Page 71 of Simply You & Me

"Perfect timing, bestie. Momma just finished breakfast. What do you want to drink?" Wyatt asks her, scooping her into his arms and setting her in a seat at the table beside him.

"OJ, please," she says around a yawn. Wy smiles at her and pours her some in a plastic cup. Be still my beating heart.

"Come eat, Sweetness," Julian encourages softly, pulling out a chair for me. He still doesn't look very awake. I wonder if he's been sleeping okay.

Taking one more look around the kitchen, I realize there's nothing else I need to do for a bit. I sit even though I feel antsy.

The faster I eat, the faster I can get the dishes done, then move onto prepping dessert. Maybe I should do that now? I'll have to get those done and in the fridge, then check on the turkey, start marinating the ham and?—

"Eat," Zach cuts off my manic mental checklist with a plate of food. Four pancakes and six pieces of bacon stack my plate beside a cup of orange juice, a water, and my prenatal vitamin.

I won't finish the plate, no matter how much he scowls at my teeny bites. Breakfast is hard some days. Bean is a finicky little thing. I can't risk puking today. There's too much to do.

"Your ultrasound is on Monday with Dr. Hart."

My head snaps up at Zach's statement. "What? No. My appointment is on Tuesday with Dr. Miller."

Julian and Tate duck their heads, not meeting my questioning stare. Wyatt and Zach, however, trade a look that has my hackles rising.

"Not anymore. Dr. Hart is the best around, so she will be your doctor through the pregnancy. Plus, her office is thirty minutes out of town, which separates you from the..." Zach eyes Rory, who’s happily munching away and watching the TV. "It's not in town, meaning you won’t be as accessible to Cadell."

I toss my fork down, pissed. "You can't change my appointments. How could you even do that without me authorizing or confirming it?"

Wyatt and Zach share that damn look again, and Julian and Tate shuffle uncomfortably. Wyatt clears his throat, gaining the full attention of my annoyance. "I changed it."

"You're telling me you used your skills to switch my ultrasound around without my knowledge?" My voice sounds detached even from my own ears.

"I asked him to," Zach informs me like it makes it better. "Doll, what’s the issue? She's the best."

Officially losing my appetite, I push my plate away and hiss out, "The problem is you managing my life like I'm a child. This is so not okay."

Zach's eyes harden, causing my spine to straighten. "You are going to Dr. Hart, because you are only allowed to have the best care. You're going to her office because it's the safest option and gets you away from Cadell. We will all be going with you, and that's the end of it."

Oh, fuck no!

Seeing Rory has finished her plate, I sweeten my voice. "Rory, go brush your teeth and get ready, okay? I have some fun Thanksgiving stuff for us to do today."

With a squeal and a rushed thank you for breakfast, she's up the stairs in a flash, leaving me with the table full of idiots. There's one statement that Zach said that isn't going to fly.

"I'll go to Hart, but you are not coming with me." I raise my hand when four sets of mouths open to protest. "Julian can come if he wants to. But the rest of you are staying here with Rory. That's final. I don't care if you have to spy on us through cameras, but you three will protect my baby girl."

"Doll," Zach rumbles, his jaw popping.

"No!" I slam my fist down. "I've had enough of your demands. I'm living in your damn house. I'm going to your fancy doctor 'cus frankly, I'm too tired to argue about anything more than the safety of my daughter. You will fucking stay here while Julian and I go to the appointment. Do whatever you have to do from here to keep us secure, but I'm done."

Shoving myself away from the table, I breathe through my teeth, trying to calm myself down. Snatching my full plate of food, I tack on, "Oh, and nobody’s allowed in my damn kitchen today. Today is for Rory, and I'm giving her the Thanksgiving she deserves, so stay out of my way. You can help, but there will be no more telling me what to do. Got it? Good. Enjoy breakfast."

I leave them in stunned silence, a smirk forming at the corner of my lips as I begin the next phase of cleaning and cooking. It's Rory's day, so it's my kitchen today. Mine.

"Damn, that was good," Wyatt moans around his final bite of pumpkin pie. His relaxation is disturbed by a swift hit to the back of his head from Zach. "Ow, what the fuck?"

Zach's mouth drops open like he can't believe him. "Peanut ears, Wyatt. WTF?"

Rory's voice enters the conversation in the best way possible. "What does WTF mean?" Her head’s cocked, looking so sweetly confused I can't help but laugh at Zach's horrified look. He looks like a gaping fish as chuckles fill the quiet around the table.

I take pity on him. "It's short for bad words too, Rory May. Sorry, can't say that one for a few years still."

She huffs, tucking back into her mashed potatoes like I told her she couldn't have ice cream ever again. I hide my smile, not wanting Rory to think I'm mocking her.

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