“He was amazing. The kid is going to be a star!” she bragged.
“I’m sure he will be. Sure sounds like it.” I wasn’t sure I believed her. With the way she was handling her personal life, that kid had more drama coming in his future. That would either send him off the tracks or make him want more drama. “Could you put me through to my father, please?”
She paused. “Oh, I would. But he’s in Europe. I assumed you knew.”
Europe? “No, he didn’t mention it. Where in Europe?”
I heard her shuffling around and her voice sounded muffled as if she were covering something up. “Switzerland, I think. He’s taken Wills to get settled into the boarding school.”
He had Wills in Switzerland to enroll in a boarding school. He was six years old. Who the fuck sent a six-year-old to boarding school? “Are you sure?” I asked her still thinking there had to be some miscommunication.
“Yes. I know,” she whispered. “I didn’t think it was even legal to send a six-year-old off like that. But he did. I thought you knew. Wills’ mother knew. She sent over the signed paperwork.”
Hilda knew. She fucking knew and didn’t tell me.
I couldn’t say anymore. I was in shock. There was nothing the man could do to surprise me, but Hilda had let this happen? No concern at all for Wills?
“Thank you.” I forced out the words before ending the call.
I wanted to hit something or to throw the man I had believed was my father against a wall over and over. I wanted to make him beg for compassion. None of that would help Wills now. I had to take a deep breath and not think about how scared he had to be right now. Not worry about his safety where he was. If I did I would go crazy. Wills needed me to be smart and to move quickly.
I never imagined taking my time would lead to this. I was trying to be safe. Make sure when I went after custody of my son that I had the power to win. It wasn’t easy to go up against a man as powerful as Richardson. But now it was time to move. To strike. To fucking get my son back in the United States.
Driving toward my lawyer’s firm I called and let them know I was on my way and that
there was a development that would require immediate action. I’d tell them more when I arrived. While I was on the phone with my counsel, I that about calling Beulah back. Hearing her voice and talking to her about what had happened would help me focus. Now more than anything I wished I had brought her with me. I needed her. Gerry would have understood. I’d talk to her and then tell Gerry. I wanted Beulah here with me.
The phone rang and like all the other damn numbers I had called there was no answer. Slamming my phone down in the passenger seat I focused on the road and went over all my options to get Wills back. Beulah would call me back soon. She wasn’t my father. There was no secret there. Nothing she was hiding. Nothing I had to fear.
Once I had her here with me I could focus more on the situation instead of worrying about her. Wills was my son and having Beulah as a part of his life now was important. For all three of us. Wills was going to need Beulah just as much as I did.
I fiddled with my phone as it sat in the passenger seat. I thought of calling Gerry’s now, but I had a meeting to get to. I would call after. By the time I went to bed tonight, Beulah would be on a plane headed here.
Beulah
ALTHOUGH HE WAS MILES AWAY, I still felt time closing in on me.
Stone had texted and called today. Both times I hadn’t been able to respond. Speaking to him and hearing his voice was too much. Kissing him goodbye knowing it was the last time I’d kiss him crippled me emotionally. I’d been on the verge of tears all day. More than once I had found myself thanking Geraldine for the job and all she’d done for me. How her friendship meant so much and how I would always cherish our memories forever. I hadn’t been able to tell her I was leaving because doing so would mean I’d have to tell her why.
For the child growing inside me, I couldn’t do it. I had someone else to protect now. This baby would come first for the rest of my life. It wasn’t something I had to remind myself of, it just came naturally. Knowing that Stone didn’t want the baby made me feel even more fiercely protective. As if I could be enough for both parents.
If I told Geraldine, she’d have to tell Stone. Instead I made our last day count. I spent time doing all the things I had been wanting to get to, I made her favorite meals and we sat outside like she loved to do. I listened to her stories and laughed enjoying the moment. This would be my last memory with her and I soaked it all in.
Once she went upstairs for a nap, I made extra meals and placed them in the fridge. She would be okay until Stone got back. When I left her house. I went to see Heidi. It was unexpected and much later than I had ever visited before.
Heidi had been my world for so long. She’d been my number one priority. Now she was safe. Taken care of. I’d have to one day make sure Stone was paid back for her care to protect. Right now I had no other option. I’d have to owe him.
Leaving town meant leaving Heidi here. I would come back for her when I could. I would visit her but not as often as I did now. She was happy with her friends and her home. Taking her from all that was unfair especially when I wasn’t able to make sure she had proper care and food. This was where she would be safest.
When Heidi came out of her room and saw me walking down the hall, she’d beamed at me and ran to hug me fiercely. I held onto her tightly. Trying not to cry. She wouldn’t understand. I knew that. But I had to tell her. She was the one person I couldn’t leave without telling her why. She depended on me. And I never wanted her to think I was gone forever like Mom was.
“Beulah, you surprised me!” she said loudly with such happiness in her voice. This was going to be difficult.
“I wanted to see you,” I told her and kissed her cheek.
“I made a pillowcase today! Come see!” she grabbed my hand and pulled me to her room.
I went, thankful that we were going to be in her room alone. No one to hear me or hear Heidi’s questions. She ran over to her bed and took a pillow off of it. It was covered in painted flowers. Yellow daisies like the ones our mother loved so much. I knew she remembered her. My eyes stung as I saw that memory showing through on the pillow she had painted. I didn’t want her to think I was going away like our mother had. She needed to know I would always be here. Explaining that to her seemed so difficult. Her capability of understanding the difference wasn’t exactly clear. I wasn’t sure what all Heidi did or didn’t completely understand. Sometimes I thought I knew and other times I wondered if she figured out more than I realized or gave her credit for.
“It’s beautiful,” I assured her as I touched the pretty yellow flowers.