"How did the visit go with your mother?" Graham changed the subject.
Charmaine was sitting in jail awaiting trial on charges of murder for hire and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Despite everything she had said to Graham about Andrew, Graham refused to keep his son away from his mother. If Andrew wanted to visit, then so be it. Though, I wished for his sake that he hadn't gone.
"She blamed you for being in jail, just like I knew she would." Andrew sounded far too old for his thirteen years.
Graham sighed. "I'm sorry, son. I never wanted that for you."
Graham and I spoke a lot about the situation after Charmaine was arrested. If it were up to him, Andrew would never see his mother again. But it wasn't up to him, and as much as Graham wanted to shelter Andrew, his son needed to make his own decisions when it came to his feelings about his mother. Forcing it on him would only cause resentment. I knew far too many foster kids who resented their families because decisions were made for them.
"She was so mean. I’ve never seen her like that before, and she wasn't just blaming you but me too. I couldn't even understand half of what she was saying because she was just screaming at me until the guards took her away."
My heart broke listening to him describe his time with his mother. I wanted to wrap him up in a hug and hold him like achild but I kept my hands to myself, unsure of how he would react to such a thing.
Graham, on the other hand, had no issue pulling his son in for a manly hug. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I should've gone with you."
Andrew shook his head. "No, it was better you didn't. She would've been worse. Mom hates you. I can see that now. I just wish she didn't hate me too."
Oh God, I was going to cry.
"She doesn't hate you, Andrew," Graham was quick to assure him, even though I knew he didn't believe it. Not after what Charmaine said. "She hates that you are so much like me. There's a difference."
"Mom said something about wishing I was a girl."
I silently cursed, while Graham cursed out loud. Charmaine had a lot of nerve. "Your mother is going through a difficult time right now. You can't believe anything she says."
I had to give Graham credit for not saying how he really felt. I wasn't sure I would be able to have the same restraint.
"Why do you always defend her?" I gasped at the hostility in Andrew's tone.
Graham looked equally shocked at his son's outburst. "What do you mean?"
"Mom tried to have you murdered and she talks bad about you all the time. So why do you defend her?"
It was clear as day that Graham was struggling with how to answer that. I could see in his eyes just how torn he was. Finally, he let out a sigh. "You're right. You're absolutely right about everything you said but I defend her because I don't want to be anything like her. Your mother thrives on hate and I refuse to give her that."
I knew right then and there why I fell in love with this man.
It didn't matter how he felt about the world or even his ex-wife. He wanted to show his son how to be a better person and for that I would gladly give him my heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Graham
The way Sarah was looking at me was setting my body on fire. There was a mixture of love and heat pouring off her in waves. It was too bad that we were standing in the middle of the living room with Andrew. Otherwise, I would've thrown her over my shoulder and raced upstairs to our bedroom. As it was, I needed to give my son the attention he deserved.
"You're a good man, Dad."
It took me a second to remember what we were talking about so that I could answer.
"I have my flaws, son. But I do try. For you at least. I will always try to be a good man for you.”
Andrew merely nodded his head. "I'm going to head up to my room and work on some homework. I have an essay due this week."
He didn't wait for me to answer before he left the room. I continued to watch the direction he went even long after he was gone.
"Do you think he's going to be okay?"
It wasn't fair of me to ask that of Sarah, but she seemed to know him well.
