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Vic
This week has been stressful. Tomorrow is graduation and baby girl? She’s still determined she’s going to sit with the family rather than the class. She doesn’t want to take part in the ceremony. I’m of the mind to let her, but Mister Perfect is all gun-ho on her sitting with the class. So, I left him home with her so I could pick up dinner at Mollie’s, egg sandwiches have turned into burgers with eggs on them. I have no idea what this egg thing is about, but I wish she’d quit eating them. She farts in her sleep, and damn near kills me.
I place everything on the counter as I walk in the kitchen. “I’m home. Where is everyone?” I call out.
“Clayton’s out back. Did you get my burger?”
“Yes, you want to go grab him while I get us set up?”
“Not really.”
“Baby girl, you’re killing me.”
“Go get him if you want him.”
With a roll of my eyes, I head for the back door. Finding Clay sitting on the back steps watching the dogs, I sit beside him.
“What happened?” I bump his shoulder.
“I’m just over it. I’ve made all the concessions I can make for her for graduation, and it’s not enough. I got them to sit us all together, let us get in early and everything else. I mean, what more does she want?” He sighs heavily. “We’re getting ready to leave, and I just—what if she changes her mind? What if once we get out there, she decides she doesn’t want to come to California? What then?”
“Hold on a second, let me conjure up my inner Clayton Cross.” I put my fingers to my forehead and hum for a second. “She’s scared. She’s not been to that school since January. Since that time, she’s tried to kill herself, damn near killed Harmand and found out she was pregnant. Now, we’re leaving her in less than two weeks. She’s putting up her guard because she’s scared. She can’t drive out with us because of appointments and needing to find the right doctors and things. The quicker we can get that done, the quicker she will be with us. There’s nothing keeping her here.” I wrap my arm around his shoulders.
“There’s Fred, and let’s face it if she doesn’t leave, neither do Wayde or Adam.” He gruffs. “What if—what if she just doesn’t love us enough?”
“I promise she does. She loves with everything in her. She’s trying. She’s doing everything we’ve asked of her so obviously she loves us. Just trust your heart. Your heart knows, but your head’s a jumbled mess.”
He nods, standing up. “I’m gonna go take a shower and go to bed. I’m tired, and we have a long day tomorrow.” Kissing my cheek, he hollers for the dogs, and they head inside.
I get back to Abi, and she’s already eating. “You really couldn’t wait?”
“I was hungry.” She gives me this look like you can go away now.
I take her plate from her. “Well, now you’re done. You need to go make things right. You’ve got Clay thinking you don’t love us and that you aren’t coming to California. He’s freaking out. You need to tell him what is going on.”
“You better give me my food back.”
“I will as soon as you two talk your bullshit out. You walk away rather than deal with your shit. I deal with it head-on now. Go!”
“Do you always have to be so demanding? You’re supposed to be my boyfriend, not my dad. Don’t really need one of those.”
“Just go.”
“I’m going, Christ.”
