“Yeah, she used to live two doors down from me”
“Fuck I wouldn’t let my worst fuckin’ enemy live there” Blaze says and I turn as her and Lena walk back out to the old ladies’ section
“What’s wrong with the place she lives in?” I ask curiously
“Fuck man, that place gave me the chills, it was like all the happiness in life was gone and only misery and despair was left” he tells us and I shake my head at his dramatization
“It can’t be that bad”
“Trust me man, it’s fuckin’ bad” he says frownin’
“She probably doesn’t even live there anymore”
“She does” Chase says and I look at him
“And how the fuck, do you know that?”
“Was riding past the place yesterday and seen her shitty car still there” I look back out to the old ladies’ section to see if I could see her
“Damn” Blaze says
“She got a boyfriend?” I ask Chase but he shakes his head
“No, I’ve never seen her with a guy”
“So, no dad for the kid?” he shrugs his shoulders as I hear the old ladies laugh and I wonder what there talkin’ about
“You want another drink?” Chase asks me and I hand him my empty
“Yeah” I tell him as a baby cries and I watch as Niya and Jewel’s sister walk in down towards the kitchen.Chapter ElevenDove
“So, what’s this little one’s name?” Lena asks as I pick Wiley up and they all make that cooing noise women do when they see babies
“This is Wiley” I tell them all and they smile down at her
“She’s so pretty.” I run my hands over her little head, her baby smell making me smile
“She is, but I never knew how much it took to look after a baby, especially the changing of nappy thing, god the first time I done it I gagged the whole time” I tell them and they all laugh
“Where all pretty lucky, we’ve got each other to help out when we need a break, what about you Dove, did Jewel help out with little Wiley?” Maggie asks and I look at my niece again
“Um actually Wiley isn’t mine” I tell them and they all look at me
“Who’s is she?” Niya asks and I look at her
“She was Simone’s” I tell her and they all look surprised than they all start looking at each other
“Did you say Wiley was Jewel’s baby?” Zoey asks me and I nod
“Yeah, I only found out about her last week, I didn’t even know Simone was pregnant, I mean how would I, we hadn’t seen each other in years. Then I go to empty her apartment and her neighbour comes over and hands me Wiley” I tell them and they all look shocked
“And she said Wiley was Jewel’s” I nod
“I know, I was literally standing there holding the proverbial baby” they all frown at me still looking at each other and I start to get a bad feeling. “Ok, what is up?” I ask them but Wiley chooses that moment to start crying like she’s being murdered and I pull out a bottle but notice she’s already drank it “Shit”
“Come on, the kitchens this way” Niya says and I stand up with Wiley still screaming
“Give her to me” Abbey says and I hand a screaming Wiley over to her and follow Niya into the clubhouse to their kitchen to fix Wiley a bottle.
As we get into the kitchen I notice the size, it’s like ten times the size of my shitty apartment, the stainless-steel shining, Niya turns and looks at me “Dove” she says and I look at her
“Sorry, I spaced for a minute” she smiles as I walk over and start making up Wiley’s bottle
“So” she says and I turn and look at her
“You know who her father is don’t you?” I ask and I watch as she bites her lip nodding “Who?” I ask but she shakes her head
“I’m not even sure he is”
“But you suspect someone” she nods
“I do”
“Who?” I ask her again
“Does it matter” she asks me and I think of Wiley so I nod
“It does” I tell her but she hesitates
“Dove he… he’s not the father type” she says making me frown
“Niya, I had no idea what the hell I was doing when I got Wiley, I still don’t, but she needs to know her father”
“I just don’t think he would want to be in Wiley’s life”
“Was he married?” I ask wondering if my mother was right about Simone
“No, he’s not married”
“Then what’s the big deal.” She takes a deep breath and Wiley’s scream register and I walk out back to her. As Abbey hands her back I sit back down and start to feed her, her hungry gulps making it seem like she hasn’t eaten in days and Niya sits back down next to me. I look around at the other girls and the looks there giving me is they all know as well “So who is Wiley’s father?” I ask all of them and they all look at each other again and I can see there all hesitant to tell me