Learning to Live, Again

Chapter Seven

Corbin's POV

I sat in my car in front of the house. I didn't want to go inside, but I knew I had to sooner or later. Sighing, I killed the engine, resting my head against the steering-wheel. My heart hurt, and it felt like someone was squeezing my chest. It had been three weeks since I had seen my son, and all because Niamh was an idiot and left him with that stupid cop. I wanted my son, but I was tired of fighting for him. Niamh obviously didn't want me to have him, so why even bother anymore? She was gone, and she wasn't coming back, and looking at Heath would just remind me too much of her.

Just when I was about to get out of the car, I heard the door open. I looked over, prepared to give Addaline my biggest smile, but it wasn't Addie that came out of the house. It was Jeremy. Addaline stood in the doorway, her hand on her hip, a frown on her face. She seemed agitated, her body rigid, and her eyebrows furrowed. Jeremy seemed angry as well, his hands balled into fists as they talked. They seemed to be arguing about something, but I couldn't make out what they were saying from over here. 

Addaline shook her head, and I knew what that meant: she was about to talk him into something, and make him feel like an idiot for not agreeing to what she had to say sooner, but my mother pulled up into the driveway, and Jeremy took off. Addaline shut the door, and turned the kitchen light off, sending the house into darkness.

My mother got out of the car and made her way towards the door, swaying a little. She fell to her knee, a cry coming from her mouth, and I got out of the car. She was in obvious pain when I was able to catch up to her. Tears were streaming down her face, and her knee was bloody. 

"Mom..." I wrapped her arm around my shoulder and lifted her up. With a sweep of my arm, she was in my arms and I was carrying her to the front door. She smelled of alcohol and vomit, making me wrinkle my nose.

It killed me to see her this way, hiccuping from how hard she was bawling. "Corbin, I thought I told you to go to bed. It's too late for you to be up."

I sighed. "Mom, I'm not a little boy anymore. Remember, I'm an adult. I graduated high school, remember? My twenty-fifth birthday is coming up." 

My mother shook her head, tears still streaming from her eyes. "Since you're up, help me to bed." I opened the front door and carried her to her bedroom, laying her in her bed and covering her up with a blanket. I grabbed a water bottle and some aspirin, setting it on her night stand. I kissed my mother's cheek, tucking her in. She looked extremely sickly, and I worried that she wouldn't be around much longer. 

"Mom," I whispered, "you can't leave me. I just lost Niamh. You can't leave me here all alone. I need you." With tears stinging my eyes, I left her room. 

Hanging my head, I made my way to the girls' room, poking my head in. They were asleep, their small snores could be heard from the door. I made my way to them. Rowen was the bigger of the two girls, and the one with less problems. She slept in the crib on the right, with Heath's crib in between the two girls. Madeline had breathing problems, and the doctors were worried about her heart so we visited the hospital frequently. 

"Hello?" I freeze. It's Addaline's voice, but she's not in the room with me. I look around, and that's when I spot the baby monitor. 

I pick it up. "Hmm. Mommy must of accidentally switched them."

"No, he doesn't know, and you're not going to tell him." Frowning, I turn the volume up a little more, careful not to have it loud enough to wake the twins. "I can't tell him until after it's done. Now quit calling me."

I can hear her slam the phone on the night stand, and then the sound of her messing with her clothes. Setting the baby monitor back on the stand, I make my way to the bedroom. When I enter, Addaline is fully dressed. "Oh, baby," she says when she sees me. "I'm sorry. I've got to run. My mom called me, and there seems to be a problem with her husband. She's worried he's cheating." She rolled her eyes. "You know how my momma gets. Won't calm down until I go over there." She kissed my cheek. "The girls should be down for the night. I love you."

Addaline waits at the door for me to say it back, but I keep my back to her. "Corby, I know we had a bad fight, but I forgive you. I understand you're in such a stressed state. I forgive you, and I love you."

I sigh, turning around with a smile on my face. "I love you, too." 

When she leaves, I pick up her phone, but there are no numbers left in the call log except for her mother and me. Scowling, I go through her messages. I'm not sure what I hope to find, but I'm hoping it's something. I give up after a few moments, realizing I'm going to have to work harder than this to get to the bottom of Addaline.

By the time I get outside, Addaline is already gone, and I don't have a chance to follow her. I punch my mailbox in frustration, and that's when I see two police officers walking my way. "Corbin Waters?"

I nod. "Yes, how can I help you fine gentlemen this evening?" One cop is short and fat with a graying mustache, and the other is a slightly younger cop, with brown eyes and graying hair.  

"We'd like to question you about the disappearance of Niamh Harvey. Could you come down to the station?"

I shake my head, gesturing towards the house. "My daughters are in there."

The cops exchanged a look. "It would only be for a few minutes. We'd have you back here as soon as possible."

"My mother-"

"She can watch the girls."

I shook my head. "She's intoxicated."

The cops shared a look. The heavier of the two was frowning and shaking his head. "We're sorry to have bothered you. Could you ask your wife, to come down to the station tomorrow please?"

"My wife?"

They nodded. "We have some questions for her as well. Maybe you two could come down together?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course. My mother should be well enough to babysit tomorrow. We'll be down as soon as we can."

The heavier cop nodded. "Thank you." They both turned back and made their way to their police cruiser. I frowned. What could Addie and I have to do with Niamh's murder?