Page 31 of Jasha
Daddy Kaleb pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and handed it to Jasha. “Suck on this.”
Jasha laughed but did as he was told.
“You know I’ll suck you any time, Daddy Kaleb.”
“And I want to do that to you tonight. I have to do some work with Arlo, so you and Frankie can hang out before we go snowmobile riding. Use your phone to contact him. He’s in the house.”
“Can we get out of this place?”
Daddy Kaleb took his hand and led him out of the attic.
Chapter Sixteen
Kaleb
He dropped Jasha in the kitchen, the clatter of pots and pans filling the air, before walking to his office to meet Arlo. Arlo coincidentally arrived at the same time.
Kaleb opened the door to his office, and Arlo followed him in. Kaleb sat behind his desk while his cousin took a comfortable seat in front of it. He needed to find more time to spend in Lake Tahoe. They had discussed moving to California. With Jasha inthe picture, he would have to see how he felt about it, but then he most likely wouldn’t want to change his college nor would Frankie.
“What’s going on?” Arlo asked.
“Slight problem. Jasha found out his father left the country.”
“I thought he wasn’t to have any contact with his father or anyone he knew. This is going to backfire on you.”
“Nothing is going to backfire. Last night, I became his Daddy Kaleb.”
“Is it for real?”
“He said for the month, then he’ll decide if he wants to continue. He knows he’s moving in with me.”
“So, what are you going to do about his father?”
“I have two guys trying to locate him, then I’m going to move him back to Brighton Beach. I don’t think Jasha will want to continue a relationship with me if I don’t reconnect him with his father. That’s all he has.”
“You said his father is into nasty shit.”
“He’s a big-time gambler, but he owes a ton more money to other loan sharks than what he owes me.”
“Did he leave because you took Jasha or because of some other shark?”
“Don’t know. Maybe he was relieved I took him. I think he’s in a lot deeper than I know.”
“Why bring him back then?”
“For Jasha. I really fucked up that day with his father, but I have Jasha. It has to all work out in the end. It really helps he and Frankie go to the same university. He’ll have a good friend. It’s good for both of them.”
Arlo nodded. “I think those two might get as close as we are.”
“The boys should be ready to leave. I told them to meet us at the door.”
“Oh, they’re going to love it.”
Kaleb and Arlo met the boys at the front door.
“The mobiles are outside ready for us,” Kaleb announced as he took Jasha’s hand and walked outside.
The crisp winter air bit Kaleb’s cheeks as he adjusted his helmet, glancing over at Jasha, who was fumbling with his own gear. The snow-covered landscape stretched out before them, a pristine blanket of white under the clear blue sky. Arlo was already revving up his snowmobile, with Frankie perched behind him, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
