Chapter Twenty Two
As the ball strikes the pins, I watch them fall, all but one. “Damn Kitty, youre good at this.” I say looking at the scoreboard.
Kitty - 146
West - 67
Its amazing the things that Ive learned today, like McKenna hates grapes, who doesnt like a good grape? My daughter apparently.
“Ive been coming here since before McKenna was born, its where I met Bailey.” She says, waiting for her ball. “I didnt bowl back then, her dad did though, so I started coming more often and eventually he offered me a job at the shop, cleaning.” Her ball winds up and drops down the rack.
I watch her line up with the ball and think about what she told me while we were eating. She had been homeless before Bailey, living on the street during the beginning of the pregnancy. She had a small job but it didnt pay enough, and when she told me she showered at a truck stop off the highway I almost fucking broke.
While I was living in a dorm room at Yale ignoring her, she was out here, struggling to find somewhere to sleep at night.
When her ball hits the last pin standing she cheers and I join her in celebration. “Good job Momma!” McKenna shouts, jumping from her chair. She runs to Katherine and when Katherine picks her, they do a little spin.
“Are we ready to go?” She asks McKenna. That was the last frame and she totally smoked my ass.
“Yes!” McKenna says as shes put back in the ground.
Katherine joins me on the bench as we swap our shoes out. “I told you she loves this place.” She whispers to me as McKenna does a twirl in her dress.
“Im glad we came.” I tell her, tying my shoes. “Where to next?” I ask.
Today is all about McKenna, “Home. So we can talk to her.”
Home, she called it home, not her house. My heart skips in my chest as we put our shoes up and head for the door. Were about to flip this little girl’s world upside down, all because I couldnt answer a single call from her back then.
When we get home, McKenna races me to the door as Bailey pulls up to the driveway. Katherine goes to talk to her as we use the key to get in.
“Are you staying?” McKenna asks as we walk into the house.
“What do you mean?” I shut the door behind me as she drops to the floor to take her boots off.
“Youre nice and Momma is happy.” She points out, observant little girl.
“I dont know if Ill keep staying here at the house, but Id like to.” I say squatting down to help her pull the boots off.
“But youre staying here not leaving?” she looks up at me, using her big round dark eyes as a weapon. Its strange to look into her eyes and see myself there, reflecting back through the image of a little girl.
“Well talk about it when Momma comes back in.” I say collecting her boots as she stands up.
“Why do you call her Kitty?” She walks to the couch and sits, I follow her, setting the boots down on the table as I go.
“Because her name is Katherine, and some people call her Kat. So Kitty, made since to me when I was younger.”
“How long have you known Momma?”
“Almost all my life.” When I say that, she stops talking and just stares at the wall.
The front door opens and we both look over to see Katherine smiling from ear to ear. “Hey, sorry. Bailey said she wouldnt be able to watch McKenna this week. Her moms in the hospital. Shes gonna drive down to stay with her.”
“Oh, Im sorry.” I say, “Is she close with her mom?” Why did I ask that, its not really my business.
“No, her mom left when she was sixteen, but she doesnt have anyone else to sit with her.” Katherine walks to the living room and sits on the coffee table in front of McKenna and I. “Did you have fun today?” She asks.
“I did. I left my duckie in the car.” She had gotten a giant stuffed duckie at the arcade with her collection of tickets. Apparently she had been saving up to get it.
“Ill get it in a little bit for you.” I reply.
“We have something we want to talk to you about.” Katherine says, propping her elbows on her knees as she looks at her daughter. Our daughter. Shes mine too.
My palms suddenly feel like a swamp, as I brace myself for the news. It already seems like she wants me around after her.
“You know how you asked me why you didnt have a daddy like the other kids?”
“Yes.” She gets up from the couch and grabs her coloring book and crayons from the basket next to the table. She sets herself up.
“Hey, were trying to talk here.” Katherine says, turning her body to face McKenna.
“You can talk while I color.” She says opening the book to a skull with roses. Its like a little kids emo coloring book.
“Well, West is your daddy.” She just says it, not much of a lead up and my breath catches waiting for McKenna to respond.
“I know Momma.” She replies quickly.
“Oh yeah? How did you know?” I ask moving to the floor with her.
“Its like the letters on the fridge, when you get it close to the fridge it snaps there.” She smiles, “Thats what it feels like.”
“What, what feels like?” Katherine asks
“Having him around. Like Im pulled to him, like the letters to the fridge.” McKenna colors the roses pink, concentrating extra hard to stay in the lines.
“Well, that was easier than I thought.” Katherine says standing up from the table.
“So what now?” I ask, unsure of what to do with myself.
“Does that mean I can call you daddy instead of West?” McKennas head pops up, looking over at me.
“Yes sweet pea. If you want to call him daddy you can, if its okay with him.” Katherine says, walking away.
“Id like that.” She says, smiling widely.
“Me too.” I reply, grinning like a damn fool.