Finally alone, I locked the door before doing one quick scan of the place. Spying the photos lying on the coffee table, I took one last look.
Tracing my finger across the picture of her smiling face staring back at me, I apologized, something I was doing regularly these days. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me, Cassidy. I let you down when you needed me the most. But I promise you, I’ll make it right. Somehow, I’ll make it right.”
24
SKYE
It’d beena couple of days since I’d heard from Hayden but I’d been so busy helping Kellie that time became irrelevant. The C-section had taken it out of her and she needed help with pretty much everything. The other thing that stood out was how unprepared she was for having a baby. I didn’t even want to know the total hit my credit card took after my online shopping binges that had me buying everything I thought Cassie could ever possibly need. I know Kellie was doing her best, but I couldn’t stand by and watch them struggle.
They’d both woken up from their afternoon nap, and Kellie carried Cassie outside and joined me in the garden.
“Hey there, pretty girl. How did you sleep?” I asked, reaching for Cassie.
Kellie handed her over quickly before sinking down into the chair, adjusting her dark glasses over her eyes.
“She’s such a good baby,” Kellie said, her voice laced with pride.
“She’s a beautiful girl. Aren’t you, sweetheart?” I cooed.
While I sat there doting on Cassie and rocking her in my arms, I looked around. As beautiful as this place was, I couldn’t stay here. For one, I was going to run out of money sooner than I liked but also, this wasn’t my life. This was Kellie’s life. I was just dropping by to check in. I hadn’t even planned on staying this long.
The problem was though, I was stuck. Kellie needed help. I couldn’t just leave her here on her own. Sure, she had Gloria who lived in the house at the front of the property. I’d met her a couple of times and although she moved slowly, she was a determined, independent old lady. She was proud of her vegetable garden and I often found a basket of goodies left on Kellie’s doorstep.
With a million thoughts playing on my mind, I asked the question I’d been holding back from asking for days. “Have you spoken to your mom yet?”
Kellie sighed heavily before extending her arms reaching for her daughter and I knew exactly what she was doing. She was using Cassie as a shield, a form of protection, something I noticed she was doing more and more.
“I haven’t exactly spoken to her…”
“What’s that mean?”
“I’ve sent her a couple of texts but I haven't actually talked to her.”
“She knows about Cassie though, doesn’t she?”
Kellie stood up, looking like she was ready to run. “Why are you interrogating me?”
“Come on, Kel. I’m not. You know I’m on your side,” I tried to explain, annoyed at the fact she was second-guessing that. Hadn’t I proven that I was here for her.
“Sorry,” Kellie apologized, shifting from side to side and staring out over the garden. “She doesn’t know I was pregnant,” she admitted.
“Why the fuck not?” I didn’t even bother trying to tone down my shock. What the fuck was her plan if I hadn’t shown up? Was she going to hide out in Ohio, tucked away in her corner of the world, raising Cassie without even knowing she had family out there?
“Mom had already lost Cassidy…”
“Kellie. I’m going to say something and you’re not going to like it, but you need to hear it and you need to understand I’m coming from a good place.”
I watched as Kellie digested my words before excusing herself to put Cassie down in her crib again. When she reemerged with a bottle of water and beer, she looked like she was steeling herself for me to deliver her a blow she wasn’t sure she could handle, and frankly, I felt the same.
“Okay. Say what you need to,” she invited, handing me the beer before settling herself in the chair and opening her water.
“You need to tell your mom,” I started and Kellie rolled her eyes.
“You think I haven’t already thought about it? That I’ve wanted to?”
“Well why didn’t you? I’ve met your mom a bunch of times and she’s amazing. She’s one of the least judgmental people I’d ever met.”
“You don’t know her like I do,” Kellie commented, her voice thick with sadness.
