Cornucopia - 7. Rattling Bones

With a bounce in her step and one hand on the ornate iron railing, Helen descended the marble steps of the grand staircase of her Malibu home. It was one of her greatest accomplishments when she snatched it up for a steal at nine million and managed to nearly double the value in a few short years. Normally, she and her husband would already be looking to sell it as they had with the last three houses they had bought. But this one, with its charming décor, marble flooring in the hallways and the seaside vista just behind the house had convinced them that this was the home they had both been looking forward to as they headed closer to retirement.

Albert continued to work through the week, but it was mainly to manage the talent he already had been working with for decades and to be available for consulting with other agents. For her part, Helen had slowed down her schedule so they could be involved with more charities and indulge in her desire to spend more time with his family and hers. That was the source of the bounce in her step and the broad smile on her face today as she came to a stop at the bottom of the staircase. She was dressed casually for the day as usual when she was at home. Jeans and a tasteful top with her hair down making her look like anyone else in a crowd. Privately, she enjoyed this look more than the dresses or business suits most of her friends saw her wearing in public. She saw those more like putting on a uniform than a choice. Women had to work harder to be taken seriously and one thing everyone knew about Helen Stratford was that you always took her seriously when she was in her formalwear.

As she reached the bottom step she stopped and regarded the young woman in front of her with a reproachful gaze that was softened by her wiry smirk. “Audrey, are you sure you wouldn’t rather be back in school?”

The young woman who Helen remember was barely twenty-five didn’t flinch or show any discomfort from her employer’s stare. “No, ma’am. I would rather stay here for the summer before returning to classes.” It had been a topic of discussion between them in Audrey’s last month of her junior year in college. While Helen had encouraged her to take a few summer courses, the young woman preferred to stay here and learn from her instead.

Helen remembered how mousey and timid Audrey was when Helen hired her as her personal assistant. In the last two years, Helen had taken her under her wing and taught her to stand up for herself. Seeing her unflinching and almost smiling pleased Helen. “Very good. Michael told me they would be arriving soon.”

Audrey nodded and craned her neck to look out the windows next to the large double doors ahead of them. “I think they’re pulling up now.”

“Are the rooms ready? I want to make sure they feel welcome.”

“We have everything ready, ma’am.”

Helen nodded, having already guessed how much work Audrey had put into preparing the rooms for these two weeks. “You never cease to amaze me, my dear.”

Audrey giggled. “Thank you, ma’am.”

The muffled sound of a car engine could be heard on the other side of the door as the two women waited patiently before the car went silent. As planned, Audrey opened the door a moment later and Helen stepped past her and onto the landing of the granite stairs that led down to the limousine. She held a laugh in check, seeing a slightly glowering face from the back window, imagining what kind of fuss that was probably raised at the airport earlier. She could have sent Michael in something simpler, which would have probably suited her guest just fine, but she opted to set the tone quickly with this visit. They were here to relax and enjoy her hospitality. Not fret over nickels and dimes. As Michael opened the back door of the limo, she was reward for her efforts as she watched her ex-husband emerge from the back looking up at her with an annoyed scowl.

She diplomatically ignored his scowl and greeted him with a cheerful voice. “How was your flight, dear?”

David muttered something under his breath as he helped Matthew and Aaron out of the car before Colt emerged on the other side. Helen noted that David’s partner didn’t seem to be one for waiting on someone else to open the door for him. “You mean the first class seats you didn’t tell me you paid for?”

She allowed herself a self-congratulatory chuckle as she stepped down towards them. “The very same. When my former husband is bringing my grandchildren to visit, I want nothing but the best for you.” She turned her attention to the two boys in front of her and leaned down to greet them with outstretched arms. “Oh, look at my beautiful boys!” She laughed as Matt ran smiling to her followed by Aaron who moved a little slower. She hugged them both and kissed their cheeks. “I’m so glad you’ve come to visit me.”

Matt’s attention went to the mansion behind her and craned his neck up. “This is your house, Grandma?!”

“Yes, and as long as you are here, it is your house too.” She turned her attention to the small dark haired angel next to him. “Oh, my goodness. Look at how precious you are.” She drew Aaron into her arms and held him as she rose to her full height. She ran a hand through his soft dark hair and marveled at him. “Jacob must be bursting with pride daily with this perfect little child.”

David stepped up and gently ran his own hand through Aaron’s hair. “I’d reserve judgement on that until after he’s over his jet lag.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled as Colt stepped up. “Helen, this is Colt Hickman. Colt, this is my ex-wife and sometime friend, Helen.”

She skillfully passed Aaron over to David and turned her attention to the man in front of her. Sizing him up, she found him interesting and more than a little attractive. He was possessed of an air of quiet authority. Someone who was used to issuing orders and automatically expecting to be obeyed. David mentioned he was a fellow marine, but she sensed more to him. She had to admit that David did well for himself. She extended her hand to him and addressed him in a more formal tone. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hickman. How would you prefer I address you?”

