Page 68 of Maple Mountain
“It’s not that,” Lenni said.
“What is it?”I asked.
She nibbled her lip.“Whenever I asked about my dad, she would change the subject or say we’d talk about it later.We never did.She didn’t want me to have a dad.I’m mad at her for that.”
“Because Archer’s turning out to be a pretty good dad?Even though he’s new at it?”
“Yeah.”She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.“It’s not fair, Wyn.It’s not fair that I didn’t have a dad growing up.”
“No, it’s not fair,” I agreed.“Moms want their kids to be happy.But moms also protect their babies.That’s what good moms do.”
“Why was she trying to protect me from Archer?”she asked.“Why did she take me away?Why couldn’t we have been a family?”
“And had nights like the one the three of us had together last night?”
She peered at me as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.“You’re good at this.”
“Good at what?”
She exhaled.“Being a mom.”
An air raid siren blasted in my head.
“I’m being a friend,” I said.“We’re friends, right?”
“Right,” she repeated.
Lenni didn’t need me as a friend.
But I couldn’t be her mom.That wasn’t my role to fill.
“You think you’ll be able to sleep now?”I asked.
“Yeah.I think so,” she said, scooting down underneath the covers and pulling them up to her chin.
Mildred hopped off my lap and belly-crawled toward Lenni and then curled up next to her side.
I stood and made sure she was tucked in, but before I could turn off the light, she said, “Wyn?”
“Yeah?”
Her brow furrowed.“Will you promise not to leave?”
“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” I assured her.
I knew that wasn’t what she was asking.
I turned off the lamp and then settled at the foot of her bed.Even after her breathing evened out, I didn’t leave.
I couldn’t.
ChapterFifteen
The Ranch
I looked like crap on wheat toast.Felt like it too.Not even a third coffee and heavy concealer helped.
Even after I’d returned to my room, my mind had refused to quiet.It kept replaying the conversation with Lenni over and over.
