Free Misjudged (Death Dwellers #3.5) by Kathryn Kelly Page A

night.”
    “You didn’t think the theme park was stupid?”
    “Other than wantin’ to blow that motherfucker up and rippin’ my own fuckin’ fingernails off, fuck no.”
    She processed Christopher’s words and couldn’t stop her giggle. “Psycho,” she teased.
    The moment she realized what she was doing and where she was doing it, she stilled. “My whole perspective changed,” she admitted, sobering again. “Once you lose a child, the meaning of everything is different. Life is blurred and you think it really is just a dream. Which way do you go? What do you do? What right do I have to smile when he never will? I have you and CJ, and I try to smile for the two of you. I try to be who you—“
    “Fuck, who I wantcha to be? Who the fuck you wanna be?”
    “Your wife and the mother of your children. I want to make a home for us and be there to greet our kids each day after school. Learn new recipes. Take up some type of hobby. Do stuff in the community. I enjoy taking care of Ryan and-and i-if Bailey n-needs me to, I’ll watch her daughter, too.” She felt sick and nauseated all over again and she wondered if she’d caught something. “But no one respects or likes me because of that.”
    Christopher rolled his eyes. “Back to the fuckin’ bullshit a-fuckin-gain. Listen up, baby. Pigs some of the nastiest fuckin’ creatures on fuckin earth. Motherfucker call you a fuckin’ pig, they called you a fuckin’ lot. So I wantcha to tell the next assfuck who got a problem with what the fuck you choose to do with your fuckin’ life, your man deliverin’ a fuckin’ pig and makin’ them kiss its fuckin’ asshole.”
    Meggie wrinkled her nose. “You’re sooo bad, Christopher.”
    Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he shrugged. “That’s fuckin’ why you love me.”
    “No, I love you because you’re a psycho stalker wild man.”
    He laughed and winked at her. “I love you cuz you my sweet angel.” He nodded to the direction of his mother’s grave. “Ain’t got flowers for Ma, but I think I’ll tell her ‘hi’.”
    Wishing Mr. Gillson had never told her the truth of her father’s grave, she nodded and glanced toward the rise where it stood.
    “Megan, baby…” His voice trailed off and he sniffed. “Damn that fuckin’ lil’ motherfucker. Big Joe in your heart. Whether his body in that fuckin’ grave or not, ain’t makin’ a difference cuz he live inside you.”
    She almost asked where her dad was, then decided she really didn’t want to know.
    “Settle up with our boy, baby. Let him fuckin’ know he can rest cuz you gonna be fine.”
    She swallowed, hard, and blinked back her tears. But Christopher was right. She had to let Patrick go. When she did, she’d be free, too.
    Free to laugh. Free to smile.
    And free to move on with Christopher and CJ.

Chapter Five: Options
    The next morning, Meggie flung her arm over her eyes, thankful for the nurse who stood right next to her with the puke cup. She’d vomited so much this morning, she couldn’t see straight. Although she hoped she was suffering with a virus, she knew better. She’d been pregnant twice before, so she’d put in a quick call to her obstetrician’s office—the only regular doctor she had—and explained her symptoms to Viola, Dr. Wills’ nurse. This was the second morning in a row she’d awakened and thrown up. The woman had found an immediate opening for her.
    Now, Dr. Will’s sigh didn’t comfort Meggie. “Lay down until you’re feeling better, then get dressed and I’ll meet you in my office.”
    Meggie didn’t want to wait that long. She already knew, anyway. Judging by the concern in the obstetrician’s face, she had her answer. “I’m pregnant, aren’t I?” she whispered. She’d taken her birth control pills faithfully until the day Christopher had discovered his sister had been raped. He’d gotten angry with Meggie because of her father’s lies and Meggie hadn’t been able to get through to her