Chapter 13
Eli comes downstairs to find Clarke’s car pulling out of the driveway. He should have known she’d run as far away from him as she could. How can he blame her?
Instead of sulking himself into a drunken stupor, Eli decides to check in on Jonathan. He creeps up the stairs in case the boy is still awake, and looks through the cracked open door. He’s cuddled up with a stuffed bulldog. Right away Eli recognizes it. It was his when he was a kid. His dad must have given it to him. It had always been his favorite dog. It just so happens the Marine Corp. mascot is the same breed of dog. He even has a tattoo of it on his arm. Eli steps inside the room and pulls the covers back up over the child. He takes in his innocence and thinks what it would have been like to know him from the start. There are things he’ll never be able to change, but the child is growing up fast and it’s not fair to deny they’re family.
For a long time Eli sits on the edge of the bed watching the small boy sleep. Like it or not, there was an immediate connection between them. Now he knows it would break his heart to walk away again.
The bright morning sun wakes him. Eli sits up to realize he’d fallen asleep in Jonny’s room. He’s been calling him that since he found out his mom hates it. Anything he can do to piss her off makes him ravel in pleasure.
Jonny stirs and wipes his eyes to find his brother sprawled out next to him. He nestles his little body closer for warmth and touches Eli’s nose. “Do I look like you?”
After stretching, Eli replies,” I think you do a little.” He’s still in denial. The resemblance is undeniable. It makes him think back to when Siobhan ruined him. If only he were able to get back all he’s lost because of that woman.
By the time Siobhan shows up Jonny has finished his breakfast. He doesn’t run to hug his mother, instead clings to Eli begging to stay longer. Eli is overjoyed to see the look on Siobhan’s face, up until he realizes this was her plan all along. She wants him to replace his father.
Eli pats the boy on the back. “Go on home with your mother. You can come visit again.”
“Go get your stuff together. I need to have a word with Elias.”
“He likes to be called Eli, Mom,” Jonny corrects before running upstairs.
Siobhan places her delicate manicured hands on the countertop and looks across at Eli. “Wow, I leave him in your care for one night and he’s already giving me lip.”
Eli interrupts. “I want to see him again while I’m here.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
His eyes widen. How dare she give and take away like she has power over him. “Back when I was in high school you may have had the upper hand when it came to my decisions, but you’re not in control anymore.”
“Last night was a one time deal. I was in a jam.”
“I don’t give a shit what you were in. This is about that boy. You and I both know I have every right to be a part of his life.”
“You wanted nothing to do with him. Your own family. Now, all of a sudden you’re going to be buddies?”
He interjects. “Afraid he’ll want to be with me more?”
This infuriates Siobhan. “How dare you?”
Eli steps toward her, so close that when he speaks he’s spitting on her perfect made up face. “If I were you, I wouldn’t want to cross me, Siobhan. Dad’s not here anymore, and you’ve taken away everything that ever meant a damn thing to me. I have nothing left to lose. He’s the only family I have.”
“Screw you.”
Eli takes her by the wrist and jerks her back to looking in his direction. His wide, anger-filled eyes tell Siobhan he’s done backing down. “Have you forgotten? You already have, you deceitful little bitch. You screwed me. You don’t deserve a kid like him. Try to keep him away from me, and I’ll make this ugly for you. Don’t forget I know your dirty secrets. You wouldn’t want the wrong people finding out what you did to have him.”
Tears fill the woman’s eyes. For the first time Siobhan knows she’s not in control. Eli could ruin her reputation and possibly more. She can’t let that happen. “Fine. Spend as much time with him as you want, just please, please don’t hurt him. I’m not the person I used to be either. I’d do anything to keep him protected from my mistakes.”
He lets go of her arm. “Clarke stopped by last night. Care to tell me why you told her those lies about me?”
Her arms go to her hips. “You don’t let up do you?”
“Not when it comes to her. Leaving her to protect my father, and making her think she did something wrong are two very different things. I wanted her to come with me. You knew I did. Why would you tell her I changed my mind?”
“Because I knew you’d tell her the truth, and Clarke isn’t like you. She’d feel obligated to tell your father. I would have lost everything.”
“So, again, selfish reasons.”
“I’ll admit I was only thinking of myself.”
“You disgust me, Siobhan. How could you look him in the eye and lie for years?”
The patter of footsteps causes the two adults to separate. “I’m ready to go, Mom.”
“Ok, kiddo. Give your brother a hug.”
Eli crouches down and wraps his arms around the boy. He doesn’t have to promise to see him again, because he knows he feels an obligation to be in his life.
“We didn’t get to build anything.”
“Tell ya what,” Eli starts. “How about you come over in a couple days and we’ll build some birdhouses?”
“Yeah. Can I, Mom?”
It’s obvious Siobhan is reluctant. Eli flashes her a stern grimace. “Sure. I’ll call Elias and figure out a time.”