Chapter 7.15: Dear Diary, Life is Complicated

Part 1: The Reunion

Dear Diary, when I finally arrived at Bram’s office, and he was standing in front of me, I thought I might cry. Not just because of the relief in my heart that he looked unharmed, but because I missed him. In fact, I didn’t realize how much until that moment when the strange surrounding of his office disappeared and all I saw was him.

“Kara.” It was one word, but it escaped his throat in a gasp when I came in.

My skin was warm, and flushed, my heart thumping against my ribs.

“I’m here, Bram.”

He stepped closer. “I can smell your perfume. After all this time, it’s the same.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. It seemed he wanted to say something. Instead, he strode across the room, and pulled me into his arms, embracing me tightly.

For a long moment, the air left my lungs, and I clung onto him, taking in his familiar scent of aftershave, and mints. With my cheek pressed against his, it was all I could do not to cry.

I liked how simple it was, being cradled by his strong arms. If I let my mind go, I might have believed I’d never left him.

Then, as if a dark cloud had descended, I remembered everything that happened between us. With a hesitance I couldn’t help, I pushed against his chest until we were no longer within hugging range.

He frowned, his shoulders slumping forward a little.

“Kara, I have done nothing but think of you since we parted. The last time we were together… alone, I mean, I said some hurtful things. And, I’m deeply sorry.”

“That was a long time ago,” I said, my voice faint, as I thought of the multitude of questions I had.

“In some ways, it feels like yesterday. If I could go back and change all of it, I would.”

The last thing I wanted to do right then was figure out where we stood with one another. Did we even have a relationship anymore? It didn’t seem like it since we hadn’t spoken in years.

“I almost didn’t come when I received that letter.”

The left side of his mouth raised in a smirk. “I was moving into my new office here, so my programs weren’t set up yet. That was a dictated letter to my assistant.”

No wonder the letter had been so brief. “What exactly is this building? What is it you do? Did The Inheritance let you go?”

“I have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I’ll say.”

“Please, sit with me.”

He vaguely motioned with his left hand toward a leather sofa where we sat.

“After you left, I went with The Inheritance to their main base here in Twinbrook. For a long time, I felt like their prisoner. They avoided answering all my questions, but other than that, they treated me well, giving me anything I needed. After a time, I learned who the key players in The Inheritance were. As I got to know them, we began to trust each other, although, it was rocky at times.”

“Wait, have Jarah and I been on the run all this time for nothing?”

“No, not for nothing. It was months before I started sorting things out, but years before I was convinced you weren’t in danger.”

As his words sank in, I let my breath out. We weren’t in danger anymore.

“They were concerned I would use my new-found powers the same way my father would have, so they held you and Jarah over my head. Cooperating with them was in my best interest.”

“What did they do to you?” I imagined all sorts of horrible torture, as my pulse sped along.

“They waited,” he said. “And, over time, they studied me. I know you’re scared of me after what you saw me do. I would be, too. But, I want you to know, I will never hurt you. I can control this now, and I’m not ruthless like my father.”

I listened to what he had to say, biting my lower lip until it was painful.

“Kara?” His voice was soft, perhaps apprehensive because I hadn’t spoken in a while.

I took a deep breath as I gathered my thoughts. “I want to believe you, that you’re not like your father. The last time we spoke, when you yelled that we were through, and then you stormed off, my heart broke.” I paused, tears forming in my eyes. “You were angry about how I dragged Jarah into things, and I understand that. I shouldn’t have let him get involved. But, Bram, you were also angry because I didn’t tell you how your father attacked me.”

He licked his lips, his mouth a grim line. “I was so wrong to behave that way toward you. I know that now.”

If I closed my eyes, I could feel the sincerity emanating from every pore of his body. He was telling the truth about his regret.

“Thank you for your apology.”

He opened his mouth to speak, yet no sound came out.

“Please,” I said, “tell me what’s going on. This is the strangest office I’ve ever seen with all the artifacts. I guess I imagined you’d be in a high rise or something with big windows.”

“What for?” he asked with a laugh. “Honestly, I like my office. Those relics are only here until they’re transferred to The Sprague Collection in Alpine Valley where they belong. These are some relics my father stole, they just haven’t been moved to their rightful place yet.”

“Oh, but then… are you working for The Inheritance? I thought they were a dangerous organization?”

“They are, if you’re on the wrong side of the law, or if you’re dealing in occult things that have no business being in this world. Otherwise, they operate below the radar behind other corporations that are benevolent in nature. The Neptune Foundation fronts The Inheritance our families were involved in.”

“I thought The Inheritance there was shut down?”

“Yes, that branch was. My father twisted what The Inheritance was all about and made it into something evil. I’m working with good people, Kara, and I’m part of the main branch.”

“What is it you do?”

“We’ve talked about me long enough. I want to know how you’re doing?”

I had big news for him, so I let him turn the conversation on its head. I figured we would talk about The Inheritance again soon.

“This will be a shock, Bram. But after Jarah and I left you, I found out I was pregnant.”

His face drained of all color. “Kara…”

I tugged at a loose string in my sweater and avoided looking in his direction. “We have a son named Kai Abraham Seaforth. He’s a toddler, and he looks just like you.”

He sat still for three entire minutes, his mouth slack, his hands trembling in his lap. Finally, he managed, “You named him after me.”

“Yes, he’s so much like you.”

“Where is he?”

“At the police station, waiting there with Jarah. They both want to see you, but I didn’t know if it was safe yet.”

“Oh, Kara,” he choked out, “I don’t know what to say. I wish I’d been with you. I wish I’d known.”

“You know now,” I told him. “You can be a part of his life as long as you don’t bring this Inheritance crap around him.”

“I would never do anything to harm either of you, you have to believe me.”

