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I felt his pain. In a fictional world, I’d let him be everything he wanted to be for Camdyn and me. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an imaginary world. This was DuPont Falls, and Mack’s last name came with rules we both had to abide by.
Chapter Eleven
One month later. . .
Serenity Raye Meraux.
Seven pounds and eleven ounces of perfection when she entered the world.
The name fit her. She was so calm and tranquil that I prayed it wasn’t a hoax. Outside of wanting to be held, Serenity was the perfect baby.
“Where’s Gi and Renni?” I asked, entering the kitchen after a much-needed shower to relax.
“He went to lay her down,” My mother replied, washing the bottle in her hand.
We made it through two weeks of breastfeeding before I called it quits. I tried, but my body wasn’t producing enough milk, coupled with Serenity not latching. Women made breastfeeding seem simple and natural because our bodies were made to do this, but it wasn’t. Breastfeeding was work, and everybody’s journey wasn’t identical.
Two weeks were better than nothing. I honestly wouldn’t have made it that far without Sky. I texted her once we were released from the hospital to thank her for all her help. We remained in touch, and she’d even come over to help with breastfeeding before I quit. Sky could never replace Niyomi and Denim, but having somebody in DuPont Falls was nice. Especially since she was a mother and understood the journey I was on.
“Your father called me,” Sadie paused, allowing me to add to the conversation, but I remained quiet like I always did. “He wants to take us to lunch before I leave.”
“Us?” I chuckled, “Is his wife joining us too?”
“Hailo.”
“That’s a valid question.”
“We both know the answer to that.”
“Why does he want to go to lunch with us?” I probed out of curiosity.
“He wants to go with you, but he extended the invitation because he doesn’t think you’ll show up without me.”
“He doesn’t know me that well because that’s not a good enough reason to make me show up.”
“The decision is yours, so let me know.”
“How are you not angry with him?”
“Why should I be?”
“He lied to you. He deceived and took advantage of you for crying out loud. He was a very grown and married man when the two of you started doing whatever it is you were doing.”
“I’ve dealt with those things, Hailo. I suggest you do the same. Life is too short to be angry. Besides, Trent is no prize. I want to think I got the better end of the deal. I deserve better than a liar and a cheater. Once I realized that it was easy to be cordial and co-parent with my child’s father.”
I prayed that I became half the woman and mother Sadie had been to me. Unfortunately, I had more of my father in me because I’d be damned.
“For the record, he didn’t take advantage of me, Hailo. Was it wrong? Absolutely but I knew what I was doing. I had my issues and didn’t know how to deal with them, so I was looking for somebody else to make me feel something. Trent was there. He should’ve known better as an adult, but that doesn’t absolve my poor decision-making.”
I knew all about allowing your emotions to cause bad decisions. Marcel hurt me, and I slept with Gianni instead of dealing with it. I wanted to feel something other than the pain that night. It changed my life forever, the same way Trent did Sadie. It’s crazy how things come full circle.
“I get it.” That was all I said because suddenly I understood. “We can go but let me sleep on it to be sure.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks for being here, mom.”
“You don’t have to thank me for doing my job Hailo,” I smirked because Gianni told me the same thing often. Occasionally Sadie would look up from washing to smile at me before focusing back on her task.
