Baby Love(46)

(Holy shit - that might be a deal breaker with Trey.)

I got off the phone deciding it was best to let him know now before we made our plane reservations.

He was reclining on the living room couch with his I-Pad perched upright checking his emails. Preston was entertaining herself nearby in her playpen.

"I just talked to your mom and told her we planned on being there next Friday. She's really happy," I said.

"Great baby, come sit down next to me," he smiled, patting the couch beside him.

"Well there is one other thing," I started.

He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for me to finish.

"Nigel and Tess are coming. So are Landon and Caroline," I finished.

"Are you shitting me?" he said sitting upright, dropping his I-Pad.

"What is Mom thinking?"

"It will probably be alright honey," I soothed him.

"Are you really okay with still going?" he asked.

"Hey - I am if you are. I'm sure we will be entertained," I laughed.

He gave me his signature smile, pulling me over onto his lap. He tilted my chin upward and his lips found mine, kissing them softly and sensually. I laced my arms around his neck and returned his kiss, pressing myself closer to him; fisting my hands in his thick hair. He smelled so good. He tasted so good. His hands gently rubbed my back and we continued kissing and loving one another.

Our kiss was interrupted by a screeching succession of "Boo's!"

Trey pulled away startled by the loud ghost sounds coming from the corner.

"What the hell?" he asked.

I started giggling watching Preston as she continued to press the spot on the stuffed ghost making it go "Boo!"

"Oh that's a toy that Gina brought over today for the baby," I replied.

"That figures," Trey replied rolling his eyes.

He went over to the playpen and tried to get Preston interested in something else. She was having none of it. She held on to her plush ghost and took it to bed with her that night. Trey and I could hear the sound of 'Boo' every so often coming from the nursery. We could hear her giggles too. We wouldn't be getting that toy away from her anytime soon.





CHAPTER 16



Karla was scribbling her notes as usual during my session with her. So far I had done all the talking; relaying all that had happened from the time Maggie had taken Preston to the present. I took a drink of water when I paused giving her time to catch up.

"Tylar - I need to ask you how you and Trey interacted during the period when Preston was gone."

"Well - I mean we were both emotionally drained but we were there for each other. He was angry when I took off for Indiana on my own but other than that we were strong for each other."

"Good," she replied. "Since the baby has been home how are things between you and Trey?"

Why was she asking so many questions about Trey and me?

"They've been fine. We are very happy."

"What about your return to work?"

"That isn't going to happen."

"Why not?" she pressed.

"Because there is no one to watch the baby and because Trey realizes that it was not a good idea. I mean come on, look what that caused."

"So you believe that you going back to work directly caused Preston to be abducted?"

"I'm saying that it certainly gave my wacko mother, aunt - whatever the hell she is to me the opportunity to snatch my baby, yes."

"Who is watching Preston right now?"

"My best friend Gina."

"Have you considered searching for a babysitter in the future in case you choose to do something outside of the home?"

"Karla I'm not sure why you are posing these questions to me. I know that Maggie is locked up and that she can't get access to the baby or me any longer. We

are safe."

"Tell me how safe feels, Tylar."

"For me it feels as though I don't have to worry about when or where Maggie might pop up in my life; or what further pain she has planned for me."

"Why do you think Maggie wanted to hurt you?"

"Because she hated me. Isn't that obvious?"

"What would have caused her to hate you?"

I was getting impatient with her questions. Where the hell was any of this going?

"I don't know. Maybe because I wasn't really her child; maybe because she resented having had to raise me; maybe because I cramped her style. There are numerous possibilities I suppose. Perhaps she had been jealous of my mother. She certainly seemed to be jealous of me as I got older."

"Do you still worry that you might be like her now that it's likely she is not your birth mother?"

"I stopped worrying that I would be a whore like her after I had sex for the first time. It was with Trey and I loved him. I knew that I could never want any other man other than Trey. I knew that love was the important component in intimacy - not physical sex. Trey and I were intimate long before we had sex."

"And what about other characteristics Maggie had that you felt you might have inherited?"

"I worried that I could be abusive like she was. The dreams were a reflection of that."

"What do you feel guilty about Tylar?"