Page 2 of Minor Trouble
“We’re closing,” he stated. “I can’t let you go through this on your own.”
Once Maddox had made a few calls to let customers know about the unexpected early finish, we headed upstairs to the tiny apartment above the garage. After I’d come out of jail—a six-month stint for petty theft—Maddox had been my lifeline. He’d offered me a job through an offenders’ rehabilitation program, which had come with the apartment. Its one caveat was I could never be late for work.
Taking charge, Maddox got two bottles of beer out of the refrigerator, popped the caps, and handed one to me. We went over to the sofa and sat down at each end.
“Have you spoken to Noah?”
I shook my head, gulping down the beer. “Not yet.”
“What’s going to happen to him?”
I chewed on my lips, fingernails scratching at the label on the beer bottle. “I’m his biological father and the only living relative he has. I have to step up. There isn’t anyone else.”
Screwing up my face, I recalled how the scandal of Hannah’s pregnancy broke in Cali Cross: her parents had whisked her away. She’d been eighteen, me sixteen. We’d kept our relationship from friends and family until it became obvious that she was expecting a child and we couldn’t hide it any longer. In the beginning, I’d kept in touch, seeing Noah on his birthday and various holidays. Then about three years ago, Hannah got a new boyfriend. They’d decided that he would be Noah’s official father figure, and I would effectively disappear. I had no say in the matter. I hadn’t handled the news well. I fell back in with an old crowd and got mixed up in petty crime and drugs—hence the jail time.
“How are you going to make that work? He’s there, you’re here. You can’t exactly be a long-distance dad.” Maddox frowned. “Will you move?”
“I have no fucking idea, Maddox. I’ve never been a real dad before. I never had the chance.” I buried my head in my hands, wishing it would all go away.
“You mentioned CPS? Surely they’ll help you?”
“I guess.” I let out a hard breath. It was all too much to take in. Sure, Hannah and I hadn’t exactly been close in the last few years, but she was still the mother of my child. “The woman there said she’d call me again to discuss next steps.”
“Whatever happens, I’ll be here for you.” For a second, Maddox’s eyes went misty, then he leaned over and slapped my upper arm. “It’s at times like this, you need your friends around.” He took a deep breath, then hesitated a moment before speaking. “It wasn’t that long ago I lost someone. One of my best friends. He died in an accident too. Wes had a flat tire on the way home, and he was hit by a car. The driver didn’t see him in the rain, and Wes died. They tried to save him, but he died.”
I had a vague recollection Maddox had mentioned Wes once before, when one of his friends came in to get her car fixed. I had no idea about the accident.
Maddox swigged his beer. He fixed me with a look, one that conveyed strength. I didn’t feel strong at all right now, only totally out of my depth.
“When we lost Wes, it was important to support those close to me. Scarlett really leaned on Lyla, Willa, Andre, and me. We got her through a lot, especially because she’d just found out she was pregnant.” He paused. “And I’m here for you. Whatever you need, you’ve got it.”
Having him share his own tragic experience was a definite source of comfort, and the words went some way to ease the crushing weight in my chest.
“Thanks, Maddox, I really appreciate that.” I paused. “If you’re sure having a teenager here wouldn’t be too much trouble?”
Despite the darkness of the situation, Maddox let out a deep chuckle. “A teenager, I can handle. Let’s just say helping Scarlett with her baby wasn’t exactly my forte.”
I forced a weak smile.
Being there for Noah was a huge responsibility, and I had to be there for him no matter what.
I was his only parent now.
Maddox stayed until early evening. We drank more beers, chatted about work, discussed what he should get his girlfriend Lyla for her birthday, anything but the elephant in the room. Until I’d had the chance to speak to CPS again, there wasn’t much else I could do.
Sitting alone in the dark in the early hours of the morning, I went into my bedroom and pulled out a small shoebox I’d stashed in the back of my wardrobe. There wasn’t much in it: a few photographs, a tiny pair of sneakers, and a baby-sized football jersey. Long forgotten memories of Noah and Hannah. As I sat there, thumbing through the pictures, an unwanted tear slid down my cheek. I swiped it away.
How the fuck was I going to handle this?
“Morning, Seth. We brought you breakfast.” Lyla Cash pushed ahead of Maddox and shoved a takeaway box from the local café at me. “He said you probably wouldn’t have eaten anything since lunchtime yesterday, and he doesn’t want you passing out on the job.” She tossed her long dark ponytail over her shoulder and fixed me with a smile. “How are you doing?” Her tone softened.
I’m pretty sure the dark circles around my eyes should have given away my current state. I’d barely slept, and when I had, visions of the car crash haunted me. Except this time, Noahwasinvolved, and I couldn’t get to him in time to rescue him. I’d woken in a cold sweat, shaking and unable to get back to sleep.
Forcing a smile, I opened the box and stared at the eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. My stomach rumbled in anticipation. “Hungry,” I said. “Thanks. You’re right, I didn’t feel much like eating last night.”
“You okay to be here today?” Maddox asked, brows knitted together.
I shrugged. “Not sure where else I should be. I’ll need to make some calls later, you know, to find out what happens next with Noah. Might not be able to do a full day.”
