PS01 - Tall, Dark & Lonely (32 page)

“And what will you do if you can’t sell quickly?” His eyes ran over the kids. He noticed for the first time how raggedly they

looked. Even Eleanor and Madison looked like they needed new clothes. She told him Chris needed new clothes, but she failed

to mention the rest of them.

“We’ll manage.” Eleanor lied.

“Jesus Christ, Eleanor, I bet you don’t have enough money to put food on the table and you think you’ll manage? Look at these

kids. They need haircuts and clothes, badly. Living in a house without electricity, water or heat is not going to be good for them

either.”

Eleanor sobbed quietly. “I’ll manage. My babies are not going into foster care,” she said firmly.

“Foster care? I’m not going. No fucking way,” Chris said, walking back into the room.

“Watch your mouth in front of the kids,” Ephraim said quietly as he took the items from Chris. “Have a seat, this affects you,

too.”

He sat down on the arm of the couch with his arms folded. He looked scared and was trying not to show it. “I’m not going.”

Ephraim eyed the four of them before looking down at Madison. “Go sit over there with your family so I can talk to all of you

without straining my neck, please.”

Madison moved to sit down between her grandmother and Jill. Ephraim sat down in the chair. “Where to begin?” he pondered.

His eyes fell on Eleanor.

“How much do you owe against the house?”

“Nothing. I own it outright.”

That confused him. “Then why did you get denied a loan?”

Her hands fidgeted in her lap. “My age and I wasn’t bringing in enough to cover the bills as it was. The roof cost more than I

expected.”

“Did they deny you because of us?” Jill asked.

Eleanor reluctantly nodded. “They said they didn’t feel right loaning money to me with so many dependants. If I didn’t pay on

time they didn’t want to have to throw kids out of a house.”

“Damn it,” Chris muttered. “I knew this was my fault.”

“Not it’s not and don’t you dare say that!” Eleanor said fiercely.

“Grandma, I have twelve thousand dollars. You can have that,” Madison said, glad Ephraim took it upon himself to get it back.

Ephraim held up his hand the same time Grandma said, "No."

"That's your money, Madison. Keep it in the bank," Ephraim said. He turned his attention once again to Eleanor. “How much

debt do you have?”

Her fingers stilled. “Over fifty thousand dollars.”

“Grandma.” Madison could not believe her ears.

“With the lawyers, and then the roof and the foundation and they cost more than I thought, and then I couldn’t rent out the extra

rooms. It just got out of hand.”

“And because I was no longer paying for the second room you actually ended up losing money,” Ephraim added. She nodded.

“How much are you going to ask for the house?”

“I’m afraid I won’t get much more than two hundred thousand if that. The house is older than most around here. Last year the

Thompsons sold their house which was about the same size and brand new and they only got two-sixty. I don’t have high

hopes.”

“Are we gonna have to go into a foster home?” Jill asked.

“I’m not going and neither are they. I’ll get a job,” Chris said firmly.

Ephraim sighed as he tossed one folder to Chris and the other one to Eleanor. “What’s this?” they asked in unison.

“Open them.”

“What does this mean?” Chris asked.

“It means you are not going to foster care. It means you are now Christopher Williams.”

“What?” his voice rose. “You adopted me? How? Doesn’t that take months to do?”

“Yes, I adopted you. I asked your mom and she decided that securing your future was better than abandoning you to the streets

so she signed the papers. As for the expediency of the adoption I pulled a few favors.”

“No shit?” he asked cautiously. Chris thought it might be a joke. He didn’t trust easily.

“No shit. You are now officially my brat,” Ephraim said with a wink.

Chris smiled. “Nice,” he said appreciatively.

“I don’t understand this. I already had custody. Emma signed it over. I paid a lawyer quite handsomely too I might add.”

“I’m afraid Candy lied. She didn’t have custody of Joshua. Ephraim was kind enough to secure it before anything happened.”

“So, Joshua is mine now?” Eleanor asked with a watery smile.

