Page 45 of The Tempo of Truth
He was also one of the few children who was picked up by their father instead of their mother.His cousins were also an exception to that rule.If I ever wanted to be ashamed of my stay-at-home dad status, all I had to do was look at Win Halliday in the school pick-up line and realize it was a blessing to be there for my kid, not an imposition.Win was a man who made the world move before marriage and children.He was somber and unyielding as a businessman.But now, while still being reserved and somewhat unapproachable, his love for his kids and joy at being there for them in the smallest ways was palpable.There were some rewards, like watching your kids grow and being there for them every step of the way, that could never touch a CEO’s bonus because those things were priceless.
For now, I was proud of how hard Winnie worked and took it as my job to make her life easier in any way possible by being Lowe’s primary caregiver during the school year.I was serious about my house-husband duties, realizing that this was precious time I got to spend with Lowe since I’d missed his younger years.I wasn’t there for his first steps and stumbles, but I got to walk him to his class on the first day of school, and I got to be there for his first pee-wee football practice.
Now was the time we were making core memories together, and I could find very little to complain about.
I no longer spent every hour of every day obsessing over a life that no longer was.I’d finally let go of the burning desire to play football again and focused on what I could do and what might make me feel fulfilled now instead.I didn’t have an answer just yet, but there was a tickling sensation at the base of my heart that made me feel like I was going to run into a new opportunity at any moment—one that would forever change the course of my life.Again.
On a random Tuesday that was just like the ones before it, I ruffled Lowe’s dark hair and helped him strap on a helmet when it was time to grab him after school.It was a half day because of teacher meetings, so I thought we could do something fun before heading home to tackle his homework and make dinner.Winnie did her best to be home at the same time every night, but there were often things that popped up that kept her delayed.She was giving her all to being the Halliday CEO, but I could tell she missed beingMommy.I took it upon myself to make sure she didn’t have to make too many decisions once she was at home, and I most definitely stayed in charge in the bedroom.Teaching her to let go so that she could fly without worries or shame brought us closer together and showed me how much she loved and trusted me.
I was an excellent boss in the bedroom, and she was an astounding employee.Between the two of us, our performance had never been better.
Lowe’s small face was set in lines of frustration as he told me about his day.The little boy hadfinallysettled in after the first few weeks of kindergarten, but it was safe to say he was not a natural-born scholar.
While he no longer feared going to school and not making any new friends, he now acted like it was a huge inconvenience for his education to take away from his time doing other fun things.He cared very little for daily lessons and homework.Lowe was far more interested in playing soccer with his new buddies, skateboarding with me, and the martial arts he’d just started learning than he was in math and learning a second language.Since he already had the basics of Italian down from when he was little, Winnie wanted him to become fluent.She said it was a proper way to respect the place that had offered them shelter from the storm when it was just the two of them at their most vulnerable.
Lowe was an energetic and adventurous kid.I refused to break his spirit just because he didn’t enjoy studying, but I worried about his lack of focus.His single-minded fixation on things he found fun reminded me too much of my own obsessive behavior.I didn’t want Lowe to trap himself in an unforgiving ambition the way I did.I hoped he could see there were other options around him so he could always pivot to something new and find success.I knew one reason Winnie was working so hard was to keep the throne clear for Lowe should he want it.But at this rate, the kid was following in my footsteps, and he was going to end up pushing himself to achieve heights that had nothing to do with academics.
Unfortunately for Lowe, Winnie was determined that he had a balanced upbringing.Which meant he never managed to skip out on doing his schoolwork andhadto complete it to the best of his ability.She was definitely the enforcer in the home, and I was the easy-going parent who let our son call most of the shots.Winnie kept telling me that if I didn’t stand my ground when Lowe was older, neither of us would be able to control him.I wanted Lowe to have the chance to be a normal kid while he could.As soon as he figured out he was a Halliday, and that made him special, I knew it would be equivalent to having his youth ripped away.So even if my indulgence seemed excessive, it served a purpose.
“Where do you want to go today?”I put my skateboard on the sidewalk next to his and knocked on his helmet with my knuckles, causing him to giggle and motion for me to lower my head so he could copy the gesture.“Did you make plans with your cousins since they’re off the rest of the day too?”
Lowe shook his head as we pushed off on the sidewalk.The wheels of the skateboard rattled over the cement, and his tiny body picked up speed quickly.The kid was good at everything he tried.I had no doubt he’d be racing down a half-pipe and flipping the board off and over rails any day now.I always tried to keep him within arm’s length because of traffic and pedestrians and made sure he didn’t outrun his security detail.Keeping a tiny billionaire safe was a lot of work since Lowe had no concept of his own mortality or monetary worth.
“Uncle Win and Aunt Channing are taking my cousins to visit their grandma.She’s sick and kind of old, so they only get to see her once or twice a year.I wanted to play video games with them this afternoon.Now I have to find something else to do.”
