Wrecked

NINE

Nine
A smile broke free of Steve's lips when he saw Tory hurry from Faith's side to hug his legs as soon as she saw him.
He put down his bag and lifted her into his arms. "Hello Princess. Daddy missed you."
She smiled. "I missed you too."
"How is your arm?"
"Okay."She beamed.
"That's good news. Did you take your medicine?"
"Yes promised mommy I'll take them." She told him. "Do you think mommy might come by to say hello to me?"
"She came by in the morning, right?" Steve said trying not to allow any resentment show in his words.
"Yes but I miss mommy too." Her eyes filled with tears suddenly. "Am I a good girl?"
Steve met Faith's eyes and she looked away and turned back to her cooking.
"Of course, you are."
"Then why won't mommy like me? I begged her to come see me and she didn't." Tears rolled down her eyes. "Maybe you could beg her to forgive me. I'm sorry, please." Her voice broke and she buried her face in his neck.
It was when the tears rolled to his lips that Steve realised he was crying as well.
Oh for God's sake.
How had things gotten so bad so fast?
"mommy loves you, okay?" That came from Faith.
'Why don't you call her mother?' She mouthed to him.
He nodded. At this point he would do anything to make sure Tory didn't feel this unloved anymore.
"Come here, Tory. Let's cook something for mommy before she comes."
"S-she won't."
"Let's have faith then, huh? "
"We already have you."
Faith chuckled. "Yes."
Steve put Tory down. "I will be right back."
He took swift steps up the stairs to his room, took a deep breath and dialed Jody's number.
She picked up on the fourth ring.
"Um hello?"
He didn't missed the shock in her voice. "Where are you?"
"In your guest house."
"Come down to the main building. Tory wants you to come."
"Really? I can come? I come a little while ago but the security said I wasn't allowed. Look I'll just say hi Tory and leave. Thanks for the opportunity."
Steve couldn't say a word for a second. She sounded scared. Then because he didn't know how to reply, he hung up.

* * *

Joy was too mild a word to describe Tory's joy when Jody had walked into the room. He had never seen her so happy since she had been born. She had flown into her mother's arms and hugged her tight.
"You came! Does that mean you forgive me?"
Jody looked confused at first. Then: "There is nothing to forgive. Mommy loves you a lot, remember? When mommy doesn't come to see you, it's because mommy has lots of work to do, okay?"
"Will you let me help you?"
She smiled. "No. You have school and all."
"Okay. One day."
Jody just smiled and hugged her closer.
"Will you eat with us?"
"Me? Oh no. I have to go now."
"Oh? Why?"
Jody put her down. "I uh-"
"Can I see you for a moment, Jody?"
"Okay."
Steve led her to the kitchen.
"Stay for Tory."
"Oh no I have a place to be."
Steve's temper was about to snap. He wasn't going to beg and especially not this woman. "Better than being with Tory?"
"I will stay for fifteen more minutes just to watch Tory eat."
"She's going to ask why you aren't eating. She helped Faith make the food for you." He said through gritted teeth
"Oh Um.. I will pay you back for the dinner."
"You can't pay for my daughter's effort. The least you can do is stay half way through the meal."
"Okay." She nodded her head down.
"Good." He walked away aware that she followed a few feet behind

