A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) (39 page)

Elizabeth handed Becca something next. A large box, wrapped in snowflake paper. "This one is special," she said quietly.

Becca tore into the paper and uncovered a beautiful wooden box with the name Ariana Laughlin carved on the top. Her breath hitched.

"I also altered the carving on the side there for you." Jesse pointed it out. She looked at where his finger was. Sure enough, he'd carved Rebecca Beckman there.

"I've had this box of keepsakes from your first few weeks. I carried it with me for years. There are letters and little souvenirs, things that were supposed to be given to you and some that had been." Elizabeth smiled through her tears.

Everyone watched with anticipation as Becca opened up the box. Right on top was a piece of worn, aged fabric.

"Part of your baby blanket," Jesse recalled. "I remember picking it out with Mom."

"You were so good with her, Everett." Elizabeth's tone held a strong note of pride. "I wish we were all together."

"Me too, and we will be one day," Jesse insisted.

There had been no clue as to her sister's whereabouts and their brother was overseas working and hadn't checked in, even with Jesse's phone calls. Maybe she'd meet them soon, but at least Becca had her brother and mother here now.

"This is so touching." Becca sifted through the items. A stack of letters lay wrapped in pink ribbon. Photos. Her actual birth certificate. "Thank you."

"I have something I want to propose as an idea," Hunter piped up. "Elizabeth, we'd be so happy if you'd come stay with us here in Virginia. I have a thought that I want to run by all of you. I'm sure Becca wants her family close and to be able to get to know you. As you've noticed, we have a huge backyard, and I thought about building an addition, somewhere you and Jesse can live in. It would be your own separate place."

"Hunter-" Becca gasped. She had no idea he'd been thinking about this. She loved the idea!

"I couldn't-" Jesse started.

"Just consider it. It won't be a problem. One thing I've learned is not to take time with family and loved ones for granted. You're welcome to stay here with Becca and I. There's plenty of room." Hunter reached for Becca's hand. "I should have told you earlier, but I wanted to surprise you, too."

"You always do." Her heart warmed at his thoughtful gesture. She faced her mother and Jesse. "Please give it some thought. I do love the idea of you being close."

"You can be involved in every bit of the process. We just want to have you here," Hunter added.

The rest of the day went just like this moment- full of surprises, tears, laughter, and family.

A sense of normal, just like they'd longed for.

A week into the new year, Hunter got a frantic call from Henry. It was a Saturday, and he and Becca planned to finish up the blueprint for the house in the backyard. After some convincing, they finally got through to Elizabeth and Jesse. In the meantime, Elizabeth would remain in Maryland, as to not overwhelm her. Hunter understood why she still needed care around the clock. He'd seen how she reacted at times and still slipped mentally into the past. Once she arrived here permanently, he'd have her well cared for. He made the promise to her and Jesse.

"Hunter! My mom won't wake up! The baby is crying and won't stop!" Henry sobbed on the other end of the line.

"Henry, calm down, buddy. How about I come right over, okay? We'll wake your mom up and help you out today." Hunter snapped to attention, which alerted Becca. She threw on some clothes, and Hunter stayed on the phone with Henry the entire ride there.

He had a bad feeling about this. Henry was hysterical, crying, and Hunter heard the baby's wails in the background.

Hunter ran out of the car before Becca came to a complete stop. "Open the door, Henry. We're here." He didn't hang up until the boy opened the front door. Becca came up behind Hunter, but he didn't stop to wait. "Where's your mom?"

The house was a mess. Well, more cluttery. The diaper bag was laying on the floor in the living room, half its contents spilled out. A few cars and racetracks were put together right by the hallway.

Hunter followed Henry to Cherie's room. He didn't even hesitate. He just entered the room and found Cherie curled on her side in her bed.

"Cherie? It's me. Hunter," he called out. Approaching the bed, he realized there wasn't any movement at all from the woman. No rise and fall from her chest signaling life.

Shit. No. No!

His heart sank. He hated these bad feelings, and sometimes, hated being right. Like now.

