Falling Softly: Compass Girls, Book 4 by Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon Page A
Authors: Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon
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family one way or another. It will live a life full of joy and some sadness. That’s the way it is and always will be.” Vivi put her hand on Sterling’s stomach. “There’s no need to make big decisions today. There’s plenty of time for that. You know, I remember when I found out about each of you kids. And your brothers. Hope especially, since your mom told JD the good news hours before he died. It was the last secret he shared with me.”
In the quiet that followed, Sterling distantly heard a creak, but she dismissed it as Vivi settled into the seat near her. Old houses made lots of those noises.
“That’s the thing. This has to stay secret.” Sterling’s mind raced. She imagined the coming months. “Viho can’t know. You guys don’t understand how fucked up this is.”
“So tell us.” Sienna held her hand. “We’re here for you. We’ll do whatever it takes to help out.”
“Viho didn’t mean to come here. You know, he broke down. He’s not staying. He was very clear about that. I can’t force him to change his plans by tying him to me like this.” She swiped endless tears from her cheeks as she realized how much he would hate her if he knew.
And how much more he would hate her if he didn’t.
“It’s not right to keep this miracle from the baby’s father.” Vivi was stern. “It’s his obligation, and his right , to be a part of this baby’s life.”
“Oh God, if you only knew.” Sterling rocked herself, unraveling again. “He would never forgive me. He’s torn up inside because his own dad isn’t in the picture. Never has been.”
Even in her misery and despair, she vowed to keep the pertinent details secret. “He told me about it last night. That his mom fell in love with a rancher. But for some reason, she didn’t tell the guy that she’d gotten pregnant. She felt an obligation to her family. They sound a little out there, obsessed with outdated customs. And I think they pressured her about her lineage. I guess forty years ago things could have been different too. She was young and had been raised to think like them, you know? So she caved and went back to the reservation. The problem was, some of the people there didn’t approve of her non-traditional relationship. She was ostracized. Viho too. They were kind of outcasts. At least when he was growing up. So when his mom passed away, he walked. Didn’t want any part of that nonsense. And who could blame him? He didn’t have what we have, you know? A big family. All this love. I could never betray him like that…to not tell him about his own child…”
“What is his mother’s name?” Oak chair legs scrapped the floor as Sterling and her cousins spun to face Jake, who’d asked the question in an eerie and ominous rasp. His ashen face glowed in the late afternoon sunlight as the fresh flowers he’d obviously brought in for Vivi fell from his limp fingers.
Sterling thought she might black out again.
“Tell me!” he roared as he crossed the floor with three strides. He shook Sterling, hard. “What is Viho’s mother’s name? Is it Haiwee? Where is she? Tell me, Sterling. Tell me now!”
“What the fuck is going on here?” Sam bellowed right back. He and Cindi, like always, weren’t far behind Jake. Sterling’s father took one look at the fear in her eyes and mistook it. She could never really be afraid of Jake. No, she was terrified of hurting him. “Why do you have your hands on my daughter? What is this about?”
“Oh fucknuggets,” Hope, who rarely swore, cursed beneath her breath.
Sterling almost broke out in hysterics.
“Is it true, Sterling?” Jake trembled where his hands fisted in her shirt. “Am I the sucker you were just talking about, who never got to know his family? Is Viho my son?”
Cindi gasped. She raced to Jake and hugged him from behind.
One by one, Sam pried Jake’s fingers from Sterling.
“Yes.” The man in question stood in the door. Tall and handsome, he stared at her as
In the quiet that followed, Sterling distantly heard a creak, but she dismissed it as Vivi settled into the seat near her. Old houses made lots of those noises.
“That’s the thing. This has to stay secret.” Sterling’s mind raced. She imagined the coming months. “Viho can’t know. You guys don’t understand how fucked up this is.”
“So tell us.” Sienna held her hand. “We’re here for you. We’ll do whatever it takes to help out.”
“Viho didn’t mean to come here. You know, he broke down. He’s not staying. He was very clear about that. I can’t force him to change his plans by tying him to me like this.” She swiped endless tears from her cheeks as she realized how much he would hate her if he knew.
And how much more he would hate her if he didn’t.
“It’s not right to keep this miracle from the baby’s father.” Vivi was stern. “It’s his obligation, and his right , to be a part of this baby’s life.”
“Oh God, if you only knew.” Sterling rocked herself, unraveling again. “He would never forgive me. He’s torn up inside because his own dad isn’t in the picture. Never has been.”
Even in her misery and despair, she vowed to keep the pertinent details secret. “He told me about it last night. That his mom fell in love with a rancher. But for some reason, she didn’t tell the guy that she’d gotten pregnant. She felt an obligation to her family. They sound a little out there, obsessed with outdated customs. And I think they pressured her about her lineage. I guess forty years ago things could have been different too. She was young and had been raised to think like them, you know? So she caved and went back to the reservation. The problem was, some of the people there didn’t approve of her non-traditional relationship. She was ostracized. Viho too. They were kind of outcasts. At least when he was growing up. So when his mom passed away, he walked. Didn’t want any part of that nonsense. And who could blame him? He didn’t have what we have, you know? A big family. All this love. I could never betray him like that…to not tell him about his own child…”
“What is his mother’s name?” Oak chair legs scrapped the floor as Sterling and her cousins spun to face Jake, who’d asked the question in an eerie and ominous rasp. His ashen face glowed in the late afternoon sunlight as the fresh flowers he’d obviously brought in for Vivi fell from his limp fingers.
Sterling thought she might black out again.
“Tell me!” he roared as he crossed the floor with three strides. He shook Sterling, hard. “What is Viho’s mother’s name? Is it Haiwee? Where is she? Tell me, Sterling. Tell me now!”
“What the fuck is going on here?” Sam bellowed right back. He and Cindi, like always, weren’t far behind Jake. Sterling’s father took one look at the fear in her eyes and mistook it. She could never really be afraid of Jake. No, she was terrified of hurting him. “Why do you have your hands on my daughter? What is this about?”
“Oh fucknuggets,” Hope, who rarely swore, cursed beneath her breath.
Sterling almost broke out in hysterics.
“Is it true, Sterling?” Jake trembled where his hands fisted in her shirt. “Am I the sucker you were just talking about, who never got to know his family? Is Viho my son?”
Cindi gasped. She raced to Jake and hugged him from behind.
One by one, Sam pried Jake’s fingers from Sterling.
“Yes.” The man in question stood in the door. Tall and handsome, he stared at her as
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