Where Life Takes You (14 page)

Chapter 15

The sweet aroma of chocolate woke me up. There was a clinking inside the bedroom. I pushed myself up on my elbows a little to see where it, and the smell, was coming from. Ty and Dan sat at the small table we had inside the bedroom. The drapes were open wide and the sun shone. A slight headache brought back a few memories of yesterday’s ordeal.

“Morning, princess. You look human.” Dan showed me a plate with chocolate waffles, and then turned to grin at Ty. “I told you the smell of chocolate would wake her up.”

“Ugh.” I stretched before getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom where I brushed my hair and teeth.

I changed into a pair of yoga pants, a sports bra, and a tank top, and then headed back to the bedroom and the beckoning waffles. I kissed Ty and Dan’s heads before taking the empty seat.

“Morning.” I grabbed the fork next to my plate and cut through the waffles—a task much higher on my list of priorities than talking to them. After the first few bites, I was ready to speak. “Though I’m very happy to see you both, I clearly remember telling you a trillion times to stay where you were.”

After Dan poured some orange juice in my glass, he spoke. “Yesterday’s dream was bad. Who was Pup, and what did Donna do to him?” Dan and Ty waited for an answer to his question with attentive eyes and tight lips.

After taking a deep breath, I began. “Right before pre-school started, when I turned three, Grandma bought me a stuffed dog. I named him Pup—extra original, I know. Don’t judge. He became my companion when she couldn’t be there. When I went to school years later, Pup stayed home, but I still had him next to me at night. Then, when Grandma died, the need to have him close came back full force. He hid in my backpack during school and… took the place of a security blanket, I guess.

“At the same time, the kitchen pantry replaced Grandma as my babysitter.” Dan gasped, and Ty squeezed my hand. “Evenings were scary, especially over the weekends when she partied. On one of those nights, she came home earlier than usual and set Pup on fire.”

Dan closed his eyes, clenched his jaw, and pressed his lips into a thin line. I appreciated him holding his tongue.

“Did you bring me something from California, Ty?” Desperate, I changed the subject. “I bought a pink tutu for Angie, and a pair of pink shoes too.”

“Leave my daughter alone, you pink monster.”

With that, the atmosphere in the room changed—thankfully. The three of us laughed, while they mocked my pink habits. Even better, Mary came in soon after with another batch of waffles and a pot of green tea for me. When she’d dispersed her goodies, she gave us an update. Mom had slept through the night. Raj and Drew checked on her a couple of times. Nora left around six in the morning, and Rita took her place.

Mary left the room and we continued breakfast. “Ty, you should be home.” He stopped mid bite and gave me a glare. “I mean it. Matthew needs to play ball with you.”

“I’m needed here. Anyway, the entire family is traveling to Seattle tomorrow.” He chewed a bite of waffle, washed it down with orange juice, and continued. “Trish got an amazing job—great benefits, hefty salary, and a huge relocation bonus. There’s a catch, though. She’s required to stay there for at least three years.” He wrinkled his brows, looking from me to Dan. “Do either of you know about this mysterious position?”

I shrugged, and mouthed a thank you to Dan, who winked at me.

Ty shook his head when he caught our exchange. “Thought so. A princess decree, I assume.” A grin twitched the corner of his mouth. “Honestly, I won’t complain. Los Angeles was too close to us. Seattle seems a good location for my demanding sister in-law.” He ran a hand through his hair and stood. “I’m going to shower and check on the old man. Thank you for breakfast. Bex, let’s chat later today.” He headed for the door, but his last words lingered.

My gut recommended ignoring them. I headed to the bathroom, where I undressed and climbed into the multi-headed shower. The warm water hit me from all directions, but I was mostly thankful for the head pointed at the aching knots in my back and shoulders. After five minutes of indulgence, I washed my hair, scrubbed myself, and shaved my legs. I wrapped up in a towel, dried my hair, and used the second door to get to the walk-in closet—avoiding the bedroom.

I froze. Dan stood a few feet in front of me. Naked.

