"Wait so he had a whole son he didn't even know was alive?" Julie's eyes were wide in shock as I explained the events over the past few weeks. She was sitting on my desk in the back room of Amethyst.
Out of respect for Martin and Damon I kept Sterling our little secret. I was usually open with Julie on everything, but this was different. It involved me but it was more Damon's business than mine. I also didn't want to talk about it too much until Damon had a decision made. It wasn't worth the risk of pissing him off, it wouldn't have been such a smooth outcome.
"Yes." I responded after swallowing the last bite of the breakfast sandwich I had sent Julie to get for me.
"Holy shit. Just when I think Satan herself couldn't be any worse I'm left surprised." Julie was referring to Ava.
"I know right." I responded.
"So like, where is she now?" Julie asked. "There's no way he just let her walk away without a mark."
"I don't know." I sighed. "All I was told before he took me to Vegas was that he had left to take care of her."
"What do you think he did?" I could tell by her facial expression she was going through the possibilities in her mind.
"Julie!" I scolded. I knew how Damon could be, I didn't want to even begin to think of the possibilities.
"What? I just have a curious mind." She defended herself.
"You're my assistant, shouldn't you be assisting me on something?" I folded my arms across my chest.
"I am assisting." She smiled. "I'm listening to all your problems."
I chuckled in response. "Right."
"You must really love him to go through all of this mess." Julie shook her head as she spoke.
"I mean, it is a lot. It's been so worth it though." I smiled to myself. "Things are amazing for us right now and having Sterling with us has been such a blessing."
"How is it being the mom to a six year old overnight?" Julie asked.
"It's interesting. It's a big change but it's been fun. There's just been one down side of the whole thing for Damon." I answered.
"And that is?" She had a puzzled expression on her face.
"Well, it seems Sterling is closer to me than Damon. Damon tries to act like it doesn't have any effect on him but I know better. I've been around him for almost a year, I know when his mood seems off." I explained.
"Why does he think Sterling is closer to you?" She questioned further. "You guys literally just brought the child home."
"Because the first night Sterling was home in Damon's mansion with us he had a bad dream. So he came to our room." I responded. "He came directly to me instead of acknowledging Damon. Damon didn't say anything but I could tell he was a little off about it."
"I see." Julie nodded.
Before we continued our conversation there was a knock on the door. "Come in." I spoke loud enough for the person on the other side to hear.
The door opened and Victoria walked inside. "There's a man at the front counter insisting he speaks to you directly. I tried to send him away or to tell me what he wants but he refused and said it must be you he talks to." Victoria informed me.
"Did he say if he was a customer?" I asked.
"No. He won't give me any information." She answered.
"Okay." I nodded. "Let him know I'll be right there."
"Okay." she turned and left the room.
"Who do you think it is?" Julie asked. She seemed to be just as confused as I was.
"I don't know." I stood up from my chair. "But I guess I'm about to go find out."
I exited the backroom and Julie followed behind me. I made my way to the counter where the man Victoria referred to stood. He was about my mother's age and looked familiar. Then it hit me, I had caught a glimpse of him before. He was the man that seemed to know my mother while I was in the hospital. He called her name and she hurried out of the room without any explanation.
"How can I help you?" I asked as I got closer to him.
"Kaydence Bush, right?" He smiled.
"It's Tipton now." I corrected him. "How can I help you?"
"I see." he nodded to himself.
He had brown hair and brown eyes. His face though seemed so familiar to me. I had only caught a glimpse before but that's not where I knew him from. I had to have seen him elsewhere. I just couldn't put my finger on where I may have ran into him before.
"I'm kind of busy at the moment. What is it you need?" I kept my tone as polite as possible.
"My apologies. I thought your mother would've told you about me by now. My name is Alastair Bushemp." The man introduced himself.
"I'm sorry. I still have no idea who you are." I was apologetic as it seemed like this man may expect I knew who he was.
"I'm your uncle." He further elaborated for me.
I could feel the confusion on my face. "I didn't know my mother had a brother."
The man chuckled slightly. "I'm not from your mother's side. I'm your father's brother." He explained further.
"Wait, what?" This didn't help clear up any questions for me.
I didn't know anything about my dad's side of the family. When I was little the only family we ever saw was my mother's. Even then when my father died we couldn't afford all the travel so I hadn't seen them in ages. My dad's side though, he and my mother never talked about in front of me. I had overheard a few disagreements about my father's family before but I still never got much information from them. I didn't even know what the disagreements had been about.
He checked his watch and then looked back at me. "I don't have much time so I'll have to come see you to discuss this another time." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card with his number on it. "You can reach me here."
"Umm, okay." I nodded.
"I suggest maybe giving your mother a call. She can help explain things better." He spoke once more and then exited the store doors.