“I don’t know if I’d go that far.” She crosses her arms over her chest, pacing our small living room. “We could say you took pity on the child. You bumped your head, and you didn’t realize you were in bed with the enemy…”
I narrow my eyes at her. “I thought you decided to believe in true love.”
“That was Coco. I bet it wouldn’t work.”
“Well, maybe it did work.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “It’s possible I have found true love… and I didn’t have to lose a slipper or touch a cursed spindle.”
My best-friend-roommate-producer gives me a worried face. “You realize this could alienate your entire audience.”
“Well, maybe it’s time for a rebrand.” My headset is on, and I face my laptop, quickly reviewing my speech before I begin. “Ready?”
“No, but I’m your ride or die.”
I give her a tight smile as she counts me in, then, “Good evening, Saints Nation! It’s been a roller-coaster over here lately, hasn’t it?”
It’s times like this I do wish I had a co-host to make it more conversational. Lindsey could help me, but she gets so wooden in front of a microphone, it’s comical.
“I know you’re used to me putting K-Brad through the paces, but something more serious has happened as you know if you watched the post-game show this weekend.” I pause for effect, looking down. “I think it’s important for you to know the truth. Also, I’m coming to you to ask for your help.”
Shifting in my seat, I take a calming sip of water. “Knox Bradford isn’t just a great quarterback, he’s also a good man. Yes, he’s a bit of a playboy, but he’s not a…you-know-whatboy.” I glance over at Lindsey. “I’m keeping this part of the pod kid-friendly, because I want as many people as possible to hear me.”
I stand, because I can’t sit as I say this. “NOPD came today and took Knox’s daughter away from him. I’m sure her cousin has her reasons, and trust me, after that stunt we all witnessed, I don’t blame her for being outraged. The problem is she took a little girl away from the only dad she’s ever known, the man her mother wanted to raise her, and now this little girl has been traumatized twice.
“I can say from my own eye-witness account, Knox Bradford loves his daughter with all his heart. He stepped up when she was dropped into his lap without warning. He called for help, and his family showed up in a big way. Still, the truth is, he did it all. He loves her, and he wants to be a good daddy for her.
“This is where you can help us. If you would take the time to write a letter, telling the judge to give our boy a chance, we’d be forever grateful to you. He just needs a character witness, or fifty… or a hundred. Let’s show this judge this isn’t a toxic environment, and we take care of our people. We don’t separate families, and Knox is the kind of dad we want to support, not tear apart.
“Thanks so much, Saints Nation. I don’t know what this will mean for my show going forward. Feel free to write in and express your frustration with me. I can take it. But I hope you believe me when I say I only want to give you a voice and say the messy bits out loud. I’m a fan, and my goal has always been to make Knox better. I think we can still do that and have fun. In the meantime, BCB! Let’sBring Cricket Back.”
I sign off by giving them the judge’s name and contact information along with our contact information, including a Google voice number we set up to collect voicemails, and I thank them for their support.
Leaning back in my chair, I stare at the pictures we uploaded on the show’s social media page. It’s a slideshow with the picture of Knox and Cricket asleep in the bed first, followed by pictures he texted to me. I have a shot of her reaching for him and smiling, her bright blue eyes shining with love for her daddy.
I have the picture he sent of her crawling, and finally, I have the one of all three of us in bed that Chet blasted on hisgotchapost-game show.
“I think she grew in the short time we had her.” Leaning on my hand, I swipe the slides back and forth.
“She’s a cute little kid.” Lindsey puts her hands on the back of my chair. “I’ve heard about stuff like this happening with foster kids. Never thought I’d see it in real life.”
“It’s wretched, Linds.” I exhale a sigh. “There has to be a better way.”
“Maybe somebody just needs to talk to the cousin and see what she’s thinking.”
It’s a thought that’s been nagging at my chest ever since Spencer dismissed it. “I’m not sure she’ll talk to me, since I’mclearly on Knox’s side. I’d hoped Stacia might smooth things over, since she and Bonnie were close friends.”
“When will she be back?”
“Day after tomorrow. Spencer is flying down, and if Stacia agrees, we’ll all fly to Little Rock and then drive out to meet her.”
“If she doesn’t?” Lindsey blinks round eyes at me.
“Tell Coco to invoke the Fireside Ladies!”
CHAPTER 25
Knox
“Ican’t stop hearing her crying.” I’m sitting in a booth at our family’s restaurant with my elbows on the glossy wooden tabletop.