Caleb (The Unseen Series Book 1) (9 page)

“Okay, so you weave the shoulder strap through this hole at the top and the lap strap under the little arm rest, pull it across and under the other arm rest on the other side and plug it in like you would any other seat belt,” she explains.

“That looks a little complicated and fiddly,” I reply confused by the process.

“It’s the same as when you put your own seatbelt on, you just have to hook it through the seat,” she chuckles.

“Undo it so I can try,” I say, determined to get this. She takes Maddie’s seatbelt off and moves out of the way. I lean into the car and look at what SJ was talking about, after fiddling the seatbelt through the hole at the top, the rest was pretty self-explanatory. Once Maddie is strapped back in, I turn back to SJ. “It’s easy as long as I never remove the seats, I caught my finger trying to get it through the bit at the top.”

“Oh you poor baby.” SJ laughs and kisses my finger.

“I’m not five.” I pout to which she just laughs some more. We both climb in and put on our own belts, before I start the car and pull away from the sidewalk.

***

“Caleb, why are you buying those clothes?” Maddie asks.

“Because I need new ones,” I answer.

“You don’t normally shop at Goodwill, do you?” she asks, but it sounded more like a statement.

“How do you know?” I ask.

“Your clothes are soft and smell nice,” she replies with a shrug.

“You sure are smart for a five year old,” I tell her, coming down to one knee so I’m eye level with her. “You get that from your mommy, but you’re a child, Maddie, don’t rush to grow up okay?”

“Sure.” She smiles sweetly and moves down the aisle. We get to the end and catch up with SJ and Mitch who have an armful of stuff.

“Can I please have this teddy, Mommy?” he asks her.

“Not today sweetheart, we have rent to pay first and then food to buy, if we have some money left, I’ll come back and get it for you,” SJ replies. Along the aisle, Maddy had picked up a doll. She said she would put it back at the end and that she just wanted to hold it. Seeing her understand that they didn’t have enough money to buy a doll at five years old broke the heart I didn’t think I possessed until I met SJ and the kids.

“I would like to ask your permission to buy the kids a toy each,” I whisper to SJ. “You know, before I’m poor and don’t have a penny to my name.”

She chuckle and nods her head. “Okay, fine, spend your last few cents.”

I turn with a smile on my face. “Maddie, Mitch, pick a toy.”

“It’s okay, we don’t need a toy. We don’t want you to spend your last cents on us,” Mitch says while Maddie looks on the verge of tears.

“Hey, we were just joking, it’s not really my last cent,” I tell them, getting back on my knees to look them both in the eye.

“Why did Mommy say that then?” Mitch asks.

“I’m going to try to explain this, but if you don’t understand, it’s okay,” I start. “I’m doing an experiment, I have a lot of money and stuff and I’m going to give it all up for a week.”

“Why?” Mitch asks looking completely confused.

“So I can understand how you, your mom, and your sister live.”

“Why?” he asks again. “Why would you want to live like us? Mommy says we’re lucky because we have a house, but we don’t have any toys. We don’t get candy like the kids at preschool. Why would you want to do it?”

“Hey kiddo, it’s just an experiment. It’s only for a week so I can learn and see if there is a way for me to help you,” I tell the small child that is holding back his tears. He’s too strong for his age. He needs to be a child and have tantrums, not learn to hold in his tears and he certainly shouldn’t understand the value of a dollar. I vow right now that I’m going to help these kids, whatever SJ says. She will just have to put her stubbornness aside and learn to accept the help because God help me, I’ve fallen in love with this little family.

***

“American City Diner?” Maddie asks.

“We
never
eat at places like this,” Mitch states with a disbelieving expression, like I might be joking by bringing them here.

“Well, we are today,” I reply firmly, so he knows I’m not. “Don’t tell anyone, but I love this place. They have the best burgers and ice cream sundaes.”

