Page 12 of Waylon

“I have a question for you. More like a favor, I guess.”He smiled when Cullen spoke to him.“I have to go out of town for a few days. Can I count on you to keep up with the people working on the house that I’m having renovated for Logan? He said that he needs his own space, and I do as well. I’m not used to having people around sharing my space all the time.”

“Who’s doing the renovations?”He told him that Amy’s company was.“Good. Yes, I’d love to help you out with that. Are you looking for a house of your own right now? I mean, your mate has to be out there.”

There was silence then. Not sure if he hurt his brother or not, he was ready to tell him how sorry he was when he spoke again. Whatever he expected him to say, he was positive that him telling him that he’d rather not have a mate because of the things that he’d done was not it.

“I don’t believe that she’ll care, Cullen.”He told him that he would.“I also don’t think that it works like that. When she comes to you, and I’m sure that she will, she’ll be able to be a part of you that you never expected.”

“What if I’m too much for her. I know that I am to myself all the time. The nightmares are enough to make me wake up in a cold sweat. And I don’t know if I do or not, but I think that I scream myself awake when I have them. No one is going to put up with that in someone who is supposed to be loving and kind to me. I’m not very loveable in the event you never saw that.”For some reason, that made him laugh.“I really have no idea why you’d think that was funny, but I’m going to let it go for now. I have to go out tonight, and I should be back sometime on Wednesday. That’s three days from now. Don’t tell Mom and Dad that I’m going out, please?”

“I can’t lie to them any more than you could.”He asked him to avoid them then.“That might be difficult as well. When they get it out of me, what is it you want me to say? I need to have some information.”

“I’m going to be on duty.”That was all he said, and while it wasn’t enough, he figured that he wasn’t going to get any more from his little brother.“I hate that I have to do this, but it’s important to a great many people. I’ve made you the power of attorney, by the way if something should happen to me. I know that we’re all immortal, but there are still things that could happen that would make it so that I’d not want to be around.”

“You’re scaring me a bit, Cullen. What is it that you’re doing so that if I see it on the news, I’m not going to jump to conclusions.”He said it would never be on the news as it was going to be an in and out situation.“I don’t like this. I’m sure you don’t either but I really don’t like that you’re going in to work when you’re supposed to be recuperating at home.”

“I don’t like it either, but I’m the only one that can take care of this. Don’t call Jamie either. The very fact that he called me in is going to piss off a great many people in this family. Also, I wanted to tell you something that I don’t say often enough. I love you, Waylon. All of you guys. And while everyone thinks that I’m closest to Dallas, you’re the one that I have the most faith in to get things done for me.”

He felt his eyes fill with tears and had to wipe them twice before he could speak again. It was toolate then; Cullen had closed the connection and now he was left wondering what he’d do if something were to happen to him.

Cullen had always been the baby in the family, but after he was about sixteen, he began taking on roles that made him seem so much wiser than his years. He always had a job. And when he was working, he did the best that he could for whatever he was working on. A good work ethic wasn’t just something that he did. Cullen lived by it.

All of them had good work ethics. Even though they hadn’t been born rich, he thought that had a great deal to do with it. They all worked for a living, too. Money, his grandda told him, didn’t grow on trees, and they were some of the lucky ones in that they didn’t have to worry about money but that they should anyway. They all lived by that rule.

After Berny left for the day, he decided that he’d had enough fun for one day and was just closing up when someone, a fairly young couple, walked into the store. He didn’t know them and figured that they were from out of town when the girl came up to the counter looking at him like he’d done her wrong or something.

“Are you the one that has my son?” He knew immediately who they were but didn’t say anything to her question. “I want him back. My parents are making it hard on me to see my boyfriend, and I want to just move out. I heard that you can get more food stamps if you have a baby. So bring him here, and I won’t have to press charges against you for kidnapping. You told me to give him up, and I didn’t want to.”

Waylon reached out to his entire family and let them know what was going on. It was Dallas who said he was the closet, and he said he’d be there in a few minutes. The girl asked him if he was stupid or something.

“Not as stupid as you seem to be.” The man, really just a boy it looked like to him that hadn’t had to change razors in all the time he’d been shaving. There was very little peach fuzz on his face that was covered in zits. “I don’t have any idea who you are. Or, for that matter, what it is you’re talking about. What baby do you think I have?”

“Mine. You are stupid, aren’t you? Bring him here so that I can take him to the welfare office. They’ll even give me an apartment that I can live in for free.” Not wanting to antagonize her any more than she already was, he kept an eye on the boy/man. “Well? When do I get him?”

When the little bell sounded, he was never so happy to see anyone as he was at that moment. Dallas went to the back of the store where the boy was and struck up a conversation with him. Dealing with the girl as best he could, he told her that he didn’t have any children and that he’d only just found someone that he wanted to marry. And that if she wasn’t going to buy anything, she really should be on her way.

“I’ve called the police.”Relief so profound raced over his skin.“You’re doing fine. Just keep her talking, and remember, you’re immortal, and there are cameras pointing directly at the two of you. It’s all going to be just fine.”

“Sure, you’re standing back there with the quiet one.”He told him that he was the one that was armed.“Christ. I didn’t need to know that.”

Daisy, he thought that was her name, was going on and on about what she was going to get for free once he brought her the baby. Even if she were to shoot him full of holes, he didn’t believe for a moment that anyone would give her any child. Not even a doll. She was off her rocker. The slap to his face had him snarling at her, and she finally took a step back and shut her mouth.

“Listen, kid. You come in here spouting off shit that I have nothing to do with. But I do know that you legally gave up your child. Hell, any idiot could see that was the only smart thing you’ve ever done for her.” He was trying to trip her up, and it worked.

“It’s a girl? I guess I don’t care so long as I have her back with me. I have shit to do. So when are you going to—” She turned when the bell rang. Then looked at him like he’d offended her in some way. “You couldn’t have called the cops. What the hell are they doing here?”

“You assaulted me.” Rollin asked her to come outside, and she, of course, refused. When hetold her that she was going to be arrested for trespassing, she turned and glared at him. Waylon just laughed. “Get her out of here, and yes, I’ll press charges for her hitting me. Not to mention accusing me of taking her child. Which, by the way, she hasn’t any idea what it is.”

Once they were gone, Dallas came up to the counter with young David, his name only just then coming to him. Wondering what was going on, he laid the gun he had on the countertop and said that he’d never have shot him. That he didn’t want the kid to come back as he was better off without Daisy.

“Smart man.” He nodded and was taken away in the second cruiser. “What are your plans when this is all over?”

“Run away. She’s been making me do stuff for her since we were kids in second grade. I need to get away from her before she makes me end up in prison.” Dallas told Rollin that he was going to take care that David was in good hands and took him outside to the front of the store.

He didn’t have any doubt that by the end of their conversation that David would have enough money to get out of town and have a job lined up for him when he got there.

After closing up and going to the station house, he did the necessary paperwork to have her out of his hair and went home. There were more important things to do there than anything that he might have had going on at work.

~*~