Page 142 of My Five Daddies

“He took care of me,” she says suddenly. “Sure, he made me do things, but he took care of me. He made sure my family was eating. They’re alive and still in their house because ofhim.”

It surprises me that she’s suddenly defending him, but I shouldn’t be shocked. I don’t know what her relationship with Julian is like, and I’m afraid that if we keep pressing, we’ll make herdisappear.

“Okay,” I say to her. “You don’t have to talk about Julian if you don’t wantto.”

Nolan glances at me but doesn’t sayanything.

“But let us do something for you,” I say to hergently.

“Like what?” sheasks.

“We can give you some money for you family. Do you needsome?”

She nods a little bit. “My brother Tomas just startedschool.”

Nolan takes his wallet out of his pocket and pulls out all of the cash he has and hands it to her. She takes it, her eyes wide, as she counts itall.

“This is too much,” shesays.

“Take it,” Nolan answers. “What you’ve had to go through… it’s not right.” He leans toward Renee. “Please, I hope you believe when I say that I really do want to change thiscountry.”

Renee stops counting her money and looks at Nolan with the most genuine expression on her face I’ve ever seen. She looks slightly confused, like she’s trying to puzzle him out, and slowly shenods.

“Okay,” she says. “Iunderstand.”

“Good,” he says, and stands, “Can we come see youagain?”

“Okay,” she says again. “But please, don’t tellJulian.”

“We won’t,” I say to her. “Ipromise.”

We all stand and on impulse, I pull the girl against me and hug her tightly for a moment. She seems surprised, but hugs me back a moment later. When I let her go, I can see fresh tears in hereyes.

Suddenly I think I know what it means to be a mother. Not because of what I’m feeling for this girl, but because of what she’s been willing to do for her family. I think a mother would feel that and much more. I’m willing to bet that it kills Renee’s mother to know what her daughter has had to do, but she’s sacrificing it for the rest of thefamily.

It’s an impossible situation, and maybe that’s what being a mother is all about. Dealing with impossible situations and pushing forward, day after day, all for the sake of your family. Nolan wants me to have a baby, and that’s the kind of person I’m going to have tobe.

Before any of this, I don’t think I would have been able to. I think I would have been too afraid to step up and have a family. I know I would have run away if someone had suggested getting me pregnant. But after this trip, and especially after meeting Nolan, I feel like I’m ready. I feel like I’m just becoming strong enough, and maybe that’ll beenough.

“See you soon,” I say to Renee, and shenods.

“Bye, Renee,” Nolansays.

“Bye, Prince Nolan.” Renee does a little curtsy as we leave theapartment.

We leave the building in silence, walking side by side. Nolan takes my hand as we step out onto the grass and for a second, I have to fight backtears.

“We’ll stop that,” he says finally. “I’m going to fix thiscountry.”

I squeeze his hand. “I believe inyou.”

He looks at me, his face a mask of pain. “Can you believe what he’s been doing to that girl?” he asks me. “Sleeping with her, forcing her to prostitute herself just to keep her familyalive…”

“I know,” I say. “He’s sick,Nolan.”

“He’s sick,” Nolan agrees. “I had no clue how far itwent.”

“But now you know. And you can do something aboutit.”

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