Page 5 of Finding Solace
After stopping back by the nurse's station to pick up my purse and give Brittany the rundown of what just happened, I decided to spend the day withGrams.
When I walk into her room, Joni, her day nurse gives me a warmsmile.
"Well, what a nice surprise! We don't usually see you here so early. How you doin', sweetheart?" She asks, hugging me. I adore Joni. She's in her late 50's and has a warm vibe. Every time I see her she greets me with a smile and ahug.
"I'm off work today, so I thought I'd come sit with Grams for a little while. How is she doingtoday?"
She pats my arm, "She's okay. Been sleeping most of the morning. We had a bit of a rough night, so she's probably going to be out awhile." I don't have to ask. I know what Joni means by rough night. Grams would wake up in the middle of the night calling and frantically looking for Grandpa. Having to tell her each time that Gramps was gone was heartbreaking. We lost Grandpa ten years ago to a heart attack. Now, every time Grandma has an episode it's like losing him all overagain.
Sighing, I look over at my grandmother's fragile frame sleeping soundly in her bed. I hate that the woman who has been like a mother to me, the woman who has molded me into the mother I am has to suffer from such a horrible disease. And there is not a damn thing I can do aboutit.
"I'm just going to sit with her if that's okay," I say toJoni.
"Of course, sweetheart. I'll be back in a bit to check on her," She tells me as she slips out of theroom.
Making my way over to the chair beside Grams' bed, I scoot it closer before sitting down. Reaching out, I place my hand on hers and watch the rise and fall of her chest. "I miss you so much, Grandma," I say laying my head down next toher.
* * *
The next morningI'm running around the house trying to get ready and wrangle Ava out the door. I overslept. Which is something I never do. I don't want to look unprofessional on my first day of a new job. I don't want Reid to have a bad impression of me. I take my career veryseriously.
"Ava!" I holler down the hallway, "It's time to go sweet girl." Hearing my little girl giggle as she runs down the hall with her blonde curls bouncing makes mesmile.
"I'm ready Momma," She announces looking up at me with her big blue eyes. My baby looks nothing like me. I have a pale complexion, long, straight black hair, and light brownish-yellow almond-shaped eyes. People tell me all the time my eyes remind them of a cat's eyes. Ava has sun-kissed skin, beautiful blonde curly hair, and big blue eyes.Just like herfather.
My daughter has a bubbly personality and no filter. She usually says exactly what's on her mind, whereas I tend to keep my thoughts to myself. I suppose it's something I learned as a child. I was taught at a young age my parents had no tolerance for my opinions. What I thought or wanted didn't matter. That is why I embrace Ava's boldness. I want her always to speak her mind, to always say what she is thinking and what she'sfeeling.
I remember the first summer I spent with Grams. I hardly spoke. She would try to engage me in conversation, and I would give my standard one-word answers. At six years old, my grandmother sat me down and explained to me that when I was with her, I was allowed to speak freely, that she wanted to know everything. What my favorite TV show was, what I like to do for fun, how did I like school. Grams wanted to know itall.
When I got older, she confided in me, telling me how much it pained her that my mom had changed so much after meeting my father. It hadn't taken long before my mother began acting as if she was too good to be associated with her own family and where she grew up. Grams said it was because of me she tried to keep the peace with my mother. She knew if she didn't put up with my mother and father she would never see me. Although, I think it was the other way around. I believe my parents kept a small relationship with Grams so they had somewhere to dump me when they didn't want me around. I would never let on how much I loved coming to Montana. I was always worried they would see how happy I was and snatch it away fromme.
A tug on my shirt tail brings me out of mythoughts.
"Momma, your face looksfunny."
Looking down at Ava, I stick my tongue out at her. "Your face looks funny." Ruffling the hair on top of her head, I tip my head in the direction of the door. "Come on silly girl, let's go before we'relate."
Thirty minutes later after dropping Ava off at preschool. I find myself at the address in Reid's file. Confused, I look out my window at the building in front of me and then back down at the address in the file. Yep, this is the right place. What's confusing is it's not a house or an apartment. Currently, I'm parked in front of an old firehouse with two large roll-up doors, typical for a fire station, and on the side of the building is a set of stairs leading to a metal door. I guess I'll take my chances with the sideentrance.
Stepping out of my car, I sling my purse over my shoulder before shutting my door. I don't bother locking it. My car is a rusted piece of crap and is on its last leg. Even though this part of town looks a little sketchy, I don't worry about anyone wanting to steal it. Besides, if everyone knows who lives here, then I'm sure they would not have the balls to mess around the home of a local MCmember.
When I reach the top of the stairs, I look up to my right and notice a camera pointed directly at me. I've heard Bella mention Reid is a techie, so I'm pretty sure I'm in the right place. He probably has cameras all over the place. Pressing the buzzer next to the door, I wait. It takes five more times of ringing the doorbell before the door is pulled open and I'm face to face with a very gorgeous, and very pissed off lookingReid.
"What the hell do you want?" Hesneers.
CHAPTER THREE
REID
Iwake up to someone persistently ringing my doorbell the next morning. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I read the time, 9:15 am. It's been four weeks since I've gotten to sleep past 6 o'clock because no one came in flipping on lights, bothering me to take medication and so on, and now some asshole is ringing my doorbell. I pull up the app on my phone I have synced to the camera located at the entrance of the building only to see Bella's friend Mila standingthere.
What the hell is she doinghere?
I take a few seconds to look at her. Mila is five-foot-six with raven black hair that hangs past her shoulders. She is slim with curves in all the right places and a heart-shaped face paired with the most amazing eyes I'd ever seen and I'm obsessed with her mouth and how her bottom lip is slightly bigger than thetop.
The first time I met her was at a BBQ out at the clubhouse. Her and her little girl that is. No one has ever stolen my breath or left me at a loss for words like she does. I'll never forget the first time she looked at me with her cat-like eyes. Never had I seen eyes like hers before. She stole my fuckin' breath away. Regardless, there is no reason for her to be at my doorstep and I want her gone. I can't have her staring at me. Judging me. Nother.
She reaches out ringing the doorbell again. I throw the blankets at the foot of the bed, pull myself up and shift my legs over the edge of the bed and slide over into my chair. Dressed in only my sweatpants from the day before, I head out of my room, into the hallway and make my way into the kitchen. In an agitated state, I fling open my door, "What the hell do you want?" I bark at her, my voice gruff fromsleepiness.
