Chapter Twenty-Six

Bailey

“Well, the house checks out okay, and I have just one final question.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and grappled for Arthur's hand. He smiled down at me reassuringly and gave just the slightest squeeze. It was all I needed for my plummeting confidence to return. We were going to do this. We were going to pass this assessment, and I was going to have the kids in our new home tonight. I could hardly wait.

“Go ahead,” Robert Jennison, Arthur's lawyer said.

I had met him earlier before the social worker arrived, and I liked him. He exuded such confidence that I didn't have any option but to believe him when he said it would all work out. Between him and Arthur, I was convinced.

“It's the matter of your employment,” Mrs. Sears replied with a frown. “It's all good and well that you have this home, but how will you provide for the kids daily? Do you have any savings, and do you intend to find employment any time soon?”

“I am employed,” I answered, glancing at Arthur for assurance.

“That's right,” he backed me up. “Bailey works for me as the head of maintenance.”

The social worker frowned from me to Arthur. “Okay, I see what's going on here. I know you're trying to help out your boyfriend, Mr. Parrish, but he can't be dependent upon you and use that to maintain the kids. We are trying to find a long-term solution for the kids. We don't want to move them again if a month or two from now your relationship is in jeopardy and Mr. Haughton is once more left to fend for himself.”

“I hope you're not questioning the legitimacy of my client's employment,” Robert Jennison barked, his waspish tone making even me pay attention. “Here, we have pay slips to show Mr. Haughton has been employed with Mr. Parrish for almost a year. I'd call that a steady income, wouldn't you?”

The social worker skipped through the papers the lawyer passed her. When she was satisfied, she handed it back to the lawyer. “That's enough,” she concluded. “Given you pass the criteria, there's nothing preventing you from reclaiming the kids.” She smiled at me. “I hope you know that I've been rooting for you, but I had to do my job given you didn't have a home. Of course, I'll continue to monitor the kids and ensure they are settled. Just for follow-up, but something tells me I won't have anything to worry about. I don't suppose you're willing to wait until after the holiday to collect the kids?”

Damn right I wasn't going to wait. “No, I would rather get them settled today.”

She nodded. “Then give me a minute to call your mother and alert her that we are on our way.”

The minute she stepped out of the room, I grabbed Arthur in a hug. “They're coming home, Arthur.”

“Yes, they are.”

He cupped the back of my head and gave me a jubilant kiss that reminded me of last night. If I had any doubt before about him accepting me after what I had done, last night proved otherwise.

“Ahem.” We pulled apart as his attorney tried to get our attention. “I'd say my job here is done. Now I can go home to my family.”

“Sorry about that, Robert.” Arthur shook his hand. “You know I wouldn't have called you away from your family if it wasn't urgent.”

“Don't sweat it until you get my bill,” Robert replied with a chuckle. He gave me a nod. “All the best, Bailey.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

When we were left alone, I couldn't help kissing Arthur again. “We did it! I can't believe we did it!”

We were still grinning at each other when the social worker re-entered the living room.

“We've got a problem.”

I clutched the front of Arthur's shirt, too afraid to ask what was going on.

“What is it?” Arthur asked, his voice stern. “She's not trying to hold this up, is she?”

She shook her head. “No. In fact, it seems the opposite, but the little boy is missing.”

My hand tightened in Arthur's shirt as I tried to make sense of what the woman was saying. Reggie was missing?

“What the hell do you mean Reggie's missing?” he thundered.

“He ran away, and they're not sure how long he's been gone. He told his sister he was going to find Bailey.”

My legs felt weak at the thought of Reggie roaming the streets alone. There were people who wouldn't care that he was just a kid. In fact, people were out there who would hurt him simply because he was a helpless kid. Remembering the ugliness I had witnessed on the streets, my blood went cold.

“We've got to find him!” I cried, my words full of urgency, but my legs too weak to follow through.

“Let's go!” Arthur grabbed my hand, and I automatically went with him. We forgot about the social worker as we sped to his car and got in. As far as we were concerned we were through with her.

“Oh my god!” I moaned in distress, my hands shaking so hard I couldn't buckle the seatbelt. “Arthur, what if—”

“No!” Arthur cut me off before I could finish the sentence. He reached across to grip my chin and jerk my face around so I didn't have an option but to look at him. “There's no ‘what if’ Bailey. He's going to be fine. He's a smart kid. He's going to be just fine.”

I nodded, refusing to think the worst. “You're right. He's going to be home with me tonight.”

