Page 42 of Hers to Hold
The man was—in short—abusive. “Domineering” and “heavy-handed” were words used when Susie was trying to be kind. But the guy had done an emotional number on his wife and daughters for so long that two out of three left town and rarely returned, and once he was buried, Mary reconnected with the love of her life and married him as soon as possible.
This news derailed Kady’s plan to confront her sisters about their father. In fact, now Kady was in a bind. How could she reveal her secret without them suspecting her of an ulterior motive? She had one, true, but now?
I’m not even sure I want to know anything more about Gregory.Kat and Kori were some of the kindest, most genuine people she’d ever met. To hear how they had suffered…
Kady blinked away tears.
“What’s wrong honey?” Mary said, reaching across the table to squeeze Kady’s hand.
Kady cleared her throat and presented a bright smile. “Oh! Nothing.”
“It’s the cream sauce, Mom. You made it spicier than usual,” Kori stated.
“I thought giving it a little kick was a good thing,” Mary responded with a frown.
Kady rushed to say, “Oh, it was amazing. Really. I cleaned my plate. See?” She titled her plate for inspection.
“I bet she wants some of that pie,” Kat teased. “Is it a new recipe, Mom?”
“Sure is. Let me cut it. Kori? You haven’t had any wine all evening. You want me to fill your glass?”
“Um…” Kori hunched her shoulders, her expression sheepish. “I probably shouldn’t.”
Kat gasped, her hands going to her mouth.
Mary stood agape, knife in one hand and a pie server in the other.
“You’re pregnant,” Kady breathed.
Kori nodded excitedly. “We wanted to say something at dinner the other evening, but we couldn’t steal Kat’s thunder.”
Kat squealed and fiercely hugged her sister. “Congratulations! I know you and Marshall have been trying.”
Kori sighed. “Seems like forever. We both want a few, and he’s getting up there in age.”
Mary harrumphed. “If he’s old then I’ve got one foot in the grave,” she said about her son-in-law before planting a kiss on her daughter’s cheek. “Congratulations, honey. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.”
“Times two.”
Everyone gasped. “Twins!” Mary shouted.
“Yes. Don’t know the sex for either, but there were definitely two heartbeats. Wouldn’t it be funny if we were all having girls? Dad would turn over in his grave.”
The room was silent before the Kaye women burst out laughing.
Kady sat there, half-smiling, half-chuckling. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do. She was about to be an aunt thrice over, and nobody knew. Her heart swelled for her sisters, but…she pinned her bottom lip to keep from sharing her secret. Not until she figured out how to tell them that their father had an affair and she was the product. How much more disappointed would they be in their father?
And in her? She’d have to explain that she moved here with the idea of confronting them and bringing down Kat’s husband in the process. That she really didn’t need a job as a bake assistant; she was an investigative reporter assigned to infiltrate their lives for an incriminating story.
What was it her mother had said about integrity?I don’t have any of it left.
“Congratulations,” Kady managed to say.
“Thank you, Kady,” Kori replied. “Just water for me, Mom.”
After Mary served the pie and returned to her seat, they discussed Kori’s due date and the possibility of a joint baby shower with Kat. Eventually, their conversation found its way back to Kady.
“So, you and Wes?” Mary asked.
