Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (6 page)

As night fell, the Cowan’s stood on Michael’s doorstep. When Michael opened the door, both of them let out a sigh of relief as he met them with a huge smile.

“Come on in, let me get my coat. We’ll take my car. I just have to get my keys and find my other shoe,” he rambled, hobbling down the hallway with one shoe on. “Found it,” Michael announced while trying to slip on his other shoe as he emerged from his bedroom.

An awkward silence fell over Michael, Ròs, and Trevor as they drove to the Colvins’. Michael made several attempts to start a simple conversation, but to no avail. Ròs seemed to be in deep thought as she stared at a locket that she held in her hand, and Trevor was in the backseat looking pensively out the window. Michael began to wring his hands on the steering wheel as he thought to himself.
I wonder how tonight will go. Are we making a mistake by springing this on Cat?
Looking upward slightly, Michael thought,
I know we’ve spoken together professionally on many occasions, but this time I have a personal request. Something I’ve never asked of you before. I’m asking you for some kind of guidance as to how I should handle this situation. My only hopes are that by doing this, no harm will come to Cat and that we do not ruin the Colvin family.
 

The doorbell rang at the Colvin residence, and Taylor, who was on his way up to his room, turned around to answer it. He was surprised to see Michael standing on the porch. “Hey Mike, what’s up?” he asked. Taylor started feeling a little guilty, realizing that no one had yet told Michael that Cat knew she was adopted. He wasn’t going to tell him, that’s for sure. “Mom, Dad, Uncle Mike’s here!” he called out.

“Well don’t make him stand there, let him in,” Rachel replied while coming down the stairs.

“Yes, Taylor let him in,” Sam repeated from his study.

Taylor opened the door wide and Michael stepped over the threshold. “What a pleasant surprise!” Rachel gushed, embracing Michael in a hug. As Taylor began to shut the door, he noticed two people standing on the porch in the shadows.
They’re not human,
he thought.

“Hey Mike, are these two with you?” Taylor asked, looking out the door.

“Oh, yes, where are my manners,” Michael apologized, turning to introduce his two guests. “I’d like you all to meet the Cowans, Ròs and Trevor. And if you would be so kind as to invite them in, we’d like to speak with you.” He hoped he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

“Of course, welcome to our home, come in, come in,” Sam gestured, wondering why Michael seemed so uneasy. Sam looked over at Rachel and saw that she too had noticed.

“Taylor, weren’t you on your way up to your room?”  Rachel asked.

“I guess that’s a hint for me to leave.  Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Cowan. Later, Mike,” he said, and then sprinted up the stairs two at a time.

“Should we move this to the study?” Sam asked, gesturing toward the open door.

“Excellent idea,” Michael stated and took the lead into the room. Rachel grasped Sam’s hand firmly. They both exchanged looks and were curious as to what was about to take place. As they entered the study, Michael, Ròs, and Trevor sat on the leather couch facing Sam’s desk. Sam grabbed his desk chair and rolled it around to the front of the desk, as Rachel sat on the edge of the matching leather recliner to his left.  He saw she was biting her lip as she waited for someone to speak.

“I guess I’ll break the ice. Rachel, Sam, it is our pleasure to finally meet you both. I know I speak for Trevor and myself when I say, we can never repay the selfless act you both have done for our family.” Ròs’ thick Irish brogue shook a little as she glanced at her husband for support. Ròs noticed the confused expressions that Rachel and Sam were sending her way. “I’m doing this a bit badly, aren’t I?” she asked, looking back at Trevor.

“What my wonderful wife is trying to say is that as Catherine’s aunt and uncle, we want to thank you for taking such great care of her,” Trevor said kindly.

“What? You’re who? Is this some kind of joke, Michael?”  Rachel asked in disbelief.

“No, Rachel, it’s not a joke. This is William’s sister and brother-in-law,” Michael answered.

Cat sat on her bed staring out the window. She hadn’t gone
down to dinner and now she was starving
. Cat hoped she wouldn’t enco
unter anyone as
she quietly made her way down the stairs to the kitchen, making sure to miss the creaky ones. With a plate full of
food and a
glass of water, she started walking back to the staircase, when she heard voices coming from the closed study door. She moved closer, and was surprised to hear her Uncle Michael telling everyone to calm down. Cat placed her glass and plate on the hallway side table and bent to listen with her ear to the door.

“What are you two doing here?” she heard Sam ask forcefully. The anger in her dad’s voice startled Cat. Her father was usually a very calm man, and raising his voice was unlike him.

“We’ve come to take Catherine with us. It’s not safe for her here anymore. I know we should’ve given you some warning, but we knew that we needed to see you in person to talk about this.” Cat heard a woman say with an Irish accent.
Not safe? Who the hell is this lady? And why is she here to take me away?

“She doesn’t know about her past yet, only that she’s adopted. She only found that out a week ago, and hasn’t been dealing with it very well, I can assure you. So for you to add this to the mix, I just don’t know what she’ll do,” Rachel’s voice begged.