Kendall #2
And just like that, Mort was gone because he was a good man, who adored his wife and children.
Kendall had never felt so alone. All her support systems—Roxy, Meggie, Mort, and Christopher—were occupied with their priorities.
And she wasn’t one of them. The man she wanted, needed, didn’t care.
Somehow, she had to stand firm. Stay strong, especially for her daughter.
Except she didn’t know how she could even face Mattie. If Kendall hadn’t been off licking her wounds, she would’ve been there when Mattie needed her most.
She started to sob.
“Kendall,” Knox murmured, hugging her as CJ had done earlier. “Your daughter is waiting for you. Go to her.”
“How can I face my baby?” she whispered, her insides turning upside down. Her world in shambles, so much that she accepted Knox’s comfort and hugged him back. She was alone and afraid and worn out.
“Kendall, listen to me. I know this is hitting you hard, but you’re a strong woman. You know how I know? Because you weather all types of storms and still stand tall. That’s the true show of strength.”
“I don’t feel very strong right now,” she said hoarsely. “I’m so tired. And alone.”
“No, sweetheart. You aren’t alone. You have us.
Your family. Roxanne has been waiting for you.
Bailey arrived not long ago. If you want to go upstairs to talk to them before you see Mattie, do that.
Zoann’s in the kitchen, cleaning the brunch dishes.
We’d just finished eating when Harley called Roxanne. ”
Kendall nodded, most of the words going over her head.
“So who do you want to see first?”
“I-I want to see my baby,” Kendall said tearfully.
“She’s in the guest room.”
Kendall started to walk away, then halted at the staircase and met Knox’s gaze. “Thank you, Knox. Your kindness right now means more than you’ll ever know.” Not waiting for him to respond, she hurried upstairs, just as Roxy walked into the hallway and closed the door to her bedroom.
Taking one look at Kendall, she held open her arms.
Kendall hurried to her and sobbed in misery, while Roxy hugged her and whispered comforting words to her. Maternal words that soothed Kendall.
“Come on, baby,” Roxanne said a few minutes later, taking her hand and guiding her to the guestroom.
When Kendall saw Mattie curled up on the bed, she thought she was asleep, but then she lifted her head. Kendall barely had time to take in her bruised face and neck.
“Mama,” she cried, bolting up and flying to Kendall. “You’re here,” she said tearfully, holding onto Kendall as if she’d never let her go.
Kendall held her just as tightly and closed her eyes, sobbing right along with her daughter, grateful that she was still alive and in one piece.
“Is Daddy with you?”
Mattie’s hoarseness reminded Kendall that someone told her she’d been strangled.
“No.” Kendall couldn’t manage anything else about that motherfucker. “I’m not sure where he’s at.”
“He hugged me, Mama,” Mattie said, wiping her cheeks. “And apologized to me. He didn’t blame me or anything.”
If that fuckhead had blamed Mattie, Kendall would’ve killed him.
“He was just like he once was.”
Kendall couldn’t burst Mattie’s bubble right now. Not after all she’d been through, so she merely nodded.
It wasn’t until a knock came on the door that Kendall realized Roxy had left them alone.
“Come in,” Kendall called.
Grant opened the door. “I was just coming to check on Mattie.”
Although Kendall hated to let her daughter go, she did so to hug Grant. “I can never repay what you did for me.”
Grant kissed her cheek. “We’re family,” he told her, nodded to Mattie, and then left.
“You’re back, Mom,” Rory said, walking in almost immediately afterwards. He threw his arms around her, then did the same to Mattie. “Let’s go home. Things are about to get crazy.”
“What do you mean, son?”
“Trust me. I promise I’ll explain later, but Mattie needs to rest.”
“You’re right.” Kendall herself couldn’t handle another upheaval, so she led Mattie downstairs, surprised to see CJ, Diesel, Narci, and Torrin in Roxanne’s living room.
Mattie buried her face against Kendall.
“It’s okay, darling.” Kendall didn’t greet anyone. She held Mattie tighter, afraid their presence was too imposing for Mattie to handle right now. “I have you, love.”
When she and Mattie walked out into the cool night air, she ignored the beauty of the grounds between Roxy’s front door and Mortician’s back door. The shrill whir of cicadas was nature’s symphony, a calming serenade in times past, but an unsettling cacophony tonight.
Without warning, Bishop stepped from the pathway and scared the shit out of Kendall. Mattie released a frightened cry.
“I’m sorry,” Bishop whispered. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but we’re here to escort you and Mattie home.”
He nodded behind him and the lights Mortician had installed on the property allowed Kendall to see Potter and Huck.
