Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“The club doesn’t know that Sebastian’s yours?” I asked, bewildered.
“No. I didn’t want them treating me differently if they knew I was his kid. Never came up again. They knew we were close, but they probably only contributed it to the fact that I was VP.” Sebastian explained.
“You didn’t bring him around when he was a kid?” Sam asked with surprise.
“He was there some when he was a baby, but from then on, only sparingly, and never after the age of nine. Lettie moved two towns over and took them with her, refusing to bring them back. I went to them when I wanted to see them.” Silas explained.
Footsteps from the hallway had me turning my head. The others didn’t hear it, didn’t know the house like I did. Didn’t know the creeks each step on the old hardwood floor made. I did, which is why I was able to see Shiloh’s devastated face as she came into the room.
***
Shiloh
“Hello?” I answered my ringing phone.
"Hi, Shiloh. How are you doing?” Melissa asked.
Melissa was the team leader for our division of CPS. She was a hard woman, but with over twenty-eight years in the child protective services, who wouldn't be?
I liked her, and respected her. Not once in my four months of working there had she had anything but hardness in her voice. That changed with this phone call. She sounded utterly defeated.
"I'm okay," I answered hesitantly. "What's going on?"
She sounded very close to tears. "Lyle Jennings and his mother's house burned to the ground last night. The mother perished in the fire. Lyle is in the butterfly room in Dallas."
My stomach sank. Lyle and his mother were a special case. Lyle's mother, Nadia, a seventeen-year-old rape victim, was on our watch list. She found out six weeks later that she was pregnant by the man who’d raped her, and from there it just went downhill from what I’d heard. When she was six months pregnant, she overdosed on anxiety medicine, and was hospitalized for three weeks.
Although she was released, she was still put on the 'watch list,' as it was called around the office. She was given random visits every week at all different times to ensure the safety of the child.
After almost killing herself and her child, she'd straightened up. No more depressing moods. She was in school and held down a job as well. I entered the picture when she was kicked out of her parent’s house. Apparently they were Christian, god-fearing people, and didn’t think that anyone could have a baby out of wedlock.
However, seeing as they were members of the church and didn’t want to look bad when they kicked their pregnant daughter out, they allowed her to live in the house with them until the baby was born. Then kicked her out since she decided to forgo adoption like she’d originally planned.
I'd helped her find an apartment just two weeks ago. She’d been living in a women’s shelter for four months. It'd been frowned upon by the boss woman, but I’d done it anyway. That girl deserved a fighting chance, and if I had to put myself in a position of warning with my superiors so she and her child could have a better life, then so be it.
Except now, it didn't matter. She was gone.
"What's Lyle’s prognosis?” I choked.
"It's not good, sweetie. They don't think he'll make it. When they got to him, he'd inhaled a large amount of smoke. They say his lungs are most likely beyond repair. They moved him to the butterfly room so his family and friends could say goodbye. Nadia's parents didn't sound like they would make it. I'm sorry, Shiloh. I know this family meant a lot to you."
"I'm going to need the next few days off so I can be with him. He shouldn't be alone." I told her.
"Take it. I'll let Lillian know." Melissa said softly.
We hung up shortly after. I sat on the edge of the couch watching Frozen with Cheyenne's girls asleep on various pieces of furniture, and Janie leaned up against the base of the couch on the floor. She was staring at me with a concerned stare.
I smiled sadly at her. "I've got to talk to your father for a few minutes. Can you watch the girls for a little while?"
"Yes, I can." She agreed softly.
I got up and moved to the living room where the meeting was being held. I heard my father speaking. Heard him blame me for starting everything into motion. Didn't care.
Shuffling into the room, I went to the one person that I knew would never put me second. Would always make sure I was okay. Wouldn't let me hurt if it could be helped.
His eyes tracked my progress across the room. He'd spotted me even before I made it into the room. His eyes were trained on me as soon as I'd crossed the threshold.
When I got close enough, he extended his hand up to me and I placed my palm in his.
"Could I speak with you for a minute?” I pleaded with my eyes for him just to come. Even though I knew he was in the middle of an important conversation. I needed him now, or I just might fall apart.
He stood, but Sam’s voice stopped his progress. “Where’re you going? We still have a lot to hash out.”
Sebastian’s voice uttered agreement. “Go back to the other room.”
“It’ll just take a minute.” I pleaded.
“This is your life we’re discussing, princess. It won’t take much longer, promise.”
Well, I guess my petty problems didn’t amount as important to them. James looked torn. I knew he wouldn’t want to choose, so I made the decision for him. I’d also realized that I was leaving whether he was with me or not. He’d just have to catch up later. I wasn’t letting that boy die alone.
“It’s okay. I’ll talk to you in a bit.” I said, tapping his chest, and turning to leave.
“Well at least she listens sometimes...” Sam muttered under his breath.