The Road to Rose Bend by Naima Simone (best book club books of all time txt) 📕

For the second time that morning, shock wrapped around her like smothering wool. The air in her lungs stalled, and for a terrifying moment, she feared fainting, further reinforcing Daniel’s opinion about her weakness. No. The objection wavered in her head, but it was enough to beat back the thunderous roar deafening her. She couldn’t do a thing about her rapidly pounding heart or the panic tearing at her throat, but she refused to add one more sin on his undoubtedly long list.

“You can’t do that,” she whispered, hating that her voice hadn’t emerged strong, certain.

“I can, and I will,” he affirmed, his gaze unwavering and, worse, determined. “I don’t want to hurt you—”

“You’ve said that already,” she snapped. “But what do you think snatching a baby from her mother would do? Or threatening to remove a baby before she’s even born? How do you suppose that doesn’t inflict harm?”

Another one of his world-weary sighs escaped him, and she wanted to shove it back down his throat. She was sick and tired of being the one cast as immature and unreasonable. Right now, he posed a hazard to her motherhood, her relationship with her baby, their happiness and well-being. Hell no. She wasn’t going to allow that.

“There’s no need to exaggerate or become overemotional about this, Sydney,” he murmured. The patronizing, ignorant ass. “This isn’t personal or an attack on you. I have to put my baby’s welfare first.” For the first time since he’d entered her home, he revealed an emotion other than stoicism or disdain. Frustration flickered over his face, gleamed in his dark brown eyes, and absurdly, she was grateful for it. That meant he wasn’t a complete, unfeeling asshole. This person, who briefly glanced away from her and whose jaw ticked, she could reason with. “Look, I accepted that we were not going to remain married. I respected your decision, but as you’ve shown with forgetting to keep me in the loop with doctor’s appointments and not sending me video of the ultrasound, I can’t trust you to include me in this baby’s life.”

“That was a mistake, and I’ve apologized for it. I promised you it wouldn’t happen again,” she argued. “I can’t believe you would take my child away from me because of a mistake.”

“It’s not just that mistake, Sydney,” he shouted. Then, inhaling a deep breath, he paced away from her to the window, staring out of it for several long moments. When he turned and faced her again, the composed professor stared back at her. “It was just the latest of your thoughtless and irresponsible decisions. Driving here this morning, I couldn’t comprehend how you could prefer this small, country village that’s not close to any kind of civilization.”

“Seriously, Daniel,” she scoffed. “Now who’s exaggerating? Boston is two hours away and this isn’t damn Walnut Grove. There’re cars instead of horses and buggies and even a Walmart,” she snapped. “Just because it’s not your preference, doesn’t make it a throwback to a time before indoor plumbing.”

“Sarcasm duly noted. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s not a place our daughter should live. If this is where you want to live? Fine. You grew up here. But don’t forget even you couldn’t get away fast enough when you turned eighteen,” he reminded her, jabbing a finger in her direction. “In Charlotte, so many things will be available to her. The best medical care, a better school system, accessible art, culture, amenities that aren’t available in this backwater town. And that you can’t see that has me questioning your priorities and your ability to raise her.”

“And your priorities are better?” she threw back. “Your ability? You have just as much experience as I do with raising children.”

“But I can give her what you can’t.” He paused, and she braced herself, instinctively sensing he was about to deliver his final blow. “I can give my daughter a two-parent home. What you selfishly refused her.”

She blinked. Stunned, reeling from this news.

“What are you talking about?”

“I told you about the woman I’ve been seeing,” he said, his shoulders drawing back, straightening. “I’ve proposed to her. By the time the baby arrives, we will be married, and will be able to give her a family. Stability. Financial security. My daughter deserves that, and even if I have to sue for custody to give it to her, I’m ready to. I will, Sydney.”

“Fuck you,” she whispered.

He grimaced, as if exasperated or pained by her profanity. Of course. Because, as he’d often told his students, profanity denoted a lack of vocabulary and creativity. Well, just one more thing he could add to the list of reasons why she wasn’t good enough to raise their baby.

“Really, Sydney. I’m trying to have a mature conversation with you. Is that necessary—”

“Fuck. You,” she reiterated, slowly and succinctly. Just in case he didn’t catch how much she loathed him in this moment. “Fuck you for coming into my home and looking down your nose at it. For threatening to rip away my baby—the baby I’ve been carrying, nurturing, and have already fallen deeply in love with. And fuck you for daring to say that some woman you’ve known for five minutes would make a better mother to my child than me.” She took a step toward him, shaking from head to toe. “You’re a bully, Daniel. And you can wrap it up in any way that makes you feel righteous, but this is about penalizing me for not falling in line with your dictates.”

She shook her head, her lips twisting into a bitter smile. “I won’t let you do it. If you thought this little visit would have me running scared back to Charlotte, have me giving in to your demands, your edicts that are all about making everything comfortable and convenient for you, then I hate to break it to you. This was a wasted trip. Get out.” She marched over to the front door and hauled it open. “Consider this my overemotional