“That's right. Let's keep it positive. You'll have to direct me to your mother's house.

On the way to my mother's house, I listened as Arthur called the police to find out if Reggie's disappearance had been reported. I wanted it to be just my mother trying to thwart me as usual, but the police officer he spoke to assured him the report was already made, and several units were actively searching for Reggie. All I could think was how far could a little boy get on foot unless someone had him? I desperately tried to think positively as Arthur had suggested.

When Arthur drove up the driveway of my mother’s house, I was out of the car before he even parked. I vaguely took in the squad car parked in the yard. I slammed the door shut and ran up the steps of the porch. I forgot there was an invention known as the doorbell, but pounded on the door.

“Mother! Mother!”

The door opened from the inside just as Arthur joined me. He tried to reach for my hand, but I was too frantic with worry for handholding. I brushed past my mother’s maid Juanita who had opened the door.

“Where’s she?” I demanded.

“She’s in the living room with the police, Señor,” she answered, pausing to stare wide-eyed at Arthur. “And who might you be? Only family is being allowed in at this time.”

I stopped in my tracks and glared at the maid though I knew it wasn’t through any fault of her own. “He’s staying, and there’s not a goddamn thing anyone can do about it.”

Arthur walked by her and followed me into the living room. My focus zeroed in on Gina who sat on the couch, her head hung. Her shoulders shook as she cried silently. Her hair was in that dreadful loose ponytail that she hated. She preferred having the hair braided or formed in a bun.

“Gina,” I said her name, and her head snapped up. I had no idea it was possible to die and come alive at the same time. The misery in her eyes wounded me deeply. I should have protected her and Reggie from this. Yet, when she saw me, her eyes brightened a little. She jumped off the couch and ran to me. I bowed to her level and caught my girl in my arms, holding her to me as we both dissolved into tears.

“I’m sorry,” I cried, stroking her hair. “I’m so sorry, puppet. Can you ever forgive me? I shouldn’t have let them take you away.”

She clung tighter to my neck, her head beneath my chin. There was no loosening her grip. I opened my eyes and blinked my mother into focus. She rose to her feet, a female and a male police officer with her.

“I know what you’re going to say,” she remarked, her tone biting without even a hint of remorse. “But you can just save it. He snuck out of the house, so you can’t blame me. I played my part in providing a lovely home for them.”

Staring at her, it dawned on me that it was useless trying to reason with this woman who had given birth to me, but had never been up to the task of raising kids. So why had she fought me for the kids? Now was hardly the time to hassle her over that, however.

“I’ve no interest in playing the blame game, Mother.” Although she deserved every blame for this. “All I am interested in is having Reggie returned safely home with me where they both belong.”

“I take it you’re the children’s rightful guardian?” the policeman asked, approaching me.

I nodded. “I am. My brother named me the legal guardian of the kids before he died.”

He glanced from me to Arthur who stood by my side even though he had yet to give any input.

“And he is?” the officer asked.

“My partner,” I replied.

Mother’s face turned as red as the lipstick she was wearing. “How dare you bring your filthy habit into my house?”

Despite Gina clinging to me, I passed her on to Arthur, hoping she wouldn’t disappoint me in not going to him. She didn’t. She clung to Arthur as she had to me. Satisfied that she was being comforted, as much as I hated doing this in front of her, I had had enough.

“We’re here to—” I started only to be interrupted by her.

“This is my house and my rules! This kind of behavior under my roof is unacceptable.”

“Shut up!” I’d snapped, fed up with her and her sanctimonious bullshit. “For once in your life, you’re going to shut up and listen! I don’t give a damn about your house and your rules. We wouldn’t be here right now if not for you. The kids would have been with me, where they belong in the first place. I get it, okay? I get it that you don’t care that you had two boys who needed a mother’s love. I get it that I’ll never have your approval, and I don’t need it. I’m here for one reason only, and that’s to find Reggie, and I swear to God, Mother, if anything happens to that sweet little boy because of you, you will regret it. I’ll make your life a living hell.”

At my outburst, silence fell in the living room. My mother stared at me in shock as though she couldn’t fathom being talked to in such a manner. Her mouth moved like a fish, but no sound came out. The police officers looked uncomfortable caught in the middle of the argument. Even Gina’s sobs had quietened to sniffs.

The squawking of the radio the police officer wore went off.

“We’ve found a little boy, dark hair, brown eyes, about six, and fits the description of the missing child.”