Valentine Wishes (Baxter Academy Book 1) (12 page)

I start off to follow her and help, but Theo grasps my upper arm.

I look into his dark brown yes.

“You break her heart or hurt her in any way, I will kill you.”

His tone is quiet, but very, very serious. I get it. He’s her brother. I’d have the same conversation with any guy who might be banging my sister.

“That is the last thing I want to do.” I glance over at Jackie, my body warms and heart skips for a second. “In fact, I really hope she doesn’t break mine.” That’s about as close to a confession as I’m comfortable making at this point. To myself or her brother.

Theo’s grip loosens and he lets go of my bicep. “Good to know.” With that, he saunters away from and lifts the camera from around his neck and starts taking pictures.

There are so many Baxters. Even though many of them have different last names because of marriages, each one is still a Baxter. A product of Jackie’s grandparent’s marriage. There are so many names to remember and I’ve already forgotten half of them when we sit down to eat. I’ve answered questions about my school, being in the Army and my career, and get nods of approval. I’m not sure how I’d feel if they became judgmental. Not that anything I’ve done is something to be ashamed of. I did, however, not discuss my family much. Just the basics of what my mom and dad did and that I have four sisters. They don’t need to know anything else. They are practically strangers. Hell, I haven’t even told Jackie the sordid details. If I had it my way, nobody would ever know, but if things keep moving in the right direction with Jackie, she’ll eventually find out. Hopefully she won’t be put off. But, the fact that she is so involved with this camp gives me hope that she’s be more understanding than most and not worry that some things, like deep depression, might be inherited.

Jackie was right in that they do talk over each other, a lot, with all kinds of conversations going on around me. I listen and don’t take part. Not that I could get a word in if I wanted to. A few times she flashes me a smile, but says nothing. And, the entire time, Theo is taking pictures. He’s barely stopped to eat and when he did, it wasn’t near enough for a kid his age.

“Theo is never without his camera,” Jackie says. “I think he might even sleep with it.”

“Into photography, huh?”

“Into it? It’s his passion and some of his photos are so brilliant. You’ll have to see his work sometime.”

“I’d like that.” Maybe he could give me some tips because I suck at photography and it’s kind of important not to get a blurry picture when taking pictures at crime scenes. Theo lifts the Nikon, adjusts the lens and snaps a shot. “Nice camera too.”

“35 mm.”

“Really?” I didn’t think anyone used film anymore.

“A purist, as he has told me. And, don’t even think about asking him why he prefers one over the other or you’ll be stuck in an hour long conversation with your eyes glassing over within ten minutes.”

“How about a beer, Brett?” her Uncle Gary asks me.

“No thanks.” They are all within walking distance of their homes, and on a private lane, I’ve still got to drive. “The tea is good.”

Aunt Robin smiles. Apparently she must have made the tea.

After everyone has eaten and Mrs. Baxter has blown out the candle on her cake, anyone under the age of eighteen is sent off. The older kids grumble about have to watch the younger ones around the water. Not that anyone is a toddler. The littlest, Willow, I think, is about eight or nine.

I get up from the table as well. They are going to discuss a family matter. Or foundation matter, and I shouldn’t be here.

“Sit,” Mrs. Baxter orders, shocking me, and I slowly sink back down on the picnic bench and slide a look at Jackie.

She just shrugs and smiles.

And in that moment, the table gets serious. No more jokes, laughter or teasing. In the blink of an eye they’ve gone from family picnic to serious board meeting. Jackie included.

Mrs. Baxter introduces the topic of the school but it is Theo who explains how it would work and why it is needed. “This is all preliminary,” he says at the end. “But, I believe it is something the foundation should seriously research.”

The family listens and seems to give it consideration, and then the questions began. One being the cost and how they could pay for it. Then wondering what the requirements were needed to run a private school. How many teachers, how many students, required curriculum? With each discussion, acceptance of the potential idea began to die. Theo’s posture changed from relaxed to tense, his jaw clenched.

“Would you at least look into it? Research!” His fist slams down on the table. “None of you fucking know what this is like.”

“Theo…,” Uncle Gary warns.

“Don’t!” Mrs. Baxter points to her son-in-law. Clearly she is on Theo’s side and not offended by his language. If I had said fuck in front of my parents, let along grandparents when they were alive, I would have been soundly slapped.

“I can see it. You are already dismissing this as a possibility and you haven’t even checked into it, let alone thought about for more than fifteen minutes.”

“It just seems like a huge endeavor that we might not be prepared for,” another uncle says. I can’t remember his name right now.

Theo is shaking his head. “I can’t believe you. Any of you, except Grandmother and Jackie. At least they listened and think it’s worth looking into. You’ve already dismissed it and think the summer camp is good enough. You’re probably patting yourself on the back for your good deeds. Well it’s not enough. It will never be enough.” He looks around the table. “You disgust me and for the first time in my life, I am so fucking disappointed in all of you.” With that, he turns and runs off into the woods.

Jackie stands. “I’ll go after him.”

I’m left there, sitting in the middle of what started as an enjoyable family picnic surrounded by strangers, to being right in the middle of a huge dispute and everyone around me has just basically been told to fuck off. No, this isn’t uncomfortable at all.

“
H
ey
,” I call out to Theo. He’s standing at the stream by the fishing shack. It’s his place to go when he wants to get away and is tossing pebbles into the water.

“Go away.”

That is the last thing I’m about to do. “They didn’t say no.”

“They might as well have.” He throws another rock.

