Chapter 66

     Getting back from school and I could still feel my tummy make that grumbling sound. I walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water but stopped halfway when I heard sobs. I tiptoed to the door and placed my ear to the door so I could eavesdrop.

     "I'm so scared, she's all I have. I can't lose her." She hiccupped and continued sobbing.

     It's mom but I don't understand why she'd be crying about losing Emily. Does it have something to do with James and did he want to take her away?

     "Listen, you're not going to lose Emily, just relax okay? We'll figure this out."

     "How do you think we will? Child service wants us to get Emily out of here and take her to a good environment. How do we do that? We don't have the money."

    "I know. I know that."

     "James is behind this. He's using what happened with Xavier to try to to get her. I can't believe he's trying to take my baby girl after rejecting her."

     I swallowed the lump in my throat. He was obviously up to something but I never thought it would be to take Emily from her mom. I thought he only wanted to be given a chance in Emily's life and not take all the chances.

      "I regret signing that contract."

    I paused and listened carefully. What Contract was she talking of?

     "If I didn't accept and sign that contract to he his wife I wouldn't be in this mess. I just needed the pay and I got stuck with Emily's pregnancy. She was a mistake and I didn't want to get pregnant for James. I tried to keep the baby and I begged him to accept her for ten whole years. Fucking ten years!" She yelled and sniffed.

     Damn!

     Dad wrapped his arms around her and tried calming her down. I couldn't believe all I just heard. Mom just called Emily a mistake. It could have been Emily standing here and eavesdropping. What happens when she finds out that aside wanting twins and triplets like she made us believe, she didn't plan to have Emily.

     Fucking hell, this was more than I expected.

     I leaned on the wall and closed my eyes. I felt a sensational pain, I could feel my heart physically breaking.

    "It's okay hunny," Dad reminded her. "I told you what I could do. I'll put the car up for sale and take a loan."

     "What the fuck?" I mistakenly blurted out.

     The moment I realized my mistake, I stared at my phone and pretended it was my phone that made me exclaim that.

    Their head turned in my direction. Mom was so tensed and hurriedly wiped the tears away from her eyes.

    "Xavier?"

     I pretended not to hear them. I was glad to still have my earphones plugged into my ear so it looked real.

    Mom let out a deep breathe and just walked closer to me. Dad walked behind her.

    "Have you been standing there for long?" She asked.

    "I PROMISE I DIDN'T FART," I screamed, pretending to be listening to loud music.

    She gave a relieved smile and turned to Dad.

I held my tummy and screamed, "OH FUCK, I MAY IF I DON'T LEAVE."

    I stormed out and got into the restroom. I locked the door behind me and leaned on the door.

     What the hell was going on? This was too much to process.

First Emily was called a mistake, then I heard mom say she was in a contract marriage with James, then Child service needs Emily to be kept in a safer environment because of me?

     Not just that, Dad was going to put his car up for sale and take a loan. This wasn't the kind of way I wanted my evening to go. I couldn't think straight, I just kept sniffing to hold back the tears.

     Whoever said men don't cry probably never been in situations like this. This was hell of a messy situation to be in.

     Dad selling his car and taking a loan wouldn't even provide Emily the kind of house child service may want.

It just gets me crazy to think that there was a whole lot to do.

     I remained in the restroom without the need to be. I just wanted the quiet space to think. What was I going to do?

    My pay wouldn't help, it could only get us meals if it got so bad. My mind thought of Devin and I tried waving him off my mind.

     Why should I ask Devin for help?

     That was the silliest thing to think of but I had no option. I couldn't help but think of how much money he has made from fighting. No, I wasn't thinking of becoming a fighter but I was thinking of asking him to help me.

    With some cash? I needed as much as I could get. I love Emily and I can't stand seeing her get taken away. It would kill and haunt me to know I could have done something.

     I can't possibly start apologizing to him for what happened with Amelia. I already gave him the closest thing I could the other day at the school restroom when I asked him to leave Emily out of this.

     I couldn't just wrap my head around the idea of apologizing to Devin.

Four years ago is a long time and he should be over it if he wasn't a jerk.

     I flushed and flung open the door. Since I was acting, everything I did had to look real including the fake usage of the restroom. I washed my hands and went out.

    When I got to the sitting room, Mom wasn't there. I picked up my jacket and wallet from the couch. I slid my wallet in my back pocket and wore the jacket on my shirt.

     I had fifteen minutes left before it was my shift time and I just had to storm out without seeing Emily. I couldn't stand a chance to look her in her eyes and not get somewhat emotional.

     It was crazy thinking of how it would be if she was taken away. I took the shorter route and started walking to Starbucks. I worked as a barista there but would rather take tea.

     I hated the stereotype that said all baristas were caffeine addicts. I wasn't one, in fact I couldn't be. My speed increased when I realized I had been slower and was running out of time.

I heaved a sigh and just continued driving faster till I got to the building. I pushed open the vague door and got to the back door. I needed to change into my uniform.