Tough Love Read online

  Denise Banfield was starting to show her real face. She was also showing that she would do anything for her son while letting her daughter flounder without a life preserver. Mark really wouldn’t be surprised if Denise had encouraged her son to feed his sister drugs to keep her compliant and dependent, to the detriment of her own child. Or children. Lucas was a victim of Denise’s enmeshment, although Mark couldn’t see a man like him as a victim. Not much. Denise had started all this, and it had gotten out of control.

  This should have happened a long time ago. Tracey should have stayed away. Lucas should have stayed in jail.

  But then you wouldn’t have met Jack, would you?

  That was a point, although Mark didn’t want to credit someone else’s misery for meeting the man he had fallen in love with.

  Love. He loved Jack. That didn’t scare Mark to say it to himself as much as he thought. And Jack was still there while his kids and Amber stayed, hovering in the doorway while his family prodded him to make sure he was still alive. When Mark caught his eye, Jack gave him a slight smile and a nod. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  Mark didn’t want his kids to go, but visiting hours were over and they needed to get home. Amber was going to watch over them in Mark’s house after what happened at hers, which everyone agreed was the best idea. Christy had given Mark a hard hug before sliding off the bed, calling him something that had Mark freezing.

  She called him Dad.

  Dad. She had never done that before. And it rolled off the tongue so easily. Before Mark could recover himself, Stevie had said bye and left, also calling him Dad. From the look on Amber’s face, she knew it was happening. She kissed her startled son’s head before following the children, leaving Mark still shocked. The kids had never been pressured to call him ‘Dad’, and Mark said they could call him whatever they wanted. They had never asked to call him ‘Dad’.

  And Mark liked it. Very much so. It made him feel better knowing that there were people who wanted him as their family. Mark had wanted a family of his own, and he wanted to make a difference with kids. From the way Stevie and Christy had been recently, being very mature kids, Mark liked to think he had done that.

  Jack left shortly after Mark’s family, promising to come back later with his laptop and a few things. Mark didn’t think he could get back onto the ward, but Jack had a glint in his eye when he said he would find a way. Knowing the guy, he would.

  It took a while for Mark to get settled. He was exhausted and his head was hurting more than his shoulder and back, so sleep was not going to come for a while. The nurses would only give him a limited amount of pain relief, and it didn’t seem to be enough. Mark hated it. He just wanted to be knocked out and let things sort themselves out while he lay unconscious. No such luck, sadly. He was lying there, feeling all the stitches and pretty sure that there were a few dents in his head.

  At least there was something relatively decent on the TV. Mark watched a baseball game and then a black-and-white movie. It was mundane but fun at the same time. Not something that would keep him awake but something to vaguely focus on.

  Afternoon turned into evening. Jack had said he would be along later on, so Mark wanted to stay awake to see him again. Maybe have a bit of a makeout session, if Jack was up for it. Mark couldn’t really do anything, hooked up as he was, but he was happy to make Jack leave with a smile on his face. In spite of everything, Mark was feeling very daring.

  But sleep overcame his desire to see Jack and Mark found himself closing his eyes. Somehow, he slipped into sleep that had been threatening to arrive but couldn’t with the throbbing in his head. Now Mark felt relaxed enough to rest. Jack would wake him up when he got here. Give him a kiss like Sleeping Beauty. Mark almost smiled at the thought. Jack was certainly better looking than Prince Philip.

  When Mark was roused, he was aware of someone standing by his bed. For a moment, he thought it was a nurse doing her rounds and checking his IV bag. Then he thought it was Jack, but it didn’t feel like his presence. It was a presence that made Mark’s body feel cold.

  His gut said he had an unwelcome visitor.

  Mark opened his eyes, and almost yelled aloud when he saw Denise Banfield leaning over him.

  “Jesus!”

