Chapter Text
“Bitch, have you checked your phone yet today?”
Turning over in her bed, the last thing Beth expected to see was her sister getting comfortable under the covers next to her. After she’d gotten back from Luckys last night, her kids and Annie were all soundly asleep ( surprisingly ). She figured that Annie would have just gotten up and left for work this morning.
Geez, what time was it?
5:30 was illuminated in bright red letters on the old digital alarm clock on her nightstand. Figures it would be Annie who came and woke her up out of all the sleeping people in her house.
“You’re no better than my kids,” Beth groaned, turning over and trying to pull the covers over her head. Maybe when she resurfaced, Annie would be gone, and she could sleep peacefully before getting her brood packed up and ready for school.
“Beth, I’m serious,” Annie tugged at the sheets, much to her dismay. “You’re all anyone is talking about.”
This had her peeking up from her cocoon because what? Why? She was met with Annie’s eyes, trained on her anxiously. She had this look on her face that Beth recognized all too well. One that had her fully sitting up in bed, grabbing her phone off of the charger.
Sure enough, Annie was right. She missed eight calls over forty text messages, and don’t even get her started on emails. What could have possibly happened in the last seven hours?
Ashford’s Newest Councilwoman Claims to be Tough on Crime. Was it all a Lie?
Huh?
She clicked the first headline for their local news, although there were a plethora of articles with varying versions of the same title.
The first thing she saw was a slideshow of four photos, none of them incriminating… really …but paired with the article underneath… well, they didn’t exactly look great.
The first photo had been taken at Lucky’s, probably from a couple of weeks ago, where Beth and Rio were sitting at a booth in the corner with papers in front of them. Clearly, the photo had been taken sneakily, not the best quality, but it was clear who it was.
The next photo was of them outside of his car. Again, nothing incriminating — really they could have gotten much worse.
The last two were similar in nature, only with Mick and Huck in them as well. And yeah, she understood how this made her look. The woman who’s whole platform was making Ashford safe again and being tough on crime now being spotted with multiple tatted men that people could only insinuate the worst of.
No one looked at a man with words tatted to his face and believed he was a world renowned surgeon or class action lawyer. Although, what happened to don’t judge a book by its cover.
She skimmed through the other articles, ones that called her a fraud, a phony, some calling for her to be removed. Really it was her worst nightmare, the exact kind of attention she had been hoping to avoid.
“Did you see the meme on twitter where they photoshopped gang friends neck tattoo onto you?” Annie stuck her own phone into her face, and had this not been a big, horrible deal, maybe she would have laughed. Instead she gave her sister a pointed look, pushing the phone away.
“Annie, this is serious!” Her hands palmed her face, groans slipping through the cracks of her fingers.
“Okay, okay. Sorry. What are you gonna do?” Annie resigned, tucking her bottom lip away into her mouth neatly.
She really didn’t know. She hadn’t expected this to blow up in her face so quickly. “Call Rio,” she sighed, not loving that it was her only option.
But it was, so she did. Clicking his contact open and pressing call. It rang, and rang, and rang until it went to voicemail. Ha. Figures he wouldn’t answer when she actually needed him.
She’d just have to deal with this herself for now.
✧ ✧ ✧
Getting the kids to school had been just what she needed to take her mind off of it for a while — until she’d noticed the other moms staring at her like she carried the plague or something.
She couldn’t have hightailed it out of there fast enough, knowing she needed to get directly to the office and face these accusations head on.
It took her a couple minutes to will herself out of the van once she’d gotten to city hall. Lying came naturally to her, but being a little prepared with some sort of answer to refute the claims wouldn’t hurt her. This was way more public than lying to Rio’s neighbor or the guy at the electronics store.
The sound of her phone buzzing against the center console snapped her out of her thoughts.
A single text from Rio.
Say nothing to no one. I’m working on it.
Okay, so the whole story she’d conjured up in her head was pointless now. Great.
Slinging her big purse over her shoulder, she got out. The only thing she could do right now was follow directions — something she didn’t typically do but she’d learned too many times that working against Rio usually only made her problem bigger.
“Miss. Boland,” Joshua sat in one of chairs opposite her desk waiting for her along with one of their cohorts, Andrew Reynolds.
She’d never had any real feelings about Andrew. He spoke in meetings, offered up polite greetings, and really that was the extent of their relationships. He’d always seemed to be more buddy with Joshua anyways, but never as annoying as him.
Even sitting there in the chairs with Joshua, he seemed mildly uncomfortable by the whole thing — a stark contrast from the smirk that his counterpart wore.
Rounding the pathway to get to her desk, Beth refused to let these Dean like men intimidate her. The sound of a file flopping onto her desk was the only thing that had her casting a glance up to them.
“And what’s this?” She asked, smoothing down her navy blue blazer as she took her seat. She made no effort to reach for the folder, instead staring them down.
Andrew shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking to Josh to do the talking. “A folder that was left for me, full of photos that I’m sure you’re familiar with by now.”
