Road to Peace (26 page)

Hatch pulled me back down. “They’re fine, Sunshine. Bunk room’s across the hall, Devon said he’d come get me if Merrick needed you. Cricket’s in with Poppy and Grace. You’ve spent the whole day takin’ care of them. It’s time for me to take care of you.”

“Why hasn’t Ryan
called
?”

“Takes a while to clear a scene like that, Sunshine.”

“You think he’s clearing the scene? Wouldn’t someone else do it?”

He stroked my back. “I get the feelin’ Ryan’s kind of pain in the ass and is tryin’ to insert himself anyway.”

“Well, you got that right.” I sighed, snuggling closer. “I don’t know what he’s going to do now. He loved her so much, Connor. She was his world. He loved her more than his kids… not to diminish his love for his kids, but she took a lot, you know?”

“I get it.”

“This all seems so surreal. First the accident, now this.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m having a hard time associating my best friend for the past fifteen years, with the woman who cut my brake lines and was going to shoot her own daughter. I can’t figure out when the switch flipped. Ryan has always been so on top of her illness, Hatch. Neither of them wanted her to become a statistic. Her mother has the same issues, but her father hadn’t been as patient as Ryan. They divorced after he had her institutionalized against her will. Now Phyllis is shacking up with some guy out on in a farm in the mid-west and is this whacky, hippie, hopped-up on who knows what, drunk lady who looks like she should have been dead a long time ago.”

“Yeah? Is she happy?”

“I have no idea. I’ve only met her once and she was high, so I couldn’t tell you if she remembered me or not. Ali had to cut ties with her because she wasn’t safe to be around the kids.”

“Makes sense.”

Blood-curdling screams and a dog’s barking had me knifing off the bed and running for the room Grace was in. Pushing open the door, I found her thrashing on the mattress while Poppy tried to soothe her, but since Grace didn’t appear to be awake, she wasn’t having much luck.

Devon and Merrick rushed into the room as well, but Hatch ushered them into the hallway, while Cricket pulled Poppy who was holding Sparky into the corner and hugged her.

I wrapped Grace up in a motherly hug and crooned to her as calmly as I could, “Gracie, it’s Maisie. I’m here. Auntie’s here. Can you open your eyes, love? I’ve got you, sweetness.” She began to relax in stages and then her eyes opened and she buried her face in my neck and burst into tears. “It’s okay.”

“You need to get out of my way. I want to check on my sister,” Merrick ordered.

“It’s okay, Hatch,” I called. “She’s okay now. Aren’t you, love?”

Grace nodded and Merrick stalked to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress.

“I’ll give you two a minute,” I said.

“I’ll take Sparky out,” Devon offered, and Poppy handed her dog over.

Pulling Poppy in for a few minutes of comfort, we walked into the hallway and I lifted her face, wiping tears from her cheeks. “You okay, Poppet?”

She nodded. “That was really scary.”

“I know.” I hugged her again.

“Is it true that Alison was going to kill Gracie?”

I scowled at Hatch over Poppy’s head and gave him a look of desperation. I really wish Gracie hadn’t told her that, but I suppose I couldn’t shield my daughter from everything.

“It looks that way,” I confirmed.

“Oh my gosh,” she breathed out.

I lifted her face again. “But you understand that Alison was deeply troubled, right? This had nothing to do with Grace or even Alison to a certain degree. Grace didn’t do anything wrong, and Alison wasn’t fully in control of her actions.”

“Grace said that Alison drank a big bottle of Vodka,” Poppy whispered. “She had it hidden in the laundry basket.”

“That must have been really scary for Gracie.”

“Grace wanted to go with Uncle Ryan and Merrick to the movie, but Uncle Ryan said she should stay with Alison. He said that Alison needed some one-on-one time with Grace.”

I forced tears away. This explained Grace’s reaction to Ryan at the hospital.

“Gracie hates her dad now, Mummy. She said it’s his fault that Alison tried to kill her and that if you hadn’t talked to Alison, Grace would be dead too.” Poppy burst into tears and I pulled her back into my arms, the tears falling freely down my cheeks now.

