Page 40 of Shelter from the Storm

Gretchen shook her head. “She was too busy showering all her affection and attention on Ivan. I was white noise in the background.”

How the fuck had Gretchen come out of that kind of environment with her humor and kindness still intact?

Sadly, her responses only added to the list of questions he had about her. “What led to the two of you being placed in foster care?” Theo worried he was pushing his luck, getting too personal, but this was the most information Gretchen had willingly offered in three weeks. Most of his questions about her past had been met with one-word, dismissive responses.

She bit her lip, her grip on the stuffed cat tightening. “Shaw was a late bloomer, so he was still quite small at sixteen. It made it easy for Ivan to…hurt him.” Gretchen looked toward the road, no longer holding his gaze. “One night, I heard Shaw cry out. I went to his room and Ivan was…hurting him.”

It was the second time she’d used the phrase “hurting him” without saying how. Theo was certain if he pressed for details, she wouldn’t give them. He was getting good at recognizing which walls he could scale and which were impenetrable when it came to Gretchen’s past.

“Neither one of them saw me in the doorway, so I slipped away and called 9-1-1.”

“You didn’t get your mother?”

She shook her head. “No. I knew she wouldn’t do anything to help Shaw. She always said Ivan knew best. When the cops arrived, they saw Shaw’s injuries and arrested Ivan. They wanted to take Shaw to the hospital, but Mom said no. Said he was fine.”

“Was he?”

Gretchen sighed. “No. He wasn’t. But he was as resistant to seeking treatment as my mom. I tried to convince him, and that was when Mom lost her shit in a big way, turning everything around on me.”

“On you?” Theo barked. “What the hell had you done wrong?”

“I called the cops over something that was a family matter. Then she unleashed on both of us, calling me and Shaw ungrateful assholes. The cops looked a bit shell-shocked by how vicious she was, considering Shaw’s…injuries.”

Yeah. There was definitely something more to this story.

“After a few minutes of screaming at us, she turned to the police officers and told them to get us out of her house, or she was tossing us out on the street.”

“Jesus,” Theo muttered.

“The cops kept trying to get Mom to calm down, trying to explain that if they took us, we’d be put into the foster care system, but she didn’t care. She got more and more furious. Finally, Shaw stepped forward, said he wanted to leave. He said anywhere was better than there. After that, the cops stopped arguing with Mom and agreed to take us with them. We went to our rooms, packed a few things and, despite Shaw’s protests, they took him to the hospital. A social worker picked us up from there, and that was the first night we spent in the residential home. Because of our ages, and the abuse Shaw suffered, they didn’t bother to look for foster parents.”

“Why not?” Theo asked.

“The chances of finding someone who would take us both were slim, and they didn’t want to split us up. I was scared and clinging to Shaw, who wouldn’t let go of me.”

Theo was grateful she’d had that one fucking crumb of comfort—if he could call it that. “Shaw sounds like a good brother. I’m glad the two of you had each other.”

“He was the best brother. He really looked out for me those first two years…before he graduated.”

Theo heard the past tense, and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was only the physical distance that left Gretchen and Shaw estranged or if something else had happened.

“Anyway, Ivan spent some time in jail, and he lost his job. After that, he became even more bitter and angry, blaming me and Shaw for ruining his life. A few times since, he’s tried to hit me up for money, because God forbid he get another job.”

“Did you give it to him?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t have it to give. These days, he’s a heavy drinker, and my mom is still his biggest defender.”

“I hate that you went through all that.” Theo reached over to tap a finger on her clenched hands, which were squeezing the hell out of Boots.

His action drew her from her recollections, and she smoothed out the crushed cat. “I’m okay,” she said, her tone lighter than it should be, considering what she’d shared. “I learned how to live without parents a long time ago, so it’s not like I’m missing them or anything.”

She was missing something, but considering she’d never received motherly love, she didn’t realize it.

Leaning closer, he bumped his shoulder against hers. “I’m not sure you’re going to keep living without family. Edith has already claimed you as hers, and I have a feeling my mom is on her way to adopting you as well.”

Gretchen smiled, her hand rising to cover her mouth. “I’m claiming Edith, too, because she’s amazing. And I wouldn’t mind your mom adopting me,” she confessed. “Porch time is awesome.”

Theo chuckled. Gretchen had been introduced to his mother’s porch time earlier this week. As part of the B&B’s offerings, Mom held what she called “porch time” every day starting at three-thirty for the guests. It was basically a happy hour with Lightning in a Bottle wine and Rain or Shine beer, along with some light snacks. Guests could join her on the porch for a drink and to enjoy the view and good conversation.

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