“He doesn’t know.”
“Why?”
“He was gone before I found out. I guess that goodbye fuck really fucked us over. Fucked me over I guess.”
I offered her a sad smile. My heart hurt for her. She was not only doing this alone but she was trying to do this with a broken heart. “You’ll be an amazing mom, Kellie. Your son or daughter—”
“Daughter. I’m having a girl.”
“Oh my God, Kellie!” I squeaked, going over and giving her a hug. This might be hard but it was still incredible. “You’re going to have a baby girl.”
“I am.”
“And you’ll kick ass. You can do this.”
“Thanks.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Kellie looked nervous and I felt like shit, but I had to ask. I wanted to help but to do that, I needed more information. “Okay.” Her voice wavered.
“I’m not judging, but why are you living like this?”
“You mean in someone’s guest house with shitty old furniture that looked like it should’ve been thrown out a decade before I was born?”
I felt like shit. I rubbed my tired eyes before answering her question. “Yeah, I guess.”
“It’s all I can afford. I’ve been working every shift I can to try and squirrel away every penny because I’m going to need it when she comes along. It mightn’t look like much but I have a roof over our heads and I’m going to be okay,” Kellie reinforced and I was convinced it wasn’t me she was trying to remind.
“Of course you are! You’re going to be more than okay. You and your baby girl are going to be happy and healthy with a home filled with love.”
Kellie’s eyes filled with tears and I squeezed her hand, offering her support.
“What happened to Cassidy’s assets?”
Even talking about it made me want to vomit. I knew Cassidy had a will. I’d been the one who’d signed on as a witness for her, so I still couldn’t reconcile how Kellie was left in this situation.
“You mean her money?”
“Yeah. I mean, I know it’s none of my business but I’m sure she would’ve wanted you to have what you need. Even if you don’t use it for yourself, Cass would love to spoil her niece in any way she could.”
Talking about money made me queasy. Especially someone else's money, but seeing Kellie struggling like this, I couldn’t just sit there and say nothing.
“There’s been some hiccups, shall we say with the will.”
“Hiccups?”
“Dad’s contesting it.”
Wow! I didn’t even know their father was still alive. I mean, obviously Cassidy had a father but she’d never once mentioned him, never acknowledged him, not once in all the years I’d known her. And he was certainly not in the will she’d signed.
Swallowing down my surprise I asked, “How’s your mom taking it?”
“Honestly? She wants to string him up by the balls from the nearest tree and let the coyotes sort him out.”
“That bad huh?”
“You have no idea. But Mom doesn’t care about the money. That’s not what this is about. Mom’s not like that,” Kellie defended.
