it as I was.
A brilliant idea comes to mind, and I finally take the envelope. “Fine. I'll take the money, Saigeasaurus.”
As I fold it up and slip it into my pocket, Brenna giggles. “He called you a dinosaur.”
Saige scowls, but there's a hint of a smile behind it. “You're such a jerk.”
I shrug. “Better than being a dinosaur.”
Later that day, when Saige takes Brenna to a friend's birthday party she was invited to, I sneak into Brenna's bedroom. While picking out all the furniture and decorations, Tessa insisted we get a piggy bank. I thought it was dumb. I mean, who actually uses these things anymore? However, it's definitely being used to my advantage now.
I pull the envelope from my pocket and smirk. One by one, I put each bill into the piggy bank. Saige said I had to take it. She never specified what I need to do with it.
Take that, Saigeasaurus.
TWO DAYS PASS BEFORE I finally get the chance to bring up the topic that's been on my mind since breakfast Saturday morning. With Brenna at school, Saige and I are finally alone. She's working from home, since that shithead Topher sent flowers to her job and made her worry he might show up there. I step behind her.
“You named our daughter after my mother.”
Even the words coming out of my mouth sound foreign. I can't believe I never thought to ask about her middle name. I've been making it a point to get to know her, but being someone who doesn't have a middle name, I guess I never realized I didn't know Brenna's.
Saige freezes at my words and then sighs. “I figured that if you were there, that's what you would have wanted.”
I walk around and sit on the coffee table, taking her computer off her lap and putting it to the side. “I don't get it. You hated me for leaving.”
She nods and looks down at her lap. “I guess a part of me subconsciously always hoped you'd come back for her.”
“I would have been there the whole time had you told me. You have to know that.”
The topic of why she never told me isn't one we've ever talked about. It's one of those things that can't be changed, so I've left it in the past. But now, knowing she chose Brenna's middle name with my mother in mind, I have to ask.
“Why didn't you reach out? And don't go bringing up my number being changed. There were other ways for you to get in touch with me. Especially you.”
Fiddling with her sweatshirt sleeve, she sighs. “Your letter said you didn't want to be tied down by a relationship. All your dreams were finally coming true. I didn't want to ruin that for you.”
I pull back, watching her expression. “You thought I wouldn't want her.”
“The strings attached to a child are a lot less breakable than the strings attached to a girlfriend.”
I shake my head and let her words sink in. All this time I thought she didn't tell me because she was angry I left, or because she wanted to keep Brenna all to herself, but I was wrong. She thought she was doing right by me, letting me follow my dreams.
“Saige,” I breathe. “I am so sorry I made you think that you weren't enough. That Brenna wasn't enough.”
The conversation is clearly going somewhere she isn't willing to go, because she snaps her fingers and hops up. “You know, I forgot I needed to go by the bakery and put a client’s cake order in.” She walks over and grabs her purse. “I'll be back later after I get Brenna from school.”
I sigh. “But I'm trying to talk to you.”
“Talk later?” she asks, with no promise to her words. “Bye.”
As she walks out the door, I'm left completely alone, which I'm really starting to hate lately.
THREE WEEKS. TWENTY-ONE days. That's how long we managed to slip by the press with them living in my house. However, it seems like word is starting to spread, because paparazzi are camping outside, right on the outskirts of my property line. No matter how many times I call the police, they always come back.
“Why do they keep wanting to take my picture?” Brenna asks, peeking through the blinds.
Saige goes over and picks her up, pulling her away from the window. “You know how your dad plays football on TV?” Brenna nods. “Well, there are a lot of people who like to watch him and they want