By the time she got to the diner she was a certifiable wreck.
Prince and Mindy were dead. Precious was the child she’d carried. Royal Robinson had known who she was before even coming to the gas station, of it she was certain, which meant it was highly probable so did Keshaun. Had it all been an elaborate ruse to fuck with her?
And what was the craziness about Prince leaving a letter declaring his love? It had to be a misunderstanding. She forced herself to forget the one time he’d kissed her out of the emotions of finding out they were having a girl. He’d wanted a girl desperately and Mindy had been feeling under the weather. She hadn’t attended the ultrasound. When the technician had told them it was a girl and had left them alone, he’d been so excited, he’d kissed her full on the mouth. It had been less than a
She knew she had rendered him speechless as she sat waiting several long seconds for him to respond.“Why didn’t he tell me?”“I don’t know,” she drew her fork through the potatoes and grimaced. “I can’t begin to understand their minds. They lied to me so much it bordered a work of fiction.”“What do you mean?”“For starters, I thought they were from Pittsburgh. I had no idea they were from out of state.”“Mindy was originally from Pittsburgh. He met her when he’d gone to a football game.”“I knew how they met but I didn’t realize he had simply been visiting.” She shuffled, “they told me his brother’s name was Rick.”“Rick?”“Rick. You
A week later, Famke entered her apartment and grimaced at the mess of the kitchen table. “Bram?”“In here,” he called from down the hall in his bedroom.“Why is there white stuff all over the kitchen table?”“Because I’m stupid,” he grunted as he came back into the space tugging a shirt over his head. “Part of my midterm assignment for chemistry is to write about the reactions of certain products. I put a bit of vinegar into baking soda and instead of doing it in the sink, I did it on the table. I thought it would be a small reaction. I was wrong. It bubbled everywhere.”“Great,” she grimaced at the sight.“Don’t worry about it. It’s my mess. I’ll clean it. You got a parcel today. From New York.” He made wide
My dearest Famke,There isn’t a day which goes by I don’t think of you. The time we spent together were the happiest days of my life. Watching our daughter grow within you was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had. I only wish I had told you how much I loved you when I had the opportunity. Your selfless heart and kind soul was a true testament to the beauty you possess inside and out. Every day I watch our daughter and wish you could see how amazing she is. She is four now. There is you in her. I see it every day. She has a habit of pulling her lower lip, right in the center, between her teeth. You used to do this when you were thinking hard. She also has your dimple on her right cheek.I know taking her from you caused you pain. Forcing Mindy to raise a child which was not hers will remain my greatest regret in life. Despite how much she wanted a child, she wanted one of her own. Do not fret, my love. She
Famke knew the man was bound to show up sometime and when he arrived at her workplace six days later, it was while Kara and Keshaun were in the middle of another one of their fantastic arguments about him not appreciating how she needs the finer things in life.“Famke, weigh in here,” Kara dragged her into the argument. “If you could do Christmas in New York, you would right?”“You are asking the wrong person,” she shook her head. Avoiding the gaze of the man approaching the counter. “I have never been out of Pittsburgh, let alone the state. With my luck, I’d get pickpocketed or mugged within ten minutes of being in the Big Apple and lost within twenty. I once got lost in IKEA. New York does not appeal to me.”“If you could go anywhere?”“But I can’t
She flung herself into the chair opposite the desk as Royal followed close behind her and firmly shut the door.“You can’t keep coming to my work and harassing me.”“So where can I harass you?”“Very funny.”“You can’t keep avoiding me, Famke. We need to talk about this.”“Why? Why do we need to talk about anything?”“I’m angry.”“I did nothing to you!”“I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at my brother. I’m angry at my sister-in-law. I’m angry they left me with this mess to clean up.”“You mean raising your niece?”“No. I mean sorting through the mess of their marriage and their bullshit. My brother,” he s
“It’s weird,” Bram said as they stood in the entrance to their apartment block waiting for Royal to pick them up Friday morning. “He thinks in a weekend he can convince you to leave Pittsburgh behind to help him raise his niece?”“Yup.”“And you told him I had to come?”“I’m not leaving you alone.”“You do realize I’m eighteen. I don’t have to come. I could stay home alone.”“Five days before Christmas?”“It’s going to be weird.” Bram shifted uncomfortably. “What if you get attached to the kid and they change their mind? Prince did it. Why wouldn’t they?”She was starting to regret telling her brother a version of the truth when he’d turned sixteen and the rest now. Back then he had brought up a m
Famke entered the house and Royal was watching her facial expressions. If she was impressed by his home, her face betrayed nothing of it. She was blankly looking around as if lost. Bram’s expression echoed the one his sister had. These two guarded themselves well and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was him, they didn’t trust or if they were distrustful of everyone in general.He motioned in the direction of the guest rooms, “Bram, I’ve put you on the main floor. Third door on the left. There’s a television in the room and your own private bathroom.” He pointed to a room, “living room is in there and if you can think of a gaming console, it’s in there. Why don’t you drop your bag off and then meet us in the kitchen over there.”“Cool,” he walked off in the direction Royal pointed.“Come on, I’ll show you your room.” He waved his hand up the stairs.“Why am I upstairs and he’s down?”“Because Precious is upstairs, and she has nightmares. I don’t want her waking up Bram.” He watched he
Famke reached the bottom of the stairs and rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans. She was trying not to freak out. She saw Bram poke his head into the space and they connected eyes, and he took a breath and reached his hand out to hers.The sound of Precious squealing at her Uncle Royal to hurry up and give her the surprise made her heart jump. When she’d been near the child the last time, she hadn’t known who she was. Now, walking into the space and knowing she had once housed this child inches from her own heartbeat, was making her pulse race painfully.Her brother’s fingers interlaced with hers as they walked towards the room and he leaned sideways and whispered, “I’ve got you. Breathe.”How at eighteen he had the compassion and insight he had, she didn’t know but she was grateful for him, and his presence as she walked into the kitchen.The first thing she noted was the woman standing beside Royal. She was gorgeous and her smile was so wide the room was brighter for it. Was this th