Chapter 186

Logan listened very carefully as Hazel repeated the names, “Frank and Tammy Christopher.”

It was as he thought then.

He had not heard those names in quite some time.

“Logan? Is everything okay?” Hazel asked. “Do you know them?”

That was a difficult question to answer. He might have known them. Christopher was a common last name. Frank and Tammy weren’t uncommon first names.

For Frank and Tammy Christopher to reside in Russford though…

That was too big a coincidence to discount.

“I might,” Logan said.

Hazel was quiet a moment, as if expecting Logan to say more. When he didn’t, she asked, “Who are they?”

With that one simple question, Logan was transported to his youth, when from the year one through twelve, he had been raised in Russford by a kind and loving couple.

His foster parents, after his birth parents decided it was too inconvenient to have a child around. Not that they had spent any time with Logan anyway, leaving him in the care of his nannies more than they ever saw him.

How could Logan share this sad truth with Hazel though? That his prestigious birth family never wanted him – until suddenly, they inexplicably did.

Logan’s birth parents said that they missed him, but what was there to miss? They said they loved him, but if that was true, why would they pry him from the loving arms of his foster parents even when he begged to stay?

Logan’s grandfather had no sympathy for his tears, when his birth parents presented him to his grandfather for the presumably first time.

“You are a Hatfield,” grandfather had said, his voice like ice. “Be grateful we saved you from those wretched money-grubbers.”

“Those are my parents.” Twelve-year-old Logan hadn’t yet learned to fear his grandfather. He would soon enough.

Grandfather glared at Logan like he was next to worthless. “They only ever agreed to care for you because of my wealth. Make no mistake, child, they never held any love for you. You have always only ever been a meal ticket.”

“Logan?” Hazel asked again, calling Logan back to the present. “If it’s a personal question… You don’t have to answer it. If you’d rather I not associate with these people…”

“No,” Logan said quickly.

Maybe his grandfather had spoken true and his foster parents only cared about him for the money. But that didn’t mean they were unkind. They had always treated him fairly, and growing up with them in Russford had been some of the happiest times of his life.

He would only ever be grateful to them, even if it also hurt to think of them.

“If they are the people I’m thinking of, they would make good friends to you, I’m sure of it,” Logan said. “They were always good people.” Mostly. Aside for needing his family’s money.

“Okay…” Hazel said, though she seemed hesitant.

Logan knew he was doing a terrible job selling his indifference. Obviously, he had attachment to something he wasn’t sharing with her. After the spot Tina put him in tonight, he needed to make sure she didn’t feel excluded or she might want to put distance between them herself.

“I… uh… spent a lot of time in Russford, in my youth,” Logan admitted. “In fact, I mostly grew up there in my formidable years.”

“You did?” she asked, clearly wanting more.

Logan wished he could give it, but it was hard, sitting in his house alone. Part of him was here and part was many years in the past. He worried he might get lost.

“When we are together again in person,” Logan said, “Then I’ll tell you everything.”

“Okay…” Hazel said with clear reluctance.

But it was the best he could do. It had to be enough.

The next evening, Hazel pressed the doorbell to the small split-level house that belonged to Frank and Tammy Christopher. A little dog barked on the other side of the door. The minute the door opened even a crack, a small terrier pushed through the door and nosed at my ankles.

At once I bet down to pet him.

“Be nice, Candy,” Tammy said.

Candy, the dog, peered up with me with dark eyes. I held my hand back a distance, waiting for permission to pet. The dog sniffed my hand and then licked it. Permission granted! Immediately I went in for pets. Candy’s tail wagged fiercely back and forth, her whole body shaking with the motion.

“Oh, forgive her,” Tammy said. “She has to greet all the guests first. It’s tradition.”

“I don’t mind.” I didn’t have a lot of experience with pets. My own parents didn’t care for them, so unless my sister wanted one, we weren’t going to have any in the house.

Candy was an absolute joy, however. With me kneeling, she practically crawled into my lap and started licking my face.

“Thanks enough now, Candy,” Tammy lightly scolded, though like me, she was laughing too.

Frank revealed himself next. “Hazel, welcome! Oh, Candy… I see you got the full welcome!” He laughed too as he scooped up Candy and held her against his hip like a mischievous toddler. Her tail continued to wag.

“Come in,” Frank said to me.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Tammy asked.

“I’m okay for now,” I said as I entered their house.

The front door entered directly into their living room. The wood paneling on the walls was a very 80’s style with floral couches that matched that dated aesthetic. A large built-in bookcase lined the far wall, with a small television placed on one of the wider shelves. Picture frames dotted the rest, and along the walls.

The living room was divided from a kitchen by an island. The smell of turkey was in the air. Anticipating a feast for dinner tonight, I wondered when the last time they had company was. I hoped they weren’t cooking a full turkey.

“Make yourself at home,” Frank said as Tammy scurried into the kitchen.

“Do you need any help?” I called in after her.

“I’m just checking on the bird!” Tammy called. “Sit down! I’ll be right there.”

Assured, I walked farther into the living room, near the couches. Several of the pictures caught my attention, so many were of the two of them, younger, with a young boy in tow. Their son? I wanted to ask but seeing the sheer number of pictures, I decided not to pry.

A thing like this, so many pictures lined up and framed. This almost seemed like a memorial.

I’d have to be careful what I talked about, then. I didn’t want to… upset… them…

The longer I looked, the more I recognized that young boy. Funny, he almost looked like…

My gaze lifted to a news article in a frame. With it was a picture.

A picture of Logan.

Frank fiddled with the television, as Tammy returned from the kitchen.

“Oh, I see you’ve noticed our tribute to our son,” Tammy said.

My brow pulled together as I looked to her in confusion.

This didn’t make any sense. Logan had said he might know them but…

“This is Logan Hatfield,” I said.

Tammy’s eyes lit up. “Oh. Do you know our son Logan?”