“You’re going to regret this,” she whispered. “When she leaves you for good. When you’re alone again. You’ll call me. You always do.”
I didn’t answer.
She stormed out, heels clicking sharp against the tile.
The room felt smaller after she left. Quieter.
I sank into a chair, head in my hands again.
Kei sat beside me. “You okay?”
“No.”
Holland crouched in front of me. “Talk.”
I exhaled shakily. “I held him. Asher. He… he wrapped his hand around my finger. Looked at me like I wasn’t garbage. And all I could think was, I almost missed this. I almost lost them both because I was too weak to say no to her. To the pills. To the numbness.”
Jake leaned against the wall. “You didn’t miss it. You were there.”
“Barely.” My voice broke. “She let me hold him. But she said it doesn’t fix anything. And she’s right. I fucked up so bad.”
Kei put a hand on my shoulder. “You’re owning it now. That’s the first step.”
“I need help,” I whispered. “Real help. Not just therapy once a week. I need… rehab. Groups. Something. I can’t keep doing this to her. To him.”
Holland nodded. “We’ll find one. Private. Discreet. We’ll handle the schedule around the band if we have to. But you go.”
Jake added, “And we’re coming with you to the first meeting. All of us.”
I looked up at them, my brothers, bruised and tired and still here.
“I don’t deserve you guys,” I said hoarsely.
Kei squeezed my shoulder. “Shut up. You’re stuck with us.”
We sat there for a while, just breathing. Me crying again, quieter this time. Them letting me.
Eventually I pulled out my phone. Hands still shaking.
I dialed Mom.
She answered on the first ring. “Cal? Is everything okay?”
“She had him,” I said, voice thick. “A boy. Asher. Eight pounds. He’s… he’s perfect, Mom.”
A soft sob on her end. “Oh, honey. I’m so happy. How’s Hadley?”
“Hurting. Because of me.” I swallowed. “But she’s strong. Stronger than me.”
“You’re there now?”
“Yeah. I… I got to hold him. She let me.”
“I’m booking a flight,” she said immediately. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to...”
“I want to. For both of you. And my grandson.”
