But I don’t stop. Don’t even pause as I run as hard and as fast as I can for the center of town. Which, luckily for me, isn’t that far because I’ve never been much of a runner.
By the time I reach the cafe, there’s a stabbing pain in my side and my breaths are coming in short, desperate gasps. Stopping on the sidewalk, I bend at the waist, struggling to get enough air into my lungs.
“Oh, sweetheart. What’s wrong? Where’s your Daddy or your Mommy?”
Lifting my head, I squint up at Ms. Montgomery. I’ve only met her once, but even if I hadn’t, I would know her by sight. She’s easily the most beautiful woman on the island, hell maybe the most beautiful woman in theworld, with long black hair and cheekbones that look like they could cut glass.
“S-sorry M-Miss Mon-Mon-Mon—” I try to get her name out, but I still don’t have enough air in my lungs.
“Millie? Honey, what are you doing out here? Are you all right?” Cupping my elbow in her hand, she opens the cafe door and guides me inside. “Here, have a seat and let Auntie Cat get you some water.”
Auntie Cat. Just a few minutes ago, that name would have filled me with unparalleled happiness. Now, it just feels like apromise of something I’ll never actually have. And as soon as my butt hits the chair she’s led me to, my eyes fill with tears.
“Oh, sweet girl. Come here.”
Taking the seat beside me, she helps me up out of my chair and pulls me onto her lap. The chairs of the cafe are almost like oversized armchairs, more than large enough for a Mommy or Daddy to cradle their Little one on their lap.
Wrapped tightly in her arms, I try to calm my sobs as she rocks me gently, patting my diapered bottom exactly like one might with a fussy baby.
“Poor little thing,” she murmurs, brushing her lips across my forehead. “Go ahead and cry it all out, honey, and then you can tell Auntie Cat all about it.”
It’s as though she’s given me permission I didn’t even realize I was waiting for. Curling into her, I surrender to the tears, sobbing against her shoulder while she rocks and soothes me. Someone comes to the table, and she has a murmured conversation with them, but I’m too lost in my grief to care.
Finally, the tears slow, then stop completely and I’m able to drag in a deep, shuddering breath before I go limp in her arms, my eyes swollen and sore from my crying jag. “Sorry to cry all over you, Ms. Montgomery.”
“No sorries needed here, little one. And you can call me Auntie Cat. Now,” she continues, plowing forward without giving me a chance to argue, “what’s wrong with our sweet little Millie?”
For a moment, I consider lying. Telling her I just had a bad day at work or something.
But when I open my mouth, the truth comes spilling out. Everything from how much I hated working for Doctor D, to turning in my resignation, the trip to New York, waking up in my new nursery with a man I can’t stand telling me he’s my Daddy. All the way up to the bracelet fiasco at school.
“Well. That is quite a tale, Millie.” Her voice is tight with barely restrained anger, and my heart sinks to my knees.
I knew it. I said too much, and obviously she’s going to side with her nieces.
“I’m not lying.” Really, I’m not even sure why I’m defending myself, other than I am desperate for someone to believe I’m not the villain in this story. “I swear I’m not, Auntie Cat.”
To my surprise, she smiles down at me, brushing a lock of hair from my tear-stained face. “Sweet girl, I never for a second thought you were lying. I’m a bit shocked that Victoria and Isabella were so mean to you, but don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of their behavior soon enough. For now, you’re going to have a bottle while we wait for your Daddy.”
Chapter Fifteen
Millie
Reaching forward, Auntie Cat plucks a bottle full of milk from the table while my mind tries to make sense of what she’s just said. “Donovan doesn’t even know where I am.”
Auntie Cat chuckles and presses the nipple to my mouth. I’m too exhausted and too thirsty to argue, so I simply suck at the rubber tip, sighing happily as cool milk floods my mouth.
“That’s a good girl. And of course your Daddy knows where you are, silly Millie. Randy called him the moment we sat down. He’s already on his way.”
The sweet milk turns to ash on my tongue. If Donovan knows I’m here, then he knows I ran away from school. Which means I’m inso much fucking trouble.
As if my very thoughts have conjured him, the cafe door flies open and Donovan races inside, his eyes wild as he looks frantically around the cafe. Then he spots me and Auntie Cat, and I swear I can feel the relief pouring off him.
“Camilla!” Rushing over, he drops to his knees—hisknees—beside us, running his hands over my body. “Are you okay, baby? What happened?”
Instead of pulling the bottle from my mouth so I can answer him, Auntie Cat takes care of that for me. “She had an… incident with the girls at school. I’m afraid they weren’t very nice to her.”
“What? Why?”