“Where are your clothes?” I clapped a hand over my eyes, and clutched my towel to my chest so I wouldn’t lose it.

My oh my.

In the darkness behind my hand, I could still see him way too clearly. His broad shoulders. Those perfect pecs.

Don’t think about it. He’s your best friend. Brother. Totally off limits. Don’t think.

Tight biceps. Rock-hard abs.

You’ve seen him wearing swim trunks. It’s the same, right?

“Bex, relax,” I heard him say. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again, but nothing came out.

Yeah, I’d seen… it… in a movie or two. Or when— I shook my head. Nope, definitely not something I’d seen before. Not in a situation like this.

Sometime later, he broke the humiliating silence. “I’m dressed.” There was the sound of a door opening. “You could drop your towel and we’d be even. Just saying.”

“Not funny, Daniel. I’m not laughing.”

I heard a chuckle before the door latched.

* * * * *

Shoving the mortifying episode aside, I headed to the apartment across the hall when I finished dressing. Mom’s room. A middle-aged woman wearing glasses sat next to Mom, reading a novella aloud. Rita, I assumed. I needed to get acquainted with the medical personnel that would be tending to Mom.

“May I help you?” She stood up and moved between the bed and me, as if it wasn’t my place to be there.

Hating confrontation, I bit my cheek, took a deep breath, and turned to the door where Dan and Ty stood. 

“Rita, this is Becca, Donna’s daughter, and your boss.” Dan linked our fingers. “Nora must’ve mentioned her. She runs the show, not Greg.”

“I apologize.” Her cheeks turned red. “When Mr. Sanders and I were talking about their family, he showed me pictures of their son and daughter, and I presumed. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no,” Ty corrected Rita’s assumptions. “She’s not my mother. Ew. No offense, little sister.”

“None taken.” I shrugged.

Minutes later, Drew arrived with Raj in hand. They checked Mom, who didn’t present any changes from the prior day. Her body temperature was still low, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness. They administered her medicine, and afterward we left Greg and Rita with Mom.

There was no point in me staying during the day, when I had arranged with Greg to stay with her at night. When we got across the hall, Nate was waiting for Dan. Mom’s presence in the building had compromised their tight security. They didn’t want to give away access cards to every single nurse and doctor assigned to Mom, as well as her visitors. In the end they went with the idea I’d been begging for since I moved in: access codes.
Finally
.

“Want to hire one of my bouncers for door duty?” Buddy, who’d arrived almost at the end of the conversation between Nate and Dan, mocked them. “Don’t give me the ‘I’ll punch you in the face’ look, Brightmore. What’s biting your ass?” He walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. “Hi, baby girl. How are you managing today?”

“Hey, Buddy.” I stood on my tiptoes to give him a peck on his cheek. “I’m hanging in there, but my day’s gotten better since you arrived.”

Buddy was fun. As cliché as it sounded, he was the life of the party. Always making jokes and making me laugh. He told me time and time again that I was the little sister he’d never had. Whenever he visited Dan, he always indulged me by bringing chocolate, ice cream, or a chick flick. Like Dan, he protected me when he was around. I was his confidant when it came to girlfriends. I had a blast listening to him, and getting him out of sticky situations. He didn’t have problems with commitments. In fact, he loved to have multiple commitments at the same time.

“How many girls are you juggling these days?”

He smirked, while Dan, who’d followed our exchange, shook his head.

My phone buzzed. A message from Connor.

Connor: Outside the building. I brought Mom to visit Donna. Where should we park?
“Hey, Dan. The Patricks are downstairs. Where should they park and… you know.” I arched an eyebrow and waited for his answer.

Dan took my phone without asking and texted Connor. When I snatched the phone back, the message on the screen read:

Stay. Mr. Nick Holton will meet you and give you directions.

“Really, Daniel, now you’re texting as me?” I crossed my arms, and only just managed to stop myself from snapping at him and getting Buddy riled up. He loved to fluster Dan, and I wasn’t in the mood to play referee. Because when it came to Buddy, once Dan got agitated, he preferred to demonstrate his like a rowdy teenager. “That doesn’t even sound like me.”

