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“At the weekend, Mama. I have to sort things out.”
“The only thing you have to sort out is visiting your family and getting a ring on that girl’s finger!”
“I’m trying Mama, I’m trying,” I promise. “I have to go. I’ll send you a picture as soon as I hang up. I promise. I love you. Give my love to the girls too.”
“Don’t go!”
“I’m sorry Mama, I have to. I love you.”
“I love you too my dear, dear boy! I’m so proud of you. You will make a wonderful father and husband. You’ve made me so proud. Such a good boy! Thank you, thank you.”
I hang up just as she starts weeping again, tears of joy sure, but still annoying. I shake my head at my mother’s simple outlook on life. I have a daughter, so of course I should marry her mother. If only it were that simple.
I scroll through the camera roll on my phone and select some images of me and Nix to send to her. At the last minute I send one of Raven too and then turn my phone off before the family starts blowing it up with messages about how out of my league they are.
I do feel better for speaking to them though. Happier, I put my phone away and begin a much slower jog back home. My head is clearer and my heart is calmer. I can do this. Speaking to my mother and hearing my sisters’ happy chatter in the background, I know that my father’s poison no longer seeps through the walls of that house. If they’re free, I can be too. And I’m not on my own. There’s Raven and the rest of the guys, my brothers, who I know will be there to help me every step of the way. Yes, I’ll fuck up. But I won’t fuck Phoenix up. If I can rise above my father’s nature and ‘nurture’, I can damn well ensure that my daughter is raised to be the best version of herself she can be. After all, she has a mother who literally walked through fire for her, and she has five amazing dads who already dote on her.
We got this.
Baxter: Tomorrow. You ready?
Raven: Yeah.
Baxter: Are you sure?
Raven: Is there any other choice? It’s fine. I just want this all over and done with now.
