Page 73 of The Ruckup
Well… That’s not technically true. I would wish some pretty bad shit on Drake. And he would deserve every bit of it for trying to take Leo down in order to save his own skin.
I knew he was a terrible person. He did awful things to me, but for some reason what he attempted to do to Leo is what makes me hate him most of all. Thinking of how the tides could have turned against the man I love makes my blood boil. I faced so much unfairness throughout this mess, but that would have taken the cake.
Alexis is the first to return the pack box. The one she’s carrying is marked summer clothes in sharpie. Stopping in front of me, she lifts her brows, looking from my face, to my tummy. “Do we think you’re going to need these this year?”
That is a good question. One I don’t really have an answer to. After sitting down to do the math — and learning they count back to the first day of your last period, which I think is weird — I discovered I am around ten weeks along.
My body still looks pretty much the same as normal – if anything I’ve lost weight thanks to the constant nausea – but I’m sure once the sickness passes, I’ll make up for lost time and missed calories.
Especially with Abuela cooking for me every day.
“Maybe some of them?” I’m already overwhelmed and we just started. “I guess I’m going to have to go through them and see what stretches and what doesn’t have any give.”
“How about this.” Alexis taps her free hand against the box balanced on her hip. “Once we get everything moved, I’ll come over and we can go through all your clothes together. All you have to do is sit and say yay or nay, and I will handle everything else.”
For some reason the way Alexis has come in and handled this for me makes me emotional. I sniff, blinking hard as my eyes got watery. “That would be really great.”
“No.” She shakes her head, expression stern. “No crying.” She flails her hand in front of my face, fanning my skin. “Everything is going to be great and easy and organized.”
I nod, trying hard to get myself back under control. “Okay.”
I thought I got lucky finding Leo. Believed he was going to be the one person I could always count on.
And I did get lucky finding him. I can always count on him.
But he’s not the only one I have in my corner.
Once I’m no longer on the verge of tears, Alexis rallies everyone, and soon boxes are leaving my apartment at a quick pace. Nothing really looks too different, because all the furniture is still in place, but a lot is getting done in a short period of time.
Not by my Abuela and the girls. They’re still socializing. Now, they’re piled onto my sofa cackling over God only knows what.
And I love it. I love getting to see my grandmother get to be something besides by herself. She’s not like most of the womenin her condo association, so she’s always been kind of the odd one out.
But she is for sure like the girls. They are peas in a feisty pod And I’m already imagining she’s going to hitch a ride with me to work on a pretty regular basis.
Alexis and her friends are in the back of my apartment collecting another round of boxes when I decide to go out and check to see how the truck is. I think I picked the correct size, but I’m a little worried maybe I should have gone for the bigger one.
I’m only a few steps out the door one my path is blocked by a sickeningly familiar face.
“Drake.” I stare at him, not believing what I’m seeing. “You’re supposed to be in jail.”
My ex-husband gives me a smirk. “And you were supposed to be my wife, so I guess we’re both surprised.”
He takes a step toward me and I take a step back, hard in my throat as my already upset stomach rolls. “You can’t be here.”
He snorts. “Why? Because of the piece of paper?” His head tips as he chuckles. “Did you really think that would keep me away?” His expression darkens. “You belong to me. You are my wife. No one has the right to tell me I can’t be near my wife.”
“I’m not your wife.” I won’t let him keep trying to possess me. “I don’t belong to you.”
“Until the divorce is final you do.” He continues trying to advance on me. “Did you think you could just walk away and play house with someone new and there wouldn’t be consequences?” He shakes his head. “You can’t just leave me behind that way. That’s not how this works.”
I’m starting to shake, flashes of the past making me want to cower. I’ve seen Drake like this before. It didn’t work out well for me then, and I’m terrified of what will happen now. Not to me. I don’t care what he does to me.
But I can’t let him hurt the tiny little peanut of a baby I’m getting more attached to every day.
But I don’t have anything to fight him with. Even my hot tea is gone. The best I can hope for is that Alexis and her friends see what’s going on and call the police, because I don’t want them to get hurt because of me either.
That’s why I can’t lead Drake into my apartment.