"Bec?" he called. "Get the baby."

Seconds later, the little one stopped wailing. Hunter put a hand on Cherie's arm.

Cold. Stiff.
Gone.
"Cherie!"
Damn, damn, damn!

"See? She won't wake up! I put an extra blanket on her because she's cold." Henry bounded back in the room. "I know she's so tired..."

Oh God. How did he tell this little boy the news? "Henry-" he said, reaching for him.

"Hunter? What's going on?" Becca walked in the room hesitantly carrying Miranda. She caught the look on Hunter's face and shook her head. "No," she whispered. "Please, no."

"Henry, buddy, can you go with Becca for a little bit? I need to make a phone call." Hunter blew out a breath.

"But Mommy-"

"Mommy needs to have someone come see her," Hunter soothed.

"Come on, Henry. We'll find some breakfast for you and your sister." Becca remained calm. She knew exactly what Hunter needed to do. Her voice came out shaky, but she held on strong.

This poor family. Why hadn't he seen the signs before? Why hadn't the doctors picked anything more up? There had to have been more trauma unknown to them. First, Hunter called 911 and told them what he knew. Then he found Henry's uncle Stan's phone number and dialed him. "Stan, this is Hunter Beckman. You might remember me from-"

"Hunter, yes. I remember you. What's going on?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, but we found Cherie dead this morning."

"Mommy can't be dead! Noooooo!" Henry's wail of agony sliced through the house as he bolted into the room and toward his mother. "You're supposed to stay with us! Mommy, no!" He shook her, sobbing and calling her name.

"I'm on my way right now," Stan promised, his voice full of pain.

"We'll stay with them until you get here." Hunter's eyes welled with tears as well. He heard the sirens coming closer. Once he hung up the phone, Hunter reached for a sobbing Henry as he shook his mother. "Come here, buddy."

Henry plowed in his arms, his entire body wracked with sobs. Becca entered the room moments later, followed by paramedics. She held the baby against her chest, her eyes full of tears.

Becca sat in the rocker in Miranda's room hours later, continuing to comfort the baby. She was so tiny, but somehow the little girl sensed something wrong, because she cried and cried. Stan arrived a little while ago, trying to make sense of what happened.

Tears slid down her cheeks. She tried to sing, but her voice broke up with her own heartache. Hunter appeared at the doorway without Henry. He made a beeline for her and crouched down by the side of the chair. He gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "Henry's out. That poor kid cried himself to sleep. Stan's getting in touch with the lawyer who represented Cherie and her husband to find out what happens with the kids. He's freaked out. I guess he and his wife have three kids who have special needs. He doesn't know how he can take two more." With his other hand, Hunter stroked the baby's fuzzy head. "Henry keeps blaming himself. Oh Bec, this breaks my heart."

"Me too," Becca cried. Her chest burned with an aching hole, and this wasn't even her family.

Someone knocked on the door. Becca and Hunter both turned at the sound. Stan stood at the door with someone behind them. "Hi. This is Kyle and Cherie's lawyer, Rory Callahan."

Why was he bringing the man here to meet them?

"I'm sorry for your loss." Hunter seemed unsure what to say.

"Thank you. I've known this couple for years." The man nodded at them. "I have some official business to discuss with all of you, and I think we need to get to it. This is in regards to Henry and Miranda."

"Sure thing."

"Wait, all of us? Why Hunter and I?" Becca stopped rocking, but the baby started to fuss again, so she continued.

"When Kyle died last year, Cherie went into a panic. She wrote a letter and informed me that you made a promise to her, Becca."

She opened her mouth to speak, trying to understand what this meant. "A promise?"

"What promise?" Hunter's confusion showed.

"Oh, Oooohhhh ... I know exactly what. Oh my-" Becca trembled. "She was freaking out and I told her I'd take care of her babies if anything happened. She begged me. I thought- I ... Oh my God. She took that literally, didn't she?"

"Cherie named you and Hunter as the guardians of her children if anything happened to her," the lawyer affirmed. "I even have a letter written by her, which I witnessed."