“It’s a lot to take in. It’s a big plan.” Huge and I don’t see how it can be accomplished. State regulations alone are a pain in the ass, then all the details for running a school, where the kids will live or bussed in, schedules, graduating requirements, teachers…so much to think about that doing so make my head hurt.

“They dismissed me.” He turns and glares.

There’s a hint of moisture in his green eyes. I can’t remember the last time Theo cried about anything, but he’s barely holding it together. I knew he was passionate about the school, but it’s just hitting me how important this really is to him.

“They might as well have patted me on the head and sent me off to play with the kids.”

I wince. “It wasn’t that bad.”

He shrugs. “Close enough.”

He’s right. I could see it in their eyes. At first they listened, but soon lost interest.

“I doubt anyone will even look into it to see if it’s possible.”

“I will,” I blurt out. This is too important to Theo and for the first time he has something he cares about. He hasn’t cared about anything since he woke up from the coma and I will do everything in my power to find out everything we need to know to go forward.

“When? You start your new job in August and won’t even be around, and now you have Brett in your life.”

I bite my lip. I never told Theo that I turned down the job. “I won’t be teaching next year.”

“What?” He looks at me as if I’ve gone mad.

“I thought that since it’ll also be the first year of working on my masters that I should concentrate on that first and then add teaching to the mix.” It’s a half-truth but if I told him the real reason, he’d be pissed. More pissed than he already is.

Theo narrows his eyes on me. “Really? And where are you going to live?”

“Here, of course. I only have to be in the city two days a week for classes so there is no point in getting an apartment when I can just take the train.”

“Are you sure you didn’t do this because of me?”

“Um, why?”

“Are you fucking stupid?”

I take a step back.

“It’s a job, your career and you want to stay home and mother me.”

“That’s not it at all,” I argue.

“Don’t lie to me. It’s bad enough they dismiss me, but don’t treat me like I’m an idiot, Jackie. I expect better of you.”

I just blink at him. I knew he wouldn’t want me home because he doesn’t want to be babied, but that isn’t what I’m doing. I just want to help him get through his last year of high school. It still won’t be easy, but I need to be there for him.

“A lot of things figured into my decision.”

“Yeah?” He fists his hands on his hips. “What?”

“The masters program is going to be hard.”

He nods.

“Grandmother is moving slower these days. Surely you noticed.”

“I can take care of Grams.”

“You’ve got to worry about school.”

He snorts. “It appears you’ll be doing that for me.”

“That’s not true,” I yell even though it is, kind of. “There is also Brett.”

He pulls back. “You just met the guy.”

“Yeah, I know.” I shrug. “I’ve never met anyone like him and I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I don’t want to be hours away either.”

He’s shaking his head. “Since when do you turn down a job for a guy?”

“That’s not the only reason,” I remind him.

“Well, at least admit that I figure in to part of your decision.”

I look into his eyes. Theo does deserve my honesty. “Yes. I’m worried about you, about Gram, and school.” This is the first time I’ve admitted to myself that Grandmother is a concern too. Her mind is still sharp, and she gets around okay, but she’s certainly slowed down. She also denies anything is wrong, so I haven’t argued with her, but I saw her heart medication when I was checking Theo’s meds. I didn’t really know what she was on until I looked them up. The woman is about to turn sixty-five and at her age, too old to be in charge of an eighteen-year-old with mental and physical health issues.

“Well, I promise you won’t have to worry about me or school come the fall.”

The hairs go up on the back of my neck and the finality of his statement. “Why?”

“It’s all gonna be good. I’ve got a plan. You just work on getting the family to agree to build a school.”

He strolls away, disappearing in to the foliage, leaving me unsettled. What plan could he possibly have? Unless he’s going to be serious about trying the meds for longer than a day. That would be nice for a change.

T
he party kind
of died after Theo stomped off. The aunts and uncles started cleaning up and Mrs. Baxter insisted I take her back to the house.

“Sometimes I just want to knock their heads together,” she grumbles after getting in my car.

I don’t say a thing. Any comment from me could go either direction because they aren’t my family.

“If my husband were alive, he’d be so disappointed in each and everyone one of his children.” She bangs her fist on the console. “I’ve a mind to cut off each and every one of them, and have the power to.”

I thought everything was in a trust. Unless she controls it.

“My husband, nor the men before him, ever let a little thing like
it may be too difficult
keep them from helping or making a better place for someone.”

She turns in her seat. “They’ve gone soft and forgotten.” She faces forward again. “And, I’m about to remind them.”

I pull into the drive and cut the engine before walking around the passenger side.

“You’re a good boy,” she says as she starts to get out of the car, but falls back in the seat.

“Are you okay?”

Sweet breaks out on her brow and Mrs. Baxter clutches her chest.
Oh shit
.

“My pills,” she whispers and closes her eyes, her face scrunched in pain.

“Where?”

“Above…sink…kitchen.”

I don’t want to leave her alone but she needs meds, and an ambulance. “I’ll be right back.” I rush into the house and turn into the dining room, assuming it is off the kitchen and run to the sink. There has to be about twenty prescription medications in the cabinet. I grab the bottles, tossing aside the ones for Theo and read the labels for Helen Baxter. Nitro! That must be what she wants. I grab it and rush back out.

Jackie is already there, kneeling at the side of the car. I open the bottle and take out a pill. “Open.”

She does and lifts her tongue. I drop the pill in and sit back. In one hand, Jackie is holding her phone. In the other, her grandmother’s hand.

“Ambulance should be here shortly,” she whispers as tears fill her eyes.