Page 27 of Shattered Souls
It’s not only his responsibility to his company but to his Gran… the only family member he has left. The only connection to his mom. Most likely the only woman he ever remembers loving him…
“You were seventeen when your dad was arrested. Did you stay with her?”
Focus back on the road, he nods. “It wasn’t long after I went to live with her that I started seeing the signs. She’d forget to turn off the stove, leave lights on, and faucets running.”
My heart clenches for a teenage Grayson, not only losing his dad and the life he’d grown up in but having to watch his Gran slowly disappear too.
“It was manageable when I lived with her in high school, but when I started at Halston… She lived too far away, and I couldn’t be here and there at the same time. I paid for someone to come in and check on her, but I started getting calls from neighbors. Even a call from the police department once, saying they’d found her walking down the road in her slippers and nightgown.” He sighs wearily. “It was then that I realized I couldn’t let her stay there by herself. I packed up all her belongings—sold what I could and put the rest in storage—and registered her at Sunnyside Nursing Home.”
“You did the right thing,” I tell him, sensing he needs to hear it.
“Yeah,” he sighs. “Maybe.”
“Definitely. You did the right thing for her—and for you. Even though it was probably a tough call to make.” Staring absently out the windshield, I admit, “I very nearly turned down my admission to Halston. Although I’d been working toward the goal for an entire year, I knew what being accepted would mean.Being faced with the reality…” I sigh, twisting my fingers in the ends of my hair.
“Knowing you’d have to leave Aurora.”
“Hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. When my—Lydia—found out I was pregnant, she insisted that I abort it. I didn’t even have to think about it. In my mind, it wasn’t a decision. I’d known since the moment the pink lines appeared on that stick that I was keeping the baby.” I scoff, remembering that time. “Not that it stopped her from finding someone who would do it against my will. Thankfully, I was too far along by then.” I shake my head, not wanting to think about how close I came to losing Aurora before I even really had her.
“My point is, sometimes we have to make the hard decisions. We have to do what we really don’t want to do because it’s ultimately in the best interests of everyone involved. The last thing I wanted to do was leave Aurora with Lydia for four more years, but I couldn’t bring her with me. Even if Lydia had agreed, I didn’t have the means to provide for her. If I wanted to give my daughter the future she deserves, I had to make the hard choice. It wasbecauseI love her that I left her.”
Sighing heavily, my gaze drops to my knees. “I knew Lydia didn’t give Aurora the love or attention she needs, but I nevereverthought she’d be so callous as to do this.” My throat closes over. “If I’d known…”
A large, smooth hand lands on my knee, squeezing.
“You’re the one that told me regrets don’t do us any good. You made the best decision for you and your daughter at the time. You couldn’t have known how things would pan out. All we can do is look forward.”
Grayson’s words ring in my ear, and his hand remains on my knee for the rest of the drive to the nursing home.
“How are things going at the office?” I ask as we pull into the parking lot at the nursing home.
Sliding the car into an available space, Grayson’s head falls back against the headrest as he groans. “Not good.”
“Your dad still causing problems?” He’d mentioned earlier in the week how he’d made a surprise appearance in the office, strutting around like a peacock and acting as though he’d never been gone.
“Of course. He’s doing his best to undermine me. To encourage people to go to him instead of me. It’s pissing me the fuck off.”
I nod thoughtfully. “It’s like he’s trying to reclaim the life he had before his arrest.”
“I’m pretty certain that’s exactly what he’s trying to do.” Grayson’s head falls to the side, those steely eyes colliding with mine. “Except, I have this sick feeling that he wants more from you.”
My brows furrow. “That doesn’t make sense. He’s still married to Lydia.”
“Yeah, as a way to remain close to you.” He lifts his head to stare out the windshield, running a hand through his hair and mussing it up. “Whatever it is, I don’t like it.”
Yeah, neither do I.
Grayson knocks on the door before popping his head into the room. “Gran? I have a friend with me today.” Pushing it wider, he steps over the threshold, ushering for me to follow.
I look around the spacious room. Pale blue walls and light streaming through the large window give it a homey feel. A bed is pushed against one wall, and two armchairs are positioned by a window opposite a television, which is on but muted.
Rounding the chairs, a frail, elderly woman comes into view. A basket of yarn is placed by her feet, knitting needles in her hands as she glances between us with a friendly, if not bland, smile.
“Oh, hello. Are you here about the refrigerator? It keeps making that awful noise.” She makes to get up, but Grayson places a hand over hers.
“No need to get up,” he says with a reassuring smile. “Our colleagues are looking at the refrigerator as we speak. We thought we would keep you company while they did.”
“Oh.” His Gran relaxes back into her chair. “Well, isn’t that sweet of you?” Her eyes scour his face for a drawn-out moment, eyebrows slightly furrowed as though she can’t quite piece together what she’s seeing. “What were your names again?”
