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“If you want to,” I whispered.
Lucy said, “She’ll feed us like Mamaw does.” That had Elijah laughing.
“Okay, you beggar, we’ll go.” I ran my fingers through her hair as she laughed with Elijah, pleased I called her a beggar, apparently.
“Go wash your face up and change out of your scrubs.” He sat Lucy down and took Eli from my hands. “Want me to put the car seats in my truck?”
“No, you can just drive us in mine.”
He nodded. “Stop staring and go on.”
“I need to feed Eli. I don’t know—"
“Hadley, he’s fine. See his smile? We can wait right here. You can feed him at Ma’s. Go before I smack that ass, or she’ll be smacking mine if you walk in the door looking like that thinking I was the blame.”
Lucy sniggered. “You can’t whoop Mommy, Elijah, she’s old.”
“I will if she doesn’t cheer up.” He peeked down at Lucy as he opened the back door. “If I’m not allowed to whoop her, then you’ll have to help me hold her down so we can tickle her.”
“I want to be tickled!” Lucy yelled.
“Go wipe your face, woman, it’s unbecoming.” Elijah cocked his head at me. I went to open my mouth but he said, “You want another hug? Come here. Don’t be shy.”
My eyes prickled with more tears. I sighed and hurried off which was Elijah’s plan all along.
_______
Elijah was right about his mom. The second she saw me walk in she glared at him and asked me what her rotten son had done to me.No matter how much I told her he did nothing, she kept giving him the stink-eye as we ate. Thankfully, Lucy cleared the air saying everyone needed to be tickled thanks to Elijah.
It didn’t help that I still couldn’t shake my mood. Elijah kept watching me. I knew he was waiting to find out why I was on the verge of tears every time he looked at me. Honestly, I didn’t know either.
I didn’t want to be a burden.
Thoughts like that kept crossing my mind relentlessly. I knew Elijah well enough to know that he desperately wanted me to let him in completely. There was a silent plea in his gaze every time he stared at me. It stirred every emotion I had, especially that day when I wasn’t feeling like a good mother or a good person.
And because of that, I kept swallowing down the emotions and barely meeting his eyes. There was no way I was good company, but his mother never said a word. His stepdad stole Eli away the moment we’d gotten there. It was so nice. I wished I could have enjoyed the moment, but all I thought about was how terrible I felt, and how I shouldn’t have let the kids go to Scott when I wasn’t comfortable with the arrangement. In all honesty, until Scott tried I would never be comfortable. I couldn’t make him or his family visit Lucy and Eli. Complicating matters was all the times Scott let Lucy down, saying he’d come to get her and never show. But his parents blamed me since I kicked Scott out in the first place and ruined our family.
And now they were getting worse. All I could think about was the threat Lilly made at the door. Would she really try to make Scott go to court over custody? I wasn’t an unfit mother. Scott was unemployed and lived with his parents. But did any of that information make me feel better? No. I’d lived in fear of Scott suing for custody ever since I caught him cheating and made him leave.
“Elijah says you like cars, Lucy?” Hank asked her while we ate at the dining room table. Eli, still on his lap, had stuck his hand in Hank’s mashed potatoes several times. The old man let him do it on purpose as he kept scooting his plate closer for Eli. After the third or fourth hand dip, he finally brought it to his mouth to taste it. His fat little body stiffened as his eyes widened as he looked down at the plate. I think he liked it but couldn’t be too sure. Elijah’s mom kept trying to steal Eli from Hank which hadn’t happened yet. The woman didn’t seem willing to give up though.
Lucy smiled. “Yes. I like ponies too.”
“Elijah has a collection that we kept from when he was little,” said Hank.
Lucy gasped. “I want to see.”
“I’ll bring them out after we eat.” Hank grinned down at Eli.
“How many more kids do you plan to have?” Elijah’s mom blurted.
I choked on the piece of meat in my mouth. I grabbed my soda and took a drink.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my chest.
“Did I surprise you?” she asked kindly.
