“Uh, in a way he is. He’s a detective.”
“What is that?”
“Well, that means that he asks questions and tries to solve problems. He looks for the bad guys.”
I look at her nodding her head in the rearview mirror. It’s almost like I can see the questions forming in her head.
“So he stops bad things from happening?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Yeah, well, that’s one of the things I guess he does.”
“So he can stop my dad from taking me from you?”
As soon as her words are out, I suck in a breath. I try not to let her see how her words are affecting me. We pull up into my mom’s driveway, and I get out and open the back door, kneeling down beside her. “Are you worried about that, Katie?”
Her lower lip pops out, and she slowly nods her head.
“First of all, I don’t want you to worry about anything. No one is going to take you from me.”
“Promise?”
“I promise you. But let me ask you, your teacher is telling me that you keep asking about your dad. I thought you were missing him.”
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t, Momma. I just ask about him because I don’t want him to pick me up. He always tells me that he’s going to take me soon, and I can live with him, but I don’t tell him I don’t want to, I’m scared.”
I pull my baby into my arms. “You don’t have to, Katie. You don’t have to go live with him, and I promise, I’m always going to be here for you. Please don’t worry, okay?”
“Momma, Bart told you that he will help you. Can he help us?”
I sigh and kiss the top of her head. “Yeah, honey, he’ll help us.”
I pull back and help Katie out of the car. My mom is standing beside us, and I can tell she wants to ask me, but I just shake my head.
“I’ll be back to get you later, okay?”
Katie nods her head. Normally she would beg to spend the night with her grandma, but tonight she only nods.
“Thank you, Mom, for watching her. I won’t be out late.”
She waves me off. “Don’t you worry, honey. I got dinner on the stove and then we’re going to make cookies.”
Katie pumps her fist in the air. “Yay, cookies.”
I laugh as they huddle together and all but run into the house.
I feel a little relieved to know what’s been bothering Katie, but I’m still stressed and worried. I have a promise to keep to my little girl, and come hell or high water, I’m going to keep it.
10
Bart
I’ve been looking forward to this all day. I’m sitting with my sister and Scott when Chrissy comes in. I sit back and watch as Carrie and Chrissy hug, and she gets settled. I can see the lines by her eyes, and I know she’s stressed out. I can’t help but wonder if David has messed with her again. I have someone following him, but that still doesn’t comfort me completely.
“So how was your day?” Carrie asks her, and Chrissy looks at me and then shrugs her shoulders.
“It was fine.”
Instantly, I know something’s happened, and all I want to do is send Scott and Carrie on their way and talk to Chrissy alone.
I force myself to sit back in my chair instead of leaning across the table and covering Chrissy’s hand with my own. The need to comfort her is strong and almost unbearable.
The conversation goes on around us, and I make a point to talk to Scott since it’s so important to Carrie that I make nice with her boyfriend. What she doesn’t know is that I’ve talked to Scott on more than a few occasions, and already I know he’s a good man. I couldn’t have picked anyone better to take care of my sister.
“So are you gonna heat things back up with Leah, who is drooling over you?”
My sister is always trying to fix me up, and it seems that now, even though we’re older, she’s not going to give up on it. I look at Chrissy, wanting to make sure she hears and understands what I’m saying. “I’m not interested in Leah.”
Chrissy’s face flushes, but I don’t look away. I keep looking at her, wanting her to know how I feel even though I can’t say it right now.
Eventually, Chrissy’s gaze drops, and I decide it’s best to change the subject before I make her even more uncomfortable.
“So Chrissy, how was Katie today?” I ask her.
She doesn’t look surprised that I ask. I can see the confusion on Carrie’s face, but I ignore it.
“She’s good. Actually really good today. Right now she’s probably elbow deep in cookie dough.” She laughs, and the soft sound seems to shock her, like she’s not used to laughing and it sort of caught her off guard.