Page 72 of Peer & Coco

Chapter 29

Peer stepped outsidethe house and took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Kelli had paled as soon as the door opened. Knowing he was moving back to Norway gave him the calmness to face her again.

She couldn't hurt Tyr any longer. She couldn't harass Coco any longer. He'd made sure of that.

"What do you want?" He lit the cigarette and leaned against the house.

"I was standing at the bus stop when I seen you go by on your motorcycle." She fiddled with the button on her shirt. "I wanted you to know that I'm not involved with Bantorus Motorcycle Club or Mitch Simmons. He owns the house I rent. That's all."

"None of my business." He blew out a stream of smoke. "Is that it?"

Kelli's shoulders lifted with her inhale. "After I had the baby, I couldn't cope. Everything about taking care of him overwhelmed me. You know how my parents are..."

Her parents were self-centered. They believed now that their children were grown, they should be able to live the life they'd always wanted—which Kelli had to understand. She couldn't rely on them. She was thirty years old and responsible for herself. While he'd seen the cold and impersonal side of her parents only a couple of times, he'd seen what their independent lifestyle had done to Kelli, who was emotionally dependent on them. She'd always tried to get their attention, and they were strict 'hands-off' parents.

"After Tyr's birth, it took a lot out of me. I thought it was normal to have no energy. I'd sleep through his crying, and all I wanted was for him to stop. I thought I was going crazy—sleeping at times I should be caring for him and wired when he was asleep. I couldn't think or remember what I had done five minutes prior. I didn't know if I fed him or changed his diaper. My parents urged me to let you help, and once they gave me that idea, I obsessed about it. All I could think about was handing him to you, so I could have my life back. I couldn't take care of him. I knew that. I also knew something was wrong with me, but I had no idea that what I was going through had a name. It's a chemical imbalance that can happen after giving birth." Kelli rummaged through her bag and extracted a handful of papers. "Here. This is my medical report and information on what was going on with me. You can read it all."

"I don't want anything from you." He stubbed the butt of the cigarette on the thigh of his jeans.

"Please." Kelli continued to hold the papers out to him. "I'll leave if you take them."

He took the papers. The relief that came over her face angered him. She'd brought a child into the world and had abandoned him. His child.

Kelli looked away, then walked away. Again.

He turned and went inside, closing the door behind him. Tossing the papers on the mantle of the fireplace, he sat back down on the couch and pulled Coco into his arms.

Dealing with Kelli put darkness in his life. When he'd heard she was pregnant, he'd assumed they'd raise Tyr together with the baby living with her most of the time. He'd never thought about walking away or not taking responsibility for the child.

While he disappointed himself on being careless protecting her from getting pregnant, he never once regretted having Tyr. Early on, when he found himself raising an infant, his parents had even asked him to move back to Norway and they'd help him raise the baby. But Coco had stepped up and became more help than anyone.

He kissed the top of her head. "Thank you."

She looked at him. "For what?"

"Being you." He kissed her lips and brushed her hair off her forehead. "Your hair is getting longer."

She pinched his side. "I should shave it off."

He studied her. It dawned on him that she hadn't gone to the stylist in months.

"Why are you growing it out?"

She sat up straighter. "You're seriously asking why?"

Confused, he tugged the longer strands behind her ears. They were just long enough to stay. "Did I miss a conversation or something?"

"You told me not to cut it?"

"I did?"

Her eyes bugged. "Yes."

"Nei, I wouldn't—"

"You did."

He leaned his head back, looking her over. "If I did, it didn't mean anything. I like your fancy cuts when you do different things to it. I also like it the way you have it now."