  “It’s okay.” Denise held up a hand as Mark tried to figure out how to scramble away when he was stuck in a narrow bed. “Don’t panic. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Mark’s heart was racing. How the hell did she manage to get past all the nurses? Denise wasn’t exactly a small woman; she stood out like a sore thumb. He fumbled for the button that would summon the nurses, only for it to be swiped away as he brushed his fingers over it. Denise moved the button to the table out of reach.

  “No, Mr. Washington, we won’t be doing that. We’re going to talk, and I can’t do that if you start calling for the nurses like a baby.” She sighed and looked him up and down. “I heard my daughter had hurt you, and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  Mark was doing his best not to panic. It was darker, and the time on the clock said people were beginning to settle down for the night. He could only hope that a nurse got here before Denise did anything. Even if he reached for the button, he would either fall out of bed or Denise would hit him. She might have said she wasn’t going to hurt him, but Mark didn’t believe that at all.

  “How the hell did you get in here, Mrs. Banfield?”

  “I’m a clever girl. I snuck in.” Denise leaned on the bed, leaning over him. “I can do anything once I put my mind to it.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” Mark tried to crane away without sliding out of bed. God, he was sure Denise could hear his heart racing. “What are you really doing here?”

  “I told you, I came to see how you were.”

  “Pardon me if I don’t believe you.”

  Denise’s eyes flickered. She sighed.

  “You don’t know what it’s like to have a mother’s love for a child. A man can’t experience love like that.”

  “I’m a parent, Mrs. Banfield.”

  Denise snorted and waved a hand.

  “Foster parents don’t count.”

  “Oh, really?” Mark gritted his teeth. “Would you like to say that again, because foster parents are a lot more important than you think.”

  “They’re still not real parents. So, they’re not going to count in this.” Denise looked annoyed that Mark was arguing. “Fathers aren’t any better. My husband was an awful parent. He didn’t know how to love kids. A mother’s love...that is special. And a mother will do anything for their children.”

  “You came here to tell me that?” Mark gestured at their surroundings. “Wait until I’m unable to get away to say that?”

  Denise’s expression changed a little. It was marginal, but Mark saw it. And it sent a shiver down his spine.

  “I just wanted you to know. You’re a man. You won’t truly understand these things. If our kids want something, we’re the ones who bend over backwards to get it for them. We will protect them from anything.”

  Mark thought about arguing about his role - hell, he had just been called ‘Dad’ for the first time - but he guessed that this would have just gone over her head. He glanced at the call button. If it was just a little closer…

  “Your son molested children.” He said quietly. “How did you protect him from committing a crime in the first place? And your daughter? She tried to get away and got herself clean. Away from you, she knew you were a bad influence.”

  “But she came back. As she was supposed to do, my weak little bitch.” Denise’s lip curled. “And then you, Swarbrick and McGuire had to fuck it up. It’s always the men who muck things up. I have to put it back together.”

  “Does that include your son as well?” Mark asked. “Because he certainly fucked things up.”

  Denise’s nostrils flared. She leaned closer, and Mark really wished he could get away. He had never felt more helpless.

>   “My son is a good boy. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

  “He was convicted of felony charges, Mrs. Banfield. He’s lucky that he was given parole, given the severity.”

  “He was an innocent man. The system was up against him in the beginning. Because they had him ‘flagged’.” She said the last word in a sneer. “It wasn’t his fault.”

  Mark had heard husbands making excuses for their wives regarding abuse and vice versa. This was the first time he heard, out loud, a mother saying that a convicted and dangerous child molester was an innocent man. Jack must hear it all the time, and Mark had no idea how he could not react so much to it.

  He stared at Denise, who seemed to be leaning in even closer. Her perfume was tickling his nostril to the point it made him want to sneeze.

  “Who gave your daughter drugs?” He whispered. “Was it your son? Or was it you? I mean, you said a mother always does whatever her children want.”

  There was a slight waver when Mark suggested it was her. Ah, that was an answer. Then it was gone and Denise snorted before pushing away from the bed.

  “Like I said, you wouldn’t understand.”

  “Is that why you’re here? You came to gloat?”

