Chapter 62
“So how is the nursery coming along?” Beverly asked during a coffee klatch with Montana a few days later while the kids were in school.
“Paul’s done a beautiful job with it,” Montana nodded. “I don’t think a professional could have done better.”
“He always seemed to have liked tinkering around with things, and of course doing things with the girls, especially the little one.”
“Kira? Yeah, he and I had a talk about her the other night.”
“There’s nothing wrong with her, is there?” Beverly wondered.
“Oh no, just about how Reggie seemed so indifferent when she was pregnant and after Kira was born.”
Beverly nodded. “Yeah, I am all too familiar with that. I thought at first Reggie might have been going through postpartum depression when she had Kira; I’d gone through it myself not long after I had Brady. I advised her to get a checkup and some other things, but she insisted she was all right and that Paul was ‘just being a pain in the ass for wanting another baby.’ It wasn’t until later I found out Reggie was just put off because Kira hadn’t been the boy she wanted.”
“Which was no fault of that child’s own,” Montana shook her head.
“She seemed fine with Mackenzie,” Beverly went on, “but as far as Paul and Kira were concerned after that little one came, they were like….a pain in the ass to Reggie. Frankly, there were times Paul would tell me he was glad to go back on the road because he got tired of Reggie complaining and yelling all the time, and at least traveling, he could get some peace, even though he hated leaving the kids. I honestly think, Montana, if it weren’t for Mackenzie and Kira, he would have left her long before she passed away.”
“I know. He would never leave those girls behind, at least voluntarily.”
“There is one thing I never told him, though,” Beverly said. “See, I used to go over and stay with Reggie when Paul was away and her mother couldn’t come to town. Roger and I were still together then, and of course, I had Mom living with us, so someone was there with Brady and it wasn’t a problem. Anyway, I mostly took care of Kira at night, because she had colic at the time. Well, one night, I did manage to get Kira to sleep and had gone down to the living room to go to sleep myself. A little while later, I think I had to use the bathroom or something, and I heard something in the hall upstairs, so I went to have a look. That’s when I saw something in Kira’s room, and when I got a closer look, there was Reggie standing over the crib with a pillow!”
Montana gasped. “Oh my God, you mean she was going to….”
“I don’t know for sure,” Beverly replied, “but it certainly looked like she was about to suffocate Kira to me. Thank God I got up there when I did and asked what the hell she was doing.”
“I presume you managed to talk sense into her, being Kira is still with us.”
“Yes, but I never told Paul about what happened. It just would have upset him, and Kira wasn’t hurt.”
“My God, who would want to kill their own baby? So help me, if I am ever like that with this one, no matter how frustrated I am, you and Paul are both welcome to shoot me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t shoot you, Montana, but I’d certainly try to talk some sense into you and to get you some kind of help.”
Montana nodded and smiled. “And I think while I am at it today, some sweet, pretty little girl is going to get some extra hugs when she gets out of preschool.”
Later:
Montana watched as a gaggle of small children spilled out of the building where Kira attended preschool, each sprinting to their respective mothers, babysitters, or nannies. She then spied Kira’s familiar dark head, calling out and going over to the little girl.
“There’s my little baby doll,” Montana said, hugging the child close to her.
“Mami,” Kira asked, a little confused, “why are you hugging me so tight?”
“Because you’re a good girl and I love you.” She kissed the top of Kira’s head.
“I love you too. Are you going to hug Mac like this when she comes from school too?”
“Come to think of it, I just might. Did you have fun in school today?”
“Uh huh. Are you going to have the baby yet?”
Montana chuckled. “Didn’t you, your daddy and I go through this already? The baby isn’t coming for another three months.”
“Not sooner?” Kira pressed.
“Trust me, love bug, if I had my way, it would have been here already. Would you like to go get ice cream?”
“Papi says we’re not allowed stuff before dinner.”
“Well, Papi won’t be around until at least Wednesday, and what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Kira glowed. “Can we get some for Mac too?”
“Absolutely. We can put it in the freezer until she comes home.”
“She’ll be really surprised.”
“Oh yes she will. You know what? Just because your daddy isn’t around for a couple of days and I happen to feel a little lazy tonight, how about you girls and I having some pizza for dinner?”
“With all kinds of stuff on it?” Kira asked happily.
“Anything you girls like,” Montana grinned. “Even anchovies.”
“Ewww!” Kira wrinkled her face. “None of those! They smell.”
“Okay, no anchovies,” Montana laughed, strapping Kira in the car, “but we will get some good ice cream to start our girls’ evening off right.”
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