Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Finally, the social worker tries her hand at coaxing Raine. And just as she seems to be softening a bit in my arms, maybe even warming to the idea, Ralph starts barking at her to be obedient and do as she’s told, and my baby bursts into tears and clutches me for dear life.
Fuck it.
He might not have touched her, but his harsh tone clearly scared her shitless. Whether I’m under a court order or not, I’m going to do what’s best for my daughter and get her the hell out of here.
Holding Raine firmly against my chest, I coo, “It’s okay, baby. You don’t have to go. Dadda’s got you.” As Ralph loses his shit, I glare at the social worker, daring her to contradict me. “Either I’m staying here with her, or I’m taking her away now.”
“He can’t do this!” Ralph barks. “Make him give her to me!”
“Sir,” the social worker says to Ralph. “Take a step back and keep quiet.”
“I will not keep quiet. He’s violating my legal rights!”
“Sir, step back. I won’t warn you again.”
I’ve heard enough.
With my arms wrapped securely around Raine, I say to the social worker, “My daughter is obviously terrified of this man, and for good reason. He’s a stranger to her.”
Beaumont scoffs. “Says the guy who only met her a month ago.”
I have no comeback for that, unfortunately, so I turn and stride silently to my car, as Beaumont screams bloody murder behind me and the social worker yells at him to calm down and remain quiet.
“You’re okay, baby,” I whisper soothingly to Raine, as I strap her into her car seat. “Dadda’s got you. I’m taking you home now, baby.”
Raine wipes a tear. “To Mommy?”
The last remaining, dangling shard of my heart splinters and crumbles. “No, love, to our house at the beach.”
I shut the door on her tear-streaked face, quaking with adrenaline. As I head to the driver’s door, Ralph shouts, “Thanks for violating the court’s order, asshole! That’s only going to help me and hurt you, dumbass!”
I slide into the driver’s seat, feeling sick to my stomach. Is he right? Am I screwing myself by walking away? Am I too focused on a specific tree, rather than the forest?
I pull my car out of the spot, as Ralph charges at my car, his face as red as a beet.
As he approaches, I roll down my window. Not to hear the string of expletives he’s shouting at me, but to shout something I probably shouldn’t: “See you in court, motherfucker! And after that, in fucking hell.”
After leaving the park, I’m tempted to drive around aimlessly for an hour or so. Long enough for Raine to fall asleep and for me to act like everything went according to plan, when I return home to Aubrey. But, of course, I can’t do that. I promised Aubrey full honesty. Good, bad, or ugly. In this case, ugly, unfortunately.
As I pull into my driveway, I’m surprised to find Raine already fast asleep in the back. Apparently, that whole experience at the park was exhausting her. For me, too, honestly. I’m wiped.
As I retrieve my daughter’s sleeping frame from her car seat and head inside, I practice the speech I’m going to give to Aubrey. The explanation. The excuse, really. But the second I see her worried, surprised face in the living room, my brain flips into fight or flight mode, and I forget everything I’ve been planning to say.
“What happened?” Aubrey gasps out. “Why are you back so early?”
“Let me get her into bed first,” I murmur, as I walk past her with Raine in my arms.
I swiftly head to Raine’s bedroom with Aubrey trailing behind and her panic wafting off her body and into my back like a palpable thing.
I get Raine settled onto her bed, march out of her room, and close the door behind Aubrey and me. And the second I’m alone with Aubrey in the hallway, even before I’ve said a single word, I nearly lose control of my emotions.
“What is it?” Aubrey asks, anxiety overtaking her features. “What happened?”
I can barely speak through the tremble in my voice. “I think maybe I fucked up.”
“How? Caleb, tell me what happened.”
I want to explain it to her, but I can’t find the right words. If Aubrey chews me out again, the same way she did in the middle of the street outside her parents’ house weeks ago, I’ll cry like a baby this time, and I don’t want to do that.
“You left without doing the hand-off?” she asks in a worried tone.
“I swear to God, Aubrey, it felt like Raine was channeling Claudia or something. I’m not a big believer in supernatural stuff, but it was like Raine knew she shouldn’t be anywhere near that man.” In a ramble, I describe the whole thing. And to my extreme relief and surprise, when I’m finished talking, Aubrey isn’t mad. In fact, she doesn’t even shake her head in disappointment. On the contrary, she pulls on my shirt, guiding me to her, and plants a tender, heartfelt kiss on my lips.