Page 57 of The B!tch List

“She’s a lucky girl then,” Austen said, looking up from his phone which he been pretty much stuck to since dinner had ended an hour ago. “Because I am pure perfection according to the girls of Dayton Valley High.”

“Oh my goodness,” Bronte sighed. “I far preferred it when he was a gangly kid who wore mismatching pajamas and idolized us. Didn’t you, Shaw?”

“I never idolized you.”

“Yes, you did,” I argued. “You followed us both everywhere because you were desperate to be with us and be like us.”

“He even cried when you went away to college,” Dad added.

“I did not.” Austen’s lips pouted just like he was six again and Mom was right, Tia looked just like him.

“Yes, you did.” Mom reached over and ruffled his hair. “You sat at on the driveway every night waiting for him to come back. Crying and asking, ‘when’s Shaw coming home, I miss him’.”

“Pathetic behavior from an eleven-year-old,” I said with a grin, earning myself a double flip off from my baby brother.

“She is cute though,” Bronte said our attention going back to the two toddlers. “And it’s good they seem to like each other.”

I watched as my daughter, which still sounded weird, ran around with her cousin squealing in delight as Mani, Bronte and Carter’s dog now lumbered around with them.

“He’s okay with them?” I asked.

“Mani?” Carter looked at me like I was stupid. “He’s the gentlest most caring dog you could ever meet. You know that.”

I must admit the big black and tan dog of unidentified breed was pretty soft and had always been great with Rett. I guessed that things changed when you had your own kid. You clearly became more paranoid.

“How’s she been today?” Mom asked, her eyes still on the kids.

“A bit grizzly.” I exhaled a heavy breath of disappointment. “This is the happiest she’s been all day.”

Right on cue Tia let out another belly chuckle.

“She’ll get there, honey,” Mom replied. “She just needs to get used to her new normal.”

“I guess so.”

I wondered if I was doing what was right for Tia by keeping her? Maybe I should have insisted that Mrs. Devonshire keep her until I got to know her a little better. Then we could have had visits and sleepovers, to introduce Tia to us all gradually. Then again, Mrs. Devonshire had made it clear that option was not on the table. There was nothing like getting married and leaving the country to show you didn’t want to care for your granddaughter any longer.

“Do you keep calling yourself Daddy to her?” Bronte asked. “Because you should. She needs to know that you are.”

“It felt a bit strange saying it. Like it got stuck on my tongue or something.” I swallowed remembering how weird it had felt.

Dad slapped my back. “You’ll get used to it son. You haven’t had time to adjust. I mean look at Carter he passed out when he found out he was going to be a dad.”

We all looked at my brother-in-law who had gone a deep shade of red. Being ginger it wasn’t a good look on him, even if he was a handsome bastard.

“I’m still paying for that you know,” Carter said.

“And you will be, honey, until Rett leaves for college at the very least.” Bronte winked at him, and I knew that she wasn’t lying.

“How do we know who our parents are?” Austen asked. “I mean how do we know who our mom and dad are and who are grandparents are, and our aunts and uncles.”

“Because we told you,” Dad said.

“Yes, but how did I know that you and Mom were the ones who loved me the most?” Austen’s hair fell into his eyes and for one moment, with his mouth gaping open, he looked like a little kid again. Certainly not the boy who’d suddenly discovered his penis was for something more than windmilling.

“Mom and Dad don’t love you the most.” I nudged Bronte’s foot with mine, getting her to join in. “In fact, they’re not your mom and dad.”

“That’s true,” Bronte added looking serious. “They adopted you because you were left at the orphanage because you were ugly. No one wanted to take you.”

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