Page 6 of The Greatest Gift

Just then, my phone buzzes, Ava’s name flashing across the screen. Instantly, my stomach twists, my brief moment of clarity interrupted by the bitter reminder of why I came here in the first place.

I swipe to answer, not even bothering with a greeting.

“What the hell did you do?” she screams, her voice piercing through the receiver. “Where’s the money?”

I grit my teeth, keeping my voice calm. “I gave it to the person it belonged to. That money was meant for Judd and Stevie. You should’ve known better than to keep taking from them.”

“Are you serious? That money wasmine,” she hisses, practically spitting through the phone. “You had no right!”

I shake my head, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over me. “I had every right. Judd could sue you for that, Ava. You’d be lucky to get away with just the money gone. Stevie is his child and she deserves every dollar of what you kept from them. Maybe in some part I understand that you weren’t ready to be a mother but throwing her away like you did was a terrible thing to do.”

There’s a moment of silence, her heavy breaths telling me that she’s on the verge of exploding with anger. “We can work this out, Nakul,” she finally says, her voice softer. It takes on the smooth tone that she always used on me to get her way. “You and I… we’re good together. I know you can’t have kids, but we could just take Stevie. Make her ours.”

The words make my blood run cold. “What are you even talking about? You never cared about Stevie, Ava. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.” The fact that she’s talking about stealing a fucking kid—even if it’s hers—makes me despise Ava just a little more.

She lets out a harsh laugh. “You don’t understand anything. You think you’re so noble, playing hero for a kid you barely know. But families are built on practicality, Nakul. Don’t be stupid.”

A surge of anger wells up inside me and for the first time, I don’t hold it back. “You know what, Ava? Don’t call me again. We’re done. I don’t want anything to do with you. And if you even think about coming after Stevie, I’ll make sure Judd knows everything you’ve pulled.”

I end the call, furious, the finality of it settling over me. The relief is immediate but the conversation leaves something else in its wake.

A need to protect Judd and Stevie, to make sure they’re safe from people like Ava who only see them as a convenience, a pawn in their twisted games.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I drive through the quiet streets back to my motel. The lights strung up for the holidays give everything a warm, inviting glow, but it only reminds me of what I don’t have, of what I almost let slip away because I was too blinded by Ava’s charm to see the truth.

And then there’s Judd, working so hard, doing everything he can to keep things together on his own. It’s obvious that he’s struggling, that he’s carrying more than anyone should and I can’t help but wonder why he keeps so much of it to himself. He has family. Does he reach out to them?

I pull into the motel parking lot and sit there for a minute, the engine still running as I stare at my phone. There’s a part of me that wants to text Judd, to suggest lunch or coffee, maybe something small to ease him into the idea of spending more time together. But as I start typing, my finger hesitates over the “Send” button.

What am I really doing here? Trying to push my way into his life just because I feel some strange connection to him? Because I feel like I need to fix things that aren’t mine to fix?

I delete the message, setting the phone down with a sigh. Maybe it’s better if I just let things be. I’ve done my part. I returned the money that was rightfully his, made sure Ava wouldn’t take any more from him. He’s strong; he’s built a life for himself, one that he’s clearly proud of, one he can stand by. I don’t need to impose myself on him, don’t need to force my way into his family just because I’m feeling… what? Lonely? Jealous? Insecure?

Maybe it’s better to let fate decide if we’ll meet again.

Judd

I drop Stevie off at daycare, plastering on my best version of a reassuring smile. She’s calmer this morning—thank fuck. The last two days have been a whirlwind of tantrums, an oncoming cold, and restless nights after Nakul left. There’s also a lovely molar coming in that decided to make an appearance right after I thought I’d be able to handle these next few weeks.

With the child support payments reported to my case worker, I can finally breathe with the extra bit of money. However, if I don’t get a good night's sleep soon, the money won’t really be good for much.

Especially when my next stop is Riocen Chemicals. Since Mom owns the company, working remotely has become my blessing. Not having to find or pay for regular childcare is a freedom I’ll never take for granted. Unfortunately, there are days like this one where paperwork is best dealt with in person. My mother also likes seeing my face and these last weeks before Christmas, I’ll be working closely with my sisters as well.

So here I am, trekking the half-hour to the office, hoping and praying I don’t get a call from daycare that Stevie needs me.

Stevie’s cries from the weekend still echo in my head. I can’t shake the image of her tear-streaked face, the way her tiny hands reached out as I tried to comfort her. The daycare drop-off felt like a small mercy—she seemed okay this morning. Better than me, at least.

I park and step into the building, the familiar hum of fluorescent lights and the faint chemical smell grounding me. It’s a relief to focus on something straightforward. Work is predictable—my life? Not so much.

But the moment I sit down at my desk, my mother sweeps into the room like a force of nature. She’s always been bigger than life, the smartest person in the room, and the most gracious. Without her and Dad, I’m sure my siblings and I would have ended up very differently.

She grins down at my weary form, holding a steaming cup of coffee. The aroma of dark roast and coconut hits my nose. “Time for a mini-meeting,” she declares, not giving me a chance to protest.

“Mom, I just got here,” I groan, running a hand through my tight curls. It needs a trim or a shape-up, something. All I know is that it’s starting to look as rough as I feel.

She doesn’t flinch. “Exactly why you need this. Now, up.”

Mini-meeting has always been code for intervention. Sometimes it means a full discussion with the board regarding the direction Riocen Chemicals is headed. Other times, it’s so that we can discuss private family matters in the privacy of Mom’s office. A few weeks ago, it had to do with Thanksgiving dinner and what I wanted everyone to get Stevie for her birthday.

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