Page 10 of Unbreakable
"You like my mom?" she continues her stare.
I do my best to hide my smile and suppress a giggle caused by her behavior. She may look like me, but that’s as far as it goes. Remi has fire and grit. I'm all for her speaking her truth and expressing herself as long as she is respectful about it. She reminds me a lot of my own mother.
Jake, however, doesn’t hide his amusement, which doesn’t go over too well with my overprotective daughter. Letting go of my hand, she crosses her arms, and throws herself into the back of the couch. I can tell Remi is slightly nervous when she begins to twirl her hair with her fingers. She doesn’t know how to take Jake, and like me, she doesn’t trust people. "How did you get here, Remi?" I finally ask her.
Like it's no big deal, my daughter shrugs her shoulder. "A bus. There was one leaving super early this morning. I made sure it would make it here before Aunt Glory found me missing," she looks at me, "I left her a note."
"Well, unfortunately, she didn’t see it. Either way, you're twelve years old. You can't go hopping buses at midnight whenever you please. Where did you get the money for a bus ticket anyway?" I continue to grill her. Dammit, she knows better than this.
She sighs, "I took money from Aunt Glory's wallet, but I promise I'll pay it back somehow," she quickly confesses.
"Damn right you will young lady. You may not have the ideal life right now, but you’ve never wanted for anything. I didn’t raise you to steal," I scold her.
"Two years, Mom.TWO.I want to be with you." My heart breaks with every word she says.
"Your dad is still out there looking for us. At least this way if he finds me he won't find you, Remi. I don’t like it either. I'm only keeping you safe the best way I know how." Throwing herself into my arms my daughter buries her face in my chest. I hate the pain she's feeling.I feel it too.Sniffling she pulls away, "Mom, I'm really tired. I haven’t slept in hours." Remi wipes at her eyes with the sleeve of her cotton hoodie.
"Okay, come with me. While I put some fresh sheets on the bed, you can call your aunt and let her know you're alright and apologize for the money. Got it?" I stand her up and lead her to my room. I pause next to Jake, who hasn’t interrupted or said a word.
"Take care of your daughter first, then come talk to me. I'm gonna step outside for a minute," Jake informs me.
With a weak smile, I turn away and lead Remi to the extra room down the hall.
"I know. I'm sorry," Remi says to Glory on the phone, while I finish making up the small twin bed for her. Ending the call, my daughter stands from sitting cross-legged on the floor. The small bedroom only has a bed in it because it’s the size of a closet. Nothing else could fit in here if you tried.
"I'm sorry there's no TV in here, Peanut," I tell her.
Climbing under the cover she lays her head on the pillow, "I've got my phone. My music is all I need," she yawns again.
Reaching out I brush my fingers through her hair like I have since she was born and sigh, "Promise me you won't go and do something stupid like this again," I tell her.
"I'm twelve. I've got years of poor decisions to make."
I give her a look. We all know the 'Mom' look. The one that says you'd better check yourself. The one where she draws the line and dares you to cross it.
"Fine. I promise," she says rolling her eyes.
"Get some sleep. I'll see if Jake will run to the store for me. I'll cook you those cinnamon rolls you were so eager to have," I kiss her forehead.
Smiling she closes her eyes. "Thanks, Mom."
I leave her room, closing the door behind me and walk outside to find Jake sitting in the one plastic lawn chair right outside my front door. "Hey," I whisper.
"Come here," Jake pulls me to sit on his lap. "She looks just like you, freckles and all."
"Jake, I'm sorry. I was planning on telling you this morning."
"Two years, babe. That’s a hard pill to swallow…"
Before he finishes with what I assume is rejection, I interrupt him, "I understand if this changes everything. I lied. A lot. I can't say that I'm sorry. I did all of it to protect her. I'd do it again in a heartbeat," I rush to say in my defense.
"Look at me." Jake demands his voice rough, and raw with held back emotions. "She's not a deal breaker. Allow me to feel and process all this but know I'm not runnin' away. I want us. Remi is yours, so that now makes her mine, Little Bird. I know you've been through a lot, and I know it will take time, but you have to learn I'm nothing like the piece of shit you married."
He's right. Jake is nothing like Ronan.
Calm washes over me. Deciding it's now or never, I choose to follow my heart. Placing my palm on his cheek, I tell him, "I love you."
7
