Page 1 of Moose

Prologue

Moose

Itwasgettinglate,and Tessa still wasn’t home. Maddox was quietly sleeping in his bed while Nova wailed from her crib. My poor baby girl just wanted her mama, and that bitch was nowhere to be seen.

I had tried calling Tessa’s cell, but she wasn’t answering. She was supposed to be running to the store for more formula… I was getting worried that something happened to her when the front door of our shitty apartment flew open.

Tessa stumbled in and I ran to catch her before she landed on the floor.

“Tess, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

She shrugged me off as she headed toward the couch. As Tessa passed me, I could smell the alcohol coming off of her.

“Are you fucking drunk?”

Tessa laughed as she laid her head back and closed her eyes.

“Fuck off, Jacob.”

“Excuse me…?”

Tessa threw up her middle fingers, eyes still closed.

“I’m riding this fucking high right now and need you to just leave me alone.”

“You’re what?! You were supposed to go to the store for formula! What the fuck is going on?”

Tessa sighed and opened her eyes to glare at me. “I saw an old friend, and we had a few drinks. He invited me back to his place to try his new pills.”

All I could do was shake my head. “I don’t even know what’s going on right now. I thought you were over this shit, Tess?”

“Guess not.”

I stormed over and grabbed her by the face.

“Look at me! Open your fucking eyes and look at me!”

Her eyes flew open, and she glared.

“Get the fuck away from me, Jacob.”

“Did you even get the formula? Nova needs it.”

Tessa shook her head and rolled over so she didn’t have to face me.

“Go get it yourself. Used all the cash on beer.”

I was furious as I paced around the living room.

“Tessa. You can’t be doing things like this. Your kids need you. What were you thinking?”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t. I’m so tired of always thinking about everybody else. I just want to do what I want for once.”

“Then we’ll make a plan. But you can’t just disappear during a shopping trip and not bring home formula for your goddamn baby!”

I turned and punched the wall next to me in my anger. Nova was still crying from her crib and I could hear Maddox waking in his little bed now.

“I can’t even go to the store because I would have to bring both kids. It’s the middle of the fucking night and I’m not doing that to them. And you’re so fucking high I can’t even leave the kids with you!”

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