Page 25

Lillian

_________

I huff out a breath and collapse onto the couch. Avery’s at school and I just put the two littlest ones down for a nap. Mackenzie is laying right beside me, her blank stare is shifted towards the TV.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I murmur and I watch as her head shakes back and forth. She’s been here for two days now, and nothing. She barely comes out of her room. Only to eat or grab something from the fridge. I don’t know what else to do, but at least she’s here, she’s safe.

Morgan’s friend Marie is going to come over on Sunday to talk to her and check her out in the comfort of her new room.

I offered to watch her twins and then told her to go out and get lunch or something as a thank you after she’s done here.

She happily accepted. I haven’t met or talked to her yet, but she seems nice from what Morgan says.

I sigh and stare out the window and chew on my lip.

Morgan printed out the information that his PI sent over to his attorney about Betty and I haven’t mustered up the courage to read it just yet.

Everything has been crazy, and everything Betty-related has been pushed to the back of my mind so that I can focus on the girls.

Mackenzie knows I went to San Francisco but I haven’t told her about Betty’s death just yet. I want her to focus on herself. Healing and getting better.

I know I won’t hear a word about the funeral, but at this point, I don’t think I would be able to go.

Seeing her awful kids in person and knowing that they would do something to get me thrown out.

It’s not worth it for my sanity. Plus I can’t leave any time soon, especially not with Mackenzie needing me here.

I also still can’t believe that Brittany is in rehab.

Morgan sent me a text last night apologizing about forgetting to tell me, but I’m so dang happy for her and what this can mean for the girls, but Morgan doesn’t trust it, he thinks it’s a ploy to get in the good graces with the courts to fight back.

I don’t know what to think about it. I’ve looked into the center and it’s incredible. They have some of the best psychiatrists working there, there’s also group therapy and mandatory parenting classes for anyone who has children.

I’m rooting for her. The girls deserve to have both parents in their lives.

Everyone gets in over their heads and makes mistakes, or maybe Brittany does have mental health issues and they will help her through them.

Apparently it’s a twelve-month program, too.

It’s not like she’s going to be banging down the front door in the next few weeks.

Mackenzie grunts beside me and sits up, running her fingers through her greasy red hair. “I’m going to go get in the bath,” she hoarsely whispers and limps out of the room. I frown as I watch her leave and rub my hands down my face.

I’ll give her a week before I start dragging her outside and get her to talk at least for a few minutes at a time. It wouldn’t be hard to research what happened but I don’t want to break her trust in me. There’s a reason why she came here and not to her parents.

She trusts me. Knows that I would be here for her and not force her to do or say anything she’s uncomfortable with. At least not yet.

I pull out my phone and stare down at the screen. The girls won’t be waking up for about an hour, maybe it’s time for me to be brave, too.

Time to read what the PI scrounged up.

I grumble to myself as I pad down the hall towards my bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed as I grab the paperwork from my nightstand drawer. Morgan printed everything out from his emails. I wonder if it would have been easier if everything was on my damn phone.

It’s not too thick of an envelope, but it still feels so heavy in my hands.

I open it up and begin to read. I groan as I continue on, not surprised in the least to read how disgusting and treacherous Betty and Francis’s kids are.

Francis’s assets were tied into Betty’s so they didn’t get anything when he passed away. I don’t remember much but about that time, everything was so insane and depressing that I didn’t pay attention. But that’s when the psychos started their nonsense against Betty.

I was already eighteen when she started having ‘episodes’ and the kids apparently bribed her doctors to sign off on her being unfit to make her own decisions. I press a hand to my mouth as I cry out. What the hell?

The next week she was in a home. By that time I was already in college and was busting my ass in my classes. Betty still had her cell phone and she had downplayed it a lot to me. Told me that she’s just having tests done and might not be available for a bit.

I trusted her, she told me she was fine.

Then they disconnected her phone. Took over her email accounts. Shut down her social media accounts. I came home and tried to see her in the home but was told that I’m not allowed through the doors and to not call or they’ll call the police.

