Page 59 of Delinquent Daddy (Banks/Kincaid Family 2)

145

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Had she wanted to keep the two of them apart? From the very moment Cassidy had been born, she'd been Ellie's.

Cassie was Ellie's one great accomplishment. Her daughter was her life and her world. Had she subconsciously been hogging that wonder all to herself? Had she purposely driven Boston away so she didn't have to share with him?

Cassidy was still staring up at her, waiting for an answer that Ellie couldn't give.

"Eat your toast," she mumbled and plopped the hard bread on her daughter's plate.

Cassie stared down and glared at her food, refusing to touch it.

And thus progressed their relationship. Three days later, Ellie felt like a damn recorder. Once again in the kitchen, mother and daughter filled the room with a hostile silence.

Ellie stuffed her mouth with a forkful of Hamburger Helper and chewed relentlessly, though it tasted like cardboard to her.

She scowled at Cassie, who sat slumped in her chair, arms crossed over her chest, refusing to eat. This argument they had going was proving to be their longest yet. When Ellie tried to corner Cassie and get her to talk, Cassie would turn around and ask Ellie questions about Boston that shut her mother up in seconds.

But Ellie wasn't sure how to tell her little girl she'd never meant to hurt her by pushing her father out of their lives.

She'd thought she'd been protecting her child, shielding Cassie from possibly having a dad who only regretted her existence.

146

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

It became a battle to even get Cassie ready for school in the mornings. The child rebelled against everything Ellie told her to do. And so, the silence had started.

Worried about her daughter trying to starve herself, however, Ellie pointed her fork at Cassie's plate and growled,

"Eat your green beans."

Cassie glared at the plateful of food. "I hate green beans."

"That's why there're only three on your plate," Ellie reasoned calmly. "But they're good for you, so...eat."

"No."

"Cassidy."

"Why do you always tell me what to do?" Cassie snapped, jumping out of her chair and glaring across the table, her small hands fisted down at her sides.

"Hmm," Ellie answered with a thoughtful look. Pressing the handle end of the fork against her chin, she answered,

"Maybe it's because I'm your mother."

Okay, so this probably wasn't the best time for sarcasm, but she was sick and tired of all the antagonism already. She and Cassie had never quarreled this long before.

Cassie's chin quivered, she looked so mad. "Andy in my class," she said, staring straight into Ellie's eyes, "he lives with his dad. His mom was really mean, and he told a judge he wanted to live with his dad, so—"

"Well, that's not what's going to happen to you," Ellie interrupted, her skin going cold all over. But dear God. She hadn't expected her daughter to pull that kind of comment out of her hat.

"Why not?" Cassie asked, her jaw set and her eyes hard.

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