“Thank you,” she said.
Bishop hesitated, shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his gaze. “Do you want me to carry you, Mattie? Your mom will be right next to us, but you just have on socks.”
She did? “You do?”
“I lost my slip-ons during the fight,” Mattie mumbled. “Lolly tried to give me shoes, but I didn’t want any.”
Another time, Kendall would ask why. “It’s fine, love. Can Bishop carry you, so you don’t hurt your feet?”
“My skirt’s long enough.”
To keep her covered because she was bare underneath. The thought cramped Kendall’s stomach. Bishop clenched his jaw.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen, Mama.”
“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay. This isn’t your fault.”
“I just want to shower. I’ll be fine tomorrow. I’m always fine, Mama,” Mattie said and looked at Bishop. “You can carry me.”
They walked through the forest in silence with only the sounds of nature serenading them.
The closer they got to her house, the louder the sound of the flowing water grew.
One of the things Kendall loved most about her home was the nearby stream.
When she left, she would miss that wild beauty that included the cave where Johnnie first proposed to her.
At home, Kendall greeted Ella, thankful that Roxy called her and told her to keep JJ and Blade in their rooms so Kendall could focus on Mattie without JJ’s questions or Blade’s demand for her attention.
“Do you want to come in my room, sweetheart? You can soak in my Jacuzzi.”
“I’ll come in later,” Mattie promised.
“A hot cup of tea will do wonders for you,” Ella offered, keeping her distance, although her concern was plain to see.
“I’m nauseated,” Mattie said.
Ella nodded. “I will make sure your pillows are extra fluffy tonight,” she said, and bustled off.
“Do you want to talk?”
“Not right now, Mama.”
“Okay. After I shower, I’ll check on you.”
“I love you, Mama.”
Kendall hugged her daughter. “I love you too, baby.”
Mattie trudged to her bedroom and closed the door, so Kendall went to her own room.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Kendall heaved in a breath, sobbing softly until her phone rang and a number with an ‘801’ area code flashed across her screen.
Anger roared to the surface and shoved away her despair.
She accepted the call and snarled, “I fucking trusted you, motherfucker. Stupid me. I’m sure you had a good fucking laugh at my fucking expense.
” She couldn’t hold onto only her anger.
For some crazy reason, she was hurt, too.
At the realization, she started to cry all over again.
“Fuck you, fuckhead. How could you order that motherfucker to hurt my baby? How, Bash?”
“Are you through?” he asked, solemn, lacking his usual hubris.
“I’m through all right, bastard. I want you to fucking die—”
“I love it when you talk dirty—”
She swiped at her tears angrily. “Fuck you. Don’t ever fucking call me again.”
“Wait!”
Debating on whether she should give Bash a chance to explain himself, Kendall hovered her finger above the ‘end’ button.
“I didn’t set you up, Kendall.” His voice traveled through the earpiece. “I promise. If I had, I would say so.”
She fucking hated that she believed him. But, as far as she knew, he’d never lied to her. That didn’t mean much, under the circumstances.
“I’m still in Hortensia. If I would’ve sent that little fuckhead after my almost-stepdaughter, I would’ve been long gone and so would Celia.”
Frowning, Kendall pressed the phone to her ear again. “Your almost…? You’re insane.”
He ignored her. “Celia almost got fucked up because of Wally, Jr. Christopher came in with guns blazing to avenge Mattie and demanding to know the whereabouts of that little mud mite.”
“He did?” Kendall whispered.
“Motherfucker was livid. The way he kicked that fucking door down and shot up shit would’ve made Daddy so fucking proud. Fuck, I was proud myself. Scared shitless but proud. If Meggie hadn’t been there, Celia, Johnnie, and me would’ve been dead.”
Suddenly, it all made sense. Meggie hadn’t left her to be with Christopher and desert Kendall. She’d rushed to save Celia.
Kendall sniffled, her emotions all over the place. “She doesn’t get enough credit for her ability to quickly assess a situation.”
“She doesn’t. Big Joe would be proud, too. She’s a fearless little cunt. Wild as a motherfucker, but worthy of her father and the Caldwell name.” Bash cleared his throat. “How’s your girl?”
“Traumatized. Battered. Her throat has his fingerprints on it and she’s so very hoarse.
He ripped away…never mind.” She might not have been able to finish the statement but she knew where the fuck to lay the blame.
“That motherfucker thought nothing of attacking my daughter because of you and how you feel about women.” How could she have forgotten that and allowed his odd charm to influence how she saw him?
Was she that pathetic? “You let those fuckheads kill innocent girls and women.”