Cimarron, Denver Cereal Volume 4 (12 page)

“
I’d like to kiss you,”
Aden said.

Shaking her head at him, she turned back and
walked into the apartment. She ran into Noelle and Nash. They had
been listening on the other side of the door.

“
I can change, Daddy,”
Noelle said. “I don’t have to wear this.”

“
I was just surprised,
honey,” Aden said. “That’s all. You look very
beautiful.”

“
I want to be your little
girl.”

“
You’ll always be my little
girl, Noelle,” Aden said. “Always.”

When he held out his arms, Noelle ran to
give him a hug.

“
I think she looks great,”
Nash said. In a brother’s singsong teasing voice, Nash added, “So
does Teddy.”

Noelle blushed.

“
Who’s Teddy?” Flustered,
Aden repeated, “Who’s Teddy?”

“
Nash’s friend Teddy,”
Sandy said. “We need to keep moving. Your Dad needs to get back to
work and we have to get to school.”

Sandy and the kids sat down at the
table.

“
Daddy, sit right here,”
Noelle said.

Aden sat down between Noelle and Nash

“
Nash?” Sandy
said.

“
Thanks for the food,” Nash
said.

“
Grace?” Aden
asked.

“
We like to start our day
with a little thank you,” Noelle said.

“
Because we’re glad we have
each other even if things are hard,” Nash said. “That’s what Sandy
says.”

“
Every day,” Sandy
laughed.

They ate quickly. Nash got up to take the
dishes. He nudged Noelle and she went with him into the
kitchen.

“
So civilized,” Aden said.
“No cold Pop Tarts on the way to school.”

“
They’re on their best
behavior,” she said. “Would you like some more coffee?”

“
Should you be drinking
coffee?”

“
It’s none of your
business.”

“
My baby,” he said. “My
business.”

“
You sure?” she
asked.

“
Listen Nuala fucked
up…”

Sandy stood from her chair. Walking out of
the dining room, she went into her bedroom and closed her door. She
sat down on the end of her bed. She could hear Nash and Noelle
talking at the same time. Aden’s voice resonated through the walls
but the meaning was lost. Nash and Noelle and the deeper voice,
they were all talking. The voices went back and forth. Overwhelmed,
Sandy lay back on the bed. There was a tap on her door.

“
Yes?” Sandy
asked.

Aden stuck his head in the door.

“
I came in here to get away
from you,” Sandy said.

“
I know,” he said. “May I
come in?”

“
You might as well,” she
said.

She shifted up to sitting. He sat down next
to her on the bed.

“
You don’t wear your ring
any more,” he said.

“
Just another broken
promise.”

“
How do I make this right?
What do I need to do to make this right?”

“
I don’t know,” Sandy
shrugged. “Can’t un-tell millions of people my deepest
secret.”

“
What do you mean? I never
told anyone.”

Sandy turned to look at him. He tried not to
squirm under her close scrutiny.

“
How is it that everyone in
the city of Denver knows that my father raped me then sold the
videos?” Her voice was soft but clear. “I told Jill… and I told
you.”

The blood drained from his face. His mouth
fell open and shut in a grim line.

“
There’s only one other
person who knew because it stopped around the time we were close.
He didn’t say anything to the Denver Post or the news cameras
or…”

Aden opened his mouth to say something. His
voice came out in a croak.

“
I never even told Heather
or Tanesha, not because I thought they would tell CBS morning news
or their lawyer would be on the Today show. I didn’t tell my best
friends because I was mortified.”

He looked away from her.

“
I guess I still am,” she
said. “It happened to me, not you, not even Noelle. Now the entire
world knows I’m just some victim.”

“
Sandy, I…”

“
My Dad would be so
disappointed in me,” she said. “That’s what gets me the most. He
went way out of his way to save me and now look at my life.
Unmarried, pregnant at twenty-six by some criminal
who...”

“
I love you, Sandy,” Aden
said. “Please tell me how I can make this right. I want to marry
you. I want to spend my life with you and the kids at the center of
it. I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Sandy raised her shoulders then dropped
them. They sat on the bed in silence for a moment.

“
I need to get the kids to
school,” she said. “You need to get back to work. Jake’s had a hell
of a time while you were gone.”

Aden took her hand when she stood. She
turned to look at him.

“
I want to make this
right,” he said.

“
I don’t think there is a
way to make it right,” Sandy said. “There’s just moving
on.”

“
How do we move
on?”

“
I’m too exhausted solve
this problem for you,” Sandy said.

Standing, she picked up her purse and left
the room. Looking around the bedroom, he remembered their first
days here in this apartment. He’d cherished those memories while he
was in prison. Reviewing the memories now, he saw what he’d been
too self-absorbed to see at the time: Sandy had been injured and
bleeding the entire time. His memories now revealed her terror,
devastation, and sorrow. He realized the kids’ numb expressions had
covered their loss and pain. As if watching a horrible movie, the
memories rolled in front of him.

How had he missed it?

He’d hurt everyone who loved him. As if he
was hell bent on destruction, he had taken a wrecking ball to his
entire life and everyone in it.

Nothing could change that fact.

As if she was standing in front of him, he
heard Celia’s voice say:

“
We create the lives we
want through our thoughts and actions. Why did you want
this?”

Stunned, he plopped down on the bed. He’d
never felt like he deserved Sandy, his kids, his career, his money,
and, well, everything he had. At the very moment he was going to
have every piece of his shiny dream – beautiful wife, step into a
CEO job at Lipson, happy children – he’d fucked it all.

The truth hit him like a ton of bricks.

“
I don’t deserve it,” he
said out loud.

“
And we did?” Sandy was
standing inside the doorway. “Sorry, I left my keys on the
dresser.”

