“I haven’t yet. I’ve paid the minimum amount because I needed to make sure Corey had everything he needed.”
Jesus. He’d have that taken care of tomorrow. That and getting her in to see a doctor for her stomach.
“I don’t want you to think you’re going to pay it,” she said.
Damn, she knew him well. One of his eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“Yes, he’s my responsibility.”
“I understand that, but now, I’m here to help you as much as I can,” he said.
“I don’t need you,” she murmured.
That was painful to hear. “Baby, I know that. You’ve done a hell of a job, and I can’t tell you how proud of you I am, but I’d like to help. Please let me.”
She sighed but didn’t say anything.
She wiped off Corey’s mouth and hands before she stood to lift him.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I know. I’ll grab something after he’s asleep.”
“Can I help?”
“No.”
He watched her walk away, and it took everything not to follow her. He wanted … no, he needed to know every aspect of their lives, but he had to remind himself not to push too much.
He quickly cleaned up the kitchen and then followed her voice down the hallway. He was shocked when he found her in a rocking chair with Corey on her lap and breastfeeding him.
“Hey,” he said.
She hurriedly covered herself.
“I’ve seen your breasts before, baby.”
“You saw the old me.”
He sat down on the bed facing them. “What does that mean?”
“The pregnancy changed me, and it’s how I think of myself even before.”
“Make me understand,” he said.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I need to. I fucked up so much. I know that. I just need to know how bad.”
She wiped a tear from her cheek. “The day I … left your place, the old me died. Because of this little guy, I fought my way back but had to be stronger and less emotional than I was before, except when it had to do with him.”
He watched her fingers smooth over the sleeping boy’s cheek.
“Isn’t he a little old to breastfeed?”
“His pediatrician says to feed him as long as I can, but I think I’ll have to wean him all the way off in a month or so. I wanted to go until he was three, but he’s biting too much.”
He flinched. Jesus, that had to hurt.