She stared further, taking a page from Rio’s book, and letting them do all the talking. He always said if you let ‘em talk the truth’ll come out eventually. She wasn’t surprised, though, that he’d been behind those photos leaking — she just wondered who’d given them to him.
“I was ready to let it go, until you had your attack dog in here threatening me.” Beth repressed a laugh, but couldn’t stop her lips from curving into a semi smile on her lips. All this because his ego had been bruised.
“So,” she paused glancing down at the file before letting her eyes fall back on him, “Your feelings were hurt that I rejected your advances and when you attempted to put your hands on me and my … associate, rightfully called you on it you decided to publicly go after me?”
Andrew’s head snapped to Joshua’s, clearly he hadn’t been clued into the story in its entirety.
“Your associate is a criminal,” he shot back.
Her eyes narrowed, head cocking to the side. “Based on what evidence, Mr. Goodwin?”
His mouth opened, then shut, looking to Andrew like he had the answers he so desperately was searching for.
“He’s been arrested! Twice!” And if only he knew the irony, that the two times he’d been referencing were her own doing.
“And the charges were dismissed.”
Joshua scoffed, “So?”
Sighing, pressing her lips into a thin line, Beth shut the file closed and pushed it back towards the two men. “Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Reynolds, you’ve come in here and released baseless, tasteless, claims about my associate. It seems to me the two of you are doing the very thing our legal system has done and judge books based upon their covers. If that’s all, I have work to do.”
Andrew wasted no time shooting her an apologetic smile, leaving her office without so much a word. Joshua on the other hand seethed, heading for the door but stopping short. “Baseless or not, the news and locals will tear you to shreds, I hope you enjoyed the little stint of yours in city hall.”
That was about the only thing he had said to her today that had any real merit. She could only hope that she’d be able to temporarily ease Mayor Thompson’s mind about the claims until Rio had hopefully solved their problem.
And while it had taken some back and forth, Beth assured him that she would handle everything promptly and that he had nothing to worry about. She left his office with a nod of encouragement and the day off to handle her business.
What she hadn’t expected was a call from an unknown number to change the course of her afternoon.
✧ ✧ ✧
The familiar Mexican restaurant was not exactly where Beth had imagined spending her free time, but it wasn’t like she had anything else to do. Plus, over here, no one was shooting her weird looks.
“Thank you so much for coming. I’m so sorry for intruding on your day, I’m sure you’re a busy woman.” Carmen’s lips trembled a little as she tried to apologize for the third time in five minutes.
Beth’s smile was nothing short of genuine when she placed a gentle hand on the younger woman’s back.
“I wouldn’t have given you my number if I didn’t want you to use it,” she explained softly. Maybe it was the motherly instinct in her, or maybe even sisterly, seeing someone so young about to take on such a daunting new experience.
Carmen had called her practically in tears — anxious, stressed, alone and really pregnant. Even if she had been busy today, she would have dropped everything to be here.
She’d had Dean through all four of her pregnancies but by the second one, he’d all but checked out — doing, sometimes, not even the bare minimum. She couldn’t imagine truly doing it alone though.
“I know they’re just braxton hicks,” she sighed, leading her through the currently closed Mexican restaurant. “But it freaked me out and my Tío is away at a convention this week, so it’s just me.”
Carmen lead her past the kitchen, employees getting ready for the dinner shift, and back to a little hallway that led to a staircase.
Above the little restaurant was the apartment that Beth determined that Carmen, her unborn baby, and Tio Ramon lived. It was small, no more than two bedrooms but it was homey.
“Can I get you some tea or coffee?” She asked, immediately heading towards the kitchen, only for Beth to wave her off.
Instead, she guided Carmen to the couch, “How about you tell me where everything is, what you want, and I’ll make it?” And if Carmen had wanted to protest, she didn’t. Instead, she cozied into the couch with a grateful smile on her face before giving directions.
The rest of the morning was spent sipping their drinks and chatting on the couch. It was really, really nice for a change, to have a girl friend to talk to. Even if she was twenty four years older than Carmen, it was filling a big Ruby sized hole in her heart.
"Gracias for coming, Beth. These braxton hicks, they scared me." And hell if Beth knew. She remembered the first time Annie had them and she’d rushed her sister to the hospital scared the baby was coming early. Then even when she had her first two, she’d been so on edge when the braxton hicks eventually came along.
Beth smiled kindly, reaching across to pat Carmen's hand. "It’s really no problem, Carmen. It's normal to be a bit freaked out, especially with your first baby. Braxton Hicks can be tricky."
Carmen nodded, she looked so tired and worn down, it weighed on Beth. Wishing she could do more for the girl than make her tea. "They say it's practice for the real thing, but what if I can't tell the difference?"
Beth took a thoughtful sip of her tea before responding. "It's common to feel that way. Real contractions usually get more intense and come at regular intervals. Try timing them, and if they start to follow a pattern, it might be the real deal."
