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Cameron
Incapable of driving, I pull over a few blocks from Shirlene’s. I never give in, but I have no choice. The hole in my chest shatters open, and my body rocks with grief. I cry longer than I’ve ever cried in my life and feel like I’m going to throw up. My dearest friend is dead. Aimee is gone. The stroke killed her. She’s been dead for weeks, and I didn’t know. I was the fool again. I repeatedly slam my hands on the steering wheel until they might break.
Shirlene pretending to be Rain. Rain pretending to be Shirlene. Shirlene pretending to be Aimee. Rain threatening to take Arlene to LA with Chase. Aimee gone. For the first time in my life, I think I’d be better off dead. It would relieve this never-ending spinning.
Chase. I shake my head to clear the mess in my brain. This is how Chase felt. He drank and used drugs until the pain stopped. He threw his entire life away. A sardonic laugh escapes my throat. We’ve switched places. Now Chase is the golden son, who will inherit the real estate business, and I’m incapable of functioning. I lean my head back on the headrest as exhaustion overwhelms me.
I wake up to knocking on my car window. I’m startled, concerned it’s the cops, but it’s Hattie. She must have been driving home and saw my car on the side of the road.
I put down the window.
“What are you doing here, Cameron?” Her sweet face is full of concern.
“Get in.”
She hustles around the front of the car and settles into the passenger seat. “Are you okay? I thought you were dead.”
“Hattie, I wish I were.”
“Oh dear.”
“Exactly.” I muster the miniscule amount of energy I have left in my body to keep from crying again. I absolutely will not fall apart in front of someone.
“How can I help?”
“Hattie, you are the kindest person, and I don’t mean to sound melodramatic, but I’m beyond help. I really am. Nothing makes sense anymore, and I’ve lost everything.” I jam my thumbnail into the pad of my other hand to fight back tears that are determined to fall. “Aimee’s dead, and I didn’t know.” I try to bring myself to look at Hattie, but I only manage a glance. “I wanted to marry her, and when she couldn’t, I loved her so much that I stayed friends, which had its costs. Now, she’s gone.”
“I am sorry for your loss. It makes no sense to see someone young, and with their whole life ahead of them, die.”
“Like your daughter,” I say.
“Yes. Like my girl.”
“How did you ever get through that?”
Hattie doesn’t answer for a moment. “I don’t know. Losing a child...” She sighs. “Shirlene and I somehow stumbled through it together. At least my daughter got to grow up, start a career, marry, and have a baby. I have my granddaughter and her family. It helps. Poor Shirlene missed all of it.”
Anger, rather than empathy, heats up my body. “Please don’t talk about Shirlene right now.”
“Why are you blaming her?” Hattie asks.
“Because she left me and Arlene. She abandoned us.” I clench my teeth. “And now she’s taken over Aimee’s body. Why? Why the hell couldn’t she have stayed dead?”
Hattie zips open her large purse and dabs at her eyes with a hankie.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” I pat her arm.
“I know. You can’t help it right now.”
“You mean well, Hattie. But it’s best if you leave.”
She straightens up in her seat. This means she has more to say, and I’m not looking forward to it.
“I’ll go in a minute, but, Cameron, I need to ask you some questions.”
“Great.” I rapidly tap my right heel against the car floor. God, I’m twelve years old again.
“What about Arlene? Are you going to let Rain take her?”
“Of course not. I’ll take the money from my 401(k) and pay off Rain. I already got in touch with my finance guy.”
“Let’s go.” She fastens her seat belt. “After we go to your financial planner to acquire the money, I have to stop at the law firm to pick up the consent forms relinquishing Arlene. We need to make Rain and Chase sign them now.”
“How could those papers be ready so fast?”
“I talked to the right people after you left this morning and called in a few favors. As your lawyer and friend, I’m with you in this, Cameron. These papers are the first step for you to adopt Arlene.”
It’s the lifeline I need. “Thank you, Hattie.”
“You’ll have temporary custody until we take the next steps.”
“I sense there’s a hitch.”
Hattie clears her throat. “Arlene needs to stay with you, but Shirlene isn’t going to let you take her away.” She touches my arm. “Arlene needs both you and Shirlene.”
“No way.”
“It’s the only way, Cameron. You’re going to have to make this work to protect Arlene.”
I drop my head back on the headrest. “I suppose I’m moving back into the den at Shirlene’s house.”
She slaps her hands together. “I was hoping you’d come to that conclusion. Now, drive.”
***
As I hoped, Chase and Rain are packing up her belongings when Hattie and I enter my apartment.
“I have your money, Rain.” I hold up the envelope.
Rain reaches for it.
“Not until you sign these.” Hattie waves the papers in front of Rain. “You too, Chase.”
“Who the hell is this?” my brother asks.
“I’m Harriet Washington, lawyer for the adoptive father.” She places papers on the coffee table and holds out a pen. “Who’s first?”
Rain cracks her knuckles. “I want more money.”
“You’re not getting it.”
“If you don’t fork over more money, then you’re not getting the baby.”
Hattie waves her finger. “Listen to me, Rain DeLuca. You haven’t even asked where Arlene is right now! Any decent parent would be worried sick about their child, but all you ask about is money. I have documented records of your addiction, your homelessness, and your thieving, and that of your boyfriend as well. This case is airtight. You are both unfit parents.”
I point at my brother. “I’ve been raising the baby since she was born. I was in the delivery room. Where were you, Chase?”
My brother’s eyes bug out. “Forget about the money, Rain. I’ll have plenty. Our lives will be completely different in LA. Let’s just sign the papers so we can get out of here.”
Rain pouts. “I demand my ten K.” She sits down and writes her signature wherever Hattie indicates.
Chase does the same. I relax when Hattie folds the papers up and stows them in her big bag. Next, she draws out more papers and additional hundred-dollar bills that are a surprise to me.
“Ms. DeLuca, this money can also be yours if you sign another document.” Hattie lays the pen back down next to the papers.
“What’s this?” Rain asks.
“Some minor assets were signed over to you in trust for Arlene. But since you’ve given up Arlene, you must sign this trust over to Cameron.”
“What kind of assets?” Rain asks.
“Nothing substantial.” I hope to convince her. “This is cash in your hand.”
Rain reluctantly picks up the pen and signs.
Hattie adds the papers to her purse and hugs it close to her chest.
“Can I send birthday presents or a card or something?” Rain tugs at her T-shirt.
I don’t know how I feel about that. “We’ll work out the details later.”
Rain’s demeanor softens slightly. “Thanks for taking me in the night I showed up here pregnant, Mike.”
For a moment, I see Shirlene in her, but that’s a lie of my mind. “You’re welcome.”
Chase clears his throat. “I was an ass my whole life, Mike. You always tried to help me. I hope someday, you can forgive me.”
“Little brother, I really understood you for the first time today. No hard feelings.”
Chase reaches his hand out for mine. I take it, and we shake.
“You may think I’m a jerk since I’m giving up Arlene, but she’s better off with you. I’ll try to be a good uncle to her.”
“Okay, man.”
Once they are out the door, I grab hold of Hattie and lift her off the floor.
She giggles. “We did it.”
“Hattie, you did it. Thank the Lord for you, but how much do I owe you for the second signing?”
“That’s on me. I love that little girl. Now, let’s pack up what you need to move back in with Shirlene.”
I clench my jaw. “This isn’t a good idea, Hattie.”
“You’re doing it for Arlene.”