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“I know, honey Believe ot in Once ere settled and the guard behind the wheel pulled into traffic, she glanced atto be a father, too?”
“No,I wouldn’t trust that bitch with a dog, let alone make her a mother”
“I don’t understand,” she said, her eyes narrowing
“It’s a long story,” Barrick said with a sigh “But basically, his parents set hiht They announced to everyone they kneould spread the news like wildfire that he was irlfriend, and when he tried to tell everyone the truth, she put the nail in the coffin by announcing that she is pregnant”
“So, you’re not getting married, and there is no baby?” she asked for clarification
“Fuck no to both,” I bit out “Ma’am”
She grinned at me “Okay, then Well, I’ll take care of it Don’t worry”
“I don’t care what the hell they say or do It’s not happening I just don’t want Nevaeh to get upset,” I told her honestly
She pressed her lips together for a ed “That, I can’t proht noith her dad’s illness, and I can never deterirl will do when she’s not herself Okay, scratch that I can’t figure her out on the best of days, let alone when she’s upset But I can deal with the et the story squashed if you want And I can also deal with the parentals and the ex”
“Thanks, Momma,” Mia told her weakly “I knew you would help”
“Anything to make it easier on you, aveyou should know by now, kid I take care of my family”
For so to helpburn in my chest In the two years Mia had been in my life, her family had made me feel more a part of their inner world than , froes on my birthday E summer breaks when Mia flew home for a feeeks
It wasn’t just the Ar and accepting as Mia’s Maybe more so When Nevaeh ay at school, they texted me at least once a week It was initially to check in on her and get an honest answer But they would always includeon how Sasha was doing Then, I got the weekly texts even when Nevaeh wasn’t in Virginia More often than not, it was Lana Stevenson, and I could feel the maternal concern she had for me even three thousand miles away But Drake would text me from time to time too, separately from his wife
Noever, I wondered if things were going to be different with the be with her—and even if they didn’t like it, she was going to be mine
Chapter 9