Page 114 of Falling in Love with Two

Tears sting my eyes. Out of that whole speech, one thing stuck out the most. “I didn’t get knocked up by some loser. His name is Dylan, and he’s the best man I’ve ever met.”

“Forgive me if I don’t trust your taste in men.”

“I’m serious. He’s got a good job and his own house. And he really cares about me. He’ll be a great father,” I defend.

She leans back and crosses her arms over her chest. “Well, that may be true. But I don't care. When you were little, I used to think you were just like me, but as you grew up, I realized you’re just like your piece of shit father. So, why don’t you go darken his doorstep?”

“I wanted a relationship with my mother.”

She runs her hand over her face. “Leah, as your mother, a part of me will always love you, but I can’t bring your drama back into my life.”

“What drama? I’m doing really great.”

“You’re having a baby out of wedlock, and you look like a degenerate. It took me a while to realize it, but it’s better to just keep some people at a distance.”

I clear my throat to keep my voice from cracking. I refuse to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s upsetting me. “So, you’d be okay with never seeing me again? You don’t think that someday, you’ll regret that?”

“Leah, I can’t predict the future. Maybe I’ll regret it, but I’ll have to live with my choices. Just like you have to live with yours.”

Knowing this conversation is over, I stand up and quickly put my jacket on.

I just have one more question before I go. “Do you have any pictures of me when I was little? I don’t have any.”

She thinks for a moment. “Hold on.”

I wait while she quickly runs upstairs. She returns with a small shoe box. “Here.”

“Thanks. I’ll make copies and send them back.”

“Don’t bother. I don’t need them back.”

Of course, you don’t.

As I walk through the front door, I turn to look at her. “I’m your daughter.”

“I have two more who I’m very proud of.”

With that, she shuts the door in my face.

Well, that didn’t go like I thought it would.

thirty-seven

The First Pancake

Dylan

When I get done with work, I rush home to Leah. Today was the day she was going to see her mom. I’ve been worried about her all day. I texted her earlier, and she said she was fine, but she went radio silence after that. I hope and pray that she and her mom are having a good time, and she’s just not paying attention to her phone.

When I pull into our driveway, though, I see her car already parked. A bad feeling starts to settle in my gut.

I walk inside, and it takes me a moment to spot her. It isn’t until I hear her sniffles that I walk to the couch and see her lying curled up in the fetal position, crying and eating a bag of carrots.

“Leah, baby? Are you okay?”

She gives a nod paired with another sniffle.

“Are you sure?”

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