Seth opened his front door. Once again, his brother Gideon stood in front of him. “I’m gonna start charging you rent, big brother.”
“Funny.”
“You know about tonight?”
“Yeah. I had to drag it out of her, but Sanders told me everything. I came to make sure you aren’t gonna do anything stupid.”
“You said you didn’t want to be my keeper.”
“I don’t.” His tone was grumpy. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t come. Let me in.”
Seth stepped in and allowed Gideon into his apartment. “I don’t feel much like talking.”
“We’ll watch ESPN, then.”
“Yeah.”
“Get beer.”
He liked being with someone who talked in one-or-two-word sentences. He liked not wallowing in his guilt over Julianne dating online. He liked that his brother was here.
Part way into the game, Seth muted the TV. “How will it go down?”
“Hopefully, fast. Anabelle and Julianne will go in and several plain-clothes cops will be there eating. Another will be the maître d’ and one the bartender.”
“So the only people in jeopardy are the cops and Julianne.”
Gideon pivoted to face Seth directly. He wasn’t much of a toucher but he squeezed Seth’s shoulder. “I know, I don’t like it either. If she was my girl, I’d be tearing my hair out.”
“Would you have suggested something like this?”
“If it didn’t include my future sister-in-law, I would. The plan is good policing.”
Seth unmuted the TV. Somehow, that made him feel better. And he was glad to have a chaperone. After the promise he’d made…
“Seth, don’t come to the Hidden Cove Inn to help. Trained personnel have to do this.”
“And you.”
“Yes. I mean it. If you come, I’m not sure we’ll make it as a couple.”
“I know, love. I’m not going to interfere. I promise.”
“I’ll call you when it’s over.”
“I’ll wait. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“You either…”
Seth couldn’t focus on the game so he pulled out his phone. Reread Johnny’s email.
Thanks for meeting me last night. I’ll do what you say, go through the fair hearing. But I don’t have alotta hope.
I have enough hope for both of us.
I don’t get you, Seth. How can you be so sure this’ll shake out right? Be so optimistic?
Ha, if the guy only knew. Still he answered.
I have faith in the system. I believe that the OCFS officer can’t say no after he talks to the kids.
Okay. Be in touch.
Man, Seth prayed this would work out for Johnny. He prayed he didn’t give the kid false hope.
He closed his phone.
Man, it felt like nothing was going his way.
* * *
When Julianne opened the door to Anabelle’s car, the staid cop whistled. “Wow. You look like a million bucks.”
Julianne slid onto the leather seat. “This is what full body spanks will do.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. You?”
“Nope. What’s under my dress is my somewhat heavy body.”
“You’re in great shape. I need to work on that.”
“I’ll help you out after this is all over.” It seemed a spontaneous offer.
Julianne sniffed. “Did you put on perfume?”
“Yeah, in deference to my female side. I can’t usually do girly things in my life.”
They made small talk about Anabelle’s shimmery silver dress and Jules’ gold sequined one. They discussed how women were taught to care about their appearances.
And finally, how to trap a predator.
Anabelle said, "Let’s go over what we’ll do one last time.”
“That might calm my nerves.”
“We go in and sit at the bar as if we’re looking to pick up guys. The Inn agreed to allow no other patrons inside. If after an hour, Jason doesn’t come, we cancel the operation. And try again in a few days.”
“I hope we can get this over tonight.”
“That may happen, Julianne. But it might not. We’ve been watching the Inn and he hasn’t showed up this weekend. As I said, what we have so far isn’t enough to put him in jail and we’ll have to keep trying. But in the end, if this doesn’t work, we’ll pick him up even if he isn’t going to go to prison.”
“I understand.”
“So, we’re hoping you’ll be approached. And hassled. I’ll stop it when we have enough of a case for aggravated assault.” She drove into the parking lot where cops kept vigil in cars to make sure they got inside safely.
“It’s normal for civilians to be nervous.” Reaching over Anabelle gave her hand a squeeze. “But know that I’m not and I’ll control the scene.”
They walked into the restaurant entrance. No Jason. They went to the front and sat at the bar and sipped fake martinis. Julianne wished hers was real.
