LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Four

      “No.” Chase shook his head. “You’re not my father. My mom would’ve told me.”

      “She told me for the first time tonight, so I’m in shock just like you. I guess she never wanted either one of us to know.”

      Maribel couldn’t stand it any longer. She walked to the open jail door and faced her son. They rarely talked about Chase’s father and she liked it that way. But now her pride was going to take another hit. She had never meant to keep it a secret. It had just happened. Never in a million years had she planned to tell Chase this way.

      “Mom, tell him it’s not true. He’s not my father.” Chase was not ready to hear the truth, but he was mature enough to handle it. If he wasn’t, that was her fault.

      She stepped closer to Chase and spoke softly. “Elias Rebel is your father. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you more about him, but I didn’t feel it was necessary at the time. I never planned to return to Horseshoe.”

      A shattered look came over his face. She’d seen that same look the day Miss Vennie had died. A part of her would hurt the rest of her life for creating this moment—for hurting her son like this.

      Chase jerked a thumb toward Elias. “He says the sheriff released me into his custody and I’m now his responsibility.”

      Maribel was tired and didn’t want to deal with more drama tonight. “We’ll discuss this later.” She nodded toward the doorway. “Let’s go home.”

      Chase followed her without another word. Maribel was very aware that Elias was behind them. She had to make a stand and she had to do it now. Stepping outside in the early morning dawn, she turned to face Elias and all her sins seemed to hit her full force. His stern expression sent a direct message to her heart: he wasn’t going to go quietly out of their lives. Her stomach roiled with anxiety. But maybe he just needed a nudge.

      “I really appreciated your help tonight. You went above and beyond what I expected and I’m very grateful my son did not have to spend more time in jail, but I can take it from here. I will make sure he’s at the hearing on Monday and he will be grounded until this is over.”

      “Really, Maribel? You think I’m going to slither out of my son’s life with gratitude?”

      “I’m not your son!” Chase shouted.

      Elias’s lips tightened and she could see it was an effort to control his temper. “This is how it’s going to go,” he stated, his voice clear and unrelenting. “You take the kid back to Phoenix’s and get some rest. I’ll follow you out to Rebel Road and then I have to talk to my mom and my brothers to let them know what has happened.”

      She should be thankful he was willing to take responsibility but she didn’t need his help now. All she wanted was for him to disappear out of their lives once again. She had raised Chase all these years and she could continue to do so without his input. She was fighting for her independence and somehow she knew it would be the biggest fight of her life.

      “There’s really no need...”

      “What are you afraid of, Maribel?” An eyebrow lifted toward his hat. “Are you afraid my mother might tell a different story than you’ve told me?”

      “I’m not afraid. I know the truth, but there’s no need to rehash the past. It’s over and we should all move on.”

      “Yeah, we’ll see,” he said in a snarky tone that irritated her. She’d had enough for tonight and walked toward Rosie’s truck and got in. Chase followed. Nothing else was said as Elias went to his truck. All the way to Rebel Road she was aware of his truck behind her. He wasn’t letting them out of his sight. When she passed the Rebel Ranch house, he turned into the entrance and Maribel breathed a sigh of relief.

      She had to wonder how his meeting with his mother would go. She wasn’t going to take it well. Since Maribel had been living with Phoenix and Rosie, Miss Kate had avoided her, but she couldn’t avoid her son. He would want answers. She’d love to be a fly on that wall. But then again, she’d rather forget the whole thing. She had a permanent reminder, though, who stalked behind her into the house.

      “Go to bed,” she said to her son. “We’ll talk when you get up.”

      “Mom...”

      Phoenix came into the kitchen where they were standing. “You’re home. I have to get to work.”

      Chase walked passed Phoenix without saying a word in his usual sullen mood.

      “What happened?” Phoenix asked, staring at Chase’s back.

      She told him most of what had happened during the night. She didn’t mention Elias, but Phoenix had to know and Rosie did, too.

      “He’s out of control, Maribel. You have to do something.”

      She took a deep breath. “I know. You’ve never asked me who Chase’s father is and neither has Rosie.”

      “I figured that was your business.”

      “Yes, well, to get Chase out of jail I had to ask for his father’s help, so this whole town will know by the end of today. I want to tell Rosie and I need your permission to do that.”

      “Who’s his father?”

      Her throat went dry and she had to swallow to say the words. “Your...brother...Elias.”

      “What!”

      “It’s true. It was a one-time thing that should never have happened. Chase is a result of that one time. I never told Elias but I had to tell him tonight because I needed his help.”

      Phoenix swiped a hand through his hair. “Oh, man. Does my mother know about this?”

      “Elias is telling her now.” She didn’t elaborate. She’d let Elias tell them the rest.

      Phoenix grabbed his hat from a rack near the door. “Rosie and Jake are still asleep. Do you mind fixing breakfast?”

      “No. Can I tell Rosie? I wouldn’t want her to hear it from someone else.”

      “Sure.” He walked out the door and Maribel trailed down the hall to the master bedroom. Rosie, with her red hair everywhere, was propped up against the headboard. When she was small, Maribel had called her “Little Red Hen” because of her hair. They’d had an old hen that had had feathers the same color.

      “You’re awake.”

      “I always wake up when Phoenix kisses me goodbye.”

      Maribel sat at the foot of the bed. “You’re absolutely glowing.”

      Placing her hand on her protruding stomach, Rosie said, “I can’t lose this baby.”

      “You’re won’t because we’re not going to let you. You have about three months to wait and even if the baby comes early, she’ll still be okay.”

      “Phoenix and I are happy it’s a girl. We’re going to call her Grace. Gracie for short.”

      “And she’ll be beautiful just like her mother.”

      Rosie frowned. “Are you just getting home? You had those clothes on yesterday.”

      She told her sister about the events of the night and ended by saying, “I had to ask his father for help.”

      Rosie leaned forward. “His father!”

      She met her sister’s startled eyes. “You’ve never asked me about him.”

      “I didn’t want to pry and I knew you would tell me when you were ready.” She paused for a second. “So...who is Chase’s father?”

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