Page 38 of Everything I Desire

I roll my eyes and pull Addy to the garage. “I just need to get my shoes on and we can head out.”

“Okay, no worries.” She pulls the door closed tight behind her, “Sheriff Miller knows we’re coming so he won’t release her until you get there.”

“And how do you know that?” I raise an eyebrow.

“I might have run into him at the diner while getting coffee,” she shrugs.

Laughing, I walk back inside to find my keys. Once I’m ready to go I yell up the stairsto Kayla that I’m leaving and I’ll be back in about an hour. She doesn’t answer because she’s in the shower and having a full blown Taylor Swift concert.

I secretly love that she feels safe enough now to listen to music on full blast instead of trying to always be on high alert listening for every sound. I smile to myself as I lead Addy out to my truck. Another nod that I'm not the man I thought I was.

The drive over to the police department is short, but silent. Addy knows that I’m warring with myself about Maura. It makes me feel like a piece of shit to tell her to leave her kid alone and walk away.

That isn’t the ideal outcome, but if she is going to refuse the help, I have no other choice. Kayla needs peace for once in her life.

I park the truck in a spot behind the station, this town is nosey as hell and I don’t want them to see my truck and speculate. There’s been enough of that with my family over the years.

Addy places her hand on my thigh, “It’ll be ok, Porter. No matter what she says, I’m here for you. You and I will protect Kayla as long as we need to.” She gives me a weak smile.

“Thank you, baby.” I lean over to kiss her before hopping out of the truck and going around to open her door.

We walk into the police department hand in hand, like she’s giving me all her strength for the conversation that’s about to happen.

“Hey, Son. You ready?” Sheriff Miller reaches out to shake my hand, before pulling Addy in for a hug.

I nod my head.

She squeezes my hand. “Everything will be alright, I promise.” She whispers in my ear.

She drops my hand and walks over to the waiting area at the front of the station, while I follow Miller through the doors.

The whole place smells like booze. I scrunch my nose up in disgust. The memories of my childhood are wrapped up in this smell. My parents passed out at the kitchen table, drugs and an open bottle of tequila sitting there while we played feet away.

Miller notices my discomfort in being here.

“Yea, sorry about that. Typical weekend morning smell with all these guys here in the tank to sleep it off.” He shrugs before pointing me to the last cell at the end of the row.

I tentatively step toward the cell, getting more nervous with each step to see my sister.

I look in her cell and see her curled up on the tiny concrete bench.

“Maura.” I say to wake her up.

She opens her eyes a crack and looks in my direction.

“Fucking Christ,” She mutters. She turns to sit and face me. “What the hell do you want, Porter? I’m not in the mood for your shit today.” She rubs her temples. I know she’s hungover and probably starting the withdrawal process. She’ll be jittery soon, looking for her next hit and me asking to get her help isn’t going to be so easy.

“I came here to ask you to go to rehab one more time. For Kayla. She needs her mom, but she needs a sober mom, Maura. I’m offering one last time for you to go to rehab, fully paid by me. We’ll help you get on your feet after too. Just please, get help. Don’t be like Mom.” I plead.

“Fuck you and whatever white horse you think you rode in here on. You left us. You left her and you knew the situation she was in, don’t act like you give a shit now.” She shouts. Sheriff Miller is keeping a close eye on us in case she gets too rowdy.

I want to point out that I fought to get custody of Kayla for years. That she is the reason Kayla had to stay in that situation, and that she is the one who created it. But I don’t. I keep my anger in check. A nod to the fact that I am not like my family, and that maybe I can start to fully see myself as Addy does.

“Maura, please. Your daughter misses you. This is the last time I’m offering to pay for rehab, and if you don’t choose to go, then I’m going to tell you that you won’t see your daughter again. I’m filing for full custody. And with all the statements from Sheriff Miller and Stacey, I’ll win.” I stare at her, waiting for her decision.

She’s calm for a moment. Almost like she’s actually thinking about taking my help and my heart beats a little faster that I actually got through to her.

“Jesus, Porter. You really do think you’re some kind of fucking hero. Coming in and kidnapping my daughter from me. Well, just know I’ll fight youevery fucking step of the way. You won’t win.” She snarls at me.

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