Oh Brothers

Chapter 39 (again - different)

Ara's POV

I exchange a panicked glance with Cole and he nods his head. He grabs my hand and we run out into the hall together. We come to the front lobby area and find Lucy, Will, the kids and the woman I presume to be Lucy's mother. The kids look petrified.

Emily's got her stubby arms wrapped around Will's legs and Steven is hugging Lucy's legs. Paul is standing behind them, holding on to Lucy's hand.

"Just give me the kids and I will be out of your hair forever, you can stay here with you rich boy for all I care," The woman says, coldly. My heart freezes at her words. I refuse to even call her Lucy's mom in mind - to me she's now the bitch.

Grandma and Grandpa rush over. Like me, Grandma takes in the children's frightened frames.

"No, you can't take them," Lucy says.

"Excuse me!" The bitch shrilly screams.

Grandma calls out to the kids, "Emily, Paul, Steven, why don't you come with me, huh? I made cookies and Chef made the most delicious hot chocolate with special Mexican chocolate, does that sound good?"

Emily and the boys run over to Grandma. Grandma picks Emily up and holds on to Steven's hand.

"Who are your? Where are you taking them? Why are you, just let me take them home," The bitch demands.

Grandma goes all mama bear on her, she snaps "they do not need to hear this. They are safe with me, that is all that matters."

Grandma guides the kids away and I'm thankful they don't have to witness any of this.

"Lucy, just give me my kids and I'll e out of your hair forever," the bitch says.

This roils me and I can't hold my tongue any longer. I step forward and Cole keeps his hand on my arm, giving me strength and support.

"Lucy is also your child," I state, "she-"

"Who are you to be talking?" the bitch cuts me off.

I glare at her with everything I have and cause her to stand paralyzed in her tracks, bitter anger seeps into my tone, "I. was. not. finished. Lucy and the kids deserve so much better than you. You up and disappear for a week, leaving Lucy to figure out how to raise your kids. That is incredibly unfair to her, but Lucy is brilliant, and she rose to the occasion and the kids are safe and healthy, no thanks to you."

The bitch bitterly laughs," what, so you lot want custody of the kids? What court will grant custody of three kids to a group of ragtag teenagers who are going to leave to attend prissy colleges all across the country in two years?"

Cole steps up beside me, "I am almost 18, and I am not going to college, I can take legal custody of them."

There are several parts of that sentence that I want to dissect with him, but now is not the time nor place.

"No court is going to take three kids away from their mother," the bitch laughs again, clearly not getting it.

"No, you're wrong. You have four kids. And we have proof that you are an incapable mother. We have the note you left Lucy, previous notes, and all of here will testify against you, you're not going to win," Will adds.

"Hell, I'll adopt the kids. However much I hate you, I adore your kids. I also have the best team of lawyers that can find evidence of every single thing you have ever done wrong," Grandpa speaks up.

"Who are you?" The bitch asks in surprise.

Grandpa gives an annoyed sigh, "Royce Jenson, yes the Royce Jenson, rock star legend extraordinaire, I'm the grandpa to a bunch of kids running around here, and I am serious about taking your kids from you, you are done bitch."