Without acknowledging my presence or words, he turned away. Leaving the door open he headed back into the room. He took a seat in the lounge chair and continued with his call while I followed Mrs. Blackmore’s instruction and laid down his meal on his dining table.
As I waited for him to finish his call, I tried not to feel hurt that he didn't immediately disengage. I could hear that it was neither urgent nor important. He was forcing me, just like the rest of the world to go at his pace. Now, I was just another member of his staff.
Just as I was turning away to leave, he put the phone away and turned his attention to me. "I didn’t expect you to still be here.”
I had the choice to be snotty, or polite as my status required. I chose the latter route. It would clarify the message of what we currently were. He was my employer and I was one of his staff.
"I couldn't leave Zackary uncared for when both his mother and father were absent. I have already asked the agency to look for my replacement and they will send someone as soon as Madam returns. I promise that whoever the agency sends will be a great nanny, and she will love Zackary immensely.”
"The way you throw around that word," he said bitterly. "Is love that cheaply acquired?"
"Not cheaply, but easily, especially when the recipient is a brave, beautiful child like Zackary. He steals hearts quite easily."
He didn't say a word, but continued to watch me.
“Do you know when … er … Madam will be back?”
He shrugged carelessly. “Madam is in a voluntary rehab facility so it is anyone’s guess when she decides to call it a day.”
I cleared my throat and stated my request. "Then could you perhaps, please, clear your schedule tomorrow after lunch? About two o’clock in the gazebo. Zackary wants to show you how he flies his kite.”
I was sure he was going to say no so I quickly added. "Please make this happen even if it's for ten minutes. I have spoken to him and this is one case where his excitement to fly the kite trumps anything else. I think it would be a good time for you to reignite your relationship.”
I turned around to leave then, and he didn’t stop me. It broke my heart, but it was me who had made the choice.
My only hope was he would honor the request. Before I left, I was going to try my very best to ensure that Zackary began the process of getting over the unreasonable and warrantless fear of his father.
Chapter 40
Brett
I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this nervous.
I stood before the mirror in my walk-in closet. I dressed in a blue hoodie and dark slacks. It was a little past two. The time for my appointment with Zackary was here and all I could see in the mirror was the mangled skin that was still visible even when I wore the mask.
I closed my eyes and tried to block out the image of Zackary screaming and running away in fright. I wouldn’t hold it against him if he did it again. He was just a kid, afraid of the monster his dad had become. Charlotte was right. It was time to try again. Especially now that Jillian was out of the house.
The alternative was Zackary would grow up like I did, without an actual parent to lean on. I was lucky I had Stanley to step in and guide me, but Zackary had no one. Just a selfish drunk for a mother.
Turning away from the mirror I headed out to the gazebo. They were already there. It seemed as if they had had a picnic.
She was speaking to him, a smile on her face. He said something and she threw her head back in laughter. I felt my heart warm and expand. This was the woman for me.
Then she noticed me and so did Zackary. My eyes slid over to him and I watched his face. His whole body tensed. I could recall that expression from memory. Pure fear.
Charlotte rose to her feet as I arrived and invited me to take a seat between the both of them. For the first time in years I was facing my son. He was staring at me as one would a highly colored snake. Equal measure of fascination and fear.
I softened my voice as much as I could. "How are you, Zackary?"
He turned to Charlotte for reassurance and met a blinding smile and a nod to urge him on.
"Fine," he mumbled.
I smiled.
I could see him wringing his hands nervously in his lap. I put my hands behind my back. "It's okay to feel nervous but you shouldn't always show it to other people. Now if you put your hands under the table nobody would ever know and you would still look very powerful to everyone. I am nervous too, but can you tell?”
He thought on this for a little while. “Why are you nervous?”
“Because you are my only son and I love you so much, but I am afraid you will be scared of me.”
Instead of removing his hands, he flattened them on the table. "I'm not nervous anymore so I don't need to hide them. I’m not afraid of scars. Charlotte has a scar too,” he announced.