Dinner was awkward.
That was the best way to describe it.
Steve ignored her and barely ate his food.
Jody ate hers because she was extremely hungry. The only thing she had had was the sandwich Faith gave her earlier.
Tory chattered incessantly. "Daddy did you tell Ms Rose why I haven't been in school?"
"Yes, honey. She will be by to see you."
"I couldn't make mommy's surprise card anymore." She said sadly. "Joanna and Mandy made theirs. Their mommies will be so proud."
"Why do you have to make me a card?"
"It's Mother's Day tomorrow."
"Oh." Jody couldn't think of anything else to say. "Thank you for thinking about me."
"Thank you for being my mommy."
Jody blinked the tears back and nodded.
"My friend think you look like Cinderella in her coloring book."
"Really? Say thanks to your friends for me."
"Maybe you can meet them someday."
"I would like that."
Tory beamed. "Daddy do you think mommy is pretty as Cinderella?"
Now Jody was stunned and squeezed her eyes in mortification. She cleared her throat avoiding Steve's gave as always. "Mommy thinks you shouldn't talk with your mouth full, a real princess won't do that."
"Sorry, mommy."
Jody beamed. "You are special to mommy's heart."
"R-really?"
"Yes. Nothing could ever change that."
Later, when Jody knocked at her parents house, she hoped that Her Prince Charming would be awake. She needed to hug him. It felt like it had been forever since she last saw him.
So when the door opened and she saw the miniature Steve at the other side of the door, tears of joy filled her eyes.
"Baby!" She grabbed him into her arms.
He giggled. "Mommy! I thought you couldn't make it anymore."
"I made sure that I could still come." She kissed his nose, his cheeks, his forehead, his eyelids.
Vincent was still giggling. "Mom! It tickles!"
She chuckled. "Oh sweetheart. I miss you so much that my heart aches."
He kissed her cheek. "I love you. Now let's close the door, much as I love here, it isn't very safe like the rich people's vicinity."
Her heart clenched at his statement. Would he hate her if he found out that he could have fared so much better with his father? No she couldn't think that. She would die if that happened.
"You are right, honey." She forced a smile and took a few steps into the room, giving her enough space to shut the door behind them and lock it.
"Now, Einstein since you are smart enough to realise how unsafe this area is, why did you open the door? Grandma or I could have done it." Her father who was sitting on the sofa said.
"Isn't it obvious, Grandpa?"
"Hello, Dad." Jody smiled at her father and kissed his head.
"Jody, how are you doing?"
"Good. What about you?"
"Doing great. Einstein here is keeping me on my toes. I've been reading more than ever since he came here."
Jody chuckled. "I'm not surprised."
"I believe that readers are leaders, Grandpa."
Jody winked at her father.
"You are right." Nathan said.
"This is not about self pride or something but I'm always right. At least ninety nine percent of the times."
"Hmm." Jody sat on the sofa and placed him on her lap. "And in case of next time, please let Grandma or grandpa get the door."
"I always allow them get the door, it's just that I knew it was you this time."
That's new. She sat up and met her father's eyes. Ever since they had discovered that Vincent was a genius, they had been watching for the other signs that the doctor had told them about and over the past couple of years, Vincent had shown more signs.
"Um... And how would you know that?"
He shrugged. "Very easy. Mom raps twice every five seconds until someone comes to get the door. She was on the third round tonight when I got to the door."
Jody hadn't noticed until now. She replayed the scene in her mind and realised it was true. She met her father's questioning gaze and nodded.
Wow. His eyes said
"Mom, we have got things to talk about. I told you that-" He swiftly glanced at the clock and away to look at her face. "-thirty two hours, fifty minutes and ten- now eleven seconds ago."
She didn't know if she'd ever be able to get over the shock of her sons intelligence. "Yes, you did. What is it about?"
"Okay, I will give you sometime alone."
Her father kissed hers and Vincent's cheek and said goodnight before going away through the tiny hallway.
"Don't get mad at me but I eavesdropped in Grandma and grandpa's conversation on Thursday so I know what's going on."
Jody blinked and cleared her throat. "What conversation?"
"About Victoria Howard. How's she doing? The accident, was it bad?"
"You know who Victoria is, right?"
"Well, I know it's not mere coincidence that we have the same last name."
"Your sister is fine. She was discharged yesterday."
Vincent nodded without a word.
"Vince, are you okay?"
"Does she know about me?"
Jody stilled. "No. It's not like I don't want to tell her but-"
"Does her father know about me?"
"No. And he's your father too. Remember when you asked me why your father didn't live with us? I told you he was your father too."
He nodded.
Jody remembered too
She sat the their tiny dining and watched as he ate calmly but in a child-like manner and was grateful that his childhood was not stolen from him simply because he was more intelligent than all of his mates. She liked to put it mildly like that.
"I really like the food, mommy."
She smiled. "Thanks honey, I'm glad. And I'm sorry that I can't provide very good food for us all the time."
"I don't care. I love you."
Her eyes filled with tears. "You are the best baby in the world."
"It's because I have the best mommy."
She smiled
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, honey."
"Why don't I have a Daddy?"
Jody chocked and quickly grabbed a glass of water.
"Sorry. I just asked because it seemed like all of my friends have Daddies except me."
"Um you have a Daddy of course. He just doesn't live with us."
"Did you get a divorce? I saw that on the TV at Grandmas house. "
"Hmmmmm. No, your daddy is angry at mommy and he told me to go away for sometime."
"Was it really bad?"
She nodded. "Honestly, yes. I'm sorry."
"Did you say sorry?"
She smiled sadly recalling how much she had begged. "Sorry doesn't help much."
"It ought to. It's a magic word."
"Thanks for not hating me."
"Does he know me?"
"No, he sent me away before I had you, but you have a pretty sister."
Vincent's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Is she much older?"
"No. Two weeks."
"How come?"
"Um.. She's your twin sister."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Wow. When will I see her?"
"I can get a picture but that's all."

"Did you go to see them?"
"Yes. She wanted me to come and stay with them for now. Is that okay with you?"
"Will you still come and see me every time?"
"Of course!" She exclaimed. "What will mommy do without Her Prince Charming?"
"Nothing." He said giggling.
Jody hugged her precious son close but then something tugged at Jody's heart.
Tory had been eager to know her and see her all the time, why didn't Vincent want to ask about his father?
"Aren't you going to ask about your father?"
Vincent tensed and looked up at her.
Jody met her sons blue eyes that were identical to his father's.
God, she would faint if this boy looked anymore like his father.
"I don't care."
She was too shocked to stop him from climbing down her thighs and hurrying out of the sitting room.
She stood to go after him and saw her mother in the hallway.
"Mom."
"You are a grown woman, married with two lovely children but I'm still your mother and I'm going to say this once more. Tell that man about his son and let him have a chance with Vincent. You know how Vincent is when he's made up his mind about anything or anyone."

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