  “No, that was not my intention.” Denise began pacing, throwing her hands up in the air. “I came here to tell you to leave us alone. We were doing fine until Tracey married Joe and started getting a conscience. She came back, and things went back to how they were before. As it should be. Then Joe Swarbrick had to get in the way. And you.” She spat in his direction. “And McGuire.”

  Tracey was the scapegoat. But she couldn’t have a life of her own. Denise had to control her. So, she had fed Tracey drugs to keep her dependent. Mark shuddered to think how Denise had reacted when Tracey left - how she managed to find a good guy to marry, Mark had no idea - and wondered how long it was before Denise was feeding Tracey drugs again.

  Tracey had a lot of problems, but Denise was the root of all of them.

  Mark saw a flicker behind Denise. The door was opening very slowly, and Jack was appearing around the door. His expression was set in stone, glowering at Denise’s back. Mark caught his eye and shook his head slightly. He didn’t need Jack tackling Denise and the two grappling in his room. And if Jack bought out his gun, there was a chance something could go wrong. Jack looked like he was about to go after Denise.

  Mark sat up slowly, gingerly shifting the hand with the IV attached. Now was not the time to get squeamish.

  “I’ll tell you this now, Denise.” He was surprised that his voice wasn’t shaking. “I know a mother’s love. My mother’s. She protected me from danger, made sure that I didn’t make any bad choices. Sure, I made a few mistakes, but she brought me back on track. And I pass that onto my foster kids. I may not give them the motherly care and affection that they need, but I can be a parent. And I can make sure they can be good people.” He sat forward as Denise scoffed. “That’s where you and I differ. Somewhere along the line, you and your ideas about love and being there for your children got warped. They weren’t good intentions at all. They were about control. About enabling. And you enabled your children to make very bad decisions.”

  Denise bared her teeth. Mark was sure she had just growled.

  “I’m a good mother!” She cried.

  “No, you’re not.” Mark didn’t flinch as Denise glowered at him. She looked ready to pounce. “If you were, you would’ve made sure that Lucas didn’t commit a felony crime. That Tracey didn’t take drugs. That you wouldn’t have brought your grandchildren around a child molester.”

  Denise’s eyes were wild. Had she really thought she could sneak in here and tell him how things were, that she had done nothing wrong? What person in their right mind thought that was a good idea? And she hadn’t even noticed Jack moving into the room.

  “Family sticks together, Washington!” Denise was now breathing heavily. She had flipped her switch pretty quickly as well. “Always. You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Why? Because I don’t have kids of my own?” Mark challenged. He always smarted when people said that. “Just because my foster children aren’t blood-related doesn’t mean I won’t go to hell and back for them.”

  They glared at each other. Mark knew he was at a slight disadvantage if Denise chose to attack him right now, but he wasn’t about to back down. And he was sure, for the most part, that Jack would get there before Denise laid a hand on him.

  For a moment, he thought that Denise was going to charge him. She looked angry enough to do it. But instead, her shoulders slumped and she hung her head. Then her body shook. Was she crying? She was switching emotions so much Mark couldn’t keep up. He wouldn’t be surprised if she were on drugs as well.

  “What…” Denise sniffed. “What do I do? I was doing so well, and then it all went to hell. What do I do?”

  Mark looked up at Jack.

  “You can make it right by getting your kids the help they need. By making sure they don’t hurt anyone else. And by turning yourself in to Mr. McGuire. Jack?”

  Denise started and spun around to find Jack standing behind her. She stiffened, and Mark thought she was going to lash out. But Denise slumped even more, leaning into Jack as she began to cry. Jack stood there awkwardly with her leaning against his chest. Then he cleared his throat and set her away gently.

  “Let’s go, Mrs. Banfield.” He glanced at Mark. “I’ll be along later.”

  Mark nodded. As long as he did that, Mark didn’t care about anything else. He was in too much pain to think about it any further.

