Chapter Twenty-Seven

Arthur

"Arthur, aren’t you coming?” Bailey asked me, Gina still hitched to his side, her head on his shoulder. His eyes were anxious from his desire to go to Reggie and ensure the little boy was safe and unhurt. I was quite certain Bailey would take care of the kids, but it was my turn to take care of him.

“I’ll meet you at the police station,” I told him with a nod.

He glanced from me to his mother, looking like he wanted to protest, then he shrugged and turned to follow the cops out. He and Gina would ride in the back seat to pick up Reggie.

“Well, what are you still doing here?” Bailey’s mother asked, her eyes roving over me with contempt.

“We need to talk.”

“There’s absolutely nothing you have to say to me,” she replied. “And I need to go to the police station.”

I held up my hand, and she halted in place. “You’ll do no such thing. You almost ruined these kids' lives for whatever selfish reason of yours, but this is where it stops. You’re going to stay the hell away from Bailey and those kids. Allow them to be happy.”

Her gasp filled the living room. “Just who do you think you are?”

“My bad.” I extended a hand to her. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name’s Arthur Parrish.”

Her mouth fell open in shock. “Arthur Parrish?”

My lips twisted sardonically at her recognizing the name. “That’s right. Arthur Parrish, the man who loves your son and those kids more than you’d understand. And I’ll be damned before I let you hurt them anymore.”

I allowed my hand to drop when she remained at a loss for words, unable to respond to me. I disliked using my name to intimidate people, but I didn’t mind using it when it was called for, and right now, it was absolutely called for.

“I’m trying to be polite about this,” I continued. “The kids are too innocent to be caught up in this game you are trying to play. They belong with Bailey. It’s what your son requested. Allow him to rest in peace that his wish is being carried out.”

“They are my grandchildren,” she protested. “I have a right to see them.”

I frowned at her. “Based on my understanding of how you treated your sons, you have no right at all when it comes to these kids. I trust we’ve reached an understanding on the matter. You don’t want to make an enemy of me, and I’m being this polite because, despite everything, you’re still Bailey’s mother.”

“Do you know who I am?” she demanded, her lips trembling as she tried to look stern.

“What I do know, Ms. Malcolm, is that you are at the verge of bankruptcy.” I heard her sharp indrawn breath, but was pretty confident in the information I had received. I didn’t have all this money and not know when to put it to good use. “What I’ve figured out is that you want the kids because of the amount they stand to inherit when they come of age, but you better believe me when I say that you won’t even see a dollar of that money. Every single penny will go to them when they are eighteen. Now, I’ll collect their things and leave. Have a good day, Ms. Malcolm.”

She glared at me, and for a minute, I thought she would argue, but she only bellowed for the maid to get the kids’ stuff. I would have left them behind and bought them new things, but I figured they had items that meant a lot to them. Given how quickly the maid returned with everything packed, I was inclined to believe Bailey’s mother had made no effort to even get them settled. His older brother had made the right choice in putting Bailey in charge. He might have been young, but he was more capable than this woman who had already failed two children. I would be damned if I allowed her to fail another two. She had already fucked up her two chances, and now it was Bailey’s turn to be a dad.

After collecting and packing the children’s things in the trunk of my car, I felt I’d wasted enough time with her and this place. I left the house, confident that Bailey’s mother would stay away from them. None of them needed the toxic aura of the woman around them. I only hoped the kids didn’t suffer too much while being with her for the past few days.

I sped off to the Hoover Police Department where Bailey was picking up Reggie. I had also chosen to stay back to speak to his mother so he would have some time alone with both kids. Seeing the way Gina had run to him and clung to him had made me tear up. I would rather wait until Bailey was calm or I’d be a wreck seeing his reaction to finding Reggie. He loved those kids so much that no one would have been able to tell the kids were not biologically his. Now I knew why his brother had left them in his care.

He had even done something he had promised himself never to do again just to give the kids a roof over their heads and keep them with him. I waited for the anger and jealousy to hit me at what Bailey had engaged in, but all I felt was relief that I had him back in my life and that everything was finally falling in place.

I couldn’t get to Municipal Drive soon enough. The parking lot of the police station was virtually empty so I easily found a spot then hurried inside. As I entered, I saw them. Bailey was sitting on a chair in the room, and both kids were in his lap. He glanced up, smiling at me through his tears. It was the goddamn most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.

“Arthur!” Reggie called my name then he started to cry. I closed the distance between us and stooped beside Bailey. Reggie walked over to me and buried his face in my chest. “I’m s-sorry I r-ran away,” he sobbed. “I wanted to find Uncle Bailey.”

I patted his back. “That’s okay, champ. You don’t have to worry about finding Uncle Bailey ever again.”

“I missed you,” he whispered. “I was sad you went away.”

And that was when I broke. I couldn’t remember anyone else ever being sad that I went away before, but here I had three people who cared. I mattered to them.

“I missed you too.” I stopped fighting the tears. “Don’t do that to us ever again.”

“Even Uncle Bailey?” Gina asked.

I glanced up at Bailey to find his cheeks pink. “Yeah, even Uncle Bailey.” I rose to my feet, swinging Reggie up in the air, and he giggled. “How long before we can go?” I asked. “Will I need to call back the lawyer?”

The male police officer who had been at his mother’s house with us approached us and overheard the question. “No lawyers necessary,” he answered. “Luckily we got a call from someone who spotted him at the playground. We didn’t see him when we drove by because he was hiding in the activity tower. I trust you have this handled?”

I nodded. “Yes, we do. Thanks a lot, officer.”

“Now we can go home!” Bailey announced, all smiles.

Gina’s lower lip trembled. “We don’t want to go back to Grandma’s.”

Bailey glanced at me, and I could see the thoughts going through his mind whether or not the kids would accept their new home. I believed wholeheartedly that they would. The kids didn’t really care where they lived. They just cared that it was with Bailey.

“You won’t be going back to Grandma’s,” Bailey told them as we walked out of the police station together. “We’re starting a brand new adventure with a new home.”

Reggie, who was holding my hand, peered up at me. “Will you be at our new home too?”

“I’ll see you as often as I can if your uncle wants,” I answered as we came to a stop at my car.

“Why don’t we cast a vote?” Bailey said, smiling at me mischievously. “A show of hands if you want Arthur to come over as often as possible.” Everyone had two hands up in the air, including Bailey who looked just like a big kid. “I guess that’s settled then. You’re stuck with us.”

I leaned forward and kissed Bailey, our lips curving in a smile as the kids made sounds of disgust. As I pulled back, our eyes met and held. I saw everything in them that I needed to know. I had found love on the deck of a cruise ship, and I couldn’t wait to be officially stuck with them.

 

 

The End

Thank you for reading the 3rd and final book in the Till There Was You series.