Credence

Reality comes crashing back in.

I don’t know what I expected, I guess. Obviously, I didn’t ask for Holcomb to show up here, but maybe when Kaleb rushed in, took my face in his hands, and saw what could’ve happened, he’d realize that he wanted a life with me.

That he wanted to live instead of hiding inside himself.

Instead, he saw my suitcase and shut down, because he thinks I’m like his mother, and that I’m abandoning him. He’s being betrayed, but what he doesn’t realize is it’s not abandonment when you’re an adult. It’s called leaving, and he has it in his power to stop me.

Tonight could’ve gone so much worse. Doesn’t he realize that?

“The baby isn’t his,” Noah whispers behind me. “Dad was able to squeeze the doctor for info. Cici got pregnant last August. Kaleb was at the fishing cabin the entire month. He didn’t show up until the beginning of September.”

That first night we met.

“Holcomb?” I guess.

“That’s what we’re thinking, too.”

Holcomb is the father. He and Cici were together at the bar on my birthday. She was fucking with us today.

I stare at Kaleb, a horrible feeling falling over me instead of relief, though. He’s not going to fight for me. He won’t write to me. He won’t sign.

He’ll never talk to me.

He’ll never communicate with his children if he has any.

He loves everyone in this house, but he won’t even tell us.

Something crushes my chest, and tears pool as I gaze at him.

“Tiernan!” a woman yells outside. “Oh, my God!”

I blink.

“Is Tiernan here?” I hear Mir

ai’s voice as she pummels up the steps on the porch.

Jake says something I can’t hear and then she shouts, “Get out of my way!”

Mirai?

Tears stream down my face, and I spin around, seeing her run into the house, lock eyes with me, and drop her handbag, rushing over.

She wraps her arms around me, and I pause a moment and then… I crush her to me, holding her so tightly she probably can’t breathe.

I hold back the sobs, but I can’t hide the tears. I didn’t realize I’d missed her until now. I squeeze her so hard, everything hitting me at once.

“What the hell happened?” she asks.

I release her, drying my eyes. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” she shouts, and I can see Jake walking back into the house behind her. “You’re bleeding!”

She turns my face to inspect my cheek, and I touch it, pulling my hand away to see a little blood. I must’ve scraped it somewhere in all the running.

I hug her again, her long, dark hair soft like designer shampoo can do and smelling like a spa. Memories wash over me.

I pull away to look at her. She looks like I used to. I’d forgotten how manicured I once was. Her nails, her make-up, her hair…