She reached around him to get her keys.
Jumping to his feet, he lifted her from her feet in a hug. Setting
her down, he fell to his knees.

“
I get it. I really get it.
And I’m so, so sorry,” he said. “I didn’t understand but I do now.
Can you forgive me?”

“
You need to apologize to
the children,” Sandy said. “Sort your shit out. Get your life
together. Make this right. Then ask me for forgiveness. Asking me
now, in the middle of the wreckage, is just rude.”

Popping to his feet, he held her again.

“
I have to get the kids to
school,” she said.

“
I’ll take Noelle. It’s on
my way,” he said. “You and Nash can take care of
schools.”

“
Don’t fuck this up,” she
said. “The kids can’t handle another disappointment from
you.”

“
No, ma’am, I won’t,” he
said.

He followed her out. He had already dropped
off his ‘young woman’ when he realized that he once had this
conversation with Celia. Celia told him it was up to him to decide
how much he was worth. Smiling, he rolled into the Lipson
Construction lot. He might not know what he was worth but he sure
as hell knew how to start figuring it out.

~~~~~~~~

Thursday afternoon — 2:30
P.M.

Valerie hopped out of the driver’s seat of
Jill’s Lexus SUV. She’d promised to take Katy and Paddie on the big
equipment this afternoon. By the time she got around to the back,
Katy and Paddie were out of their car seats. Valerie helped the
children out of the car. As soon their feet hit the ground, Katy
and Paddie began hopping like bunnies toward the Lipson
Construction office.

As they neared the front door, Katy took off
running. When the automatic door slid open, she squealed with
laughter.

“
I’ll do it!” Paddie
said.

Katy ran back. They waited for the door to
close then Paddie ran forward. The door opened. The children were
beside themselves with laughter. Paddie ran back.

“
You do it!” Katy said to
Valerie.

Valerie ran forward and the door opened.
Katy and Paddie squealed and cheered. Hoping to quell the chaos,
Valerie took their hands. They walked into Lipson Construction.

“
The doors at the store do
that,” Paddie said.

“
These are more fun!” Katy
said. “Faster!”

“
More fun to do it myself,”
Paddie said.

“
Hey Val,” the receptionist
said. “I didn’t know you were here today.”

“
I came to see if we could
lure my brother into showing us how all the big equipment works,”
Valerie said. “He’s expecting us.”

“
Who are these munchkins?”
the receptionist asked.

“
I’m Katy!”

“
I’m Paddie. Who are
you?”

“
I’m Clara,” the
receptionist said. “Your kids?”

“
Jake’s daughter,” Valerie
said. “And her best friend, Paddie Hargreaves.”

“
I thought Jake had a
daughter. There are pictures of her and Jill of course, all over
his office, but I also heard he didn’t have any children,” Clara
said.

“
Just me!” Katy
said.

“
Anyway, you can go back,”
Clara buzzed the door. “We’re all so relieved that Aden’s back.
Blane called and said he’s coming in tomorrow. It’s like things are
getting back to normal here.”

“
That would be very nice,”
Valerie said. “Thanks.”

With a child in each hand, Valerie went
through the door to the back office. Once through the door, Katy
yanked her hand from Valerie’s. Katy took off running toward
Jacob’s office. Not to be outdone, Paddie jerked out of Valerie’s
grasp and ran after Katy. Valerie ran after the children. They were
a laughing, giggling parade through the office.

Valerie was around the corner when she
heard, “Hey, you can’t go in there.” She sped up. Turning the
corner into the hallway that held Jacob, Sam and Aden’s office, she
heard Katy’s distinctive cry. A blonde woman in a risqué dress and
five inch heels had Katy and Paddie by the wrist. Katy had a red
welt on her face.

“
This child assaulted me!”
the woman said.

Valerie looked at the small child and back
at the woman.

“
She’s pretty good at
martial arts,” Valerie said.

“
No child should treat an
adult this way,” the woman said.

“
So you slapped her?”
Valerie asked.

“
What are these children
doing here?” the woman asked.

“
I was raised in this
office,” Valerie said. “Children have always been in this office.
Who the hell are you?”

Valerie dropped to her knees. She held her
arm out for Katy and Paddie.

“
Let go of them,” Valerie
said.

“
I will not,” the woman
said. “I am escorting these wild children out of this office this
instant.”

Katy began to howl. Paddie began to cry in
sympathy for Katy. People poked their heads out of their offices.
Aden’s secretary was moving across the space toward them.

“
Evette, let the children
go,” Aden’s secretary said. Her voice was calm and soothing.
“Evette’s new, Val. She just doesn’t know. Evette, this is Valerie
Lipson. Mr. Marlowe’s sister.”

“
The soap opera slut,”
Evette said.

Aden’s secretary stepped back in horror.

“
Mr. Marlowe does not need
to be bothered by your nonsense or some bastard children,” Evette
said.

“
DADDDDDDYYYYYYY!!!!!!”
Katy screamed.

Jacob and Aden flew out of his office. Quick
to assess the situation, Jacob’s face set in sheer rage.

“
Mr. Marlowe…” Evette
started.

“
Let go,” Jacob said.
“Now.”

Evette released the children. Katy ran to
Jacob. Valerie picked up Paddie.

“
Be in my office in an
hour,” Aden said to Evette.

“
I was just…” Evette
said.

“
One hour,” Aden
said.

With his secretary trailing him, Aden walked
into his office. His secretary closed the door. With one last look
at Evette, Jacob and Valerie took the crying children into his
office. Valerie sat on the couch with Paddie and rocked him back
and forth. Jacob sat down in his office chair with Katy.

Jacob’s heart sank with guilt and sadness.
He had no idea what to do for Katy. He just held on to her and
tried to say soothing things to her. He was about to call Jill when
Katy began to take a few deeper breaths.