Page 18 of Adventures in Spring

“I’m okay.”

“You don’t seem okay. You know you can talk to me, right?”

“I-I got a weird email from a lawyer back in Springfield,.” she says as she hands me a paper.

I read the email and am instantly angry. Who the fuck thinks they can threaten my family?

“Are those Seth’s parents’ names? Have you heard from them?”

She shakes her head no. “The last time I saw them was when Seth and I told them I was pregnant. They told him it was me or them. He walked out with me and never looked back. My parents helped him get emancipated and he lived with us from then on.”

“Is it possible that they contacted him without you knowing?”

“No. Seth would’ve told me if they did. He hated them for abandoning him. He never thought that would be their reaction to us being pregnant. When we were on our way to tell them, he was scared. But he was sure that they would help us, just like my parents did. I mean my parents weren’t happy with us, but they never told us to terminate the pregnancy.”

“Is that what his parents did too?”

“Yeah, they told him he had three choices. Me, them or get an abortion. But they’d never support us if we chose to keep the babies. He asked them to think about it. That these were their grandchildren. And they said no. That we were too young and we’d never make it.”

“You proved them wrong. You and Seth made it, you created a beautiful family. I know you miss him still and that’s okay,” I say as I hold her. “I want to call Lorenzo Mancini. He’s a lawyer and he will help us. No one is taking the twins from you ever. But I’ll need to tell him what you’ve been through. Is that okay?”

“Yes, you can tell him everything. Thank you.” Emiko sniffles as she holds onto me.

I don’t care what I have to do, I’m going to fix this for her. I’ll spend every last dime I have to keep the three of them safe.

ChapterNine

RHETT

After we leave Emiko at the school, I make the call to Lorenzo.

“Hey, Lorenzo, I have a problem and I’m hoping you can help me with it.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

I explain what Emiko and Seth went through. Then I tell him about the two emails that she’s received.

“Have Emiko send me the emails. And tell her not to respond to them until I’ve had a chance to check it out.”

“Okay, I’ll let her know. She can’t lose her kids and I can’t lose any of them.”

“Don’t worry, Rhett. You remember how our family works, right? She’s important to you, so she’s family. Send me the emails and I’ll get on it ASAP.”

“Thank you again.”

I feel better knowing that Lorenzo will help us. I don’t know why Seth’s parents are doing this. And after all this time. I see Sabrina coming up to the pharmacy and I sigh. For some reason she’s been coming to the pharmacy more often. She keeps bringing her items to me to ring up. It’s not like people don’t come to me, it’s thatshedoesn’t.

“Hey Rhett. Look. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch to you. I think I need to tell you how I feel and I’m hoping you feel the same way. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Even when you broke up with me, I didn’t stop loving you. I want to try again. It’s been long enough, and maybe this time you’ll see that we’re good together.”

Holy fucking shit. I don’t even know what to say to her. Does she really think I was just taking a break from her?

“I’m sorry if I gave you any indication that I wanted to try again. I’m with Emiko now and I’m happy.”

A dark look flashes over her face. “You know you don’t really like her. You’re using her to make me jealous. So, fine. It worked.”

I finish ringing up her items.

“Twenty-one sixty-five.”

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