After fifteen minutes, Jason strolled inside. He wore khaki pants, a light blue shirt and a navy sports coat. His whole face brightened when he saw her and he covered the distance between them. “Julianne, You’re here! I had a feeling you might be.” He glanced dismissively at Anabelle, who was also watching him. Can I talk to you alone?”
“I don’t think so. Not after Saturday night. Annie’s going to stay.”
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior last week. I was shocked to see you with someone else.” He frowned. “I thought we had something special.”
She swiveled around to face him. “I’m sorry you feel that way. But I’m serious about Seth.”
“No, no you’re not.” His eyes flashed with an eerie kind of anger. “You just need to get to know me better.” He reached out before she or Anabelle could stop him and yanked her by the arm off the stool. She stumbled on the high heels—and went down on her side.
Plain clothes police converged on them. They yanked Jason away before he could even bend over. “Goddamn, son of a bitch! What’s all this about?” he asked as they cuffed him.
Anabelle bolted off the chair. “Assault, and maybe more, you fucker.” She spat out the words and knelt down beside Julianne. The other cops dragged him away.
“Are you hurt?” Anabelle asked.
“I don’t know.” Julianne pushed herself to a seated position and pain streaked through her. “My right shoulder’s sore.”
“Can you stand?”
“Uh-huh.” She kicked off the horrible high heels. Anabelle offered her a hand and Julianne was able to stand.
Closer now, she could see Anabelle’s usually neutral face had flushed and her eyes were wide and agitated. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t quick enough to intervene.”
“You told me not to swivel around to face him and I forgot. So, he had more access.”
“We got him, Julianne. And I’ll bet my badge his prints or DNA will match the evidence we found at the scene.”
“I hope so.”
“At least we have him for assault, now. Add to that harassment of texts and calls and the scene he created Saturday and he’ll get five to seven years imprisonment. You’ll have to press charges.”
“I will. The piece of shit.”
Another man approached them. “Hello, Ms. Ford. I’m Mark Lewiston. Detective Sanders’ supervisor.”
Anabelle stiffened. “I apologize for not reacting more quickly, sir.”
“None needed, Sanders. We can’t control everything about the scene. You got your guy.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
“Are you hurt, Ms. Ford?”
“My shoulder’s sore,” Julianne said, touching it gingerly. “I landed on it. It’ll be fine, though.”
“We’ll take you to the hospital.”
“No, no. I want to go home.”
“I’m sorry. Law enforcement policy. But we know the doctors at Memorial and we’ll get you in and out quickly.”
“Can I call somebody first?”
“In the car on the way.” He nodded to Anabelle. “Please drive her, Detective.”
“Of course.”
* * *
When he heard the key turn in the lock, Seth bounded off the couch. Julianne had called, said they caught whatever-the- fucker’s-name and he’d been taken into custody. But she’d fallen during the squabble and her shoulder was sore, so the cops insisted they take her the hospital to get checked out.
Now she was here.
At the door, he hugged her gently because her arm was in a sling. She leaned her face onto his chest and nosed in. “I’m so glad to be home.”
“Same here, love.”
Anabelle followed her inside and closed the door. He saw Gideon stand and do a double take on her.
“I can’t believe it’s over.” Julianne drew away. “Finally.”
“Not quite yet.” Gideon still sounded concerned. “Right Sanders?”
“If he’s the perpetrator, it’s over enough for Julianne.”
“What about the car keying?” Gid asked.
“Sure, we’ll try to get him on that, too. You know, don’t you, it could have been kids in the neighborhood defacing property?”
“But you’ll check it out, right?” Gideon again.
She snapped, “I said I would, Casella. Now back off.”
Seth was irked at the byplay. “I’d like to get Julianne to bed, if you two don’t mind.”
Julianne turned to Anabelle and hugged her. “Thanks for everything. I hope I see you soon.”
Anabelle hugged back. “You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch.”
Gideon came over and patted Julianne’s back. “Glad you’re okay, kiddo.” To Anabelle, “I’ll walk you out, Sanders.”
