Page 80 of The Bargain

After finishing my last assignment, I sighed and closed my laptop. Summer was in full force now. I looked out of the balcony at Schuylkill River. I should go outside with Timmy and enjoy the sun and warmth for as long as I could. Turning toward him, I watched him crawl toward his teddy bear.

I laughed, pushing the darkness away. “Did Paddington escape you again?”

He stopped in his mission and turned to look at me, his eyes a painful reminder of the cold man that I had come to care for despite it all.

“What do you say, we go feed the ducks?”

He shrieked, tapping his chubby hand against the rug, making me laugh. This kid loved ducks. I could also grab a sandwich from the Mexican van. My mouth watered at the thought of the greasy, full of flavor goodness.

I nodded. “Okay, let’s go.” I put him in his stroller, picked up the travel back and left the apartment.

Timmy was already babbling like crazy when we reached the lobby. He loved going out because he knew it meant either feeding the ducks or going to see Dee, his next favorite person in the world.

“Good afternoon, Jim. We’re going to take a stroll by the river. We'll be back in a couple of hours,” I told the concierge behind the desk.

I wasn’t sure why I always told him where we were going and for how long. A part of me wanted to think it was for safety, but I couldn’t deny that it might also be because I wanted him to know just in case Dean showed up. The Beaumont building wasn’t even six blocks away, so I kept thinking that one day, he would just take the fifteen minutes’ walk or five minutes’ drive, but - I looked down at Timmy. Maybe I had overestimated Dean’s growing attachment to his nephew.

I’d just exited the building when I heard someone call my name.

As I turned toward the call, a genuine smile spread across my face. Lea waved her hand, walking toward me.

“Lea, hi!”

She immediately pulled me into a hug and I stiffened a little before returning it. It was still very strange for me, this level of care and friendship from a woman I barely knew, but she’d shown me only kindness since the moment I’d met her. The only other person to have done that was Dee.

Lea had always been so nice and understanding with me, probably because of her career choice. Maybe she understood me more than I thought she did.

“Susan is giving a seminar today at the University, so I thought I’d come along and spend some time with you and my favorite nephew.” Crouching in front of the stroller, she reached for one of Timmy’s hands. “How’s the most beautiful boy in the whole world?”

“He is great. He’s now the infant he was always meant to be.”

She nodded, the love in her eyes unmistakable. I was so glad Timmy had her in his life. She would be able to help him as he grew up. To help him overcome the weight of how his life came to be.

“Am I catching you at a bad time?” she asked, finally standing up. “I should have called.”

“No, it’s alright. I’m happy you came.” It was true. Dee had been quite busy these past few days and she didn't really like it when Timmy and I went to see her. The area was too dangerous. Before I’d had no choice, but now that I did, she didn't want me there at all.

I missed having an adult conversation and especially with Lea. She was astute and non-judgmental.

“I’m taking Timmy to feed the ducks and to grab some food at the van. Want to join?”

“Duck feeding and greasy street food?!” She snorted. “It’s a given!”

I laughed as we started to walk down the mostly quiet street to the park. Despite it being summer, it was a weekday and past the standard lunchtime for workers.

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice again the striking differences between Lea and her brothers. Edward, despite being one of the kindest, most sensitive souls I’d ever met, had been broken beyond repair. And Dean, despite his air of authority and dismissive attitude, was probably even more broken than his brother had been. I suspected the iceman he was, hadn’t been something he’d been born into, but rather, it was something he had become out of necessity.

Lea seemed so normal, so functional, so...untouched by all of the darkness that seemed to follow her brothers around.

“How’s Susan?” I asked as we entered the park and settled at my favorite table. It was an equal distance between the vans and the river and shaded by a large cedar tree.

“She’s good, although a bit disappointed she won’t see Timmy today.”

“She can always join us later.” I liked Susan. I’d met her when she’d come with Lea to visit Timmy at the hospital. Despite an aura of seriousness surrounding her, she was actually quite warm. Plus, she’d adored Timmy straight away, which made her a keeper in my books.

I’d wondered why I had not met her before, but I’d realized quite quickly that it was because she wasn’t a fan of Dean.

“No, unfortunately, she can’t.” She leaned back in her chair. “There’s a dinner after the seminar that we have to attend.” She looked at Timmy, who was engrossed in his ducks

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