Page 9

CHAPTER

EIGHT

ZOEY

I try to keep my distance from the spectacular disaster that is happening in my spare room. We didn’t need four bedrooms but this house called to my soul, and now, I’m happy that I had this additional space for my daughter.

When I peek in for what must be the thousandth time since they started carrying empty boxes out, I roll my eyes because not only did they hit the Harley store where Icer bought my daughter her own mini trike bike, but they hit the Disney store and grabbed posters and a tent that has all of the princesses printed on it.

Another box is carried out of the room and set in her bedroom. “What’s that?” I ask Harrison as he drops it and begins scooting it across the floor.

“Her new bed,” he answers with a blank face.

“Her new what?” I ask, my eyes bugging out of my head. “She has a new bed, I bought it for her when we moved here.”

“Well… now she has a spare,” Harrison says, as his pace quickens to where he’s no longer in slapping range.

“Hang on a dang second! What five year old needs a spare bed, Harrison? I’m an adult and only have one! One body equals one bed. Get back here, mister,” I hiss, following him into her room where I shut the door behind me so he can’t make a fast getaway.

“Listen, Zoey.”

“No, you listen, Harrison,” I state, stomping my foot. “What was wrong with her other bed? This is getting ridiculous.”

“Well, you see what happened was that they saw this canopy one, and Elodie’s eyes apparently did this dreamy thing and she sighed.”

“She dreamily sighed? That’s the excuse we’re going with, Harrison? Seriously?”

“Hey, I was with you! How am I getting blamed for this, Zoey?”

“He’s your brother, not mine!” I screech, jamming my finger into his chest. “That makes you responsible for him and his actions.” The only reason she got a new bed when we moved back to Canton was because she’d outgrown her toddler bed. In this household, Elodie has to earn her things by being respectful, minding, and working hard whether that’s done by cleaning up after herself or brushing her teeth without pitching a fit because she knows that means it's bedtime.

“Trust me, Icer does what Icer wants without fear of repercussions or consequences,” he says.

At least he’s not smirking or chuckling right now. I think if he was I’d grab the closest thing and smack it upside his damn head. Just because my daughter, who’s only recently begun fully cogitating, looked at a bed with goo-goo eyes, Icer decided she had to have it? Pure insanity as far as I’m concerned. From the look of things, the man dropped thousands of dollars today as if it was nothing. While I’ve given Elodie a good life, she’s never had anything like this happen to her. My grandparents, when they were alive, gave gifts, of course, but they were more practical than anything. A new outfit, or a pair of shoes. Sometimes a book, or a winter coat. She has a game system, but it’s not the latest and greatest by any means, although from what one of the boxes had on the outside, I think that’s about to change as well.

“She’s going to get spoiled,” I grumble to Harrison, my hands now balled into fists.

“He won’t do this all the time,” Harrison chides.

“You can’t know that! The man already dropped a wad of cash at the mall the other day. Hell, at the Harley-Davidson store, it was nearly five-hundred-dollars because of the name! He hasn’t seen her pitch a gigantic fit because she doesn’t want to go to bed, or to brush her hair or her teeth. He’s just seeing the cute, smiling little girl right now. Trust me, the evil within will show itself.”

“Baby, he’s never been an uncle before. He’s taking this role seriously, and we make more bank in a week than most make in a year. I know that’s not the point, but I promise you, the club will reel him in if he doesn’t back off.”

“Don’t play on my emotions, Harrison. That’s not fair.”

“I don’t fight fair, Zoey. I fight down and dirty. The sooner you realize that, the easier it’ll be in the long run.”

“On who?” I snap. “I know you’re not referencing me, Harrison Ford Jones!”

“Oh, hell, all three names in a row, huh? I’m really on your shit list, aren’t I? Zoey, baby.”

“Don’t you dare ‘Zoey baby’ me, Harrison! He’s out of control, it’s time to have an intervention.” With that decision made, I turn on my heels and swing the door open, marching my way into the play room. Only when I make it there I have to bite my fists to keep my emotions in check because my little girl is passed out in Icer’s arms, arms that are protectively holding her while he snoozes.

“How can you be mad about that bond, Zoey? Look at them. Even in his sleep he’s making sure nothing can touch her.”

