His own eyes brimmed as he tightly hugged her. “Thank you, Nevvie. Thank you so much.”
Once they composed themselves she set up the computer for him. “Do you know how to use the internet?”
“Not well. I’ve used it at the library a little, for research.”
She’d already done research of her own and had the internet service activated for him. “I’ve paid for the first year already,” she said. “You can email us any time, and I can send you pictures.” She set him up an email account and then pulled up a private page on Tyler’s website, one accessible only by password. “Here’s some for you.” She moved out of the way so he could look at the online scrapbook, his eyes brimming again as she went through the pictures with him.
“They’re gorgeous. Adam looks just like Tyler.”
She smiled. “He does. And Mikey looks just like Tommy.” She patted his shoulder. “I can’t wait for you to meet them.”
Once she knew he understood the basics of the computer, she drove him to the grocery store and made him shop for whatever he needed. Apparently he was as good a cook as his son.
“We used to cook together, me and Ty,” he softly said as he pushed a cart down the aisle. “He used to help me cook dinner all the time.” He sighed. “I worried Delores might be harder on him after I left because he did look and act so much like me. I worried about him so much. All of them, but especially him. Her side of the family, they were a vicious bunch of barracudas, every last one of them.” He looked at Nevvie. “What about Henry and Wanda? How are they?”
She shrugged. “They’re all right. No children, but they’re both married.” Nevvie couldn’t get over how much Tyler resembled his father. Even his voice sounded similar despite Tyler living in America for over twenty years.
She refused to let him pay and helped him unload the groceries at his house. By late afternoon, she knew everything was ready and had planned how she wanted Tyler to meet his father.
Before she left she hugged Andrew. “Remember, let me get him inside first and talk to him for a minute. I’ll call you out of the kitchen when I’m ready for you.”
“Nevvie, how can I ever repay you?”
“By being the world’s best grandpa to my sons.”
And by being my dad,
she thought.
* * * *
Tyler looked tired when she pulled up outside the television studio where his last interview took place. He got in.
“Want me to drive, love?” he asked.
She shook her head. While she sometimes had to think for a minute when making a turn, for the most part she’d adapted rather easily to driving on the left. “I’ve got it. We need to get moving, don’t want to be late.”
He settled back in his seat. “How long are we staying?”
“They’re preparing us a nice dinner. We’ll stay and chat for as long as they’ll have us.” She tightly gripped the steering wheel.
She sensed his eyes on her. “What aren’t you telling me, Nevvie?”
She didn’t dare take her eyes off the road. “I stopped by and talked to them again earlier today. Very sweet.”
“Ah.” Apparently he was more tired than she thought, because he didn’t ask any other questions.
When they neared Andrew’s house, Nevvie fought to control her nerves. Adrenaline coursed through her, her hands trembled. She locked the car after Tyler got out and led him up the front walk. She smelled something delicious cooking inside.
So did Tyler. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled. “My, that smells quite lovely. Brings back memories.”
Nevvie mentally jumped for joy. Andrew said he would cook some old favorites. Perhaps that would help soothe Tyler’s soul.
“They told me to come right in when we got here.” She knocked and opened the door, stuck her head in. “We’re here.”
Andrew called from the kitchen. “Come in. Be out in a minute.” That was their pre-arranged cue.
Nevvie opened the door all the way and firmly gripped Tyler’s hand. She led him down the hall—he couldn’t see into the kitchen from there—and directly to the small sitting room.
Tyler looked around as they walked. “What did you say their names were?” he softly asked.
“Look here,” she said, trying to distract him. She led him to the bookshelf and leaned in close, pointing to the shelf dedicated to Tyler’s books. “They’ve got every one of your books printed in English.” She barely let him take that in when she yanked his arm and dragged him to look at some of the framed reviews. “And look at this—”
“Love,” he murmured, glancing around nervously, “that’s flattering, certainly, but isn’t it a tad…obsessive?”
“Why would it be?” Nevvie silently swore at the nervous edge in her voice. “You’re their favorite author!”
Tyler frowned. “Nevvie,” he firmly said, “what is going on?”
She pushed him into the chair. “Sit there. I’ll be right back.”
