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“What I need to say, won’t take up much time.”
“Who is it, Ally?” I finally ask, growing tired of the stalling.
“It’s Mrs. Nelson,” she says as her voice cracks.
The mere mention of that last name has me off the couch, injuries be damned. I stride toward the door, moving Lacey out of the way. “What do you want?”
Mrs. Nelson blanches. Either at my harsh tone or my appearance. Both are pretty bad. She stands tall, unaffected it seems. “I’d like to speak with you and Ally; it will only take a minute.”
I nod but not in agreement with her. “Ally, take Lacey into your bedroom.”
Ally does as I tell her. Once I hear the door close, I look at Mrs. Nelson. “Look, we’re not stupid or naïve enough to let you in so you can use this in your fight for custody. I think you should leave.”
I start to close the door, but Mrs. Nelson sticks her hand out, halting it. “Please,” she says. “I understand you don’t want me here. But I have some things to say, and I’d like the opportunity to say them. It’ll only take a moment.”
“Let her in, Ky.”
Against every fiber of my being, I hold the door open for the woman. Ally has the audacity to apologize about her living situation as she turns Aladdin off. “Please, have a seat.”
Mrs. Nelson sits down on the couch, also known as my bed, while Ally sits at the other end, leaving me no choice but to stand. I want to yell at Ally and remind her I’m hurt, but figure now is not the time. We have to show a united front, for Lacey’s sake.
“I have a lot to say, so if I could have the floor for a moment.”
Ally nods. I glare.
She clears her throat and tries to smile, but her lips barely move. “I want to apologize to you, Ally, because I had no idea about Lacey until my husband pulled up to the skating plaza and we went in. All morning, he and my son kept saying they had a surprise for me, and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why we were at a skating rink. When I saw . . .” she pauses and inhales deeply. “The fear on your face when my husband approached you.” She shakes her head. “Needless to say, that day I realized I’m married to a very evil man, and not one I want in my life.”
“Yippee,” I say sarcastically.
Mrs. Nelson’s eyes go to mine, and I see kindness mixed with pain. “To find out I have a grandchild that way is unthinkable. To find out the extent my husband and son have gone to make sure my grandchild suffers is incomprehensible and disgusting. I want no part of their games.”
“Why are you here then?” I ask her.
“I come with a much-belated peace offering.”
I scoff and Ally shoots daggers my way.
“You have every right to be suspicious, I would be if I were in your shoes. I’m sorry. But please, let me say what I need to.”
“Go ahead,” Ally tells her.
“I know about the tear down of the park and how my husband isn’t willing to negotiate. This is beyond unacceptable and frankly I wonder if my husband has a shred of human decency left. So, I’m here with a request. I want to be a part of Lacey’s life. I would love to be her grandmother or whatever title you want to give me, and I also want to support the both of you. If Austin . . .” She pauses again and takes a deep breath. “If he wasn’t in the pickle he’s in, he would’ve taken care of you. He would’ve brought you home to us.”
“What do you mean, support us?” Ally asks.
“Child support and a place to live. I won’t stand for my grandchild and her mother living on the streets or in some shelter or some drug-infested neighborhood. You need a safe place to raise her, nurture her. You need a place to call home. I don’t care about the cost, wherever you want to live, I’ll pay for it.”
“I knew it,” I say. “You Nelsons just buy everyone off with your money.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Mrs. Nelson says.
“Right. You’re going to pretend you don’t know Adam came to me with a check to stay away from Thea?”
Mrs. Nelson’s eyes go wide. She shakes her head and looks down at the ground. Finally, she reaches for Ally’s hand. “Please think about my offer. It’s not going anywhere. Whether, today, tomorrow or a year from now, it’ll always be there.”
“I don’t want Mr. Nelson anywhere near Lacey. I don’t trust him.”
She laughs. “Oh, sweetie. Don’t you worry. He won’t be anywhere near that little girl or you.”