Maddie laughs and grabs my hand. “Can we go in now?” she asks, clutching the doll she got from Goodwill.

“I’ll race you,” I say to SJ.

“You’re on,” she replies, grabbing a hold of Mitch’s hand. “3... 2... Go!” she yells and begins running.

“Cheater.” I laugh. Picking up Maddie, I bolt for the door. “We win!”

“You cheated,” she accuses me. I look to Maddie and we both just shake our heads. “You’re a little traitor.”

“What’s a traitor?” Maddie asks.

“Someone who swaps sides. You’re supposed to be on my side,” SJ jokes.

“You’re not supposed to cheat, Mommy,” Maddie replies. I cock my eyebrow at SJ daring her to challenge her daughter’s statement.

“Whatever,” she eventually mumbles as I open the door for them to go in.

“Welcome to American City Diner,” a waitress says in a bored tone. She almost looks like she should be blowing a bubble with her gum. “How many?” she asks and finally looks up. She spots me and suddenly her face brightens. “Mr. Slate, it’s great to see you again.”

“Table for four please,” I reply sharply.

“Of course, sir,” she replies after seeing SJ and the children.

After seating us and leaving us with our menus, the waitress saunters off. “Does that happen a lot?” SJ asks.

“What?” I ask, confused by her questions.

“Women practically creaming their panties just looking at you.”

“I don’t know,” I reply with a smirk. “How creamy are yours?”

She balks—I mean really balks at me. “Don’t think for one second you have any effect on my panties,” she finally replies.

“What do I have an effect on then?” I ask obnoxiously.

“Other than my gag reflex?” she replies just as quickly, causing me to chuckle.

“Are you ready to order?” the waitress asks when she places a jug of water and four glasses down on the table.

“No,” I reply simply and she scatters off.

“Why is Caleb putting cream in your panties mommy?” Maddie asks.
Fuck! I’m going to be a terrible parent.

SJ opens and closes her mouth like a fish for several seconds, pours a glass of water and tries again but still no words come out. Eventually I step in. “She’s not really, we were just joking around.”

“Well that’s very naughty, you put cream in her mouth not her panties,” Maddie replies. Suddenly SJ begins choking on the water she was just drinking and after a moment, I realize why. I try holding it in, I really do but the sight of SJ’s burning cheeks and her teeth practically piercing her bottom lip causes me to snort in laughter. It isn’t long before SJ and I give in and let go, laughing so loud we get a few odd looks from the other customers.

After we finish eating, thankfully with no more talk of creamy panties, I glance at my watch. “Do you have any plans this evening?” I ask SJ.

“Not really, just the usual bath and bed. I may even forget the bath since they don’t have day camp tomorrow. Why?” she asks.

“It’s only two, I wondered if you wanted to go somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Six Flags is only half an hour up the road, maybe we can take Maddie and Mitch?” I suggest.

“You paying for that too, rich boy?” she asks with a wry grin. God this woman is so out of my league.

“I plan to, unless Mitch wants to cough up the cash,” I say and we both turn to him. The poor boy looks like a deer caught in headlights, with half a cherry pie sticking out of his mouth. “I’m joking kiddo, eat your pie,” I laugh.

“Sounds like a plan,” SJ replies. “Although these kids will have a heart attack, they have no idea what an amusement park is.”

“I’m so taking you all to Disney World one day,” I say before thinking. SJ suddenly looks a little panicked. I scratch my head and clear my throat. “I’ll just pay the bill and we can go.”

***

“That was so cool!” Mitch exclaims as we leave the park at closing time.

“I’m glad you had fun, next time we’ll leave early in the morning and take our bathing suits so we can go to the water park too,” I reply. I hear SJ clear her throat and realize I’ve got ahead of myself again. “Only if your mom comes too,” I add and wink at her.

I’ve been carrying Maddie for the last twenty minutes after she started getting tired. She fell asleep about ten minutes ago and I’m pretty sure my arm is about to drop off.

