My Cowboy Husband Neglected Me Ignored Our Baby for Another Woman's novel · Chapter 27 of 32

Chapter 27: Not Yet

Jesse's POV

I had cleaned the house for her.

Lottie was pulling Birdie out of preschool and sending her records to Wisconsin by Thursday.

I couldn't stop that by Wednesday night, and neither could a deputy.

So I did the one thing I could and cleaned the house, until eight, and I did it badly.

I scrubbed the kitchen floor, and I put the crib back together in Daisy's room, because I'd taken it down the week she left and never told anyone.

Then I drove to the Odom place with the porch light of the Tillman ranch house still burning behind me.

Hattie was on her steps in my old canvas jacket, which she had taken weeks ago and never given back.

Dean's lamp was lit up in the loft.

Daisy was asleep in the front room, and the widow had said she'd stay until I was done.

"Done with what?" Hattie said.

"Whatever you let me say."

She moved over on the step, and I sat one down from her.

"I fixed the crib," I said.

"Why?"

"Because it's been in pieces for four months. She's three and she'll be four soon, and she needs a bed in her own house. I want to bring her home, Hat."

I made myself say the rest.

"And you. I want you home. I'm asking."

She didn't answer right away.

The yard was dark except for the loft light, and a calf was bawling somewhere on the other side of the fence.

I had imagined this a hundred times.

In every version she said yes, and cried, and I carried her bags.

"Not yet," she said.

It hurt more than I had planned for.

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