Cutter said nothing at first and then blurted out, “What would you like to know?”
“We don’t have a list of questions, son,” Kenneth said.
Cutter turned red. “I’m not your son. Don’t ever call me that.”
I could swear my father smirked.
Victoria cleared her throat. “We don’t live far from the Bernardis. Maybe you could come to our house and get to know us?”
“They’re my grandparents,” Cutter said. “We’re usually pretty busy when we’re at their house.”
Kenneth and Victoria nodded. I didn’t know if they’d expected Miri to keep what they’d done to her a secret or what. One thing was for sure: They’d underestimated Cutter.
“I think you should go.” Cutter stood straight up, put his hands in his pockets, and motioned toward the door. Flinn stood right next to his best friend, as did Weston. Rocco appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room. If these people didn’t do as Cutter suggested, his family was going to do it for them.
“My aunt has been gracious by allowing you in our home, but I’d like you to leave,” Cutter added tersely.
Victoria looked at me with pleading eyes.
“It’s his house,” I stated.
“We’d like visitation.”
And there it was, the bomb and the outlandish request. I wanted to laugh but kept my cool.
“Of? Because Cutter’s of age and can decide what he wants to do.”
“Of both, obviously. But clearly, he’s not amenable, so of Nova.”
Nothing but rage coursed through my body as I recalled flashbacks of them yelling, screaming, and throwing things at Miri when she’d told them she was pregnant with Cutter. Their voices, laced with threats, slurs, and nothing but pure hatred for their daughter, echoed through my mind. I remembered it like it was yesterday. They’d kicked her to the curb like yesterday’s trash.
These people had had no clue Nova even existed until they’d read Miri’s obituary, and now they wanted visitation. To do what—brainwash her? Not on my watch.
My hands clenched into fists under the table. I bit the inside of my cheek. A habit I’d formed to keep me from crying was now keeping me from lashing out.
If they wanted to see Nova, they could prove it.
“If you can tell me Nova’s birthday, I’ll introduce you right now.”
Everyone waited while Victoria’s mouth opened and closed, like a fish looking for water.
“That’s what I thought.” I stood, pushed my chair in, and gripped the back. “All you had to do was apologize and accept her for who she was. That’s all she ever wanted from you: acceptance.”
I left the room with Weston and Cutter hot on my heels and headed out back. My parents would make sure my message was loud and clear. Cutter wrapped me in his arms, hugging me tightly.
“They can’t take us, right?”
I shook my head as best I could. “No, I’ll never let that happen.”
First thing tomorrow, I’d reach out to the lawyer I’d hired and tell her to get the paperwork for guardianship in front of the judge as fast as possible and pray the Vaughns wouldn’t push the issue any further.
If they did, I’d fight.
Chapter 28
Weston
I stayed at Miriam’s until shortly after her parents left. I’d dealt with a lot of shitty parents in my time as a teacher; even as a professional athlete, I’d encountered a handful, but none of them compared to the Vaughns. I cringed at having to even refer to them with the same last name as the family I’d grown to love.