Colt’s eyebrows came together in muted surprise at the unexpected question. It didn’t take long getting into the limo that he was entering a new environment where there was a lot of money and that generally meant more manners and more formality. While he was part of a well-off family as they say in the south, he could tell this was more than a few steps above their station. Manners drilled into him from childhood and reinforced with years as an officer kicked in as he stood a little straighter, taking the offered hand and met her gaze unwavering but polite. “Well, I’m retired Colonel Eugene Coltrane Hickman of the United States Marine Corps. Those who served under me call me ‘sir.’ You can call me Colt.”

She tilted her head slightly in amusement. Yes, he was a nearly perfect fit for David. “How delightful. Welcome to my home, Colt. I hope you enjoy your stay. But let’s not stand here in the heat when we can be inside so you can freshen up from your flight before we get to know each other better.” She turned and took Matt’s hand to lead them all into the house.

David was close behind her and noticed the young woman near the door. He frowned slightly in curiosity. “Did you get rid of Cindy?”

Helen smirked to herself. She liked that people thought of her as employing simple servants with no thought of their futures beyond her personal needs. “She received her MBA and is doing very well for herself in New York. I hear from her occasionally.” She cast him a sideway glance and quipped, “I don’t keep people dependent on me their entire lives.”

David wasn’t sure if that was snark or not, so he ignored it for the moment. “We probably need to get cleaned up after sitting in a plane for a few hours.”

Helen nodded in agreement. “Michael will take care of your bags. Audrey, could you show David and Colt to their room?” She smiled and looked down at her grandchildren as she added, “and I will take you two myself.”

David allowed Audrey to lead them up the room Helen had prepared for them. She was kind and friendly which he appreciated and gave her a friendly smile which she returned. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Howard. After you freshen up, Helen is serving drinks and brunch on the patio.”

David chuckled silently to himself. “Of course, she is. What about Mr. Stratford?”

“Al will be home later this afternoon,” she responded. “He’s meeting with a few clients today, but he is looking forward to meeting you as soon as he arrives home.”

“I’m looking forward to that.” David had never met Albert before. Not that he ever expected to until today. They lived completely different lives thousands of miles apart from each other. But if Helen was as smitten with him as she said she was, he was confident that they would get along well.

Michael was coming up behind with their luggage as Audrey stopped at a set of double doors. She opened them and smiled to the two of them. “If there is anything you need, just let us know.”

“Thank you.” David and Colt stepped inside and stood in the center of what looked like a living room as Michael entered behind them. He went around a corner into a second room before returning, smiling and nodding to them before exiting, closing the doors behind him.

No sooner had the door closed, Colt turned to look at him with a slightly amused smirk. “She’s a treat, that’s for sure.”

David rolled his eyes. “Yeah. She’s something alright.”

“She definitely talks like money,” he added as they moved through the room. It was a surprise to see that they not only had a bedroom but a private sitting room with a sofa, flat screen television and enough expensive decorations on the walls that he wondered if he wasn’t in over his head. “Whew. This is definitely better than my beachside house down in Florida.”

David chuckled and stepped up behind Colt. He put an arm around him and held him close before giving his cheek a kiss. “I like your place better.”

Colt grinned. “Better memories there, I suppose.”

“Damn right.” They separated and began getting undressed. “One thing… Remember, she’s my ex-wife, but she’s also my friend. She knows a lot more about me than anyone else. Don’t let her intimidate you.”

Colt sneered dubiously. “No one intimidates me.”

David smirked. “Not even me?”

“Almost no one intimidates me,” he amended.

They shared a laugh before stepping into the bedroom together and started to unpack. Once they had new clothes to put on, the two of them went into the bathroom to shower and prepare themselves for their California vacation.

****

Helen was pouring herself a glass of juice just as she heard a pair of footsteps approaching. She smiled and rose to her feet when David and Colt stepped through the conservatory doors and out onto the covered patio. “I hope you like the rooms.”

David gave her a knowing look. “They’re horrible. I want to speak to the manager.”

Helen grinned before turning back to look at Matt and Aaron as they explored the back yard. “The boys love their bunk beds.”

“Bunk beds?” David pulled a chair out for Colt before sitting himself down across from her.

“Yes,” she replied. “Matt took the top bunk and Aaron seemed happy with that arrangement. They have a full bedroom and a little playroom which I already helpfully supplied with some toys that I imagined they might enjoy.”

David looked down onto the green lawn stretching out before them and the pool off to the side. Beyond that was a brick wall before the beach began leading into the Pacific Ocean. “You sure they can’t run off down there?”

“Not likely.” She turned her attention to Colt as she explained. “There’s a gate that is locked. They would need the code to get it open and even then, there would an alert in the security system. They can explore here safely.”

Colt looked impressed. “Good to know.”

“I have Audrey coming with some tea and scones if you would care for some.” She poured two small glasses of orange juice and set them in front of her two guests.

“Thank you,” David said. “Tea and scones for breakfast?”

She smiled. “Something new for you to try, no doubt.”

David sipped his juice casually. “No. Colt and I did a small European tour. Had a pretty good time of it too.”

