Why is that? Not the point, Aldridge. Focus on convincing the doctors that they need to help you.
“As I said, I know she’s under medical care twenty-four-seven,” I respond.
“Which is why you assume you need a bed?” she asks confused.
“No,” Hayes rectifies. “He needs medical equipment and wants us to figure out what he needs. Am I wrong?”
This feels like a trap. Whatever I answer will be used against me. I choose to nod once, and it was the wrong movement because Blaire is fuming.
“In what reality do you live?” She asks, more like growls. “You are out of touch with the world. It’s like you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth and everyone did everything for you. Wait, that’s exactly how it happened. Well, this is the real world. Here, in Baker’s Creek, you are on your own.”
“Dude, at least give this poor man a hand,” Pierce interjects. “He’s just trying to bring his woman home.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I order.
Blaire narrows her gaze and studies me and then Pierce. She shakes her head and says, “I’ll hand you over the list of my providers, but you are the one who has to figure out what you need.”
“If I need therapists?” I ask, terrified at the prospect of getting everything all wrong and screwing up Sophia’s family.
Look, I know where to find appliances for an industrial kitchen. The best furniture at a cheap price for my hotels, but doctors… How do I do that?
“Blaire, you know more people in the medical field than I do,” I remind her. “You can assemble a team just by snapping your fingers. Don’t do this for me. Do it for your friend.”
Hayes rolls his eyes. “You can’t expect him to do this on his own, babe.”
She looks at me suspiciously.
Hayes glances at me and says, “I’ll give you a hand, Henry, but you’re the one making the calls.”
“No, what he needs to do is leave Sophia alone,” Blaire protests. “This is wrong, and we shouldn’t support it. Why do you want her to move here?”
“I need her help?” I answer but it comes out like a question.
She probably doesn’t know what happened between Sophia and me last Saturday. What has been happening since my father died. This move would be easier if I didn’t need Sophia right beside me because fuck if I don’t miss her.
“She can do everything from home,” she counteracts.
“The factory is here, The Lodge is here,” I argue with what I can. “We need to figure out how to ensure that this town and Happy Springs are prolific and can stand on their own.”
As if this freaking show isn’t enough, Leyla enters the kitchen and gives me a cold glare. Her nostrils flare and her fists clench.
Usually, I’m not intimidated by women. Yet, there’s something about her that makes me feel uncomfortable, even bashful when she’s upset or angry. She doesn’t need to raise her voice to chide us. Just a look and a disappointed voice is plenty to make us feel like we failed her.
She sets a basket with eggs on the counter and takes a deep breath. “Usually, when animals bark or growl loudly it is to scare those around them away—because they are afraid.”
“Arden isn’t around for your nonsense,” I try to shut her up because when she brings up her Animal Planet lectures, I want to shove a finger into my ear.
She crosses her arms and exhales. “What are you afraid of, Henry? I understand that you didn’t ask for this living situation. None of us did.”
She glances around the room and gives me another disappointed look. Her green eyes have the same anger as Blaire’s, but as I said, she doesn’t raise her voice.
“I need you to understand that we are all equal,” she explains. “Not only that, but there’s a kid living in this house. He doesn’t deserve to grow up in a household where everyone is yelling to show the rest of the males that they are bigger, better, or more virile. So do us all a favor and start treating everyone the same way you want to be treated.”
I look at Pierce and give him a confused look because why is she lecturing me?
“That goes to all of you, Aldridge men,” she continues. “I don’t care about your daddy issues. You’re not a bunch of children. You are grown-ass men.”
“Leyla,” Pierce says her name softly but with a hint of warning.
“No, I’m putting my foot down. I didn’t sign up for this. If you want me to stay, know that I want to live in a place where people respect each other.”
“Or what, you leave?” I dare her.
“Yes,” she answers so sure of herself. “I don’t win anything if I stay or leave. As a matter of fact, I can pack my stuff right now and leave.”
“She has a point,” Blaire says. “It really doesn’t affect me personally because I grew up with brothers—they were either fighting or playing loudly. However, that’s not the atmosphere I want for Arden or for my baby.”
Searching around the kitchen she grins when she spots a pitcher. She walks to it, grabs it, and sets it on the middle counter. “Here. Cussing, yelling, or fighting will be grounds to set five dollars in the jar.”
“Fuck no!” Hayes, Pierce, and I protest.
I’m sure our three other brothers will agree with us.
“It’s that or I leave,” Leyla threatens. Fuck, these women are driving me insane.
“I’ll take it into consideration,” I say.
Leyla grins and walks away.
“She leaves and we’re fucked,” Pierce reminds me, then he marches out of the kitchen. “I’m going out for a run.”
“You know what those two need?” Hayes asks.
“To fuck?” I answer.
Blaire who is the sensible one of the three says, “They’re not up for discussion. Now tell me, why can’t you just leave Sophia alone?”
“I’m letting her be. I just need her to be here with me.”
She narrows her eyes, tilts her head and asks, “Why?”
“Because my silver spoon ways require me to have my right hand close by and not thousands of miles away,” I explain. “Maybe she needs to be here because she can’t possibly believe that the factory can be saved while she’s barking orders from Manhattan. I don’t know, Blaire, apparently, I’m being unrealistic. Not everyone can solve world hunger with ten dollars, an army of doctors, and hope. Like you do.”
Instead of waiting for a comeback, I leave. Everything I said is accurate, but there’s a lot more to why I need Sophia beside me. What I told her last Saturday is true. I want her, and I’m going to have her.
Sophia
“You fucking bitch,” Morrell comes out of his office at the same time security approaches him. “You’ll pay for this.”
“Don’t speak to her,” Frank, who is the head of security, orders Morrell. Then, he looks at me and says, “The car service is downstairs waiting for you.”
“I can walk,” I say, gathering my things because I can see that Henry’s instructions to call security wasn’t enough. He had to do it too.