I reached for her hand and ran my thumb across her knuckles.“So long as you’re not callingusquits.”
“You came for me,” she said, her voice hoarse.
“Always.I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.I thought she would be going for Mabel.”
“I never would have forgiven you if you’d come to me first before checking on your child.You did the right thing.I’m just glad she’s okay.”
I glanced at the floor between us.“I’m worried she’s going to be impacted by Kylanotwanting her.All along we thought that if Kyla ever resurfaced it would be to claim her child.”
Naomi gently shook her head.“She sees Mabel as the reason you two can’t be together.”Then she snorted.“Well, Mabelandme.She’s obsessed with you.”
“Yeah, I saw that.”
“Mabel is a bright, practical, and reasonable person.I’m sure she’ll see Kyla’s words for what they are.The ramblings of a delusional, mentally unwell predator.It’s better that Kyladidn’twant Mabel, truthfully.”
I continued to run my thumb over her knuckles.“I understand if you need space from me to process all of this.”
She met my eyes; fatigue made her lids hooded and her expression soft.“There is going to be trauma from this.But I’ve lived with trauma my entire life.I killed my husband, Lennox.And as much as I know it was the right thing to do, anybody with a conscience is going to continue to reflect on that choice.My father was also abusive.I’m confident that I’ll be able to get through this and come out stronger on the other side.Trauma lingers.It doesn’t disappear.We just learn to not let it control or define us.We learn from it.”
I swallowed and nodded.“I hate that she’s gone but not erased.Death would have been more finite.”
Tilting her head to the side, she gave it a little bob.“Yes, but now she has to live with her loss.She’ll never have you.And it will probably destroy her.”
“Is it wrong that I get a sick sense of satisfaction knowing that?”
Stepping closer to me and wrapping her arms around my waist, she pressed her cheek to my chest.“No.She deserves everything she has coming to her.You’re simply choosing to find joy in justice.There’s nothing wrong with that.”
I hugged her tight, grateful she came to me on her own.She was warm again, and soft, and smelled like the fruity shampoo I’d used to wash her hair.I pressed a kiss to her crown.“She sent me a message from your phone.”
Lifting her cheek away, she glanced up at me.“What did it say?”
That made me smirk.“I can’t do this.We can’t be together.I don’t love you.I never have.It’s over.We’re over.”
“And you knew it wasn’t me because I haven’t said the ‘L’ word?”
“Well, that and you’re a strong and brave enough person that if you wanted to end things with me, you’d have the ovaries to do it in person.”
“I would.But I’m not going to.”
“Good.”
Her sigh was deep and weary, and I could tell by the way her muscles relaxed that it went all the way to her toes.“Shall we go join the rest of the house?”
“Only if you’re ready.”
“I want to see the kids.”
I held the door open for her, and she stepped out into the hallway.Jovial banter met us as we made our way into the dining room.I had her towels and wet clothes in my arms, but Gabrielle spotted me and swooped in to grab them.
“I’ll take care of that,” she said, bustling off to the laundry room.
“Mom,” Honor said from the living room, beckoning us over.
We joined Austin, Honor, Laurel, Damon, Mabel, Sam, Tom, Danica, and Maverick in the living room where they were playing a game calledTelestrations—at least that’s what the box in the middle of the coffee table said.
I sat next to Mabel, and she quickly explained the rules to me.
Naomi squeezed in between her children, and they each snuggled closer to her.