“Oh, yes, I heard,” she smiled, remembering. She asked Colt, “my son gave me the impression you had already been to most of the places the two of you visited. Is that true?”

He nodded. “Most of the places at least. Some were new for both of us.” He turned to regard David as he continued. “I just wanted to give him a little taste of the world outside of his orchard.”

“Well.” She smirked as her eyes danced happily. “Lord knows, I’ve been wanting him to expand his horizons for years now.”

“It’s not easy running an orchard by yourself,” David reminded them both.

Audrey appeared with a tray in her hands, setting the tea set down on the table. “Here you go, Helen.”

Helen reached over and started to pour the tea into cups. “Be a dear and see if the children would like to eat.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You don’t need to run the orchard alone. You could hire staff to do it for you, if you really wanted too. Not to mention our son is fully capable of doing the job.” As Audrey left, Helen shifted her questions to the men at the table. “So, do the two of you have any itinerary planned while you’re here?”

Colt looked to David before answering. “Well, we were wanting to take the boys to Disneyland at some point while we’re here. Do some sightseeing, and just generally relax and have a good time.”

David smirked slightly and added, “plus, he’s going to San Diego for a day.”

Helen’s eyebrows rose in surprise. She hadn’t heard anything about this. “What’s in San Diego?”

Colt shifted in his seat slightly. “My boy Tony is stationed near there at Camp Pendleton.”

“I see,” she smiled politely. “When was the last time you saw him?”

“When he graduated high school two years ago.”

She sensed something between that particular father and son, so she decided to not press further. “Well, if you need transportation, you can either borrow one of the cars here or we can arrange something.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose.”

She shook her head dismissively. “No imposition. Just speak to Albert and he’ll happily give you a tour of the garage.” She smirked, thinking of her husband. “He’s really looking forward to meeting you,” she said to David. “That’s partly why he’s not here now. Wanting to get everything out of the way now so he can spend time with you and the children.”

David grinned. “The couple times I’ve talked to him on the phone he’s been a decent guy. Think you managed to finally find the right one for you.”

Helen gave him a bemused smirk. “Thank you.”

****

Later in the evening, after dinner and the boys had been put to bed, the four of them, Helen, Albert, David and Colt, went down to the game room sharing a bottle of wine between them. It had been a warm and enjoyable day, made more so when Al returned home. David found him to be a very outgoing and energetic man. In many ways, Al acted like a man still in his younger years with his full head of light brown hair and attentive gaze whenever anyone else was talking. His eyes were bright and didn’t hide the wisdom behind them. Meeting the two little boys seemed to be a great joy to him and he was all for taking them all to Disneyland the next day. He suggested a number of other places they could go see and even offered a chance to meet a few celebrities if they were interested. David and Colt found themselves having to keep up with him in conversation and in his actions. When Al suggested a few games of pool, the two of them readily accepted.

When they entered, Colt found Al’s game room to be the most normal room in the house. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it seemed the most comfortable room in the house. A room that was lived in instead of put on display. One common thing Colt discovered about mansions is that most of the rooms were larger than what you would find in any normal home and they all had the appearance of set piece waiting to be photographed for some trendy magazine. But this room was smaller than the others and gave it a bit more intimacy. A pool table sat at the far end next to a bar set up complete with stools. There was a second smaller table that he guessed was used for playing cards or other games.

He found the Stratford’s to be smart and interesting in their interests and occupations. Helen on her own was a very attractive woman, even well into her sixth decade. And she carried it well in the way she walked and the gestures she made with her hands as she spoke. When she spoke, she did with an unforced elegance that only served to enhance her beauty, while at the same time she had a common feel to her. It wasn’t hard to imagine her fitting in wherever she found herself.

As the entered the room, Helen moved to the bar to retrieve glasses for the bottle of wine she had in her hand. “Albert, dear? Don’t hog the table.”

Albert gave his wife a spirited grin. “I’m sure they can hold their own.” He moved to the wall where all the pool cues were and selected one. “Gentlemen, who would like to play first?”

“He can go first,” Colt said with a nod towards David as he took a seat at the bar.

David glanced back at Colt dubiously before he went to retrieve his own cue. Albert was shorter than him, but he carried himself with enough quiet confidence that you tended to not notice right away. David and Al hit it off almost instantly as soon as he came into the house earlier in the day and that sense of camaraderie had not faded since. He stood off to the side, watching Helen out of the corner of his eye pouring wine into the glasses. That alone was a special treat for Colt, given that David had all but banned alcohol in his home for Jacob’s sake. While he was sure Jacob was well past a point where seeing it in the house could provoke him to break his sobriety, David wasn’t going to take that chance. To be able to relax, have a drink and a good time with others his own age was more relaxing than spending two weeks in a California mansion.

Helen poured with a practiced hand, sliding one of the glasses towards Colt with a satisfied smirk. “Are you settling in well at the orchard, Colt?”

Colt took the offered glass and took a small drink as he watched David and Albert begin at the table. “Pretty well. It’s a little like doing next to nothing, but Davey and I stay busy. He walks me around the place, and we spend lots of time with the little boys. Tells me about the place and all the things he’s done with it over the years.”

