fundraisers?”
“No, no. You can, but that’s not why we called you in here. We want you to fill the vacancy that Jack left open. You’re a better man for the job anyway.” Morgan didn’t know what to say. Or if this was a joke. “Son, you’re the man for the job. We all voted on names last night when we found out about Jack. There wasn’t a person in the room that said nay to you coming on board.”
He didn’t understand. It was like his brain had suddenly decided to freeze up and not comprehend what they were saying to him. When one of the others laughed, saying that he’d told them all that they’d leave him speechless, Morgan realized that it was a joke. Standing up, Dean Sheppard did as well.
“Morgan, this is no joke. I promise you that. I know your parents well enough that they’d hunt me down should I be tricking you this way. We want—we all want you to fill the vacancy left by Jack. Starting tomorrow morning.” He put out his hand. In it was the silver and gold metal that would mark him with distinction. “As soon as we can get his office boxed up and sent to his family, we’d like for you to move into it. It’s not much larger than the one you have now, but it’s in a nicer place. You’d have a view from two sides of your office instead of just the one. The shelves are there for you to use—they’re sort of a part of this old building, I guess. And there will be a set of keys given to you at the dinner we’ll have in your honor.”
There were more welcomes to their group. A great many pats on the back for him. Each man told him that it was an honor to be working with him, and they were so happy that he’d not turned them down. There were more congratulations given to him as well.
He was the youngest man there—he’d bet he was the youngest dean of studies ever brought into their group. Morgan was proud of himself. If he’d been alone then, he might well have given himself a pat on the back. Instead, he walked to his office that he had now and sat down in his chair.
He was a dean of higher educational studies. Holy Christ, his mom was going to shit. And his dad? He had no idea what he’d do, but he’d make a huge showing of having a son who was a dean. There were only two people ahead of him, besides the group of men he now worked with, and they were the president of the college and his vice president.
Picking up the phone to call his mom, he decided that he wanted to see their faces when he told them. So, instead of telling Mom what had happened today, he simply asked if they’d like to have dinner with him. In town.
“That would be lovely, son. Your dad and I were just talking about what to have. Where would you like to go?” He told her it was up to them, he was paying. He’d almost forgotten about the pay raise he was getting too. And perks. “Oh my, that is nice. Are you sure you have enough to make your bills if we go someplace nice?”
“Yes. I’m doing very well for myself, thanks in part to the work that Jonas has been doing for me.” Christ, his mind kept skipping over things that had been said to him. “I was wondering, Mom, if you’ve given any plans of hiring yourself out as a person who organizes and plans fundraisers? Some of the professors here were just commenting on how well you did with the school supplies last year.”
“I don’t know, Morgan. I pretty much like to do it now because it’s not something that I have to do. We’ll talk on that more when we have dinner. I have to tell you, I’m excited about having dinner with the favorite second son.” He laughed when she did. “I do love you, Morgan. Very much.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
He glanced down at the list that had been handed to him before leaving the offices today. He debated on telling his mom that he’d have a new number starting tomorrow but decided to wait. Just as he was hanging up, the movers came to box up his things to be moved. He didn’t even have to pack his things up; that was a nice perk in and of itself.
Dinner was at his mom’s favorite place. It wasn’t expensive, but she loved it. The pasta dishes had always been her favorite, and Dad fell head over heels in love with the lasagna that they had. He also loved the desserts, and Morgan believed that he’d had all them at least ten times over the years since they opened.
“I have some news for you both. I wanted you to be the first to know.” Dad asked him if it was bad. “No, not all of it. In fact, the little bit of bad weighs out— I’ve been made one of the deans of studies. Jack Damion passed away yesterday, and they asked me to be on the board with them.”
Neither of them spoke. Morgan had never felt so disappointed in his life. And until his dad stood up and yelled whoopee at the top of his lungs, Morgan was sure that he’d made a mistake in thinking that they’d be happy for him.
The entire restaurant, including the staff in the front and back of the place, knew that he’d been promoted by the time the cheese was on their big bowl of salad. Other guests came by and told him congratulations, and the manager even brought them a bottle of wine. This was what he needed, Morgan thought. Family to boost him up when he needed it the most.
There wasn’t a check for them to pay, so Dad, insisting on leaving the tip, left the waitress fifty dollars. He was a good man, and his pride in all of his sons showed through like this. Dad had celebrated for two whole days when Thatcher had become a surgeon and had done the same with the rest of them when they graduated from college. Morgan could only guess what he’d do for the next two days. Then he thought of what he’d done when Jonas had become owner of his own business.
“No taking out a full page ad in the paper, Dad.” He looked so crestfallen that Morgan wanted to take it back. But Jonas had told him what a ribbing he’d taken around town for his dad’s stunt. “You can put a little one in, no more than a half a page, but nothing more.”
