37: Mothers Part 2
Luci
At 9:30 on the dot, he knocks on my door. “Hey. Cole, I have a surprise for you on my table.” He hugs my leg before running that way.
“Daddy, it’s a magnet book about superheroes!” His ecstatic little voice screams.
“Awesome.” Easton smiles slightly. “I think he’ll toss me over for you.”
“No. Cole thinks you created the world. Come sit.” I’m nervous. I sit facing him on the couch,
scraping my nails.
Easton’s fingers wrap around my thumbs immediately. “Luci, it’s ok.”
I nod. “Cole knows part of this story, but not all the details. When I was three, my parents were
killed in a car crash on New Year’s Eve.” His hands wrap around mine as I press on. “A woman
named Harriet Albers got extremely drunk and escaped the bartender who tried to take her keys. She was going seventy down the road near our house. I was with our neighbor at home while they went to my dad’s company holiday party. It started storming about fifteen minutes before the crash, so roads were still slick. She hit them head on and flipped their car. They died instantly. I went into the system after that. Foster care until I aged out of it. Bounced around about six homes from three until I was a little over eight. That’s when I was moved to Janet Granger’s house. When my social worker, Collins, dropped me off, he said he knew I’d be happy there. I didn’t believe him at the time after some of the places I had seen. I lived with Janet for almost ten years. She’s a single nurse. Her husband left her because she couldn’t
have kids. So she decided to foster instead.”
Easton sits there speechless. “f**k Luci.” He breathes out before pulling me into his lap. “I had no idea sweetness.” I curl into his warmth, letting that rare comfort flow over me. “You had no
other family?”
Thinking about Cole, I move back to my cushion. “My parents were older when they had me and my mom lost her parents when she was in high school. Paternal grandmother was a single parent and she passed away when I was a year old. My dad had a sister, Marlena. She is or was a single mom of two girls. They notified her because she was their only living relative. She lives in Connecticut. She told them she’d take me if my parents had left any life insurance to help her raise me. She was struggling to make ends meet for her kids and didn’t want to add another mouth to feed to her plate. They didn’t leave anything more than enough
to pay for their burials. My parents apparently were not great with money.”
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37: Mothers Part 2
His eyes open wide. “That’s why you got so emotional about Becker and Kingston’s story.”
“Yes. I’m glad they had a loving family to take them in. I don’t blame my aunt. She already had
two kids she could barely feed and clothe. I haven’t heard from her either.”
“The woman who killed your parents, what happened to her?”
“She got the maximum sentence because it wasn’t her first offense. It was the first time she
took a life though. Twenty years in prison with no parole. She gets out next year.” I raise my
head and look into his eyes. “Sydney is the only other person who knows this part. She writes
me a letter every year since I was fourteen. Apologizes for taking my parents and tells me
little things about herself. I’ve never written her back because I can’t. The fact that she spent
the last nineteen years clothed, fed and given anything she needs while I lost everything is a
bitter pill to swallow. I forgave her. She’s gotten clean there and got a degree. Hopes to help
people with addictions like herself. I’ve tried but I just can’t write her.”
“Dammit Luci. Come here.” He holds me against his chest. “You have every right to be bitter
and angry with her, sweetness. And she shouldn’t expect a damn word from you much less
forgiveness. You have a heart like no one I’ve ever met. Cole knew?”
I keep my head against him but tilt my face up to his. “I told him they died, and that Janet took
care of me. “Age appropriate answer for him.
”
“Janet is like your mom then? Or you’re not that close?” He asks cautiously.
“Closest thing I had to it growing up. Janet is very…. blunt and not big on flowery words or gestures. I mean she always took care of the important stuff, but she had lots of kids with issues bigger than mine. She made sure I had every trick or therapy to help with my ADHD.
Betsy, another girl my age with the same social worker, and I lived with her the longest, so we
all visit when we can.”
I glance at the clock. “We should go.”
Easton gives me a long look before simply nodding and telling Cole it’s time to leave.
Janet and I are meeting at her favorite Tex–Mex restaurant. I find her shortly after we walk inside. I wave as we approach the tall, thin woman with auburn hair, cut in her usual flattering pixie style. Her sharp light green eyes sweep over the three of us. After she embraces me, I
point to my guests.
“Janet, this is Cole, who I told you about.” He smiles up at her, saying “hi” before returning to his magnet book. She smiles softly at him. I indicate the blonde giant hovering over me. “And this is Easton, ummm….” I pause, realizing we didn’t discuss if it’s ok I reveal that Cole is his
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37: Mothers Part 2
son. He holds his hand out, interjecting “Cole’s father and Luci’s boyfriend.” I gape at him and
his lips only twitch as he shakes Janet’s hand.
“Luci’s been keeping things from me.” Janet says her eyes darting between us.
“It’s a very recent development, Miss Granger. Only three days.”
“Call me Janet, Easton. I’m going to grab an extra kids packet. This one is missing the crayons.” She walks away and Easton gently grips my chin.
“Did you misunderstand what I meant the other night? You looked shocked I said it out loud. I’m your boyfriend, Luci.” His eyes are narrowed.
I shake my head. “No, I didn’t know if you wanted me to reveal you’re Cole’s father or your last
name. And you said that in front of Cole.”
His eyes soften. “Sweetness, Cole is going to call me daddy all through lunch. Again, I’m not
able to hide my identity when people see me. It’s ok Luci. She’s your parent basically, so I don’t
think it’ll be an issue. Cole is completely immersed in his book.”
Over lunch, Janet asks Cole all about his turkey role before inquiring how the Olmos family is
doing.
Her attention turns to Easton. “I believe you are quite the hockey player. You and your brothers.
