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“So, I should win,” I say simply, and she blows out an angry breath.
“I’ll draw it out, and you won’t speak to her,” she warns. “I’ll lie about you left and right, son.”
“Don’t call me that, Kris,” I caution, unable to call her my mom any longer. This woman is just the person who gave birth to me. She doesn’t know how to love or even care for anyone but herself. “I need you to put your selfishness to the side for five seconds and realize how you’re not only hurting me, you’re also hurting Sabine. Your children.” I’m met with silence. “Let me have custody. Let me raise her and love her. You can see her when you want, and I’ll never not allow you to speak to her. You can live the life you want, and I’ll raise Sabine.”
“Dart, you’re a baby. You don’t want to raise any damn kids.”
“You don’t know me,” I say, my heart in my throat. “Sabine is the sunshine of my life. Please do what’s right. Not for me, but for her.”
I almost think she’ll just agree, until she says, “I’ll need some money.” I close my eyes, and a tear leaks out. It shatters me that she only cares about the money and not how amazing my sister is. “I want to leave here and start over somewhere new.”
“I can do that as soon as you sign the papers and I’m given custody.”
“That could take months.”
“You’re right, but I won’t have you fuck me over,” I sneer. “I’m not giving you a cent until it goes through the courts.”
“Then what am I supposed to do with her now?”
“Take care of her, love her, spend time with her,” I suggest, my anger taking over. “Or fuck, put her on a plane, and I’ll take her now.”
Her laughter is like acid on my skin. I close my eyes, not realizing until now just how much I hate her. How she could have ruined me if it weren’t for the love my grandpa showered me with. “Mark my words, D’Artagnan, you may be gaining your sister, but I hope you’re ready to lose that girl of yours. No one should be saddled with the burden of a child who isn’t theirs. No matter how much they claim to love someone. She may think you’re worth it now, but that’ll change.”
I want to cuss at her. I want to call her out. But instead, I press my lips together as I wipe away the tears that are falling.
“Get her a plane ticket and the paperwork going so this can be done,” she bites out.
A sob tries to escape at the relief I feel, but I hold it in. I bend over at my hip, my hand biting into my thigh. Sabine will be safe. She’ll be with us. She’ll be safe.
I almost hang up, but then Kris stops me. “Hold on. She wants to talk to you.”
I don’t answer her, but then Sabine’s voice fills the line. “Dart! Is it true? I can come live with you?”
I swallow my sob at her excitement. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“No, Mom just told me!” she says, and I can almost see her bouncing on her toes. “I am so excited. We’re gonna have so much fun.”
“We will, and you’ll get to meet Tennessee, finally.”
I’m meant with a loaded silence. “Tennessee? Your friend?”
“My girlfriend. We live together. She’s really excited to get to know you.”
I hear hesitation in Sabine’s voice as she asks, “What if she doesn’t like me?”
“Sabine, she will. She’ll love you. You’re awesome just like me, and she loves me.”
“I’m sure you’re right. Though, I wish it were just us. I miss being with you, but I’m excited to get to know her,” she says, but I don’t know if I believe her.
“I promise you’ll love her. She’s great.”
“I’m sure she is,” she says softly. “She doesn’t know me, though.”
“But she will,” I urge, and I know she’ll love my sister as I do.
Right?
This is the same girl who ghosted you. She doesn’t want to take care of your sister for you. She’ll ghost you again.
The words from the woman who gave birth to me infect my happiness as I hang up and look up at the heavens. She can’t be right. Sabine will love Tennessee. I just know it. Just as I know Tennessee will love Sabine and care for her. But if that is the case, why are Kris’s words playing over and over in my head. Is it wrong of me to ask this of Tennessee? Will she hate me and leave me when it becomes too much?
I slide down the side of the building and clutch my face with my hands.
I can’t choose between my sister and the love of my life. I won’t.
This has to work.
