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But if it was too big, then it would be summer and too hot for her to wear it. “I’ll call Kara and ask. It’ll save me returning it if it’s wrong, and spending more of my money, because I definitely need to buy Hay Jay at least a dozen of those plushie toys we saw on the way in.”
Kara answered the FaceTime call, but it was Hayley Jade on the screen, dribbling milk from the corners of a wide, gummy smile.
“Oh my God! She’s smiling! Hey, baby girl! You smiling for Aunty Rebel?”
I flashed the phone to Bliss and Riva, showing off the world’s cutest niece. They both smiled and cooed appropriately until I turned the phone back to me.
“Kara, just need to know what size Hayley Jade is?”
“Do not buy her any more clothes, Rebel! She hasn’t even worn all the ones from the last package you sent.”
I waved my hand around dismissively. “Pfft. Aunties have rights, you know.”
Kara shook her head with a wry smile. “Aunties need to come visit soon. We miss you.”
I nodded happily. “As soon as I have a weekend off work, I’m there. Tell our daddy dearest to make up the couch for me.”
She snorted. “You might have to do that one yourself. Pretty hard to ask him anything when he won’t talk to me.”
I frowned. “He’s still being a dick about you bringing the baby back there? He’s not absolutely in love with her like the rest of us?”
Kara tried to smile, but it was clear she was forcing it. “He’ll warm up in time, I’m sure. He organized for me to have this little cabin, so there’s that.”
I didn’t like the sound of that, though she was clearly trying to paint it as a positive. “So you’re all alone with the baby?”
“Yes, but at least we have privacy. She’s good company.”
It sounded more to me like she was tired and lonely, but just doing her usual Kara thing and trying to make the best of a bad situation.
I wanted to fix it for her, but there was really nothing I could do. I wanted her here with me, but with Caleb’s whereabouts unknown, and him clearly switching his focus from trafficking women to trafficking his own damn child, we couldn’t be too careful.
I swallowed thickly. “I’m sure you’ve made a beautiful home for her. That smile tells me she’s a happy baby.”
“I just want her to stay that way,” Kara whispered.
“Me too.”
We ended the call, and I made my way back to Bliss and Riva who were rifling through a bargain bin that was all still well overpriced in my opinion.
Riva glanced up. “Your niece is beautiful.”
“She’s the love of my life, that one.”
Bliss tossed a teddy bear at me. “I’ll be sure not to repeat that to the three men you have waiting at home for you.”
“You know what I mean.”
Bliss looked at me coyly. “I do. But I don’t. Rebel, you stare at that baby with a lot more than aunty love in your eyes.”
I squinted at her. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a motherly sort of love.”
I shook my head quickly. “No. I don’t want to be her mother. Kara is amazing with her.”
“That’s not what I meant, of course she is. I didn’t mean you wanted to be Hayley Jade’s mother. But I think maybe you do want to be someone’s.”
Riva’s eyebrows furrowed up with interest. “Is that true?”