“I believe,” I began, then paused. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I also had to do everything in my power to shield my child. “I believe you believe that. I need you to prove it’s true.”

He was silent again, and I wondered what he was thinking. After a while, he said, “I have always loved you. Can we start over? I need you in my life.”

As I wiped away stray tears, I said, “I don’t know what will be, and I simply don’t know if we can start over. I’m sorry.”

He slumped further forward, his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands as he contemplated the gravity of my words. I hated to leave him like that, and it tore at my heart like no other decision I’d ever made. Still, I had a lot to consider, too.

Jarah and I planned to stay in Twinbrook if we found out we could safely settle there. My first priority was my child, and Jarah, and I would die before letting them down.

Part 2: Officer Friendly

The entire way to the police station to collect Jarah and Kai, I rehearsed in my head what I would say. Yet, when the cab dropped me off, and I saw Jarah on the sidewalk, holding my son in his protective arms, all previous thoughts and rehearsals flew right out of my head.

As I approached, Jarah was quiet, his face averted, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Hey, Jarah,” I said, keeping my voice easy. Well, trying to keep my voice easy. The nodded acknowledgement was barely perceptible except for someone like me who knew to watch for it.

I took Kai, and kissed the top of his head, smoothing his dark curls as best I could, then turned back to Jarah. “Well, good news. We can settle in Twinbrook. Bram is doing well, although I think he’s working for The Inheritance.”

“He’s working for them?” His voice was tight as he spit the words out like they were filthy.

“Yeah, and I felt the same way when he told me. He and I will have to talk about that more later. Meanwhile, let’s get to the hotel so I can figure out what we will do.”

Jarah tipped his chin toward the side, indicating I should look behind him, over his shoulder.

“That cop’s been watching me for ages,” he said.

“Is that so?” I murmured.

The officer noticed I was looking, and he smiled at me, heading down the steps to join us.

Jarah took Kai and turned away from the officer.

“Hello,” the officer said with a sunny smile that put me at ease.

“Hi. Um… Another officer said it would be all right if they stayed here for a while… until I got back.”

“Oh, yeah, sure, that’s fine. I only thought maybe I could be some assistance to you? Oh, and, um I’m Fraser Morris, but everyone calls me Morrie because Fraser is so obnoxious.”

I smiled as he took my hand, and shook it. His hands were like giant paws, warm, and calloused.

“I’m Kara Poe, Officer-“

“-Call me Morrie.”

“Morrie. This is my brother Jarah, and my son Kai.”

“Hi, Jarah.” Then, he patted Kai’s arm, and said, “Hi there, Kai!”

“Well, we should go,” I said.

“Just a minute. I wondered if you were new in town?” When I nodded, he continued, “If you’re staying, I know a great realtor.”

Sometimes, you just have to trust that not everyone is out to get you, and accept kindness for what it is.

Part 3: Getting Things in Order

It didn’t take us long to find a house. I was looking for something in a decent price range, close to town, but not too close, so I could walk to work. I wanted someplace safe, and cozy.

I still had money in the account Bram set up for me when I first went on the run because, let’s face it, in Winchester, there was nothing to spend money on except cloth, and seed.

Bram and I were in touch by phone, and he wanted some say in where his son lived. I told him that would be fine, but I wasn’t going to live in some cavernous mansion. I wanted a home.

The yellow house in the Historic District worked out just fine. It was beyond my means, and bigger than I’d planned on, but Bram assured me I shouldn’t worry about that.

As long as he didn’t think he could buy me, I was okay with him helping to support his son.

Jarah had the choice to move in with Bram or me, and he chose Kai. He’s completely taken with this kid, and I can’t say I blame him.

I’ll tell you soon how it went when Bram met his son for the first time, don’t worry.

Part 4: Three Months Later

It took months to get my certification for my job, but I managed it even though I had a toddler hanging onto my leg every morning, begging me not to leave.

(I felt horrible, believe me, but one day, I stood outside the front door, and listened to see how long he cried. That turkey stopped almost as soon as the door closed. I think Jarah bribing him with Cheerios helped.)

After a long shift at the hospital, walking home didn’t sound so great, but this evening, I had a treat in store.

“Well, if it isn’t Officer Fraser Morris,” I said as he came closer, matching my smile with his.

“Good evening, Kara. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Laughing, I shoved some stray hair out of my face. “Yes, here I am in all my glory, just off my shift.”

“Oh, what do you do?”

“I am a certified nursing assistant.”

“Oh,” he said with a smirk, “you do all the hard labor.”

“You know it. Today, it was nothing but code brown. All day, helping people to the pooper.”

This brought laughter roaring out of his chest. “Someone’s got to do it, right?”

“That’s right,” I grinned. “So what brings you out this way?”

“This is my usual beat. I walk this neighborhood because the sergeant believes if we get to know the people up close, there will be less crime.”

“Is he right?”

“Yeah, I think it works. I like it, anyway.”

“That’s great,” I said.

“What brings you this way?”

“I live here,” I said, waving at the house on my left.

“So, this is where you ended up. Nice choice.”

“Thank you. I love it so far.”

“Kara,” he said, his eyes more serious as he gazed at me, “would you like to go out to dinner with me? I’m off in about forty minutes.”

I had the strangest awareness of my intense heartbeat and quickening breath.

“Jarah’s been watching Kai all day, so I don’t think it would be nice to ask him to watch him even longer. But I’ll tell you what. I have spaghetti sauce in the crockpot, and it’s probably just about ready by now. Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

His dark eyes sparkled, and he smiled. “I would like that very much. I’ll see you when I’m off.”

“Great,” I said, watching him saunter off, and wondering at the new possibilities before me.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed today’s chapter. Thank you so much for reading.