Chapter One
“I can’t find my daddy.”
The sound of the little voice whimpering behind Cory Turner sent the normally urbane woman tumbling forward from her kneeling position head first into her newly hoed garden. Muttering every curse word known to man, Cory pushed herself up, brushing the damp mulch from her hands. “What the fuck!” didn’t express her ire quite right.
Looking down at her once clean yellow shirt, she sighed in dismay. There didn’t seem to be much sense in trying to right her appearance, not when she had landed face and chest flat into the ground. Lucky for her though she had enough cushion in her chest to buffer her fall.
So much for doing a little gardening before heading to work.
With a groan, Cory moved from her knees to her butt and faced her little backyard intruder. She had lived on Mulberry Fall for over three years and she had never come across the little urchin before her, which was actually saying a lot. Cory’s house was well known for handing out the best Halloween treats for miles around, making her front porch one of the most popular ones in town.
“Do you know where my daddy is?” the little voice asked. His expression, much like his voice, was just a step shy of panicked which spun Cory into action. The last thing she needed was a crying screaming kid on her hands, especially a white one. Despite growing up in River Bend, Cory knew that with one look at the terrified towheaded kid, the cuffs would be out and her black butt would be locked up so fast her head would spin.
“No sweetie, I don’t.” Of course those were the wrong words, because his nose squinted up, his head went back, and a wail louder than fireworks going off spewed forth. Petrified, Cory reached out and dragged the little boy down into her lap. “But don’t worry little one, we’ll find him.”
“I’m lostttt!” he wailed, while making himself comfortable in her lap.
“Not for long though. Now please quiet down.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than her back door swung open and her older sister and roommate, Nichelle, came sprinting out. If it had been for any other reason, Cory would have found the shocked look on Nichelle’s face downright hilarious. Nothing, or nothing to date, shook the normally reserved woman’s cool.
“What is that?”
“A little boy.” Cory had to speak loudly to be heard over the wails.
“I can see that,” Nichelle yelled back, eyeing them warily. “But what is he doing here?”
“Crying.”
Cory was as in the dark as Nichelle was. She bounced her legs and squeezed the child more, offering him the only comfort that she could. It didn’t seem to lessen his tears but he did tone down the volume. From the looks of him, Cory hadn’t been the only one playing in the dirt today. His scrawny little legs were caked in mud as were the jean shorts and tee shirt he was wearing.
“Hey sweetie, what’s your name?” Cory was hoping to distract him enough that he’d stop crying for a minute.
The boy blinked up at her for a moment, popped his thumb in his mouth and stared up at her with huge beautiful blue eyes. He wasn’t saying anything, but he wasn’t crying any more either. His face was streaked with dirt and tears.
“Well, what are you going to do with him?”
The child started at Nichelle’s harsh words and snuggled closer to Cory, hiding his head in her chest.
Cory resisted the urge to say boil him alive and make him into a cake. Seriously, what did Nichelle think she was going to do with him?
“Don’t scare him. He finally stopped crying.” Cory spoke softly, stroking his back as she rocked back and forth.
“Whatever. You just better figure out who he is before someone thinks you snatched him.” Nichelle turned and walked back into the house in a huff, letting the screen door slam behind her.
A little hand reached up, snagging her braids, a chubby little finger, twisting around the curly ends.
“Pretty.”
“Hey there, little man. The scary lady is gone. Can you tell me your name?”
He giggled for a moment and ducked his head, acting shy. He mumbled something in the direction of her chest, but she couldn’t understand what he said. Tilting his head up, she asked, “One more time, so I can hear you.”
“TJ.”
“Hi TJ, I’m Cory.”
TJ giggled again and then squirmed to get out of her arms. Leaning over her lap, he picked up the mulch she’d just fallen into. Grabbing two child-sized handfuls he threw them into the air, letting the wood chips fall on them. Before she could stop him he grabbed at the mulch again, intent on this new game.
“Oh no, let’s leave that alone.”
Cory grabbed his hands, prying the mulch from his fingers. TJ’s forehead furrowed and his lower lip quivered. Worried that he’d begin crying again, Cory stopped pulling at the mulch and looked around for something to distract him. Unfortunately all she could find were gardening tools and she didn’t think handing him a trowel was a good idea.