“Yes, Candy lost her rights years ago. I got the boy’s father to do the right thing.”

“What about me?” Jill asked.

“Candy signed you over to your Grandmother when you moved here. You’re all set as well.”

“That’s great and all that we all have a family. I’m psyched don’t get me wrong, but what good does it do when we’re all about

to be homeless?” Chris asked as Joshua climbed up onto his lap. Chris hung his arm over the little boy’s shoulder.

“You’re not losing your home. Things are just going to change.” Ephraim opened his checkbook and filled out a check. He

handed the check over to Eleanor. “Have the title signed over to me on Monday.”

Eleanor took the check with shaky fingers. Her eyes widened at the figure. “Ephraim, what’s going on here? You can’t afford

this.”

Ephraim shrugged. “I live here because I don’t like living alone not because I can’t afford it. I’m a very wealthy man,” he said

with an uncaring shrug.

“I’ll say.” Jill’s eyes were the size of saucers.

“Seems I have a rich daddy,” Chris teased.

“Are you sure?” Eleanor asked.

“Yes, I love this house.”

She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Ephraim. I’m sure I can find an apartment soon enough.”

“We have to move?” Joshua asked. His eyes shot to Madison. “I don’t want to move again.”

“Shh, sweetie it’s Ephraim’s house now,” Eleanor said.

Ephraim groaned. “Eleanor, I am not kicking the kids out of their home and I am most certainly not kicking you out.”

“You’re confusing me,” Eleanor admitted.

“I may own it now, but this is your home. You and the children will remain. The house is no longer a boarding house, although

we may have guests from time to time. I’d like the kids to have a home of their own where they don’t have to put up strangers

all the time and they’re free to be themselves.” He stood up and stretched.

“Other than that you run it however you please.” He opened his wallet and pulled out several hundred dollar bills and held

them out to her. “Take this and the children and buy some groceries. Tell everyone else since they didn’t pay you for the week

they’ll have to go elsewhere to eat today. You guys can sit down and have a nice family dinner for once. Now, I’m going to

bed, when you get back wake me up and we’ll hit the mall, okay?”

Eleanor’s pride stopped her from taking the money even though the fridge and cupboards were completely empty. Ephraim

thrust the money into her hand. “Eleanor, I’m very tired. I’ve been awake for over three days so let’s cut to the chase. You live

in my house now. I adore you and your grandchildren, my new bratty son eats like a pig and I’m crazy about your

granddaughter. Please take pity on me and just take the money and buy some food so I can go back to bed.”

“Ephraim, we can’t accept your charity,” Madison said.

“Madison, it’s not charity. My son needs to eat.” He was surprised how easily that rolled off his tongue. Chris turned to hide a

smile. “My favorite ten year old and fifteen year old drama queen needs to eat.”

“Hey!” Jill gasped. He ignored her.

“Also, Eleanor needs to eat so that she can keep up with the kids and manage this household. It’s not charity.”

“Yes it is!”

His hands thrust through his hair. “Have pity, woman. I’m exhausted!”

“Don’t do this because of me,” she said stubbornly.

“Baby, even if you didn’t live here I would still be doing this. Eleanor has taken care of me for the last three years. She’s been

good to me and I enjoy her company. I would be buying this house just to keep her here. I would also do it for the kids. I don’t

care who lives here. I am the man of this house. I will pay the bills and put food on the table. I don’t expect anything from

anyone.”

“Thank you, Ephraim,” Eleanor said. Her eyes glowed with warmth.

“You’re welcome. So, I assume you're going to stay,” he said, hoping to end this and crawl back to bed.

She nodded, smiling. “If you’ll have us I would very much like to stay here so the children can have a good home.”

“It’s your home, Eleanor. Don’t ever think it’s not.”

“But-“ Madison began.

He threw his hands up in exhaustion. “I really wish people would stop starting every sentence with 'but'.” He walked over to

the couch and took her hands into his as he dropped to his knees.

