Deception (8 page)

"Are you
okay?" I was at least brave enough to ask that.

Instead of an
answer he leant over and kissed me, the sweetest of kisses, with one hand
holding my head in place while the other held our son's head to my breast.

"I'll go
make breakfast, come down when you're ready."

Colin

I could see my
behavior was confusing the hell out of her, well join the club princess.
'Princess' I haven't thought of her in that way for so long it was almost a
jolt to the system to think it now after all this time. It was the name I had
given her in those two weeks of bliss, she was my princess, the one woman I
wanted to cherish above all else. The one I wished to shower with all that my
money could buy.

Will I finally
get the chance? By the end of this day would I finally get my life back or
would it once again blow up in my face?

Mom showed up
half an hour later with my dad in tow. I was so excited for her I had this big
goofy grin on my face. Amber stayed back not sure of her welcome as I took the
baby to my parents. Mom hogged him of course as my dad walked pass me to Amber.
I kept an eye on him to make sure nothing was said to upset her, no one else
was allowed to do that. I know the whole family felt the brunt of her
defection, but in the end this was really between her and I. I should've known
better than to doubt him though because all he did was hug her.

“Welcome home
Amber."

I knew that shit
was going to make her cry and I was right she bawled into his chest.

“ Thomas Stewart
what did you say to my daughter in law to make her cry?"

Say what now?
Since when does mom call Amber her daughter in law? Amber must've thought the
same thing because I could hear her indrawn breath from where I stood.

"Sheath
your claws woman all I did was welcome the girl home, you know how new mothers
are they'd cry at anything."

“Oh, well,
that's okay then. Look at my new grand baby he's too precious. Colin he's the spitting
image of you when you were his age. Oh I forgot the damn camera in the
car."

"Watch your
language grandma." I teased her with a grin.

"Oh hush
you, you think I don't know better, between you men his first words would
probably be the F bomb. Amber I 'm telling you, you have to put your foot down
starting now, not that it did me any good. I 'll never forget the day I had to
go pick Donald up from Pre-K when he told the teacher he wasn't taking any
fucking nap." She rolled her eyes as dad and I cracked up. She was right
though the men in our family did like to swear. Amber still hadn't said
anything but she seemed a little less tense. My parents were professional
diplomats, not one word was said about Amber's disappearance, it was as though
they'd seen her the day before and was just picking up where they'd left off.
I'm sure our son had a lot to do with that, especially for mom. In her world
babies trumped everything else.

I was very proud
of both of them, they made acceptance seem so fucking easy; I wish I could be
the same. I hope Kurt gets here soon I want this shit over and done with. Dad
of course put on his doctor's cap and checked our boy out while questioning
Amber about her health. Making sure she was eating right and getting enough
sleep.

"It's easy
for young mothers to get run down easily, you have to pace yourself do only as
much as you can when you can."

"Colin said
he was hiring a nanny." Damn that sadness was back in her voice and she'd
been starting to unwind too. I'd forgotten all about that that was before. When
I thought I would be bringing my son home alone without a mother and later when
I still believed I was going to have to separate them. I cleared my throat to
apprise her of my change of heart where the nanny business was concerned, but
hurricane Sarah beat me to it.

"Over my
dead body. Not one of our kids were raised by nannies and I'd be damned if my
grand baby would be, no way."

"Sarah..."
Dad started to scold her which we both knew wasn't gonna work anyway, but I
used her words to save face.

"She's
right, I want my son to have what all the children in this family had." I
didn't look at Amber when I said it.

"Damn
straight, and grandma's always here to fill in." And she was off with the
baby talk while tickling his chin.

"Heads up
Amber if you want to see that kid before college you'd be wise to work out some
kind of schedule now or she'd hog that kid. Cindy and Donald have to fight her
for their parental rights as it is."

Dad joked but he
wasn't too far off. Mom had my four year old niece more than her parents did
sometimes. Donald was always grumbling to me about it, but no one wanted to
upset the tyrant.

"Oh hush
Thomas, they certainly do not, whatever do you mean?" Oh she was a smooth
one alright; seriously though, Cindy and Don appreciated mom's help they were
always singing her praises. She had more best grandma crap than a novelty
store. I was sure my son would be confiscated just as much and that was fine by
me. I hoped Amber would feel the same way because no one said no to mom.

I had a thought
while my folks were here, Amber seemed relaxed enough for my idea to work. I
didn't want her here when Kurt showed up, I had no idea what was going to be on
that shit, but I was beginning to doubt it was her. Nonetheless I wanted her
away from here when I was looking at that shit, plus I didn't want her to know
what we were doing, not yet.

"Mom why
don't you take Amber and the baby shopping; they could both use some new
things." She clapped her hands like a little girl. Amber meanwhile looked
like she wanted to protest, but why? I knew she hated shopping but I thought
for sure she would jump at the chance to shop for Anthony. She seemed to
collect herself before asking a very telling question.

“Will it just be
us? I only ask because I'm not ready to see everyone else yet."

My parents
looked at me but I kept my face blank. There it was again, that fear of someone
or something in my life, but who or what? I hadn't noticed anything when we
were together before. One thing was certain, her fear was genuine, that pissed
me the fuck off. If someone had orchestrated this, had fucked with what's mine
I will make them pay.

