Tyler explained to her all that happened with Kaiya the previous day, of course keeping the part about their kiss out of it.
“Mon dieu, to think I treated her like dirt whenever we met. Oh, I’m so sorry she went through all that. What horrible parents she has!” Then she blushed. “Who am I to cast aspersions on their character? I’m not an ideal mother.”
Tyler rose from his stool, walked around the counter, and hugged her. “Don’t you ever say that again, Mom. You’re the world’s best mom, and I cherish you. You never intentionally caused me pain. You were only in a bad place which you got out of. For eight years, Kaiya’s father lied to her. Even when he saw how depressed she was, he never had compassion enough to tell her the truth. Not even when her mother found out.”
She smiled through the tears in her eyes. “Thanks, Tyler. I cherish you, too.”Then she let out a sigh. “I feel so sorry for Kaiya. All these years she was left in the dark to mourn a nonexistent dead baby. How cruel.”
Tyler nodded. “Indeed.”
Suddenly, her face scrunched in a frown, and her eyes held apprehension.
“Kaiya is going to try to take Lili from us.”
“What?” Tyler shook his head.
“Now that she knows her daughter is alive; she will want her daughter back. Tyler, you have to do something.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Mom, please, calm down. Kaiya isn’t going to take Lili away from us. She can’t do that. All she wants is to get to know her daughter.”
His mom shook her head vigorously. “That’s what you think. If I were in Kaiya’s shoes, I would want my child with me full time. She might start with wanting to know her, and then before we know it, we’re in court fighting for custody of our little girl.”
Tyler ran his fingers through his hair. His mom was getting hysterical over nothing. Kaiya would never in a million years do that to him and their daughter. He wouldn’t even think of the reasons why he still trusted her. “I assure you that won’t be the case, Mom. Please believe me.”
His mom placed her hands against her quivering lips. “I’m scared. Why don’t we move again?”
Tyler shook his head, debating on how best to get through to the woman for her to know that Kaiya wasn’t a threat to them. Poor Kaiya only wanted to be with the daughter she was denied of for eight years.
“Mom, please listen to me. You don’t have to be afraid. Kaiya won’t take Lili from us. I promise.” Then he wrapped her in his arms, praying she would believe him and not give herself unnecessary stress about the whole issue.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m a hundred percent positive that your fears will never come to pass. Kaiya isn’t that kind of a person.”
“She might have changed. After all, you haven’t seen her in eight years.”
“Mom, everything will be fine.”
“If you say so,” his mom stated, but Tyler was definite that she didn’t believe him. She would just have to see that Kaiya wouldn’t take Lili from them.
Chapter 12
“Are you nervous?” Jalissa asked Kaiya over the phone.
“Are you kidding me?” Kaiya’s eyes widened as she asked the question. “The inside of my cheeks are in tatters. I’ve almost chewed them to shreds.”
Jalissa’s hearty laughter burst through the phone lines. “Oh, Kai, you’ll be fine. Just take one step at a time. And you don’t have to worry; your little girl is already crazy about you.”
Still chewing the insides of her cheeks, Kaiya remarked, “She is crazy about Kaiya her dance teacher. I don’t know how she’ll feel about me being her mom and abandoning her.”
“You didn’t abandon her Kai and you can’t keep blaming yourself either. It’s going to be smooth sailing after you tell her.”
“Lissa, what will I do without you?” she questioned, grateful for her friend’s pep talk.
“I don’t even wanna think about the boring existence you’d have without me,” Jalissa laughed with gusto.
Kaiya laughed as well. “I’m coming up to the house now. I’ll call you when I get home.”
“Alright. Have a pleasant day. Kisses to my niece.”