“Family is important, little man.It’s good they still get to see her.Not everyone has that opportunity with their grandparents.”
He looked at me over his small shoulder, his dark eyes eerily perceptive.“Like you and your friend?You don’t get to see him anymore, and it makes you sad, right?”
I nodded.“Yes.I get very sad when I think about how I won’t be able to see or talk to my friend again.When you care about somebody, it’s best to let them know and show them how much while they’re still with you.”
Lowe was still looking at me when he mumbled, “Sorry you’re still sad, Daddy.”
I was about to tell him it was fine and remind him it was okay to be sad when a man suddenly appeared in front of us.Lowe wasn’t facing forward and would have plowed into the tall figure if I hadn’t reacted quickly, snatching my son off his skateboard and hauling him into my arms in one fluid move.The security guys started to rush forward, as I dragged my board to a halt and glared at the other guy.I didn’t like strangers coming too close to my son, but I understood this was a city street, and while it might seem like it, the Hallidays didn’t own the entire world.
The stranger was older.He was tall and skinny and had a head full of white hair.He was wearing a worn leather jacket and a vintage band T-shirt.I would have thought he was just another pedestrian until he spoke and I heard the slight accent wrapped around his words.
I recognized the faint hint of Russian from all my years of training and working with Lev.I motioned for the security guys to back off when he asked, “You’re Kyser Kent, correct?”
I lifted my eyebrows and shifted Lowe to a more secure hold.We were both watching the man who stopped us warily.I wasn’t as worried that he was a threat since he was looking for me instead of my son.I was still broke and worth jack shit.Nobody was looking to rob me.
“Who wants to know?”I might not fight for funds anymore, but I could still throw down for fun, and to make a point if need be, if this guy made any sort of threatening move.
“Sorry to approach you out of the blue like this.I’ve been trying to decipher Lev’s last will and testament since an anonymous letter asking for representation came into my office a few days after he passed away.”
I felt my eyebrows shoot to the sky and gave the guy another once-over.“You’re a lawyer?”
He chuckled and held his hands out to the side in an ‘I’m harmless’ gesture.“I could say the same thing about you.You’reWinnie Halliday’s partner?You must have saved an entire population in another life to pull that off.”He waved a hand at his outfit.“I’m technically retired.My son runs the office now, but I can still practice law if anything interesting comes my way.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him I was amazing in bed and that’s why Winnie stuck with me, but I didn’t want Lowe to repeat that nonsense if he overheard it.
“What do you want?”I didn’t ask how he found me.Anyone who followed the society pages knew I was there to pick up Lowe from school every day.There were often pictures of the two of us walking or riding back to the brownstone.There were even entire articles written about my newfound bond with Win, since we were frequently photographed together waiting for the kids.No one knew that in those moments, Win was reminding me he could make me disappear if I ever hurt Winnie and Lowe.He was scarier than any overprotective father, but I appreciated how much he cared for my small family.
“As I said, we received an anonymous letter postmarked from Russia at my office a few weeks ago.Since I’m Russian, I didn’t think much of it until I opened it and found a list of instructions.I had no intention of going on a wild goose chase for a client whom I can’t give billable hours to, but my curiosity got the better of me.I ended up at a security box kept in a Russian-owned bank.The box belonged to Lev Petrov, and inside was his last wishes, and a fat check to cover the expenses of the damn scavenger hunt.”The older man smirked.“It seems like he was checking in with someone back in the homeland, and as soon as he missed one update, his contact in Russia put things in motion to settle his estate stateside.The reason I tracked you down today is simple.You’re the sole beneficiary of Lev’s estate.He left everything he had to you, Mr.Kent.I tried other ways to reach out, but you’re shrouded in the Halliday’s security vortex.I couldn’t even get my hands on a real contact number for you.You’re very well insulated, Mr.Kent.”
Lowe bopped his head around and squirmed in my arms.I looked down at him, trying to process what the stranger was talking about.“Lev didn’t have shit.What could he possibly have left for me?”I chuckled with no humor.“Was he in debt and expected me to pay it off?The gym burned down, but he didn’t own the building or have insurance.He was always on the lookout for a way to make a quick buck.”
The other man’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline.“I didn’t know Mr.Petrov, but I can assure you, anyone who went to the lengths he did to protect his assets and make sure they couldn’t be accessed by anyone but those he specified after his passing had a lot to protect.My view is that Mr.Petrov went out of his way to keep you in the dark because his estate is worthmillions.I can’t give you the specifics until we formally meet and go through the legality of verifying your identity and all the paperwork attached to probate.”The older man grinned at me, and I felt a shiver of shock and delight skate up my spine.“You’re about to be an extremely wealthy man, Mr.Kent.”
