Page 6 of Minor Trouble
My own parents were long gone—my mother passed from cancer, and I never knew my own father, because he’d disappeared when Mom told him she was pregnant—meaning I wasn’t able to turn to them for advice. I hadn’t had a serious girlfriend in years, although if I had, I doubted she would have wanted to inherit a major slice of my past. I had no female perspective on the situation, although Maddox had offered his Aunt Penny’s services if I needed them. God, was I going to need them. His aunt had brought him up after his mother passed away from complications during childbirth.
I felt utterly and completely out of my depth.
The drive drained me. Had I thought about it, I should have got a flight out on my own then driven back with Noah and all of his stuff. But Maddox had loaned me his truck, and it would certainly cost less in gas than flight tickets.
I’d started the drive shortly before five that morning. The GPS indicated a six-and-a-half-hour journey. Two hours in, I needed a break. I pulled into a rest stop with a diner. If I was going to make it through the drive, I had to eat.
“What can I get you?” The server asked as I settled myself at the counter. I didn’t want to get too comfortable in a booth and end up falling asleep. I couldn’t risk being late. That wouldn’t be the best first impression.
“Coffee, please.” I picked up the menu, glancing over the options. “And pancakes with bacon and syrup.”
Pancakes were my favorite breakfast. I wondered whether Noah liked them too.
Fuck, I had no idea. I really should have gone grocery shopping. There was nothing in the refrigerator. Was that such a bad thing? For all I knew, Noah might have been vegetarian or vegan or have some nut allergy. I’d likely have bought him something which could kill him.
Honestly, this whole thing was a mess before it had even begun.
“Good choice, I’ll be back with your coffee in a minute.” The server walked away and shouted my order to the kitchen.
While I waited, I checked my phone again for all the details of where I needed to go to pick up Noah. Over the past week, I’d had several conversations with Carol, the woman from CPS, and signed a million forms and declarations. There had been some initial concern over my jail spell, but my solicitor had put together a statement indicating my regret, and Maddox had chipped in with a personal reference. I owed that guy a lot.
My coffee arrived, and I added creamer and lots of sugar, for energy if nothing else. Being so wound up about today’s events, sleep had evaded me for most of the night, not least because of the extra early start and the fear of sleeping through my alarm.
As I scanned the address for what must have been the millionth time, a message popped up.
Maddox: Hope today goes well. Me and Lyla will get you a few groceries, so you’ve got something to come home to. Let me know if you need anything else.
I placed the phone on the counter, suddenly overwhelmed by his generosity. The guy was an absolute legend, not only my boss. If only I’d hung around with him more often when I was younger, I probably wouldn’t be where I was now.
“Here you go.” The server placed a plate stacked with pancakes and bacon in front of me, setting the little pot of syrup on the counter. “Tell me if you need a refill.”
I ate quickly, the pancakes delicious and setting me up for the rest of the journey. All I wanted to do was get there, collect Noah, and get back to Cali Cross.
The home of the temporary foster care family Noah had been placed with was fairly nondescript: a cookie cutter house identical to the others surrounding it. It looked well cared for, with neat lawns, a white picket fence, and a basketball hoop over the garage. I winced at the thought of Noah coming home with me, to a one-bedroomed apartment over a garage.
Swallowing down the nerves, I stepped up to the front door and rapped on it.
What felt like an eternity later, the door swung open, and a pleasant-looking woman in her early forties smiled at me. “You must be Seth. I’m Maria, Noah’s temporary foster mother. So glad you made it.”
I gulped and held out my hand. “Hello, Maria. Yes, that’s right. It’s been a long journey. I hadn’t realized quite how far it was. You have a lovely home.” I babbled on, unable to stop the word vomit.
“Why don’t you come in? Noah’s waiting for you.”
“Should I take my shoes off?” I glanced down at my boots, dusty from working in the garage and probably stamped with a couple of oil stains. I didn’t want to ruin her carpet.
Maria shook her head as if sensing my concern. “Don’t worry about it. The number of kids we’ve had here, another stain on the carpet is nothing.” She waved her hand, indicating I should follow her.
We went into the living room, where a friendly-looking woman in her forties sat on the sofa, a folder full of paperwork in her lap. I assumed she was Carol from CPS. “Seth, glad you made it and good to finally meet you in person. Been a rough couple of days.” Carol raised her eyebrows, and I wondered what that meant. “Noah’s upstairs packing his things.”
“There are also some boxes in the garage,” Maria added. “Why don’t you start with those?”
“Sure.” I went into autopilot, following Maria outside and moving the boxes from the garage into the back of Maddox’s truck. It didn’t take long—Noah didn’t appear to have much. Once I’d secured everything, I went back into the living room and waited.
My foot tapped on the carpet, and I jiggled my keys from one finger.
Carol looked over at me. “It’ll be fine, Seth.”
A noise from the doorway made my head whip around to face the sound. Standing there, dressed in jeans and a checked flannel shirt, was a mini-me. The same dirty blond hair, my bone structure, and Hannah’s eyes.
