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Pippa
Pippa shut the door and walked numbly to the couch. Sophia wrapped her arms around her.
“Was that the father?” she whispered.
Pippa nodded. Hot tears streamed down her face. Her heart was destroyed, hacked into a million pieces. A sob broke free. One hand rested against her unborn child and the other, her concerned pet. Lady whined and nuzzled her nose against Pippa’s thigh. Pain like she’d never known sliced through her chest. Pressure rose in her rib cage, threatening to suffocate her. Was she having a heart attack?
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” Her father wrapped his arms around her, getting to his knees in front of her.
“Papi, what was he talking about? Did you . . . ?” Pippa pulled away to look her father in his watery blue eyes.
He sighed, his shoulders drooping. He sat on the coffee table. “I was driving the things I’d stolen to a drop-off point. The light turned green at the intersection and I . . . I didn’t double-check before I went through. His wife ran a red light, and we crashed. That’s how I was caught.”
Her mind reeled. “It’s my fault. It’s because of me his wife is dead. Why Aspen has to grow up without a mother.”
“Are you seriously doing this again?” Sophia snapped.
Pippa turned to her, her eyes wide. Her sister never took this tone with her.
“Stop blaming yourself for everything. You’re not fucking God. You have no control over other people’s actions any more than you do your seizures.” Sophia snapped.
“How can you say that? Because of me, your relationship with Annie ended. I heard you both fighting. She resented you for having to take care of me and so much of your finances being put towards my health bills.” She turned to her father. “And maybe if Mom wasn’t so stressed about my tumors, she wouldn’t have gotten cancer again.”
“Oh, mija.” Her father wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
“Pip, Annie was a bitch. She showed her true colors when put through hard times.” Sophia stepped closer, her tone softening. “I’m so thankful for you being with me. You helped show me who she really was. Cutting her out of my life was one of the best decisions I ever made. If not for you, I would have ended up wasting years with her and missed out on finding Vivian.”
“Your mother’s cancer had nothing to do with you.” Her father’s voice shook. “I can’t believe you’d think that.”
Everyone was silent, staring at Pippa. She took a deep breath and let it out. Her shoulders lightened a fraction.
“You think you’re so unlovable. Why?” he asked.
“I don’t—”
“You leave every relationship before they can leave you, or you never let them fully in,” Sophia argued.
Pippa’s skin heated in anger. “The pain in my fucking chest would disagree with you. The man I love just walked out the door and left me for the second time over something I can’t control.”
“Well, he’s definitely being an idiot. I don’t really know him, but I can cut him a little slack for the bomb that was just dropped,” Sophia added. “Are you going to fight for him?”
Pippa’s eyes widened. “Didn’t I just do that?”
Sophia held her hands up. “Give him a few days. He’ll calm down and realize that his wife and Papi’s accident is no one’s fault and he messed up. Try to talk to him then.”
Pippa shook her head. “I can’t do that again. I gave everything to him, and he just . . . It hurts so bad.” She pressed her palm to her chest.
Sophia squeezed her shoulder. “I know, cariño. And maybe it isn’t meant to be. But if you love him, then wait until you both have some time to calm down and talk to him.”
Pippa pressed her hand to her stomach. “I won’t have a man in my child’s life who leaves when things get hard.”
“From what you told me, he seems pretty protective of his daughter. Do you think he won’t want the baby after everything?”
No. I’m afraid he doesn’t want me.
God, her family was right. When did she start believing she was so unlovable? He’d run—he’d done the wrong thing. But could she deny her child a chance at a father like she’d had? And could she deny her heart that fleeting glimpse of happiness?
He’d said he needed time. She could give him that.
