Nina was an incredible woman, who’d endured far worse, and he discovered pretty quickly that they were each other’s rocks. With the loss of Levi and Mason from their lives, they’d each found their own path of recovery. She’d put all of her energy and effort into her business, which now thrived, and he’d burned through the betrayal and loss with glass and a hot furnace.
Maggie’s return had been the final wake up call. He’d eagerly anticipated their inevitable reunion while spending those last weeks putting his life into an order that made sense. Business was still business but he spent a small fortune each month on the right people to run it for him, while he did his level best to stay out of the spotlight. None of them could afford to draw attention too close. He glanced again at his mother. There were so many things he wished for her that were completely out of his control.
His father’s death had resulted from the worst night of their lives and no amount of pleading and promising got through to her. He’d tried it all. She wasn’t even Nina’s mother and he’d watched his sister hold her hand and promise her that everything would be fine if she came back to her son. That what she’d endured meant nothing compared to a family’s love.
Tucker pushed off the wall he’d let hold him up. Weariness weighed him down as usual. He’d go, since there was nothing he could do here. Of course, that wouldn’t stop him from returning next week and trying all over again.
He turned and touched the kind nurses’ shoulder. “Thank you, Bessie. You’ve been so kind to our family I wish you’d let me repay you.”
Tears shimmered in the woman’s eyes. “There is nothing to repay. Your mother has a beautiful soul and it is a privilege to care for her.”
He grimaced. “How can you tell? She’s never spoken to you.”
“It doesn’t take words to read a person Mr. Lewis. Just like I see you standing here for hours every week watching over her, I see the look in her eyes when you arrive. She loves you more than words can say.”
The bitter pill of the nurse’s statement lodged in his throat. If his mother were still present and emotionally aware then why the hell wouldn’t she speak to him? They could have gotten through this together.
Tucker had to fight the urge to put his fist through something. It was time to say goodbye before he did something stupid. He strode over to his mother’s chair and leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. “Love you, mom. I’ll see you next Sunday. Wish me luck this week. If things work out the way I want I may have a surprise for you when I return.” To his infernal dismay, his words had no affect on her. She sat perfectly motionless with her eyes staring straight ahead out the window.
He lifted his head and followed her line of sight. The winter landscape wasn’t the most appealing but his mother could sit and overlook the water from either the solarium or her room. He’d made sure that was an option for her. All her life she’d wanted to be as close to water as possible. The large man-made lake might not be ideal but it served its purpose as she sat here in front of the window all day, every day thinking who knew what.
Satisfied that his mother was well taken care of and that he’d see her again in seven days, he gently squeezed her thin shoulder and walked out. On autopilot he moved through the visitors center and out into the parking lot. He’d been fortunate that the Rose Park Center was not only one of the highest-rated treatment facilities for mental health, it also only took him a couple of hours drive to reach it.
Today he needed every minute of that drive to shake off the weight of his mother’s condition before he returned home. Well, not exactly his home. He’d taken Maggie to her parents cabin early this morning with the promise he’d be back as soon as possible. He preferred sooner rather than later. His choice had been for her to wait for him at his house but she’d insisted on going home. In the face of his refusal to elaborate on his errand, her excuse to retrieve some clothes and personal items rang hollow. She also didn’t seem to believe him that there would be no need for any clothing today. His house, his rules.
They hadn’t even made their way back to the playroom. There were so many things he had in mind to do to her there. Not that his bedroom wasn’t adequately equipped. Tucker slid into the back seat of his car and nodded for his driver to go. Maggie didn’t know it, but having her in his life made some of the dark shadows infinitely lighter. She had a smile that tempted even the coldest heart to thaw and the look of a sprite with unkempt hair who had an inquisitive mind bound to get her in trouble again. And curves made for sin… He adjusted his pants to make more room in the crotch and blew out a hard breath. It was damned difficult to think about Maggie and not get hard.