“Well, it makes sense in mine too,” Uncle Mason says.
Leaving it at that, I go get my girl, and she drags her feet to the house. We do our nighttime routine. I read to her, and she falls asleep.
I close the door and run to the bathroom, heaving dinner right back up.
This was my worst fear. I will fight for Naomi until my dying breath. But a mother has a right to her child in the eyes of the law. I knew that going in, and I have to face the fact Rebekah may fight me, and I’ll lose Naomi.
***
The sun is rising as steam lifts from my cup of coffee. The cool air makes my feet cold and goosebumps rise on my bare chest. I need to get Naomi up, and we need to get down to the barn. The phone call I need to make can wait. But the twenty-pound gorilla on my back says differently. Even if I did it now, it’s not like Rebekah would answer, and I don’t want to play phone tag. I want to get it over with.
“Daddy?” I hear her sweet voice call for me.
Shaking off the gorilla, I go back into the house to get us ready for the day.
“Right here, princess.”
Naomi rubs her eyes and squints at the lights.
“I’m surprised I didn’t have to get you up,” I say, smoothing her bedhead back from her face.
She shrugs, and I pour her a glass of juice.
She takes a sip and rests her head on my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her. She’s not usually this cuddly in the morning.
Naomi doesn’t answer, and I pick her up. I don’t care that she’s seven, and I’ll hold her as long as I can. She wraps herself around me like a koala and rests her head on my shoulder.
“Are you feeling okay?” I ask her.
She nods against my shoulder. “Alrighty, well let’s get ready for the day. We’re burnin’ daylight.”
“Okay,” she sighs.
I leave her to pick out her own clothes while I finish getting my shirt and socks on.
“Ready!” she calls from the kitchen.
Tucking my shirt as I go back into the kitchen, she’s got her boots and hat on with a smile on her face. I frown, confused by the change in demeanor. I’ll have to tell Aunt Dixie to watch her. I know she’s a kid, and they have mood changes, and it’s all normal, but I know my kid.
“Lead the way, cowgirl.”
She throws the door open, I flip off the lights, and down the hill we go.
Naomi slips her hand into mine as we walk.
“Daddy?” she says.
“Yeah?”
“Can we go see Abe today?” she asks.
I groan inwardly. I don’t understand her fascination with that pain in the ass. Abe is one of our donkeys, and he’s always getting himself into trouble. I swear he’s a toddler in a donkey's body. But he and Naomi love each other.
“Sure, you can feed him. How about that?” I offer.
“Yes!” she says throwing her fist up in the air.
