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Carly Jo’s eyes fill with tears, and she giggles. “Sure am, sweets, sure am.”
First damn thing she has said since she laid eyes on Kylee Jo. Tears stream down her face, and I reach up to caress her soft cheeks. She smiles at me, then takes a lick of her ice cream cone. Carly Jo and Kylee Jo share some laughs over their ice cream, and I absorb it all.
It’s such a beautiful evening, watching the loves of my life as they get to know each other. I’ve always dreamed of it like this, but my heart falters at the thought of the discussion I have to have with Carly Jo. This can make us or break us, but regardless, I owe her the honesty.
Chapter 10
Colton
Kylee Jo is in a fit of tears when I take her home to Momma. "Daddy, please let me go to Carly Jo's with you! I promise I'll be a good girl; please, Daddy!"
"Princess, you have to get your beauty sleep; you have school tomorrow. Mamaw is gonna run you a warm bubble bath, and if you're extra good, she might just let you watch Beauty and the Beast while you eat milk and cookies in bed," I bribe her. She hugs my waist tight, wipin’ her snotty face on my shirt.
She turns to Carly Jo, hugs her tight, and says, "You promise you'll come back and play with me soon?" Carly Jo squats and whispers in her ear, sendin’ Kylee Jo into a fit of giggles. "Goodnight, Daddy, I love you. Goodnight, Carly Jo," Kylee Jo says as she bounces down the hall to the bathroom.
We drive in silence to her house. The tension between us is so thick you can cut it with a knife.As soon as we pull into her driveway she jumps from the truck and stalks toward the house. I follow suit, quickly on her heels. She goes to the kitchen and grabs a fifth of Jack Daniels and a shot glass from the cabinet. She pours herself a shot and tosses it back, her face scrunching as the hot, bitter fluid trails down her throat.She motions the bottle in my direction, but I shake my head.
In one swift movement she smashes the bottle down on the counter, and glass shards fly into the air as an ear-piercing scream erupts from her tiny frame. I'm at her side in two strides, pulling her close to me. She keeps me at arm length and pounds her small fists into my chest. Screams and cries escape her as she continues to lash out. Finally her legs go limp, and she slides down my body into a crumpled heap on the floor. I sit next to her and pull her into my lap. I brush her long brown hair away from her damp face and rain kisses all over her forehead as she falls apart. I don't know how long we sit tangled together in each other’s arms, but I comfort her the best I can. If it takes her beating the ever-lovin’ shit outta me for her to heal, then I'm all for it.
Suddenly, she untangles herself from my embrace, stands, and walks into the living room. I follow behind her like a lost puppy and sit on the couch. She paces back and forth, roughly wiping her snotty face on the sleeve of her shirt, before she finally works up the courage to ask the one question that's eating at her heart. "How old is she?"
I lean my head back and pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to suppress the anxiety that lurks behind the walls of my chest.
"Kylee Jo is six-years-old."
"When was she born, Colton?"
"January 21st, 2007."
"Where is her mom?"
"She died givin’ birth to Kylee Jo. I've raised her since the day she was born."
"Who was she, Colton? Say her damn name now!" Carly Jo yells.
"Kari White. I don't think you knew her. I met her at a party."
"So you left me for her? Why, Colton? What did she have that I didn't? I thought you loved me. I thought we would always be together, for life. My soul belonged to you until you ripped it out of my chest and shattered it with your bare freakin’ hands."
At that burst of anger, I fall apart. The truth spews from my mouth like a foul vomit. "Damn it, no! What happened with Kari and me happened one freakin’ time, and that was it. I left you to protect you, darlin’. And by the time I realized how stupid I was…” I grip my fists, tryin’ to control my anger. “You were gone. I had lost every damn thing in my life that mattered.”
"So all of this is because you tried to protect me? Damn, how noble of you, Colton,” she scoffs.
“I didn't expect you to run! I lost half of my heart, half of my soul. Why did you leave? Why the hell did you have to stay away for seven damn years? My God, darlin’, think of all the time we lost! I know I screwed up, but I did it to protect you!" I run my fingers through my hair and release a deep rattling roar as the tears break free. She thinks her life has been hell without me? She doesn’t know the battles I’ve fought because of her.
"Just go, Colton." I raise my head from the grip of my palms and look at her in disbelief. She wants answers, but am I not deserving enough to hear the answers to my own questions?
"Hell no! This ends here, tonight. All this shit between us, all these damn lies and buried secrets, it all comes out. I want answers too, Carly Jo, and damn it, I'm gonna get ’em!”
CARLY JO
One word. That’s all it took for my heart to disintegrate.
Daddy.
One look. That’s all it took for my world to come shattering down around me.
My mind is reeling through the motions of the night, trying to wade through these revelations, and I can’t convince myself to believe that any of it is real…
