Page 140 of Losing Faith

“I have an update on the cheater.” She pulls away with a smile and I wipe her tears. After reassuring me that no one is pressing charges for wrecking her ex’s car, she rambles on about the new boy who happens to be his best friend. When she mentions she’s seeing him as revenge and he’s in on it, I decide to give up on pointing her in the right direction.

Chapter Forty

Jackson

“ThanksagainforwatchingBelle.”I keep my eyes on my mom as she puts a tray of lasagna in the oven.

“She’s my granddaughter, you don’t need to keep thanking me.”

I hold back a sigh. While I came here to apologize the day after Thanksgiving, I haven’t spoken to her since I left and I was naive to think she’d let it go that quickly.

“Ma.”

She doesn’t turn to me.

“I already apologized for what I said. I was emotional, like always when it comes to her mom and I’m not excusing my behavior or what I said. Icanassure you it won’t happen again. Can you stop punishing me for it?”

“You’re a grown man, Jackson Jones. No one is punishing you.”

Since her back is still to me, I roll my eyes at her use of my full name, as she has been using the past week.

“When are we going to stop fighting?”

She ignores me.

I throw my hands up in defeat. “I really don’t understand why you’re on Skye’s side here. She left us. That was her choice. Why am I the villain for not wanting to give her a second chance?”

“Because everyone deserves a second chance, Jackson.”

I shake my head at her words. “She hasn’t said she wanted a second chance.”

“And if she did?” She turns on her heels. “If she called you right now and said she wanted to see her daughter, would you allow it?”

I take a minute to think of my answer, but I don’t know what I would do.

“No matter what, she’s hermom, Jackson. She left when she was mentally vulnerable. She thought her baby was going to die and it was killing her. You reached outonce,and I think if you pushed harder, Isabelle would have the mom she deserves.”

I shake my head at her. “Ithought my baby was going to die and it was killingme. I didn’t go and cheat on her.” I let out a scoff. “Her cheating actually wasn’t the issue. Sheleft. She heard our daughter might lose her hearing or die, and sheleft. I’m not going to beg her to have a relationship with that amazing little girl. She should want to. I’m not saying Skye is a villain. Maybe Isabelle is just too big of a trigger for her. Who knows, but I don’tcare. Isabelle and I are happy.She’shappy. We don’t need her, and I quite frankly don’t want her around, especially not if the man she cheated on me with is going to sit here and play stepdad tomybaby. I am not going to push harder for her to be a mother to a child she doesn’twant. My daughter doesn’t deserve her, she deserves more.”

She crosses her arms at me. “And Lisette is more?”

My eyes narrow. “What?” I take a step back at her words. “What does Lisette have to do with this?”

“Stand there and tell me you think Lisette will be a better mom than her own mother will be. Reaching out to Skye won’t kill anyone.”

“Oh my god.” I shake my head at her as I realize exactly what’s happening. “You disapprove of Lisette andthat’swhy you want Skye in the picture again, why you’re pushing for me to go out with Isabelle’s ballet teacher.”

She doesn’t say anything, but I can see the truth in her eyes.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re letting a pretty face in a short dress cloud your judgment. Do you think her self-harm scars will just stop putting themselves there when you kiss her better? Do you think your father and I didn’t notice how mentally checked out she was at Thanksgiving? The way you were pulling at nails to get her to smile and talk to us? She’s severely depressed and has no business raising—”

“Don’t,” I cut her off before she could say something to upset me. “Isabelle ismykid. If I want to let wolves raise her with me, I will set up camp in the damn woods tonight. Lisette is anamazingperson and your granddaughter is inaweof her. If you can take five seconds to get over her depression to see that, we could all move on because her scars aren’t all she is.”

She opens her mouth, but I cut her off again.

“You of all people know how protective I am of that little girl. We’re keeping our relationship away from her.”

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