Page 224 of Relentles
“Have you apologized to him for the hell you put him through?”
“Have you?” she shot back.
Mommie stiffened in anger. “Don’t make me whip your ass, girl, then tell your daddy so he can whip you, too.”
“When you love someone, apologies aren’t required, Mommie.” A two-year-old knew that.
“That just shows your immaturity,” Mommie grumbled. “Apologies are always required, especially to the people you love, if you hurt them. And, yes, I have apologized to Lucas if you must know.”
Harley gritted her teeth. “Why did you want another baby?” The million-dollar question. She couldn’t talk her mother out of the ludicrous idea if she didn’t have the answer.
“I want another daughter.”
Outrage suffused Harley.
“Wouldn’t you like another sister, sweet girl? It’s just the two of us against a houseful of testosterone, especially when your cousins are over. There are six Caldwell boys alone.”
“Gunner’s a baby and Rule’s a zealot, so they don’t count. All that stuff you were telling me! I’m not even enough for you.”
Mommie winced. “Harley—”
“It would be just my luck she’d have green eyes, silky hair, and light skin like you!” Harley burst into tears.
“Oh, my baby girl.” Rushing to her, Mommie wrapped her in her arms. “No one can ever take your place.Ever. Even if I had ten girls.”
“I wouldn’t only beDaddy’sbaby girl anymore.”
“Of course, you would be. You’re Lucas’s pride and joy. When we discussed getting pregnant again, he was concerned about how you’d take to the idea if I had another girl.”
“My feelings didn’t concernyou.”
“No, it didn’t,” Mommie said without regret. “My decision on having another child is between your father and me. You have absolutely nothing to say about it.”
“That isn’t fair!”
“My body, my choice, Harley.”
“Not when you already have children. We need to be consulted on such monumental decisions.”
“Did you consult me about Nardo?”
“That’s different.”
“With seemingly the same end result.”
The fight left Harley, and she sagged, resting her head on her mother’s shoulder. “I love CJ, Mommie.”
“As I’d started to say before our conversation veered off, the ball is in a few weeks.”
And the week after was her play.
“Diesel has agreed to stay home to serve as the adult in the house.”
He was very lax in his supervision, so he could’ve gone to the ball.
“If we discover you’re expecting…God…” Mommie’s voice trailed off, and she heaved in a breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to…God!”
Whether it was a plea or a prayer, Harley couldn’t decide.