When they left, Seth led Julianne to the couch. Briefly she described what went down.
Though his heart beat at a clip for what she’d been through, he needed to keep it together for her. He grasped both her hands. “You must have been so scared.”
“In the car going over I was, but once he came in and didn’t get his way, he got pissed and so did I.”
Her hair was curled and fluffy and some fell into her eyes. He tucked it back. “What’s going on with your shoulder?”
“I think I fell on it. I need a sling for a few days. It was wrenched, not separated or dislocated.”
He was pissed about that, too, but wouldn’t let her know how he really felt. “I’m glad it isn’t any worse.”
“They gave me medicine for the pain, so I’m starting to get loopy.”
“Do you want to sleep?”
“With you.” They made their way to the bedroom.
Julianne glanced down. “Shit, I can’t get these clothes off by myself.”
He went for humor. “I think I’m pretty good at undressing you.” She turned her back so he could pull down the zipper. “You have to take your arm out of the sling.”
When she did, she hissed in pain, and he quickly got her back into the stretchy cotton. She stood before him, barefoot wearing…something that looked like it came out of a horror film. “What on earth is that?” he asked.
“Um…A bodysuit to make me slimmer.”
“You need to be slimmer?”
“Seth, I’m fifteen pounds heavier than I was when we were last together. Didn’t you notice?”
“I did and I like it. You used to be kind of fragile. Now you’re sturdy.” He gave a sly smile. “That fits into our new agreement to let you take care of yourself.”
“You’re absolutely right. Now, please get this off!”
As he eased the tight material down, inch by inch, he shook his head. “I can’t believe this thing.” When she could finally kick it off, he grabbed hold of it, walked to the dresser and held it over the wastebasket. “Shall I?”
“Yeah.” She laughed. “Can I have a T-shirt.”
“Sure.” After he got her a gray one and she slipped it on, he added, “Sit down for a minute, would you?” He went to the dresser drawer and pulled on the handle. Took out an oblong red velvet box and handed it to her. “I want you to wear this tonight.”
“It must be pretty skimpy,” she teased.
This time, he didn’t break a smile. She opened the box. A beautiful white gold chain gleamed out at her, especially shiny at the end.
Because a gorgeous emerald set like an engagement ring, with diamonds studded around it, looped over the end. She peered up with a questioning expression on her face.
“I want to marry you, Jules. I want to have babies with you. But I need to go to therapy before you can wear my ring. What happened tonight made me not want to wait to give this to you. Like we said at the World Trade Center Memorial, we don’t know how much time we have left in our lives. I don’t want to squander anymore.”
“I agree. And I will wait to wear it. But put the chain over my head so I can keep the ring close my heart,”
“You’re on.” When he slipped the chain on, he whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
* * *
When Seth left the office of Dr. Christina Bell, he was stirred up. The first therapy session was unexpectedly hard. He’d come from a caring family, and he knew he was dearly loved, but some things had gone awry in his brain.
Questions about his past, how he felt about early-life events made him sad, especially when he recounted his father’s death, then his uncle’s. Also, Mama had gotten a bad case of influenza, and Seth had been terrified. He’d forgotten much of the fear and sadness he felt then. But he did remember how his dad sent him over to the Ford’s house to stay a few days, and he and Julianne had slept in the same bed. They were only five and she held his hand every night before they went to sleep.
This counseling thing was going to be hard!
But he needed to shrug these emotions off. He needed to be at the OCFS in twenty minutes. Their Fair Hearing finally got scheduled.
Johnny was pacing in the lobby when Seth got there. He wore a dark blue shirt and khaki pants, and he’d gotten a haircut. When the boy got close, he smelled aftershave. “Nervous?”
“Enough to pee my pants.”
“I don’t think that would help you get the kids.” He held up his briefcase. “But I know what will.” Seth had been allowed to review the evidence in the case, which wasn’t much. But he’d found some questionable documentation in the OCFS.
“I’m tryin’ to have faith.”
Minutes later they were called into a modest room, with big windows that let in some fresh air.