Helen nodded approvingly as she stepped closer to him. “It’s a beautiful farm, I will admit. Been in his family for generations. But it’s only been the past few years that he’s managed to hit his stride.”

Colt turned to her, giving her his full attention. “When would you say that happened? Hitting his stride?”

“Well,” she paused to think about it. “I would suppose it was perhaps about seven years ago. I think it was Jacob who came up with the idea of renovating some parts of the orchard and opening it up to the public.”

Colt nodded. Being mindful of David’s presence nearby, he made an effort to seem only casually interested. “So, you’ve kept up with what goes on there?”

“To some extent, yes.” While Colt seemed to be honestly curious, there was something about his manner which struck her as odd. It wasn’t the first time someone danced with her using their words and this wouldn’t be the last. Thankfully, she had an idea which song they were dancing too. “How is living with my son and his husband?”

“Funny you should mention,” he replied with a ghost of a smirk. She knew he was fishing. “It’s not that I feel unwanted or anything like that.”

She smiled playfully. “But…?”

“There were a few times at first that Kyle kind of… well… seemed wary of me, I guess is the best way to describe it. But it’s gotten better, and he’s started to warm up to me.”

A slight arc of one of her eyebrows gave away her surprise. She took a drink of her wine and smiled reassuringly. “He’s lived the same way in the same home his entire life. He was raised primarily by a single father, and he’s never seen Dave with anyone else his entire life. It’s probably just a little surprise at the sudden change is all.”

“Yeah,” he muttered. “You’re probably right.”

Helen gave him a reproachful grin. “He’s my son. Of course I’m right.”

Colt chuckled and turned his attention back to David and Albert playing, unsurprised to find Al was well ahead of him. Helen joined him in watching her ex and current husband together, wondering at how well they took to each other. Then again, she thought to herself, there was a valid reason why she married them both.

****

There was a lot of laughter between all of them as they stepped into the house. Albert and Helen helpfully kept the door open as David came through, holding Matt with Colt coming in behind, carrying a sleeping Aaron in his arms. The boys had Mickey Mouse hats on as the night sky sparkled with stars above them after a beautiful day spent entertaining their littlest guests. From park rides to the food and getting their pictures taken with all the various characters from their favorite movies, the children had the most memorable day of their stay.

Albert probably had the most fun out of all the adults. He was completely smitten with Matthew and how clever of a boy he was in his opinion. The two of them took on every ride and attraction that caught their interest, often leaving the others in their wake. David’s favorite moment was watching Matt and Aaron with him on the “Dumbo the Flying Elephant” ride. Someone managed to capture a picture of the moment and he was looking forward to adding it to his collection in his bedroom. In all, everyone had a perfect day together that all of them would carry in their memories the rest of their lives.

“He’s not too heavy, Dave,” Al asked as he closed the door once they were all inside.

“Oh, no,” David assured him. “I’m used to carrying him around.”

“Well, not tonight,” Helen said as she stepped up to Colt. “Tonight, we will tuck them in so the two of you can relax and share some private time before Colt leaves for San Diego in the morning.”

Colt somewhat reluctantly gave up Aaron who Helen carefully held in her arms. “Are you sure you’re okay with me taking one of your cars?”

Albert gave him a funny look. “Nonsense. That’s what they’re there for anyway. I’ll be up early and whatever you want, I’ll find the keys for it so you can just go.”

David handed Matt over to Albert and gave his grandson a kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight, Baby Boy. Sweet dreams.”

Matt rested against Albert, smiling sleepily at David. “G’night, Grandpa.”

David repeated the ritual with Aaron before he and Colt headed up to their room for the night. Helen and Albert carefully went up the stairs behind them, carrying their charges. She didn’t tell David or Kyle as such, but one of the reasons why she chose this house was because of the single bedroom at the end of the hall that she knew at first sight was meant to be a child’s room. She bought the oversized bunk beds knowing that eventually she could get to spend time with her grandchildren. Undressing Aaron was something of a chore because she didn’t want to wake him too much and end up with an excited child who wouldn’t want to go to sleep. Fortunately, the only change in him was a moment where his eyes opened slightly to see his surroundings before they closed again, and the small toddler slipped into an even deeper sleep as she placed the light covers over his body. She smiled down at the small boy before leaning over and gently kissing his forehead.

Making sure it was neither too bright nor too dark, Helen and her husband quietly retreated out of the room. Albert slipped a hand around her waist as they walked down the dimly lit hallway. “We should have them here more often.”

“Not for want of trying, Darling,” she replied with a chuckle. “Despite how he acts, I know Davey is having a wonderful time.”

“Well, I’m having a great time with them here. We should invite them back again next year.”

Helen nodded slowly, her thoughts on other matters. “We’ll extend an open invitation.”

“Perfect,” he declared with a nod. “Now, let’s get to bed. We have an early day ahead of us.”

A through crossed her mind as they entered their bedroom. Yes. It was going to be an early day.