Hatch moved then, wrapping us both in his protective warmth. I shifted so I could burrow against his chest, and Poppy and I each wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Need to know my girls are okay,” Hatch said after a few minutes. “I know this is a shit situation, but, Poppy, you are protected, as are Grace and Merrick, so I need to know you get that.”

She nodded up at him. “I know, Hatch. I’m okay.”

“I’ll always have your back, baby girl.”

“I know.”

He kissed her forehead. “Good.”

Devon returned with the dog and handed him over to Poppy. “He did his business and now he wants to play. Sorry.”

Poppy smiled and hugged Sparky to her chest. “It’s sleepy time, puppy, not play time.” He nipped at her chin with a growl. “Let’s go make Gracie feel better.”

I kissed Hatch gently and he released me so I could follow Poppy back into the bedroom. Merrick hugged Grace and then moved to leave the room, but I pulled him in for a squeeze and held him probably longer than he expected. “I love you, Merrick. I’m here for you too. Anything you need.”

He settled his head on my shoulder and held on for a little while and we stood like this until he broke the connection, standing to his staggering five-foot-ten-inch height.

“Are you okay in the bunk room?” I asked.

“It’s all good, Auntie. Devon’s cool.”

“Okay, if you need me, you know where I am.”

He nodded and, after one more glance Gracie’s way, he left the room.

“Grace, do you feel like you need something more to sleep?” I asked.

“Do I have to go to bed? Can I watch a movie or something?”

“I didn’t bring any with me.”

“They have movies here,” Cricket said. “I don’t know how many are suitable for kids, though. Hatch’ll know.”

I leaned into the hallway. “Honey, what are the odds of age-appropriate movies for Grace and Poppy?”

“Odds are good, Sunshine,” Hatch said. “Got a movie room downstairs.”

“Grab the dog, ladies, let’s go watch a movie,” I said. “Devon, Merrick, you coming?”

They didn’t hesitate.

Maisie

O
NE WEEK LATER, Poppy and I were back at our place dressing for Alison’s funeral. Grace had been staying with us as well, refusing to go home, which Ryan had agreed to for the moment, but today she was with her grandparents (Ryan’s parents), whom she adored, which meant she could have family time.

Ryan and Alison’s home had been “cleared,” on Monday, which meant the clean-up could begin. Ryan couldn’t bring himself to sleep there again (I didn’t blame him), so Hatch organized a few brothers from the Club and I got with a few of the women, and we helped pack up the house. Cade hired a specialty clean-up crew to erase the evidence of Alison’s suicide, so Ryan could get it on the market.

Ryan and Merrick stayed in a hotel until he could find a more permanent solution.

“What’s going to happen to Grace now?” Poppy asked as I braided her hair.

“I don’t know, Poppet. We’re going to have to sit down and have a very serious conversation. You and I are going to England in August, so—”

“She could come with us,” she said, hopefully.

“You seem to forget she still has a father.”

“She hates her father.”

I turned her to face me. “Which isn’t
right
, Poppy.”

Poppy wrinkled her nose.

“Ryan didn’t do anything wrong,” I stressed.

“He left her with Alison,” Poppy countered.

“Do you really think that if he had
any
idea that Alison was going to do what she did, he would have left Gracie with Alison?” I challenged.

“Well, no, but—”

“Look, these are all very adult situations that even us adults are having a really hard time wrapping our minds around, but Ryan loves Gracie just as much as I love you, Poppet. As much as your daddy loved you, and believe it or not, just as much as Ali loved her.” I stroked her cheek. “Alison was sick, and that doesn’t make any of this right, and it certainly doesn’t make Gracie feel any better, I’m sure, but it also doesn’t make Alison’s love for her daughter any less. One day, Grace will see that. It’s just going to take time. Uncle Ryan has a really long road ahead of him to get Gracie’s trust back, Poppet, so I’m going to do whatever I can to help, but let’s let them figure out what works for their family. We’ll be there to support them however we can, okay?”

“Are you going to marry Hatch?”

