Page 7 of And Everything In Between

She leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs, watching the soft rise and fall of her father’s chest.

“You okay?” she asked lightly placing a hand over his.

“Yeah, but you ain’t gotta wait around, baby girl,” Perry muttered, voice dry and cracked from too many years behind bars and too many treatments pulling the life out of him. “Go live a little. It’s Saturday and your off day.”

Some days, Paige wondered if she’d already lived all the life she was supposed to. God knew she’d had her fun. Her mouth curled at the memory of reckless nights and louder mornings. Fast talking, faster drinking, and running a nigga’s pockets for his munyuns (money) and his pride was a habit.

She used to be hell on heels. Maybe it made sense she was slowing down. Maybe that was the natural order of things. She wasn’t a girl anymore. Thirty had come knocking a month ago. And truth be told, the streets had already stopped calling her name.

“I’m fine, Daddy.” Her eyes glued back on her phone, pretending to be locked into a hair tutorial.

She wasn’t fine. She was functioning.

Perry wasn’t blind. He saw it in her face, no matter how good she got at faking it.

And still, she didn’t know how to stop. Being last had become second nature.

He hated being a burden. Hated leaning on the only child he had left. But he didn’t have anybody else. The streets that used to know his name had gone quiet when he needed help.

After PJ’s death, her mother made it clear she wanted no part of Perry or the world he came from. She’d buried her son, changed her last name back to her maiden name, closed the door, and locked it from the inside. And maybe she was right too. Some hurts were too heavy to heal from and forgive.

But Paige had chosen differently.

She decided love meant staying, even when it cracked you wide open. And her mother, even in her distance, respected that choice. She never stood between them. Never made her choose. That was her way of loving Paige, too.

Perry shifted in the chair, grimacing slightly as he scratched at the edge of the tape holding the needle in place.

“You tired.” Perry looked over at her, not asking. Telling. “Running yourself ragged.”

“Daddy, you need me,” Paige replied, voice soft. “I’m going to be here.”

He smiled weakly.

“When that Medicaid comes through, it’ll get easier. Maybe your momma will come help me until then.”

He winked, wrong and hopeful all at once, the way only a man who still believed miracles were possible could. Paige lifted her eyes and gave him a look, half exasperation, half tenderness. He was serious. Still hopeful after everything. Still a man who thought you could leave the porch light on, and forgiveness would find its way home. But he knew Myra better than sheknew herself. She’d been the biggest stepper he knew. She wasn’t going for it.

“Momma’s still stubborn,” she said, shaking her head. “She might kill you if you even blink at her wrong.”

Perry chuckled.

“Fuck all that. I want you to leave. Find somethin’ to get into. I ain’t gon’ let you rot sittin’ here watchin’ me fade out.”

Paige frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, her whole body tightening like a rubber band stretched too thin. She was so sick of the real nigga til I die mess that came with him sometimes.

“Absolutely not. I’m taking you back home like I said I would. And it sounds like you’ve been talking to Momma already. I find it funny you both keep trying to get me outside,” she said and motioned with air quotes.

He shook his head; stubbornness stitched into his every breath too. It was him who passed it to her.

“You keep pushing yourself and you gon’ lose yourself doing everything and nothing at the same damn time. Because unless you work here, you can do nothing for me. I don’t need you looking in my face.”

Paige couldn’t even argue. Between the bank, her side hustles, the endless appointments, and pretending she gave a damn about brunch invites and engagement announcements, Paige was exhausted. Both her mom and dad were throwing truth bombs aiming straight at her head. And the worst part of it all was that she’d become so accustomed to being last that she didn’t know how to stop. Even worse, she didn’t know who she’d be if she did stop. Who would she be if no one needed her?

She gave him a playful side-eye, her mouth twitching despite herself.

“I’ll have you know.” Her voice lifted with fake pride, “I’m on the fast track to being the loan manager. Might even take over the whole damn bank one day.”

Perry grinned wide, shaking his head.

---