Page 59 of Unbound

I struggle to get loose from his grasp and then manage to finish getting him dressed.

Downstairs, I set him on the floor in the living room and make my way into the kitchen for some much-needed coffee.

Mia’s at the table drinking her coffee, with her planner next to her. She’s been trying to help with the wedding as much as she can because Lenny’s clueless and tried to order invitations three months ago and ordered 10,000 wedding invitations instead of 100. She’s since been cut off from any duties. This was Red’s request since he’s the one paying for the wedding and Nova has more coloring paper than she knows what to do with now.

“Hey, sweetie,” she says the moment she notices me walk into the kitchen.

“Morning.” My heart begins to pound when I walk over to the coffee pot and notice an empty cup in the sink.

He must have at least had coffee, right?

“Is Rawley here?” I don’t look over at her. Instead, I stare out the kitchen window at the backyard where the wedding will be held three days from now. They have about an acre of land here, and it’s perfect for a wedding with all the flowers and leaves. It’s absolutely beautiful.

“He left this morning. He’s helping Red and Tyler today, but he’ll be back tonight.”

I nod, but I don’t say anything as I pour creamer into my coffee. I’m strangely relieved he’s not here this morning giving me more time to process everything.

“He wasn’t very talkative, looked almost sad… but wouldn’t say why. Did something happen at your dinner?”

Turning around, I lean against the counter and hold my coffee in my hand. When I don’t say anything, she motions for me to sit down, knowing I’m nearing tears and any second the dam is going to break and I’ll burst into tears.

Taking a seat at the table across from her, I tell her about the papers I received and what Rawley said to me. “I just don’t know what to think. I don’t think he’d do this, but then again, I don’t know him anymore. He’s been gone eighteen months and… I just don’t know.”

She doesn’t reach across the table to hold my hand or tell me everything’s going to be okay. Instead, she’s intently focused on me, a scowl on her face. She’s not mad at me, I can tell that much, but she’s almost… offended? “Rawley wouldn’t do this,” she confirms easily with a shake of her head, like she’d never considered the idea he would. “Hewouldn’t.”

My tears fall freely. “How can you say that? You don’t know the half of what Rawley’s done to me.”

“I know. I probably don’t,” she tells me, always the one trying to calm everything and ease the pain. But I need someone to feel this. After all these years,Ineed someone to feel what I do so I don’t have to burn alone. “He’s still my son, Sophie. I know him.”

I want to believe her and a small part of me already does, already wants to after what I saw at my bedroom door.

“I guess we’ll see what happens,” I finally say, moving from the table to the counter where I begin to prepare Lyric’s breakfast. I want her to be right. More than anything I need her to be right about him this time.

MIA OFFERS TO watch Lyric for me when Raven and Lenny show up at the house to pick me up for the final dress fitting. Nova comes into the living room where I’m putting on my shoes with Raven beside me. She’s telling me about her morning and I don’t want to hear it. Mostly because she’s telling me about sex with Tyler, and I haven’t had sex in eighteen months and frankly, I’m jealous of her V.

“Where’s Uncle?” Nova asks, staring out the window to where Rawley’s street bike has been parked the last couple of days.

Raven snorts. “Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people.”

I laugh, though I don’t mean to. In some ways, she’s right.

Nova shrugs. “Is he coming back?”

We both stare at each other before Mia comes to the rescue. “Yes, Nova. He’ll be back tonight. He’s helping Daddy today.”

“Okay, well, I’m covered in puke and maybe even poop.” Lenny comes into the room, staring at her black shirt. “Let’s go do this final dress fitting so I can change.”

Raven makes a disgusted face and points to her hair. “You got some in your hair too.”

Lenny glances at her hair. “Eh, I’ll shower later. I don’t have time today.”

“What do you mean today? Wouldn’t you have time tonight?” Raven’s eyes are wide.

We’re out the door by Red’s Nova, which Lenny borrowed today, when Lenny points at her. “I have two kids now. I shower when they take baths.” She glances at me. “And by shower I mean they soak me with water.”

“But you don’t shower every morning before they get up?” Raven gets in the front seat while I squeeze between a booster seat and Chevy’s car seat.

“I do. I think….” Lenny quirks her head to the side. “I usually shower in the mornings with Red before the kids are up but that meanshe’s up.” Lenny puts a lot of emphasis into the words, “he’s up.”

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