Chapter 19

David

I couldn’t shake the idea that Sierra could be mine, and I’d have to talk to Allison about it before it drove me crazy. Instead of calling, I knew the delicate matter needed special attention, so I decided to drive over and talk to her in person.

Having no idea how she’d take the question, I was nervous about how I’d bring it up. Would it be an insult? Would she be pissed off at me for making such an assumption?

When Sierra came to greet me at the door, I found myself studying her features a bit harder than before, and while she still looked so much like her mother to me, her blue eyes were not only the same color as mine, but they had the same deep set to them.

“Mama! David’s here!”

“Honey, I’ve told you not to open the door without asking who it is.”

“It’s David.” She gave a little shrug and stepped aside as Allison walked up to let me in. She had on yoga pants and a long tee that had fallen off her shoulder. Her long blond hair was pulled up into a messy bun.

She ran her hand over the locks and tucked her chin as if she were embarrassed for me to see her that way. “Hey, I wasn’t expecting anyone. I’ve just been doing a bit of cleaning. I’m afraid I look a mess.”

“You look beautiful. I should have called, but I really wanted to see you.” I felt bad for not calling sooner after what happened between us. I waited until Sierra ran to her room and leaned over to give her a quick kiss. She pulled away, looking over her shoulder to see if Sierra had seen, but the little girl was still in her room.

The kiss at least earned me a smile. “I was kind of thinking maybe you regretted what happened Friday.”

“No, not at all. I guess I’ve just been processing a few things.”

“Yeah, I think it’s the quickest you’ve spoken to me after sex in all of our experiences.”

“To be fair, I was embarrassed the first time. The whole condom thing.”

“Right. You mean when you nearly put my eye out?” The apples of her cheeks reddened, and she glanced back over her shoulder.

“I’d never used one before, and I had no idea the thing would be so tight.” I’d learned that size apparently did matter when purchasing condoms.

“We got the job done. I figured that’s what it was all about anyway.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked. “I could have lost it with a dozen others, but I wanted to lose it with you. I wasn’t too keen on anyone else having you, either.”

“Always looking out for me, huh?” Her voice was teasing, but it had been the truth. The thought of someone else having her had haunted me for months after I’d learned she’d become pregnant. When she first started seeing Doug, after we’d lost our virginity, I’d confronted her about having sex with him and told her that if I heard so much as a rumor, I’d kill the guy. That hadn’t gone over so well, but I’d grown up a lot since then.

Sierra came running out of her room with her bear, which she’d dressed in a doll-size sweater and a pair of boots. “I named her Mystery.”

“Mystery?” I said. “That’s a great name. I like that a lot.”

“Want to know how I thought of it?”

“Sure. I love creative minds.” She was like Blaine in that way, and I had to wonder if the reason was that she might be his niece.

“Mr. E. Mystery. Get it?” She gave me a wide-eyed stare and then looked at her mother when I shrugged. “She’s a girl, so I can’t name her Mister.” She sighed like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I get it, and I’m very impressed and honored. You’re very creative.” Before I could tell her how much she reminded me of my baby brother, my phone rang. “I need to grab this.” The hair on my neck stood up as I recognized the number.

Allison gestured to the next room and then picked Sierra up into her arms as if to step away to give me privacy. “You can take it in the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” I answered the call. “Yeah, Sheriff?”

“Hey, David. I’m sorry to have to call again so soon, but your brother was picked up across town for DUI. I couldn’t do shit to help him this time. You’re going to have to get your lawyer and come down here. I told him I’d call you, and he’s throwing a fit.” Blaine’s temper was as bad as our father’s had been. Missy and I had gotten our mother’s, thankfully.

“I’m on my way.” I hung up and turned to Allison, who was trying to entertain Sierra but keeping a close eye on me as well.

When I walked out from around the bar, she stood and wrapped her arms around herself. She’d always done that when she was concerned about something, and I hated to make her worry.

“Is everything all right?” she asked.

“It will be. It’s Blaine. Look, I came to talk to you, but I’ll have to postpone. Tomorrow?” I would have plenty of time at work to chat.

“No, I understand; family first. I’ll see you tomorrow at work, right?”

“You’re leaving?” Sierra jumped up from the couch and ran over to grab my hand.

“Yeah, sweetheart. I have to go see about my brother, but I’ll come back another time and see you, I promise.”

Her little shoulders drooped. “Fine. But you’re coming to Thanksgiving dinner, aren’t you?”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but Allison placed her hand on my arm as she walked me to the door. “I was going to ask you. If you have plans, we totally understand, but I wanted to invite you to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents’ house.”

“I’d love to. I’ll be in touch.”

Sierra cheered and ran out to hug me, and then Allison took her hand as I got in my car and drove away.

