Leaving the courthouse, I see Chrissy outside of Patty Cakes. She is gorgeous and sexy, so I keep watching. I see she’s on the phone and getting upset.
I stride toward her and see the tears she tries to quickly wipe away. I pull her into my arms and hold her. “What’s wrong? I’m here for you, everything is going to be okay.”
Like a dam letting loose, she sobs into my shoulder. I hold on to her, waiting for her to get her bearings. With her arms around my waist and her head on my chest, I could stand here all night. But I hate seeing her in pain like this. It makes me want to kill David for what he’s doing to her.
She sniffs a few times. She tells me about David’s attorney and how her own attorney said there’s nothing legally they can do to stop visitation right now. “I’m so scared, Bart.”
“It’s all right. We’ll figure this out,” I promise.
She takes a few deep breaths and pulls from my arms. I don’t let her go far. My hands stay on her shoulders, and I don’t know if it’s to soothe her or me. She wipes at her face. “Okay?” she asks.
I know she’s asking me about her tearstained face. “Beautiful,” I tell her honestly.
Her lips lift in the corners, and I would give anything to kiss her right now. Instead, I reach for her hand. I need her to know that she’s not alone in this. I’m going to be here for her, no matter what.
We go into Patty Cakes, and we barely get through the door and I have to release my hold on Chrissy to catch a flying Katie as she jumps into my arms. “Wow! That’s a great hello,” I say as Katie bounces in my arms.
“Katie!” Chrissy exclaims, but I shake her off, letting her know it’s okay.
“What’s up, Katie?”
Her arms go around my neck, and she’s smiling ear to ear. “Mom said you’d show me how to do the magic trick. Maggie said I can’t do it and I’m going to show her!”
I laugh and promise her, “You’ll be a pro by tonight. That is, if it’s okay with your mother.”
We both look at Chrissy, and she’s nodding her head yes which brings out another squeal from Katie.
I catch my sister looking at us, and I know exactly what she’s thinking. I don’t care though. I don’t care if the world knows. Because right now, I feel like I have everything I could ever want with Chrissy by my side and her daughter in my arms.
“Hey sis!” I nod at her.
“Hey, big brother. Well, now that I see Chrissy and Katie are in good hands, I better get back to work.”
She gives us all a knowing smile before heading behind the counter. Chrissy tells her she’ll talk to her soon, and we walk out of the bakery hand in hand.
14
Chrissy
Bart is amazing with Katie.
And it’s obvious that she’s getting attached to him.
Even though I don’t know how he could possibly stop what is coming the next day, his being here makes me feel better, safer.
Bart and Katie play board games while I make dinner. He’s shown her how to do the magic trick, and she’s so excited to go to school tomorrow to show her friends. She handled the whole situation of her dad picking her up better than I thought she would. And even though a part of me wants to believe that David would never hurt her, I’m still torn to pieces about it.
After dinner we watch a movie and Katie falls asleep lying partially on me and partially on Bart. He helps me by carrying Katie to her bed.
We stand in her doorway, staring into the darkness before I finally have the courage to shut the bedroom door. Bart’s holding my hand, which he’s done all night long, it seems. It’s given me more comfort than I want to reflect on.
As we walk down the hallway, Bart says he’ll leave.
I stop in front of my bedroom door and turn to him.
I know I should let him go. I know Katie’s not the only one that is getting attached. But I need him tonight.
I look into his blue eyes and tell him honestly, “I wish you would stay.”
His hands go to my shoulders. “I’ll stay then. Anything you want, Chrissy. I’ll do my best to make it happen.”
I pull him to the bedroom. A part of me wonders if I’m using him, knowing I won’t be able to sleep tonight, I need a distraction. And he’s definitely a distraction. But I can tell myself that all I want. I know how I feel about Bart. I’ve felt it for a long time, and I know that especially now that’s not going to change.