Page 86 of His Fate
"So, now I'm homeless, totally alone in raising my baby, my car has a hole in the windshield, we have nothing because all of my possessions were destroyed and I'm just so fucking tired I basically cry all the time." Allie gives us a sarcastic smile. "I'm everything any man could ever hope for. A homeless, single mother on the verge of insanity and bankruptcy. I'll make someone super happy one day."
"Stop it." I stuff the note into my purse as Grace does the same with the dagger. "You are beautiful and strong, you're smart as fuck and you are a fantastic mother." Then I smirk. "And breastfeeding has done wonders for your body. You're hot as fuck, Al."
She giggles a little then sighs. "I don't know what to do though. I called Frankie to see if maybe I could stay with her and Granny for a week or so, just until I can figure things out because I don't want to stay with my mom. She'd make me feel like total shit over this and Ohio is too far away from you guys but I don't really want to go to California either, and Frankie said Granny isn't doing so hot so I don't want to impose." Allie slumps back against the chair. "And I've been saving for a new place but between maternity leave and getting booted three months before I was supposed to move, I just don't have enough money yet."
"Allie?" My bestie is silly as hell. "Why would you even think about going somewhere else when you have the three of us right here?"
She blinks wide eyes. "Um, because the three of you just moved in with your boyfriends and don't need me and my drama bursting your happy little bubbles?"
"Seriously?" Casey looks genuinely offended. "You thought we wouldn't want you and Daisy Mae shacking up with us because we've got men now?"
Allie shrugs.
"Al, there is no way in hell we'd let you go to Ohio to stay with that c-u-n-t that birthed you or California, despite how fucking cool Frankie and Granny are. We have plenty of room at our place, a huge yard, lots of space for Daisy to grow and flourish the way she undoubtedly will and lots of people to help you out."
"I keep forgetting you guys moved into a damn commune." Allie chuckles. "But still, I don't want to put you guys out, inconvenience your boyfriends or anything by bringing myself and a baby into the mix. Not to mention, living with you three lovesick idiots will probably just piss me off."
We all laugh at her bitter remark but something flashes in my mind for a second, more of a feeling than anything else, and somehow I know I need to get Allie back to the compound.
I feel like her future is there and I need to make that happen.
"Here's what we're gonna do, Al." I lean forward and put my hands on her knees. "We are gonna eat the shit out of those pinwheels Kady is bringing us any second, and while we do we're gonna make a list of everything you and Daisy need, everything that got destroyed by that asshat Jeff. Then we're gonna go shopping and Grace, Casey, and I are going to get every damn thing on that list because we love you, because we didn't get to throw you a baby shower and you need it. Then we're gonna load up all of our cars and haul ass back to our house because Kai and Dad are already clearing out one of my extra rooms for you and then we're gonna get drunk and set up your stuff while Hank Timmons showers Daisy with so much love, and our men put together baby furniture because you are moving in with us and that's final."
I'm not gonna tell her it's also for her safety.
Or that I have a funny feeling she's gonna get over her hang ups on love real quick once my favorite—kind of but don't tell Henrich or Milos—brother-in-law gets home.
Nope, I'll keep that shit to myself for now and blow Allie's mind later with all the crazy she'll no doubt experience at some point.
"I can't ask you guys to do that." A fresh wave of tears rolls down Allie's cheeks. "That's just too much. I love you for it, love you so much, but I can't ask you to buy me what will definitely be thousands of dollars worth of shit that I'll never be able to repay you for, then let us live with you for who knows how long."
"Forever," Grace says with a firm nod. "You're gonna let us do this, you're gonna like it, and you're going to live with us forever because we love you and Daisy like family."
Allie searches each of our faces for a few minutes and when she realizes none of us are going to budge, she sighs. "If we're going to get drunk then I'll need a new breast pump. I was able to salvage my supply from the freezer but I can't nurse Daisy with tequila in my system."
I smile, smile so big as Kady sets a huge tray of pinwheels in front of us. "Allie, I will buy you forty breast pumps if it means you'll come live happily ever after with us."
She giggles and nods. "I've never been able to say no to you guys, so why start now?"
Casey claps because she claps at everything, Grace gives me a high five, and then we each pick up a pastry to toast to this new chapter in my favorite fucking book.
* * *
Four hours later,dad and Janet have their granddaughter—because he refers to my best friends as the daughters he happily adopted as his own—in the living room while my besties and I sit in the middle of Allie's new bed in one of mine and Kai's extra bedrooms, drinking tequila while we giggle like teenagers and watch my mate, Henrich, and Milos fight over how to put Daisy's new crib and swing together.
"You are supposed to be the engineer," Kai huffs from his place on the floor surrounded by wood and screws. "Why can't you follow simple directions?"
Milos glares, instructions in one hand, a drill in the other. "These are not simple, jackass. Some idiot thought labeling everything with letters and numbers was a good idea."
"Which it would have been had they put the corresponding numbers and letters on those pieces." Henrich frowns as he attempts to put together the base of the swing. "What is this?"
We laugh harder as Henrich holds up the mobile that will hang over the seat and spin while it plays music.
"That's for Daisy to be entertained while she rocks to sleep!" Gracie giggles. "I picked it out!"
Henrich's eyes soften as he looks at his mate, then dance with laughter when he realizes the swing is jungle themed and the mobile has various animals hanging from it, including a tiger.
"I see that now." He chuckles. "I should have known this was your doing, a way to torture me a bit further than usual."
