Page 11 of Justice

The tension in the room is intense as my dad and Christopher lock eyes, neither willing to back down.

Thankfully, my mom steps forward, clearing her throat. She places herself directly in the line of fire, effectively shattering the silent showdown. "We brought dinner," she announces, her voice a touch too bright, as if trying to dispel the tension with sheer cheerfulness. Her eyes soften as they land on me. "I'm glad you're taking it easy, sweetheart. You look much better."

She hands the tray to Christopher, who accepts it without breaking his stare-off with my dad. Then she turns to me, enveloping me in a tight hug that smells of home and safety.

As I breathe in her familiar scent, I hug her back tightly. I have been blessed with such an amazing mother and I don’t tell her enough.

When she pulls back, her eyes are misty. "How are you feeling, honey?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before I can answer, my dad's gruff voice cuts through the moment. "What exactly is going on here?" He's still glaring at Christopher, his jaw clenched tight.

I feel Christopher tense beside me, ready for a fight. My stomach churns with anxiety. This is not how I wanted this to go. I open my mouth to speak, to try and defuse the situation, but Christopher beats me to it.

"I'm here for Elle," he states, his voice low and firm. "And I'm not going anywhere."

My dad lets out a grunt, walking over to me, and I smile at him before he pulls me to his chest, hugging me tight. “How’s my girl feeling?” he asks me, and I tighten my arms around him.

"Much better," I say, leaning into my dad's embrace for a moment longer before reluctantly pulling away.

We move to the dining room, the aroma of my mom's cooking filling the air. As we settle around the table, I can't help but notice the tension still simmering between my dad and Christopher. Their eyes meet across the table, a silent challenge passing between them.

My mom, ever the peacemaker, breaks the silence. "So," she begins, her voice light but her eyes twinkling with curiosity, "did you two get everything worked out?" She reaches for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, her eyes shining with mischief.

My dad grunts again and sets his fork down on his plate hard. A giggle bubbles up in my throat, and I try to stifle it, but it's impossible. The absurdity of the situation

My mom joins me with laughter, and Christopher puts his hand on the back of my head, gliding his fingers through my strands to rub my scalp.

“We did,” Christopher confirms, and I feel my face heat from my parents’ attention focused on us.

My dad clears his throat, his fork scraping against his plate as he pushes his food around. "And what exactly does that mean?" he asks, his voice gruff but not unkind.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever comes next. Christopher's hand stills on my neck.

"It means," I start, my voice stronger than I expected, "that Christopher and I are in this together. All of it."

The words hang in the air, heavy with their implication. My heart races as I wait for my dad's reaction.

My mom is beaming, so I know she’s happy. She reaches over and takes my dad’s hand. His whole body relaxes at her touch.

He studies us both for another moment then gives us a nod and a small smile. “All right,” he says simply, and I let out a deep breath, relaxing.

Life went from being unbearable to me actually having hope in the space of a single moment.

I think I’m going to be okay—no, I know I will be okay.

Chapter 3

Elle

FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT

Christopher never brokehis word or changed his mind after that day. He moved right into the guest house with me until our house was built.

He literally gave me the go-ahead to have everything and anything I wanted since it’s going to beourhouse.

I offered to go to work to help pay for the baby’s things at least, and I thought Christopher was going to fall on his ass when I suggested that.

I smile back at the memory.

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