Page 88 of Family Bonds: Carter & Avery

“Guess not,” she said.

“One more thing before we go down. I wasn’t sure if I was going to tell you or not but figured I should,” her mother said.

“What is it?”

“Kurt is having a baby?”

“He’shaving a baby? Did a medical miracle happen?” she asked. She was trying to process this in her head.

“His new girlfriend is having a baby,” her mother said.

“How did you find out?” she asked.

“He’s got a Facebook page. You know that.”

“I do,” she said. She didn’t have one personally, but since Kurt was in sales he did. He felt it gave him an edge to be on all social media pages and look human to people. Her mother must follow him.

“He posted on it a few weeks ago that he was going to be a father.”

“Good for him,” she said. “He never said he didn’t want kids. Just that he only wantedhis, not to raise someone else’s. Guess he’s getting his wish.”

“He was willing to raise Josie with you once he heard about the lawsuit,” her mother said after she snorted.

“I told him my feelings on that.” She wasn’t one to swear, but she had no problem telling Kurt to go fuck off when he tried to get back with her then. He was gone from her mind at that point and she had more important things to focus on.

Just like now.

“Good for you,” her mother said. “I didn’t want you to be blindsided if you found out or heard from someone else.”

“It’s his life. I’ve moved on.”

The two of them went downstairs and Josie was sitting on the couch, one of her cartoons on. “Dee, you’re going to love this show. Avery watches it with me too.”

She looked over to see which one it was. She watched TV with Josie halfhearted when it was cartoons. Probably wrong on her part, but there were times she was thrilled Josie was occupied while she could get things done around the house.

She figured that was the norm for most parents.

“Tell me all about the show,” her mother said. “Avery is going to order pizza for dinner. She should do it now as I’m pretty sure a lot of people are doing the same thing as us.”

“Are you going to Enzo’s?” Josie asked. “It’s much better than the pizza Carter brings over, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Avery snorted out a laugh. “It can be our little secret.”

She went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water and placed the order, was told it’d be an hour which was more than double what she was used to waiting, and then went back to watch cartoons with Josie and her mother.

“I’m hungry,” Josie said. “When will it be ready?”

“Not for an hour,” she said. “But you can have a small snack if you want.”

“No,” Josie said. “I’ll wait. And I’m excited to see my friends on Friday too. I’m still going to Patty’s house, right? She said there are going to be a few of the girls there to see me.”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s all set up. Don’t worry.”

“What are you going to do while Josie is at her friends?” her mother asked.

“I’m going to brave the mall on Black Friday and try to get some Christmas shopping done.”

Her mother burst out laughing. It was one thing Avery hated to do and Colleen had loved it. The thrill of the sales and the people. Avery always said she’d take a pass.

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