Chapter 43

"Baby, I'm going to the flower shop for the rest of the day. Do you want to come, or are you going to stay with daddy?" I murmured, cursing myself when the groggy tone of my voice caused her to visibly frown. "Comin' with you, mommy." She whispered, carefully placing her barbie down on her bed before covering her up with the doll-sized bedsheet I'd sewn her one day. The tenderness of the action brought a genuine smile to my face and lightened my mood. She curled her tiny hand around a couple of my fingers as I walked us out. I braced myself as I came face to face with Tanner. "I'm heading into the shop and Calla wanted to go with me. We'll be back sometime around closing." I vaguely informed him before escorting Calla and me out and to the car. ** I was almost finished with the coloring page Calla had picked out for me to complete when one of the two people I didn't want to see entered the store. "Can I help you?" I asked