In Her Mind (Mountain High Valley Low ) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you get that child from?”
“Ma, meet your grandson, Brice Cabrini.” My mother’s jaws dropped open and she instinctively reached for Brice. To my surprise, my son went right to her.
“Come here, sweetie. Come to Grandma, honey,” her words were coated with sugar. “Are you hungry, honey?” She directed her next question to me with a glance, then continued looking directly at Brice. “What did he have to eat?” Mom wrapped him in her plump arms and hugged him tight. “You are so precious! Come on. Let’s see what Grandma has in the kitchen.”
My mother carried a willing Brice to the kitchen, leaving me to find a place for his baby bag and stroller. There was an instant understanding between my mother and Brice. He seemed to feel comfortable with her at first sight. There’s something to be said about a love so strong it puts even the unfamiliar at ease.
When I joined my mom and Brice in the kitchen, he was smiling and eating chocolate pudding.
“Where on earth did you get chocolate pudding from, Mom? You don’t usually have kids around here.”
“That’s for me. I got to have my snacks, you know.”
“Are you even supposed to have that with your diabetes? That’s not too sweet for you?” I asked.
Without words my mother cut off my questioning and changed the conversation while continuing to dote on her grandson. The sight of the two of them seeming so familiar with each other felt good.
My cell phone vibrated on my waistband and I snatched it off, hoping it was Shelly. I wasn’t ready to give Brice up so quickly, but I did want to know where the hell she was and ask her if she had completely lost her mind.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Shelly, it was Lexie. I was on edge when I answered the phone. We still hadn’t discussed the scene from the other night when Lexie found Brice’s picture in my pocket. I still had lots of explaining to do. The problem was, I wasn’t sure exactly what or how to explain. Being new to all of this
Renee Daniel Flagler
    baby-daddy life and having Shelly for a baby-mama, I just didn’t know what to expect.
“Hey, baby,” I said into the phone a little too nervously.
It caught my mother’s attention and she glanced at me with a look that told me she understood. Leaving Mom and Brice, I walked out of the kitchen so I could talk to Lexie in peace. At least as much peace as I could muster up in this tense time of turmoil.
“What’s up? Are you having fun?” I asked.
“Yes. I suppose you knew all about it,” she asked dryly.
Dry is how all of our conversations have been since the other night. Neither of us wanted to take the lead and steer the conversation in the direction of our pink elephant, but we knew the issue wouldn’t mark the end of what we had, so we just allowed the tension to flow thickly around us. Sooner or later the pink elephant would come charging at us, no longer tolerating any form of neglect.
“Well, phase one is complete. That was the part of the shower that was held at the restaurant and deemed appropriate enough for our parents to attend. Apparently they have some kind of bachlorette adventure awaiting me tonight, and they’ve allowed me to come home and get myself together for it. When I got here you weren’t home, so I just called to touch base with you in case you weren’t home before I left again.”
Lexie was begging the question but wouldn’t ask. I decided to give her the answer she was looking for but wouldn’t admit to.
“I’m at my mother’s house right now. I have a few stops to make and I’ll be by later. What time are you leaving to go on your bachlorette adventure? I’ll try to make it home before you go.”
“Okay,” was her dry reply before our conversation met a drawn-out pause. After a few more moments of silence and breathing, Lexie continued, “Ask your mother if she enjoyed herself at the shower today. And let her know I loved the gift. I’ll talk to you later.” Click!
I just flipped the phone closed, stuffed it