Chapter 22

Grace

“When are you going to get your own place?” my mother says, her words slurred even though it’s only three in the afternoon.

“As soon as I figure out what to do with my life.”

“Well, figure out faster, this chair is uncomfortable.”

We’re in my sister Charity’s living room. I’ve been sleeping on her sofa for a week.

Mini Motivations collapsed the day after Shawna announced she was out of money. No one wanted to work for shares since they’re most likely worthless.

Anna realized she didn’t have enough money to pay the rent on her own. And I certainly don’t have the money to keep paying rent without a job.

A day later, Tyson asked her to move in with him and she jumped at the opportunity. I don’t blame her at all. It’s what she wanted most. She’s sure they’ll get married soon, even though he still hasn’t proposed.

I was left with few choices, and I loaded up my car to accept my fate. I made peace with my situation during the long drive to Tennessee.

The last time I was here, my sister and her three kids were living by themselves. But my mother moved in with them six months ago.

It’s a little dilapidated house on the edge of town. There’s three small bedrooms with all three of her kids crammed into one.

The only space for me is on the couch. Something my alcoholic mother resents, because she normally spends the day sitting on it. She doesn’t like the armchair.

Or me, apparently. You think she would have more sympathy for her daughter.

“I don’t know what you’re worried about anyway, you know who the father is so what’s the big deal?” she spews during a commercial break.

“He won’t contact me is the big deal,” I say, fighting back tears.

I seem to spend a lot of time crying lately. It must be the pregnancy hormones.

“Who cares? You don’t need him anyway, just his money.”

The dam bursts, and tears roll down my cheeks. Leo didn’t date because all women were after his money. I refuse to be in that category. If he doesn’t want anything to do with me or the baby, then so be it.

“Maybe he broke my heart, did you ever think of that?” I say through the lump in my throat.

“That’s why you should avoid men, they’re only good for one thing — hard cocks.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You should, look at your situation. Haven’t you learned anything? I hope he was a good fuck at least. Did he make you come? Like, really come so hard you couldn’t walk straight afterwards?”

I swallow, not quite believing my mother just said those things to me. Although I do believe it, considering I’ve known her my whole life.

“That’s enough, Mom,” Charity says as she appears from the kitchen.

My body immediately lightens, and I smile at her in gratitude. We’ve never been close, but she welcomed me into her already crowded home when I needed her.

At twenty-five, she’s only two years older than me, but we’ve led dramatically different lives. She has three kids by three fathers, and her oldest is already ten.

I always struggled to respect her, but being here the past week has allowed me to find that respect. She’s a good mother and daughter. And has proven herself to be a great sister.

At the moment, she’s the only support I have in my life.

“Grace, I need your help in the kitchen,” Charity says.

I throw my tissue down on the cluttered coffee table and follow her into the kitchen.

“I don’t know what to do about Mom,” I say, sighing.

“You haven’t had to live with her for the past six months.”

“I don’t know why you do it.”

“What choice do I have? She got kicked out of her place for having screaming loud, drunken sex at all hours of the day. She let some guy pin her up against the window while he fucked her from behind, right in the middle of the afternoon. Everyone saw, including kids. But what am I supposed to do, let her be homeless?” Charity opens a cupboard door just to slam it shut again.

“We’ve got to get her to stop drinking.”

“Good luck with that, I’ve tried and tried.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I say, the tears welling again. “I want to stay here to be near you, but I don’t want her near my baby.”

“You think I want her around my kids? She’s constantly telling my little Brandon how useless men are.”

“Charity, bring me a beer,” my mother shouts from the living room.

My sister rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “As if.”

The distinct noise of a helicopter flies overhead. We both ignore it as there’s an army base nearby and helicopters regularly fly overhead.

But this one gets louder and louder until the noise is deafening. Out of the window, it’s impossible not to notice the black helicopter landing on the grass outside.

My mom looks at us with a furrowed brow, her mouth slack. Charity looks worried. I haven’t told my mother or her anything about Leo.

Leo, who is obviously in that helicopter.

My heart simultaneously leaps and wrenches.

During my drive to Tennessee, I wrote down Anna’s phone number on a piece of paper and then cut up my SIM card with my nail clippers and tossed it in a restroom garbage. At the time I felt free, like I was starting over.

But there is a big old helicopter on the lawn pulling me back.

I rush out the front door, before Leo can knock and encounter my mother.

He’s walking in my direction, looking amazing in fitted jeans and a tight navy polo shirt. I wipe the earlier tears from my eyes and resolve not to cry or rush into his arms. Which isn’t going to be easy. I forgot how incredible looking he is in person.

It’s been more than a month since he left me on my doorstep. A long lonely time in which he ignored every I’m pregnant message I sent.

Sometimes I think my mother is right about men.

“Grace,” he says, reaching out for my hand. Hearing his rich voice say my name makes my insides crumble, but I resolve to stay strong.

“Isn’t the helicopter overkill?” I say, my voice as flat as I can make it.

“I had to get you as fast as I could.”

“It’s been more than a month. In what world is that fast?”

“It was a five-day hike on a mountain just to get to my brother. Each way. Trust me, I’ll never forgive him. For anything he’s done, including keeping me away from you.”

My eyes bore into his, trying to assess the truth. He seems genuine, but I’ve spent the past month heartbroken and furious at him. My anger won’t dissolve in an instant.

“Do you have any idea what you put me through?” I say, my voice biting and emotion balling in my chest.

“Don’t fight me, Grace. We belong to each other. Even more now that you’re carrying my child.”

Hearing Leo acknowledge the pregnancy overwhelms me. All I wanted since I found out was that. All those hundreds of texts that went unanswered. All the voicemail messages. Everything, answered in an instant.

Leo pulls me against him, and I can’t resist. He wraps his strong arms around me and my body folds against his.

No longer able to contain my emotions, tears stream down my cheeks. I’m happy, relieved and steaming mad, all at once.