Sweetest Goodbye (Navy Book 3)

Chapter 26

Winter had hit Jurgen early and by the time December rolled around her Summer weekend in Savannah seemed part of another world. Her house was full and, while she missed Lee every day and thought of him more than was good for her, staying busy was helping to ease the void in her heart.

She was now fostering Henry and they had a court date set for his adoption. His mother and father had both signed away their parental rights with a disappointing lack of protest. Henry was doing well in school and had made some new friends.

Lily was living in the apartment over the garage. At first, Kate had been hesitant to let a teenager live there alone but it was agreed that she would eat breakfast and dinner with them every day unless they both agreed otherwise. Lily's mother hadn't objected to the arrangement, Lily got to finish high school in Jurgen, and Kate was getting a check for room and board so it was win win for everyone, and since Kate was still working two jobs Lily was turning out to be a great help with Henry.

Lily would occasionally drop a hint about Lee so Kate knew that the two of them were talking regularly, but she wouldn't let herself ask any questions about him. She did find some horrible yellow and purple yarn in the bargain bin and made a scarf and hat for Lee, asking Lily to send it to him. It was hard to see his empty booth at the diner every day. Some days at lunch time she would find herself looking at the clock to see if it was time for him to arrive and had to remind herself that he wouldn't be coming.

It was a particularly cold day and Kate was running late getting home from the ranch. She knew Henry would be home and she didn't want him to starve to death. Lily was fairly responsible, but making dinner was a bit out of the realm of possibility.

She entered the house throwing her stuff down on the counter and calling out to Henry.

"In here Mom!" he shouted. "Your friend is here to see you!"

Kate's heart stopped for a moment thinking it might be Lee even though she knew that it couldn't be because Henry would have referred to Lee by his name. She knew that he and Lee had been talking as well, often with Lily.

Kate was taking off her hat and scarf as she entered the living room and saw David sitting on her couch. She paused taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She didn't want to scare Henry.

"Is Lily home yet?" she asked, this was a normal question that she asked every day.

"Sure, she said something about practicing her songs." Lily had the lead in the Christmas show at the high school. As she had come out of her shell during the past six months it had been revealed that she was a very talented singer. A fact that had made her more popular at school.

"I need to speak to my friend alone, would you join her please. It shouldn't take very long. I'll text you both when I'm done." Kate hadn't taken her eyes from David as he rose from his seat.

"Are you sure?" Henry sounded suddenly concerned.

"Yep." She forced her gaze to Henry and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I miss Lee," Henry said as he turned to leave.

"Me too," Kate agreed. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Spaghetti?"

"I can handle that." she agreed as Henry left.

She waited until she heard the door close behind him. Then turned back towards David. "How did you find me David and why are you here?" she asked crossing her arms. Her displeasure at seeing him was obvious.

He started with the easiest answer first. "I had a private detective track you down, it wasn't hard." He paused and Kate could see that he was trying to figure out how to approach the answer to her second question.

"And the other? Why are you here?" She knew why, there was only reason for him to be standing across from her now.

"He's my son, I have a right to see him, a right to spend time with him," he insisted.

Kate silently watched him letting him dig his hole a little deeper.

"Your mother and I-"

Kate gave a bitter laugh as she sat on the arm of the chair next to her.

He began again, "Your mother and I realize that our son is getting older and will need to be educated. It's time that we stepped in and do what needs to be done and do it properly."

"Implying that I can't." Kate jumped up again, livid at his suggestion. She could feel herself turning red in her anger.

"Look, he seems like a very well brought up young man, but you can't tell me that you have all that you need to continue to raise him the way he needs to be raised." David sat down on the sofa again appearing relaxed, knowing that he had made his point.

"And who's fault is that?" she looked at him with all of the disgust she was feeling. "You don't even know your son's name." She noticed that he turned a ruddy red color at her direct hit.

"Henry."

"No!"

"No?"

"No, you also don't know how old he is do you?" she watched as he tried to do the math in his head. "He's fifteen."

"No."

"No?"

"I was there, I know how old he is," he argued.

"So, you finally admit it. You were there and he is yours?"

"Yes, that's what the whole point of my being here is!" He jumped up, he had had enough.

Kate walked over to the book shelf in the corner and handed him a photo of Colten. "This is my son Colten. He would be fifteen if he had lived. He died when he was ten. Henry is adopted."

She watched David's face turn red again and then lose all color, if she wasn't so mad she probably would have felt sorry for him. "But hey, if you want to help financially, I'm still paying off his medical bills."

"How, when, what did you do?"

"What did I do! It's what you did! Get out!" She marched to the door and threw it open. "Get out now or I swear I'll hurt you," she said, her voice barely controlled.

David took one look at her and marched past her. "This isn't the end-"

She slammed the door in her face. Yes, it was the end, it was the end of that part of her life for good. She was done. Colten was gone and other than remembering him there was no reason to ever visit the past again.

She moved to the kitchen and started to pull out the makings for dinner, banging doors and rattling pans. Henry and Lily eventually snuck in the backdoor and Kate noticed that Lily was on the phone.

"Kate?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine Lily, Henry wanted Spaghetti for dinner, is that alright with you?"

"Sure," she said, "Lee wants to talk to you." She held out the phone.

Kate froze, biting back a sob. "I can't, tell him I'm fine." To hear his voice now would destroy her self control. She ignored the phone that Lily was still holding out towards her and went back to her cooking. After a minute Lily got the hint because she left the room taking the phone with her.

A moment later she returned and Kate asked her how rehearsals were going, by the time dinner was finished Lily and Henry had her laughing and her world had righted itself once again.

She should have been more upset about David's visit but she wasn't. She was more upset that Lee had been on the phone and she hadn't had the guts to talk to him. It would have been wonderful to hear his voice again. What she wouldn't give to hear his warm laugh tickle her ear one more time.