Dad’s grin was infectious as they walked to their cars. Morgan hugged them both and told them his new number, as well as where he’d be located from now on. Mom asked him when he was going to tell the rest of the family.
“I hadn’t thought of it, really. I mean, you two were the only two that I could think of when they offered it to me.” He wasn’t sure now that he’d ever said yes, but they must have assumed it—he did have keys. “What about at Sunday dinner? I mean, that’ll be a good time to tell them all at once.”
“Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.” Morgan looked at his dad, who was still pouting a little. “Thatch, behave yourself. You’re making the boy wonder where the wood shed is.”
“Dad, how about you tell them all on Sunday, instead of the big ad?” He didn’t get a verbal answer, but Dad hugged him so tightly, he felt his belly rebel the food he’d just eaten. “Thanks, Dad. I love you too.”
When they left him to go home and no doubt plan, he went to see how far along his office was of being packed up. It was finished. Walking across campus to his new place, not only were the boxes empty, but everything was where it had been before, in his old office. And he had an entire cabinet that was empty. He had his head stuck inside when someone knocked on his door.
Bumping his head, he went to the door. A little blood was on his finger, but it didn’t worry him any. The kid standing there looked to be about twelve and was more interested in the blood on his fingers than he was in talking to Morgan. He asked if he could help him and put his hand behind him.
&
nbsp; “Yeah. I’m looking for someone by the name of Damion.” He told the child that he had passed last night. “Really? I have this letter here for him. It’s special delivery. I’m the special delivery person at the post office. Now what do I do?”
“I don’t know. But if you don’t mind giving it to me, I’ll make sure that someone in this office takes care of it for you.” The kid looked undecisive. “You could call your boss if you’d like. Tell him I’m Morgan Robinson.”
The kid only had to mention his name to his boss, apparently, and was given permission to leave the letter. It was shoved at him even as the kid was hanging up the phone. Morgan asked him for his name.
“Reed Morris. Thank you, sir. I really appreciate you helping me out.”
Shutting the door behind Reed, he stuck the letter on his door. He’d remember it if it was there and decided that he’d had enough fun for one night. Morgan didn’t think he’d fall asleep right away, but almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.
~*~
“I see.” He was trying to wrap his head around the fact that Rogen had a sixty million dollar policy on her life, and he was going to get it if anything should happen to her. “It’s a great deal of money, don’t you think?”
“I’m important.” She was laughing when she said that, but he knew how important she was. Not just to him, but to a few hundred people that she worked with, the president of the United States, as well as about two dozen people that worked in the main office who she guided into and out of trouble. “And the thumb drive—Winnie and I both have one of each of ours—is our last will and testament. We’ve never shared them with anyone before. At least I never have. But once you and I came together, I thought that I needed to fix mine for you. Winnie updates hers every year or so. I do as well. But this time, when we traded drives, she thought for sure that she was going to be killed. She had only fixed things on it that morning and made it so that Donaldson was her beneficiary.”
“She keeps yours in a safe and you hers. Along with a copy of your own.” Rogen nodded. “I don’t understand why it is you’re doing it this way and not just taking it to an attorney.”
“I don’t trust anyone with the knowledge of how much money I have. And who my insurance is with. Can you imagine what an attorney would do with that information if he wanted? I’d be dead before you could get me to the hospital.” There was that. Thatcher looked at the sums of just property alone that she had gotten for herself. “I have money, so I don’t need to work. Neither do you, for that matter. The house is paid for, and you can either take the job that the new board offered you or not. Just don’t take it because it’s a great deal more money. We don’t need for you to work a job that you don’t want.”
“I do want it. There are perks with it too. I’d be home more through the evening. I won’t have to work weekends unless there is an issue, or I’m needed for an emergency.” He thought of the job he was taking. Physician to the president would have been quite a feather in his hat. But it would take him from his family, and he didn’t want that. Being head of surgery at his current location would be something that he wanted more. Just to be able to spend more time at home and with the kids that would soon be coming along.
“You want to remain here? You’re sure about that?” Thatcher felt a great weight off his shoulders as he nodded yes to Rogen. “Thank goodness. I wanted to support you all the way, but I didn’t want you to be gone from me anymore than you have to. I love you.”
“And I love you. When do we go to the hospital?” Rogen looked down at her notes. “And you don’t mind raising a cougar, then?”
“No. I mean, a cat is a cat, I think. Sure, the little boy will be different from us, but we won’t have to explain to him that we’re shifters and such. Besides, I think this little guy will be perfect for this family. A lot of uncles to teach him how to have fun and chase the girls.” She was still laughing when she looked down at her notes again. “We have to be there in an hour. I know she decided to come here to have him, but I want to go now and help her to hurry along.”
“I’ve seen women in labor, love—you do not want to hurry her along if you can help it. And I’m sure that her being only fifteen, she’d be really snarly and nasty to you.” Rogen got up off the bed they’d been sitting on. “You still think this is a good idea to not tell the family about him?”
