Page 127 of Who's Your Daddy
“I would have called her quite a few names and probably blocked her,” she mutters, still glaring at my mobile. “Make her make an effort to find him.”
Though devastation threatens to pull me under, there’s a modicum of comfort in knowing that Lola is so fiercely protective of my son.
With a succinct nod, she jabs the Send icon. Then, eyes closed, she lets out a long, loud sigh.
Her eyes fly open when the mobile beeps a moment later and Brandy’s name appears on the screen again.
My heart sinks. Fucking hell. She’s going to fight.
Brandy: I understand. Honestly, I don’t have the resources like you do to help him. The kid is smart. He knows I’m not good at this. He’ll understand. Please tell him I love him.
I’m tempted to offer her money to even the playing field. To set her up so she has access to the same types of resources I do.
If I did, would she try?
I don’t know.
Murphy deserves two parents who put him first.
Then again, I also truly believe this is the right call.
I can’t make her choose him. If she’s pressured into it, she’ll only continue to disappoint him.
Because, resources or not, a parent should put their child first. If I lost everything tomorrow, I’d still do everything I could to take care of Murphy. And so would Lola.
That’s true, unselfish love. Love shows up, no matter what. A good parent does too, even when all they have to offer is themselves.
Teeth gritted, I lace my fingers on the top of my head. “What do I do?”
Fuck, I’m at a loss. I don’t bloody know what’s right here.
Lola presses her hand to my cheek, stroking softly. “For now, we continue packing. Tonight, we go home and show Murphy just how much we love him. We make sure he knows just how important he is, how thankful we are for the chance to know him. We show him every day that we want him in our lives and that we’ll always put his needs first.”
“And if Brandy does come back?”
She hums, giving me a sad smile. “Then we deal with it. From now until Murphy turns eighteen, there’s a chance we’ll have to battle it out in court. I wish I could package it up in a pretty bow and promise you that everything will be okay, but the reality is that she could come back at any moment and prove that she’s willing to do the work.”
Teeth grinding, I tuck my chin to my chest. It fucking hurts, but she’s right.
Arms looped around my waist, she holds me tight. “The court won’t close the door completely on a parent who is trying.”
The ache in my chest morphs into a sharp pain. God fucking dammit. We really might have to battle.
If Brandy never returns, it’ll be heartbreaking for Murphy. And if she does, it’ll hurt in a completely different way.
But we’ll deal with it if the time comes.
“We have the best family law attorneys,” she says into my chest. “And they love your son. Every single one of us will help you through it. All we can do is take it day by day.”
I blow out a breath, burying my nose in her hair. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
Pulling back, she cups my cheeks. “We’re amazing. Now”—she presses her lips to mine, then releases me—“let’s get this apartment packed up and start our new life with Murphy, together.”
I tug her into my chest again. “I love you, you know that? You and Murphy are the greatest things that have ever happened to me.”
I don’t think I’ll ever get over how lucky I am. When Murphy came into my life, I was forced to grow up. Without him, I wouldn't have her and without her, I don’t know that I could have figured out how to be the parent he needs. We’re a family. Lola may not be Murphy’s mum, but she loves him like he’s always belonged to her.
Love and affection for this woman consume me, but there’s a hint of uncertainty there too. Swallowing thickly, I hold her at arm’s length. “We don’t have to get rid of the flat, you know? I’d understand if you wanted to hold on to it for a bit. Just in case.”
