Mistake
Chapter 15
Mike walked back into the same room and found Katie eating again. Her hair and skin looked better and she was inspecting the platters and serving bowls.
"What is that?" She asked Mike, pointing at a serving bowl.
"Looks like gumbo. Its really good." Mike said. He poured some soup in a bowl and handed it to her. She took a bite and smiled.
"It is, but a little spicy." Katie said as she grabbed a biscuit. Mike poured her a glass of milk and sat down next to her.
"The milk will help too. So, do you know about the baby?" Mike asked.
"I do. I'm happy about it. I hope you take good care of her." Katie said.
"A girl?" Mike asked and Katie covered her mouth.
"I wasn't supposed to tell you that." Katie remarked. Mike just laughed.
"Its okay. We've not told Hannah and Billy yet. Waiting on going to the doctor. Maddie is really nervous." Mike remarked.
"Tell her Charlotte is fine and will be fine." Katie said, still munching on her biscuit.
"Charlotte, huh? I wanted to name you Charlotte for your great-grandma but your mom liked Kaitlyn. And it never got brought up as a choice for Hannah." Mike explained.
"I know." Katie answered in a bored tone.
"Can I ask a question?" Mike asked.
"I wouldn't be able to stop you." Katie remarked.
"Maddie thought that for you to settle and go to your mom and brother; I have to find peace?" Mike asked.
"If you're at peace, Hannah and Billy will be at peace. But, you and I have established that we hate each other." Katie said.
"I think you keep saying that to push me away." Mike remarked.
Mike woke up from the dream and had to catch his breath without waking Maddie or Billy, who had climbed in between them at some point through the night. He had to find a way to communicate to Katie that he didn't hate her. He just wasn't sure how.
He didn't sleep well the rest of the night and got up early to fix breakfast for Maddie and the kids. After Maddie left for work, Mike called and put her on his benefits package and waited for her text that she had made the doctor's appointment. It was rainy and Mike had to occupy the kids. Billy, in particular hated rainy days. He didn't want to cuddle. Mike finally sat down with him to play blocks while Hannah worked with her tutor.
"So, would you like it if I had Maddie move in? I know how much you love her." Mike asked the little boy.
"Move here?" Billy asked.
"She would live here with you, Hannah, me and Char…here with us." Mike said, glad Hannah was in the next room. She would have caught his slip-of-tongue. Thankfully; Billy was too young to notice it.
"Okay." Billy answered.
"Just okay? Okay that she moves in?" Mike asked. Billy gave him a bored shrug, and Mike remembered that the little boy was very young and had not had a typical childhood. Maybe it was just better to have the conversation with Hannah and leave the baby out of it until they had at least had a doctor's appointment. And Maddie might still want her apartment too.