The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

It had been a long day. Andy contacted his lawyer, who brought in Ed Turner, an associate in their family law department. It was twenty minutes later that Ed phoned Diana and had her on the phone for an hour, scribbling notes furiously.

It was getting late, and he could see Diana winding down. He needed to get back to the estate. He picked up his coat and watched Laura, who sat in the corner of the sofa with Danny in her lap as if he gave her some peace.

“Leaving?” Jed asked as he slid his hand over Diana’s shoulder and then rubbed both as if they were stiff.

“Yeah, I have to get back.”

Diana hung up the phone before Andy could step out the door. “We got it, yeah.” She threw her hands in the air and then patted Jed’s hand on her shoulder.

“Your lawyer—thank you, Andy—arranged for a visitation tomorrow and an emergency hearing in forty-eight hours, but with Christmas a week away, the courts are going to shut down for the holiday season. He had me on the phone while he arranged all this. He’s good, by the way. One of his arguments was ‘What could be worse than separating a mother and child at Christmas?’ I’m hopeful now.” Diana slid around and said to Laura, “Don’t lose hope. We’re getting him back, but I need to go over some things with you.” Danny was rubbing his eyes and started fussing. “And I need to start dinner.”

“And you need to feed Danny, and you need to take a break for a bit, too, Diana.” Jed jabbed his finger at her. “I’m just going to walk Andy out. I’ll help get dinner started after I get back in.” Jed followed Andy out into the dimming light.

“Jed, let me give you some money for Laura to look after her.” Andy started to reach into his pocket to pull out his wallet.

“You know better than that. I’m not taking money to look after Laura. You may need to settle up with her for other things, her job and all that, but you need to work it out with her,” Jed sighed and glanced back at the house.

“You really don’t like Diana working, do you?” Andy said. He watched his cousin, who wore the expression of a man struggling to come to terms with something.

“Nope, but she needs to do this for Laura. I understand that, I get that, but I don’t like it, because she’ll put everything she’s got into it, still giving to me and to Danny, and leave nothing for herself. That’s the way she is. She takes on other people’s hurt, and it’ll end up destroying her. So no, I don’t want her working. I want her here so I can look after her,” Jed said as he gazed back at the house.

As Andy drove back to the estate, he understood, in a way, Jed’s need to protect Diana. He loved her so much, and he also saw in Diana what Jed mentioned. He wondered if she could ever get past that powerful trauma she had endured as a child, which had shaped her into who she was and defined how she handled everything in her future. Then he wondered about Laura and what Aida had said. At fifteen, sixteen, he couldn’t have imagined surviving on his own, let alone caring for an infant.

Andy had just parked his truck when Jules popped open the back door in a freshly pressed black dress with a white apron fitted over the front. The way she scurried toward him was like nothing he’d ever seen. Waves of anger and irritation were rolling off her as if she’d been standing at the door watching for him. He absolutely hated anyone doing that to him.

“Jules,” Andy said, annoyed.

“Sir, you don’t answer your phone anymore? Your mother is fit to be tied. You are supposed to be Miss Johnston’s escort for dinner tonight. Your mother…” She was right beside him, carrying on like one of those annoying Chihuahuas.

Andy cut Jules off before she could continue: “I’m not interested in my mother’s tantrums, and I have better things to do than escort some pretty rich b***h like the two of us are on display. Is Aida around?”

Jules sputtered. “Mister Friessen, Andy… what am I supposed to tell your mother? She ordered me to track you down.” Andy glared at Jules until she stepped back and said, “The cook is in the kitchen.”

Andy started toward the back door, then stopped when he could hear Jules’ ragged breathing. “Jules, tell my mother I’m here and that I told you I’ll talk with her shortly.”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded, and her face softened as if some of her stress had left.

“Oh, and Jules?” Andy set his hands on his hips.

“Yes, sir?”

“I want you to make sure that from now on, the staff, and I mean everyone, are fed.”

Jules frowned and stared at him, confused. “I don’t understand, sir?”

“For one, I guarantee the amount of food for all these parties my mother is planning would feed the entire community. Make sure the staff, anyone who wants to, takes what’s left and nothing’s wasted. Every day, Jules, see to it that everyone who comes to work here gets a meal.”

Jules said not one word as she stared at him with an expression he’d never seen before. “As you wish, sir.”

Andy stepped inside and found the cook in the kitchen. She was giving orders to half a dozen staff members, all dressed in black and white, with starched collars and bow ties. Food, platters, and bowls covered the counters. Pots steamed on the stove. When Aida’s eyes met Andy’s, she said in an abrupt tone, “Everyone, out.”

As soon as the last staff member left and the door closed, Andy said. “Laura is at my cousin Jed’s. Something’s happened, Aida.”

She rested her hands on the counter. “Oh? And what happened?” She said it in a way that sounded fed up and just plain tired.

“She was sleeping in her car, and a deputy found her at the mall. The sheriff called social services, and they took her son away.”

“Oh, no!” Aida cried out and pressed her hand to her heart. “That poor girl! After all she fought and struggled through to keep him with her, it just ain’t right.”

“Aida, we’re getting him back. Diana’s a lawyer, and I’ve already contacted mine, and they’re working with her.”

“But how long will that take? Separating a mother and child at Christmas just isn’t okay. And once your child is gone, it ain’t that easy to get him back.”

“Aida, I promise you that I’ll make sure it happens.”

She stared at him for a few seconds, long and hard, and then walked away. “Then you’d best get on with it. Now get out of my kitchen, Andy Friessen.”

Andy watched Aida for a moment, her back ramrod straight as she lifted something hot and heavy from the oven. He sensed that Aida was counting on him, but at the same time she was watching him. It was disconcerting having that put on you, especially from someone who mattered. And Aida mattered.

Andy pushed open the kitchen door, nearly tripping over Jules and the wait staff who hovered just outside, the same staff Aida had kicked out of the kitchen moments ago. He stared at them, and then down at Jules, who was looking at him now as if he’d lost his mind. Andy pushed past them and hurried upstairs for the first time ever, realizing he had made a promise he might not be able to keep, and that just didn’t sit right.