Strings of Fate

Strings of Fate 208- Custody and caring The morning goes by in a rush. Megan and | are constantly on the go with Kiara trailing along with us as we prepare for the last minute dinner plans. | probably could have planned them for later in the week but | didn’t want to wait and it IS doable. Just requires a bit of extra planning. By one in the afternoon we have had Darien and Bellamy rearrange the furniture and move in a couple of fold up trestle tables to make space for everyone as well as a bunch of extra chairs. Kiara is currently working with Darien to lay table clothes over all the tables to kind of merge them together while Megan and | start prepping stuff for dinner. Thankfully she’s a much more experienced cook thanand has sidea of how to prepare such a large meal. | did suggest just ordering something but she insisted on making it ourselves and | don’t mind trying. Worst case scenario, it fails and we order pizza. Just before three, Alex arrives Bellamy and | leave Kiara with Megan who is in the middle of prepping schocolate mousse desserts and head to the office.

“So, | did locate one living relative for Kiara, her grandfather on her mother’s side. | contacted him and arranged for a meeting: He lives interstate so it will be another video conference call.” Alex explains. | feel cold and sort of panicky. Interstate? | don’t want her to move that far away. I've definitely gotten attached, plus | think spending twith Logan will be good for her. Is it really fair for her to move so far away from where she’s grown up so far? Alex sets up the call then excuses himself, announcing that he will go assist Megan with the meal preparations and to call if we need him. The call goes through and I'm surprised to see a young woman on the screen.

“Hello? Oh good it’s working. One moment.” She swivels the camera around to show an old man who must be Kiara’s grandfather.

“Thanks Joe.” He tells the woman gently.

“Good afternoon.” Bellamy greets him.

“I am Alpha Bellamy Kane and this is my partner Ryann Gale. Did Alex explain the situation to you?” Bellamy asks politely. The old man nods.

“Yes, I'm Ray and this is Joe, she helpsout during the day, | don’t move around as well as | used to. And only a little. Your friend Alex explained that there was sissue with my daughter. I'm not sure what you wantto do about it, she hasn't spoken toin over ten 1/4 208- Custody and caring years. Not since she married that Reaper. | never approved. It’s not safe, and what kind of life could she have hiding away with him?” He grumbles. My heart sinks. This is not looking good.

“I am sorry to have to tell you that your daughter and her husband were murdered several weeks ago.” Bellamy says carefully. Ray goes even paler than he already was, which is saying something because he didn’t look all that well to begin with.

“Oh. | didn’t realise- no one said... | suppose since | don’t answer my phone | wasn’t notified, | only got your message because your man tracked down my carer and called her to arrange this meeting. Is... is this about her estate then? | can’t imagine that she was especially well off.” He considers. My eyes widen and | glance at Bellamy. Does he not know he has a granddaughter? If he cut contact ten years ago it’s entirely possible that he doesn’t know. | take over, needing to tell him myself.

“Sir, | don’t know if you are aware but your daughter had a child. A girl named Kiara. This call is about her.” | tell him. He looks shocked.

“A granddaughter? A little Witch | suppose? | didn’t know.” He admits. He doesn’t seem all that torn up about it if I'm being totally honest. | don’t think I like this guy very much.

“She’s not a Witch, she took after her father and is a Reaper. We're contacting you because you are her only living relative at this point. We are trying to determine what should be done regarding her living situation.

Legally, she goes into your care, although we’ve been looking after her temporarily.” | tell him. He immediately shakes his head in refusal.

“I don’t have the tor energy to take care of a child, much less a Reaper. She can’t chere. Find someone else.” He declares. | have to repress the desire to yell at him. | can see why Kiara’s parents cut ties with this man. He's kind of racist and obviously doesn’t care. | can see that he might not be capable of taking care of her, but he doesn’t even seem concerned and he hasn't asked to meet her or anything like that. He hasn't even asked about her wellbeing or wished her any condolences. It’s a good thing he doesn’t want her because | don’t think I could give her up to this jerk. Seeing my frustration, Bellamy takes over the conversation. | don’t think | could speak without yelling or crying.

“To clarify, you are giving up your custody rights of Kiara?” Bellamy asks. Ray nods.

dismissively.

2/4 208- Custody and caring “Yes, yes. Give the girl to someone else or put her up for adoption if it comes to that. | can’t take her. Now, is that all? | have an appointment at four and | want to get there early.” He grumbles. Bellamy nods and without another word just ends the call.

1 explode.

“What a BASTARD. He didn’t even CARE! We cannot send her to him, even if he DID want her!” | rant, keeping my voice low enough that Kiara won't be able to overhear me.

“I agree, | will have Alex send documentation through to him ensuring he signs over his rights. We don’t want him coming after her later demanding money or anything like that.” Bellamy says calmly. He doesn’t seem nearly as upset as | am and honestly | have no idea how he is so calm. What are we supposed to do? It was already going to be hard enough giving Kiara up to her family. Am | supposed to give her to strangers? Or put her in foster care, a group hlike Harry and | grew up in? | shudder at the thought.

“You know, | never expected we would end up parents before actually having S*x.” He says casually, clearly amused. | whirl to face him in my chair.

“Huh?” | say dumbly. Bellamy raises an eyebrow and meets my eyes.

“Am | wrong? We are keeping her aren't we? Assuming she wants to stay. We have the space and the money to provide for her. If there was a better place | would consider it, but | can’t think of any and honestly | don’t want to send her away. | don’t think you do either, do you?” He asks earnestly. | nod.

“I can’t send her somewhere that she is unwanted, and | want her. Can- can we really take her?” | ask nervously. Bellamy shrugs.

at “I doubt that old bag cares where she ends up, he will sign her over to us easily enough. Given how attached to you she is | believe she will be content to stay with us We will need to look into schooling and such, we can ask sof the other Shifter parents where they send their kids. | know a lot of them homeschool too, maybe she could join in if there is a group the slevel as her. We have plenty of support. We can do it, as long as we're both willing, and | am.” He adds at the end. | can’t help it. | fling myself at him, out of my chair practically knocking him over as he has to catchand balance himself in his own seat.

3/4 208-Custody and caring “Yes. We can do it. She should stay with us.”