LL

e when I thrust the resu

comically before looking away to rest

a senior doctor," she says calmly. "S

touch Oas

at to Zeath."

vicious he can be, so do not remind me." I head for the door, standing on

as I lock the door again befor

ot shocked to find Mrs. Lupin sitting upright with

ing. Perfect with her dirty stares and smokes

han Tia's. I bet each crease rep

a tells me from where she's

couches: two on one

's mother. And nothing more than a glass rectan

ma Tia inquires, watchi

shoulder. "Howe

sn't let her eyes wander fr

after all, which is why sometimes it's better to quit. You do not w

At this point, none of the changes

l be the judge of that. And if I lea

way your mouth does words?" Mrs. Lupin chips in. One sent

the consequences. And might I remind you your father is running for the presidency again? Any little thing c

her blood-red lip g

my family o

t teaching you how to tre

nruffled but smug over her tiny vi

er. "Because I know you especially don't seem t

he child's a girl; Yolie's baby," I spew without kn

xpressions

ere's disappointment. Your conflict of desires, despite your relati

, who picks up her whiskey glass from the tab

hip without a male child. I still remember the rules clearly." Then to Mama Tia. "But your intentions are jus

ine on the couch, I watch her swirl the drink

's silence. Even Mama Tia s

er afterward. "You could use this to your advantage because you know you would never get another tangible proof li

'm a woman. I've birthed three kids. Lost four in miscarriages. I've been preg

y're a bunch of old men who give zero fucks about the

causing me to swallow hard as I s

eturn?" She asks, ling

ervously, "Maybe... stop feeding ide

rest on my couch's backrest. "Zeath's a grown man and do

ehind me almost feels like walking in a dark den. And the stare Mama Tia's giving me i

ar, her whiskey breath tarnished by smoke charging into

what is mine,"

ll sooner show you he

ake me anxious if I don't see Mama Tia's face or f

er we kissed goodbye on the phone," I utter, emphasizing each word with the movement of my hands.

mily I'm trying to get revenge on. Fannings might be cunning, but Lupins

ome men in black troop in. Mr

w intimate she is with betrayal.

my hands now?" I snap as I snatch t

mmature girls running around to claim a man that doesn't want them. I speak to people who mean business. You're just a fanatic. And, no, t

d as I fight back tears. I don't know

burst loose, rushing up my stomach to my chest,

walking in through the door. Whe

ers droop, my heart galloping

s me breathless as I exhale repea

ity in his voice is the one thing that could ma

came. I thought I'd seen enough alr

ath feels different. And it's not li

try to move back befo

s with fury dancing in his eyes. "If y

s as he cocks his head and mumbles in a deep, rumbling accent. "Hm. It pains me to look into those innocent eyes

he just ca

oking. He's go

perked brow tells me he doesn't care. "Are you for real?"

skin. They don't draw bl

or. Zeath stops, me too. "Learn patience. You never had that. If I wanted to make a

ar slid down each of my cheeks. I crane my neck to look

making me wonder what the he

g that, East's bellow c

a fetus that might die from its father's grudges―" He stomps in and nearl

k in the space in front of me as I let Zeath drag me

marrying into a dysfunctional fami

e middle of the highway anyway. And soon, I'll