When I deposit her into her car seat and strap her in, I flex my arm a bit to get the blood flowing back again. “She’s dead weight when she’s asleep,” SJ says when she sees what I’m doing.

“My arm has no feeling left in it,” I chuckle.

“Get in superman, I’ll make you a coffee when we get home,” she says and then realizes her mistake. “I mean my place, I meant my place, because you know, it’s my home.”

“Mm-hmm,” I simply answer and start the drive back to Fort Lincoln.

About half way home SJ’s voice pierces the silence. “Thank you for today, it was amazing. Seeing their faces light up like they did… I’ve never seen them that happy.”

“You’re welcome, SJ. I meant it when I said we could do it again,” I tell her.

“I know, but if this is the last good thing I can do with the twins, it’s something they will never forget. I’m hoping that means they’ll never forget me,” she replies, her voice cracking slightly.

“They’re never going to have the chance to forget you because they’re never leaving you, I’ll make sure of that.” She nods but it’s more of an inevitable acceptance nod, like she’s already accepted the fact that she’s going to lose the twins. Over my dead body will I allow that to happen.

“SJ?” a woman’s voice calls as we step out of the car.

SJ stiffens and slowly turns around. “What do you want Julie?”

“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting her for the last four hours,” she replies.

“That’s none of your business,” SJ’s voice takes on a defensive edge. “What do you want?”

“I’ve found the perfect couple who are happy to take the twins together—”

“No, it’s not happening.”

“Hear me out—”

“It’s eight-thirty, don’t you have anything better to do than to harass me?”

“What’s going on SJ?” I ask. I’m confused as to why this woman would be here at this time of night, trying to encourage SJ to give up the twins.

“This is my social worker, the one who seems to think I’m incapable of looking after Mitch and Maddie,” she replies nervously.

“Sorry, but to even consider taking these children, you’ll have to contact SJ’s attorney,” I say.

“She doesn’t have one,” Julie replies with a victorious grin.

“Yes, she does,” I say, handing her Mike Davis’ card.

“Do you even know the full story?” the vile woman now asks.

“SJ will tell me if and when she wants to, until then it’s none of my business except to help her.”

The woman appears to concede for now. “I’ll see you soon,” she says and gets back into her car.

“Thank you, Caleb,” SJ sniffles as soon as Julie has driven away. “But I can’t afford an attorney.”

“You’re not paying for it,” I state, she goes to interrupt but I halt her. “Davis works for Slate Securities so it’s all settled. There’s no need to worry. I told you I wouldn’t let you lose the children and I meant it.”

“I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you enough.”

“By getting these children into bed and getting that coffee you promised.”

She laughs but her eyes are still full of unshed tears. “Okay, let’s go inside.”

After settling the twins into bed, SJ closes the door and we make our way to the couch. “Do you want coffee? I mean, coffee flavored water?” she jokes.

“Yes please, either is fine,” I reply with a smirk.

“Tell me about you when you were younger. You said you knew what it was like to take on too much responsibility for a child,” she says as she busies herself in the small kitchen area.

“You know me mam died when I was just a wee lad,” I start in a thick Irish accent and she gives a short burst of laughter before slapping a hand over her mouth.

“I’m sorry, I’m not laughing about your mom—”

“I know SJ, I was trying to lighten the mood,” I respond.

“Do you purposely cover up your Irish accent or is it just natural now?”

“Believe it or not, I actually have to think about it when I want to put on an Irish accent now. Except when I’m with Grayson, it kind of just happens naturally.”

“Wow, I bet that’s weird.”

“That’s one thing I’ve never been called before,” I say, she chuckles and carries on with making coffee. “Anyway, when my mom was diagnosed with cancer I was eight and the sicker she got, the more responsibility I took on. Logan was only three, Grayson was six, and they still needed a lot of help. By the time I was ten, I’d catch the bus into town on a Saturday and do the weekly shopping.”