A woman sitting behind a table stood. “Good morning, I’m Gretchen Lucas, your Fair Hearing officer. I’m not a judge, but I am an attorney.” She looked to Johnny. “You must be John Cordello, the appellant. Please sit at the table on the left.”
Another man entered the room and introduced himself as Tom Anderson, the OCFS attorney. He greeted the hearing officer, Seth and Johnny, then took a chair at a table on the right.
Ms. Lucas sat again and gave them a nod. “Let’s begin. We’re here today to address the challenge Mr. John Cordello has made to The Office of Children and Family Services for rejecting him as a foster parent. We’ll follow the rules of the court, but much more informally and I will be the only decision maker. Understand?”
All three men nodded.
“Mr. Casella, attorney for the appellant, you go first. And no need to stand.”
“John Cordello is the perfect candidate for the two minor children, Juan and Marcella Torres. In the past, as their next-door neighbor, he’s essentially parented them.”
Seth explained that situation in depth.
Anderson interrupted. “I’m afraid our report doesn’t include that.”
“Which is one reason why we challenged the office’s decision to reject John.
“Another is John’s living situation. The home is already set up for the children. And it’s a loving atmosphere. His grandmother, Dorothy, is in relatively good shape, given her hip surgery.”
“She’s not very spry,” the OCFS administrator put in again. “Our home visit determined that.”
Johnny burst out, “She was less spry before her surgery and we had the kids most days and alotta nights. They know how to deal with her.”
Ms. Lucas said gently, “Let your representative speak for you, John.”
Seth went through other rebuttals to the report. He knew he was winning the argument.
When Anderson stood to present the OCFS’s side, he slid out a page out of the report. “Ms. Lucas, Mr. Cordello’s own parents don’t see him as fit to care for children. When I interviewed them, they didn’t think his lack of Christian moral character would be good for the minors.”
Instantly infuriated, Seth bolted up. “Moral character? Do you mean because he’s gay and openly admitted it to the interviewer?”
“His parents think that, Mr. Casella.”
Seth looked at the hearing officer. “Those two people kicked Johnny out their house when he was sixteen. He lived in a group home for a year, then his grandmother found out he didn’t run away, as she’d been told. He’s lived with her ever since. I contend that John’s parents are of poor moral character because they did such harm to a vulnerable, underage child. Not Mr. Cordello, who took care of his grandmother before and after hip surgery and showered two children with love and attention.”
Anderson sighed. “I have more objections.”
Ms. Lucas listened quietly to the complaint that Johnny had to work some nights and that even then, his income didn’t reach the level required.
“That’s misleading and you know it, Mr. Anderson. His grandmother has a teacher pension and social security. The household income meets the criteria.”
Anderson shrugged. “The report only states Mr. Cordello’s income.”
Ms. Lucas closed the folder. “All right, I’ve heard enough. I need to talk to the children. Would you please leave the room?”
Anderson strode out first.
Seth spoke to Johnny briefly, gathered his things and he and Johnny were heading out the door when they heard behind them, “Johnny! Johnny!”
John turned in time to catch two bundles of energy who’d come in a different door and threw themselves into his arms. Each kissed him all over his face. He hugged them and his eyes closed to savor the affection.
“Are they going to let us live with you?” Marcy asked.
“We want to, Johnny, really bad.” Juan’s voice was pleading.
Ms. Lucas approached them. “Why don’t you two come and tell me why you want to live with Mr. Cordello and his grandmother?”
They hugged Johnny one last time and went to sit in chairs the officer had pulled up to her table.
Johnny swallowed hard and moisture filled his eyes. They got outside the room, and Seth circled the boy with his arm. “We’re gonna win, Johnny, I feel it.”
“When will we know?”
“I don’t think today. Probably this week.”
“Hell, more waiting.”
“It’ll be worth it.”
“I hope so.”
* * *
Later that week, Julianne waited in her studio for Maddie Rogers to arrive for her lesson. Her sister had come for three days while Julianne stayed home with her injured shoulder, and they’d spent the time talking till one in the morning, eating big meals, and making popcorn for watching movies. Though Liliana was angry at Seth for how he’d treated Julianne, she gave Julianne the leeway to follow her heart. They even had dinner with him once. Thankfully, her shoulder didn’t ache anymore, and she’d been freed from the sling and she could come back to work when her sister went back to D.C.
