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“Suit yourself. I can’t stop you from changing your will as you see fit.”
“Look, I don’t want to argue. I want you to know what I plan on doing.”
For the rest of the week, I take up my role as a housewife even though Chase tells me that I don’t have to cook dinner each night or clean. I tell him that I want to, and to his credit, he lets me. He and I visited the attorney on Wednesday to start the paperwork to get CJ’s last name changed to Chase’s. Soon, he’ll be Chase James Pearce the Third even though Chase would prefer that he didn’t carry the same first name as him.
On Friday morning, I pack for our trip to Cape Cod. I’m excited because it’s supposed to be very warm for mid-September. I had to make a trip home for a couple of bikinis in the hope that I can wear one on the private beach just outside the backdoor door of Chase’s home. I haven’t been to the beach in over a year, and thoughts of warm sands and the ocean spray made me giddy.
And if the weather keeps, it should be warm during the day and cool in the evenings, so I make sure to also pack to accommodate the temperature changes. By the time Chase calls me, I have everything ready to go. He’s on his way with the SUV, and I decide to place CJ in his stroller rather than make Chase find a parking spot and come upstairs to get things.
His building keeps the curb in front of it open for residents to load and unload. It works out perfectly because by 2:30 in the afternoon, we’re on our way to Cape Cod.
I sit in the back with CJ for the ride. Since the car seat is facing backward, it makes it easier for me to take care of our son when he needs attention. About two hours into the trip, he falls asleep, which I’m thankful for. This is the first long road trip he’s taken, and I hope that he lasts a majority of the way without getting fussy.
In the silence, I reach over and touch Chase’s shoulder. He takes my hand and kisses it.
“You’re going to love the house. I’m so glad you decided to come and see it.”
“Of course. Why didn’t you tell me about it sooner?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I should have, but now I have the chance.”
I hum in agreement before asking. “Chase? Have you heard anything about Barrett?”
“No. It’s like he disappeared as fast as he showed up.”
“Did you ever try to find him after he left?”
“I did for a bit, but he didn’t want to be found. I don’t know how he survived all these years. He looked horrible when I saw him in those dirty clothes. He didn’t have to live like a bum.”
“Maybe it’s what he wanted. Maybe he didn’t want the money because of where it came from and who it came from. The abuse he suffered.”
“If anyone deserved it, it’s him.”
“But he obviously doesn’t see it that way.”
“I still want to talk to him. I want to know why he hid from me until the accident. I was easy to find. A quick search on the internet would have told him where I was.”
“If it was him that hit you, then he knew exactly where you were.”
“I’m certain it was him. I will never forget the look on his face before I hit the windshield. His eyes were cold, dead—like he had no soul.”
I shiver. I can’t understand how a man he grew up with could do something so callous.
“I have a feeling that one day we’ll meet, so I’ll get answers to the questions I have.”
CJ stirs and starts crying, and my mind is pulled away from Barrett. I touch his diaper, and it feels wet, so I ask Chase to find a rest stop or a gas station we can pull over to. He spots one a mile up and pulls in to fill the tank while I change CJ. Fifteen minutes later, we’re back on the road. I give CJ a bottle since it’s been a few hours since he last ate. Hopefully, we won’t have to stop again to change diapers.
It’s getting dark when we turn off onto a long private road with a few homes on it. I can see some lights through their windows. At the end of the drive, Chase pulls up to a large home. I can’t make out the exact color, but it’s two stories, and beyond it, I can hear the waves of the ocean crashing on the shore as we get out.
I unlatch CJ’s car seat, and Chase carries him towards the house with me following. He removes a key from his pocket and unlocks the door, pushing it open to reveal a surprisingly updated, open floor plan. The kitchen, just off the side of the entry, is massive. There are wood floors throughout, plenty of stainless steel appliances, and dark granite counters.
Opposite the kitchen is a living area. A cream-colored, marble framed firebox with a large mantel catches my eye, and built-in bookshelves flank it on either side, which dominates one wall. Overstuffed light blue sofas, a multicolored Persian rug, and a glass and iron coffee table furnish the room. It’s beautiful, and it's new, but comforting presence makes me feel at home.
“I had this place renovated a couple of years ago, just before we got together,” Chase explains as though reading my mind. “I haven’t been here, but maybe two or three times since.”
“It’s so beautiful and clean.”
“As I mentioned, I have a caretaker that comes twice a month to clean and check the place for any problems. The furniture stays covered unless I’m coming to visit. I also had a nursery furnished for CJ a couple of weeks ago. The room is right down the hall from our bedroom.”
