Page 69 of Wait For Me

“Why are we just finding out about this kid if she’s the same age as Knox? That’s what? Eight months now?”

“Seven,” I corrected and watched as my father started doing the mental math. He swore under his breath and shook his head, as if he could make the truth go away.

“Tripp?” June questioned. “This isn’t true.”

“Fuck!” My dad hissed before turning to look at June. “That was when I saw you out with Barry.”

She thought for a few minutes and tears started running down her face. “It looks like I’ll forever be punished for that mistake.”

“No offense, lady, but I think there are bigger things to talk about here than your hurt feelings,” Breakneck told her.

“Excuse me,” June gasped.

“What the fuck, Break?” My dad yelled as he stood up, ready to tear a strip out of his enforcer.

“Your kid has cancer, man. That’s what we brought you here to tell you. She needs a bone marrow donation. Star was tested, she’s a half match to the kid. Don’t know about Kip yet. I’m guessing you won’t be enough of a match based on what I know about that shit, so that won’t matter. But Vina’s been doing this shit alone, so I think maybe you need to worry about that shit later,” Breakneck said, pointing to June who was openly sobbing in front of us, and worry about helping your daughter and her momma out instead.”

“Fuck!” Dad roared. “She’s a baby. How is she sick?”

“Cancer doesn’t care, man.” Jared moved to my father and put a hand on his shoulder to offer support, but to everyone’s shock, Dad pulled him in and hugged him. I think it was more because he needed to hide the emotion that came spilling out.

“Break, why don’t you get June home for us. I think we have some things to discuss as a family and I’m not sure she wants to be here for this.”

“Don’t you dare try to send me away,” she shouted at me as she stood with an angry fist in the air and finger pointed my way. “None of this is your business.”

“You need to sit the fuck down, lady. Tripp is my father. That baby is my sister. And you are absolutely nothing. He hasn’t put a fucking ring on your finger or his colors on your back, so you can fuck right on off with that attitude.”

“Star!” My father warned. “This was big news to hear. Have a little fucking heart.”

“You know what, Dad? You’re the one who has been keeping whatever the two of you have going on a secret, so if you want to blame anyone for how that shit just went down, go look in a mirror.”

“You are a disrespectful brat.”

“You’re standing in my motherfucking house!” Jared reminded her. “You will not speak to my woman that way.”

“Get out!” I pointed to the door. “He’s right. Our family is in crisis and the last thing we need is for you to stand here and pretend that everything happening is all about you.”

“June!” Dad’s warning tone was for her when she looked ready to buck up at me again.

“Don’t be angry with me because I’m his daughter. He was married to my mother.”

“He was supposed to be married to me then!” She turned her cold eyes on Kip. “But your mother got knocked up with you conveniently when we were having a fight. He was my fiancé then. She stole him away. Now, history is repeating itself again.”

My father’s face drained of all color, and now we all knew why he tried so damn hard to keep her a secret. It seemed my father was full of them.

“June, you need to go. I’ll come find you once I know everything. We’ll talk then.”

“No. Either you leave here with me now, or that’s it, we’re done. I won’t come in second to your children you had with some whore again.”

Jared grabbed me just as I launched at the woman. “Call my mother a whore again, you fucking cunt! I will kill you! I will fucking gut your sorry ass!”

“Holly shit!” Breakneck put in. “Should taught baby girl how to ride. She could have been an enforcer too.”

“Get the fuck out, June.” Dad yelled at her.

“You can’t be serious. I left Barry for you.”

“Maybe you should have stayed with him. You’re not the same woman I used to know. The woman I once knew would never have spoken to my children that way or demanded to be elevated above them.”

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