Now, at six, there was a knock on the door. Expecting Maddie Rogers, she peeked through the window, then opened the door. “Logan, hello.” She glanced past him to the car. “Where’s Maddie?”
“She didn’t come with me.” He cleared his throat. “I need to talk to you alone.” He started inside and she backed up. He shut the door.
Primal fear kicked in. She was alone with a man who she knew peripherally, and something didn’t feel right. “Um, I’m sorry. I left a message I canceled my lesson with Maddie.”
“You just asked for her.”
“I-I thought maybe you didn’t get the voicemail.” Slowly she reached in her pocket for her phone. “I’ll show you.” Could he tell that was a lie?
“Is something wrong?” His brow furrowed and he seemed puzzled. “You’re acting, I don’t know, afraid of me.”
She pressed 9-1—
A big, strong male hand reached out and gripped hers. “Julianne, I’m not here to hurt you. I came to apologize. And to tell you Maddie won’t be taking any more lessons.”
“Please let go of me.”
“All right.” He held up his arms and backed away.
When he did, she indicated the phone. “I’ll call the police if you try to hurt me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you. I only wanted to scare you.”
“Scare me? Now?”
“No, Julianne, when I keyed your car. I wanted to scare you so you’d close your studio, at least temporarily, and I wouldn’t have to pay for Maddie’s lessons. And maybe she’d forget about Julliard if you weren’t in her life.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I lost my job four months ago and have run though my savings.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t tell my own daughter what happened. I couldn’t bear for her to think less of me. I don’t have much else in my life.”
“Why are you telling me this? Surely, if I know what you did, the plan won’t work.”
“I woke up at three almost every morning since I did it. I hated myself for my stupid actions. Then Maddie told me she’d read in the paper about the break-in at your house earlier in the month. She was afraid to tell me, because she thought I wouldn’t let her come here.”
“This is so convoluted, Logan.”
“The tangled web stuff, you know. Shakespeare.”
“I guess I’m not in any danger from you.” She clicked off her phone. “And I’m sorry you lost your job.”
His face brightened. “I had three interviews today. I hope one of them comes through.” He shrugged. “Unless you press charges. Which you’re entitled to.”
“No, no charges. And I hope you get one of those jobs. Meanwhile, I can affect one thing in your life. Let’s talk.”
* * *
“So, Seth, let’s pick up where we left off.” This was his third visit with Christina Bell. By now, he discovered he liked her sharp questioning and how she didn’t let him get away with evasion. But the sessions were grueling.
“Right up to your teen years, you were well-liked. The good guy. But that’s when your cheating started. Do you know what you were feeling when it first happened?”
He thought back. “I’m not sure. I know I loved Julianne.”
“But?”
“Does cheating on her mean I didn’t love her?”
“Not in my opinion. People in love hurt each other. But it seems so uncharacteristic of the picture of the young man you’ve created for me.”
“Yeah, I don’t understand it either.”
“Tell me about the first time. What were you feeling?”
He described how he went to get the car, excited about maybe having sex with Julianne. He bumped into Sandy, and she came on to him. He’d been…blown away by the adrenaline rush and the sexuality.
“Julianne was so hurt when she found us.”
“What did you do?”
“I took her home. And went to the party at the lake Sandy told me about. We, um, did it there.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let’s go forward some. Tell me about when you were in college. Were you an all-around nice guy then, too?”
“Yeah, I guess. Well, I think I am a nice guy.”
“And yet you cheated with whom?”
“My professor’s assistant.”
“And when you were in law school?”
“A classmate and I had an affair.”
“Hmm. So, all your life, you’ve been a nice guy, yet all your life, you cheated after Julianne took you back.”
“I did.”
“And you still considered that being a nice guy?”
“Not anymore.”
“What do you think that means, Seth?”
“Hell, I don’t know.” And he still didn’t when the hour was up. He left Christina’s office dispirited. But his phone rang, and when he saw the ID, his heartbeat escalated.
