Page 163 of Always Us

“Lilly, that’s not true. Why would you say that?”

“She gave me to Dad because she doesn’t want me.”

Unfortunately, it is kind of true. Katherine doesn’t seem to want Lilly. She didn’t even fight my dad for her. But that has nothing to do with Lilly. I think Katherine’s just done being a mom. She’s moved on, but I can’t tell Lilly that.

“Lilly, your mom wants you. It’s just that it’s easier if you live most of the time with one parent instead spending half the time with your mom and half with Dad, especially if they don’t live close to each other. Are you saying you don’t want to live with Dad? You’d rather live with your mom?”

“No. I’d rather live with Dad.”

“Are you sad because your mom didn’t say goodbye before she left?”

She nods.

“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you. And it doesn’t mean she isn’t coming back. She just has a lot going on right now. She’ll be back. You’ll see her again.”

“Can we call her?”

Katherine’s the last person I want to talk to, but Lilly wants to, so I get my phone out and call her. But if Katherine sees it’s me calling, she probably won’t answer.

Surprisingly, she picks up. “What do you want, Garret? Are you calling to congratulate me?”

“For what?”

“Haven’t you seen the news?”

Lilly takes the phone from me. “Hi, Mom!” Lilly perks up, a big smile on her face. “Are you coming home soon?” She listens, her smile slowly fading as she nods. “Yeah. Okay. Bye.” She gives me the phone back.

“Katherine?” I listen, but nobody’s there so I end the call. “What did she say?”

Lilly shrugs. “She’s busy, just like you said.”

“Where is she?”

“In New York. With her boyfriend.”

Boyfriend? The senator? I didn’t think Lilly knew about him. Katherine’s not even supposed to be dating that guy anymore.

“She said she’s with her boyfriend?”

“Yeah.” Lilly lays her head on my shoulder. “She said they’re busy and she can’t come back here for a while. They have stuff to do.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“Stuff for the baby.”

“Baby?” I sit up straighter. “What baby? Who’s having a baby?”

“Mom.”

“She just told you this? Like just now?”

Lilly nods. “I told you she doesn’t want me. She only wants the new baby.”

“Maybe you heard her wrong. Maybe someone else is having a baby.”

“She said she’s having a baby.”

Katherine’s having a baby? It sure as hell better not be my dad’s. It can’t be. Given how much he hates her, I can’t imagine him having sex with her. It’s gotta be the senator’s baby. So that’s why Katherine told me to congratulate her. And she acted like it was on the news.

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