When It's Right(14)
“I’ve made it this far.” She limped away toward the house, where her grandfather and Dee stood, but she remained sideways to keep Blake in view, too. No sneaking up on her. It’d be hard to get past her guard, but he aimed to try. And keep trying until she trusted him.
The sky that had seemed so vivid blue when she arrived faded to a soft, dusky lavender gray as the sun sank closer to the mountaintops. Soon it would be dark. She couldn’t stand out here all day.
Sure enough, by the time Gillian reached the porch steps, Blake was right behind her. It annoyed and unsettled her. Having him close made her nervous. Not in the same way her father had made her nervous. She didn’t think Blake would hurt her. Something about the way he anticipated her, gave her space, waited her out drew her in and made her anxious. She couldn’t quite figure him out.
She looked up the steps at Dee and thought that if ever there was a woman who was a born mother, she was it. The essence of nurture was stamped all over her. Pleasantly plump, Dee’s nice round cheeks were flushed from the cool wind blowing. Her hair was a soft caramel color, her eyes dark as chocolate. If she’d been wearing a shirtdress and apron and standing with a tray of cookies, she couldn’t have looked more perfect. She held a dish towel in her hands, which made her look domestic, but the caring, kind look on her face drew Gillian in. It was nothing like the indifference she saw in her mother’s eyes every day before she died.
“Hi. I’m Gillian. This is Justin.”
“Your son?” Dee asked, since Gillian had been vague enough with her grandfather that Dee needed to ask.
Both men avidly awaited her response.
“No. My brother.”
Her grandfather’s whole face lit up. “I have a grandson.” He hugged Dee to his side. “I have two grandchildren.” His excitement and happiness were another good sign.
“My mother got pregnant with him when I was fourteen. The first time in my life I’d ever seen the woman somewhat sober, and basically clean. When Justin was about two weeks old, she gave him to me to watch while she and Dad went out partying. She overdosed that night and never came back. I’ve raised him since then. On my own.”
“Fourteen,” her grandfather said in disbelief.
“Yes. That’s when I knew that if he ever raised a hand to Justin, I’d do anything and everything to protect him.”
She’d asked the doctor and police to leave Justin out of their reports. The social worker took some convincing, but once Gillian agreed to bring Justin here to live, she backed off. The nerves danced inside her, but she tamped them down. No way she let these people take Justin from her. If they even hinted at gaining custody of him, she’d bolt with him.
She stood staring at her grandfather. He’d truly had no idea about Justin. Now he knew. He knew it all. She’d done what she’d had to do to protect Justin. The guilt over killing her father gnawed at her, but the anger muddied up the shame, because she’d had to do it.
He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. In the end, he gave her words back to her. “The man needed killing.”
Stunned he felt that way, she nodded and figured they’d come to an understanding.
“Social services agreed to let me keep him because you offered us a place to stay. But if you think you can take him from me, you’re wrong.”
“I would never take the boy from the only mother he’s ever known. That’s a promise.”
Gillian believed him. His eyes, his words held the truth without a hint of deception.
“Would you like to come inside now?” he asked.
“Yes,” Dee said. “Come inside. Get warm, and we’ll have dinner.”
Justin heard that and sat back on Gillian’s good arm. “I’m hungry,” he announced.
“Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” she teased. His smile warmed her heart. “I have to put you down. I can’t make it up the steps with you.”
“Am I hurting you?”
She brushed her nose to his to wipe away the sad face. “No, baby. You could never hurt me.”
“Is he going to hurt you?”
“No,” she said firmly.
“Cause if he does, you’ll shoot him.”
That her brother thought that a reasonable solution thwacked her in the gut. Life with her vile father had reduced them to this. Her six-year-old brother thought it okay to kill someone if they hurt you. Well, hadn’t she taught him that lesson? Wouldn’t she do the same thing if her grandfather harmed him? What kind of person did that make her? She didn’t know, but keeping Justin safe would always be her first and last priority.