“Of course dear
it will just be us, we'll take the limo that way we wouldn't have to worry
about parking or carrying bags. This is going to be so much fun. Oh we need a
list." My dad was rolling his eyes, I was laughing and Amber had a small
smile on her face. I couldn't help walking over and kissing her in front of my
parents, they'd seen us kiss before.

“It'll be
fine." I reassured her softly as I rubbed my fingers over her cheek and
lips. She nodded with a little smile and the knots in my gut loosened a bit.
Now to wait for Kurt and see what the fuck was going on.

When Kurt
finally showed not long after they left he was pensive, worried! I couldn't
quite read him, but it wasn't a look I was accustomed to seeing on his face.

"Fuck
boss...I'm sorry, this...shit..." He pulled on his hair in frustration, he
was almost scaring the fuck outta me.

"What the
fuck Kurt, just tell me man."

"I can't,
I'll rather show you."

My heart was
beating so fast I thought I would have a heart attack. I'd never seen the tough
as nails Kurt Justice so flustered before in my life. What the fuck could be on
that disc? Was it Amber, is that why he was apologizing? Please, please don't
let it be please, I beg of you. I prayed for the first time since I became a
man. I don't think I could take it if she was on that disc after all. Not after
the morning we'd had. We went to my study where I had set up for the occasion
and both sat down. He really looked like he didn't want to show me that shit
but I had to see it. He cued it up and sat back.

"I'm just
going to start it where the party you're looking for is doing the transaction
okay, there's a whole day's worth of footage on there but most of that has
nothing to do with you, just the usual goings and comings to the shop."

He was stalling
I could see it.

"Just get
to it Kurt."

He sighed before
hitting play, when the face first came on the screen I think the shock kept me
rooted to the seat.

"ARE YOU
FUCKING KIDDING ME?"

He turned it off
and got me some water; it was then I realized I was fucking hyperventilating.
Lies, all fucking lies from beginning to end, they planned it, why the fuck did
they though? What had I ever done to deserve this or Amber for that matter?

“Are you sure
about this, there's no doubt, no coincidence you checked on all that?"

"I checked
the time stamp on the receipt against the time on the recording, it's the same
transaction, no mistake, I'm sorry."

"Who else
knows about this?" I had to ask, Kurt was loyal to more than just one
member of the family.

"Just you,
me and the owner of the shop, she doesn't know why I needed the tapes though,
she thinks it's an undercover sting."

"Good,
let's keep it that way." Was that my voice, so controlled? I didn't feel
in control of anything, I felt like I was spinning on a knife edge about to
lose my fucking mind.

"I'll see
myself out, call me if you need anything." He left and I sat there trying
to work things out. This mess had to be handled carefully, there was going to
be a shit storm but I had to make sure of who was involved.

There's no way
the person on that tape had access to my grandmother's jewelry, they had to
have had help. I needed to know who that help was. I flew off the rails last
time, jumped the gun, saw only what I was meant to see, this time I would be
more thorough.

I made a few
phone calls to set things in motion. This ended now, there were only a few
people who had access to the combination to my safe, and they were all family.
It was a running joke that the two brothers, meaning Don and I were so similar
when it came to pass codes. Not that mine was so easily known, unless you knew
me that is. Whoever was in on this knew me, but why had they chosen to do this?

I spent the next
few hours plotting in my head, trying to line up every possible scenario, the
one bright light in this whole mess was that Amber was innocent. The theft had
been the nail in her coffin it was the one thing that had convinced me of her
guilt. And it had all been a lie.

And I had...oh
fuck me. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. The thought of what I had said to
her, the way I had treated her. I'd contemplated taking her against her will,
and worst, I'd threatened to take her child away from her. A young innocent
girl, an orphan with no one in her corner; what the fuck have I done?

"Oh God
Amber I'm so sorry." I cried like a fucking child as my heart broke into a
million fucking pieces. I had done this to her, I'd brought her into my world
where I thought she would be safe, only to leave her at the mercy of jackals.

By the time they
got home I had pulled myself together somewhat, I think I pulled it off since
mom left without noticing anything awry. I even helped Amber put the things
she’d bought away before giving our son his bath and getting him ready for bed.

When he was down
for the night I asked if she was hungry.

"No we
stopped and had something to eat I'm set." She seemed a little lighter, I
was glad for that.

"Let's go
into the study, I need to ask you something." She got that weary look on
her face but I smiled at her reassuringly. If I had my way she'd never look
like that again.

I didn't beat
around the bush, just got right to it as soon as we were seated.

"Why did
you leave me?" She seemed surprised by the question, I could imagine why.
After all every time she'd tried to talk to me in the last couple days I'd shut
her down. Maybe because subconsciously my mind was getting too close to the
truth and I couldn't handle it. Whatever, that shit was over now.

"Colin..."
She wrung her hands as if afraid to speak.

"Come ‘ere.
" I reached for her drawing her into my lap.

"It's okay,
you can tell me, I promise I'm not mad at you." I kissed her so she'd know
that I was being truthful. I pulled her head down to my shoulder and held her
close.

"I left
because...someone told me you were getting married."

"What the
fuck?" The words were out before I could control them.

"I'm sorry
baby, I didn't mean to yell, go on, who told you that I was getting
married?"

"Cindy."
And there it was the final piece of the puzzle. I didn't know what the fuck to
feel, this shit would tear my family apart, my brother, and my niece, fuck.

I could piece
the rest together, like the who I was supposed to marry, I just couldn't figure
out why my sister in law, a woman I had known for six years would do such a
thing.