I hated to go without getting the answers I needed, but Blaine had really crossed the line, and it was a good thing the police got involved before he killed someone out on the streets. My temper was more like my father’s by the time I got to the station where the Sheriff was waiting, along with my lawyer.

David Temple, my father’s attorney, had always been good to us kids, and I knew it had to bother him that Blaine had let himself get in trouble. I was both thankful and embarrassed to see him when he walked up and shook my hand. “I didn’t think I’d beat you down here, but I went ahead and got the wheels in motion for his release.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t in the city. Where do I pay his bail?”

The Sheriff walked me to a counter, and while I took care of that, he and David talked about his record and how he hated that this time he had to get tough.

I hated it, too, but it was what needed to be done. After another thirty minutes, my brother was put in a holding cell at my request.

“Hey, I thought I was getting out of here!” I heard him call from around the corner. “This is bullshit. My attorney should be here. He said that I was getting out. You people quit dragging your asses around—”

He shut his mouth when I rounded the corner with the guard, who let me into the cell. “Can we get a moment?”

“Sure thing, Mr. DeVant.” The guard shut the door and turned to go down the hall and give us a little privacy.

Blaine looked up at me. “I guess I get another one of your lectures.”

I crossed the room and gripped his collar. Then I dragged him back against the bars. “I should beat your ass is what I should do! Do you have any idea of how serious this is? It’s going to follow you for life. You could have killed someone or yourself. Do you think I want to have to come down here to identify your fucking body? Do you know what kind of shit storm this could cause in the fucking press?”

“Take me home.” The smell of alcohol was sweating from his pores and lingering on his breath.

“No, I’m not taking you home. Not yet. Not until I’m damned sure you never want to come back to this place again.”

“I didn’t call you.” He pushed me away, and I took a step back and turned to pace the small cell.

“Would you rather I let you rot in here? Leave you to serve out your time? I can’t leave you in a place like this. As much as I think you should be locked up, I’d prefer a fucking rehab.”

“Why do you care? Missy doesn’t.”

I glanced over to see my brother, expecting him to be much younger by the sound of his voice.

“What the fuck does that matter?” I wasn’t sure how our sister had been brought into the conversation.

“She’s all I had. You went into the fucking Air Force, and she was all I had my whole life. She took care of me. We were best friends. Then the first time I fucked up a little, she tossed my ass to the curb like I didn’t fucking mean a thing.” He sat and rested his head in his hands, and I realized what his fucking problem was.

“It’s not that Dad’s dead, is it?” I asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“You lost Mom, and you were so young. Missy took care of you and raised you, and she’s not around to help you through Dad’s loss. You don’t have anyone to make proud, no one to hold you accountable. It’s Missy that you’re mourning, not Dad.”

“I miss Dad. But she had always been there, you know? I don’t know what’s wrong with me, man. It’s like, I guess I feel alone. I’ve got all the money, the drugs, the booze, and sex I want, but I don’t feel like I have a place in this world.”

“I told her to call you. Why didn’t you tell her that?” I held my arms wide, shrugging as I let loose a deep sigh of frustration.

He huffed. “Yeah, I know. You think I didn’t know you’d put her up to it?”

“She said you hung up on her.”

“Yeah. If she wants to call me, I’ll talk.” He crossed his arms and turned his head. He reminded me of when he’d been in middle school and had gotten grounded from watching TV. He’d sit in his room with his arms crossed and stare out the window. But he wasn’t a fucking kid anymore.

“You’re being an asshole. Regardless of your issues with Missy, do you want to be the guy who takes out someone else’s mother? Do you want some poor fucking kid to be left in your position? You need help. I’ll take you to get help.”

“Where?”

“There’s a facility upstate. I’ll drive you. You just have to say the words, man. Get yourself straightened out, and then, when you do, I promise you Missy will come around. She loves you, Blaine. You’re like her first kid.”

“I thought I was, but then she had kids of her own.”

“Are you jealous of the fucking twins?” I hadn’t thought it possible, but maybe.

“Hell no. I love them. I don’t get to see them, though, so what does it matter?”

“How about you clean up, and I’ll make sure that you do? But you have to be fucking worthy. Not some drunk ass piece of shit.”

Tears fell down his cheeks, and I wanted to take my words back.

“You’re a good guy, Blaine. You can have it all. Let me take you to get some help.”

“I want to.”

I was surprised when the words rolled off his tongue, but once they had, I wasn’t going to let him change his mind.”

“Let’s do this. Let’s get you better, brother.” I pulled him into my arms and raked my fingers through his hair. “I want our family to heal.” I’d have to get him to reach out to Missy himself, but now wasn’t the time to convince him of that.

I finished up out front and walked him to the car. I’d have quite a bit of driving to do, but I was going to take him upstate and check him in. I knew better than to take him home first, and anything he’d need, I’d make sure he had. My talk with Allison would have to wait until my return. I’d call her later to tell her what was going on, and hopefully, she’d understand.