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“Then she sure has a unique way of fucking showing it because I know you’ve begged her for some downtime together this month and she gave zero shits the second Julio told her he was available to fuck off with her.”
“Still….” I flatten my lips, looking away from him so he doesn’t see my eyes glistening with unshed tears. “She won’t take this lying down. What if she tries to screw this up, Graham? If she can’t have you, no one can. Especially not her own daughter.”
His eyes spark with determination.
“Let her try. I fucking dare her.”
My mom is not a threat but there’s no telling how she will react to the news. Hell hath no fury like an Annabelle scorned. Part of me is glad Graham is taking the lead on this one. I don’t want to be the one to tell her, especially not on my own.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down, and give a little nod.
“Promise me you’ll take care of her.”
“I promise, she’ll get a nice condo and she can move in with Julio. She’s wanted to do that for a while and I’ve already applied for my citizenship here, no point of keeping this charade going.”
“Okay.” I let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Good girl.” He kisses my temple softly and I shiver, feeling at home under his touch. Then he reaches around me to scribble something down on a notepad at his desk.
“Here’s the address for my guy. He knows you’re coming. Go straight there then come straight home,” he demand
s, and then gives my ass a slap as I walk away.
I look at him over my shoulder, giving him my best innocent little girl face.
“Yes, daddy.”
He sent me to the fucking Bronx.
I was too light-headed from his touch when he scribbled down the address, but once I slam the door to my hot-red Mini Cooper and look up the address on my GPS app, my heart soars and drops at the same time.
The fucking Bronx, dude? For real?
This guy who’s been doing his locks better be the best in New York otherwise I don’t really see the point.
Nevertheless, I drive all the way to NYC, cursing myself for agreeing to do this the whole way there. I spend the time thinking about what we’re about to do. Telling my mom about us. How is she going to take it? I come to the depressing conclusion I don’t know her well enough to have the slightest clue. I’m thinking back to my childhood, to even recent years, trying to pinpoint a touching moment, or just a time when I did something nice with her. Goddammit, I’m even searching my mind for one, single happy memory. But there’s none.
I do remember the day she coaxed me into going to school sick with fever and a bad case of a stomach bug, because Graham was staying at home that day and she thought it was a good time. I was fifteen at the time, and I’d agreed, because she’d bullshitted me into believing Graham would take us on a Hawaiian vacation if they were together. She sold me the big happy family dream and I ate it up.
But three hours into my school day, my teacher called my parents up and told them I’ve been throwing up and had an outrageously high fever; 103 degrees, I think.
Graham had rushed in, he was the first person to barge into the nurse’s office, my mom following after him sheepishly.
“Why the fuck did you go to school today, Dahlia?” His voice was low and raspy, and Gina the nurse almost tipped back in awe when she heard him cursing like a drunk sailor.
I had looked between him and my mom, who stood behind his back. Mom shook her head, her eyes shut. I had to cover her ass.
“Ah…” I had looked around me, stalling, looking for a good excuse. “I had an important exam I didn’t want to miss.”
He’d called bullshit on my excuse without even uttering one word. It was in the way he scrunched his eyebrows together and got up from squatting down to where I was lying on the nurse’s bed, tipping his chin down like he was disappointed with my answer.
“Get your shit, we’re going home.” His voice cut through my skin, reached my bones and made them shudder.
“Yes, Graham.” I had licked my lips nervously, watching him turn around and walk to the door. My mom had just stood there, her nostrils flaring, and cursed under her breathe.
“You just had to ruin everything, didn’t you, Dahl?” She’d almost spat the words. Nurse Gina, already shocked by my stepdaddy’s behavior, stood up, intending to tell my mom off, but it was too late. Annabelle had already turned around and left us both.
I hit the accelerator and jerk my chin up, taking a deep breath as I speed into the concrete jungle that’s New York. Yes, I have plenty of memories with my mom, but none of them good.
