Page 77 of Avenging Kelly

I’m not a man of many words, but every one of them I have left is for you. I’ll be thinking of you every minute of every day until I get through this hell. When I’m clean and sober, I’ll come home to you, and I’ll ask you to promise to be mine.

Until that day, you enjoy your life—go out with friends and have fun. The facility doesn’t want me communicating with anyone on the outside until I detox and go through intensive counseling, so don’t worry about me, please. I don’t want you to see me like that, anyway, so every night when I look at the stars in the sky, I’ll be thinking of you.

Do me a favor—look out for my girls. They mean the world to me, just like you.

I love you,

Kelly

Well, that took my breath away…

* * *

One month later…

“That’s the last of the boxes,” I told the movers as I walked around the little apartment I was leaving behind. I didn’t have much, but with moving to the new place, Kelly and I could pick things together, and I was oddly excited about it.

Daisy was hanging off me like a baby possum in a carrier thing that looked like a reverse backpack. She was sound asleep even though the movers hadn’t been quiet by any stretch. That little girl slept just about anywhere, noise aside.

The pediatrician said it was a good sign that Daisy was a great sleeper when I’d gone with Mia for Daisy’s two-month check-up. Amy had called ahead to have me added as a member of the family, which made me happy.

Since Kelly had left, I’d noticed that Daisy spent more time with me than with Amy and Mia, but I definitely didn’t complain. I enjoyed having her around, and my SUV now had a car seat, which was something I definitely didn’t expect I’d ever say.

New things were popping up all over, including a daycare at the Victorian behind Dexter’s yoga studio. Dex and Gabby had hired a temporary daycare worker to care for Daisy and Romeo.

When the opportunity presented itself for someone to oversee the daycare, I’d tried to talk Amy into taking the job. She was a teacher, and I thought she’d be good at it. Amy hadn’t returned to teaching in Queens because she didn’t want to be away from Mia, but I could tell she was restless with nothing to do.

Dexter had agreed she’d be great in the position, and he’d even offered Mia a part-time spot at his yoga studio so she could be near Daisy. Both women had said they were thinking about it.

My phone rang as I was reaching for the diaper bag. I checked to see it was Amy, probably wondering where the hell I was. “Hi, Amy,” I answered.

“London, can you come meet me at the coffee shop down the block from your place?” she asked me.

My stomach rumbled at the mention of the coffee shop, so I answered, “Sure. We’ll be on our way.” We ended the call, and I looked down at the angel with her head on my chest. She was sucking her thumb in her sleep, which I thought was really cute.

I double checked that I had enough diapers and clean bottles in the bag. I had a thermos of warm formula in the bag for Daisy until we could unpack the kitchen to make up more bottles. It had been a crash course for me to learn how to prepare them from the powdered formula the pediatrician had recommended.

There were many things to learn about taking care of a baby, and I was an eager student, grateful to my mother for her tips and tricks during my panicked phone calls home in New Mexico. Learning to diaper a squirming little girl had been a lesson in patience for me. A stinky baby didn’t stay still to be changed, and I had to shower after the first time I tried. I nearly puked a dozen times.

I grabbed my keys and wallet, glancing around one last time. Another chapter of my life was closing and the next one—the best one—was about to begin… when I had Kelly Brown back in my arms.

Fifteen minutes later, I settled into the booth across from Amy. She seemed upset, her eyes bloodshot and her nose red. Mia wasn’t with her, so I was worried.

“Everything okay? Do you wanna give Daisy her bottle?” I asked as I settled the car seat in the booth next to me. The seat part detached from the base, which was a lifesaver for situations of the sort since the baby was too small to sit in a highchair.

There were so many things Kelly and I would need to buy for Daisy, but for the time being, we had some clothes, blankets, and a few items Amy had accumulated through the Our Shepherd’s House Community Center. We could make do.

“I, uh, my arm… I went to the doctor because my wrist has been bothering me. I found out I’ve developed carpal tunnel syndrome. I really can’t hold her,” Amy answered, showing me the black brace she was wearing under her jacket.

Our regular server stopped by to pour coffee. “How’s that sweet doll?” Rena asked, gesturing to Daisy. My new best friend and I had made the place a morning stop on our way to the Victorian. Rena knew us well.

“She’s hungry right now,” I said as I pulled out the thermos and filled a small bottle with the warm formula. I unhooked the buckle of the car seat and picked up the baby, balancing her on my shoulder as I took a sip of coffee.

“I’m going on break after I get your cinnamon roll. How about I feed her so you can eat?” Rena asked, glancing at Amy who was looking out the window, not paying attention to Daisy or me.

“Thanks,” I answered. I bounced Daisy a little in my arms while Rena got my breakfast, and when she returned, I traded her the baby for a cinnamon roll as big as my head and fresh from the oven.

Rena, who had four adult children and three grandkids, took Daisy, the bottle, and the burp rag, and headed to an empty booth in the back while Kenny, the guy who worked the counter, took over for her.

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