“Go,” I tell Zane. “If you’re late for another meeting, Eli and Rhett will have your head.”
“Nah. I’ll tell them Adele had a blowout.”
I snuggle the baby closer. “Don’t you dare use this precious girl as an excuse.”
He sighs. “Fine. I’m going. As soon as you promise to call Mom if you need her.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ll call your mom if I need her.”
He waves before leaving.
“Finally, he’s gone. What do you want to do? Watch a scary movie? Go for a pub crawl?”
Adele’s response is a big yawn. “I hear you, sweetie pie. I’m tired, too. Should we take a nap?”
I push to my feet. As much as I’d enjoy sleeping all cuddled up to Adele on the sofa, it’s too dangerous. I’m not allowing this precious girl to get trapped between the sofa cushions or suffocate on my watch.
I lay Adele in her crib before shuffling down the hall to my bedroom. Boozer jumps on the bed and I cuddle into his side as I fall asleep.
Ding dong. Ding dong.
The doorbell rings and I groan. Who could it possibly be? Zane’s mom – any member of his family, really – would barge inside without knocking. And, as we’ve established, I have no family. Flying pirates, I hope it’s not Mom.
I roll out of bed and make my way to the nursery. Adele is awake and waiting for me in her crib. I settle her on my hip and go answer the door.
“Who are you?” I ask the stranger on the porch.
The woman scowls at me. “I’m the mother.”
My eyes widen as I inch backwards. “You’re Adele’s mother?”
“Yes. And I want her back.”
“You want her back?”
“Yep. I’m on break from college and have time for her now.”
“You have time for her now?”
“Are you going to stare at me with your mouth gaping open and repeat everything I say?”
I slam my mouth shut.
“Are you going to give me my baby or what?”
Or what. Definitely or what.
No way, no how is this woman taking Adele. It would break Zane’s heart. And I wouldn’t walk away unscathed either. This little girl has wormed her way into my heart.
I’m not letting this woman treat Adele the way my mother treated me – as an inconvenience she only had time for when she was bored.
“You can’t show up here and make demands. Adele isn’t a toy. You can’t play with her when you want and then dump her when you’re bored.”
She stomps her foot. “Adele is mine. Give her to me.”
She wants the baby, and yet she hasn’t looked at Adele once. She hasn’t asked how she’s doing. She hasn’t shown concern for her whatsoever.
She’s also acting like a child. Stomping her foot and making demands.