“Wow, where did that come from?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I was just wondering.”

“I have no idea. I love him, sweetheart, but I don’t know if we’re at that stage just yet. It hasn’t been very long.”

“Well, if you get to that stage, will he be my new dad?”

“I guess that will all depend on whether or not that’s something both of you want. Your daddy will always be your daddy, Poppet, so I don’t want you to ever worry about Hatch replacing him.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t worry about that.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“But if you have other kids, I kind of want all of us to have the same last name.”

I chuckled. “Gosh, you’ve got me married off and pregnant to the man and we haven’t even hit the year mark.”

Poppy rolled her eyes. “I know, but he’s, like, totally in love with you, so it’s going to happen.”

“You think so?”

“Well, duh.”

My heart fluttered. “I’ll tell you what, if it happens, and it’s something you want to talk to him about, then we’ll do it, okay?”

She nodded. “I want to talk to him about it.”

“Really? What if there’s a boy you like and he stands at the door with a gun cleaning it, and embarrasses the heck out of you and tells you you can’t date until you’re thirty?”

“Then he’ll just be acting like a real dad.”

“Well, you’ve got me there, sweetheart.” I smiled and pulled her in for a hug. “If it happens, we’ll talk to him about it.”

“Thanks, Mummy,” she whispered.

“Okay, you look good. Now, let me finish up so I can be ready when Hatch gets here.”

I grabbed my purse and walked out to the kitchen just as Hatch walked in the front door. I hadn’t seen him since the afternoon before and to say I’d missed him was an understatement. I looped my arms around his neck, kissing him long and hard.

He cupped the back of my head and smiled against my lips. “Hey, Sunshine.”

“Hey.”

“Missed me, huh?”

“So, so much.”

He chuckled. “Missed you too, baby.”

“Hey Hatch.” Poppy walked into the room and hugged him.

He hugged her back, kissing her head. “Hey, baby girl.”

“We should probably head on over to the funeral home,” I said. “I packed a bag since it’s going to be a long day. I’m not going to want to stay in this dress all night.”

Hatch grabbed the bag and we headed down to the garage and to my car. Arriving at the funeral home, we found Ryan already there with his parents and kids, and I saw Alison’s mother immediately.

“What the hell is that?” Hatch whispered.

I leaned close. “The mutton dressed as lamb, as we say in England, is Alison’s mother.”

Phyllis wore a tight, neon-pink leather mini-skirt, see-through platform heels (sans goldfish surprisingly), a leopard print, low-cut cami, and a double gold belt to finish off the ensemble. She’d dyed her hair platinum blonde and had teased it up a bit like Dolly Parton in 9to5. I guess the hippie commune didn’t work out.

Phyllis threw herself over the casket with a moan, revealing to the group she’d forgone undies, and cried, “My baby, my baby’s dead! She’s dead!”

Ryan caught my eye and gave me a look of panic.

“Time to help,” I declared.

Hatch nodded. “I’m gonna—”

“Nope,” I interrupted. “You’re going to show everyone here you’re my man.”

“Yeah, not really what I was worried about, Sunshine.” He stared down at me. “Just not real interested in seein’ her shriveled up twat.”

“Got it.” I faced him, forcing back a giggle as I gripped his cut. “I love you, Hatch Wallace. Now kiss me quickly because I have a dead woman I need to save from a drunk one.”

He chuckled and did as he was told. Poppy hung back with Hatch while I approached Phyllis with caution.

“Hey there, Phyllis, do you remember me?” I asked. “I’m Maisie. I met you a while ago. When Grace was born?”

She turned her head to look at me, but didn’t stand up or move away, so I did my best to block her vagina from the family. “Yes. I remember,” she said.

I didn’t believe her, but I went with it. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“She hated me.”

“She didn’t hate you,” I countered.

“She never called.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again, and wrapped an arm around her bony shoulders, pulling her (a little forcefully because she wouldn’t let go of the damn casket) away. “That must have been difficult.” I led her to the family row and sat her next to Ryan’s mother who appeared mortified that I did so.