Chapter Six
Beth
After Diesel brought them to the room, Beth spent the next hour putting her and Derek’s clothes away. Hopefully, they would be staying here for a while; so, she might as well get things situated for the two of them.
“Hey buddy, here are some clothes. Why don’t you go hop in the shower?” she told Derek.
“Do I have to?” he sounded so put out, Beth couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, you do. We were on the road for a day and a half. Go wash the dirt off. When you get finished, I’ll hop in,” she told him, watching him walk to the bathroom. “And don’t hog all the hot water, mister!”
Another hour later, both were showered and lying under the covers. “Do you think my dad is happy that I’m here?” Derek asked quietly.
“Oh honey, I bet he is thrilled.” At least to have Derek here, but she didn’t say that part out loud. She knew Devin was hurt and angry. He would probably never forgive her, and she would have to live with that. But, there was no doubt in her mind that after the shock wore off, Devin would embrace fatherhood. She always thought he would be a great father, and she still believed that.
“He didn’t really say too much to me, mom.” Her heart broke for her little boy.
“He was just shocked, baby. I promise everything will be okay. You just wait and see,” she reassured him.
“Okay, Mom.” he snuggled deeper into the covers. “Can you tell me a story?”
It was comforting that even though they weren’t at home, they could still keep their nightly routine. Beth always told Derek a story before bed, tonight would not be any different. Halfway through the story, she heard a light, gentle snore coming from his lips. Beth smiled as she laid her head on the pillow. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.
A loud knock on the door had her bolting straight up in bed. Heart pounding and disoriented, it took her a moment to realize where she was. Her father wouldn’t be here. She and Derek were safe, she told herself repeatedly. Taking several calming breathes, she climbed out of bed.
Answering the door, she was surprised to see a short curvy redhead. But what wasn’t surprising was the look of accusation in her eyes. “May I help you?” Beth asked politely.
Was this woman Devin’s girlfriend? Or wife? Beth never considered that he might already have a life and family. She and Derek being here could cause even more hurt to Devin, and that was the last thing she wanted; but she had nowhere else to go.
“I’m Amber. Devin’s sister. You must be Beth,” the woman stated.
Sister? Beth completely forgot that Devin had a sister. Oddly, a sense of relief flooded her. It shouldn’t have mattered who the woman was, but Beth was relieved nonetheless.
“Yes, I am. Please come in.” Beth moved back to the bed to sit next to a sleeping Derek. Amber walked in closing the door behind her.
Moving closer to the bed, Amber stared at the small form under the covers. “Oh my, he looks identical to Devin,” she exclaimed quietly.
“Yes he does.” And anyone could hear the love and pride she had in that fact. “Having Derek look so much like his father was one of the things that brought me so much comfort. It was like, even though Devin was gone, I felt like I truly had a piece of him with me.”
“If you would have told Devin, you could have had the real thing. How could you not tell him?” Beth could tell, Amber was genuinely curious.
Looking over at her sleeping son, she turned her gaze toward Amber. “How much has Devin told you?”
“Not everything I’m sure,” Amber confessed.
“When Devin and I were dating, I was so in love with him. We planned our future out, down to the minutes, I think,” she recalled with a smile on her face. “Then my father found out. I still don’t understand why he hated Devin so much, but he demanded I end things.”
“And you listened to him?” Amber demanded in a whisper. Beth knew the woman was upset and trying not to wake Derek.
“My father was, and still is, a very difficult man. When Jonathan Andrews tells you to do something, you do it. Plain and simple. There are consequences when his orders are ignored. He threatened Devin and his career if I did not leave him. So I did,” Beth explained to her. “That was the worst day of my life. I know I hurt Devin, but I hurt myself too. Then a few months later, I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to call him and let him know our last night together resulted in a child. But my father’s warnings kept coming back to me. So, I didn’t...” her voice broke on the last word. Beth stood from the bed and walked into the bathroom for tissue. Amber followed.
“And now? Why come back? If you were so scared of your father’s threats against my brother, why come here now?”
“Because I am more scared for my son than I am for Devin or myself. He doesn’t deserve this. He is just a little boy. A child,” Beth needed Amber to understand. “If my father can kill someone without blinking an eye, if he can take the life of a man over some lost shipment, then what is going to stop him from killing me?” Beth asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “I have no doubt that if he finds me, I’m dead. He’d do anything to protect his career.”
“Including killing his only child?” Amber asked.
“Yes,” Beth answered without hesitation. There was no love lost between her and the man who helped create her.
“Being here, I know Devin won’t let anything happen to Derek. And that is my main concern. Keeping my son safe. Devin might hate me, but he will grow to love his son.”
Amber turned back to the bed. “He already does,” she stated simply.
Just then, Derek started to move around on the bed. Beth knew he was waking up. “Would you like to meet him?”
Abruptly Amber turned back to her with a huge smile. “Please,” she said happily, but then got serious. “Beth, be careful with Devin, please. After the break up, Devin went off the deep end. Don’t push him there again, I am begging you.” Then she turned back towards the bed to see Derek sitting up against the headboard.
“Hi, Derek,” she told him with a reassuring smile. “I’m your Aunt Amber. It’s so good to finally meet you.”
Derek looked over to Beth for confirmation. When he received it, he looked back to Amber and stuck out his hand. But Amber didn’t take it, instead she stepped forward and wrapped him up in a big bear hug.
“No sir. No handshakes for me. Hugs! Lots and lots of hugs!” she said, causing Derek to giggle.
Beth’s eyes began to tear up again. Her son was finally getting the love that he lacked from her family. Derek needed this. He needed the love and comfort this place would bring. Again, Beth felt the self-hatred fill her soul. Her choices denied her son of this. It was all her fault. No, she told herself, it was her father’s fault, but Beth didn’t do anything to prevent it. So really, they both were to blame. Like always, she followed his orders blindly. But she was done with that. Never again. One way or another, she would be free of that horrible man - for good.
Coming back to the present, she saw Derek and Amber looking at her. She missed something. “I’m sorry. I was off in lala land. What did you say?”
“Are you hungry? There should still be some breakfast in the kitchen,” Amber repeated.
“I am starving. How about you, buddy?” she asked Derek.
He jumped off the bed and made for the door in his pajamas. “Umm. Derek?” she giggled. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
He looked down at his clothes... his face fell. “But it’s summer, Mom.”
“You are dressed perfectly!” Amber chimed in. Beth laughed and together they all made their way to the kitchen, trailing behind Derek as he ran down the hall in his Superman PJ’s.
Entering the kitchen, Beth noticed Derek stop in his tracks. Walking up behind him, she placed her hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Everyone in the room was staring at them.
“Put your faces back towards your food,” came a deep booming voice from the corner. Beth looked towards the huge guy standing next to Devin.
“That is Zander. VP and Enforcer for the MC. He’s also my husband,” Amber whispered in Beth’s ear. Bending down to meet Derek’s eyes Amber asked, “What would you like to eat little man?”
“Do you have Fruity O’s?” he asked hopefully.
“We sure do!” Amber exclaimed. “Want to know a secret?”
“Sure! My mom says I’m good at keeping secrets.” He smiled proudly.
“Fruity O’s are your daddy’s favorite cereal, too!” she told Derek. He looked over to his dad, who was also eating a bowl of cereal. “Why don’t you go on over and sit with him. I’ll grab your bowl and bring it to you.”
Derek looked up at Beth, as if asking permission. “Go on, buddy. It’s okay.” Beth watched as he approached Devin slowly and her heart skipped a beat as Devin pulled a chair out for their son and moved him close to his side.