“Nev—”
“Tyler, please.” She kissed the top of his head and raced to the kitchen.
The smell there was even more wonderful, thickly filling the air. Andrew had his sleeves rolled up and the entire table filled with food, way more than the three of them would be able to eat. He looked as nervous as she felt. The sight of him there…whether it was because he resembled her husband or because of her desperation to make her plan work, she didn’t know, but she felt her heart thump in a pleasant way. One way or the other she would make sure this man stayed in their lives.
Her sons could have a grandfather.
She could have a dad again.
“Everything ready?” she asked.
He nodded. “I’m so bloody nervous,” he muttered, wiping his hands on a dishtowel.
She firmly gripped his hand and led him out to the sitting room. Tyler’s back was turned to them and she knew from the angle of his head he was taking in the shelf of books.
Her heart pounded and she had to take a deep breath to steady her voice before she spoke. “Ty, I want to introduce our host.”
Tyler stood and turned. Then the color washed out of his face. For a moment Nevvie worried he might faint. “Bloody hell,” he whispered.
Nevvie held up her other hand. “Don’t say another word. Hear me out. I had Bob find him for me. He had no idea I was coming to visit him yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“Hush.” Tyler did. Nevvie continued, speaking quickly, hoping to get the story out as fast as she could before he could object. “He had no idea, it was just as much a shock to him as it is to you right now. After what you told me about Delores, I decided I wanted to do a little digging of my own. My suspicions were correct.”
She gently squeezed Andrew’s hand. “I’m going to give you the short version, and then you can hear him out.” Nevvie took another deep breath. “Delores lied to you about why he left. She kicked him out. He didn’t want to lose contact with you, but she was a real bitch and had him by the nuts. Now I know that doesn’t make up for all the years you guys have lost, but goddammit, I want my sons to have a grandfather.”
She set her chin in a defiant glare. “You’ve got two choices, Tyler. One is to make me happy, hear him out, and keep an open mind. Two is you keep your mouth shut, because whether you like it or not, I will make sure my sons and I have a close relationship with Andrew.”
Tyler’s mouth opened, then shut. He stared at them for a long, stunned moment. Finally, in a weak voice he asked, “All these books?”
Nevvie let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. While Tyler was still in emotional shock, his question indicated to her he would keep an open mind. She squeezed Andrew’s hand, wanting him to stay silent.
“All those books, Tyler. All these years. He’s your biggest fan, always has been.” Tyler’s mother only had three of his books, ones he’d personally autographed for her and given her as presents.
Tyler looked at the walls again, walked over to read the clippings. After a few silent moments he turned to face them.
She finally stepped behind Andrew and gently nudged him across the room toward his son.
Tyler stared.
“I’m proud of you, son,” Andrew managed in a choked voice. “I’m so very, very proud of you. All these years I’ve wished I could tell you.”
Tyler’s paralysis broke. He sobbed and embraced Andrew.
“I love you, Tyler,” Andrew said, tightly hugging him. “I’ve missed you all so very much. I’m sorry I had to leave you with her. I couldn’t tell you the truth. I’m so sorry.”
Nevvie cried, unable to help it. It wouldn’t be an overnight thing, but she knew Tyler would rebuild his relationship with Andrew. Then her eyes fell on something else, a new picture, pinned to the wall. Using regular paper, Andrew had apparently figured out how to print an image from the internet. It was of the five of them, from the scrapbook page, taken by Eddie in the hospital the morning Nevvie and Mikey were discharged from the hospital following his birth. She smiled.
Family.
Her
family.
After a few minutes, the men stepped away from each other and wiped their eyes. Tyler reached for Nevvie and pulled her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair. “I don’t know whether to spank you or kiss you, sweetheart.”
She smiled. “Either one’s fine with me, Ty.”
That made him laugh. “Somehow, I knew it would be.”
Tyler kept his arm around Nevvie and looked at his father. “Was there ever really another woman?”
Andrew shook his head. Tyler closed his eyes and struggled to maintain his composure.
Nevvie stepped in again. “There’s a lot to catch up on, and we can do that while we eat. He’s cooked a wonderful dinner.”
* * * *
They ate and talked and, with Nevvie’s encouragement, Andrew told his story. Tyler silently listened, nodding when he finished.
