Page 97 of Rebound

“Well, my sister is the one who gave birth to her. She was her mother first,” she hisses back. Then she looks at me and says, “No disrespect to you, but you can’t erase Charlotte and act like she never existed.”

“Really? After you just confessed she wanted to end the pregnancy and you supported it. You—

“Seth,” I warn.

“Yes, she did and yes I supported her. I don’t want to hear from a fuckboy about her pregnancy or anyone else’s. If you had put your dick away, none of this would have happened,” Brandi says.

“Former fuckboy,” he corrects. Seth inches across the table and points in Brandi’s face. “You better—”

“Seth, stop.” I push his hand down. “We’re not here to fight. Jasmine’s here and she’s not going anywhere. That’s who this meeting is about.”

He takes a calming breath and leans back in his chair. Brandi does the same.

“Like I said,” she says to me, “I don’t mean any disrespect.”

“None taken,” I say.

Brandi takes another deep breath before she continues. “I’ve played that day back in my head a million times and ask myself why I didn’t see the signs. Maybe there was something I could have done.”

Chapter 61

Seth

“It’s not your fault,” I reassure her, unsure of how to deal with this. I can’t bring myself to offer any comfort to Brandi beyond platitudes. It’s not her fault. I know from my own history that there is nothing you can do to fix someone who is sick, but what I’m worried about is my daughter and her future. “Is everyone in your family batshit fucking crazy?” I ask before I can think better of it.

Brandi’s head snaps up, and Layla looks at me with her mouth wide open. “Seth!” she admonishes.

“Your mom is nuts. You’re suspect. Your sister had issues too, but you’re all closely related to my daughter, and I’m worried about her,” I say. “I’m not trying to be rude, but—”

“I get it,” Brandi says. “I do.” Then she looks up and her dark eyes bore into mine. “Say what you want about my mother and me, but don’t you ever speak ill of my sister again. She gave you a daughter. Show her some respect.” Her eyes hold mine the entire time. Her voice is low but deadly.

“I think what Seth is getting at is that maybe you and your father should get her some professional help.” Layla looks at me and widens her eyes. It’s like she’s trying to chastise me without speaking.

“She just prays and he prays with her. He lets her do whatever she wants because he feels guilty for all the times he was deployed and she stayed behind to raise us by herself. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but she has tremendous regret over Charlotte. That’s why she wants Jasmine.”

“Well, she can’t have her,” I say, raising my voice just a little. Layla puts her hand on my leg to calm me down. “I’m sorry, but I have a hard time believing this is out of guilt. You just said your mother sees dollar signs. Which is it, because it can’t be both. My daughter is not a consolation prize for her mistakes, and she’s not a paycheck. I will have her arrested and will press charges. Either you rein her in, or all kinds of hell is going to come down on her. That’s a fact. Jasmine is our child, and that lunatic is never going to get her hands on her.”

Brandi raises both hands in surrender. “I’m here to help,” she says.

“But how?” Layla asks. “You have no idea where she is or how to find her. Even if you do find her, how are you going to get her to leave us alone?”

“She will never hurt Jasmine,” she says, speaking fast. “She’s never laid a hand on me, but—”

“You’re damn right, she won’t,” I hiss. “She won’t get close enough to touch my daughter.”

“Listen,” Brandi says. “I just want what’s best for everyone. I don’t want Jasmine traumatized, and I want what’s best for my mother.”

“What’s best for her is that she stay away from my family,” I say.

“Grandma got you some toys and a few dresses,” Stella says to Jasmine, who has no interest in the clothes that she has strewn on the couch. She’s more interested in the yellow stuffed animal and the new doll and stroller. Stella picks her up and kisses her cheek before putting her back down.

June Bug crosses his arms and leans on the counter. Not only do we do dinner every Sunday, but we have them here at least once a week. They will come over after visiting Gaga, and we’ll eat together. I get the plates to set the table while Layla updates them on why she’ll be having a bodyguard for the foreseeable future.

“What?” June Bug asks, standing straight. “Where she at?” He cracks his neck. “I’ll never hit a woman, but—”

“Oh, I will,” Stella says. “I’ll beat her ass so bad, she won’t be able to stand up. She’ll be in too much pain to think about going after my daughter and granddaughter.”

“Just wait until I’m done with her,” Donna says. “Best case, she’ll be in a coma. She can bet on that.”

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