“Hey, how about a cookie? TJ, do you want a cookie?”
“I like cookies.” TJ bounded off her lap, ready for the treat. He grabbed at her hand, trying to urge her along.
“Give me a minute here.” Cory struggled to her feet. She tried to wipe off the dirt, but finally just gave up. Taking TJ’s hand, Cory headed toward her back door, hoping she actually had some cookies. Otherwise her distraction wouldn’t last for long.
When she neared her bottom steps she noticed her gate was wide open, answering at least part of the riddle of the how’s and why’s of TJ. The latch on the gate was a constant source of annoyance. TJ wasn’t the first little interloper the wide-open entry had attracted. Normally her intruders were of the four-legged variety, but still, Cory was going to have to get the gate fixed.
“Let’s see what we can find.” Cory sat TJ in a chair and headed for the pantry. Unfortunately she didn’t see any cookies. She didn’t like to keep sweets around the house because she’d eat them if they were available. Wondering if he’d settle for a graham cracker instead, Cory walked out of the pantry and realized TJ was no longer sitting in the chair.
“TJ, where are you?” Cory glanced out to the backyard, but didn’t see anyone. Heading into the living room, she came to a stop. TJ was sitting in front of the television, all the DVDs pulled out on the floor in front of him. How he had taken all this out in such a short time she had no idea.
“I like Cars.”
“Cars?” She figured most little boys probably liked cars, but what that had to do with DVDs she hadn’t a clue.
“It’s a movie.”
“Oh, I don’t have that movie. Come on. Let’s get back to the kitchen. I found some graham crackers.”
“I want chocolate chip cookies.” TJ had definitely found his voice.
“I don’t have chocolate chip.” Cory frantically tried to think of anything chocolate she might have. “But guess what. I can make you a chocolate cookie sandwich.”
TJ looked at her with a bit of distrust, as if he wasn’t sure what this possible cookie sandwich might entail, but he was willing to try it out. As he tried to stand up his feet tangled in the mass of DVDs and he started to trip. Cory leapt forward, catching him before he slammed into the floor.
“Okay kiddo, you have had a wild day so far. Let’s go.”
Picking him up, Cory swung him onto her hip. TJ was heavier than he looked. She could get a good workout hauling him around. Returning to the kitchen, Cory headed for the pantry, unwilling to leave TJ alone again. She snagged a can of chocolate frosting and the graham crackers and headed back to the table. Cory settled TJ in a chair before finding a knife and pulling up a chair for herself.
“Crap, you probably need to wash your hands.” TJ’s eyes widened. “You said a bad word.”
“What, crap?”
“Awwww.”
“Oops, okay, sorry.” Cory had no idea crap was considered a bad word. She figured it was better than shit, but obviously not. “Why don’t we get you cleaned up?”
“’Kay. Then we get cookies?”
“Yep, then we get cookies.”
Cory picked TJ off the chair and headed to the half bath off the kitchen. Unfortunately he was too small to get his hands under the faucet, so Cory had to lift him up. He didn’t want to use the soap and she had the water too hot for his liking, but finally his hands as well as her own were washed. She even grabbed a wash cloth and cleaned his face up before they headed back to the kitchen.
“This is how we make a chocolate cookie sandwich. First you take a graham cracker, spread on the frosting, and then top it with another graham cracker. Tah-dah.”
TJ reached out to grab it out of her hand, but Cory held it out of reach for a minute.
“What do you say?”
“Please?”
“Good boy. Here you go.”
Cory handed him the cookie and TJ mumbled a hasty thanks before he shoved half of it in his mouth in the first bite. “Slow down kiddo. You’re going to choke. Hey, do you want some milk?”
TJ nodded his head, chocolate frosting smeared over his face as he gobbled up the cookie. Cory poured him a glass of milk and handed it to him. As he tried to take a sip, the glass tipped, spilling milk all over the table and chair as well as down the front of him. He broke into tears immediately as Cory jumped up.
“TJ, sweetie, don’t cry. It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry, Cory. I didn’t mean to spill it.” He tried to grab at the napkins, tears continuing to run down his face.
“I know. Don’t worry about it. We’ll get it all cleaned up.”
