The kids moved in with me. Mom works just miles from the house and seems to be always around. Helen loves the having the kids around. Justin and Wade are trying to adopt. Kim could have gotten additional time for running. Her lawyer blamed it all on Vince, and since he is nowhere to be found he could not defend himself. The divorce went through last week, Kim has custody of the kids, pending her release. The kids can still choose to live with Vince once they reach fourteen with the judge's approval.
For me I took the job with Ted, and spend most of my time in town. I still travel but only about two days a month. Business is good, very good.
Mom or I visit Kim every weekend. Once a month we take the kids. They could go more but Kim insists she does not want them to remember her as a prisoner. The last time I went she showed me her back, Vince's name is all but gone, the jail has a free service to remove tattoos. I am told it is very painful, as well it should be. Kim also has several smaller ones removed, but we agreed she could keep some.
Life is tough in jail, but she has been eating right and exercising. With good behavior she should be out in a year and a half.
I received word that Vince was picked up and is heading to jail. They extended his sentence two years for running but he will still be eligible to get out in less than five years, if he behaves!
It took some time to get into a system set up to deal with two kids in my house. Between mom, Helen, Justin and Wade the transition to becoming a single father was made. Kori was easy, she had been the big sister for some time now. Max was her pride and joy. Kori showed him off to everyone, watched over him and protected him. I moved them both in the master suite taking one of the two adjoining rooms. The fourth bedroom was set up for when Helen spent the night. She lived next door with Wade and Justin, but there were times when I was out late or out of town she would just spend the night.
Kori took to me just like when she was a baby. Max was a leach, always under foot, always curled up next to me. The transition did not go without hiccups but all were corrected or eliminated. The next 18 months taught me allot about myself. Mom was a big part of the reason it all worked as well as it did. Even dad enjoyed the kids and of course the backyard and garden. His health was still a big concern. Several years older than mom, he was in his mid fifties, she had not yet hit that milestone.
Wade and Justin were awesome neighbors, it seemed they had an event at their house every other week for friends or the neighbors. It was no surprise when they announced they were adopting two kids from an Asian country. A brother and sister about the same age as Max.
Kim was up for a hearing on her early release. The lawyer said it she was a perfect candidate, but there were no guarantees. Mom and I both sighed a collective release when she was granted the extra time off. I thought long and hard before the next decision. Kim made it clear she did not want a celebration for her release, she was embarrassed to be there, so there was no joy in getting out.
I knew she was expecting me to pick her up but I decided to do something I felt was more important. Kim had impacted my life in so many ways, good and bad. But there was one person she affected more than me, Karen our mother. The woman was an anchor, but since Kim left with Vince and now in jail, the anchor was in quicksand. The time from Kim had pulled her slowly lower with each passing day. The joy I saw in her eyes when she heard Kim was getting out was heartbreaking.
I gave mom an envelope when she finished packing the car.
"Adam please tell me why you are not coming?" Mom questioned me.
"Mom, these things always go wrong. That is why I had you pack extra clothes. What if there is a clerical error? It may be tomorrow before it gets cleared up." I kissed her lips, she seemed shocked. "Karen listen to me, pick her up and when she gets in the car give her this. It is not to be opened before she gets in the car!"
"Adam, can I take Kori at least?" She was being difficult. Then I sensed the real problem, she was scared.
"Karen I am not going to tell you again. No! You are going to do this. Now get going, give Kim this, we will all be here when you get back." I kissed her on the lips one last time I could feel her apprehension. I think the kiss gave her courage.
"I love you Adam!" She went to kiss me on the lips, but I pointed to my cheek. She kissed it but was not happy.
"Save that one, you will be needing it soon!" I said. She hesitated for a second then a broad smile crossed her face.
I watched as she backed out of the drive. When she returned I knew my life would change once again.
I always felt the kids had adapted well since they moved in. Kori would soon be eight. She is very smart, too smart if you ask me. She was the one that always wanted to know why. Then when the answer was given there would be another why. Well ahead of her classmates there was talk of moving her up a grade. Kim and I could talk about that. At home Kori was very low maintenance, independent and always happy. There was never the need to truly discipline her, but she knew I kept an eye on her all the same.
Maxwell was all boy. Max liked one thing, playing. Day care was one big playground for him. If there was any learning to do, he did it just so he could go back to playing. He was curious but easily distracted once he found something he could play with. He and I were buddies, one word or two and he would stop being disruptive, he was always eager to please me. He was great kid as well, so I seldom needed to discipline him.
I wondered how the dynamics of their mother coming home would change that.
I got a call that night, it was later than I anticipated, still it was a call I was expecting.
"I love you Adam!" It was mom. "You shouldn't have!"
"How is she?" I asked not sure I wanted to know. "Are you enjoying yourselves?"
"She is mad at you for not coming!" I could hear mom giggle. "Yes we have and will be again soon!"
"I will see you Sunday, not too late, dad is lost without you." I teased.
"Adam she wants to talk to you?" Mom replied.
"Sunday we can talk, right now she needs to talk to you. I love you both. Goodbye Karen." I hung up but not before I heard Kim protesting in the background.
There was a small gathering at the house for when Kim was to arrive. Dad, Justin, Wade, and Helen of course. Also were a couple of family members and friends, maybe fifteen people in all including the kids. I had taken the next week off hoping to ease the transition.
When mom pulled in the drive with Kim it was like a weight had been lifted. There were no cheers no outburst just friends and family quietly welcoming her home. I had Kori and Max stand with me as Kim slowly made her way through the gauntlet of tears and hugs. Max was anxious, Kori was apprehensive, even at the young age of eight she had not forgotten the past. Dad hugged her, a real hug for maybe the first time since, since the day. He was not a forgiving man even for a man that went to church. Myself, well let's just say the last year and a half may have wiped the slate clean.
I was in my senior year of college, it was during the Thanksgiving break when I came home. I was pretty serious about one person, Trish. I brought her home to meet the family. We had been talking about the future, we were getting to the point of making a commitment. I was sleeping on the couch so Trish could have my bed. No fornicating before marriage in his house, was dad's rule! Long story short, I wake in the middle of the night, don't know why, fate maybe.
I hear strange noises, faint but it the quiet of the night... Walking up the steps I see the door to my room open, the noises are coming from Kim's room. At first I think they are just talking, you know a couple of girls comparing notes on me, as I heard Kim use my name.
