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She snickers. “Am not. I gave her options. Even Aiden’s at Nell’s. He’s crushing hard on that little girl. He’d make her a milkshake.”
“You gave heroptions, but you didn’t really give her options at all.” I laugh. “No matter what, you were getting her up here.”
Nodding arrogantly, her playful eyes dance. “Uh-huh. And she chose to bring Evie with her, which means this is a good day. I get Bean cuddlesandEvie cuddles.”
Somehow, somewhere, just like Jack picked up a random baby, the girls picked up a random woman. That woman comes with a child, and now, we’re all in love with a feisty, curly blonde toddler.
“I heard you had an Evie date yourself,” Kit says knowingly. Because she always knows everything about everyone.
“Yeah… Tuesday. Or maybe Wednesday?” I don’t even remember anymore. My days are so messed up. “I had breakfast with them before we went back to the courthouse.”
“Oh my God!” Izzy’s hair snaps away from the brush as she spins. “The trial! What happened? Did I ruin anything by not being there? Dammit, Kit, I’m so sorry.”
“No.” Kit moves forward and lays her hand on Iz’s thigh. “You didn’t ruin anything. We didn’thaveto be there. Everything was done; we were just waiting for the sentencing or whatever.”
“So?” Her eyes flick between Bobby and Kit. “What happened?”
“Our lawyer called last night. It’s all done. They’re gonna be away for a long time.”
“Thank fuck,” Bobby grumbles into Kit’s hair.
“How long?”
“Um, Renee got seven years, I think, for fraud and drugs and stuff. Timms and Chris got something like fifteen years each. And Rita was found guilty of a bunch more stuff, so she’s gone for longer than all the others combined. We won’t be seeing them again.”
Yeah, a bunch more stuff, meaning attempted murder.Herattempted murder.
“Are you okay?” Iz reaches out to take Kit’s hand with her spare. A day in, she’s already got this mom thing under control enough to do it one handed. “I can’t believe you guys stayed up all night to look after Bean after dealing with the trial. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Iz, it’s fine, I swear. Spending the night with Bean is a million times more fun than sitting at home and obsessing over things I can’t change.”
A woman not much older than us, with rainbow colors streaked through her hair and a baby pink T-shirt stretched over her flat belly, steps up to Jack across the ward. She looks tired. So unbelievably tired, despite her bright colors. Jack stands instantly and helps her sit in the seat he vacated. They speak is soft whispers, and when she’s comfortable, he places the tiny baby in her arms. That baby is only half the size of Bean.
Turning to us with a broad smile, Jack swaggers across the ward like he’s just getting home from the wild west.
I narrow my eyes as he snaps rubber gloves off his hands and tosses them in the trash can near Iz. “What’s with the gloves?”
He leans down and drops a kiss on Iz’s cheek. “Libby’s baby is too little. I didn’t wanna get him sick or anything.” He shrugs shyly, but a ball of pride shines within my chest. He’s a kid, but he thinks beyond his years. “Hi, baby. I missed you, Bean.” He tickles the hair on the crown of her head as Kit’s phone beeps again.
“Oh, that’s Tina.” She unravels herself from Bobby’s grip. “I’ll go out. I’ll take Evie to the cafeteria while you and Tina visit.”
“I’ll come with you.” Predictably, Bobby follows his wife, and when I smother a laugh, his glare snaps around. “Problem?”
“Nothing,” I snort. “Just your serious codependency issues. No big deal. Does she wipe your ass, too?”
“Shut the fuck up. You’re jealous because you love my wife, but I got her first.”
Kit slaps his chest. “No swearing.”
“Ha! Joke’s on you, B. I’m the one free balling your sweats right now.”
“Ugh!” Kit hurriedly tugs him across the ward. “So disgusting.”
