28
Daren
Do you know how difficult it is to be granted entry into a public courthouse when you’re handcuffed to another person but not for legal reasons?
Pretty fucking impossible.
Kayla and I spent a good hour with the security guards, answering questions and giving recorded statements about why we’re handcuffed together explaining that, yes, we chose to be chained together and, no, we are not under duress.
Eddie came out at one point and helped smooth over some of the confusion. It took eight security guards, two police officers, and one notary public to get us cleared for entry, but we managed to make it inside.
And that wasn’t even the hard part.
The hard part was biting my tongue when I walked into the holding room and saw my dad laughing with the bailiff. He hasn’t taken any of this seriously since day one.
I glance at Kayla. She gives me an encouraging little smile and I quickly look away. She offered to cut off our handcuffs and forfeit her inheritance—an inheritance that would give her a better future—for me. And she didn’t even bat an eye.
No woman has offered to sacrifice something so important for me. I don’t know what to say. Or think. Or feel about Kayla right now. So I’m avoiding eye contact until I figure it out.
“Daren, my boy!” My dad waves at me with his cuffed wrists and smiles. “Like father like son, eh?”
I curl my lip. “I’m nothing like you.”
“Ouch.” He mocks a look of hurt. “Are you still pissed about Connor? Because you don’t have to pay his bills, you know. He can get a loan from the hospital or work with his insurance company—”
“No, Dad. Just—” I inhale. “Just no. Someone needs to pay for the medical care he needed because of your horrendous decision making. And it shouldn’t be the guy who just recently learned how to walk again.”
I purse my lips, thinking about the first time I saw Connor after the accident. It was the first court date and the poor guy was sitting in court in a body cast with two black eyes and a breathing tube sticking out of his neck. And my father wasn’t even fazed.
He sighs. “Then I guess you’re welcome to be that martyr. Sweet Jesus, is that little Kayla Turner?” Dad’s eyes light up as he looks Kayla over. “My goodness, girl. I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“Hi, Mr. Ackwood.” She smiles politely.
“Call me Luke.” He smiles back. “Now why in the hell are you handcuffed to my son?”
She bites her lip. “Well, uh…”
“None of your business,” I say, taking a seat in one of the metal folding chairs on the other side of the table. I pull one out for Kayla as well and she sits beside me, crossing her legs.
She pulls her phone and a pair of earbuds from her purse and holds them up. “I’m just going to…” She puts the buds in her ears and soon I hear the distant sound of music streaming from her phone. I let out a silent sigh of relief, grateful she won’t have to listen to this conversation—however it may go.
I look at my dad. “Eddie tells me you’re refusing to plead guilty.”
“So that’s how it’s going to be, then?” he says, spitting the words out like I’ve greatly offended him. “You’re not going to speak to me for ten months, and then when you do come to see me, you come leashed to Kayla Turner without explanation and try to give me legal advice?” He laughs out loud. “Oh, my boy. That’s priceless.”
Eddie shuffles into the room, looking out of breath and a little bit sweaty. “Sorry. Sorry. I forgot which room number we were in and got a tad bit lost. But I’m here now!” He smiles.
My father says, “Eddie, why is my son handcuffed to Kayla Turner?”
Eddie frowns at me. “You haven’t found the money yet, I’m guessing?”
I shake my head. “Turner’s letter turned out to be more of a scavenger hunt. We’re still looking.”
Eddie makes a face of concern. “Oh my.”
Dad looks at me. “What in the hell does a scavenger hunt have to do with your handcuffs?”
I flex a muscle in my jaw. “Old Man Turner left us money in his will but we have to be handcuffed together until we find it.”
Dad laughs again. “Well isn’t that a kick in the pants? Chained to a pretty girl and searching for treasure.”
“Can we please get back to why I’m here?” I say, my patience less than thin.
“Yes, yes.” Eddie pulls up a chair and sits. “Here’s the problem, Luke. If you don’t plead guilty, and this thing goes to trial, you could serve up to eight years if we lose.”
“Then we’d better not lose.” He grins nonchalantly.
Eddie’s phone rings and he glances at the caller ID before standing back up. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.” Once again he leaves, and I turn to my father.
“This isn’t a game, Dad.” I look at him sternly.
He leans forward. “Don’t you think I know that? But I don’t want to storm into a courtroom and plead guilty to almost killing a man.”
“But you did almost kill a man!” I say. “You are guilty.”
“Which is exactly why I want to go to trial.” He sneers at me. “Why do you want me to plead guilty so bad?”
I lower my voice and lean in. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”
He eyes me for a moment then shifts his gaze to Kayla and shakes his head. “Doing the right thing doesn’t always get you to the right places. I did the right thing with your mom. I was faithful to her. I was loving and honest and all that sappy shit a good man is supposed to be. And what did she do? She fucking left us.”
“Dad.” I rub a hand down my face. “This isn’t about Mom—or any other woman.”
He waves me off. “It’s always about a woman. And let me tell you something else.” He lowers his voice. “Kayla Turner isn’t going stick with you either.”
“She’s not with me, Dad. We’re just together to find the money.”
“Say whatever you want, but I know that look in a man’s eyes. The look that says I want to be worthy of this girl. The look that says I want to do the right thing for this girl. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter.”
I roll my eyes and sigh.
“Because you aren’t good enough for her,” he continues quietly. “And I know she’s handcuffed to you now, and you’re probably thinking that you stand a chance, but she’s just using you. That’s the truth, and the truth hurts.
“Look at her, Daren. She’s young and beautiful, and she wants someone who’s stable and has money. And as soon as she gets that inheritance and you two unchain yourselves, that’s just what she’s going to go find. You don’t stand a chance, son. All the good looks in the world won’t keep a girl like Kayla Turner waiting around for you while you get your shit together.” He purses his lips and shakes his head. “She’s going to leave you. Women always leave. Hell, your own mother left you.” He inhales. “So if you know what’s best for you, you’ll drop this high-flying fantasy of yours where you and Kayla live happily ever after and get back to reality.”
I don’t like my father. I despise him, mostly. But I can’t argue with his words. He’s right. Kayla deserves something more than me. This world we’ve created, with scavenger hunts and handcuffs and sleeping in the dark, has always been temporary. I’ve always been temporary.
Eddie bustles back into the room and puts his cell phone away. “Sorry about that.” He sits back down. “Have we made any progress yet?”