Becca searched Stan's face for any idea what he felt about this. He was the uncle. Shouldn't the kids go live with family?

Guardians. Hunter played the word on repeat in his mind. He loved Henry and his sister, sure, but no doubt he was in shock that Cherie had named Becca and him as their guardians in the event of her death. He recalled the time she swore she was going to die, but it was the grief and fear talking. Who would have thought a few weeks after the accident, it would actually happen.

"Did you know about this?" he asked Stan.

"No. I should have asked Cherie when I was there in the hospital. I talked it over with my wife, understanding that there could be the chance we might have to take more kids in. I don't know how I'd do it, Hunter. We have three children; one with Downs Syndrome, one with multiple sclerosis, and the youngest is deaf." Stan wasn't trying to pressure them, Hunter knew this, but he felt the weight anyway.

"I know what will happen if we don't take them," Hunter said quietly. "I've been in the system."

"I think Cherie knew that. She picked the two of you because of your situation. It says so in the letter to you. I don't think this was an easy thing for her to do."

"No, I can imagine it wouldn't be." Hunter raked a hand through his hair. "If we do this, there's going to be so many things to consider. Hell, I don't even know if a judge is going to see us fit. Not with what we went through recently." And his PTSD.

"I'm going to stay here for the next few days, until the ... funeral. They left my name on as a second choice, and they also left me on as the one to handle her estate. I just ... I don't know, Hunter."

Yeah, he didn't know either.

"I'm going to talk it over with Becca. We're in the process of building an add on to the house for her mom and brother." He'd left Becca in the other room with the baby, as every time she tried to move, the little one cried. They'd been in the rocking chair for hours. No doubt she was attached, and Henry was comfortable with them.

Things Cherie knew when she'd made this choice. If only she'd talked to them instead of taking Becca at her word when she'd promised. Not that it was Becca's fault. She'd probably been cornered into saying something just to calm the woman down. Hunter probably would have done the same thing. They were about to start their lives together. Yes, he wanted children, they'd discussed this, but so soon?

"I'm going to go talk to her." Hunter headed for the baby's room. Becca stood by the crib. Miranda had finally fallen asleep on her own. Hunter reached for Becca's hand and cocked his head to the side, not wanting to make a sound. They walked out of the room, hand in hand. Becca closed the door quietly behind her.

"I didn't know she was actually going to take that promise so seriously. I mean..." Becca shook her head.

"I know." Hunter cradled her against him.

"But Hunter, if Stan already has so much going on and he can't do it, what happens to these two?"

He let go of her, then took her hands in his. "What do you want to do, Bec? This is a huge life changer. We'd have to go through the courts, and they'll want to make sure we're fit parents. There's a chance because of all the trauma and chaos, they might not go by the will. They might look at my PTSD as a problem."

"I want to read Cherie's letter to us," she pleaded. "I haven't had the chance yet."

"Okay." In silence, he led her to the dining room where the letter lay. As Becca unfolded it, Hunter stood behind her and read it again.

Dear Becca and Hunter,

I thought about this choice from the start. The only living family is Kyle's brother, Stan, but they've been estranged. Stan also has children who require a lot of attention, and if anything happens to me, especially now, I know Henry and the baby are going to need a lot of time and effort to help them get past this.

I don't know you all that well, but I feel like I do. I've done some looking to understand how you relate so well to Henry and discovered your painful past. The two of you would make amazing parents when the time comes. Becca made a promise to me. I know she said it to keep me from getting so upset, but there was a look in her eyes that told me she would still do whatever she could, no matter what.

In the event of my death, if my babies aren't adults, I name you the guardians. Hunter, I know all about your PTSD, and Becca, I know that when you are extremely upset or go through a trauma that you can't speak. I've learned about the Lange Center and about how the two of you met.

If you're reading this, it means I'm not here to protect my kids. I know I'm a stranger to you, or maybe not so much any more, depending on when you're reading this, but I see the way Henry reacts when you're around. He's comfortable and feels secure with you.