“Like I have the money to fight her in court right now. And that’s what scares the shit out of me. What if she decides my punk ass shouldn’t have Poppy? Will she try to take her from me?”
The desperate look in his eyes tears at my heart. “I don’t think she will. Adele’s bark is bigger than her bite. Deep down, she’s a big softie.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but at least he stops pacing.
“Come here.” I pat the seat next to me.
When he doesn’t budge from the middle of the room, I adjust my glasses and use my teacher voice. “Come. Here. Now.” My voice quiets. “Please.”
He frowns but trudges toward me, landing in a heap on the couch like a big baby.
“See, was that so hard?” I whisper as I scoot up to him with Poppy. “You just need therapeutic snuggles.”
“Therapeutic snuggles, huh?” He tosses an arm around us, and I rest my head on his shoulder. His daughter wiggles over to him, and he wraps his other arm around her.
“They’re the best kind,” I say sleepily. “Free of charge. Readily given.” Clothed or naked, I want to add, but hold back since Poppy is in our little trio. I close my eyes, exhausted but feeling safe. For some reason, being in Rider’s arms makes everything better.
But as I think about what happened this afternoon, I wonder if there’s any truth to Adele’s threat to sue for custody. Worse, what’s going to happen when Cricket returns? Will she try to take Poppy back?
56
GABBY
On the fifth ring, someone finally picks up.
“Larissa? Is that you? It’s Gabby.”
“Gabby!” my cousin yells. I haven’t heard her squeaky little voice in so long that my eyes instantly fill with tears. “I’ve missed you! Why haven’t you come to visit?”
Because your mom doesn’t want me to create “drama.” Because her boyfriend is an ass.
I take a big breath as I wipe under my eyes. “College is so busy, honey. You know I would be there every chance I could if it were up to me. How have you been? How’s your sister? Did you get the birthday gifts I sent over the summer?”
“Yes! Thank you! I loved the jewelry kit. I made you a bracelet, but Mom says she doesn’t have your address.”
“I can give it to you.”
I’m not sure I’ll ever get over Aunt Carmen’s rejection, but I can’t stay mad at her. She saved me from foster care.
She might’ve only taken me in for the free babysitting I did daily, but it doesn’t change the fact that staying with her was the safest I’d been since my mom died. I was so happy to have a home, I didn’t mind taking care of a baby and a three-year-old.
Larissa and I catch up for a few minutes, but then voices fill the background for a minute before Carmen’s voice fills my ear.
“Gabby. How nice to hear from you.” The words are right, but I can hear the false cheer. Larissa must be standing right there.
“Hi, Tía. How are you?”
She’s quiet for a minute before she obviously goes to the other room because a door shuts and her voice instantly changes.
“What’s up? Do you need something?”
I don’t ask if she’s still with Bobby. The fact that she’s so curt tells me everything I need to know. “No, I just—I wanted to tell the girls hi and see if I could drop off some Christmas presents for them over winter break.”
Her voice lowers to a whisper. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. They get really upset after you leave.”
I get really upset after I leave, but that’s because she rarely lets me visit.
But I would hate being the reason Larissa and her sister Letty cry.
When I get off the phone, my hands are shaking. I could hear Larissa begging her mom to let her talk to me again, but Carmen said I had to go.
My teary gaze pauses on Poppy’s blanket, and I freeze.
As great as this last weekend went, as much as I care for Rider, last night’s standoff with Adele proves how fast things can change.
I already know Rider’s schedule will let up a little after the season, but he’ll still have NFL recruiting and agents to deal with as he preps for the draft, and I’ll be student-teaching in the spring, which is supposed to be super stressful.
What if Rider and I can’t survive the pressures we both face this year?