Page 50 of Unforgettable

My heart expands at the sight of them. God, I missed them.

Being as young as we were when Callie got pregnant, I can’t say I ever thought of myself as an uncle or my sister as a mother, but when she had Poppy, the love and bond the three of us share just came so naturally.

Thankfully, Callie and Poppy’s dad are on good terms. While there were times when I wasn’t sure how they would end up, now there is no fighting or confusion or custody battles over parenting. They’re finally at a place where I would say they’re raising Poppy even better than some parents who are actually together.

Slowly, I walk toward them and then bend down, joining my sister. I notice her small smile in my peripheral vision, but my main focus is on my niece. Her green eyes immediately dart from Callie over to me and her face lights up like a million suns.

“Hey, Poopy.” Her face drops and I can’t help but laugh. “I’m only joking.” I hold my arms out for her and she falls into them with ease, despite her disgust at my nickname for her.

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask, squeezing Poppy tightly.

“We made it in good time, so I figured we’d surprise you before checking out the bed and breakfast,” Callie replies.

“I still have a few hours left here,” I say sadly. “But I can meet you there as soon as I’m finished.”

“If you want to ask Harrison or Mrs. Fletcher, I can cover you,” Tara interrupts from behind me.

Carrying Poppy, I rise to my feet and turn to face her. “I couldn’t. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“Honestly, we aren’t even that busy anyway.”

“Are you sure?” I ask again.

She gives me a quick nod and then leaves me alone with my family.

I hand Poppy over to Callie. “Let me find Harrison or Mrs. Fletcher. You can pick out some books, on me, while you wait.”

In fifteen minutes, the three of us are walking out of Vino and Veritas, and both Poppy and Callie are holding a tote bag each full of books. We hop into Callie’s BMW X6 and I’m reminded of the differences between the life I try to live and the one Callie lives.

I stretch the seat belt over my body and click it in. “You would think a car this expensive would work out how to put the belt on you without you having to use your hands.”

“Don’t hate on me, cheapskate, it’s safe. For Poppy.”

“Hey, Poppy.” Shifting in my seat, I turn to look at Poppy, who is seated in her booster seat in the backseat. “Is it the leather seats that make you feel safer in this car?”

She looks at me like I’ve just grown two heads before looking back down at the books we purchased, and my sister backhands me in the chest. “Mom and Dad’s money is there for you to have too,” she states. “Just because you want to try and make it on your own doesn’t mean you can judge me.”

“I’m not judging you, but don’t you feel like they hold it over you?”

“I used to, but I just stopped caring.” She tilts her head in Poppy’s direction. “If it means she’s safe and she’s got everything she needs, I don’t care. She deserves to be spoiled by them, and if that comes in the shape of a car that I drive, then so be it.”

“You don’t care about living there with them still?” This is a conversation we’ve had many times growing up, but with our lives taking different paths, it’s one that always evolves depending on what we’re both experiencing and feeling at the time.

She scoffs as she drives us away from V and V. “You know they’re in Europe for the whole summer,”she says. “It’s like living alone anyway. But on a serious note, I don’t want to sound cliché and say you won’t really get it till you have your own kids, but it’s the truth. Don’t mistake me living there and allowing them to assist with supporting my child as me forgetting how uncomfortable and cold it was growing up with them.

“I’m just using them, because they give us no other choice,” she says matter-of-factly. “And you always seem to forget about the inheritance we have that they can’t touch. I turn twenty-five at the end of this year, which means I finally get what I need. So, the answer to your question, how could I stand being around them, the answer is for the money.

“But for now what we have is convenient. There are people that we grew up with that I trust and love and are there for Poppy, always. It’s close to her dad’s place, and after the upheaval of us trying to live together, I want stability for as long as possible. And I don’t really have a reason to move out.”

“I guess that means you haven’t found your Prince Charming yet?” I joke, trying to lighten up the conversation.

“That would be a no.” She sighs. “College dropout, single mother who still lives with her parents doesn’t really scream perfect catch. What about you?”

I let her change the conversation because I know it’s a sore subject for her. While she and Poppy’s father are in a better place, I know something she refuses to talk about went down between them. And it’ll be a long time before my sister thinks of her happiness as a priority over Poppy’s.

“Well, that’s a pretty loaded question, sister.”

“Oh my god,” she squeals. “Did you meet someone?”

---