Page 99 of The Mentor
“Which is why I came here first,” I said with a smile. “Only to learn that you now go by Alexander instead of Boulder.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, well, you know, Christina prefers Alexander and I really don’t care.”
“So, what am I supposed to call you?”
Christina answered for him. “Alexander, of course.”
Boulder rolled his eyes. “As long as you don’t call me cute or sweet, we don’t have a problem.”
“You are definitely not cute or sweet, so that’s not going to happen,” I said with humor sparkling in my eyes.
He gave me a satisfied nod. “You’re damn right about that. Now, tell us about the trip.”
“Why don’t I just skip to the best part first?” I asked, unable to keep my secret any longer.
Boulder laughed. “Finn already told me, and according to him, the best part was all the willing females.”
“Yeah, I’m not surprised he would say that.” I had their full attention and took in a big gulp of air to steady the butterflies in my stomach before I spoke. “I went to visit Raven’s mother. Heidi has asked me to adopt Raven because she doesn’t feel fit to be a mother.”
“Yes, Christina told me.” Boulder frowned. “And I think someone should kick her sorry ass for rejecting an amazing kid like Raven.”
“That’s not exactly my style,” I said. “Heidi might not be able to care for Raven herself, but she wants what is best for her child, and I think that’s admirable.”
“So, you finally accepted adopting Raven?” Christina was smiling at me.
“No, I had to decline.”
Boulder had a fit then. “You did what?” he shouted and got up from the sofa. “I never took you for a cold person. You should be fucking honored to be Raven’s mother.”
“It’s not that simple, I have twenty kids that need my attention, and I can’t favor any of them.”
Boulder paced the room. “So, what’s going to happen to Raven then? Are you going to let someone else adopt her? And have you considered what would happen if they refuse to let her stay here at the school?” The veins on his neck were starting to pop out more prominently. “Do you realize that we might never see her again?” He turned and pierced me with a blameful look. “And you call this the best news from your trip to the Motherlands – is that some mean joke?”
“If you could just sit down again, I’ll explain,” I said in my calmest voice.
Boulder did sit down, but his feet were tapping the floor.
“We already found a substitute for me. And I’m confident that Raven will have the best mother in the world.”
“Do you know this person?” Boulder’s voice was booming and he was gazing around the room as if he was looking for something to throw. “I love all the kids at the school but Raven is justspecial.” Fisting his hands through his hair he kept going in a rant. “I mean, if you could have seen the way she came running toward us yesterday; the big hugs that we got from her.” He shook his head and threw his hands in the air. “There’s so much love and laughter inside that kid, but also vulnerability and fear that she won’t be loved. She’s just gotten used to being here, and now you want to send her back to the Motherlands?” He turned to me with fire in his eyes. “I can’t let you do that. Raven deserves to be with people who know her and who love her back.”
“You’re right, she does,” I agreed.
Boulder blinked at me. “But how can she if you’re letting some other woman adopt her?”
“Because I trust and admire this woman,” I said softly and then my eyes fell on Christina.
A gasp escaped her and she clasped a hand in front of her mouth. “Oh…”
Boulder looked back and forth between his wife and me. “You know who she’s talking about? How do we know we can trust this woman with Raven?”
“Don’t worry, she won’t have to raise Raven by herself. My friend is one of the few Motlander women who have bonded with a man. Raven will have both a mother and a father.”
When Boulder still didn’t get it, Christina cried. “It’s us. She’s talking about us!”
The slow realization in Boulder’s eyes told me how impossible the thought of his adopting a Motlander child was to him. The idea had simply never occurred to him.
It was like all the angry energy he had just displayed when he paced the room was zapped out of him. His shoulders slumped slightly and he kept opening and closing his mouth before he finally stuttered. “U-u-us?”
