Finding Family by Connie Bailey

Author:Connie Bailey [Bailey, Connie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63477-152-8
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2016-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

JON made breakfast and woke up the kids. After they ate, he told them to get dressed for a hike. They dashed off, and Jon went to tell Charles about the field trip. Holland was eager to explore the local insect life, and a long walk outdoors was a good way to keep sharp, young minds occupied.

Jon eased open the bedroom door in case Charles had fallen asleep, but the room was empty. Charles’s suitcase was gone from the corner, and a pillow was missing from the bed. Jon closed the door and went out to the front room. He found the pillow atop a folded quilt on the couch. At the end of the couch sat Charles’s bags. The rest of Charles’s things were stacked on the desk in the corner.

The bathroom door opened and Charles came out. “Good,” he said when he saw Jon. “I’ll be gone for most of the day. We don’t have Wi-Fi, but we do have phone service, so you can call me if you have an emergency.”

Charles left and didn’t return until almost eleven o’clock that night. Jon was in bed, tired after a day hiking with the kids, but he heard Charles come in. He could tell by the uneven steps that Charles had been drinking and told himself it wasn’t his business. Like Charles, he had made a promise to take care of Madeleine, Holland, and Juliana, and that was what he was going to do.

This became the pattern as days became a week with still no word from Albert. On day ten, it became apparent to Madeleine that she wasn’t going to Hillarie’s party.

“I’m sorry,” Jon said. “I wish I could fix it, but I can’t.”

“We could take the car,” Madeleine said. “It’s only ten o’clock. We could make it before the party was over.”

“Only if I drive like a maniac. Please stop asking.”

“It’s not fair.”

“I know. I really do understand, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Stop saying that!” Madeleine shouted.

“Go ahead and yell if you have to. Sometimes it helps. But you have to let go of the idea that you’re going to Manhattan today.”

“No!” Madeleine screamed. “I won’t. I’ve been looking forward to this party since Christmas! It’s not fair! Why do I have to be stuck in the middle of nowhere?”

Charles walked into the kitchen and stared at Madeleine and Jon. “What the hell is going on in here?”

“This is your fault!” Madeleine shouted at him.

“First of all, lower your voice,” Charles said harshly. “I’ve got a killer headache. Second of all, I never want to hear you use that tone with an adult again, or anyone, for that matter. Third—” He paused and pinched the bridge of his nose between fingers and thumb. “Third, I’m getting tired of you acting out. Jon told you the situation, and it affects all of us, not just you. It’s important for everyone to do their best to get along.”

Madeleine stared up at Charles with her mouth open for a couple of seconds.

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