Root of All Evil by Jennifer Hayden

Author:Jennifer Hayden [Hayden, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781466365292
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2013-07-29T21:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Luke watched as Hallie played with Jake and Callie, Nate and Suz’s soon to be five-year-old twins. They were in the large playroom of Nate and Suz’s four-bedroom house, about a mile or so from Luke’s house.

Hallie had been ecstatic to see Luke. She’d jumped into his arms, her tiny hands grabbing his face as she smacked a wet kiss on his lips. He’d immediately found himself smiling. God, he’d missed her. It had only been a couple of days and it had felt like a million.

“She’s doing fine, Luke. The media circus on television has died down so she’s been watching some cartoons with the twins. Don’t look so pained.” Suz squeezed his arm reassuringly.

“Thank you for doing this. I know it’s been hard on you guys too.”

“We love having her, you know that.” They watched the kids play for a moment. “So how is she doing?”

Knowing she meant Kate, Luke shrugged. “Better. Seems like each day she’s a little less scared and a little more like her old self. We got her hair fixed and got her some clothes today. I know she feels better about that.”

“That’s great.”

“I don’t know how to explain this to Hallie.”

Suz was quiet for a moment. “It’s got to be easier to tell your child her mother is alive, than it is to tell her she’s dead.”

She had a point. “I need to get this over with.”

Suz nodded and called the kids in. Then she left Luke and Hallie alone in the kitchen, where Hallie nibbled on some cookies and drank some milk.

“When can we go home, Daddy? I can’t wait to see Bentley.”

Bentley would be excited to see her too. He had basically been banished to the back yard for the past two days. “I need to talk to you about something, Chipmunk.”

Hallie swallowed some cookie and took a large gulp of milk, dribbling the liquid down her chin in the process. She wiped it away with the hem of her t-shirt. “Is Sara coming over? Are we going out for pizza?”

At the mention of Sara, Luke found himself frowning. He was going to have to get his daughter past this Sara thing. “No, baby. Not tonight.”

“Oh. We’re going to build a tree house,” she said, abruptly changing the subject. “Uncle Nate said we could.”

“That’s great, Chipmunk.” He paused, trying to figure out where to begin. “Listen, baby. I need to talk to you about your mom.”

Hallie stared at Luke intently, still chewing and swallowing. “Is Sara going to be my new mommy?” Suddenly her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Oh Daddy, thank you!” She hopped out of her chair before he could even say anything and threw herself into his lap, bringing chocolate chip cookie crumbs with her and wiping them on his shirt. “Will I get to carry flowers in your wedding? Christie says she’s going to do that when her daddy gets married.”

In spite of the fact that she was only a child, Christie was starting to get on his nerves.

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