Read Online Lessons of a Lowcountry Summer by Rochelle Alers - Free Book Online Page B

brothers could have been arrested was a wake-up call that he had to get his priorities in order. Becoming legal guardian to his siblings wasn’t something that had been dumped on him. During a rare meeting with Mary, she had informed him that she and James were drawing up wills, and she’d asked if he would take care of her children if anything ever happened to her. He hadn’t hesitated when he’d given his consent. After all, Mary was only sixteen years older than he was, and chances were she would live to see all of her children reach their majority.
    But fate was tricky and fickle. Mary was fifty-six when she died, leaving a mountain of debts and sole custody of her children to a son she had denied within weeks of his birth.
    Peering at a clock on the fireplace mantel, Theo noted the time. It wasn’t quite six o’clock. Groaning at the effects of last night’s drinking, he made his way toward the staircase to the second level. He met Helen as she came down the stairs carrying a wicker basket filled with dirty bath towels. She cut her eyes at him, then moved closer to the banister when she caught a whiff of the stale alcohol on his breath.
    â€œGood morning, Theo,” she said cheerfully. “It looks as if it’s going to be a beautiful morning.”
    â€œYeah, yeah.”
    She flashed a Cheshire cat grin. “What’s the matter, Boss? Did you drink something last night that didn’t agree with you?”
    Theo mumbled a curse under his breath as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other until he made it to the top of the curving staircase without falling. He walked past the bedrooms belonging to the three children, and climbed another half dozen steps until he stood outside the door to his own bedroom. The alcove off the sitting room had become his office and his sanctuary. The glass walls brought the outside in, and the natural beauty of the panoramic landscape had become his muse.
    Stripping off his T-shirt, shorts and underwear, he walked into the freestanding shower stall and turned on the cold water. He welcomed the biting sting of the water as it beat down on his head. He adjusted the water temperature and washed his hair and body.
    Twenty minutes later, Theo sat at his desk, dialing the number of his agent, Jeff Helfrick. The call was answered on the third ring.
    â€œWhoever the hell is calling me at this hour better be talking a multimillion-dollar deal, or your ass is mine.”
    â€œJeff, Theo.”
    â€œTheo?” Jeff’s voice lost its gravelly tone. “What’s up?”
    â€œI’m not going to be able to do the pilot for you.”
    â€œWhat!”
    He quickly related what had happened the night before. “Look, man, it’s too stressful for me to try and play daddy to kids who are still bleeding emotionally.”
    â€œI thought you had them in counseling.”
    â€œI did. They went for a few sessions, then they opted out. And forcing them to go isn’t the answer.”
    â€œLook, Theo, I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but you know you’re the best writer for this project. Didn’t you tell me that you’ve been waiting all your life to write a television drama featuring black actors who weren’t portraying entertainers, cops, inmates or pimps?”
    Jeff was right, but that did not make Theo’s decision any easier. He had written more than a dozen movie scripts, two of which had received Oscar nominations. The nominations had made him a more sought-after writer, but his dream since graduating film school was to write a television drama for a predominantly black cast. And now that he was being offered the opportunity, he had to turn it down because he had promised a dead woman he would take care of her children.
    â€œI can’t write the scripts while trying to reconcile with my family.” Suddenly it hit him. This was the first time he had thought of Noelle, Brandon