Bending was nearly impossible as sore as she was, so she was grateful when Mrs. Hunter helped her until she froze in place. She was staring at one of the lists she’d made. From her stricken expression, Kasey assumed it wasn’t something she liked.
“I’m just making myself notes. I do better when I have things all lined up in neat little rows. I get more accomplished that way too.”
Mrs. Hunter looked up from the paper into Kasey’s eyes. “Are you giving the baby up for adoption? Or is this simply a threat you plan to use to get more money out of him?”
Kasey took a step back. Mrs. Hunter couldn’t have hurt her more if she’d just slapped her. Putting all the notes, including the ones she jerked from the older woman’s hand, on the counter Kasey went to the door. She was afraid to speak, so she simply held the door open. When Mrs. Hunter didn’t move Kasey brushed at her tears and looked at her. “Get out.”
“Kasey, I need to—” Mrs. Hunter started.
“I said to get the fuck out of my house.”
When she finally moved toward the door Kasey braced herself for another blow—verbal or physical. She expected both if she was honest with herself, and actually looked forward to tangling with her.
“I didn’t mean to say that. But you wrote it down. Women have done less to get money from a rich man and I made—”
“And you know me so well that you can believe something so vile, so horrible of me?” Kasey wiped again at the tears. “I’m very sorry that I’m not one of the elite women your sons are used to hanging around with. But I was born on the wrong side of the tracks, as well at the sheets, for that matter. I’m not Ivy League educated, but I worked hard for my education. I work hard, pay my taxes the same as the almighty Hunters. I’m even pretty sure I put my pants on the same as you too. If you want to treat me as less than you, fine. But know this right now, I will give this child up in a heartbeat if my choice is you people with your snotty airs rather than some guy who works forty hours a week and treats others with respect.”
“Kasey, I—”
“I want you to get out of my house and never come here again. None of you. Just…I just want you to leave me the fuck alone.”
Kasey closed the door gently after Mrs. Hunter walked out. After turning the lock Kasey went to her room and stretched out on the bed. Angry and hurt tears burned her eyes. Even as she rolled to her side she knew that she shouldn’t have said those things. Royce would be pissed at her. Again. Kasey closed her eyes and tried to relax, but after laying there for two minutes she got up, hobbled to the bathroom, and threw up. After that she simply lay down and fell into an exhausted sleep.
~~~
Royce didn’t know what to think. His mom had come into his office an hour ago sobbing. All he’d understood was Kasey, sheets, and something about blue collar workers raising and loving their families. It had taken him until a few minutes ago to understand what had happened.
“I hurt her so badly, Royce. The look…I shouldn’t have said those things to her. I had no right to say anything to her. I should have just let you handle it as you said you would.”
He didn’t want to be pissed. He didn’t want to be pissed at either of them, but as far as he was concerned both of them had handled this very badly.
“Mom, I’m sure that once Kasey thinks about it she’ll realize that you meant her no harm.” And if she didn’t, he’d make sure she did understand. “By now she’s probably thinking she overreacted and is sorry for the entire thing.” Again, something he was going to make sure she saw.
But the adoption thing bothered him. Why would she immediately assume he wouldn’t want to raise the child if she didn’t want to? Of course he’d told her he didn’t want to get married, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t hire someone to help him with his kid. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t afford it. Much better than she could, as a matter of fact. He’d been working on a budget for her when his mom had come in. Bobbie came in after a short knock.
“Oh, my, what’s happened?” And that set his mom off again. Sometimes, Royce was glad he didn’t live around a bunch of women. This was a prime example why he was going to remain single.
But Bobbie seemed to catch on a lot faster than he had. A woman thing, he figured. But Bobbie, for all her help in the office, was quick to point out what she thought about both him and his mother’s faults. And there were plenty.
“Shame on you, Annamarie. That poor girl.”
“Now see here—” Royce snapped at Bobbie.