Page 119 of Legally Mine

"Unfortunately, not," Brandon paused for a moment. "I'll tell you more later. We'll meet you on the beach for the fireworks, okay? Try to get a spot near one of the lifeguard stations so I can find you."

"Okay," I said. "I hope everything is all right."

He heaved another great sigh. "It will be. I think."

We hung up, and I found the kids looking at me expectantly. I pasted on the biggest smile I could. To hell with the fancy farm-to-table place Janette had chosen. If there were ever kids in need of fast food, it was these guys.

"Vous aimez des hamburgers?" I asked.

The instant grins on their faces told me everything I needed to know.

Fifteen minutes later, we were comfortably ensconced at a picnic table outside a local diner, watching tourists ambling around Chatham while we enjoyed our very American meals of burgers, fries, and chocolate milkshakes.

"I'm so glad you guys were able to visit," I said for what must have been the fifth or sixth time that weekend. I meant it, too. "I'll really miss you when you go back to France. You'll have to come back and visit."

"Oh, we are not going home," Christoph said casually before taking a monster bite of his burger. For such a small kid, he ate a lot. "Not until Papa can get us back our house."

I frowned, French fry in midair. "What's wrong with your house?"

"Well, it's not ours right now. The big men come to take our furniture," Christoph continued before taking a long pull on his milkshake.

"Idiot!" Annabelle hissed next to him. "On ne doit rien dire!"

"You keep forgetting that I can understand you," I remarked calmly, causing Annabelle's face to turn bright red. "What is it you're not supposed to tell me?"

Christoph stared at his sister, then shrugged. "C'est notre sœur." She is our sister, he reminded Annabelle.

Annabelle sighed. "Donc, we had to move. Papa thinks I don't know that he is in trouble, but I do. The...how do you say...le conduit? For the air?"

She looked to me for help.

"The vent?" I guessed.

She nodded, satisfied. "Oui, the vent in his office, it connected to my room at home. I could hear a lot that he didn't know." She looked at me with sudden terror. "You will not tell?"

I placed a hand over her small one and tried to look reassuring. "Sisters don't tell on their sisters."

Annabelle's small shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. "Bon," she said.

"So, what did you hear?" I asked before I took another bite of my burger.

An uneasy look crossed her face. "I don't like to listen to him fight with Maman. But I know she was very angry with him about something he did. She said that if he did not get our money back, she would find a way to do it without him. The men came to take our things the next week, and Papa says we are here to try to fix it." She looked up, her large brown eyes full of questions. "Do you know what he needs to fix, Skylar?"

Both of the children's faces zeroed in on me, unblinking. Clearly, they were both extremely concerned with their father's situation, what little they knew of it. I gulped.

"Um, no," I said, although now I was certainly curious. Maybe this was what was keeping Brandon.

When Christoph looked like he might cry, I gave him my best "don't worry" smile. I set my burger down and reach across the table for both of their hands.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," I said.

It was all I could say. Both the kids nodded and went back to their meals. Their normal chatter returned as we started speculating about what kinds of designs the fireworks would have.

After dinner, we went to the beach and laid out a blanket. We had bought some cupcakes from a shop in town, and the kids were happy to lay with me, telling stories about France while we waited for the fireworks to begin.

"I wish you came to our house in France," Christoph said. "When you lived there too, I mean."

I squeezed his shoulder. He was a small boy for his age, but solid.