Page 45 of Signs and Signals

“Do you know ASL?” I ask. Holding my breath, hoping and praying he didn’t grow up signing to a relative.

“What the hell is that? Why would I need to know whatever it is? We can provide a safe and happy home for the child better than you can, besides you no longer have the excuse of a rich boyfriend. I hear he left you for someone else, which doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

This time I feel Atlas stiffen; I can feel the heat coming from his body. I start talking before he can say anything to David.

“ASL is American Sign Language. And yes, you would need to know this, fluently, because the kid or child as you keep calling HER, whose name is HAVEN, is deaf. So, in order to carefor her you will need to know and understand what she is trying to tell you. So, I guess that is all I have to say about all this. If you want to take me to court, go ahead, I don’t care. Iwillwin, then what you did to me all those years ago will be public information. Since you have my address, you can go ahead and send the papers to me. Goodbye, David.” I hang up the phone before he has a chance to speak.

I try to move from between Atlas’s legs, but he tightens his hold.

“I am so proud of you, Indy. You were so brave, slaying the dragon like the queen you are. I do want to say, I am not seeing anyone. I’m notwithanyone. I don’t know where he got that information, but I have an idea. I was going to see if you wanted to talk about everything before I left, but I think you have talked enough for the night. I just have just one request,” he takes a deep breath before continuing. “May I see Haven for just a moment? I know she is asleep, I just wanted to lay eyes on her and be around her, I promise not to wake her,” he asks nervously.

“Of course, and you could never wake her for two reasons, one she wouldn’t hear you if you made any noise and two, she is a really hard sleeper, she can sleep through anything.”

Atlas follows as I get off the bed and head towards Haven’s room next to mine. I open the door, and let Atlas walk in, while I stand in the doorway.

He walks over to her bed and notices her bedding is no longer pink, the canopy no longer holds a princess charm. Her room is now a mashup of baseball and princess. It is quiet the scene when you step in.

He leans over her and kisses her forehead, I hear him whisper, “I love you so much, princess. Don’t ever forget that.”

After we leave Haven’s room, I walk him to the door. He doesn’t say anything else, not even if we can discuss everything that has happened, or why I have an invitation to an engagement if he isn’t with anyone else. I am baffled by everything.

Opening the door, he turns and leaves a whisper of a kiss on my cheek, a silent promise lingering in the air, closing the door behind him.

What the fuck just happened?

Chapter Twenty

Atlas

I got the message from Indya when I was on my way to meet her brother at a restaurant halfway between Riverside and Corvallis, which is about an hour and a half away. I sent him a message asking if I could meet him a little later than we planned because something came up, but I still needed to talk to him.

“Sorry I’m late. It was important, dinner’s on me, for making you wait,” I tell him as I slide into the booth he was waiting in.

“Everything okay? Anything I can help with?” he asks.

“Actually, you may be able to, but I will get to that in a few, I wanted to discuss a couple of things with you about Indya if that is okay?” I really hope he is on board with meeting with my brother and sister to help me make this plan work so I can get my girls back.

“Yeah, cool. You didn’t do anything stupid did you? She told me she broke up with you over text because of a picture and article Emerson and Asia seen online. I told them it was bullshit. It is bullshit, right?” He is now giving me the side eye, there may have been a hint of a threat in the tone as well.

“Yes, it is complete and utter bullshit. I have taken care of a couple of people who were involved in that farce and am working on the last one. The head of the snake if you will. I wasgoing to ask you this over the phone, but I figured it would be more respectful to ask you face to face.”

“The fuck, man, are you about to ask my permission to marry Indya. Because if that is the case the answer is fuck no you can’t have my permission or blessing. You need to right all your wrongs, dickhead, before bringing out the big guns. What the hell is wrong with you, Atlas?”

I can’t help it, I burst into laughter. It feels good to laugh, it has been way too long since I have had a reason too. The only time I am not thinking about Haven or Indya is when I am on the field playing ball. Any other time, home, working out, driving, eating, sleeping, even when I am sitting in the dugout waiting for my turn to bat, they are on my mind.

“No, that is not what I am going to ask you, but I will be asking you one day, I promise you. This is a little more serious than that, to be honest, a little harder to say aloud.” Suddenly I get nervous to ask him if he and his sister are willing to help me. I start messing with the bracelet, Haven gave me, on my wrist.

“What are you fiddling around with? I knew the question was going to come my way sooner or later, that is why I freaked a little. I was about to rip you a new one, for real,” Silas says, his tone terse, his face severe.

I push my sleeve up and show him the thread bracelet, his eyes grow wide, then pushes his up, showing me one that looks exactly like mine and Zanders except a chef hat represents him.

“She is an amazing little girl, isn’t she. Hard not to fall in love with her, want to protect her from everything and everyone. Even from people who think they deserve to know Haven, it was why we moved closer to Indya when she moved from D.C. I needed to be close to them to be able to protect them both,” he states, then fiddles with his bracelet.

“She sure is. I understand, I felt the same way when I met her the first time. Before we get too off track, and I know we will, because I can talk about my princess nonstop and never run out of things to say about her. I have a plan, but I need help getting Indya where I need her at the right time. Indya never gave me a chance to explain anything about that article. That picture is old, from when I first got drafted—Mallory was not in Portland the last time I was there. I thought if you invited her, she would be more inclined to show up.”

“Of course! I would be thrilled to help, just tell me when and where and I can adjust my schedule, if need be,” he says excitedly. I’m glad he is willing to help, if I know Indya like I think I do, she will go along with anything her brother plans for them.

“Great. If it is easier I can meet you at your house, that way you don’t have to rearrange much. I will let you know when I have all the plans ironed out, that way you know where to bring your sister and when.”

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