“I’d always wondered if there was more,” Tyler softly said.
“You were only thirteen. Your brother and sister even younger. You can see why I couldn’t tell you.”
Tyler studied his plate. “I suppose Nevvie’s told you about us?”
Andrew nodded. “Your wife strikes me as a special woman. You two are very lucky men.”
Tyler smiled and looked at Nevvie. “You’ve no idea.”
They helped Andrew wash the dishes, then Nevvie and Tyler sat cuddled together on the couch. She did most of the listening while the two men talked and caught up. A little after midnight, she yawned.
Tyler gently nudged her. “Love? Are you still with us?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not in a hurry for you to leave, but you should probably put her to bed,” Andrew said.
Nevvie’s eyes flew open. “Crap!”
Tyler flinched, startled. “What?”
“We didn’t call Tommy!” She pulled out her phone and dialed.
He answered on the second ring. “Well, I thought y’all’d forgot us.”
“No, sweetie, we didn’t. I have a surprise for you. And the boys.” She heard Adam talking in the background, trying to get Tommy’s attention. “Put him on for me.”
“Okay.” She heard Tommy talking to Adam, probably pulling the little boy into his lap so he could hold the phone for him. Adam had already destroyed three phones by dropping them. “It’s Mommy and Daddy.”
“Mommy?”
“Hi, sweetie. Are you being a good boy for Poppa?”
“I helped him bath Mikey.”
She grinned. “Bath?”
“Yep! Only got Poppa a little wet.”
Nevvie could only imagine how that went. “Listen, sweetie, Daddy and I are talking to someone I want you to say hi to.”
“Who?”
She met Andrew’s eyes. “Grandpa Andrew.”
“Who?”
“Grandpa Andrew. I’m going to hand the phone to him so you can say hi.” She reached over, encouraged him to take it.
Andrew tentatively spoke. “Hello?”
Adam always yelled on the phone, so Nevvie could hear Adam’s excited voice on the other end. She knew she’d have some splainin’ to do to Thomas.
“Gwampa Andwew? I din know I had a gwampa!”
Tyler kissed her forehead. “I absolutely adore you, love,” he whispered.
She patted his thigh.
“Well, son, I didn’t know I had a grandson, either, until your mummy told me.”
“When can I see you?”
“Your mummy got me a computer—” Nevvie cringed when she felt Tyler’s gaze on her again, “—and taught me how to use email. She said we’ll email back and forth.”
“You gonna live wif Gwamma Peggy?”
Tyler snorted with amusement. “You get to explain
that
one,” he murmured.
She giggled. “Happy to.”
Andrew looked a little confused. “No, I live in London.”
“Is dat near Savannah or Atwanta?”
Tyler laughed, loud and hearty. Nevvie struggled not to cry again, happy, relieved tears this time.
“I live in Britain,” he explained to Adam. “Not in the United States. Your mummy and daddy are here now, talking to me.”
“Okay. Poppa wants to talk now. Wuv you, Gwampa!”
“I love you too, son,” Andrew said, his eyes brimming.
Nevvie never ceased to wonder how young children could readily accept situations thrown at them without batting an eye.
Nevvie started to reach for the phone, but Tyler beat her to it. Good thing. She heard Thomas’ drawl loud and clear.
“Um, Ty? What the fuck is going on?”
“We’ll explain later, love.” He looked at Nevvie. “Our girl has pulled another rabbit out of her hat, as it were.”
“What was Adam talking about? Who the hell is Grandpa Andrew? Isn’t that your dad’s name?”
Tyler closed his eyes. “Yes,” he softly answered.
Thomas went silent on the other end. Nevvie reached for the phone. “Don’t swear in front of the kids.”
“What the fu—freak is going on, Nev?”
In the background, Adam chanted, “Poppa said a bad word. Momma gonna wash your mouf out wif soap when she gets home!”
“I’ll explain later.”
“Explain now.”
“Can’t right now. We’ll call you later, when we get back to the hotel.”
* * * *
They finally returned to the hotel a little after one. They would go to Andrew’s the next afternoon following Tyler’s interview. When they were safely locked in their room, Tyler pulled her to him, tightly hugged her.