Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Baby.” I try to calm her down, taking her hands in mine and kissing them.
“I can’t do it anymore.” She silently cries. “I have the baby to think about. I can’t afford this.” The pain in her voice is one I never want to hear again. “Today, my father finds me while I’m on shift to tell me they’re moving into my house.” My blood freezes in my veins as if my heart stopped. “Since, you know, I’m not living there now that I’m here. Oh, and he’s the one who sliced my tires to force you to take care of me.”
“Okay, well, let’s scratch that right off the list,” I quickly chime in. “No one is forcing me to be with you. I want to be with you. If anything, I’m forcing you to be with me.”
“You don’t get it.” She lets go of my hand and wipes her tears. “Those are just the latest examples of how my parents operate. My house, the electricity—he cut through the fucking wires so I’d have to move in with you, and they could either make you give them money or move into my house.” My first thought is: That motherfucker. My second thought is: She knew and she didn’t tell me. That’s one thing we are going to have to discuss, but not right now. “And I’m praying and hoping like fuck the power company doesn’t think I did it, because then they’re going to charge me for the repairs. Why can’t they just leave me fucking be?”
I take her in my arms, and I have to silently curse the two people who made her. “It’s okay.” I rub her back. “I promise you, it will be okay.”
“You can’t promise me that,” she whispers as the cotton from my T-shirt catches her tears. “This is my life. This is what my life is, and these are the cards I’ve been dealt.” I rub her back, not saying a word.
“You’re wrong about that,” I say to her, and she just looks at me. “I would never tell you something that I wouldn’t be able to do, but this I can do. I can promise you that it’ll be okay because I’m going to make sure it’s okay. I’m going to be the one in your corner. Not just in your corner, I’m going to be the one standing in front of you. From now on, they’re going to go through me to get to you.” I watch her, knowing I want to say so much more. But she’s not ready to hear it right now. “You need to relax. You are going to stay in this bed, and you aren’t moving, not a fucking finger.”
“I want to argue with you, but I don’t have anything left in me.” Even without those words, I can tell from her voice that she’s tired.
“What do you want to eat for dinner?” I kiss her neck.
“I don’t care. I need to nap.”
“Okay, so you nap and I’ll go take a shower, and then I’ll cook for you.” She lets go of me and moves to get under the covers. “You going to call in sick now or later?”
“I’ll do it later,” she mumbles, her hair fanning across the pillow. “I’m going to sleep for two seconds.” I get up. “I’m sorry for everything, Theo.” She smiles sadly. “I’m so sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. You both”—I motion to her stomach—“are the best things to ever happen to me, until my last breath.” I give her a soft kiss and go into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind me.
My legs are about to give out when I dial the number I’ve been dying to call all day long.
“Hey, son,” he answers after one ring. His voice is soft as if he just gave me a hug.
“Dad.” My voice breaks, my hands trembling. “Do you think you and Mom can come down tomorrow? I need you.”
He doesn’t falter, doesn’t skip a beat. “We’re coming,” he says, and he disconnects.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
COLLINS
Soft bells chime, and my eyes slowly peel open. I feel Theo move to the side to shut off the alarm. My face is on his chest, my arm draped around his middle, my leg tangled with his. His arm is around me, holding me to him as he turns us both on our sides and then wraps both arms around me.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he mumbles as I close my eyes and take a deep breath in. “I wanted to wake before the alarm to not disturb you.” I kiss his chest at the same time he kisses the top of my head.
“I have to get up,” I tell him, “so it’s fine.”
“Why do you have to get up?” He lets me go a bit so he can look down at me. “You called in sick last night.”