Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“But,” she starts, and I reach out, taking her hand, and then lean closer, wrapping my hand around the side of her face. Crap, I’m not even sure how to talk to her about this. “If the time comes and you feel like you want to call Denver Dad, I’m all for that, baby. But let’s wait a little while, ‘kay?”
“Like until after you’re married?”
“Yes, but if you think we need to talk about it before then, we can.”
“Okay.” She smiles then looks back down at the picture she’s been coloring, drops the crayon she had in her hand, and changes it out for a new color.
I watch her, thinking that was strange—not good, not bad, but still awkward. I also think I need to have a talk with my parents and my sister about what they discuss around her, because she obviously hears everything, even when you don’t think she’s paying attention.
With a shake of my head, I go back around to the stove and dump a box of pasta into the water that is already boiling. Once the pasta is done, I mix it with the meat sauce, transfer it into a baking dish, and smother it with mozzarella before putting it in the oven.
When the doorbells rings at ten to six, Ly jumps off her stool, shouting “I’ll get it!” with me right on her heels.
I expect Denver to be on the other side of the door, so when I swing it open without looking to see who’s outside, my body freezes when I see my mom standing on my porch. “Mom?” I drop my eyes to her bag and bite my lip.
“Hey.” She leans in, wrapping her arms around me and giving me a hug. Letting me go, she scoops up Ly, who is totally startled by the grandmother she does not know. “Hey, pretty girl.” She kisses Ly’s cheek. “God, you look just like your mom. Nothing like your dad. Thank god for that.”
“Mom,” I whisper-hiss, not that she notices.
“I decided to come to town for a couple weeks. I thought we should spend some time together and catch up.”
I blink at her as she hands me Ly, picks up her bag, and hauls it into the house before shutting the door.
She did this once or twice in the past when Gabe was alive, dropped by unexpectedly and invited herself to stay awhile. Those times, I had been accommodating, because a part of me was hoping she was going to turn over a new leaf and finally step up to be my mom. I learned after the last time she came and went without a word for months that she didn’t want to spend time with me; she just needed a place to crash.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, as Ly rests her head on my shoulder and her arms tighten around my neck.
“Something smells great. I’m starved.” She pulls off her light jean jacket, tossing it into the darkened front living room, and I hear it land on the couch. “How have you been?” she asks without answering my question.
Anger starts to pump through my blood, but I know I cannot get as pissed as I want to with Ly in my arms. I cannot let Ly see me lose my damn mind. “I’ll be right back.” I don’t look at her. I open the front door, step out, and close it behind me. In my bare feet, I carry Ly in my arm across my front porch, over the gravel between my dad’s house and mine, and right through his front door without knocking.
“Gorgeous?” Dad frowns when he sees me. I don’t say anything to him. I carry Ly upstairs to my sister’s room and push her door open. Like normal, Pen is in bed, reading. She starts to smile when she sees me, but reading the look on my face, her smile fades away.
“Can you hang with your niece for a bit, Pen?” I ask, and she nods. “Baby, stay with Pen. I’ll be back to get you, or Denver will when he gets to the house,” I say, looking into her eyes, and she nods. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Mama,” she whispers. I set her to her feet, turn, and leave the room, shutting the door. I find my dad and Shel at the bottom of the steps when I get there, with their arms curled around each other.
“What’s going on?” Dad asks, narrowing his eyes and giving me a look that I haven’t seen in years. One that says I better tell him or he will ground me for the rest of my life.
“Mom’s over at my place right now. She just showed up with a suitcase, walked in, and greeted me like she’s been seeing me every month for years. Then she picked up Ly and totally freaked her out by being everything that is her.”