Carmen frowned, worry lines creasing her forehead. "What if I mess it up? I know I have my Tio, but it was really my Tía who knew how to do all of this. I’m doing this all alone."
Beth's gaze softened, recognizing Carmen's vulnerability. "You're not alone, Carmen. You've got people around you, supporting you. And if you ever feel uncertain, you know I’ll be here in a pinch — Rio too."
Beth had seen it the first time she met Carmen, how much Rio cared for her. Despite the stony, stoic facade he paraded around, Beth knew there was something mushier beneath the surface. Knew he was a big family man at heart. Even just seeing him with Marcus was enough to see that.
Carmen sighed. "I wish I knew more about this. I'm just a kid having a kid."
Beth gently corrected her, "You're a young woman who's about to become a mom. It's okay to feel scared and unsure. We'll figure it out together."
Carmen looked down, swirling her tea in the cup. "How did you do it, Beth? Four kids, I can't even imagine."
Beth chuckled, because four was definitely a lot — she knew that. "It’s not easy, that's for sure. But you learn as you go. And don't be afraid to ask for help. Being a mom isn’t about being perfect. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it."
✧ ✧ ✧
Two hours later, Beth was leaving and not empty handed. Carmen had insisted she take food with her, saying she had to repay her in some way for driving all the way out here. And really, who was Beth to turn down that food that literally had her mouth watering the first time she’d tried it?
She was back to Ashford right in time for pick ups, a real grueling process when everyone stared at you like you had two heads. Before city council, she was the mom everyone wanted to talk to. If she was throwing a party, all the moms wanted the details. Since it though, things have changed. People feel like maybe they have more room to give her their opinions — good or bad — and right now they were certainly bad.
Having her kids back with her though made the whole ordeal worth it. She might have been tired after taking Jane and Emma to dance, the boys to soccer, then helping the oldest three with their homework, managing to cook dinner, mediating four different arguments, and getting everyone bathed and in pajamas in just 4 hours, but she had meant what she said to Carmen: Being a mom isn’t about being perfect.
So when she settled into the couch, plush throw cozied around her, bourbon in one hand and remote in the other. All she was ready to do was put on some trash reality television and sink into a comatose state on the couch for a bit.
She’d have to check in with Rio eventually because that’s what she was supposed to be doing today — getting her house in order, according to the mayor. But bar the text message he’d sent her earlier, she had yet to hear from Rio and honestly she couldn’t say she was all that surprised.
And she most certainly wasn’t surprised when she heard the side door opening and shutting. Although, it was rare that she ever heard him coming in… maybe she’d just been waiting for it and that was why the volume on the tv was excruciatingly low.
“If you’re hungry, Carmen sent me home with lots of food, so help yourself!” She hadn’t shared even a bite of it with her kids, instead hiding it in the garage fridge until they went to sleep because one, she knew they would think it was too spicy and two, she didn’t really want to.
And clearly, she didn’t have to tell him twice based on the sounds from the kitchen behind her. Plates clattering, microwave beeping, and the fridge opening and closing. She didn’t budge from her spot on the sofa though, too comfortable tucked beneath her blankets to move.
Soon enough, he was beside her anyway, sinking on the cushion next to her, white ceramic bowl looking small in his hands.
For a while, they sat like that — him eating and her watching the quiet desperate housewives episode she’d put on. It wasn’t until he set the bowl on the table and she could feel brown eyes patiently waiting for her acknowledgment.
“Got somethin’ for you,” his voice was gruff, reaching for file she hadn’t seen him set on the other side of the couch. She had to admit she was over men setting files in front of her.
She made no effort to reach for it, instead opting to look at him curiously. “What is it?”
Rio just chuckled, shaking his head before opening the file himself and pulling out a couple pieces of paper. “The solution to your problem.”
The papers were extended in his outstretched hand and curious enough, she took them.
A youth boxing afterschool program?
“And this helps how?” she asked, fingering through the pages as she skimmed all the business detailings. However it was going to help it was well thought out.
“Your new program through my gym.” He took off a sip of her bourbon that he’d helped himself to. She stared at him further, waiting for the explanation to follow.
A little puff of air passed through his nose as he rolled his eyes. “The newest councilwoman of Ashford just started up a new program at my gym, free o’ charge for the low income kids o’ Ashford.”
Oh. Wow, that idea was actually brilliant. And really, should she be surprised? No. Rio had clearly been intelligent, he didn’t become the man of Detroit by being anything less.
“So we’re business partners in the legal sense of the word now too?” She mused, snatching her cup back from him to take a sip.
“Thought you was the boss?” he quirked an eyebrow.
She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. “We both know you say that to appease me.” And that got a real laugh out of him, on that made those damn butterflies in her stomach flit around.
“You right.” Then his hand was at the side of her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with just his pinky. “But we are partners, equal opportunity an’ such. Now this way, we ain’t gotta hide it.”
“No more secret meetings?”
He smiled like he knew all the secrets in the world, “Maybe a couple.”