He knew all about Dad’s robbery of the South Berry Credit Union. He knew that Mom had been held captive at gun point in her own home, as ‘insurance’, while it happened. Jaylinn was only a baby at the time and they made sure to keep her in a separate room. When Dad finally came home that night and the captors let Mom go, they’d found Jaylinn in her crib naked, with a piece of tape over her mouth. He knew Dad had gotten into some trouble and didn’t have a choice but to rob the bank or he would have been killed. He knew that I’d been with my grandparents when everything went down. He knew Dad told Mom that it would never happen again.

Mr. Cahill knew my mom never went to the police because she feared for our safety. The next time it happened I was home, but I hid in my bedroom closet until Mom came to get me. He knew Mom packed us up in the middle of the night and disappeared.

Mrs. Cahill told my mom that her husband was an FBI Agent and that she knew for a fact that he’d help keep us safe. Mr. Cahill wanted to take my mom into headquarters but she’d refused to talk about it. He made a promise to her for that as long as she lived near us; he would always look out for us and protect us. No family should ever have to go through something like that.

After Mom confessed everything to the Cahill’s, they instilled the need to always protect CC in Jackson, Mason, and Cooper. When I hung up the phone a couple of hours later, I felt a sense of relief that I wasn’t the only one looking out for my family. This whole time it was like two families had combined into one, forming a stronger bond, a bond that would never be broken.

My only problem was that CC didn’t know about any of this. Just like Mr. Cahill never wanted what he did for a living to touch her, I didn’t want my past to touch her either. However, now that my dickbag of a father was back in the picture, I wasn’t sure I could make that happen, but I was damn sure going to try my hardest.

I was thankful that Mrs. Cahill said she was coming over for a visit today; I really wanted to go and check up on my mom. She’d been acting really strange lately; she kept telling me everything was fine, but I knew her better than that. I stopped there before going shopping.

“Ma!” I called out when I walked into the house. I was going to have to talk to her about keeping the damn doors locked.

“In the kitchen.” she called back.

I walked in and took a seat at the island, “Hey Ma.”

She was standing at the sink, washing the dishes, “Hey Hunter. How’s my grandson doing?” She asked over her shoulder.

“You’d know if you came over to see him.” It came out harsher than I wanted it to but damn it, it was the truth.

“I know, I’m sorry. With Jason showing up, I’m all out of sorts. I don’t know how he found us after all these years, Hunter. Why now? Why, when things are great does he show back up?” she pleaded.

I took a deep breath, I knew this was what had been bothering her, and she hadn’t wanted to tell me over the phone because she knew I’d have been over here in a flash. “Ma, I don’t know. Try not to worry about it, ok? Mr. Cahill has it covered. I talked to him last night and they have someone watching each of our houses.”

She dried her hands with the dish towel and took a seat next to me. “I’m sorry that you have to go through all this bullshit now that you have your own family to take care of. Are you going to talk to MacKenzie about this?”

I stood and went to the fridge to grab two bottles of water, “No Ma, I’m not going to tell her until I don’t have a choice.”

She took the bottle I offered her, “I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”

I really hoped I was doing the right thing. No! I knew I was; I wasn’t putting my family in the middle of this shit storm unless it was necessary. CC would understand why I hadn’t told her this was going on, if she didn’t I would have to make sure she did. She and Ryder were my life.

14

After Hunter came home from shopping, three hours later, Mom joined him in the kitchen to make dinner. We’d invited my dad to join us since he hadn’t had a chance to stop over because he’d been so busy with work. I asked Mom not to say anything to Hunter about my little melt down earlier, but I knew she would anyway.

I could hear them whispering in the kitchen, “So I think you need to gather everyone up and have a date night or something, Hunter. That girl in there is missing everyone. She’s so used to everyone coming and going all the time and she said she’s barely seen anyone.” Mom told him.

I heard the sink turn on and some pots and pans being banged around, then the stove clicking from the pilot light. “Yeah I know. Everyone’s trying to avoid her. I don’t think they mean it, but Kenzie’s starting to notice. Did she say something to you today?” Hunter asked, concern lingering in his voice.

I was staring at the TV mounted on the wall above the fireplace, but I could feel Mom’s eyes on me, so I made sure to keep my face neutral. I heard her sigh, “Yeah. She had a bit of a meltdown earlier. She’s ok now, but things are really bothering her. She sees more than we think she does.”

Hunter dropped something on the stove harder than he needed to, “Damn it.” He didn’t speak for a few minutes. “Alright, I’ll see if I can get everyone over here. I think she misses them, even when they pick on her.”

I heard a crackle of someone opening a can of soda, “It’s not just them, Hunter. She’s worried about you. She doesn’t see herself like she used to, she’s afraid that you’re going to run.”

Damn it Mom, I told you not to say anything!

Hunter cleared his throat; this was making him uncomfortable, “Mrs. Cahill…”

Mom cut him off, “Hunter please we’ve asked you to call us Elle and Andrew, or Mom and Dad.”

“Right, sorry, Elle. I told her last night, I don’t see those things. To me they are memories and reminders of what happened. She protected Ryder when she crashed. If it wasn’t for that…he probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

There was some rustling around and then Dad appeared in the doorway leading from the hallway. I put my finger up to my mouth to keep him quiet. He looked at me questioningly before coming over and bending down next to my recliner, “What’s going on?”

I missed Dad. I didn’t spend nearly enough time with him anymore. His hair was getting whiter on the sides, not that it looked bad but it was a sign of his age. He also had some serious bags under his eyes. “Mom is running her trap. I told her not to tell Hunter about my meltdown earlier.” I answered pouting my lips.