Page 89 of Living for Truth
We wanted to tell my parents so they could be aware if we needed to make an emergency hospital visit, but they don’t know the genders. We decided to wait to tell my siblings until Hannah was fourteen weeks. We’re headed to family lunch today to deliver the good news.
Hannah ran to the store to pick up the gender reveal cake—she wanted something fun to tell everyone we’re having two girls—and Aly is upstairs reading in her room.
My phone rings, and when Whitney’s name flashes across the screen, I want to press ignore. I haven’t heard a peep from her since the lunch fiasco over a month ago.
Against my better judgment, I answer, “Hello, Whitney.”
“You got that fat bitchpregnant?” Whitney screeches. “What the hell, Morgan? You’re trying to replace our daughter? You’re not going to have time for Alyssa if you’re having fuckingtwinswith your little gold digger.And youmoved her in? Without telling me about it? What about how this will affect Alyssa? What about how this affectsme?”
There it is.
I don’t know how she found out, but it doesn’t really matter. I don’t know how this would affect her at all. If she were a more active participant in Aly’s life, maybe it would affect her a little bit, but as it stands, this has nothing to do with her.
“First of all, watch your tone and how you speak about Hannah. I will not stand for you slandering my fiancée and calling her petty, malicious names.”
“Fiancée?!Are you fuckin—”
“Second of all,” I cut her off, “Aly is excited to be a big sister, and she’s well aware of how things will change, but she also knows she will remain a priority to us. Third of all, thisdoesn'taffect you, Whitney. You are not involved in this in the slightest. You’re barely involved with Aly. I don’t care if you don’t want Hannah to live here, it’s not your choice. I talked to Aly about it, and she was more than okay with Hannah moving in, so your opinion means literally nothing to me.”
“Alyssa ismydaughter, and I should have a say in who is involved in her life,” Whitney spits at me through the phone.
“If you made any effort at all over the last few years to be involved in Aly’s life, maybe that would hold more weight. You all but abandoned her, Whitney, and treated her like she’s a bother rather than your own flesh and blood. On the one day she wanted to spend with you, you took her to your boyfriend’s house and ignored her.”
“I have a life, Morgan! I’m busy and don’t have the time to be a full-time mom! You know this.”
“I have a life, too, Whitney. The difference between us is I’ve made the time to be a full-time dad because that’s what Aly deserves. I’ve given you a pass in the past because I didn’t want to put Aly in the middle of petty drama, but I’m done. I will be taking you to court for full custody. Any communication between us from here on out will be done through lawyers. Goodbye, Whitney.”
I hang up the phone without waiting for a response. I don’t know how she knows about the pregnancy when we’ve only told three people so far, but she has no right to be upset. There was never any indication we’d get back together, and her fake concern for Aly’s well-being makes me see red.
“Dad?” Aly croaks, and I turn around on the couch to see my sweet daughter with tears in her eyes.
“Hey, Bub. What’s wrong?”
“I heard you on the phone… with her…”
“Oh, Aly, come here.” I motion for her to snuggle into me on the couch, and she sobs again as she settles. “How much did you hear?”
“All of it. I couldn’t hear what she said, but… I’m so sorry. I texted her and told her I was excited to be a big sister to twins. I thought she’d be excited for me, you, and Hannah, but she texted me back and told me I would be forgotten because of the babies. She also said Hannah would never love me like she loves her babies.”
I’m not a violent man, and I’d never even think about hurting a woman or a child, but the audacity to say that to a nine-year-old girl—your own fucking child—makes me want to punch a wall.
“I’m not upset at you for telling her, Bub. I’m so sorry she said those things to you. It was unkind and unfair. Do you believe her?” I stroke her bright blonde hair.
“No,” she whispers. “Hannah is very nice, and she’s never made me feel like a dumb little kid. I know she’s not my real mom, but she’s been nicer to me than Mom has and…”
“And what, Bub?”
“I don’t think I want to see Mom for a while. She obviously doesn’t want to see me, and I don’t want to keep getting my feelings hurt.” Aly sounds resolute and absolutely devastated. I don’t blame her for not wanting to go through the pain anymore, but my heart aches for her all the same.
“You’re old enough to make that choice, and I won’t push you either way. If you wanted to keep trying with your mom, I’d help you as much as I can.”
“I know… but… I feel like if she actually loved me, she would want to see me more. She says Hannah won’t love me because I’m not her daughter, but IamMom’s daughter, and she still doesn’t love me.”
God, I hate that she’s so smart, so observant. I wish this weren’t happening and she wasn’t going through this shit with Whitney.
Hannah comes in from the garage carrying the cake and sees Aly curled up at my side, her tears staining my shirt, and she immediately sets the cake down and comes to sit in front of Aly on the coffee table.
“Hey, you okay, sweetheart?”