“I do. What if she changes her mind? Or something happens to her? Tillson is very happy that we’re going to raise him, but if something happens to his sister during this, he might change his mind.” There was that. It had happened before when he’d been a resident. “Besides, I’d like to be able to do one thing that your parents don’t know about until it’s a done deal. My mom and brother are going to be there for tomorrow’s dinner, so it’ll be family time and the perfect time to spring a grandchild on them. Jamie will love being an uncle as well. Do you think your brothers will too?”
“Yes, and hell yes. I think that we’ll have the best babysitters in the world, and the child will be safe with them.” He looked at her notes and saw that they still hadn’t picked out a name. “You asked me what I wanted to name the baby. I think I have a name to put into the hat, if you’re willing. James Thatcher Robinson. That was your father’s first name, wasn’t it?”
She nodded, her eyes filled with tears. He knew that it would be a perfect name for both parents, and he was glad that he’d looked up her dad’s name. He’d gone by Jimmy for so long that even Rogen had had to look it up for her mom when she’d needed paperwork filled out.
The ride to the hospital was nerve-racking. They’d had to stop for a car seat and a diaper bag, so they’d left the house a little earlier than planned. Thatcher was nervous too, not having any idea what to expect. Yes, he’d held babies before, even delivered a couple. But they were going to be responsible for a tiny person, and he was a little overwhelmed.
The staff at the hospital knew him and Rogen, of course, so they took them aside and gave them both a gift. It was couple of bags filled with diapers, formula, as well as sleepers and other baby things. He was glad to see the sleepers. They’d completely forgotten to get clothing for little Jimmy.
The little girl was still in labor, so they sat in the waiting room, talking quietly. It wasn’t but ten minutes later that Tillson—his first name was Roger—came to sit with them. He handed a blue folder to Rogen and spoke as quietly as they had been.
“That’s all I have on the father of the child. I’m going to tell you what happened, but no one else knows or can know. She was raped, repeatedly, over a six day period. I haven’t any idea how she conceived his child, but it matters little now. He was a member of my leap.” Rogen asked him if he’d killed his family too. “No. I didn’t have to. I would have, because they knew about it. Before he killed them, that is. He killed his mother then father so that he could have the bigger bed with my sister. Once she was able to get away, she told me who it was and what he’d done to her. She isn’t doing well with having this child, I’ll tell you that now.”
“Is that why you and your wife didn’t take him in?” Rogen knew a great deal about this man, and Thatcher liked him for his candor and his honesty. He didn’t know what he would have done had it been his child or anyone else he knew. Roger told her that he had said he would, but his sister had said no.
“I mean, to the point she told us that if we did, she’d kill the baby and herself. She wanted no reminders of him.” He handed her a second file. “Please put both of these in your safe. It’s all the bloodwork and allergies that Angel has. Also, she wants no contact with him or you. She might change her mind later about seeing him, but I doubt it very much. Angel wants to move on with her life, and she can’t do that if she thinks she might see him.”
“How do you think that is going to work if we’re neighbors?” Thatcher apologized for his tone. “I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“It’s all right, Thatcher. You’ve only had a few days to deal with this, I’ve
had almost a year. But I have all the faith in the world in the two of you. I can’t think of better parents for my nephew to go to.” He looked down at his hands, then back at them. “At her request, my wife and I are sending Angel to a private school across the country. There no one knows her, and she can start her life over, so to speak. And before you ask why we didn’t take him anyway, Angel made us promise. We can look in on him, but she does not want us to raise him. And really, after talking to a few doctors, I think her way is the smartest way.”
“I’m so sorry for you, Roger. But you can come and visit him whenever you wish.” Roger said that he might not, at first. “Anytime, I promise you. Is there anything you need from us? Besides raising up Jimmy as a good boy and wonderful man?”
“Jimmy. Believe it or not, my father’s name was James. Is that his name?” Thatcher told him the full name. “That’s a good powerful name, you guys. Thank you.”
The nurse came back to tell them that Angel was in recovery and that their son was in the nursery getting cleaned up. Then she asked Thatcher if he’d like to come back and assist, with his wife. They both nearly knocked her down to get to him. As soon as he saw the little fellow in the nursery cart, he fell head over heels in love with the little guy.
“He weighed in at nine-pounds-six ounces. Twenty-one inches long and had a wonderful Apgar rating.” Rogen asked her what that meant, and Nurse Kelly told her without being mean about it. “It’s a test that was invented by Virginia Apgar, an obstetric anesthesiologist in nineteen fifty-two, to rate how a baby is holding up after being taken from his or her mother’s womb. We take the test when the child is one minute old, and again at five minutes. Little Robinson here, he rated a five on both. Which is wonderful and means he’s tolerating well.”
Thatcher: Robinson Destruction – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance Page 15