Page 94 of Possess Me

I’ll ask Rosalie for Alek’s number.

“There-there. Let’s get ready for the day. You can have something from the coffee shop for breakfast. Okay?”

He sniffles as I carry him to his room, and while I’m dressing him, he says, “What if the angels take Daddy back again?”

“That’s not going to happen, baby.” I wipe the tears from his face. “There’s no backsies.”

Vincent nods and seems to be calming down. “I want a chocolate muffin from the coffee shop.”

Dear God. This child and his sweet tooth will be the end of me.

When Vincent is dressed, I take him to my bathroom so he can brush his teeth while I try to flatten the patch of hair that refuses to go down.

While I’m busy, he mumbles around the toothbrush, “When will I have hair like my daddy?”

“At the rate your hair grows, probably by the end of the month.”

His face lights up. “Yay!”

“You’re spitting toothpaste everywhere,” I chastise him. “Finish up while Mommy gets ready.” I hurry into the bedroom and grab a summer dress that has a green leaf pattern on it. Matching it with sandals, I head back to the bathroom.

Vincent is rinsing out his mouth, then he grins so I can see his teeth.

“Good, boy.” I lift him off the little step stool. “Watch TV while Mommy showers.”

“No, I want to get my favorite cars so I can show them to Daddy.”

“Okay.”

When he hurries out of the bathroom, I quickly switch on the faucets. While the water warms up, I brush my teeth and pin my hair up so it won’t get wet.

I shower at the speed of light, and once I’m dressed, I free my hair and pull a brush through it while I walk to Vincent’s room.

“Are you ready, baby?”

“Yes.” He comes into the hallway with his arms full of cars.

“We need a bag for those.” I grab one from his closet and help him place the cars inside. “Let’s go.”

I grab my house keys and quickly leave the house before locking the door.

When we’re finally in the car, and I’m driving to town, I let out a sigh of relief. I hate opening the bookstore late. It messes with our routine, and then Vincent gets cranky.

I park in front of the store and gather my bag. As I climb out, I see April coming out of the coffee shop to have a smoke break. My eyes widen when I notice her black eye and busted lip.

“April, what happened to you?”

“I went on a date, and the guy got a little violent,” she says, not looking bothered by the fact that a man beat her up.

“Jesus. Did you press charges?”

She shakes her head. “It’s too much trouble.”

What the hell? I’ll never understand how some people’s minds work.

I open the door, and lifting Vincent out of the car seat, I place him on his feet before taking his hand. I walk to my store, and while I unlock the door, I glance at April again. “Can you bring a chocolate muffin over for Vincent?”

“Sure, let me just finish this cigarette. Do you want anything?”

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