Chapter 275: Cards
*Miss Rye is going to be out today; her little boy is sick. – Miss Ashley*
The headache that Rye woke up with the next morning was horrible. The upset stomach was not any better. But the dry mouth that she had was the worst. Ever.
She rolled to the edge of the bed and laid there for a moment. When the urge to throw up subsided, and the floor got still, she sat up and repeated the process. Slowly she made her way to the bathroom door.
“Tylenol.” She mumbled to herself as she peed. After washing her hands, she left the master suite and could hear someone in her kitchen.
Chance stepped out of the kitchen carrying a plate and a mug. “Hey, duchess, I was about to wake you up. I fixed you some breakfast.”
He spoke softly as he moved to the dining room. After setting her breakfast down, he flipped on the lights as he walked over to her.
“How’s the head?” he asked leading her to the table.
“Hurts.” Rye admitted as she sat down.
“Thought it might.” Chance pulled out a bottle of Tylenol from his pocket and handed it to her. He pressed a kiss to her temple before walking out.
She quickly opened the bottle and took two tablets with the sports drink on the table. Rye remembered doing the same for her mother and sister.
“I’m late for work.” She said as Chance brought his own breakfast to the table, sitting catty corner to her.
“We are both off for the rest of the week.” He had toast and bacon just as she did, but he also had three fried eggs.
“Why?” She asked confused.
“Ryanne, you’re not the only one that cares about Michael. I love that little guy, too.” He gently grasped her hand. “I want him back.”
“Me too.” Rye whispered squeezing his hand.
Their hands remained together as they finished eating. When they had both finished eating, Chance told her to go lay on the couch and he would take care of the dishes.
“Come here.” Chance said sitting down on the couch. Rye curled into his side, laying her head on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. I don’t remember drinking that much.”
Chance chuckled. “You had about half a bottle of tequila. I’m surprised you didn’t pass out sooner than you did.”
“I never drank before.” She said softly. “I was afraid of what would happen.”
“You weren’t last night.” He said watching her eyelids droop.
“I knew you would keep me safe.” She mumbled drifting off to sleep.
“Always, duchess.”
Thankful that he had grabbed the remote before sitting down, he turned on the TV and logged into his Netflix account. He found the show that he had been bingeing and started the next episode. Three episodes later and there was a knock on the door.
“I’ve got it.” Chance said as he stood up. Rye sat up and the blanket that Chance had put over her slipped down. He returned a moment later with Karan.
“I brought you some lunch. Oh, I love that show.” Karan beamed as she headed to the couch.
“Couches are for sitting, snuggling and sleeping.” Chance quoted his mother. “Tables are for eating.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Karan quipped as she rolled her eyes.
Rye stood and stretched before walking towards the dining room. Karan was chatting away like usual and handed her a large brown envelope.
“What’s this?” Rye asked afraid to take it.
“We weren’t sure what to tell your kids, so we told them that your son was sick. They made you cards.”
“Thank you.” Rye smiled as there was another knock at the door.
Chance went to answer the front door and then returned with Celt, an older man and a woman.
“Dad, Mary Kate, this is Ryanne Lynch.” Celt said unceremoniously. “Ryanne, Phineas O’Malley, your attorney, and Mary Kate Burch, Michael’s attorney.”
“I can’t afford…”
“All of your fees are being covered.” Phineas told her. “There’s a few things we need to talk about. Why don’t we sit?”
They all sat at the table, Chance sat next to Rye with one arm around her shoulders and the other was holding hers.
“The original caseworker wrote glowing reviews, recommended that you receive Michael with no issue. A few weeks Michael ago, the case was transferred, and things went downhill.” Phineas said looking between two sets of papers.
“It looks like the caseworker picked up Michael around two yesterday.” Mary Kate said.
“Why didn’t she tell me that yesterday?” Rye asked quietly.
“You were still at work at two.” Karan said pulling up the message that Rye had sent asking to leave early. “You sent me the message at 3:47 asking to leave early.”
“Leave early for what?” Phineas asked.
“I met the caseworker here for the home inspection at four thirty.” Rye said with her eyes wide. “It was nearly six when she left.”
Mary Kate flipped through some papers and then pulled out a copy of the home inspection. “She has the home inspection as being done two weeks ago. And a follow-up being done yesterday morning.”
“How the fuck?” Chance demanded. “She didn’t even move in until Saturday.”
“Let’s go back. You were at work yesterday?” Phineas asked.
“Yes, I work seven to eleven and then one to six.” Rye explained. “I go see Michael and check in with my professors at lunch. They agreed to move my classes online, but I have to check in with them.”
“Do you drive a brown Volvo?” Phineas asked as both he and his daughter wrote on notepads. Celt was on the phone in the kitchen and the others were confused.
“I did. It broke down and now I have the little silver Kia.”
“I swear she is either putting the wrong information in, or she’s mixing up cases.” Mary Kate said. “None of this is adding up. It’s like she took over the case intending to take him away.”
Karan and Chance looked at each other. Phineas saw the questioning look.
“What?” Phineas demanded.
“We had to remove a third grader from the program.” Karan said cautiously. “Her son was a bully and would tell the teachers that if he didn’t get his way, his mom would take away their kids.”
“What is the mom’s name?” he asked.
“Jessica Nguyen.” Karan replied. “After having her and her son removed, we had issues for a few weeks and had to get a restraining order.”
Phineas and Mary Kate were both pulling out their phones. They were each talking to different people and then would talk to each other. Phineas yelled at Celt who called back with something. This went on for several minutes and then it just stopped.
“Nine thirty tomorrow. You have an emergency hearing.” Celt said coming back into the dining room. “Werewolf is pulling all files with Jessica Nguyen. Carly is on her way over.”
“Who’s Carly?” Rye asked.
“She’s a friend of mine who works with family services.” Celt said sitting in the last chair at the table. “She said that she’ll come look at the house and tell us if there’s anything that needs to be changed.”
“I don’t understand.” Rye said quietly as a tear slid down her cheek. “I thought that the house was good.”
Chance shifted and pulled her into his lap. “It’s just to give us an edge on getting him back.”
They went over the remaining issues that Mrs. Nguyen had pointed out. Adjustments were made. Chance made a grocery list. Carly arrived and walked through the house with Rye. They spoke of little things, nothing that Rye would get defensive about.
