Cooper: songs got you thinkin’about me, stubborn?
Mae: Whatever…
I smile and start playing the song, listening to the whole thing before I have to let my other reality set in.
I pull up the phone number for Rebekah and hit call. It’s time to rip off the band-aid.
My stomach churns with a deep sense of dread. Which isn’t fair to Rebekah, but it’s the only thing I can associate with her as of late.
“Hello?” Rebekah says.
“It’s Cooper.”
She’s silent for a moment.
“Thank you for calling,” she says softly.
“I was told you came to the ranch.”
“Please don’t be mad at me,” she whispers.
I huff. “You know, Rebekah, by about month three of raising my niece on my own, I stopped being angry and started to understand you were never coming back. So I’m not mad. I think I’m just confused at this point.”
She’s quiet, and I want to throw my phone, tell her never to come back again, but I can’t do any of that.
“I wondered how this conversation would go. I wanted to talk to you face to face, but you were obviously working. I saw her through the window.”
I take a deep breath. I know Naomi didn’t see her, but my hackles go up, anyway.
“She’s beautiful,” she says.
“She is. She’s a good kid. Kind, creative, brave, loving.”
“I’m sure you’ve done a great job with her,” she says.
I sigh and look up at the sky. “Rebekah, why now? What are you hoping to achieve?” I ask her.
Rebekah takes a deep breath. “I want a relationship with my daughter. I’ve worked really hard and I’m ready, Cooper. I’m ready to be a mom.”
Blood pounds in my ears, and I clamp down my rage. I want to scream, maybe even put my fist through something.
“How can I trust that you won’t turn around and leave her again? I won’t let you hurt my kid.”
“Your kid?” she says.
“Yes, Rebekah,mykid. I have raised her. By the grace of God, she is a good kid. But under no circumstances will I let you hurt her.”
“I know I hurt her before.”
“She cried for weeks. It was all I could do to calm her. She wanted her mother, and you weren’t there. All she kept saying was mama until one day she stopped. I won’t let you do that to her again,” I state.
“Please, Cooper, please let me try. I’m not asking to take her back. We can start small. Please,” she cries.
My jaw ticks, and I know it’s not a good idea. But if Rebekah is serious. This could be life-changing for Naomi, and I don’t want to be the one who keeps Naomi from her mother. If she’s better and got her act together, this could be a good thing for everyone.
I take a deep breath and remind myself. This is not for me. This is for Naomi.
“Here’s what we’re going to do. You will come to the ranch to spend some time with Naomi. You will have a couple hours. I’ll be there the entire time, and then you’ll leave. Once I see how it goes, we’ll go from there.”
