Page 74 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"You don't just get to choose whether you are or not. We have the same blood in our veins. We have the same eyes. And nose. You're my mom. Whether you like it or not. And I need your help. Just this once. I'm begging you."

"I'm asking you one last time to get off my property."

"Please. I'm just asking for a loan."

"And I'm not giving you a cent. Because you and your deadbeat father will sink the money in that stupid bar and I'll never get it back."

"I'll pay you interest. I'll..."

"Hailey, that's enough. This conversation is over. We may share some genes, but you are nothing like me. You and your father will always be broke because you'd rather ask for handouts than work hard. Me giving you money will only hinder your future. Now get the fuck off my property before I call the cops."

I was blinking hard, trying to hold back my impending tears.

The front door suddenly opened. "Is everything okay, honey?" The man she had kissed on the cheek wrapped his arm around her waist. He smiled at me. He looked kind. How could someone like that love such a monster?

But as soon as he had stepped outside, Elena's smile had returned. "Yes. It's just a solicitor, sweetie. And she was just leaving."

I'm your daughter. You're supposed to love me. I hadn't asked Elena for anything in 15 years. Not since I had begged her to stay. She owed me this. "One favor. And you'll never see me again. I'll never ask you for anything else the rest of my life. It'll be like I never existed. Isn't that what you want? Please, Elena."

Her new husband looked back and forth between us. Maybe he was seeing the similarities in our features. Or maybe he was just wondering why a solicitor was asking his wife for a favor. "Maria, what's going on?"

Maria? Who the hell is Maria?

"Richard," Elena said and looked up at her husband. "I've been trying to explain to her that there are no solicito

rs allowed in this neighborhood. I asked he to get off our property. And she's refusing to leave until we buy whatever she's selling. Do you think we should call the cops?"

"I don't think that's necessary," he said. "You were just leaving, right? If you'll excuse us. Have a nice day." He pulled his wife inside the house with him and closed the door in my face.

I didn't travel halfway across the country for nothing. I wasn't leaving until my stupid excuse for a mother wrote me a check. It wasn't like she didn't have the money. I pounded my fist on the door.

"Maria, it's fine," I heard him say from the other side of the door. "I'll handle it. You call the cops." The door opened. Richard stood there, with his wife nowhere in sight. His expression had turned cold. "My wife has already warned you. She's calling the police right now."

"You don't understand."

"I understand that I've already warned you once and..."

"I'm her daughter." I didn't want to intentionally throw Elena under the bus. I hadn't come here to ruin her life. I had come here to save my dad's.

"I'm sorry?" He shook his head and stared at me again. "That's impossible. You're too old to be Maria's daughter. My wife is only 32."

So she lied to her new husband about more than just her name. That wasn't surprising at all. "She's 38. And her name is Elena."

"You must have the wrong house." He looked confused.

"I don't have the wrong house." I was getting exasperated. " She had me when she was 16. You must see the similarities. You must see how much I look like her."

He shook his head.

"Your name is Richard, right?"

His lips parted, but then he closed them again and nodded.

"Richard, my whole life I've felt unwanted. She left me and my dad and started a family with you. She chose you over us. And I always wondered what I did wrong. Why I wasn't good enough. I wouldn't be here if I didn't need to be. It kills me to beg her for money. But my father is dying. And I know she has money to spare. I haven't asked her for anything in 15 years. And I'll never ask her for anything again. Of either of you. And I'll pay you back. Every dime."

He seemed to be staring at me, studying my facial expressions.

I felt like I was winning him over. "You're a father. You understand a bond between a father and daughter. Please help me so I don't lose my dad. Please."

---