“Um, Bryce,” Steven interjected. “That wouldn’t be necessary.”
“On the contrary, Steven, it’s absolutely crucial. There’s no one else to take care of them.”
Steven shot Kaya a furtive glance. “There is someone else, Bryce.”
“Who?”
“Kaya. Michael and Lauren named her legal guardian. She has full custody of the children, and she’s planning to take them to Florida after the funeral.”
Kaya watched a kaleidoscope of emotions flitter across Bryce’s face. Shock. Confusion. Hurt. Betrayal.
He staggered out of his chair and slammed a fist on the desk. “They did what?”
Anger.
Kaya jumped and hugged her arms about her middle tightly, her eyes flashing back and forth from Bryce to Steven, then back to Bryce.
“Michael and I were closer than most brothers, for God’s sake. I loved Lauren like a sister. I adore those kids. How could they ever doubt that?”
“Bryce, believe me, when they asked me to write the will, I raised those same points on your behalf. But they were quite certain about what they wanted.”
“When did they make this ridiculous decision?”
“About a year ago.”
Kaya sat up straight. A year ago was when Lauren tracked her down and began sending her pictures of the children. She’d invited her to come up and meet the family. But old fears had kept her away.
Bryce turned his mercurial eyes on her. His big hands were clenched into fists. His broad shoulders heaved from his deep, harsh breathing.
The mixture of hurt and betrayal in his eyes resonated in her own tormented heart. He’d just lost his dearest friends, and now he was about to lose his godchildren whom he obviously adored.
“They didn’t even know her.” He flung his hands in the air. “They might as well have pulled a stranger off the streets and asked her to raise their kids. That’s what you are. A stranger. To all of us!” He took a threatening step toward her.
Kaya felt his despair in the pit of her stomach, but she steeled herself against the looming threat and pushed to her feet. “Bryce, I know how hurt and betrayed you must feel right now. But I’m the only living relative the children have.”
“I’m the closest thing to family they have, Kaya. The fact that people share the same blood doesn’t make them family. You don’t know those kids, and they certainly do not know you.”
“They’ll come to know me. They’ll even love me in time,” she said, forcing stability into her voice.
“They love me now,” he grounded through clenched teeth. “I’ve been in their lives from the moment each one of them was born. Where were you?”
In high school. But she was sure that’s not what he meant.
“I’m not the kind of godfather who ignores them all year then drop by with expensive gifts on Christmas and birthdays. Which is a lot more than I can say for you, their only living relative, who never even took the time to visit her sister.”
That hurt far more than Kaya ever thought it would. But she gathered courage from the knowledge that even though she and Lauren were estranged, her sister still named her legal guardian of her children.
Lauren had her reasons. Kaya didn’t know what they were. What she did know was that she would not fail her sister. She had failed her in life by not reaching out to her, meeting her halfway; she would not fail her in death by walking away from her children. She would fulfill her request, no matter the cost.
Kaya glanced at Steven, hoping he would intervene on her behalf. He shrugged and spread his hands, obviously reluctant to take sides in a dispute between an old friend and a new client.
“I hope you haven’t told the kids about your absurd plans.” Bryce’s acerbic tone drew her back to his scowling face.
“Of course not. They have enough to deal with already. I’ll tell them when the time is right.”
“It’ll never be right, Miss Brehna.”