Page 11 of Scooter's Endgame
We chat back and forth, and the more we do, the more excited I can see her getting. After a while, the thought strikes me. “Would you like to see the cottage?” I’m hoping the charm of the compact space will seal the deal.
“Yes, please,” Kathleen replies with zero hesitation, and something settles in me at her words. The idea of having her in my home, on my property, where I get to see her every day I’m home brings me a sense of serenity I’ve never known.
As we walk over, Kathleen asks questions relating to the job I’m offering her. This is the most animated I’ve seen her in the years I’ve known her, and I’m pleased to see the haunted look in her eyes has faded.
I open the front door and step back for her to precede me. With one more ace up my sleeve, I go over to the large picture window and pull back the curtains. Light streams into the room while revealing the garden beyond. Her gasp of pleasure tells me I’m on to a winner here, and I can’t hide my smile.
“You like it?”
Eyes wide, she turns to me. “Oh, Beckett, it’s incredible.Sobeautiful – I have no words.”
“Do you think you and Luke could be happy here?”
“Are you kidding me? How could we not be? Your whole place is magnificent.”
“Well then, would you like the job?”
“Yes. Yes, I would like that very much.”
Holding out my hand to her, we shake on the deal. “Without wanting to sound like a douche, I’m not crazy about the idea of you two spending another night at the women’s shelter. So how about we go get your boy and your stuff, and get you settled in the cottage today? You can take a few days to settle in and start the new week fresh on Monday. How does that sound?”
As if someone cuts an imaginary wire that’s been holding her rigid, I watch as Kathleen’s body sags with relief. “That sounds good.”
Nodding, I show for her to go ahead of me. “Excellent. Let’s do it then.”
We reach the front door, and she stops, turning to me. “Thank you.” Her eyes well, and she takes a moment to compose herself. “Those two little words seem so insignificant – they don’t even begin to do justice to the magnitude of my gratitude, but it’s all I have.”
Unable to help myself, I reach up to cup her cheek. “It’s all I need. Knowing that the two of you are safe, it’s all the thanks I need. Now let’s go get that boy of yours.”
6
KATHLEEN
There are no words to describe the intense feeling of relief that flooded through me when Beckett offered me the job as his housekeeper, knowing that I would not only have a means to support Luke and me, but we’d have a home too.
Andwhata home I now get to give my boy. The restrictive band that has resided around my chest for as long as I can remember has loosened just ever so slightly. It almost feels as if I can breathe freely. A sensation, and state of mind, I’m unfamiliar with.
I’m so caught up in my thoughts it takes a moment for me to process the question that Beckett asks. “Do you have anything other than your clothing?”
“Yeah, I have a few things in a tiny storage locker. Mostly stuff of Luke’s, you know? Things I couldn’t bear to throw away – toys and such.”
“That’s got to be chewing through your savings.”
“It is, and one of the reasons I needed to find a job pronto.”
“Anything big that needs transporting?”
“Nothing that wouldn’t fit in, say, your car. I had to use a cab so I couldn’t take anything that wouldn’t fit.”
“All right, then here’s the plan. It’s coming up on dinner time, so let’s get Luke, grab a bite to eat, get all your stuff, and then get you settled in. You good with that?”
Chewing on my lip, I search for the right words to tell Beckett I can’t afford to buy dinner for both Luke and me without putting another dent in the little money I still have. There’s only so far I can make it stretch, and fast food simply isn’t in my budget at the moment.
“I can hear your thoughts from over here, sweet pea.” The man never fails to amaze me with how astute he is, how in tune he is with my emotions. “Dinner’s on me – a celebration of your new job.”
How does he always know what’s bugging me? It’s refreshing, but also startling since Jeff was so oblivious to anything other than himself and his own needs. Now that there’s been time and distance between us, I can see all the red flags I ignored. I never should have given so much of my power away, but I did under the guise of making sure my son was taken care of.
What a joke that is. Other than medical insurance, a roof over his head, and food for his belly, Luke got nothing else from Jeff. When we first discovered we were having a boy, Jeff couldn’t wait for him to be born. But being sick all the time due to being premature, Luke’s appeal rapidly dwindled until he was nothing more than a burden to his father.