I tried for weeks to call for any information.

But whatever Betty’s kids did, the bribes and lies, and so much manipulation.

.. Apparently I was stealing from Betty and trying to force her to adopt me and sign over power of attorney to me so that I can make horrible decisions.

Yet they were the ones that were doing it all .

It’s all right here. Proof of money being wired to the charge nurse at the nursing home, the psychiatrists, all of Betty’s doctors, and even the owner of the nursing home…

I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the cops in their pockets, too. Christ are these people the damn mob?

There’s also proof of tampering with a forged Will. That’s how they got the house and cars sold. How they were able to get everyone on their ‘side’.

Text message threads and emails. Who do we even go to with this? My heart is in my throat and my tears are dripping all over the pages that are scattered around my bed.

Betty was so lonely, so damn alone. She never spoke up for herself and that hurts my heart so badly. I’m just glad I was with her in the end, even if it was years later, or too late, I was there holding her hand. Kissing her clammy, cold skin. Telling her I loved her and that I was there.

I want to scream every time I recall Marissa telling me about how often Betty talked about me. How much she loved me and wished things were different. We can’t change the past, but we sure can do something now.

I flip to the last page and find a note from Andy, Morgan’s attorney, that he’s available for me to talk to for advice, anything I need and to give him a call when I’m ready.

I smile as I dial his number and press my phone to my ear.

I’m ready.

_____________

The days are passing in a blur, especially when Morgan’s out of town. I ended up taking the girls to the birthday party after Morgan made his special calls and I was able to sneak some pictures to send to him. Avery had a blast in the areas for ‘big kids’.

There was rock climbing, trampolines, and a jungle gym with slides they wore themselves out on.

I had half a mind to go join her, but alas, I was in the baby area. In the ball pits and little slides that Nessa and Tilly were obsessed with.

Waking up today with the three girls surrounding me, I feel at peace, at home. I still have no idea what to do about Betty and her children, but hopefully my meeting with Andy this next week helps put some things into perspective.

I have the money now to afford him. He didn’t tell me what actions have already been taken with Betty’s lawyers in San Francisco, they have to know by now what her kids were up to and what they did to circumvent the Will.

I blow out a slow breath as I stare at the ceiling and try to figure out what the girls and I can do today. The temperature here is rapidly cooling, so hopefully Marie brings some blankets for her babies so that I can keep them warm when I take all of the kids to the park.

We might as well walk to get out their energy and wear them out a bit. Give Marie and Mackenzie space to talk.

Tilly starts to wake up first, groaning and sitting straight up, looking around for me. I pull her closer and kiss her head. “Want to get up and try to go pee on the toilet?”

She nods and we wiggle out of the bed before stepping into my bathroom. I keep a little attachment for her beside the toilet, I just hope that she’s really going to start using it. I get the seat on the toilet and help her sit, turning around to give her privacy.

I hold back a giggle when she starts to sing her favorite nursery rhymes, her sweet little voice makes my chest grow warm. I hear the trickle and I start to dance around and clap.

“Good job, Tilly! Let me know when you’re done!

” I stare at the light gray wall in my bathroom, wondering if I should start decorating my area more.

For the first few weeks I was here, I thought I would just be temporary since Morgan seemed to have an aversion to my age and my ‘qualifications’, or lack thereof.

But now that we’ve kissed, done more? Sure we’ve had our ups and downs in the few short months I’ve been here. But I don’t think I can cool the heat that’s simmering between us.

Am I in love with him? No. But I care greatly for him, I can honestly say that I do love his girls though and can’t imagine not being near them.

“All done!” Tilly shouts and I chuckle and hand her some toilet paper and help her take off her diaper.

“Let’s try being without a diaper for a while today. Just tell me when you need to use the potty and I’ll also remind you, okay?”

She pouts and steps up to the sink to wash her hands after flushing. She’s around two and a half now, so I know we will have some accidents, but that’s okay.