Page 30 of Levi
“Congrats, man.Never thought I’d see the day.Always thought you were a blonde man.When is she due?”
“Thanks, we’re due in almost two months.It’s exciting but scary as shit.”I try to convey.I don’t want to give anything away.Mitch was always good at determining when someone was bullshitting.But I was trained just like him to pass any interrogation.I’ve always had a thing for blondes and Sadie is the furthest there is.
“Sorry to hear about your Uncle, but he has something I need.”Mitch cuts back to business.He makes it sound as though Sadie is a possession instead of a person, further proving to me to keep quiet.
“I wish I could help you, Mitch, but I have no idea what he did as the DA,” I become just as serious.“I hadn’t seen him in a long time and we only spoke on the phone every so often.”I shrug.“Never was any of it about his work or anything like that.”
Mitch nods and sits back in his wheelchair.
“I need to find the boss’s wife.Your Uncle pulled some shady shit and he’s about to reign hell on all of LA and his family.”
“I wish I could help but I don’t know anything about what you’re talking about.Who’s your boss anyway?”
“Levi Thorne.”
“No, shit.The attorney from all the gossip articles.”I chuckle and so does Mitch.“I’m pretty sure everyone saw the video of them at that restaurant.Didn’t he ask her for a divorce or something?”I play dumb.
“Deep down he’s a good man but a little misguided at times.”
“Well, my Uncle kept records of everything, even when I lived with him and my Aunt.He had boxes of records for every little item that went on in his life.Maybe his office has some paperwork with a lead?”I suggest, knowing that this was probably the only time in my Uncle’s life he didn’t jot down his plans or have paperwork drawn up.He wanted to make sure I wasn’t named in any of his business.
“I’m working on it as we speak, but you know all the red tape the government throws at you.”
I nod and check my watch.
“Sorry to cut this short but I’ve got some chocolates to collect for a very pregnant wife and a plane to catch.”I move to stand.
“Of course, Brody.Please contact me if you think of anything, or come across something of your Uncle’s.”
“You got it.”
We shake hands and I walk out of the room and out towards the exit.I dodged a bullet today, and hope that I won’t have to face him or his goons ever again.
I was determined when I got home to keep my focus on the task of keeping Sadie and the baby safe, but every day she chipped away at my focus.She is the most fun, loving, sassy, cheerful, silly person I know.She accepts everyone and is truly genuine when she meets them.Everyone on the ranch fell in love with her within a day.Especially, when she started baking and sharing all her desserts and treats with all the men.It’s intoxicating and I’m finding myself falling for her every day.I know it’s wrong, but the more time we act as a family the more the lines of fake and real are starting to get blurred for me.When we go out in the town, we are a married couple who holds hands and orders for each other, and it’s the exact life I’ve always wanted for myself.I know that this has heartache written all over it, but I can’t help the way she makes me feel.I’m in deeper every day and now that little Halo is here, I can’t see the line in the sand anymore.
The door opens and our nurse come quietly in.
“I was just wanting to check on baby girl and Mommy before my shift ends,” Nurse Peggy says.
“They’re great.Sadie just wanted to rest for a bit.”
“That’s perfectly normal.Have you changed the little one’s diaper yet?”She asks.
I shake my head.She shows me on the diaper where the picture changed colors, indicating that Halo needs a new one.After not waking her on three failed attempts, I finally mastered the diaper change and got her back on my chest.When I practiced on the dolls at the birthing class, it never said that as soon as air touched the baby’s skin she’d pee.Definitely wasn’t ready for that.
“When your wife wakes, she’s going to want a shower.You can call for a nurse to help, or do it yourself,” Nurse Peggy whispers, not wanting to wake either of my sleeping beauties.
“Okay, thanks.”
She leaves us alone to our quiet room.I finally turn off my brain and recline back in the chair, almost lying flat.The smell of Halo is the perfect balm for relaxing.Before long, I feel my eyes begin to droop.I place a protective hand on Halo over the soft pink blanket I bought at the gift shop, then let my eyes close for a little while and dream of the life I’m going to have with this family, and how I’ll do anything to keep them.
Levi
Los Angeles, California
Iwake with a start, as my fingers fall on the keys of my piano and send a loud noise echoing through the room.Right before Saylor and I eloped, we started a‘New Adventure Jar’.We wanted to start doing activities that were new to us as a couple.We each placed five activities, written on a folded piece of paper, in a jar and once we completed the task or adventure, we’d pick a new one.We drew “learning to play the piano” when the threats against my love started rolling in and I made the biggest mistake of my life.I bought us this beautiful grand piano to learn on, here at home, after I refused to return to the class she signed us up for.She and I were the oldest in the beginners’ class by two decades.After that, I found a nice lady who came here to teach us.
My hazy eyes try to adjust to the bright light from the floor to ceiling windows.I see another large empty bottle of liquor sitting on top of the piano, with the tumbler missing.It’s either shattered against the wall somewhere in the corner, or I bypassed it all together and drank straight from the bottle.Again.Saylor loved this piano and played all the time.Sometimes I’d bring my work home with me and sneak in so that I could hear her play when it was her time for a lesson.She was getting to the point where she didn’t need to look at the sheets to play the three songs that we’d learned because her fingers moved to their own accord.She is truly a priceless gem.