****

Kyle was spending his morning in the dining room alone, going over paperwork. He knew he had to finish with everything on the table before his meeting with a realtor in town shortly after noon. It had been a challenging year but with the money he was pulling in and the amount of work he was expecting to take on in the next few months, it had gotten to the point where he was going to need assistance. While he entertained a few ideas of eventually creating an entire law firm of his own that could better serve people here and the rural areas where lawyers were nearly impossible to find, he was content with hiring a couple assistants for now and slowly build his way up from there. Jacob was out and about doing his own work but they both had a late start in their day. A small smile constantly played across Kyle’s lips remembering what caused them both to be late.

While it wasn’t something that he or Jacob wanted to openly admit, the few days that they had enjoyed alone in the house had been more than a little necessary. Not that they had any problems in their marriage. Far from it. But being able to spend time alone with each other, without the need to care for a child, change diapers, bath time, bedtime, making dinner for a picky eater of a child, coupled with living with two other men at the same time who were in the beginnings of a serious relationship left little time for the two of them to just enjoy being together, much less any sense of privacy. In the last two days alone, he and Jacob had been able to spend quiet, intimate moments that wasn’t confined to the bedroom, nor confined to just physical desire. There were tender moments between them where they could just lay on the couch together and hold one another. They had the opportunity to have honest, frank discussions without feeling the need to flee to their private rooms out of a concern of being overheard, or worse, misunderstood. It was such an overused cliché, but there was some truth to the idea that having this time alone was giving them the opportunity to fall in love with each other again. And they still had more than a week left to enjoy it without their children or their father getting in the way of it.

While there was a noticeable sense of parental guilt within him, Jacob reminded him that while they were parents and doing their best to be good ones, they were still young themselves and needed time together. Their friends mostly confined their socializing with phone calls over the last few days, but they made plans to get together for dinner later in the week to celebrate their anniversary. Kyle still missed the children but that feeling was tempered with knowing that they were in good hands with his own parents.

Just as he was getting to the end of his paperwork and mentally preparing for the next task, his phone rang. He half expected it to be Jacob, so it was both stunning and somewhat worrying when he saw that the call was coming from his mother. As he picked up the phone, he began to fear that something had happened to the boys, but he knew if that was the case, it would have been his father calling. Knowing her, she was just calling to give him and update. Answering the call, Kyle smiled. “Mother? What a surprise.”

The pleasantness and exuberance in her voice rang clearly. “Darling. I hope I didn’t catch you at an inconvenient time.”

“Not at all,” he replied. “I was just sitting here doing some work while Jacob is out of the house. How is everything there?”

“Everything is wonderful, dear. I was just calling to see how you and Jacob are doing.”

He smirked slightly. “We are doing terrific. Like a mini-honeymoon. Are the kids okay?”

“More than okay. We just took them to Disneyland yesterday. Matthew had the best time, and I would guess even Aaron enjoyed himself, with all the attention he’s been getting.”

Kyle got an odd feeling of displeasure hearing that. “My kids went to Disneyland without me?”

Helen laughed. “Oh, don’t worry dear. When Aaron gets old enough, I’ll see to it that you and Jacob take them to Disneyworld down in Orlando. They’ll remember that more than this trip with their old grandparents. And there’s never anything stopping you from coming to visit, dear. If you want to bring the boys here next year, Albert and I would love to have you.”

That lightened his heart and brought a brighter smile to his face. “Yeah? How’s he doing?”

“To tell you the honest truth, I think he’s having more fun than your father. He never had the time to have children before we married, of course, and he’s rather taken with the boys. He told me last night he would love having them here more often.”

“Well, it’s good to hear they’re making great impressions on the two of you. I’ll have to talk to Jacob first, but I wouldn’t say it’s impossible that he wouldn’t mind a trip at some point.”

“Excellent. I’ll have to tell him after I’m off the phone with you. Speaking of impressions, I have to say I find Colt to be a rather good match with your father. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Well, yeah,” Kyle replied. “I mean, he’s done a lot with Dad already. The trip to Europe, Florida and everything else.”

There was a moment’s pause over the line before Helen asked him, “how are the living arrangements now with him staying at the house full time?”

“Fine,” he replied.

“Just fine?” In his mind, he could almost see her lips twisting up in a knowing smirk. “I take it there’s something about him you find disconcerting?”

Kyle frowned slightly. “Did Dad have you call me about this?”

“Not at all dear,” she assured him. “We were talking the other night and Colt left me with the impression that he felt a little uncomfortable with you. I found that a little hard to believe because I know you aren’t the kind of person to feel like you’re threatened by someone taking some of your father’s affections.”

“Oh, Mom.” He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “I’m not worried about that.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

Kyle was silent for a moment, wondering just how much his mother knows. David left him with the impression that he always kept her up to date on everything going on, but did he go as far as to talk to her about the one thing they avoid talking about? “It’s just that he’s been wanting to get to know everyone…”

“Yes,” she said, encouraging him to continue.

“And… well… he’s been asking questions that I’d just rather not answer.”

“Why not?”

He sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. “Because he wants to know why I was gone for years with no contact with everyone here and it’s not something I think he needs to know about.”

There was an even longer pause and for a moment he feared she hadn’t known about it. When she did speak, it assuaged his concerns. “If it’s something all of you have moved past, then why not just be open about it?”

Kyle was feeling exasperated. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have with her, especially when he had been enjoying his week so far. “Mom… let’s be honest here. It doesn’t paint Dad in a very good light. Don’t get me wrong; I think Colt is great and it makes me happy to see Dad happy. Doesn’t even really matter all that much that it derailed the plans Jacob and I had together back then, more than I just don’t want Colt thinking Dad isn’t as good of a person as he is. The less it’s talked about the better.”

There was another second of silence before he heard her chortle. “That’s why I love you so much, Darling. You have a keen sense of caring for others, much like your father.”

“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “If you say so.”

“Well, I just wanted to make sure I had all the facts. Colt is wonderful in my opinion, and I hope he sticks around for a long time.”

“So do I,” he replied truthfully. “I think the longer they’re together, the less it will matter in the long run. I just don’t want stuff like that coming out so early in their relationship.”

“I totally agree.” Helen seemed completely unphased from the sound of her voice which gave him a measure of relief that he would hopefully never have to discuss this with her ever again. “We’ll be starting breakfast here soon so I should be going. Enjoy your time with Jacob and do send him my love when you see him next.”

“I will. Have fun, Mom.”

“Goodbye, sweetheart. Love you.”

****

Albert and David were already enjoying breakfast together on the patio with Matt and Aaron when Helen walked out into the morning sun. “Good morning, dear,” he cheerfully greeted his wife.

“Good morning.” Helen gave him a smile as she took her seat. “I take it everyone slept well. Is Colt already off to San Diego?”

“He left about an hour ago,” David confirmed with a nod.

“He took the coupe,” Albert added with a playfully annoyed look. “I tried to talk him into the Ferrari, but he wasn’t having it.”

“I swear,” she began as she began to butter her toast, “you should just give that thing away. A charity or something.”

“What’s wrong with it,” David asked curiously.

“Nothing,” Albert assured him. “It’s a ’69 365 Daytona. Been running perfectly for years. I still drive it occasionally.”

“Though, it does prove my theory,” Helen said offhandedly.

David looked from one to the other as Albert nodded. “Theory about what,” he asked.

“That he comes from money,” Albert replied. “He knows it when he sees it.”

David smirked. “His family isn’t rich like this. Just an old estate family down in Georgia.”

Albert shrugged. “Still… he knew an expensive car when he saw one. No matter how hard I tried to get him to take it.”

David chuckled. “Why were you so curious?”

Albert shrugged. “Just wondered. Nothing special about it. He’s a good man, no matter what his background, though.” He pointed his fork at David and added, “don’t let that one go.”

Helen remained mostly silent through breakfast, casually watching David while her mind put together everything she had learned. If what she thought was true, then she had to have a long talk with her ex-husband. And it likely would not be a pleasant one. She listened to them and Matt, while giving Aaron encouragement when he started to say a few words here and there. She loved them both so much and wanted the best for them. If she had her way, they would get the best educations and live their best lives. The most curious thing she noticed was how the two of them never seemed to fight or have any kind of disagreement. Matthew never acted jealous or envious of his younger brother and it made her wonder how long that would last between them.

Once she was finished eating, she knew what she had held back long enough. When she stood, she looked to her husband and said in a more formal voice, “would you watch the children for a few minutes while I have a private discussion with David?”

David stood, wary of the look she was giving him. It reminded him of when their marriage had started to fail. She knew something about him, and she wasn’t happy about it. “Anything wrong,” he asked her.

She smiled that same smile he remembered from their last argument when they were married as she replied, “not at all. I just wanted to discuss something with you in private.” Without waiting for a response, she put her arm around his and began leading him back into the house. “We won’t be long, dear,” she called back to her husband before turning a corner and heading to the other side of the house.

David kept his mouth shut and waited as she led him down a corridor and through a door that opened into a bright, sunlit room that seemed decorated exclusively for her. Paintings hung on the cool blue colored walls along with some pictures. In front of the large window that poured California sunlight into the room was a desk and three chairs. To the side was a small sofa that looked more expensive than his entire bedroom set. He was about to ask her what she wanted before she closed the door and looked at him with an annoyed frown before declaring, “you didn’t tell him.”

He was caught off-guard by her words, uncertain of what she was talking about. Before he could find his voice, she was already walking across the room to stand behind the desk, looking at him with barely repressed fury in her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that you never told him the truth!”

He took a few tentative steps and gathered his courage. “I’ve never lied to Colt.”

Her next words made him wish he hadn’t come. “I’m not talking about Colt. I’m talking about our son! You lied to him!”

David’s own anger started to show at her accusation as he stepped up to her. “What are you talking about?! I’ve never once in my life lied to Kyle.”

She leaned over the desk, resting her fingers on the surface. “Yes, you did. You told me when the two of you reconciled.”