Ty peered at the phone and nodded, and then grabbed it and composed his own text:
I’ll wait with pink bunnies and rainbows.

“You’re welcome.” Ty handed me my phone after he finished, and then nodded solemnly at Dan. “She’s right. Too somber for her taste.”

* * * * *

Nick arrived with Connor and Izzy, dragging Ryan along. Instead of letting them take him next door, I asked them to leave him with me. After all, we had that neat play area on the roof terrace.

“Please, Dad, can I stay with her?” Ryan asked, after I offered, getting an automatic yes from Connor.

I grabbed his tiny hand and headed to the outside staircase with him. We played some games and read a couple of books. Being alone with Ryan gave me the time to study his features in more detail. With his blond hair and green eyes, the boy reminded me so much of Connor and Ian. His nose and mouth were different, but with those eyes, it was impossible not to think of his dad, and uncle.

Connor appeared at the top of the stairs. “Hey, Rebecca. Are you two having a good time?” He sat next to Ryan, in front of me.

I nodded, and continued observing him.

“I hope you’re not projecting your feelings for Ian onto my son.”

“Why would I do that?” I dropped the book I was holding, crossed my arms, and leaned away.

“You loved him. I bet you miss him.” A chill passed through my body, but he didn’t wait for an answer. As if reading from a well-rehearsed script, he said his lines without pause. “You thought you two were tight, but he treated you like… trash. Before Lisa, there were other girls. He used to say, “‘I have needs, but she wants to wait. It’s just a couple of meaningless fucks, and she gets to keep her blushing bride fantasy.’” Connor stood up. “How can you love him? After everything he did.” He stopped, his penetrating gaze angered and frightened me at the same time. “You should’ve reported him.”

I froze as images from all those years ago came flashing into my head faster than my breathing. “Why?” I mumbled.

“Don’t bullshit me, Rebecca. He told me.” I shivered. No one was supposed to find out. Ian had taken it to the grave, along with Lisa. “A couple of days before—”

“You?” It dawned on me. “You’re the dealer?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “No, there wasn’t a dealer.”

Finally, everything Lisa said the day she died made sense. I couldn’t stop the memories that began to cascade inside my mind. Suffocating me.

“Tell me what happened,” Connor demanded.

For the first time, I paid attention to Ryan, who stared at his red-faced father with wide eyes. This wasn’t a conversation to have in front of a child. No, correction―this wasn’t a conversation we should’ve been having. Period. That part of my life had died years ago—literally.

The men inside—mostly Dan—would kick Connor out in a heartbeat if I broke down and cried—or suffered an anxiety attack. I
stood up, hoping my stomach would settle before I puked.

I ignored him and grabbed Ryan’s hand, pulling him up to a standing position. “Let’s go inside, Ryan. It’s getting chilly, and we don’t want to get sick.” We headed downstairs.

Connor followed, picking Ryan up before we took the stairs. “Becca, talk to me, or I’ll ask in front of your friends.”

Not happening!

When we reached the living room, where Buddy, Drew, Raj, and Ty sat, I stopped. “I’ll be in my office. Brightmore, Sanders, you’re on babysitting duty.” I tilted my head, pointing to Ryan. “Take him to the media room, will you?”

Dan stood. “Hold it right there,” he barked. “I’m joining your party.”

“Nope. I need to talk to him alone.” I crossed my arms and dared him to defy me.

Dan stared at me, clenched his jaw, and then turned to Connor. Pointing his finger, he increased the volume of his voice. “You touch one hair, or any other part of her body, and no one will know where in the universe I buried you. Got it?”

“Daniel, macho isn’t your color.” I blew out some air to keep myself together in front of him. If he found out, I would lose him.

“Neither is pink,” he retaliated. “Yet you make me wear one, and look at the other on a daily basis.” Dan turned toward Nick while he continued talking to me.  “Nick will stay outside, in case you need him.”