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With a chuckle, Cindy bopped Beth on the nose. “No, silly Beth, you cannot. In fact, if you want a donut, you have to eat all your spaghetti and three broccoli trees.”
Beth’s face fell into such a pitiful look of disgust, Shell had to cover her mouth to hide the burst of laughter. Broccoli was Beth’s mortal enemy.
Dinner was uneventful though a little stilted. Beth remained blissfully unaware of any tension between Cindy and Shell. She rattled on throughout the entire meal regaling them with stories of the “trouble-boy” in school. The one who not only kissed her on the mouth, but dropped his drawers and gave Beth a glimpse of his “hanging thing” the other day. Her incessant chatter allowed Shell to remain quiet and avoid questions from her mother.
By the time she’d helped clean up, dessert was eaten, and Beth watched Frozen with her grandmother, it was nearly nine at night, a solid hour past bedtime. Thankfully Shell had anticipated the late hour and brought Beth’s pajamas and the stuffed unicorn Copper gave her for her birthday. She refused—loudly—to sleep without the stupid thing. To top it all off, she’d named the animal Horny on account of its sparkly pink horn. Didn’t matter how many other names Shell offered up, Beth was sticking with Horny.
“Thanks for dinner, Mom,” Shell said, giving her mother a stiff hug.
“I’m going to be away at the end of the month, for about ten days,” Cindy said, standing in the doorway of the house.
Shell adjusted the drowsy Beth on her hip. Her mom couldn’t have brought this up before she was holding thirty-five pounds of sleeping child? “Where you going?”
“On a cruise.” A grin broke out across Cindy’s unwrinkled face. “A singles cruise.”
And how on earth was she affording that? Knowing Cindy was spending money on vacation while Shell had been forking hers over to Joe had her grinding her back teeth. “How nice for you.”
“I deserve this, Shell. I’ve been alone for a long time. Some girlfriends and I are going to have some fun.”
“Great. Enjoy yourself.” With a nod, Shell turned and hefted her daughter down to the car. There was no point in getting upset over her mother’s actions. Cindy was going to do what Cindy wanted to do. Always had, always would.
“Want to see my granddaughter another time before I leave,” Cindy called from the open front door.
“It is what it is,” Shell whispered to herself, a mantra that had gotten her through many a tough time. Suck it up, accept reality, and deal. “Sure, Mom. Text me when you’re free,” she called out.
“Don’t you dare bring that man around me, you hear?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Shell yelled, rolling her eyes.
After securing the many buckles on the car seat and making sure Horny was snuggled into her daughter’s arms, she slipped into the driver’s seat.
Another evening survived.
It said something about her enjoyment of the dinner that she’d have preferred to be cleaning offices that night.
Just as she was about to turn the ignition, her phone alerted her to an incoming text message.
Maverick: Any chance you can swing by the clubhouse for a few hours? Steph would be happy to watch Beth for you.
Shell glanced in the rearview mirror. Beth was already out cold.
Shell: She’s passed out in the car. I can put her to sleep in a spare room. Everything okay?
A horde of elephant-sized butterflies flitted through her stomach while she waited for the response. Had something happened today?
Oh, God…
An icy wave of fear washed over her.
Did Rusty say something to Copper…
Maverick: Your man had a shit day. Club business fucking with his head. Could use something soft and sweet tonight.
Air she hadn’t realized she’d been holding rushed from her lungs.
Okay, club business. Chances were, Rusty hadn’t spilled his guts about Beth. Thank God. Once the grip of fear left her, concern for Copper took its place. He’d never ask her to come himself, always ready to shoulder the club’s loads on his own. Hopefully, he wouldn’t turn her away. If she could offer even an ounce of support and peace, it would be time well spent.
Shell: On my way.
A string of eggplant and kissy-face emojis was his response.
Glad for the levity, Shell pulled onto the road and tried not to let her laughter wake Beth.
Twenty minutes later she’d been admitted through the gates of the clubhouse and parked her car near the door. Not two seconds after she’d killed the engine, Beth’s door opened, and Mav appeared.
“Hey, sweet stuff, I’ll carry this monkey in for you.”
“Thanks, Mav. You’re the best. The monkey is getting heavier every day.”
Mav expertly unbuckled her sleeping daughter and gathered her into his arms without so much as making her peep. All the men were so good with Beth and willing to help Shell at a moment’s notice. She was beyond grateful for her family, unconventional as they may be.
