Page 51 of Baby Me

“No, and there was no answer at her place. If Scout can’t get a lock on her tonight, we’re going to have to break in and check things out. Something feels off about her disappearing into thin air, but then again, none of her family has raised an alarm that she is missing either. The hospital said she’s taking a leave of absence after her cousin misused her badge. That leave of absence wasn’t exactly Anna’s choice. It’s possible that she’s running from the whole situation.”

“It’s also possible that her cray-cray cousin murdered her and stuffed her body in a freezer somewhere.”

“Yeah, after seeing what was done to Barry, I’d say anything is possible at this point.”

“Do you think she’s really the one who killed Kim?”

“I don’t want to bring my deceased wife, or my psycho ex into a bed we’re sharing, sweetheart. Even if that bed is just a shitty hospital cot.”

Davina got up and walked over to one of the chairs and took a seat then patted the one next to her. I did one better and picked her up and sat her back down in my lap. She snuggled in immediately.

“Now, tell me about Kim. I want to hear about the woman who had your heart first because she’s an important part of your life, especially since you have Kip, Star, and Knoxville to think about. They need to know that her memory won’t be buried and forgotten just because I’m in the picture with Coral. And I need you to understand that I’m not threatened by your first love.

“I don’t consider June to be that. She was your first infatuation, lust at best, but never love because she tainted it.” I hugged her closer as she said that last bit because it was honestly how I felt as well.

“No woman you ever date should be intimidated by the woman you loved and lost. She is your past, but she will always be important and relevant. I don’t ever want you to think otherwise.”

“There won’t be any other women I date. You’re it, Vina. Kim is probably smiling down at how perfect you are right now.” I laughed as I admitted it. “Of course, she’s probably also cracking cradle robbing jokes at my expense.”

Vina laughed and the sound healed something inside me I didn’t know needed to be mended. “Would she really do that?”

“Yeah, you bet your ass she would. Kim was one-of-a-kind.”

I told Vina about how Kim and I started and the rocky beginning we had, then I told her about how we fell in love along the way and had a marriage most people would be envious of.

“That’s a lot to live up to,” she admitted.

“Nope. There’s nothing to live up to. That was my story with Kim. My story with you is just starting. While it might have started out a little rough, too, we’ll find our own pace and make our own happy along the way. What we have shouldn’t be compared. Kim is my past, another life I lived before this one. You’re my future, and we make of that what we’re both comfortable with.

“I know you think I need to keep Kim front and center, but she hasn’t held that spot in my life for many years. I appreciate you being willing to make room for her beside us, but that’s no longer her place. There’s just you and me here. Her memory can exist in my heart and with my kids and grandson. I’m happy as hell that it won’t bother you if we discuss her, but I want you to know that she’s not here. She’s not going to come between us because I don’t want that, and Kim wouldn’t want it that way either. She would want us to have a fresh start with one another without another woman coming between us, even the ghost of another woman.”

“If only there wasn’t an evil other woman in the mix, too.” Vina lamented. “What advice would Kim give me about dealing with June?”

“She’d tell you to have no mercy, but if I get my way, you will never need to follow that advice. I plan to make sure June isn’t a concern for long. As soon as we find her, she’ll be dealt with. Mack wants his pound of flesh just as much as I do.”

“Oh God!” Vina’s eyes went wide. “What will he think of me? I was a little worried the other day because he wasn’t exactly friendly.”

I grinned at her. “Mack already gave his blessing, too. His abrupt nature and coldness wasn’t for you, it was for me because he didn’t like that he would have to give you the gory details of what happened to Barry. That was my fuckup because I wasn’t thinking it could be something that heinous, or I would have sheltered you from it.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. It helps to know what we’re really up against. I’m kind of shocked that Mack gave his blessing though. I didn’t think anyone would want to see you with a club whore.”

“You’re not a club whore. You’re a mother, a paralegal, a beautiful, intelligent, go-getter. You’re the woman who took care of my baby girl on your own and you did an amazing job so far, sweetheart. You don’t have to do it alone anymore. You’re my old lady, and one day soon, you will also be my wife. What you did in the past, that’s your past. No one cares. They only care that we’re happy moving forward.”

I wiped away her tears as she cried in disbelief and then filled me in on her life before the club. It made me fall in love with her ability to persevere just a little bit more. Vina had been through a lot, and she had never given up. Instead, she kept remaking herself into a better version with each obstacle thrown in her path.

“Oh, by the way, I have something for you,” Vina said as she got up off my lap and walked over to where her bag rested against the little side table in the room. She pulled out what looked like a business card and brought it over to me. “Here,” she said and then bit into her bottom lip to stop the smile from spreading across her face.

“What’s this?” I asked as the card turned over in my hand and I read the name on it. “Dr. Jenkins? As in our daughter’s oncologist?” Vina nodded. “What exactly is this for?”

“In case you have any questions.”

“About?”

“About the fact that our daughter’s labs came back and…” Vina burst into tears. I stood immediately and grabbed a hold of her.

“Fuck, baby, I’m going to need you to spit it out because you have me in pieces seeing you like this. How much time do we have?”

“Hopefully, all the time in the world. She’s on the mend, Tripp. Our baby girl is doing so much better. That’s why she’s been sleeping so much. She’s been healing her little body. Dr. Jenkins thinks we’ll be talking remission soon without the need for the bone marrow transplant.”

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