Page 222 of Relentles
Saddened that she’d never get to meet her grandfather, Harley nodded and averted her gaze.
“No, sweet girl, never look down in shame. I have tried my best to raise you with a sense of self, but you’re a young lady now with fears and insecurities that plague the best of us. The only thing you can do is believe CJ.”
“He wantsMolly. Besides, sometimes I think he hates me.” Even with her apology and his acceptance of it, things were different between them.
“Molly just disappeared, love. He is worried about her. She has suffered more than you or I can imagine. I would think you’d empathize with her a little more, but I now understand why you can’t. Don’t let your own insecurities change your kindness, Harley. That’ll just make everything doubly hard.”
“Butshehas him, or his loyalty, wherever she’s at, and n-now…me and N-Nardo—”
“We’ll call Jordan and ask her to meet us at her office.”
Releasing her, Mommie got to her feet and held out her hand, helping Harley to her feet.
“Will you tell Daddy?” Harley asked, dusting off her backside. She was still nauseated, but not overwhelmingly.
Mommie nodded. “I must. I’m keeping enough from him.”
The statement alarmed Harley. The doctor who always flirted with Mommie rose in Harley’s head, and she recoiled.
“I didn’t cheat on your father, Harley!” she snapped.
“Unless you’ve bankrupted him, that’s the only other thing I can think of.”
“There are many things.”
Folding her arms, Harley lifted a brow, not comforted at Mommie’s flush.
“I’ve had three miscarriages over the last two years,” Mommie blurted, pain marring her face.
Harley blinked. “Miscarriages?”
“Yes.”
“Likebabies?”
“What else could it be?”
“Babies?” Harley yelled. “Ewww. That is…that is…you would’ve given all your time to it! It’s bad enough I’ve lost CJ.”
“Didn’t you think Rebel acted like a jerk when Meggie was pregnant with Jo?”
“That’s different! She was stupid. I am fighting for my life.Ican have babies. To think that my mother can too…that’sdisgusting!”
Mommie blinked away sudden tears. “Your daddy never noticed. He was so busy with work. No one noticed. I felt invisible, so I lost myself in my work. I was so angry. It almost destroyed my marriage. For a while, I didn’t know if I wanted tobemarried.”
“All over a stupid baby? You would’ve broken my father’s heart because he didn’t know you were trying to disrupt our lives with a squalling infant?”
“Isn’t there a possibilityyoumight disrupt our lives with one? I’m a grown woman. You’re in your first year of high school, possibly carrying the child of that little asshole.”
“I thought you liked Nardo!”
“He took advantage of you.”
“He did not! I willingly gave it up.”
“You willingly gave it up out of stupidity.”
Harley gasped, her mouth falling open.
