“Wow! I had no idea. I’m so sorry, Clay,” says Mandy.
After divulging everything to Mandy, I sit back on her couch and feel my heart pounding in my chest.
“You love her, huh?”
“As hard as this might be for you to hear, I’ve never loved another person as much as her. I didn’t know that kind of love even existed. I just wish I had the chance to tell her. To hear her say it to me.”
“Miracles happen, Clay. You need to believe that she’ll walk back into your life one day. Until you have that proof that she’s dead, you need to keep fighting. Don’t give up on that kind of love. I’ll be here for you whenever you need a friend.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand again.
“Thank you. It means a lot. I sure could use as many friends as possible right now.”
I look over at Mandy and squeeze her hand back.
Life is full of fucked up shit, but one thing I have going for me is my determination. I won’t quit until I get answers… good or bad.
***
I take my coffee and sit out on my porch. It’s a glorious morning; I woke up hangover free, and the sun is shining. I can’t ask for any more than that now. My head is fucked up, my heart is broken, and my soul is destroyed. Who would have thought one woman could possess your body and soul in such a way?
“Meeting room in five!” Caleb calls over to me as he walks over to the office block.
Okay then. Whatever has his panties in a twist, I’m about to find out. I stand up from my porch and take my coffee with me. I’m no good without breakfast and coffee, so the coffee needs to come with me.
I walk over the compound like I’ve got no cares in the world. I’m certainly in no hurry to get to work, because my head hasn’t been on work for a while now. I feel bad that Caleb is back in the office so quickly after Sharlynn has come home, but he won’t settle and leave Chris and me to get on with things.
I push open the door and a few of the guys are at their desks in the square we hash out every detail. If these walls could talk, we’d all be in some deep shit.
“Morning. What’s going on?”
“The mayor,” Caleb snaps. “He left a message on my answerphone. He’s coming over at ten hundred hours.”
“And?”
Caleb bangs the file down on the table and turns to me. “And he’s pissed off. Every journalist is having a field day with the story we gave to Armand. He’s pissed off that we didn’t wait to hear from him first. He’s pissed off that we’ve caused this circus. He’s pissed off that he needs to deal with this…us. Fuck!”
“And that’s exactly what we wanted to happen. I’m not following why you’re walking around like someone pissed in your coffee.”
“We need to be prepared for a lecture when the mayor shows up. He never does his own dirty work, and the fact that we’re getting a visit tells me everything.”
“I’ll deal with it. It’s my mess, after all.”
“We’re in it together,” Caleb says more softly.
“Really? Because from where I’m standing, I don’t feel like I have a team at my back.”
“My office, Clay. Everyone else grab some coffee and breakfast and we’ll reconvene when the mayor arrives.” Caleb addresses everyone that’s here.
I follow Caleb into his office and kick the door closed behind me. I sit down in the chair he has at the front of his desk and he walks over to the window.
“I will always have your back, Clay. We’re Shawlands. That’s what we do.”
I nod and take a drink of my coffee. I secretly wish the coffee was something much stronger.
“I’m tired, Clay. I’m running on empty. And we’ve got stuff going on at home. I am not pissed off with any of this case regarding Shay. I have your fucking back. I don’t ever want to hear you say that shit again.”
I sit back in my seat, kick my ankle up over my knee, and watch my brother closely. I’ve been so preoccupied lately that I haven’t seen how tired he is.
“What’s going on at home? Why haven’t you said anything before now?”
Caleb shrugs and sits down. “Because you’ve had enough going on. Aria’s lawyer doesn’t think we’ll be able to take away that prick and his family’s rights. He thinks that no court in the land will stand by us when his family hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“What?” I sit forward and put my coffee cup down.
The prick Caleb is talking about is the man who raped, beat, and kidnapped Aria. He’s the biological father of Sharlynn. He’s locked up in a psych evaluation unit, claiming insanity.
“How’s Aria taking the news?”
Caleb shrugs and runs his hands through his hair. “She’s dealing with it better than I am. I want that fucker out of our lives for good, Clay. You should have fucking killed him when you had the chance.”
I nod. I was the one who opened fire on Aria’s kidnapper. It’s a day I’ll never forget, because it was the day that Sharlynn came into our lives. I only wish my hand slipped and the bullet strayed straight to the beast’s heart instead of hitting his shoulder.
“Look, it doesn’t matter what the courts say. He’s never getting free. He’s never getting near Sharlynn or Aria again. You can deal with the family if and when they come near. You’re that baby’s dad, Caleb. You don’t need a piece of paper to prove that. Don’t let that fucker take any more of your time. Precious time, might I add. You’ll never get this time with Aria and Sharlynn again. Make it count.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just not thinking straight.”
“Go home and get some sleep. We can manage here.”
Caleb nods. “I’ll deal with the mayor first, then I’ll take off if I can.”
“Okay. l need a fresh coffee. You want one?”
“Sure. Thanks, bro.”
I nod and walk out of my brother’s office. I look over my shoulder as Caleb picks up the photo on his desk of Aria and Sharlynn. It was from the day Sharlynn was born; Aria got five minutes to hold her before she got put into an incubator.
I turn back to walk to the kitchen and leave my brother to his thoughts. He’s a strong guy. He’s got through worse, and sleep deprivation makes you think and do crazy things. I’ll make sure he gets his head straight, because he needs to be strong for his woman and his daughter.
Lately, it’s like we’ve all been put on this Earth to suffer. The only one of us that isn’t facing shit is Chris. He puts up with all our shit, smiles and nods in all the right places, and then goes home to his own house at the farthest point away from the office. Now I know why he picked that little ranch-style cottage to set up home. We all ribbed him about being a loner when he called dibs, but peace and quiet sounds so good right about now.
“Come on, boss. Don’t be a sourpuss. It isn’t every day we get ready to go home for six weeks. Get your ass ready and meet us for drinks,” says Josh.
I shake my head, throw down my pen, and sigh. “Don’t you think I put up with enough of all your shit out here?”
“You love us really. What do you say?”
“Who loves who?” Shay breezes into my office like she owns it, her hair hanging around her shoulders in loose curls. She’s like an angel.