David stopped in his tracks, feeling his stomach falter and the hot anger inside him freeze into fear. He knew with absolute clarity what she was talking about now and he was left speechless for a moment. “Look,” he began as he tried to defend himself. “I didn’t lie to him.”

“No?” she replied with the voice of an angry queen. “Then what is it? Because I just got off the phone with him and he informed me that the reason why he’s been walking on eggshells around your new beau is because he doesn’t want you to be seen in an unfavorable light. The logical conclusion is that you lied to him.”

He tried to remain calm, unsure of what she planned on doing and feeling a sliver of fear creep into his soul. “Helen, it’s not that simple.”

“It isn’t?” She arched an eyebrow as she stared him down. “Should I assume that Jacob is being kept in the dark as well?”

“He doesn’t remember anything,” David insisted, trying to keep his fear in check. “And I’d prefer he not give it a lot of thought in case his memory does come back.”

Helen’s exasperation for him nearly exploded out of her as she threw her arms out to her sides. “But why?! Why would you go on living this lie?”

“You weren’t there,” he replied as his eyes started to show his own annoyance at her presuming to tell him what he should and shouldn’t do in a situation she had no experience with. “I never lied to Kyle. I just let him believe what he wanted to believe. For all I know, with the therapy sessions and the medication he’s taking, he might very well remember what happened, but you have to understand that I had no idea how bad of an anxiety attack he would have. I never suspected he was having that hard of a time.”

“And again,” she said in a cool voice and admonishing eyes. “I will tell you what I told you when you finally told me about what happened. Why didn’t you call me first thing?!”

“Because I didn’t know I was going to lose my son for years at that point,” he roared. “I thought he would come to his senses after he cooled off. My God, Helen, he punched me in the face! You should’ve seen the look in his eyes. Was like a totally different person. Even his voice sounded different. For a minute I thought he was possessed.”

When he saw her sigh and shake her head he pressed on, hoping to end this fight quickly. “I never once expected that he would just up and walk away from everything. Jacob? His friends? Me? I just thought he would eventually call me, and we would be able to fix it.”

“You were wrong,” she replied. “You were wrong about it all. And you spent far too long keeping me in the dark.”

“It wasn’t like you were that involved in his life to begin with.” The second the words left his mouth he knew he was in trouble.

Her voice seemed to hit him in all directions as she cried, “I left him with you because I knew you would wither away and die without him! I kept in touch with you and did everything you asked of me and more!” She came around the desk towards him keeping her eyes on him. “If I had wanted to, I would have had every right to take him from you and you would have been nothing but a faint memory to him.” She stared at him for a long moment before she tempered her anger. “I knew, when we were getting divorced, that you loved Kyle more than anything else in the world. To take him from you would have been the same as killing you. I never hated you for the things that happened between us. And I never once wanted to see you hurt.” The steel returned in her voice as her lips trembled. “We had a deal!”

David sighed as he sank down on the couch next to him. “You have no idea how painful those first few years were. I was trapped in this situation where I couldn’t get ahold of Kyle and I knew if I left for too long, Jacob was gonna run off. I failed both of them because I forgot what I was supposed to be doing.”

“What was that, exactly?”

He sighed heavily looking down at his feet. “It all started because I forgot that I was supposed to be a father first before anything else. Jacob was drinking. I started drinking. I stopped being his dad and being Kyle’s dad and was just being a guy, hanging out. I let my guard down and I paid the price for it.”

She nodded slightly as she sat with him, putting her hand over his. Her voice took on a more gentle, empathetic tone. “And when Kyle came home early and saw Jacob in your bedroom…”

He nodded. “Yup. And I was too tired, and I’d been sick…”

The memory of that year and everything that happened before all of this deepened her sympathy for him. “…and you had just lost your best friend only a month or two before that.”

A swift pain struck his heart causing him to put his hand over his eyes. No matter how much time has passed, that loss was one of the most devastating of his life. “Yeah.” He took a few breaths to settle his grief back into place before he found his voice again. “That was the worst part. Had Pete been there still, I could’ve just had him babysit Jacob while I confronted Kyle and gotten him through to him. But he was gone, and I was all alone. I couldn’t tell Sam. He wouldn’t have understood, and he wouldn’t’ve cared all that much. All the other boys were gone. So, it was just me and him. And I couldn’t risk losing him.”

“You really believe he would have just up and left?”

David nodded with a sadness in his eyes. “Yeah. He told me so. After the fact, at least. After Kyle left, he was so low, he would go days at a time not speaking. After he got cleaned up, he confessed that he had wanted to leave at times. I tried to pretend Jacob was just going through a growing up phase with his drinking, but I knew deep down that he had problems. And there was nothing I could do on my own to fix them.”

Helen shook her head. “You’re only human, David. You can’t fix everything.”

He smiled tightly, still feeling the grief and the sense of failure he used to carry around inside him the conversation evoked. “Doesn’t mean I couldn’t try. I knew if I lost Jacob, Kyle would have never recovered. I did it all for him. And I just tried to maintain faith that eventually he would come home.”