“I’m not mad, Harrison. I’m frustrated. He’s giving her things that I’ve wanted to give her for a long time but couldn’t. I’m jealous, okay?” I ask, sniffling. “I sunk all of my money into my grandparents’ house to fix it up. The electric wiring had to be redone throughout the entire house because it was a fire hazard, the pipes were rotted and falling apart, so we had to have the entire thing gutted and repiped. I didn’t get myself a bank account, I worked under the table so my social security number and name weren’t accessible since I was in hiding so I put every penny I earned into Memaw and Pepaw’s account and when they passed, before I could make it to the bank to withdraw anything, my parents had already seized it and taken every last dime. Then they sold the house and the only way they’d give me anything from the account and sale of the house was to move back home! I’m fucking terrified every minute of every day, I can’t sleep because when I do I’m afraid those fuckers are going to come after me again. I’m barely scraping by as it is and every morsel I was able to squirrel away was meant for her school shopping and even that opportunity was stolen from me.”

By now, angry tears are flowing down my face at the injustice of everything that’s happened. My so-called parents basically stole from me and their granddaughter when they knew that the house and money should’ve been given to me. I was Memaw and Pepaw’s sole caretaker because they wanted to stay home and not go into an assisted living facility when illness took away their ability to live independently. I was the one up in the middle of the night holding Memaw as she wept from the pain that even the strongest medicine couldn’t touch. She would never let go around Pepaw, so she held it in all day long until he was sound asleep since his night meds meant he wouldn’t wake up and hear her. It was me that found first her, then him, those fateful days.

Not my parents. Oh no, they were too good to help them, glad to leave that task to me. But they sure didn’t let any dust settle on their feet when they heard that Pepaw had passed. I had planned to go to the bank once the coroner came to get him, then head to the funeral home to take care of his final arrangements. Only, when I went up to the teller, Calvin Morton, he took immense pleasure in telling me that all of my grandparents’ accounts had been closed. I left there bereft, grieving, and doing what I could to hold my head up. Hell, my parents didn’t even come to the graveside service, which is what Pepaw wanted. It was me, Elodie, and a few of his friends who were still able to get around who said our last farewells. I’ll never forgive them for what they did to Memaw and Pepaw, or to me and Elodie.

As far as I’m concerned, they can burn in that lake of fire they preach against. Because while my church attendance was spotty, I do remember Memaw’s preacher talking about what salvation means and my parents never embodied even a smidgen of the teachings of Jesus. Memaw and Pepaw weren’t able to attend as regularly when they got ill, but even though they both knew how I felt because of my folks, in my opinion, they were more like the God they served than my parents or their church members ever thought of being.

Icer’s voice breaks through my internal beratement. “Zoey. We’re family. I may not know much about what that means, but from what I gather, family begets family. We help each other out when the other is struggling. Sounds like to me that neither one of us had great role models when it comes to parents, but from here on out, you’re my sister. You’ll never struggle or go without again. If you can’t accept a cash hand out, then you can earn it at the crematorium. We need a secretary to keep the books and paperwork in order. What do you say, wanna come work for the Kings? We’ll pay you well and it even comes with insurance benefits. I’m sure Elodie is on state assistance so she can go to the doctor, we’ll make sure she has the best out there. Hell, I’ll even drive you a hundred miles if that’s what it takes to make sure my princess stays healthy and cared for.”

“Icer,” I sob. “How do I even deserve you after how I’ve acted?”

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Zoe,” he adamantly states. “You’re a Mama and a damn fine one. I understand you want her to earn her keep and stuff, but I’ve never been an uncle before, you may have to help me navigate this path. What do you say, sis? Wanna help your brother out?”

“I’ve never had a brother and I’d be honored to have you as mine. Of course I’ll help you out. Just stop buying her everything because she gives you puppy dog eyes and sighs,” I recommend.

“Deal,” he says, nodding his head. “But she did ask me to teach her to ride her trike and I need to special order her a helmet. Is that gonna be a problem?”

“No,” I answer. “Anything that keeps her safe will never be a thorn of contention for me, Icer. I appreciate you asking first, though.”

Closing his eyes, he sinks further into the bean bag, and drowsily hums, “M’kay. We’re gonna get a little shut eye before we finish cleaning up and putting the rest of her furniture together. Who would’ve thought shopping with a five year old could be so exhausting?”

A mirthful giggle escapes me when Elodie sinks further into him and rumbles about her pillow growing arms and legs. When she reaches up and pats his pecs, and says, “Good pillow. Stay still.” Harrison and I laugh so damn hard that we’re leaning into each other in order to stay upright.

This family I’m building may not be a traditional one, but it’s mine and it’s the most beautiful, freeing feeling I’ve felt in years. I’m glad Elodie has this. And according to Harrison it’s not just for now, it’s for always.