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And we set off jogging again, and as my breathing got into a steady rhythm, my feet pounding on the dry summer grass, I couldn’t wait to get home. I had something big to tell Mary-Beth. And (hopefully, if she agreed) we had our news to tell Kayla. And Maddy would probably want a Mr. Moo Moo song and dance too. It felt like all three of my girls were waiting for me at home. To hug and laugh and catch up and have fun with me – and I couldn’t wait to see them too.
* * *
“Hey guys, anyone home?” I called out as I got in the door.
“Shhhh!” went Mary-Beth, appearing from her room far down the hall and closing the door carefully behind her, so the catch didn’t make a noise. She had the baby monitor in her hand. “I just got her down for her nap. Kayla’s fast asleep on my bed too – she’s exhausted with all the work on the apartments we’ve been doing.”
She swished up the hall towards me, her beautiful body swaying in another of those simple linen dresses that she looked so hot in – cerise pink this time. A huge smile broke over her face as she pulled me into a hug and held me close. We stood like that for a long moment, just holding one another, breathing each other in. Then we kissed, deep and hard, saying everything we couldn’t say in words.
And then, the words came. Before I could think, it was out of my mouth. “I love you,” I said. “I realized that today.” I was struck with the sudden horrors. “Oh, God, is this too soon?”
She laughed and kissed me again, reaching up to stroke my hair. “I love you too,” she said. “I knew it, too, when you were away. It’s crazy, but it’s true.”
“It feels less crazy every minute,” I said.
“Sure does.”
“We should tell Kayla.”
“I agree, I’ve been feeling that too.”
And then, her fingers were on the back of my neck, giving me shivers. Heat started up in my groin and I pushed myself against her. She pushed hard into me too and we connected on that feral level, wanting each other. “Tonight,” she whispered in my ear.
And then, something terrible happened. The door to Mary-Beth’s bedroom opened and Kayla marched out, her hair everywhere, tears running down her face.
“How long has this been going on?” she demanded.
Mary-Beth and I leapt apart.
“We were going to tell you-“ I began, but she cut me off. “I know Mom thinks I’m an idiot and I don’t know she’s talking about moving in with Andrew, and getting engaged!
“Kayla-“ said Mary-Beth.
My daughter strode right up to us, baby monitor in hand. She was yelling by then. “Mom lies to me all the time that they’re just casually dating. I know it’s not true, but I don’t say anything. I don’t want to talk to her about it. I found out from Paulina at school, ages ago. She was super-awful to me about it because I couldn’t hide how shocked and upset I was! Her mom is friends with his sister. Seems like everyone knows, except her own fucking daughter!”
“Don’t use that word-“ I began, but Mary-Beth put a hand on my shoulder and I let it go.
“Kayla, I’m so sorry,” she said.
“What, sorry you picked up the wrong baby monitor, and I heard everything you said?!”
“No! Sorry we’ve hurt you so much.”
Kayla burst into huge gulping sobs then. “I never thought you guys would do this to me. I thought we were a team now, with Maddy. But you’ve treated me like a complete idiot. I trusted you guys! I feel so stupid!”
“We were going to tell you today,” said Mary-Beth. “It was… complicated. We were trying to do the right thing…”
Kayla ignored this. “Dad?”
I tried to speak, but somehow I couldn’t find the right words.
She looked hard and angry then and glared at me. “It’s fucking disgusting anyway! She’s too young for you!”
“Kayla, wait! I can explain!”
It was too late. She’d marched off to her room. “I’m going to Mom’s early. I called Caprice to bring me there. She’s on her way. She shot over her shoulder, “I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m going to get my stuff ready and then I’m out of here.”
Mary-Beth and I looked at one another in total horror. What the hell had we done?!
