Page 69 of Fate

Tears fall down Kat’s cheeks as I neglect to say a single word. I should defuse the situation, but my baby is screaming, a goose egg the size of a softball is forming on her sweet baby head, and I’m currently doing everything I can to calm herdown.

“I…I…I’m sor-ry,” Kat whispers brokenly.

“You’re sorry? First you wiggle your way back into Carson’s life. Now my daughter’s. Can’t you see Cora needs a mother and a father?”

That’s when my brain starts working again. “She has one. And a lot of women and men in her extended family. Kathleen included.”

“I’m. Her. Mother.” Misty points at herself, emphasizing each word with a tap to her chest.

I shake my head. “No one is trying to take that away from you. But when you move out, and Kathleen moves in…” I start but stop the minute I feel an ice blast of energy slam intome.

The timing could not have been more wrong for this conversation.

Insert foot into mouth.

“What!” Misty cries out, clutching at her heart. “You’re kicking out your own flesh and blood for her!” She flings a shaky hand at Kathleen.

I pass a now resting Cora off to Chase. She goes willingly. Chase has some type of voodoo magic with kids. To everyone else, he puts off the asshole-scary-business-man vibe, but with kids, he’s putty.

“I’m not kicking out my daughter.” I lift my hands in a placating gesture. “But I have found a new apartment for you and her to live in. When Cora is not with me, thatis.”

“So, you’re kicking me out?” Her tone is so cold it could freeze hot water in an instant. “I can’t believe this. You said…you said we’d be a family.” She shakes her head back and forth wildly. “You said I was going to be safe and sound with you and our daughter. Now because of her, you’re kicking me out.” She chokes down a sob, her eyes widening. “Oh my God. You’re going to take my daughter away! And leave her with someone who will hurther!”

I shake my head. “I would never take Cora away from you, and Kathleen loves Cora. She’d never hurt her!” I take a huge breath and try to figure out what my next stepsare.

Misty’s hands fly into her hair and tug. “She just did! Look at my daughter. She can’t even keep her eyes open. She probably has a concussion. We should take her to the emergencyroom!”

I sigh and glance at Gigi. With all her motherly wisdom, I figure she’dknow.

She shrugs. “It’s an option, but kids are made to be bouncy. Mine fall all the time. Chase, do you think she needs togo?”

He looks down at Cora, runs long fingers over the back of her skull, and nods. “I think a checkup by our house doctor is in order. Just to be safe. Seems fine though.”

Finally, with a task at hand, my father enters the fray. “I’ll call him. He’ll be here momentarily. The good doctor lives just down the road from us.” My father leaves the room at aclip.

I glance around. Chloe is leaning against Coop, steely daggers leaving her gaze resulting in a direct hit for Misty. Coop is all smiles. He thinks my cock-up is funny. Asshole. I can’t wait until one day he’s in a situation. Instead of helping, I’ll be poking the beast and laughing my ass off. Fucker.

Misty’s shoulders slump, and she crosses her arms in what I can tell is a protective gesture.

I really need to get this back on even ground. “See, that’s settled. Cora will be seen by our family doctor. He can be here before we could see a doctor at the emergency center anyway. Now listen, we have got to get past this. Let’s sit and talk it through, okay?” I’m hoping she’ll relax for a solid minute and see that she’s overreacting.

I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Misty walks right up to Kat, pulls her arm back, and slaps my woman with all her might, her body moving forward with the effort.

“Jesus fucking Christ! Misty!” I roar, but it doesn’t stop her from running her mouth and digging a hole she can never get outof.

“You’re a disgrace,” she sneers at Kathleen. “A homewrecker. And a horrible example of a mother. A mother protects, not harms. You remember that the next time you think about laying a finger on mybaby.”

Kat’s eyes fill with tears once more, and she turns and runs out of theroom.

Gigi follows after her. “Kat, honey, wait! It’s not your fault.”

Misty turns so fast she reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil in the Looney Tunes cartoons I used to watch as akid.

“She had no right. No right to hold our daughter, Carson.” Her normally brown eyes are black as coal. Her lips are set in a menacing snarl.

I’ve had enough.

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