“And he did,” she agreed. “Maybe not as quickly as he should have. But you really should have told me sooner when we could have solved it together. I would have come. I am his mother, you know.”

He shook his head at his own stupidity. “I honestly, didn’t think it would have taken him that long, Helen. Really.”

“But they’re happily married now. Why would you keep the truth from them when it doesn’t matter anymore?”

“No,” he shook his head. “If it came out now, it could break them. They may start blaming each other for it all over again and everything I worked towards, to build them a better life than I had, could be undone. I took the responsibility. I told them both, it was my failing that caused it all. It wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth.”

“How is it that you came to tell me the truth but not them?”

He shook in quiet laughter. “Because I can never hide anything from you. Even if I tried, I couldn’t. You know me better than anyone else in the world. There was no way you’d believe the story that they believe.”

“I’m still not hearing a reason to keep them in the dark.”

“Because it’s over,” he gently insisted. “They’re married and happy with two beautiful boys and a life full of love and friendship. Why would I want to put that in jeopardy just for my own ego?” He turned to regard her eyes and gently squeezed her hand in his. “Helen. I’m serious. They can’t find out. They’ve moved past this, and they’ve built a good life together. I don’t want to risk it and have old wounds torn open.”

She met his gaze, not entirely convinced. “You did nothing wrong. Why shouldn’t he have to deal with the consequences of his actions?”

He gave her a stern look. “No. He’s my son. Our son. It’s my job to protect him. I forgot that for one night and I nearly lost everything. I’m not going to take that chance again.”

Her anger had long since abated, replaced by a sadness for the man who had been her husband and was still her lifelong friend. “So, you’ll fall on your own sword? And protect him from everything, even himself?”

He nodded slowly. “It’s what parents do, dear. All the time. Promise me.”

“What?”

“Promise me that you’ll never tell him.”

Her eyes narrowed and he saw a little rebellion in her eyes. “The skeletons in your closet may not stay silent forever.” She saw the silent plea. He was too concerned for his boys to care what became of himself or his good name. She sighed and finally nodded her head. “Very well. I promise.”

He smiled feeling a sense of relief. “Thank you.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

****

It was in the evening when Colt returned to the Stratford home. He came in with a small smile on his face after having spent the day with his son. There had been some difficulty in finding his way back to the house, but after a few calls and the GPS on his phone, he managed to find his way back to the mansion. After parking the car, he entered the house and headed down to the game room where the others were gathered. When he entered the room, he was greeted warmly by all three of them. To his surprise, it was Helen who met him and embraced him. “Colt, dear. How was your visit with your son?”

“It was nice,” he replied as she put her arm in his and led him to the bar. “Got to meet his commander and some of the other boys in his company.”

“Even a retired colonel still gets saluted?” She smiled warmly as she released him and stepped around the bar to mix him a drink while Albert and David went back to their game.

“Yeah, they still salute,” he confirmed. “But I wasn’t in uniform so no harm if someone didn’t. Most of the higher ranking officers knew me.”

“Well, I’m glad you had a good time.” She placed the drink in front of him. Out of the corner of her eye she could see David looking at her. After their talk this morning, there had been a little tension between them, but it had melted away after spending time with the children down on the beach. She grinned slightly to herself. “Marines are special in their own way. I understand Andrew was under your command, is that right?”

Colt nodded as he took a drink. “Yeah. For most of his enlistment. That’s how Davey and I met.”

She nodded. “They seem to teach a lot of things in the Marine Corps. Probably the most interesting thing David learned was how to handle being drunk.”

Colt blinked in surprise and looked over at David who turned his full attention to his ex-wife. “Oh?”

Helen met David’s stare with her own. She promised him she wouldn’t say a word. But she didn’t promise to stay silent. Her voice affected a humorous tone as she explained. “When we first got married, David went on a few drinking binges. One morning I woke up and he wasn’t in bed. I started to panic a little until I heard him snoring in the bathroom. I went in and found him asleep in the bathtub.”

Albert and Colt both had amused smiles on their faces as they looked at David whose cheeks had started to turn red. “Oh, really,” Colt asked. “And he told you he learned that in the corps?”

Helen nodded, enjoying telling her story, knowing there was nothing David could do to stop her. “He told me that he had learned that if he thought he was drunk to sleep in the bathroom, that way if he threw up, he wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning it up.”

Colt laughed and nodded in approval. “Wasn’t something I remember learning. Who’d you learn that from?”

David stared at Helen, hoping that it would be a story that would end up forgotten. “One of the guys I used to go drinking with off base. We’d get a room nearby and sleep it off there till the next morning.”

“Travis wasn’t it,” Helen asked him with a smile that spoke volumes between them.

He frowned slightly. “Yeah. It was Travis.”

“Oh.” Colt already knew all about that. “Well, sounds like that kept you out of trouble more than a few times.”

“Yeah,” he muttered. “You could say that.” He turned back to the pool table and accepted that she sent him a message loud and clear. The truth may find its way out, no matter how much he would wish it wouldn’t. Eventually, one day, he would have to deal with it.