Page 86 of The Pact

She sits down, putting a spoonful of baby food in her mouth and scrunching her nose. “Fu—Fudge! You should try this ... stuff, Ausra. I can’t blame Skye for not wanting to eat it.”

When I keep my gaze on her, she tells me what I wanted to know. “Talking to Johnny was just as bad as I thought it would be.”

I can only imagine. “Was he mad?”

She rests her chin on her hands, closing her eyes. “I guess so. But mostly he was hurt. That I didn’t tell him immediately and obviously that I cheated on him. Especially when I admitted that at first, I did it to get back at him for fucking Heather Green.”

Seriously, my sister’s love life is more complicated than a soap opera. “He fucking cheated on you? And before you say anything, I’m not even sorry for cussing. My niece will have to learn early that there are some occasions that definitely warrant one F-bomb or two.”

Mc laughs at my reaction and then explains. “Look, it was a shit show. And I guess we’ll start watching our language from tomorrow. We had a stupid fight at New Year. He thought we were on a break, I thought we were just mad at each other.”

I can’t believe Johnny! I was so jealous of Mc, I thought he was the perfect boyfriend. “Dude! Is his last name Geller? Even if you’d been on a break—”

“Yeah, I know.” She sighs. “Regardless, he slept with Heather and I retaliated by sleeping with Holden. Only ... I couldn’t stop doing it after Johnny and I made up. So I guess I’m more in the wrong even though he cheated first. And to be honest, it’s been over eighteen months and I don’t think it even matters anymore. Johnny doesn’t hate me, he promised he’ll get over it.”

There’s something in her eyes that tells me what Mc isn’t putting into words. “MC! YOU FUCKED HIM?”

She flinches. “Yeah, were you hoping for the whole complex to hear you or do you prefer to go and knock on every door to give everyone the news?”

Her snark doesn’t deter me. “Mc! I can’t believe you! After you were with Holden last weekend?”

My sister looks annoyed. “Whatever! Not to point out the obvious, sis, but isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black? You’re fucking four guys! Four! And before you even say that you haven’t—”

Oh hell no! She doesn’t get to make this about me. “The difference is that the guys know what’s going on. We have a deal!”

Mc shrugs stubbornly. “It’s not like Johnny and I are back together, Ausra. We just had a moment of madness. He said he still wants me and this time, I told him I’m kinda seeing someone. Anyway, he booked us an appointment for a DNA test for Friday, next week. Holden is going a couple of days earlier because he’s going to be in LA with the team for a big race.”

I feel a sudden pang of guilt, I’d totally forgotten about the race. I take Skye out of her chair and settle her on my lap, stripping her of her dirty t-shirt. “About that ... Ash and Shep invited me to go to LA with them. But if you have to work and you need me to watch Skye, I—”

Mc sighs. “No, I’ll find an alternative. Johnny offered to help me watch her in the evenings. His duties are mostly training with the base football team, so his evenings are pretty much free. He wants to spend some time with Skye.”

That doesn’t do anything to calm my nerves. “But what if he isn’t Skye’s father?”

My sister gives me a sheepish look. “He said that we’ll cross that bridge when we get the test results. That he wants to get to know her anyway, regardless of who’s her bio dad.”

I kiss my Skye’s forehead; she’s warm and a little sweaty. “Mc, I know you don’t want to hear it but this is a train wreck waiting to happen. He says that because obviously he hopes to get back together with you. If you have no intention to do that, you should be clear about it. Especially if Skye ends up being Holden’s.”

She doesn’t meet my eyes. “I know it’s a little messy but I’m trying to be honest with both men. I have feelings for both of them and—”

“I just don’t want you to get more hurt than you’ve already gotten, Mc. I seriously think that you should wait for those results and decide who you really want before you let anyone into Skye’s life. If you need me next weekend, I’ll tell the guys that I can’t make it to LA.”

McKayla rises from her chair and comes to hug me, placing a kiss on her daughter’s head. “I’m handling it. I promise. Please trust me? I want you to go to LA with them, sis. I love the way you adore Skye and you’re the best aunt and sister in the world. But I’ve been leaning on you too much and she really shouldn’t be your responsibility to the extent that you cancel your plans for me.”

I disagree. “But we have to pay the bills and we can’t afford to pay for a sitter—”

“I’m handling it, Ausra. Whoever is the father will start helping with our bills. Maybe you can start saving more for college if I don’t need your money for rent. You could take a few classes in the fall or spring if it’s too late to register. And I want you to live your life. I love my daughter and I wouldn’t change her for anything in the world but I can’t expect you to sacrifice living your life to help me. I’ll never look at Skye like a mistake but having her so early and not getting married should be my problem, not yours. You already paid for my ‘sins’ at home. Dad made sure to punish you since I moved out.”

I hate that she feels so guilty. “Mc, that wasn’t your fault. Dad is tightening all the rules for some reason. I think it isn’t about you. It’s about control. The more he controls every aspect of people’s lives, the more power, money and followers he gets.”

“Yeah, but it all started after I got pregnant.”

I shake my head. “That was just the catalyst for a change that he was already planning. His sermons should’ve warned us. I think it all started when we moved to California. It was here that he really started to change from a motivational speaker to a real religious leader. Here he got more attention, he got offered a TV deal and started gaining notoriety. It doesn’t have anything to do with you. He would’ve done the same shit even if you hadn’t gotten pregnant.”

Mc seems to consider my words. “Maybe. But I still want you to have fun and go to LA and do all the things you want to do without worrying about me or feeling guilty.”

I look into her eyes. “Caring about you and Skye isn’t a burden, Mc.”

She nods. “I know that. And I love you for always being there for us. So, which nights do I need to arrange babysitting? Anything aside from next weekend?”

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