Wrecked

TWENTY NINE

Twenty nine

David watched the mansion from the side mirror and then leaned closer when a purple Honda civic reversed out of the gate with the help of the security.
He snorted. Too feminine.
He already had an inkling of what happened seven years ago. And he failed to understand how Steve could have missed it but then Steve was the king of assumptions and took a lot of people for granted including the Blondie.
He watched her take the street that led out of the estate, obviously on a mission.
He waited too minutes and then followed.
He was so subtle that he was certain she had no inkling that she was being followed. He parked a block away when she stopped in front of a dinner.
Hmm... Odd.
He wondered if the princess hungry for food or information.
A dark haired man walked out and got in almost immediately and she drove off. He waited until the car was out of sight and parked in the spot she had just left.
The bell dinged as he walked in.
He took a seat.
"How may I help...?"
He glanced up and froze. "Rose?"
"Hi." She averted her gaze.
Memories came tumbling back.
"I didn't know, Jody, my colleague at the diner was Jody Howard, Steve's wife."
He frowned. "I didn't know you worked with any Jody."
He blinked. "You're back to working here?"
He wanted just one answer. "Yeah. They were hiring again and I didn't want to spend my evening cooped up in my apartment alone."
"Hmm." Of course. "Is your shift ending anytime soon?"
"I actually just began."
"Ah.. So the dark haired man I bumped into was the person you replaced?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Nothing. I just thought you said there were only waitresses here."
"He replaced me when I left at first. Mr Bean hired him because the diner urgently needed another staff or so Martha told me."
Um... Or the man forced his way in.
"He's cute. Should I have any reason to be jealous?"
She glared at him like a schoolmarm reprimanding her student. "No! Zach is just a coworker."
Hmm. So then the Blondie's puppet had a name.
He asked for a take out coffee.
He couldn't help but feel bad for using Rose for information.
He'd make it up to her. He told himself as he walked out.

The kids weren't at home too.
He picked up his cell phone to call the police but it rang.
Dad
"Dad I can't talk now." He said as soon as he picked up.
"What? Too busy looking for my grandchildren?"
"What? You have them?" He gasped. "For Christ's sake, Dad, you should have told me you were going to pick them."
"And for the love of everything God created, how is it that you and Jody can't take out the bad blood between you."
He sighed. "I didn't mean to yell at Jody. I was just confused."
"You don't always mean to."
"Your father has my children?"
Steve turned to see Jody ascending the stairs. She had more color in her cheeks now. Whatever Faith had given her had worked.
He nodded and pit the phone on speaker. "Dad, can we talk to Tory and Vincent?"
"Vince! Tory!" His father called from the other side. "Say hello to your parents."
"Hello." They chorused
"Oh, for God's sake, you scared us." Jody sobbed in relief.
"Yes." Steve agreed. "Don't ever do that again. Your mom had a panic attack for a minute."
"Sorry mom."
"Okay. We'll come pick you in a few hours, mommy needs to be taken care of."
"Why don't you take care of her this time?" Vincent said.
"You can't just stay at your grandmas house forever." Jody reasoned
"We know." Tory informed. "We'll come when you are done fighting and make up."
"We already made up."
"No." Vincent protested. "We don't believe you. We're staying at Grandma's until we are sure you won't argue all the time anymore."
"Yeah." Tory agreed. "Bye"
"Princess listen-"
"Bye Daddy, Mommy. Take care of her okay?"
"Plus we still want that baby."
"Einstein." Jody began.
"They can't hear you. They've gone to the game room."
Steve sighed. "Dad, I haven't told you this but there's a psycho who thinks Tory is his daughter."
A pregnant pause. Then:
"That's a stupid joke. Have you gone to the police?"
"I was going to call them when you called."
"Fine. Look, let the kids stay here. I have security too and it's unlikely he'll come looking for Tory here. That way you can focus on catching that mentally unstable lunatic. I mean.. My own grandchild? He ought to really out of his mind. If he doesn't stop this madness, God is going to punish him for sure."
"I wouldn't mind if God taught him a lesson."
"We'll be praying for you."
"Thanks. I love you."
"Love you too son and you too Jody."
With that he hung up.
Steve looked up and met Jody's eyes. "You look better now."
"I am. The salt whatever Faith used helped."
"Thank God."
"It's going to be so empty here without Tory and Vincent."
Steve shrugged and sat on a couch. "Dad is right in a way though."
The front door opened. "Sir, there's another note." Tim said and walked over to place it in Steve's now outstretched hand.
"Thanks Tim."
As soon as the door closed behind Tim, Jody hurried over to his side and peered over his arm as he opened the stapled note.
Steve eyes narrowed as he read.