“Fine, I will find someone else,” I say but the younger taxi driver walks in front of me making me stop.“I could take you for forty.” He says and I shake my head. First, I still can’t afford that, and second I don’t trust him. He looks a little off to me, with the tattoos and piercings, I don’t car
“Excuse me?” Abel says seeming a little pissed by that stunt.“You lied that she is your girlfriend, but I can tell from the look in her eyes that she was shocked when you said that, So, whoever you are Mr. rich guy, I’m not letting you go anywhere with this innocent girl.” He says and my jaw falls
“You don’t have to return the money.” He pockets the money when I tell him smiling now.“I will go with him now, and don’t worry, I am safe with him,” I tell him and he nods but the look he is giving Abel is one of a warning like he still is ready to pounce on him if he dares do anything to me.“Oka
“You could just come once and if they both like you we can talk about how I can be having you babysit them for a day on the weekend.” He says and I turn to look at him perplexed. He is still going on with the narrative when I already made it clear I won’t be creating time to do that.Nothing against
A moment later Abel drives into my apartment building. It is a couple of minutes to midnight and I’m just glad tomorrow is a weekend because there is no way in hell I will be waking up early.We agreed with Clay that we will meet up tomorrow evening and I’m planning to sleep in the better part of th
I walk into the house, but before I can let him in I hold the door just to warn him that the house might not be what he is anticipating.“I was in a hurry today morning, so forgive anything you see that’s out of place,” I tell him and he nods.He is acting so calmly, and with the poker face that he
“Mildred, breath.” He says cutting me off and I let out a long exhale.“You weren’t supposed to see that,” I add and I watch as his face turns into a little grin or a smirk, I can’t exactly tell.“That’s your private business Mildred; you don’t have to explain anything to me.” He says and I sigh aga
“Just come to the back,” Clay says on the other end of the call before hanging up. She asked we meet at the Walker’s fashion house a little earlier on for the fitting of our dresses and I know it was already clear that Ellis is indeed getting married in like a couple of weeks now, but it just feels
“Abel, you are proposing…” The words tumble out of my mouth in disbelief, more of a statement than a question. He nods, and then, to my utter shock, he gets down on one knee. I feel the world around us blur and slow down, my pulse pounding in my ears.“Mildred Turina, will you marry me?” His voice w
She scoffs playfully, giving me that familiar look that says she’s still got it all under control. “I know how to take care of children, honey. We will be fine. You two go have fun.”Relief washes over me. Even though we’re leaving them in the best possible hands, the part of me that has grown attac
We’re heading to Abel’s lake house for a weekend getaway—just the two of us. He said he got the place a few years ago but rarely gets to use it. He has only taken the twins there a few times because the only time he gets enough time to spend with them without many distractions from work is during th
Epilogue"Come here,” I call her over, and she reluctantly pulls her fingers off her brother’s chubby cheeks, then walks back to where I am. I crouch down to be at her level, trying to mask the amusement I feel at her little pout.“If you keep harassing your brother, I will have him stay with me at
“Did I?”“You bitch!” I burst out laughing. He has definitely been holding that back.“I was busy dealing with a concussion to see anything, oh, and my mom has way more money than you, you know, and her money combined with the money my dad left me, which I just found out was a lot by the way, then A
“Mom, I…”“I should have taken you with me when he died, but I thought you were already a grown woman and you wouldn’t need me anymore, and I will never forgive myself for that because if I did, then you wouldn’t have ended up with an abusive man. I could have protected you from repeating the cycle.
"Abel, he is good for you," she repeats, this time more firmly. There’s a strange sadness in her eyes, as if she’s remembering all the times she wished someone had said those words to her. I nod, acknowledging her observation, but I don’t want to delve into a discussion about Abel with her. "I feel
"Are you ready to go home?" Abel asks, and I nod eagerly. The sterile scent of antiseptic clings to the air, making me desperate to leave this hospital room and everything it represents. My heart pounds with a need to escape—to feel the cool air outside, untainted by the trauma that haunts these wal
“Oh…”“I love you, and I would want you in my life and the twins too, but you need to accept that fact about me. I don’t even know if I can be a mother to your children or a stepmother. I just don’t know if I have it in me, even though I love them, and I love you,” I say, and I’m nervously waiting f