“Baby, please you’re killing me here. I’m not expecting anything from you. I just want to make sure that we have a roof over

our heads. I don’t want to come home to an empty house and I want Chris, Joshua and Jill to remain together with their

Grandmother. Can you please see that doing this makes me happy? Do you have any idea how lonely I’ve been and for how

long?”

She nodded slowly. She did. He’d been alone for too long. One look in his eyes and she knew that he was doing this for

himself as well. He desperately needed them to stay. She sighed, “Okay, but I want to pay for the food then. That’s only fair.”

“But you’ll stay?” He waited nervously for her answer.

“Yes.”

“Good, then do whatever you want. But today I pay for the food.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, remembering they had an

audience and stood up.

“I’m going to bed, wake me up later and we’ll go to the mall.”

“For what?” Chris asked.

“Clothes shopping.”

“Oh that sucks. Let’s pick up some chicks instead.”

Jill reached behind Chris and hit him soundly upside his head.

“What is with you women and hitting me?”

Ephraim shook his head. “I can’t imagine.”

Chapter 20

“Chris, get back in there! You're not supposed to come out here in your underwear!” Madison hissed. She turned to Ephraim.

“Stop laughing! You’re only encouraging him!”

“What? Is something wrong?” Chris feigned innocence.

A little girl walking by the dressing room pointed and giggled. Several high school girls went by blowing kisses at him.

Chris winked and flexed his muscles. He was built for a sixteen year old, Madison noticed. That was weird because she knew

he didn’t work out unless video games were categorized as exercise now.

“Chris,” she warned.

“You told me to try on my new clothes and come out here and show you. So here I am.” He turned around to show off his

underwear.

“You’re not supposed to try on underwear and you know you’re not supposed to step out here like that!”

Ephraim doubled over with laughter. “Those are his underwear.”

“Oh, look at that so they are,” Chris said with amused interest. “Hmm, imagine that.”

“Stop wiggling your ass!” Madison fought back the laughter, but it was a losing battle.

“Wait, gotta make sure these look good gangsta style.” He lowered his boxers to his hips and made mocking gang signs.

The breath caught in Madison’s throat. There below his navel was a light brown crescent moon and cross birthmark. Her eyes

shot to Ephraim’s. He suddenly looked deadly sober.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“Young man, go back into the changing room please. This is a family store,” a security guard said.

“Oh sorry, my sister told me to do it.” Chris gestured to Madison.

“Ma’am, please save the fashion shows for home. I have a lady hyperventilating in my office right now from his little show.”

Madison’s eyes shot daggers at Chris.

“She liked what she saw, huh?” Chris joked.

“Just go,” the man said, trying to hide a grin as he walked away.

Madison turned to look at Ephraim. “You knew!” she whispered excitedly.

“That he’s a Sentinel? I knew the first time I arrested him. I’ve been watching over him. Now I had to step up before he got

hurt. He’s part of the reason I finally accepted their offer. You’re the other. That’s also the reason I bought the house. It’s going

to be turned into a Sentinel home.”

“What’s that mean?”

“An alarm system, the place will be upgraded. A training facility will be built in the basement and it will be home to a few

select clergy to help in the area. This will be our area to protect.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“No, not yet. He has a lot on his plate at the moment.” She gave him a disapproving look. “Madison, let him be a boy for a little

while longer. He’s never had a childhood the same as you. Let him have another year of a carefree life. That was the deal I

made with the council. I will protect him and train him myself. He’s going to have vampires and minions after him in good

time. For now let him be a boy. Can’t you see how badly he needs that? Needs a family? He’s already been rushed into

adulthood. Let him hang onto the last thread of his childhood before he has to be a man for everyone else. Please?”

She nodded. “You’re right. He’s been so happy the last two weeks. He only comes to detention now to keep me company and

his grades have gone up.”

“Exactly, we tell him now and he’s either going to rebel hard or get into it too fast and get himself killed. Please don’t tell

him.”

“Tell me what?”

They looked up to see Chris coming out of the changing room in his old clothes. Madison had a sneaking suspicion that

improved hearing was part of the Sentinel package.