Page 166 of Between Never and Forever
No one person, maybe. But what about a stadium full of people? What about a country full of stadiums full of people? Can I compete with them?
* * *
“That child should be with her family,” my mother says into the phone. “It shouldn’t be your responsibility.”
I’m two seconds away from hanging up on her. I don’t know why I haven’t done it already.
“Iamher family. She should be with me, and that’s where she’ll stay.”
I’m frustrated, irritated, and exhausted, and my tone reflects that. She’s been calling me nonstop since my meeting on Wednesday with the Larks. I finally caved and answered, just to get it over with, then listened to her berate me for ten minutes about how I should have answered sooner. I’ve had enough stressing me out with all the assholes with cameras camped outside my house. I don’t need another annoyance, and for some fucking reason, I can’t bring myself to block her.
“Helen and William are her blood. They are half of her. You can’t possibly think you could do a better job raising her than they could. Especially not now thatthat girlhas returned. I mean really, Levi, a sex scandal? I always knew she was trouble.”
I don’t bother responding to her comments about Savannah. My mother’s opinions don’t matter. They’re just air.
“Well, what do you have to say for yourself? If you had the sense God gave you, you would give the child back to the Larks. It’s better for you. You don’t know what runs through the child’s veins.”
“The child is named Brynnlee, and the lawyers already told William and Helen that she’s staying with me. She ismydaughter. What runs through her veins doesn’t matter, and if the Larks try to take me to court, it will just cost them time and money, because they won’t win.”
I check my watch. Sharon should be here any minute to pick Brynn up. She’s taking her shopping for back-to-school clothes. Brynn decided that I’m not cool enough to take her shopping this year. How the hell is summer almost over?
“Trust me, Levi, you’ll be better off if you just sign over cust—”
“Mother. Stop. I’m done having this conversation with you.”
I hear her huff on the other end, then a long slow inhale followed by a long, slow exhale, before she speaks again.
“Everything in this world that I’ve done, it’s been for you.”
I scoff. It’s always shocked me just how strongly my mother believes her own delusions. As if manipulating Bible verses for the sake of controlling me was ever for my own good. She wields her religion as a weapon. She uses it to feel superior, to justify her hatred, and she really believes the shit she’s slinging. In her mind, she really sees herself as a self-sacrificing, saintly mother.
“Okay,” I say flatly.
“Remember that I tried.”
She hangs up. I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. This whole thing is giving me a migraine. I think I’d rather take another jaunt through the fucking rapids than another phone conversation with Judith Cooper.
I hear my front door open, then close, and Sharon steps into the kitchen.
“Good lord, do those people ever leave?”
She throws a scowl behind her, as if the paparazzi assholes on the street can feel it through the walls. I shake my head.
“Haven’t yet.”
I keep hoping they’ll get bored and go away once this whole mess dies down, but as of right now, the media thinks Sav Loveless is still engaged to Torren King, and they see me as the potential homewrecker.
“Have you told Savannah?”
“No.”
“Shouldn’t you?”
“No.”
I’m not going to worry her with this bullshit. She’s still filming. She’s stressed about the contract negotiations with the label. She feels terrible about the news of Brynn’s adoption going global. I’m not about to pile anymore shit on top. Besides, Sav and the media go hand in hand, right? If she’s what I want, then I need to decide if this is something I can handle.
Sharon sighs and sets her purse on the counter, so I call up the stairs for Brynn.
