“Okay,” he said. “Let’s sit down over here and I’ll read your mama’s letter,” Roman said, walking over to the sofa and taking a seat beside Ms. Autry.
“Darcie?” Maia said, realizing the little girl who sat on Roman’s lap was at least seven or eight years old, and could most likely read. That meant that she may be able to read the letter her mother had sent to Roman. If that was the case and there was something in there that the child shouldn’t know, she’d see it.
Darcie, perched securely on Roman’s lap, looked over at the lady that had called her name. “I’m Maia. This is my little girl, Cristie, and my son, Sebastian. We live here. We were decorating our tree when you got here. Would you like to help us decorate the tree?” she asked.
Darcie looked over at the tree, then at Maia again before shaking her head and snuggling into Roman’s arms again.
Ms. Autry handed the letter Talie had written to Roman. “I’ve not read this. I’m not sure what’s in it,” she said, looking pointedly at Darcie.
Roman understood. He was not one to lie — he never did. “Darcie?”
“Yes, sir?” she said, looking up at him with wide eyes.
“I need to read this letter. And I don’t want you to read it because it’s private. So, I need you to move to that seat right there,” he said, pointing to the chair next to the Christmas tree.
Darcie looked at him and her lip poked out like she was going to cry.
“I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you. But I need to read this, okay?” he said.
Darcie nodded slowly and slid to her feet.
“I don’t lie. Not ever. I’ll always tell you the truth. You are living with me. From now on, you are my little girl, okay? I’m gonna take care of you, and you’re not gonna be anywhere that I’m not. You have my promise on that. You sit right there and let me read this.”
“Yes, sir,” Darcie said, and walked over to sit in the chair that he’d indicated.
“You sure you don’t want to help us decorate?” Maia asked.
Darcie looked up the tree. “It’s a big tree,” she said.
“It is,” Maia agreed.
“I never had one so big. Usually we just have a little one on the table. Last year we drew one on paper and taped it to the wall.”
Maia pursed her lips together and her eyes flashed to Riley’s.
Riley shook his head slowly, knowing exactly what Maia was feeling because he was feeling it too.
Roman had heard her admission as well. “Darcie? I’m supposed to be decorating the tree, but I’m a little busy now. Can you do my part for me?”
Darcie looked from Roman to the tree again.
Roman realized she didn’t know how. She’d never decorated a tree before. “You take one of those little hooks right there, and you hook it on the ornament, and then you use the other end to hang it on a branch.”
Darcie looked at the hooks, then the ornaments. “I can try,” she said.
“I’ll show you,” Cristie said, picking up a hook and an ornament and taking it over to Darcie. She handed them to Darcie and watched while Darcie put the hook on the ornament; then, they walked over to the tree, and Darcie hung the ornament on the tree.
“Good job,” Maia said, smiling at the little girl. “Which do you want to hang next?”
Seeing that Darcie was occupied, Roman opened the letter and started reading.
When he was finished, he took a minute to compose himself, then looked up to find everybody except those decorating the tree watching him. He looked directly at Riley. “I’m going to need your help.”
“You’ve got it,” Riley said without asking why.
“You might want to know why,” Roman said.
“Doesn’t matter. We got you,” Riley said.
Roman nodded. He held out the letter in Riley’s direction so he could read it, then he looked over at the attorney that had delivered Darcie to him. “Ms. Autry? Where are the papers to sign? To make Darcie mine?”
“I have them right here,” she said, spreading them out on the table for him to read through.
“All I want to know is if there’s anything in here that will allow anybody to take her from me,” Roman said.
“No. There’s not. It’s ironclad. But I have to warn you, her father’s mother was trying to get custody. She may challenge the legal guardianship. That will take a while though. There are roadblocks I can throw up to slow the process even more if I have to. I’m hoping it won’t take that long to free Talie.”
“She didn’t do this,” Roman said.
“You have no doubt, do you?” Ms. Autry said.
“None at all. I’m going to do everything I can to help you prove it,” he said.
“Okay,” she said, smiling at Roman. She showed him where to sign, then Riley signed as witness, and she signed. “Now, if you don’t mind, let’s sign two more sets. One for you, one for me, and the first I’ll file in the courthouse the minute I get back.”
“Yes,” Roman said.
After all were signed, Ms. Autry handed him a finished set of papers, then put the other two in her briefcase. “I must say, Mr. Lyakhov, you are a pleasure to meet. Talie did not underestimate you in the least. And that’s it. You’re Darcie’s legal guardian.”
“Thank you,” Roman said. “How long until we can get Talie out?”
“The charges against her are all circumstantial. But, they’re strong. In an ideal world, her ex would walk into a police station and confess. But I have no hope of that happening. I’m doing all I can, and I won’t stop fighting until I see her walk free, no matter how long that takes,” Ms. Autry said, passionately.
“Why?” Riley said, finishing the letter and standing up from where he’d been sitting on the arm of the sofa.
Ms. Autry smiled sadly as she gathered her things to go. She stood up and placed the strap of her purse on her shoulder before looking Riley in the eye. “I lost my sister to a man not unlike the one that’s allowing Talie to take the fall for him. I tried repeatedly to get her away from him, but she just wasn’t strong enough. I can’t allow a woman that I believe is innocent, to fall to another piece of trash that does not even deserve to share the air we breathe.”
“We’ll need regular updates. We’ll be involved in any way we can be. There is nothing that is out of the question. If you need something done, and you’re unable, you let us know,” Riley said.
“Can I send Talie a letter?” Roman asked.
“Yes, you can. Absolutely,” Ms. Autry said.
Roman got up and started to leave the room. He stopped at the last minute and turned to look at Darcie, finding her watching him with a terrified look on her face. “Come on, let’s go write your mama a letter.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling and running to put her hand in his. A few minutes later they were back. Roman handed Ms. Autry two folded sheets of paper. “Maybe I should have put them in an envelope,” he said.
“Not necessary. I’m placing them right here,” she said, showing him the zippered pouch inside her briefcase.
“Thanks,” Roman said, picking up Darcie and holding her as they watched Ms. Autry prepare to leave.