"Well then little Mr. King you're the most powerful man here."
“Show your scar, Charlotte,” he said.
Charlotte turned her hand over and I saw the white scar on the inside of her wrist.
“You can touch it, Daddy,” he said. “Go on, Daddy.”
I reached my hand and let my finger trace the smooth scar. I could feel her blood pounding under my skin and my own blood heating up, the sweat on my skin starting to sizzle. I wanted to grasp her wrist, pull her to me, and kiss her right there, but I didn’t even look up into her face. I lifted my hand and looked at my son.
He smiled suddenly, a big beaming smile, and it warmed my heart to bursting.
When I was slightly more composed I turned to Charlotte and caught the look in her eyes as she watched me. It was one of complete adoration. I felt almost lightheaded with joy. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Fortunately, she had better sense than me. She turned away quickly. "See, Zackary," she said to him. " there's nothing to be afraid of. Your father is brilliant, is he not?"
For a moment Zackary looked like he wanted to disagree, and the genuine indecision on his face made Charlotte laugh. A second later, I forgot to be self-conscious that I was the butt of their joke and laughed too. Because he did truly look so adorable. I was fascinated by my son. He had grown so much. He could understand everything I said, and talk back. It was wonderful.
Carrie came from the house carrying a tray with little desserts on it. She asked if I wanted something to drink, but I refused. Charlotte immediately stood and started to do something with the tray. My eyes slid over to her. She was in a pair of tight jeans and I couldn't help but notice the curve of her hips. She had a beautiful full butt. The kind that you wanted to watch as she rode you reverse cowboy. I thought of it spread out on my stomach.
Suddenly, I was rock hard in the gazebo with my son a few feet away. It was the last thing I fucking needed. I quickly turned my attention back to my son. “So when do we fly the kite, then?”
“After dessert,” Charlotte said, turning back to catch my gaze.
I didn't look away, and she couldn’t have missed the raw desire for her that consumed me day and night.
She forced a smile to her face and held out a little plate. There was a dainty square piece of chocolate dessert on it. I stabbed it with my fork and pushed the whole thing into my mouth. Fuck, I was so turned on, it tasted of nothing. To my surprise, my son copied my action exactly.
With his mouth full, he announced, “I’m ready.”
“Wait for Charlotte,” I said, and we sat there and watched her eat her piece. She had no idea what she was doing to me. Or maybe she did. Hell, the woman ate chocolate as if she was giving it a blowjob.
I stood from the chair not knowing what to do. She finished her dessert and we walked to the middle of the green she said, “Aren’t you going to show Daddy your painting?”
Immediately, Zackary held his kite up for me. I stopped walking and stared at figure of a man with the black face. That stick figure was me. I was holding hands with another smaller stick figure. I looked from the painting to Zackary’s face.
He took the kite from me. “That’s you me and Mummy,” he declared proudly, stabbing at the three stick figures.
I had to fight back tears. In his world, we were holding hands.
“Don’t be rough with the kite," Charlotte cautioned softly.
Zackary became as still as a statue. His degree of concentration was amusing and I would have laughed out loud if my heart didn’t feel as if it was in a vise.
Charlotte tapped affectionately on the tip of his nose. "You don’t have to go that still."
I had never flown a kite. Until I was ten and before Stanley came into my life, my childhood consisted of schoolwork, housework, and regular beatings. Since I didn't know how to fly one, I sat back down when we made it to the middle of the green and watched them.
It was a windy day and they struggled with the kite, but every moment was one to be relished. I watched as they ran about in the grounds with the kite, crashing it continuously, until finally it rose into the air. For a time I held my breath and felt the beauty that could be found in the simplest of activities.
Until the kite got lost in a tree.
Both of them looked as though they would burst into tears and I couldn’t tell who was the child.
"Go get the gardener, Zackary," she said.