Page 40 of The Sandbar saga

Birthdays were overrated. She shrugged. Everyone she knew celebrated theirs with family and friends, not their psychologist.

"I'll make this short, and we can discuss this at length after you've accepted the changes." He lowered his voice so as not to be overheard. "Your mother has decided to relinquish her parental rights, and has granted me custody of you until your eighteenth birthday."

Her jaw loosened, and her head came forward. "She what?"

"Relinq—"

"No." She shook her head. "I get that. Why would she make you responsible for me?"

"She didn't. I demanded to be." His gaze softened. "You don't have to worry about any changes. Besides your tuition and the money it takes to live in the dorm—which is paid for until you graduate, I'll continue taking care of all your personal needs. I want you to know that you can come to me for anything you need, not only financially but for support."

He'd already been paying for everything. All the uniforms she'd gone through. All her regular clothes and necessities. He spoiled her with the newest phone, spending money, and sent care packages. Not to mention coming and seeing her twice a week, even when a lot of the times, they talked about life in general for both of them and not just her problems.

So, her mom finally called it quits and got rid of her. She huffed out a burst of air in resentment. It'd taken her long enough.

Lisa Meihoff gave up on being a mother years before she sent Katie away.

"Katie?"

She lifted her gaze. "Why?"

"That's something only she can answer."

"No." She leaned forward. "Why would you want to be responsible for me? Aren't you scared I'll ruin your life? That I'll send you out in a storm? That I'll think about you dying and it'll happen? That I'll—"

"Enough. You're past throwing your fears around as a weapon." He turned and leaned back as the waitress set down the food.

She stared at him, looking for any sign that he regretted her. Her stomach churned, and she picked up her cup of tea and sipped the liquid that'd grown cold.

Once the waitress left, he directed his attention to her again. "Your mother never forced me to sign the papers. She never contacted me over the years to ask me to take care of you. I wanted to take care of you. I want to make that clear."

"You...what?"

Her thoughts circled. He wanted her?

Her vision blurred, and she blinked to keep the tears from falling. All these years, he'd replaced her father, her mother, and became her friend. When she was alone, he was only a phone call away. He'd made sure she had everything she needed and more, and she'd taken that job he'd selfishly accepted for granted.

"You deserve to know how much you are worth, and loved," he whispered. "You deserve more than you've got, and I'd like to give that to you."

He reached across the table and held out his hand. She slipped her hand into his.

The floodgates opened, and she leaned forward, putting his hand on her cheek, cradling his touch. Her stomach clenched as she stifled the sobs quivering in her chest.

Then, Dr. C was beside her, lifting her to her feet. His arm came around her, holding her against his side. She buried her face in his chest as he paid for their uneaten meal and guided her out to the car.

Separated from him in the passenger seat only made her cry harder. Her ragged gulps suffocated her, and she crawled across the center console and curled herself on Dr. C's lap, needing his strong arms around her.

In a tiny voice she failed to recognize, she asked, "Why couldn't she have loved me?"

"Some people have no love to give." He stroked her head, holding her to his chest. "Let it out, sweet girl."

She couldn't stop the pain. It consumed her.