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Nick grew silent as his thoughts went to a place he very seldoo It was so dark and so painful there, that he’d always told hi to even suspect it

But the words were there and they weren’t his It was like they came from some kind of ancient prophecy or ordinance that had been handed down throughout the ages "I was conceived in violence to do violence, wasn’t I?"

"The Malachai always is"

Nick cursed under his breath Well, at least now he knehat not to do to father his future heir and murderer

But if that was true … "Then how can she stand to go near him?"

"He’s your father To her, bloodelse Blood makes faave her the greatest gift of her life … you"

Yeah, soift he was

Sick to his stomach over the truth, he wanted to puke His mom deserved solike hi to end, he’d ruined her life

"I shouldn’t have yelled at her"

"You were hurt, Nick"

And she wasn’t? His hurt feelings were insignificant when coh What he had yet to put her through

She’s going to die because of ainst the pain that was concentrated at the center of his chest "That’s no excuse" He cringed at the horrific reality of his conception "How can she even stand to look at me?"

"You are her son, Nick Her flesh and her blood I told you, in her eyes, that " Kody raised her hands and for powers, he knew she was opening ato show him events But where he used his for the future, she was showing hi in the throes of labor Just a baby herself, she was in the living room of Menyara’s run-down apartment, where they had lived until Nick was five and the landlord had tossed the guy next door out for nonpayment

"Make it stop!" she screamed at Menyara

"Push, Cherise Push You can do this, child He’s almost here"

She let out a cry so shrill, it echoed in the rooiven her

Menyara laughed as his urgling sound, then screaht into a hostile world

After wiping him down, Menyara wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to his mother "He’s beautiful, child … just like his mother And as perfect as he can be"

Tears flowed down his mother’s cheeks as she stared at hi me eat broccoli and cheese with chocolate syrup" She clutched him to her chest and held hi in the world

Menyara brushed a lock of hair off his o and call that adoption lady, cher? She say all you had to do was sign theood ho to take him"

Nick sucked his breath in sharply between his teeth Hishio

"It makes him sound like pet to be adopted, doesn’t it?" Hisfor hi but love and loyalty, Menyara shrugged "Perhaps Perhaps not For you, it would definitely be best, ave the baby up after he was born"

His yptian artifacts and arthile tears glistened in her eyes that were identical in color and shape to Nick’s "I’ally work or do anything except be a burden to you, and you’ve already been so kind to me Above and beyond I don’t knohat I would have done had you not takenso kind and decent"

And hisa burden to anyone

"It has been an absolute joy having you here, Cherise" She smiled kindly as she cupped his mother’s cheek "And I don’t irl Yours is a beautiful soul, and I will support whatever decision you make for you, and for your son" She dropped her hand to Nick’s head that was covered with dark hair "The adoption lady say that they were always in need of little boys There be a long list of parents waiting to take him in and love him like he was their own"

"But he would never know me," his mother sobbed "I could be in a restaurant one day and he could be sitting beside me and I’d never even knoas there Every tie, I’d wonder … is he mine?"

Menyara sat down beside her "Don’t cry, Cherise Births are always happy tiht life into this world Look at hiainst Menyara’s shoulder "He deserves only the best in life"

"All of us do, child"

Licking her chapped lips, his h his hair "What do you think they’ll name hiood name" Menyara reached for him "Let ainst his chest as he wiggled angrily in protest "I can’t do it, Mennie I can’t He’sto so to hi How can I let soether into a fierce frown "Are you sure about this, Cherise? Life is hard on everyone But you keep that baby, and it will stoine"