The Friends We Keep

Andrew looked at Gabby. “If it’s not too much trouble,” he said. “I’ll take the SUV.”


She nodded without speaking. It might be sunny and eighty in the rest of Mischief Bay, but at the Schaefer household, the temperature had just dropped very close to freezing.





Chapter Nineteen

Gabby stayed downstairs long after Andrew said he was going to bed. Things hadn’t warmed up during dinner, although he’d been careful to be friendly in front of the kids. Now Gabby finished her grocery list for the following morning. Not spending the evening with her husband had given her some extra time to get things done. Just as soon as she was sure he was asleep, she would head upstairs.

She put the grocery list by her purse, along with several fabric shopping bags. She only had three more weeks before school started—and her new job. She needed to get things organized. There was clothes shopping to do and—

She heard a sound and turned. Makayla stood at the foot of the stairs. She was in her pj’s, with her hair pulled back in a braid. She looked painfully young and small.

“Hey,” Gabby said. “You okay?”

The teen shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Gabby pointed to the stools by the island. “Want some hot chocolate?”

“Thanks.”

While Gabby collected milk and cocoa, Makayla took a seat.

“How was your weekend with your mom?” Gabby asked. Makayla had been home for dinner, but hadn’t spoken much.

One thin shoulder rose. “She’s mad at me.”

“About the baby?”

Nod.

“She’ll get used to the idea. It will take time.” Not that Candace was the most affectionate mother ever, but Gabby had to believe she loved her child.

“She’s mad at you, too,” Makayla admitted in a small voice.

Gabby laughed. “Of course she is. I’m sure she said it was all my fault. That if I’d done a better job with you, none of this would have happened.”

Blue eyes widened. “How’d you know?”

“A lucky guess.”

Candace had never been a fan. Anything that went wrong in Makayla’s life was Gabby’s fault. A circumstance she found interesting. If Candace was so damned concerned about her kid, why was she seeing her less and less?

“She wants me to give up the baby for adoption.”

Gabby continued to stir the milk in the pot. “Uh-huh,” she murmured, doing her best not to dance with joy. Was it possible that after eight years, she and the bitch queen were finally going to agree on something?

“I told her I wouldn’t. Boyd and I want to raise our baby together. We’re in love.”

Gabby held in a sigh. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say that didn’t go well.”

“No. It didn’t. She yelled and said I was stupid and irresponsible. She said—”

The silence stretched on. Gabby turned and saw Makayla wiping away tears.

Gabby turned off the stove and sat down next to the teen. While the two of them were civil to each other, they weren’t exactly best friends. So she wasn’t sure what to say or do. She put her hand on Makayla’s shoulder.

Makayla raised her head as tears filled her eyes. “She said Boyd was going to dump me. That I was fooling myself if I thought he’d last even a month after the baby was born. That we weren’t in love at all. He’d just been out for what he could get.”

True or not, there was no need to be harsh, Gabby thought, as she pulled Makayla close. The teen relaxed against her and cried.

“Boyd’s still with you,” Gabby pointed out. “He’s not going anywhere, is he?”

“No. But his mom hates me.”

“I suspect Lisa hates most people. You don’t get to use her opinion of you to feel special, I’m sorry to say.”

Makayla gave a choked laugh-sob, then sniffed and raised her head. “Do you think Boyd used me?”

“No.” Gabby could speak the truth there. “Look how he’s stayed by you. He stood up to his mom. That can’t have been easy.”

“You’re right. He’s a good guy.”

Gabby didn’t think he was going to stay “good” for long, but there was no point in going there. If they were wrong, then they would have to deal with Boyd and the baby. If they were right...well, time enough for that later.

The real takeaway was that Makayla wasn’t interested in adoption. Which left Gabby firmly in the screwed column. She didn’t want to have to deal with the baby and Andrew couldn’t imagine anything else.

“Thanks,” the teen told her. “That makes me feel better. I’ve been worried.”

“I wouldn’t be unless something happens. Sometimes, in a relationship, it’s better to let the other person mess up, before you get mad at them. Getting mad in advance isn’t really helpful.”

Makayla smiled. “You always give the best advice, Gabby. Thank you.” The smile faded. “I’m sorry about the baby. I didn’t want this.”

“I know.”

The mature response, when what she really wanted to say was You? You’re not the one getting stuck, kid. Once you pop it out, your life will return to normal.