“Seth Casella.”
“Mr. Casella, this is Gretchen Lucas from OCFS. We’d like you and John Cordello to come in today, if possible. Could you meet at four?”
“I’ll clear my schedule. I’ll call Johnny and get back to you.”
He was on edge all day. Because of that call? Or the negative things he was feeling about himself.
When he and Johnny were shown into the same hearing room, and Tom Anderson was not present, Ms. Lucas stood. “Hello. Come sit at my table.”
When they did, she said, “I’ll get right to the point. I’m deciding in your favor, John. With conditions.”
The kid swallowed hard. “A-anything.”
Ms. Lucas smiled. “You’ll have to take the Foster Parent training course the OCFS offers. You have no parental experience, even though your grandmother has. I liked her, by the way.”
They knew Ms. Lucas had visited Dorothy.
“How long does that take?”
“Five weeks. It covers what services are available to foster parents, finding your own strengths and needs, developing skills to deal with troubled children, learning about the stages of child development and managing behavior of the children in your care.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it, but I practically lived with these kids for two years. And, ma’am, I’m worried about them bein’ in the Craigs’ home.”
“I am, too. I’m releasing them to you while you take the training.”
Johnny’s eyes filled. “Really?”
“Really. But social workers will visit twice a week and meet separately with the children, too.” She studied him. “John, my guess is, after a certain length of time, you might even be able to adopt them legally.”
Tears fell down his cheeks and he swiped at them. Since he was so overcome, Seth asked, “When will this take place?”
In answer, Ms. Lucas got up and went to the far door. Opened it. And out ran Marcella and Juan Torres. Once again into Johnny’s arms.
Seth watched them and sighed happily.
* * *
“He what?”
Julianne walked a few more steps before she realized Seth had stopped. She faced him. “Logan Rogers lost his job. Out of desperation, he keyed my car in the belief I’d get scared and close my studio and he wouldn’t have to explain the shortage of funds to his daughter.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I know. He knows it, too.”
She could tell Seth wanted to say something. Probably how to fix this. But he stayed silent until he finally asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I called Anabelle and told her what happened and that I wouldn’t press charges.”
“The police still can.”
“Why would they? The punishment is a fine. And he can’t pay it.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Anabelle said she’d have a talk with him, then let the whole thing go. They’ve done that before with vandalism cases.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He smiled. “I have good news today, too. Johnny got the kids. He has to take a five-week course in parenting. But the best parts are he gets them in the meantime and the officer said he might be able to adopt them eventually.”
She threw her arms around him. “Oh, Seth, I’m so glad.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
She drew back. He didn’t sound happy. They started walking again. The end of September was still warm and they tried to take a walk every evening. “You saw Christina today, right?”
“’Fraid so. She dug deep. We had a two-hour session and it…hurt, I guess.”
“That happens in therapy.”
He waited a long time before he continued. “She concentrated on me being a good guy to everyone but you.”
“I always wondered how the cheating fit in with the boy and man I knew you were, down deep. You tried so hard to be kind and generous to everyone. Help them out.”
“She compared it to kids being angels at school, then coming home, dumping their backpacks and coats on the floor and snapping at their parents.”
“They can let down at home. Be their weak selves, so to speak.” She watched him. “I guess you didn’t have to be your best with me.”
“Yeah, that’s the conclusion I came to.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I made another appointment, of course. She thinks I need to figure out ways to not have to be so perfect, to show my real feelings more, not to have to save everybody. Maybe then I won’t need you to be my…release valve, I guess. God that sounds awful.”
Her smile came easily. “I think that’ll help.” They stopped at a playground and sat down on the bench. She fished in her shirt and got out the necklace she wore. After slipping it off, she handed the ring to him.
His face paled. “You’re breaking up with me? Because of what I learned about myself?”
“No, silly. You can put this on my hand, now.”
“I’m not all better, Jules.”
“No, but you have a plan. You’ll learn to cope with this flaw.”
“I will, honey, I promise.” With that, he took the ring and slid it on her finger.