Cory helped him mop up the milk. Then they returned to the bathroom so she could wash his face and hands again. His clothes, on the other hand, were a complete disaster.
Covered in dirt and milk, they needed to be washed and no amount of spot cleaning was going to work.
“I think this is as good as it’s going to get. Now, we need to find your dad.” Cory realized she’d been with TJ for a good half an hour and hadn’t seen a sign of his father or any other adult for that matter, looking for this child. Of course they’d been in the house for a good portion of that time.
“My daddy’s gonna be mad.”
“Why would your dad be mad?”
“I’m not supposed to eat cookies before lunch.”
“I think he’d understand this one time. Come on, let’s start knocking on some doors.” Cory took TJ’s hand and headed toward the front door. Just as she pulled the door open, Nichelle came barreling down the stairs. She skidded to an abrupt stop when she saw TJ’s hands in Cory’s. “Is he still here?”
At her harsh words TJ stepped closer to Cory and gripped her leg tightly. There had been plenty of times over Cory’s short twenty-seven years on this earth when she’d harbored harmful wishes toward her eldest sister, but no time rang as true as now. The last thing TJ needed was the wicked witch scaring him into another crying fit.
“Nope, you’re seeing things.”
“I can’t believe you brought him into the house. Don’t you know --”
“Don’t you ever shut up?” Cory shook her head grimly as she loosened TJ’s grip on her leg and headed out the door. When she came back home she was going to kick Nichelle’s ass up and down the stairs.
Muttering to herself Cory almost ran over TJ who was looking up at her solemnly with a hint of disapproval in his eyes.
“What?”
“Shut up isn’t very nice.”
Startled Cory stepped back as she looked down at the tiny tyrant. She’d never been reprimanded by a child before. She had no idea how to react. “Uh... I guess it isn’t.”
“You need to say sorry.”
“Ohh... ’kay. I’ll do that as soon as I get back.” And as soon as I drop your little dirty, house-destroying, reincarnated Emily Post butt off with your father. “Do you remember which way you came from?”
As if her statement reminded him of his dilemma, TJ shoved his thumb in his mouth and shrugged his shoulders.
Not a good sign. “Did you cross the street?”
His only response was a limpid look accompanied by another shrug.
“I should have called the cops,” Cory murmured to herself as she walked down the pathway to the sidewalk. Biting her bottom lip, Cory tried hard to remember which house had boasted a for sale sign lately. Between the rising housing market and working mounds of overtime, Cory hadn’t paid her neighborhood as much attention as she should have. Surely someone had though.
In a neighborhood of busybodies and desperate housewives, there had to be one person in “the know.” Someone who knew of a new family moving in with a kid as cute as TJ.
“Anything looking familiar yet, kiddo?” she asked hopefully.
TJ removed his thumb long enough to dash her waning hopes. “Nope.”
That’s what she figured. “Let’s head down this way first. We’ll knock on a few doors and see if anyone knows who you are. And if we can’t find your house we’ll come back and make a phone call or two.”
“’Kay.” He said it so simply as if getting walked down the street by a complete stranger was an every day occurrence to him.
“I think we should try this house. I know it isn’t yours, but Mrs. Flynn has lived here a long time and I’m sure she’ll know who...”
“TJ!” A faint call wafted out on the afternoon breeze. “Where are you son? This isn’t funny. Answer, Daddy.”
Hope sprung forth, filling Cory with a relief she didn’t think possible.
“TJ!”
“Over here!” she shouted back, as she picked up the toddler. “I have him over here.”
Cory headed off in the direction of the call in a quick stride. TJ giggled as their quick pace caused him to bounce around in her arms. His laughter brought a smile to her own lips. Only a child could find such joy in a stressful time like this. At least someone was having a good time.
* * * * *
Elias Kohler had never tasted fear as he did today. The world as he knew it had been turned on its axis in a space of a second. One minute he was the proud, tired father of two, needing a quick shower and few minutes to himself and the next thing he knew, he was living a nightmare. His youngest child gone. Vanished into seemingly thin air, and Elias knew there was no one to blame but himself.
It was he who had put Jodie, his eight-year-old daughter, in charge of the precocious three-year-old. Hell it had even been his idea that they play hide and seek in the backyard. Besides he would be inside, taking a quick shower. All he needed was a few minutes, ten minutes top, to wash away the dirt and grime he’d acquired unpacking their belongs and putting them away in their new home.
