AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I carefully deleted the postscript before sending it, but stamping out those words had made me feel marginally better. Even if Elliot wouldn’t have understood them had I sent them, I did, and they pulled a smile from me.
Nothing was solved, but as always, taking out my frustration on Elliot provided me with desperately needed relief.
Of course, that relief didn’t last long. He replied almost as quickly as I’d sent my email.
From:[email protected]
Catherine,
Thank you. I’ve found it.
So you’re aware, I’m seconds away from firing Daniel. He shakes when I speak to him. It’s untenable. I need an assistant, not a leaf.
You’ve never shaken in my presence. Not once.
Aren’t you bored at home? What could you possibly be doing for all these weeks?
I would like you to come back as soon as possible. I don’t think Daniel’s going to make it much longer. He’s currently vibrating at his desk, and from what I understand, the human body cannot sustain constant vibration. He will eventually crumble. Do you want that on your conscience?
Think about it.
Yours,
Elliot
Laughing at how utterly unhinged his email was, I scooped Joey off her mat and nuzzled my nose against the side of her head. She smelled like baby shampoo and pure, fresh lovebug. I had never pictured myself as a mother or felt any kind of longing when I saw a random baby in public. Motherhood had been an abstract concept that had nothing to do with me.
But this girl,mygirl, had drawn me in from her first breath.
Something inside me had recognized her immediately.Oh, it’s you. Of course it is.
She really was the sweetest thing. Even on her bad nights,shewasn’t bad. Two weeks ago, she’d started smiling at me and basically hadn’t stopped. It had made it impossible to feel resentful when she woke me up forty-five minutes after I’d put her down.
Deliriously tired but never resentful. Not when my sweet girl smiled up at me from her bassinet the second I came into her eyeline.
We sat on my bed, and I lowered my tank. Joey immediately latched on to me, like I’d been starving her for days. In reality, she’d eaten an hour ago. I was pretty sure she was going through a growth spurt. That was what my Googling had told me about her sudden need to nurse around the clock.
Since Joey had been born, there’d been a hundred times I’d wished I could have called my mother to ask questions or be reassured I was doing the right thing. But I couldn’t open that door. If I did, there might not have been any closing it—not when my parents found out they had a granddaughter.
Chapter Eleven
Catherine
Ipushedmystrollerthrough the door of the coffee shop down the block from my house. When Raymond spotted me, he rushed toward me with his arms out. I knew better than to expect a hug. He wasn’t coming for me.
Raymond, the man who’d called childbirthickyand babiessmelly, scooped Joey out of the stroller and nestled her in his arms.
“Hello, Precious Angel McChunk-Cheeks.” He ran his nose along her cheek. “Come with Daddy Raymond to pick out a donut. Sadly, you can’t have one. I’m going to take one for the team and eat it for you.”
“Hi, Ray,” I said flatly.
He flashed me a slightly sheepish grin. “Hey, Kit. Don’t mind me and Joey. We’re having a private conversation.”
Davida waved at me from a table in the corner. I pointed to the counter. Ineededcoffee before I could socialize. Last night had been another all-nighter. Somehow, Joey was all bright-eyed and cheerful, but I was seriously dragging.
Caffeine in hand, I fell into the empty chair beside Davida. Raymond and Joey were still wandering the coffee shop, giving me a minute to breathe, which was so fucking nice.
