Return to the Darkness - Ripley Proserpina Page 0,40
him?
I still hadn’t seen their mom. That seemed so weird for her. She used to be involved in everything. Giving me permission to sleep with both her sons. Maybe she didn’t want to see me.
“God, I hope I don’t have kids. Poor little thing would be doomed.” Oliver spoke so low, I could barely make it out, but I did hear him.
I needed my guys back. I needed them to be the men who were hopeful about their futures. I couldn’t be the most put together person in a room. That was selfish, but if I was the most emotionally competent person here, then we were all fucked.
Mr. Chee walked back into the room then followed by his wife. She had a glazed look in her eyes. “So it really is Lacey?”
“It’s me.” I smiled at her, half expecting a hug, but she didn’t move.
Aaron rose. “How many pills did you take, Mom?”
Yep. I was the most put together person here. Well, maybe not. Maybe Robby was. I squeezed him tighter. That was official—Robert Chee was the most emotionally stable person in this house.
Mrs. Chee shrugged. “Who knows?”
Aaron took her arm. “Come on. You need to puke. Let’s go.”
No wonder Aaron smoked cigarettes. He was in constant clean up mode with his family. What a damned mess. I stared at Mr. Chee. “Going to help?”
“Yeah.” He ran his hands through his hair, watching his wife be led down the hall toward the bathroom like this was an everyday occurrence. “I will. But I need to do some research. I don’t want to send you to some other dimension.”
I had a feeling if he could just get me started, just open up whatever needed to be open, I would walk through it and end up right where I needed to be. Robby gave a tiny cry and rubbed his face against my chest.
“He’s hungry,” Mr. Chee said. “I’ll make a bottle.”
In minutes, he handed me a bottle. Robby had awoken by then and was surveying the room with a wobbly frown. It was heartbreaking. “I wish I could remember the name of Kelly’s kids.” I didn’t really talk to anyone, but Mr. Chee sat on the coffee table next to me.
“What does Kelly do?” he asked.
“She runs events at a vineyard. I haven’t seen her in ten years, but Aaron and Oliver told me she was happy. She has kids and a husband. Is successful. I hope one of them is named Robby. This little guy is too special not to exist somewhere.”
I stuck the bottle in his mouth and his dimpled hands grasped mine. He stared at me while he ate, his little lips puckered around the nipple. I’d never had baby fever before, but this kid was definitely infecting me with it.
“Go do your research,” I directed. If he didn’t, I’d end up staying here to take care of this little guy. “I need to get home.
After Robby’s feeding, I fell asleep on the couch with him and only woke up when Kelly lifted him from my arms. Her hair was messy, and her makeup was smudged.
“Are you okay?” I asked, glancing around. Oliver and Aaron had found spots in two armchairs. Thorn was still on the couch, and Colton was asleep on the floor.
She shrugged, transferring Robby to her shoulder. “Fine. So what are you doing here, dead girl? Really?”
“I’m trying to get back to my own reality. The one where I didn’t die.”
The baby grunted, and Kelly began to rock from side to side. “Another reality? A better one?”
“Yes,” I answered—because I was never one to beat around the bush. “You’re happy there. You’re married, and whoever he is, Oliver and Aaron haven’t mentioned he’s a liar.”
“Ha!” Her laugh made her son startle, but she patted his back and he went back to sleep. “Do I have him?” She glanced at the baby.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “I know you have kids. I don’t know their names.”
“I hope so.” She sighed. “He’s a really good baby. He deserves someone who has their shit together.”
“So get it together.”
Shaking her head, she turned and started down the hall. “Easier said than done.”
She left, and I lay there, staring at the ceiling.
In my world, at least one of the guys would have been with me at all times. It was strange to not be snuggled next to one of them. Maybe I should start insisting on some alone time so I didn’t get caught up in being the kind of