I muster a smile in return. “Hi, I think my party is already here. The last name is Kincaid.”
She looks down at her tablet and then smiles back up at me. “Yes, they’re here. Follow me.”
She leads me into the busy restaurant and to a booth in the back where my parents are already seated. My dad’s face breaks into a smile when he sees me, my mother doesn’t even look in my direction until I’m standing right beside their table.
“Hey, sweetheart,” my dad greets me as he stands to give me a hug. “How are you doing?”
“Hey dad,” I mumble into his shoulder. “I’m doing okay.”
My mom doesn’t bother to move from her spot in the booth, so my dad retakes his seat. I slide onto the bench across them, sucking in a little bit so my belly doesn’t hit the table. My dad notices and slides the table closer to them, making my mom grumble in protest.
“That dress is a little snug, don’t you think, sweetheart?” My mom asks when I finally get situated.
My dad’s brow furrows beside her. He’s about to say something when I speak. “Well, it’s just about the only thing I feel comfortable wearing with how hot it is right now.”
“Hmm,” she hums.
“Hi y’all, my name is Kennedy, and I’ll be your server today. What can I get y’all to drink?” Our waitress interrupts our hostility.
We all order waters and sit in relative silence until the waitress takes our food order and leaves us be for a bit.
“So, when are you going to move back to Charolette?” My mom asks.
My eyebrows raise. “Why would I move back to Charlotte?”
“Why would you stay in that redneck little town?” She asks snidely.
“Silver Springs isn’t redneck,” I mutter. “And I’ll stay there because that’s where my home is and my job.”
“But what do you really have there? Not Travis.”
I clench my teeth as I look down at my engagement ring, sliding it around my finger to stop myself from flipping out on her.Who makes a comment like that?
“She’s made a life for herself there,” my dad speaks up. “We can’t expect her to just leave it all behind.”
“I suppose not,” mom mutters. “But what are you doing to do when the baby comes and you have no one to help you?”
I don’t have a chance to respond before the waitress comes back with our food. My dad changes the subject as we eat, and my mom fills me in on all the gossip from Charlotte. I listen but don’t contribute much to the conversation, which my dad notices. He shoots me an apologetic glance.
“So, do you have the nursery ready to go?” Mom asks as she wipes her mouth with her napkin and puts it on her plate.
I sit back and run a hand over my belly. “Uh, no. I don’t.”
“You don’t have the nursery ready? Christ, Everly, do I have to do everything for you?”
“What does that even mean?”
She sighs. “It means that I don’t think you’re going to take good enough care of my grandchild.”
“Laura!” My dad barks out.
She waves him off. “No, Edward. She needs to hear this. If you don’t step it up, I’ll do whatever I have to do to get custody of your child.”
My mouth drops open in shock. “What is wrong with you?” I rasp before I climb out of the booth and rush through the restaurant.
Who the hell does my mother think she is? She can’t just take my baby away because she’s not happy that I won’t move back to Charlotte or I don’t have the nursery ready yet.Can she?
My mind doesn’t even register the restaurant full of people around me or the parking lot as I rush to my vehicle. I climb inside and sit there for a moment, staring off into space.
