Page 27 of Adventures in Spring

“I’m almost done closing up the pharmacy, if you want to wait. Or I can meet you at home,” Rhett says to me.

“I’ll wait for you. I like going home together.”

“Well, I guess I’ll close up with the rest of them,” Felicity makes faces at us. “Tell my niece and nephew I love them and can’t wait to see them.”

“We will,” I say to her.

It takes Rhett thirty minutes to finish closing up. I munch on some popcorn while I wait for him. My phone rings while I’m waiting.

“Hi Mom, is everything okay?”

“Is Rhett there with you? I need you both to hear this.”

My stomach drops as I run to the pharmacy.

“Rhett, my mom’s on the phone and she needs us both,” I say to him as my tears fall.

“We’re both here, Mom.”

“We went to pick up the twins and Seth’s parents wouldn’t let us in to take them home. We could hear them screaming for us inside. But his parents said that they wanted to stay over night. They don’t—I could hear them crying for us.”

My mom is sobbing as she tells us what’s going on. Rhett gets on the phone to Lorenzo.

“Rhett is calling Lorenzo. Please don’t cry, Mom.”

“I’m so sorry, baby. Your dad and I tried to force our way inside but we couldn’t get in. We’re outside in the car, trying to figure out what to do.”

“Lorenzo says to call the police. Tell them what’s going on and they’ll have to talk to the twins,”Rhett says to her.

“Okay, Kiyoshi is calling now. Do you want to stay on the phone? Or I can call you back.”

“We’re going to head home and book a flight to Springfield. We’ll call you and let you know our flight number. Call us back when the police get there.”

“Okay. Drive safe.”

All I can do is cry as we drive home. Rhett took a few minutes to tell his siblings what’s going on. And he even called my principal for me to let him know. And get me some more time off. I love this man so fucking much.

ChapterThirteen

Emiko

When the police get there, the twins told them that they didn’t want to stay. That they just wanted to go back with my parents and that they wanted me and Rhett. My parents had the temporary custody order with them. So the police told Seth’s parents that they can’t force the twins to stay with them. They even tried to say that the kids were being abused. But when they asked them, they both said no. That this was the first time they had ever seen Seth’s parents. The police sent them home with my parents.

Now, my fear is that next time they want to see the kids, we won’t be so lucky with the police. Lorenzo is working on getting a new judge, an earlier start date and he’s still trying to move it to Lake Renegade. He’s on his way to my parents’ house now, he’ll get there before we do.

My brother Tadashi is on his way back home, he’s hoping he can help if the police are called again. I just want to get to court and end all of this.

I lay my head on Rhett’s shoulder.

“Thank you for everything you’re doing. I don’t think I could’ve gone through all of this without you.”

“You’re welcome, my love. I’m glad I’m here to help. We’re going to win. Don’t you doubt that.”

“I’m just so frustrated. And I wish I understood why they’re doing this now.”

“I’m sure you can ask when we’re in court. I don’t know if they’ll give you an answer, but you can ask.”

“Can I ask you something?”

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