Page 70 of Collin: Episodes 13-15
“Even if we don’t look like a normal family, it doesn’t mean you lose me. Trust me. Trust us. Trust us and who we are outside of this construct of family you were told was the right one. Let us be who we are. Trust me enough to let go of me so you can see me. So you can see that what we have is stronger than a label and a birth certificate. Mom, I didn’t give up on you when you had no hair and were dying and I was forging your signature for Alice’s school trips. We’ve already been down this road. We aren’t the cookie-cutter unit. And I’m fine with that. I don’t know how to be the ‘normal son’ anyway, so please don’t be the normal mom. Be you.”
“You’ve been down this road already. I think I avoided it.”
“How so?”
“Because I just kept promising myself that as soon as I got healthy or as soon as my career was steady I’d be a good mom again and fix everything.”
Collin stared at her in stunned silence for several heartbeats as marked by the monitor beside the bed. “But that’s not how it works. Time doesn’t turn back. I grew up. I am the man who was the boy who did all those things and saw all those things.”
“I know. But it’s what I told myself. I couldn’t stand the idea of losing all those years when you were becoming a young man, when you should have had parents looking after you. Adults helping you.”
“And I would have if Mikhail had been really our family, if Dad wasn’t dead, if Uncle and Auntie or Grandmother had bothered to be around. It wasn’t just you who were supposed to be there. You getting cancer is not the reason I grew up too fast.”
“But I was your mother.”
“It takes a village, Dr. Ryker! You literally taught me that.”
She gave a snort of laughter through tears and snot. “Okay.” She wiped at her face. “I don’t feel very mom-like right now. You’re doing all the parenting.”
“Maybe I’m old enough we can trade back and forth some times.”
“You’re twenty-four.”
Collin forced a wry smile. “I think the last week added nine or ten to that.”
“And my cancer journey probably added another ten. Fine, I take it back; there’s no age gap between you and Reevesworth. You’re both practically my age. You’re ancient.”
Collin laughed, which pulled at the stitches in his shoulder. He forced it down and settled on a smile “Thanks. I think. Anyway, forty is the new thirty, I’m told, so hopefully I still have time to do everything I want to do.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Build at least one aquaponic project. Let Damian show me South Korea. Get more sustainability projects moving with more widespread buy-in. Go swimming in the Caribbean. Visit a vineyard with Émeric. Travel with Richard. I’m planning an imagination trip to Germany for local business owners in and around planned train stations to help them contribute to crafting a new commerce area. Get a dog.”
She leaned against the side of the bed and dabbed her eyes again with a tissue. “Tell me about the imagination trip.”
Damian showed up the next morning. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, but his suit was fresh, and he looked as squared away and professional as ever. He had the transcript of Collin’s statement to the police with him as well as Mr. Reevesworth’s. For once, Collin and Richard were awake at the same time. Damian pulled up a chair between their beds. He dropped a white-noise generator on the tiny side table and switched it on.
“I know there was just another bug sweep, but…I can’t be too careful. The media is still going strong on our story. I dodged five reporters just getting in here. Business first: you can both sign these.” He held up the papers. “I don’t see anything in either statement to be concerned about. Richard, the courts have delayed everything; every single case having to do with anything Reevesworth is on hold, minus a few regulator issues for day-to-day business, like in Seoul, which I got covered.”
Mr. Reevesworth inclined his head. “Thank you. And tell Eleanor and the rest of the teams we appreciate their work.”
Damian nodded. “Will do. To be honest, you made our job very easy on a few things. Bernstein’s lawyers have clammed up, removed themselves from cases, or started turning over evidence to save their licenses, and we haven’t even made any moves on them. Haven’t had time.”
“Why?” Collin frowned. It was hard not to remember the image of Barker, Bernstein’s lead lawyer, falling back into the gravel.
Damian raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the white-noise machine. “Let’s just say there’s enough trash under the carpet coming to light that people are jumping ship. Today is only…Friday. Everything went down on Wednesday. That’s a lot to develop in just forty-eight hours. Eleanor and I want to let them show their hand.”
“And how are you?” Richard said softly.
Damian managed half a smile. “I’ll be happy to have you home, sir. And I suggest a family vacation is due somewhere warm and without many people in the near future. The news cycle around this has been vicious and detailed.”
Richard started to speak, a worry line down his forehead.
Damian held up his hand. “I have security on me twenty-four seven, sir, I swear. I’ve even been letting them into the apartment. Ellisandre makes me send them pictures of what I eat. My assistants need a bonus and are worth their weight in gold. I got meds from the doc, so tonight I’ll actually sleep. Last night was Eleanor’s night to get some real rest; tonight is mine. I promise I have support. I even called Matthew, and he let me scream and fuss for an hour when I couldn’t take it anymore. I’m not alone. If this whole incident has taught me anything, it’s that none of us are alone.”
Richard choked up. “Proud of you, Damian Sathers.”
Damian smiled widely, looking both affectionate and worn. “Thank you, sir. Now, both of you, keep resting so you can come home and I can do what I really want to do.”
