Page 99 of Starting Back
“So how high did you jump that you came down this hard?” I lifted a brow. Another rush ran through me when she chuckled.
“Too high, I guess.” She grimaced as she sat up, shifting on the bed toward me. “It’s not that I…” She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s not that I don’t like you—”
“Chloe, we don’t have to talk about that now. And I know that. Just take it easy until your mom gets here.”
“He used to make her cry a lot. My dad.”
I froze, tension shooting across my shoulder blades as I straightened in the seat.
“After they’d fight,” she said before I could ask her when. “Mom didn’t think I saw. I’d watch from the steps when they’d fight in the kitchen, and he would slam the door after he left. I guess to go in the yard or something. But the next day, she’d never look like she’d cried or even like anything was wrong. It was like I dreamed it up or something.” She shrugged.
“That must have been hard to see.”
She averted her gaze again with a tiny nod.
“Mom told us not to be upset about the fights they had since they weren’t about us. I could never really hear what either of them said, and Mom would always look like she was backing off at the end, but he kept going until she cried. And it wasn’t only once.”
She raked a hand through her hair and exhaled a long breath. I said nothing and let her continue, all the while pushing down my own rage that this douche kept making my girl cry in a house with kids watching.
“I only visit my dad because if I didn’t, Emma wouldn’t either, and that would start another fight. I’m tired of fights. I guess he’s trying, but I’m still so mad at him. He never yelled at us like that, and I haven’t seen him yell at Mom in a long time. She never looked like anything was wrong and just kept telling us she was fine. But she wasn’t fine. And I don’t trust her anymore when she says she is.”
“That…” I pinched the back of my neck, trying to think of the right words to say to make her feel better and not tip off my own rage. “That is a lot for someone to carry around. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me, but you should tell your mom about what you saw or maybe bring it up to the therapist next time.”
Kristina told me Chloe had been tight-lipped in their sessions together, and next week Chloe was scheduled to see the therapist alone. Kristina said she hoped maybe then Chloe would be more open, but perhaps the therapist wasn’t asking the right questions. I wouldn’t have guessed this was the root of what was bothering her either.
“I understand now why you worry about her, and I think if you talk to her, she will too.”
I squeezed her wrist until she lifted her head.
“Sometimes fights get heated, and people get frustrated. But I think you should talk to your parents about what you saw. Maybe they can explain it, or at least be aware of it.”
“I guess. I just didn’t want to tell her and then bring it up to my dad and have them fight all over again or have anyone else hurt her.”
“I love your mother. I would never hurt her, and I’d be just as upset as you if I ever saw her cry. She’s safe with me—you all are. I promise.”
I was about to tell her that she shouldn’t have to make allowances for adults at the expense of her own feelings when we both turned to the curtain opening behind us.
“Good news,” Dale said as he approached Chloe. “Your mom should be here any minute, and I found your dad.”
“Hey, what happened?”
I recognized Colin from the photo at Kristina’s house. He looked about the same. His dark hair was grayer on the sides and his frame was a bit stockier. The idiot caveman in me liked that I was a full head taller than he was when I stood. His eyes darted from me to Chloe, but I kept my gaze on her to gauge her reaction to her father.
“I tried to make a shot over someone’s head and landed on my knee.”
“Ah, you made it longer than your old man without stitches.” He smiled when she lifted her head. “Did you make the shot?”
She nodded, wincing as she tried to push up on the bed.
“Attagirl,” he said, squeezing her shoulder. “No more hook shots while you heal.” His gaze slid to mine. “Her coach said you were staying with her until one of us got here. Thank you, sorry if you have other patients waiting.”
“It’s no problem.”
I wondered if his smile would be that easy once he knew who I was to his ex-wife, but I’d let Kristina explain once she got here.
“Chloe?” Kristina ripped the curtain open and raced over to her daughter. “Coach just explained it all to me.” She kissed her cheek and rested her chin against the top of her head. “I love that you’re enjoying basketball, but let’s be careful at practice so as not to give me another heart attack on the way back from a conference.”
Chloe smiled and gave her mother a slow nod.