I brought my oldest misfit, Joel to watch a game last year. He loved it.”
“He’s still with you I hope.” I add.
She smiles softly. “Collins is his social worker too. He’ll be with me until he ages out. He needs that stability.”
Easton breaks in. “If he loves hockey, I’d be happy to get you tickets to a few games. Text Luci
some dates that work and I’ll get them. Luci can send them to you.”
“I wasn’t angling for that.” She protests.
“I know. But I’m offering.” He states simply.
“That would make his year. He hopes to play when he goes to college. Thank you Easton.”
Easton
“No problem.” I respond. It isn’t.
“Cole, they have free ice cream at the front for kids. Chocolate, vanilla or a swirl of both.” Cole
grins at Janet happily.
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37: Mothers Part 2
“Luci, can we go?”
“Sure.” She glances at me and I nod. I am well aware Janet intends to speak to me alone
before we leave.
Cole skips away happily holding her hand.
“You love your son.” Janet states matter of factly. The woman is like me. Nothing flowery
about her.
“I do.”
“You can tell a lot about a man in how he treats his children. I am a blunt woman Easton so I’ll
get right to the point. Luci didn’t mention his mother.” She gives me a searching look.
“She left him at almost two for her career. Haven’t heard from her since then. Luci knows the
story.”
“She’ll return. They always do. And when she does what will happen to my Luci?” That phrase
comforts me this time.
“Nothing. We only recently started dating. She may get tired of me and my so very sunshiny
personality. Might decide she wants a different person, not a ready–made family.” I express all
the doubts I have about Luci and I.
She looks down before giving me a hint of a sad smile. “It won’t be nothing. You have no idea
how that is going to affect you. You’re what 22, 23? And Cole is 4.”
“23 in two weeks.”
“So you were about 20 or 21 when she ghosted you. Probably with no real closure. Your brain
and emotions were in no way, shape or form ready to deal with that type of blow. Your son will
very likely resent Luci at some point after she shows up. Children crave their true parents even when they’ve treated them like utter garbage.” She pauses to let that sink in.
“Cole loves Luci.” My rebuttal is instant.
“Love changes to hate in a child in a matter of seconds or a few words, depending on their
age. Especially when that person is keeping their fairytale away from them. I warn you now
because my sweet Luci will be the one left in the ashes. You should be prepared. I will warn
her too, but she already knows. She took enough child development classes before she
changed her major to be very aware of how this is going to play out.”
“She changed her major to accounting from childhood development?”
“Yes. Her reasons have always been sketchy in that regard. Maybe she’ll tell you the truth.
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37: Mothers Part 2
Remember what I said though.”
I hear Cole’s laughter as they walk back. Luci looks between us with concern. Janet smiles at
her. “Is it delicious Cole?”
“Yes. The best.” He eats his cone happily while my mind spins. Watching Cole with her I
cannot imagine he’d ever resent Luci.
Janet walks out with us. “Mr. Cole and Easton, I hope to see you again.”
She embraces Luci. “Take care of yourself in the coming weeks. Will Sydney be gone?”
“Yes, but I’ll be ok.”
Janet nods. “We’ll discuss it again later. Bye sweet Luci.”
“Bye Janet.”
Once we are driving away, I have to know. “She calls you misfits?”
Luci nods. “The island of misfit toys from the old claymation Rudolph. And people thought she was insulting her foster kids but it was a fond nickname. Reminding us we fit in together
and with her. Always called herself the head misfit.”
I park in front of her apartment and tell Cole we’ll go inside for a minute when he says he
needs to go potty.
“Luci, where are you spending Thanksgiving Day?” I asks quietly as Cole races toward her
bathroom.
“I always go to the Olmos’s house for that since I started college.” I frown harder at that.
All day long, my heart and mind have been on a damn rollercoaster. Luci being all alone her whole life had about torn me apart. Now she’s spending tomorrow with Sydney’s family which is a relief, but she’s going to be around her damn brother all day. She tugs on my sleeve and I
stare down at her.
“The game on Friday, can we bring Banning? It would mean a lot to Barrett. And maybe also Syd’s parents. They love hockey. I’ll pay for the tickets.” She pleads with that sweet smile that does me in. I dare not reveal that to her yet. She’s already exploiting my biggest weak spots
too well.
I groan as I rake my hand down my face in frustration. “That guy?” She nods hopefully. ” Sweetness, did you date him? Including something as simple as a casual dinner night thing or dance as a friend.” I have to know. Even thinking about him sitting there with her drives me
nuts.
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37: Mothers Part 2
She makes a disgusted face. “What?! Ugh never! Banning is my brother basically. That’s gross,
Easton.”
“Really? Not even the sister’s best friend crush on the older brother thing? You promise me?”
“Yes really. I could never.” She shudders and I am mollified. I liked the guy himself and could
commiserate with him for being a single father.
“I’ll get their tickets. You’re not paying for them.” She grins and rushes to hug me. I wrap my arms around her back. “But could you maybe not let him touch you when I’m watching? Like no hugs when I’m on the ice.” I grumble into her hair.
“Does it bother you that much? Easton Reed are you seriously…”
I cut her off. “Yes I’m f*****g jealous of him. The way he calls you my Luci Lou. It bugs the f**k
out of me.”
She bites her lip. “I was going to say are you seriously worried. Didn’t think you’d be jealous.”
“I’m a majorly possessive asshole, Luci. Yes, I am jealous of anyone touching you.” Or claiming you, or even the thought that he’d touched you in the past. “Matter of fact, you’re
going to need to wear my hoodie to the game.”
A
Ivory Row
Banning pushed so many buttons lol.
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