  Chapter Nine

  When Jack had come back with Mark’s laptop and a few clothes, he hadn’t expected to find Denise Banfield in Mark’s room. How had she managed to get in there without any of the staff noticing? They were the type of people who would notice when someone was breathing the wrong way. Denise was a very sneaky woman.

  And obviously high. Whatever she had been feeding her daughter she had been taking as well. Her emotions were all over the place, and she could get very agitated with barely any pushing. She tried to hit and kick Jack a few times on the way out to the front of the hospital, even with her hands cuffed behind her. Jack’s shin was smarting.

  The cops were outside to take her away. Denise would be spending a few nights in jail until someone posted her bail. Jack didn’t bet on that happening, seeing as Denise didn’t really have anyone to help her out with that. She had burned a lot of bridges, it seemed.

  Jack stood on the sidewalk and watched as Denise was taken away. How was it possible that a woman of her age could be such a vile human being? She had turned her son into a felon and her daughter into a dependent drug addict. And she called herself a good mother? Jack couldn’t wrap his head around that. Just like he couldn’t wrap his head around the fact he had come into Mark’s room to find her pacing around like a loon. It was a wonder she hadn’t hurt Mark.

  When Jack got back to Mark’s room, he found his lover being checked over by one of the nurses. She was putting extra tape over the IV needle and shaking her head when Jack stepped into the room.

  “I’m so sorry again, Mr. Washington. I have no idea how she managed to get in like that.”

  “She didn’t hurt me.” Mark sounded gentle, surprising considering what had just happened. “And it wouldn’t have made any difference. She’s a sneaky woman.”

  “I just know my manager is not going to be happy when she finds out.” The nurse looked up at Jack. “Has she gone?”

  “She’s gone.” Jack gave her a smile. “And we’re not going to blame anyone here. If she can get into my backyard when the gate is locked, she can get onto a secure hospital unit.”

  That placated her a little. The nurse straightened up and scribbled a note in Mark’s file.

  “Well, just as long as it doesn’t happen again. Oh, there was a backpack and a gym bag outside the door when I came in. I’m guessing you brought it for Mr. Washington?”

  “Yes.”

&nbs
p; “It’s on the couch over there.” The nurse nodded at the pullout couch under the window. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  She left, Jack closing the door behind her. Mark let out a huge sigh of relief.

  “She was fussing over me like I’d been facing down Michael Myers. I think she was worried I was going to put in a complaint.”

  “I think you faced Jason and Mrs. Vorhees.”

  “Very funny.” Mark rolled his eyes. “How’s Mrs. Banfield? Was she still a blubbering mess?”

  “Got a little physical, but nothing I can’t handle.” Jack crossed the room and sat on the bed. “I’m surprised you had a head after what you said. She looked close to snapping if you so much as sneezed.”

  “I’m surprised she didn’t stab me as I slept.” Mark rubbed his chest with a wince. “I had no idea how long she was standing there until I realized someone was in the room. That leaves me cold.”

  “I know.” Jack took his hand and kissed his bandaged fingers. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  “Same.” Mark sighed, his injured fingers curling around Jack’s. “This is going to be a big mess to untangle.”

  Jack couldn’t agree more. Lucas and Tracey might have had a chance of becoming good, decent people if they had had a decent person raising them. Tracey had shown when she was away from their influence that she could be a good person, a loving mother. Now she was unrecognizable. Jack could only hope that she cleaned up in rehab and managed to sort herself out. That influence needed to be broken so she could have a semblance of a relationship with her children.

  Normally, Jack would say a woman like that didn’t deserve children to know her. But Tracey wasn’t bad. She had just been a puppet. Jack was sure they could trace her decline back to when Denise started giving her drugs. They had to be the reason Tracey behaved erratically and like she had a vendetta to settle.

  Swarbrick would do the right thing. He would understand.

  “Do you think if Denise had been raised decently herself that this wouldn’t have happened?” Jack asked. “I suspect not, given her own parents and what happened there.”