He never knew his life could be completely uprooted in the space of a heartbeat. He had to find him. He had to.
“TJ!” he screamed again, his voice cracking with fear. The sound of his son’s name echoed through the empty backyard and his mind. “Come out son, this isn’t funny any more.”
He needed to call the police. He couldn’t kid himself. TJ had been missing for at least twenty minutes. The longer he waited the harder it would be to track him down if someone... no... he wasn’t going think that way. They would find him. TJ was just lost, not taken.
Get the phone. Get the phone.
Elias ran into the house, past his daughter who was standing as still as a statue in the entryway, and grabbed the phone off the charger in the kitchen. Elias didn’t want to be in the house for too long. He needed to be outside looking for TJ, calling his name.
“Daddy, I’m so sorry.” Jodie sobbed, tears running down her face. She had finally moved from her watchtower position. “It’s all my fault.”
Elias looked up from the phone he had gripped in his hand like a lifeline into the eyes of his daughter, swimming with tears. In his own fear, he’d overlooked the self-loathing his daughter must be feeling. “No sweetie, it isn’t your fault. TJ just wandered off, but we’ll find him.”
“What if we don’t?”
Jodie’s words echoed his own fear. “We will.” Putting on a brave face Elias took her clammy hand in his own and led her back outside. “I need your help calling his name. I’m going to call the police...”
“The police!” Her brown eyes widened with fear.
“Just to be on the safe side.” Elias promised. “He’s going to be fine. Now call his name with me. TJ!”
“TJ!” she parroted but not as loud.
“Louder honey. TJ!”
“That’s right. You keep doing that and I’ll...”
“Over here!” Elias and Jodie froze, staring at each other in shock. Their prayers couldn’t have been answered that easily. “I have him over here!”
A dark-skinned woman, with cascading braids, held TJ in her arms as she jogged toward them. His son was laughing, his chubby little arms wrapped around the woman’s neck.
Dear God, TJ was all right.
“More Cory, run faster.” TJ was prompting the woman, whose name must be Cory, as she came to a halt beside Elias and Jodie.
“We’re here, kiddo. There’s nowhere else to run.”
Elias snatched TJ out of her arms, crushing him in his embrace.
“Thank God. TJ, I was so worried about you.”
“Daddy!” TJ threw his arms around Elias and snuggled into his neck. Elias released the pent up breath he’d been holding and sunk into the embrace.
“You must be TJ’s dad. I’m Cory Turner.”
The woman held out her hand, but Elias couldn’t respond. He was still in shock, unable to believe he had lost and then found his son so quickly. He knew the woman in front of him was speaking, but nothing was getting through to his brain.
“Okay then. See you around, kiddo.” Cory lowered her hand and rolled her eyes before turning to leave, obviously miffed by his lack of response.
Elias could have kicked himself. He was spacing out instead of paying attention. Reaching out he stopped her from leaving.
“I’m sorry. Yes, I’m Elias Kohler. And this is TJ’s sister, Jodie.” Jodie stood quietly beside him, arms wrapped around his waist. She didn’t even look up at the introduction.
“Nice to meet you Elias, Jodie.”
“Thank you so much for finding TJ. I was frantic.”
Cory’s face softened at his impassioned statement. “Yeah well, he’s a cute kid. We had a great time, huh TJ.”
“Cory made me a chocolate cookie sandwich.” TJ gasped as he realized what he’d revealed.
“A cookie sandwich?” Just how long had TJ been with this woman? “So, Ms. Turner, could you tell me what happened?”
“Please, call me Cory. Well, I was gardening, and out of nowhere, TJ showed up looking for his dad.”
“So you knew he was lost and you fed him a cookie sandwich instead of helping him find his dad?” Elias had been insane with worry while this woman was having milk and cookies as if nothing was wrong.
Cory’s brow furrowed and she took a deep breath. “Look, I wasn’t the one who lost him, remember, that was you. And I only fed him the cookie sandwich to distract him. He was crying and would barely talk.”
“Daddy.” TJ began pulling at Elias’s hair.
