Page 28 of Wild Side
“It wasn’t me. And she told me the same thing about a boyfriend. ButItook care of Milo when she was with him too.”
Tabitha’s lips purse and push from side to side as if she doesn’t like the taste of what she just heard, but she doesn’t address anything.
“Do your parents help out with Milo a lot?” I venture carefully. “I was under the impression they cut her off.”
Tabitha sighs and flops back in her chair. She looks as though she might melt and slip right onto the floor. “It’s complicated. And I’m the lucky go-between.”
I tilt my head in response, wanting more details.
She lets out an annoyed huff before continuing. “They did cut her off, and there’s a part of me that doesn’t blame them. When she was down, she was… hard to deal with. They were constantly worried. And it went on for a long time. The lying, the mood swings, the disappearing, the stealing. That was the final straw. She stole their wedding rings and pawned them. They were passed down from my grandparents, and I think it just broke my dad’s damn heart.”
I swallow a lump in my throat, and Tabitha looks away, blinking rapidly.
“There’s a part of me that gets it. But there’s a bigger part of me that holds it against them. Because I just… I couldn’t bring myself to cut ties. I mean, you know”—her voice drops an octave as it thickens—“that’s my big sister. My idol. Even though that one fucking injury sent her on a downhill spiral, I couldn’t just leave her.”
The lump in my throat keeps me from talking. And it’s just as well. She seems to be on a roll, and I don’t want to cut her off. Truth be told, I hang on every word out of Tabitha Garrison’s mouth.
“So, I took over. And when Milo came around, I worked both sides. Basically told them that having a momandgrandparents in the picture would be best for Milo. And eventually everyone gave in. And it worked but?—”
But she carried a heavy burden.
Her nose wiggles, and she waves the thought off. “Anyway, my mom and dad were great parents, and they are even better grandparents. But I don’t know if I’ll ever totally forgive them for bailing on Erika.” Her gaze drops. “Not that I’d tell them that. But I’m working on letting it go.” She lets out a bittersweet chuckle before pointing at her chest. “Hence the shirt.”
“I’m sorry,” I say simply. And I mean it. It’s a sad fucking story. And with the shit I’ve seen in the foster care system, I also know it’s not an uncommon story.
Tabitha presses her lips together and nods in my direction. Her eyes are glassy, but she doesn’t cry. She doesn’t strike me as a crier. “Thanks. I’m sorry you’re caught up in this.”
I shrug. I’m used to life throwing me curveballs.
“Are you going to try and take him, eventually?” she asks softly.
I suck in a breath and shift at the table. “I don’t know.”
She looks me in the eye. “I’ll fight this, Rhys. And I won’t give up until I’m broke and ruined. I’ve already been in contact with a lawyer about contesting custody. So just know that I will doeverythingin my power to keep him. I’m not saying this to be difficult. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”
“I believe you.” And I do. I’ve faced off in my fair share of brawls, and something tells me Tabitha Garrison would be the fight of my life if I ever decided to go toe-to-toe with her.
Her jaw tightens as her gaze works its way over me, both of us feeling equally distrustful. “So you’ll, what? Come back now and then?”
“We can tell Milo about his mom tomorrow—together—if you want. We’ll tell him he’s staying here, with you. And yeah, it’s going to be a couple of weeks before I can get back again. This isn’t an easy location for me to pop into, and I don’t know whatborder patrol will say. Gives us time to figure shit out. Talk to our lawyers. Talk out the legalities and the… outcome.”
She nods, the stubborn set to her jaw the only clue to what’s going on in her head. She’s barely touched her wine, but she spins the glass in place by the stem, watching the liquid slosh against the sides and create a wavelike pattern as it streaks back down.
The next question comes out in a barely audible whisper. “Do you actually want Milo? To raise him and do the whole parent thing? Like, is this just an obligation, or do you actually want this?”
She hits the nail on the head. That’s for fucking sure. Because my feelings today are about so much more than distrust.
It’s the haunting walk down memory lane. It’s knowing how much this woman is struggling with the aftermath of her loss. It’s this inexplicable connection to her and to the little boy in this town that keeps me from walking away.
I don’t want to tell her those things, but I also don’t want to tell more lies than I have to. And the truth is, I do love Milo. And I know Milo loves me.
So I settle on, “I actually want this.”
Her eyes stay fixed on the wine, and her lips tip up in the saddest smile. “Okay. We both take some time to cool down and reassess when you come back in a couple of weeks then.” She pushes up without another glance. “It’s not fancy downstairs, and there isn’t a bathroom, so you’ll have to come up to the main floor. I didn’t make the bed, but there are clean sheets, and you can stay there when you want.”
She’s leaving when my stomach growls again, and I don’t know if she hears it, but I wish I could tell it to just fucking knock it off already. It’s borderline embarrassing.
Tabitha doesn’t acknowledge me any further, though. I can hear her padding up the stairs, probably going to bed, and I’m pretty sure she’s dismissed me.
