Read Online Temporary Father (Welcome To Honesty 1) by Anna Adams - Free Book Online Page A

She ended with Eli’s too-adult response to suicide.
    “Wait—wait,” Brent said. “Bring him in. Lisa, we need an appointment for Eli Tully—yes, I know we were closing, but he’s a child and he needs help. We’ll stay open for him.” He turned back to the receiver. “Beth, our first step is a workup, to see if there’s a physical reason for all this.”
    “Physical?”
    “Let’s start there. It could be something else, but we’ll begin with his physical condition.”
    “You know what’s gone on at our house. The divorce. His father never turning up. His home burning down, me dragging him across town and putting him into a school where the kids formed cliques the first time they saw each other at Mommy and Me classes.” She mopped her face with the hem of her shirt. “And he’s too late to fit in.”
    “Be sensible. You’re not powerful enough to cause all of Eli’s problems. Your first task is to get him into my office because I doubt he’ll be glad to come.”
    “And if that makes it worse?”
    “We can’t let him decide. Suicide rates for children in his age group keep rising.” Brent stopped. “If he gets too upset, tell him I’ll come there, but either way, he’s having a physical. The worst that could happen is he’ll be able to use the certificate for sports this summer.”
    “Eli’s favorite sport is snowboarding. Even this school doesn’t make snow so the kids can practice.” She switched hands and wiped the sweat off her palm.
    He turned away again. “What? Okay. Beth, can you be here at eight-fifteen?”
    “Sure.” She looked at her watch. “Thanks, Brent.”
    “No need to thank me. Good luck.”
    “I’ll take all I can get.”
    She set the phone on her desk and squared her shoulders, preparing to face her own child. What if she drove him to act?
    She couldn’t think of that. He was more likely to die if she waited and hoped for the best. She went back to his room.
    “Eli?”
    “Leave me alone. I locked my door.”
    “Do you know how many times you locked it when you were a baby?” She’d had bobby pins then. She plunged her hands into her hair, finding nothing. Van would have the right tool around here. He must have left for the airport already or he would have come to investigate the commotion.
    Eli opened his door and turned his back on her. “I don’t want you breaking Uncle Van’s house.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You get some idea in your head and you won’t let it go.” He sounded a little like his father. Or maybe he was trying to make her mad so she’d leave him alone.
    “You and I need to see Dr. Brent. We have an appointment tonight.”
    Eli stared, his stillness unnerving. “You’re nuts.”
    “I hope so with all my heart.”
    No emotion flickered in his eyes, but his mouth curved in half a smile. He’d forgotten to change his expression.
    “I’ve been closing my eyes every time I look at you,” Beth said.
    “Huh?”
    “I should have seen sooner. What’s hurting you, Eli?”
    “Don’t talk to me as if I’m a baby. Nothing’s wrong, and your old boyfriend, ‘Doctor Brent,’ isn’t going to poke at me.”
    “My old boyfriend? He’s never been that, and he is going to give you a physical if I have to wrestle you all the way to the car and into his office. I’m scared to death of losing you.”
    “What the hell difference would it make?”
    Beth eyed her son, her heartbeat the only sound she could hear. After her parents had died, she’d taken up swearing as a sword and a shield, and Van had despaired. Finally, his unfailing support had convinced her to let go of the anger.
    “Losing you would make every difference.” Choking on tears, she couldn’t finish.
    His eyes glittered as he began to cry, too. She didn’t know whether to be afraid or relieved. He’d shown so little emotion since she’d made him come home from Campbell’s.
    “You love me too much,” he said. “I don’t know if I can live up to that.”
    She