Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 99413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I know firsthand what that looks like. I’ve seen it so many times. Trying to reconcile what Sammy needs to do with how it’s being done is something I’m struggling with.
“This isn’t easy.” I pout.
“I know, baby. I know. Come here. I’ll show you what’s easy,” he growls into my skin as he wraps his arms around my waist.
Nellie
I had a nice time in New York. That was such a fun children’s party. It was good to see the girls and get to hang out with them.
I needed that. Wyatt thinks I’m struggling because of the baby, but that’s not it. If I tell my husband what’s really going on, he might murder someone.
So I’m sitting here in the new baby’s nursery, hiding out as I sob as silently as I can. Wyatt told me to go and relax as he fed Nora and Evan before dropping them off at his parents’.
I’m trying to get it all out before he returns. I swipe at the tears and flip through the cruel pictures once again, not able to help myself. Each picture cuts a bit deeper.
That’s what they were meant to do. My father’s wife is a cruel bitch who’s out to break me. The funny thing is, I don’t think he knows or cares.
About a year and a half ago, my half-sibs reached out to me. My sister was getting married, and my brother was having his second baby. Each of them wanted me to come to celebrate with them.
Zander wanted me to meet his fiancée and first daughter, and Peaches wanted me to be in her wedding. I couldn’t be a part of either. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.
I just couldn’t with work and Alliance stuff going on. My father’s wife was upset and took it as a slight. After Peaches wedding, she started with the pictures.
Father-daughter pictures from the wedding. Photos of her with my siblings. Now Peaches has had a baby and she’s taunting me with photos again.
I know what she’s doing, but I’ve still allowed them to get to me. My mother never got to hold my children and now I’m having baby number three, and it will be a void I can’t ignore once again.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Wyatt rushes into the nursery as I sit sobbing.
Shoot, I didn’t hear him return. Quickly, I hide the pictures behind my back and swipe at my tears. He comes to sit on the floor and tugs me into his arms.
“Baby, this is getting out of hand. I’m worried. Maybe you should talk to someone; this can’t be good for the baby. I know how much you miss her, but this isn’t healthy,” he murmurs as he holds me tight and rubs my back.
“I’ll be fine. It’s not what you think,” I choke out.
“Then do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Hearing the concern in his voice, I know I can’t keep hiding this from him. I’m struggling to deal with this on my own. I know anyone I tell will want to handle that bitch and her mean ass.
Pulling from his arms, I go to sit back on my butt. Wyatt’s gaze lands on one of the pictures as I move away.
He picks it up and glares at it. “Where’d this come from?”
“Kennlee,” I murmur.
“Your father’s wife?”
“Yes.” I hand him the rest. He might as well see them all now.
I watch him as he flips through them. Realization colors his face as he flips through for a second time. He lifts his gaze to mine and bites his fist as rage rolls off him.
“How long?” he says, eerily calm.
“The first set came after the wedding. Peaches reached out recently, and I let it slip that I’m having another baby. That’s when Kennlee started with the latest batch.” I sniffle.
“This is why you’ve been missing Nora so much? She’s taunting you.”
“Wait, what are you doing?” I say as he gathers the pictures with rage still written all over his face.
“I’m getting this shit out of here. I’ll reach out to Peaches and ask her for photos of her and the baby, but these are trash. I’m not allowing you to torture yourself looking at these. This shit is evil as fuck,” he snarls.
He stands and walks out with the pictures in his hands. I lie down and curl into a ball. My mind is spinning.
I can’t help wondering if my father even cares. He hasn’t seen Nora and Evan but a handful of times. I’m surprised my brother and sister even know about me.
“I want you to forget about all of that. None of us can ever replace your mother, but we’re all here to love and care for you. Baby, I’m so sorry,” Wyatt says as he returns and wraps around me.
I try to reply, but my emotions get the best of me, and I can’t do anything but sob. Wyatt kisses the top of my head and tightens his hold on me.