“Just a minute, TJ.” Turning back to Cory, Elias tried to defend himself. “My daughter was playing hide and seek with TJ in the backyard when he ran off. This is not a case of anyone being at fault.”
“Well then why are you insinuating I did something wrong?”
Elias sighed, running his hand through his hair. He was screwing this up royally.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?” Cory stood with her hands on her hips, looking like a vengeful Nubian goddess. Elias realized he had been projecting his own guilt onto her.
“Daddy, don’t be mad at Cory ’cause of the cookies. I only ate one before I spilled the milk.”
“Daddy’s not mad at Cory and he’s not mad at you either. Daddy’s mad at himself.” Looking back at Cory he tried to smile. “I’m sorry. Really, I’m not usually this rude. Almost losing my son has turned me into an ass.”
“Bad word, Daddy.”
Cory may not have been softened by Elias’s words, but he couldn’t help but see her trying to smother a laugh at TJ’s admonishment. Elias had a feeling she may have had a similar experience.
“Daddy will pay a quarter into the swear jar.”
“Sounds like you have a lot to do, so I’ll just be going.” Cory turned and once again
Elias found himself grabbing her arm to stop her flight.
“Please, I want to thank you for finding my son.”
“No problem.” Cory continued to walk away and Elias found he didn’t want to let her go.
“Wait. I’d like to do something to thank you.”
“Really, that’s not necessary.”
“How about...” Elias shifted TJ over so he could hold him up with his left arm while patting his back pocket with his right hand. “I could pay you.”
Well if he was trying to get her attention that definitely worked. Cory whipped around as if he had called her a foul name and placed her hands on her very shapely hips. “I don’t think so.”
“I meant no disrespect.”
“Yeah, whatever. Welcome to the neighborhood.” Without another word she turned and stormed away.
“Dad, I need to...” Jodie pulled him down to whisper in his ear, “go to the bathroom.”
“Okay, sweetie.” Elias was distracted as he automatically responded, standing for a moment as he watched Cory walk away. She went into a house just two doors down from his own. At least he knew where she lived.
“Dad.” Jodie was pulling on his arm and he finally turned back toward her.
“Let’s go home.”
Chapter Two
Cory massaged her neck, standing still for the first time all morning. Working at her sister Samantha’s diner as a waitress afforded her a lot of perks, one of which was the tips currently weighing heavily in her pocket. But some days, she felt as if she didn’t get a moment to herself. The breakfast crowd had been hopping, but now there were only a few patrons left and Cory could finally take a quick breather before the lunch crowd came in.
With a soft groan, Cory shifted her weight from one foot to the other, counting down the minutes until she could go home. If anyone would have told her that she would still be waiting tables at twenty-seven, Cory would have laughed. Laughed and cried.
“So did I miss anything yesterday?” Samantha had walked up behind her, startling the pensive woman out of her trance.
“Not much. I just ended up playing Rescue Ranger.”
“Explain please.” Samantha poured herself a cup of coffee as she waited for her sister’s reply. “We old fogies don’t understand your young kid lingo.”
Cory rolled her eyes. “Give me a break, you’re only two years older than me, and besides no matter how old you are, you’ll always be younger than Nichelle.”
Cory added that last part loud enough for Nichelle, who was ringing up a customer, to hear. The one good thing about working with family was that it came with the added bonus of annoying the hell out of each other.
Nichelle pounded harder on the register in lieu of a reply, her actions being words enough for Cory.
She shoots, she scores. Age was Nichelle’s Achilles’ heel.
Samantha hissed out a “be nice” before sitting down at the counter. “Come on, I want to hear the story of Cory, the Rescue Ranger. Who did you rescue and how cute is he?”
With a secret smile, Cory pulled apart the napkin dispenser and began to refill it.
“What makes you think there’s a man involved?”
“Well isn’t there?”
Technically TJ wasn’t a man -- yet. He would be one day, and if he was lucky he’d grow up to be half as attractive as his father. Not that she’d noticed Elias was attractive, not at all. Because if she had, Cory would have marveled at Elias’s chocolate brown eyes, dark wavy hair, and muscular physique -- not that she was into all of that.
“Ah ha, I knew it.” Samantha was practically bouncing on her stool, filling the silence Cory’s flashback had created. “Spill it. I want his vital statistics.”
...
smerry