Silence met her answer.
“I assumed again, didn’t I?” Eva asked, groaning.
Everyone did.
The one good thing about having your heart broken, stomped on, and rubbed in the dirt was that everyone around you assumed they knew the perfect solution to all of your problems. No one listened.
No one paid attention.
Assumptions.
Pushing you in whatever direction they want to go.
Never fucking listening.
“It’s fine.” And like so many times before, rather than be pissed about it, she accepted it. This was her family.
She’d been hurt in one of the worst possible ways, and then there was Nathan. When he was first born, Tiny, her father, wouldn’t even look at him. In fact, the first time she took him to The Skulls’ clubhouse, no one would even offer to hold him.
Now, that wouldn’t usually bother her.
Possible stinky diaper to change and all that, but she’d seen the guys and the old ladies, even some of the club sluts, they loved to help out. To hold babies, to love them.
Not hers.
No one had touched hers until Angel had come out of the kitchen, holding a large lemon cake, which she shoved into Lash’s arms, and immediately went to her, holding Nathan, kissing his head.
In fact, Angel had sat beside her the entire day, held Nathan, changed his diaper. The next little event after that, everyone had taken a turn in holding her son. She didn’t know what Angel had done, but it had helped her a great deal. The only problem was the damage had already been done. They had already shown their true colors.
Since then, little by little, month after month, her feelings for The Skulls had broken down.
They were no longer perfect.
Family was who they accepted. Nathan, no matter the fucking father, was her blood. No one was going to change that, but they hadn’t accepted him. After everything she’d been through, they could have at least given her this. Since then, it was like the happiness had been slowly withering and dying.
Pulling out of her thoughts, she tuned back in to Eva.
“Well, there’s this spa event that all of us ladies are going to.”
“Look, Mom, no. Okay? No spa day. No helping out with the charity events. I do have a full-time job.” Of all the places for her to work, she’d decided to apply at the library. With a sudden influx of investment, the library had expanded, adding in a computer room, more books, even rooms for conferences. They’d needed more people to help run the place, and she’d signed up. Put her name on the dotted line, got a call, and had been working there for the past three years. Before that, she’d bounced from job to job at The Skulls’ many businesses.
Her parents had told her she didn’t need to work. How she could go to college while they’d take care of Nathan for her. The same people who hadn’t even held her son. It had all been Angel. There was a time she truly believed Angel was weak, but now she saw the truth. Angel’s kindness wasn’t a weakness, it was a gift.
On the school front, she was in the process of taking a few courses at the local college, slowly getting her degree in English. Until then, she was happy to be around books. She loved books so much. They didn’t talk back to her, unless she got audio, but she didn’t listen to them. Once she was done with them, she could close them up, take them back. Her job was amazing. Nathan also happened to love going there, especially to the children’s section when she had to work late.
The new building ran until ten at night. He’d often be curled up with the soft toys, and she’d carry him home.
“I know. I know. It’s just, you’re taking a short vacation.”
“I’m not, Mom. This is my day off.” That reminded her, she’d have to call them and ask about a couple of sick days so she could care for Nathan. “Look, is there anything you need? I want to get Nathan home.”
“Where are you?”
“I stopped off at Millie’s, why?”
“Oh, you didn’t go straight home.”
“You know I’d ordered the board game he wanted. This will make him feel better.” Her patience hit an all-time low. “I’ve got to go. Talk to you soon.” She hung up the phone, pressing both hands to her head to try to alleviate the headache already getting to the point of making her head explode. If she got out of this alive, it would be a miracle.
I can do this.
Her cell phone started to ring again and she immediately put it to vibrate.
“Funny seeing you here.”
Hearing Luke’s voice made her tense. Lash had organized some kind of deal with the Monster Dogs and every now and then, one of their crew would arrive in town. Most of the time, it was Luke, which wasn’t a welcome sight. All it ever made her feel was anger at what she’d lost.