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It poured from all of them. Even the big, blond, broody guy.
They bantered and teased, jostling and touching each other constantly.
I did not know how to do this.
Suddenly, Brayleigh’s cries cut through the chatter in the room.
Hope stiffened, her head swiveling to seek out her daughter. My heart skipped a beat at the thought that Sia might be cast aside now that Brayleigh needed her.
The urge to escape surged in my chest.
Before I could move to rescue Sia, Hope was on the move. She crossed and knelt beside Brayleigh, Sia still sleeping securely in her arms. Within seconds, she lowered herself to the floor and invited Brayleigh to crawl onto her lap.
“Gentle with Inky, Tweetie,” she murmured.
Tweetie.
Inky.
“What happened to your finger?”
“You okay there, Hope?” Lucky squatted down beside them.
He knew.
He knew.
“Just waiting to hear the story.”
I felt a presence and turned to find Minty standing beside me. She didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but somehow her presence eased the suspicion that mine was unwelcome.
Tracy approached Brayleigh with Paige’s little hand tucked inside hers.
Paige held her chubby thumb and forefinger a hair apart. “Just…just…just I bit her a little bit. Cause Unca Ray say we sweet.” She pointed to her own chest, her eyes wide. “I not sweet. Sloane,” she pointed at her sister, “her not sweet either.” She dipped her chin, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. “Baylee, her not sweet either but she loud.”
With her confession complete, she began to cry in earnest.
Blood roared in my ears. My instincts screamed at me to run. To shield Sia from witnessing the punishment to come.
Minty’s shoulder brushed mine as she murmured. “It’ll be okay.”
I didn’t answer, my eyes trained on the events unfolding before my eyes.
Tracy hunkered down to Paige’s level. “Paige, look at mommy,” she said sternly.
Bile rose in my throat, but I could not look away.
“We do not put our teeth on people. That hurt Brayleigh.”
Paige hung her head then balled her little fists in her eyes.
Tracy drew her close. “You want to give Brayleigh a hug? I know you didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“I not sweet!” she wailed.
A few chuckles broke out.
My attention remained fixed on the situation in front of me, but the sounds from the rest of the room began to filter in.
