Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
They brought us inside and set us down at the kitchen table. There were no decorations, but Esther had clearly been cooking all day because the house smelled like freshly baked bread and my favorite beef stew. It felt like I was in a dream as Ariel and Flora ran off to Flora’s room to play and Otto’s mom hugged me and proceeded to steal Diana right out of my arms. Esther put a bowl of stew in front of me, urging me to eat. She chatted with me about her pregnancy and how well-spoken Ariel was, told me about the bedroom they’d set up for us, and generally kept our conversation light as people came in and out of the room. It was all very welcoming and easy, almost like we’d seen each other only days before—except for the fact that she didn’t move more than a foot away from me at any point. All of Otto’s sisters-in-law had shown up to wait with Esther and the house was noisy and chaotic for a while as they said their hellos to me and goodbyes to everyone. It wasn’t until the house was quiet, with only Otto’s parents left in the living room, that I realized I hadn’t seen Titus since he’d handed me Diana and ordered me toward my sister.
“Okay,” Esther said with a sigh, shifting in her chair. “Now, tell me what happened.”
Chapter 3
Titus
Three hours of riding hadn’t taken the edge off. I pulled off the highway into a lookout area a few hours north of home, ignoring the way my phone continued to go off in my pocket. I couldn’t even describe the feeling I was trying to escape. Rage, maybe. Absolute fucking confusion—definitely. Sorrow. Excitement. Disgust. So, yeah, pretty much every fucking emotion known to man. That’s where I was at.
Leaving my helmet on the bike, I walked to the edge. The big ravine with evergreens spread out as far as I could see was probably beautiful, but I couldn’t appreciate it.
“I was wonderin’ when you’d stop,” Rumi called out, striding toward me. “I’m gonna need fuel soon.”
“Surprised you’re the one who followed me,” I muttered as he reached me.
“Drew straws,” he joked, grinning.
“I’m fine.”
“Yeah, you know, that’s what I was thinkin’ as I followed you halfway across the state—that boy is fine…not sure what I’m doin’ here.”
“You saw where she was livin’,” I replied quietly, staring at the trees. “That fuckin’ trailer had a garbage bag coverin’ a broken window.”
“Wasn’t pretty,” he agreed quietly.
“Why the fuck didn’t she call?” I blurted. It was the same question that rolled through my mind over and over since we’d pulled up in front of that piece of shit trailer. She could’ve reached out at any point.
“Guessin’ only Noel knows the answer to that.”
“Three kids, Rum. She has three fuckin’ kids.”
“Well, not yet,” he hedged with a sigh.
“The oldest is at least four, right? I mean, she didn’t seem younger than that.”
“Yep.”
“So, Noel wasn’t even eighteen when she had her.” I shook my head in disgust.
Teen pregnancy didn’t bother me on a whole. I honestly didn’t think about it much beyond not causing it back when I was a teenager. Shit happened. But from what I understood, it hadn’t been some couple that accidentally got pregnant—Noel was married. Had been married. The man was dead. From what little Otto had murmured to me—after I’d seen her standing in the doorway with her kids but before I’d completely lost it and did something supremely stupid like ask if the oldest was mine—she’d been married before she even finished high school and I was willing to bet my left nut that it hadn’t been her decision.
“You know, drivin’ yourself crazy over it isn’t gonna help, right?” he asked, pulling out a cigarette.
“Gimme one,” I mumbled, snatching the pack out of his hands.
“Nasty habit,” he said around the cigarette as he lit it. He handed me the lighter. “When did you start smokin’?”
“I don’t.” Closing my eyes I savored the first drag.
“Right.”
“Every once in a while.” I shrugged. “I don’t buy them.”
“Ah, so you just bum them off other people.” He nodded. “Smart.”
“This is so fucked,” I breathed, leaning on the guardrail.
“You know, Dad said the inside wasn’t bad.” Rumi looked at me. “Said it was real homey. Not much in there, but clean and shit. Lived in.”
“That makes it all so much better,” I scoffed.
“Just sayin’, it might not have been as bad as you’re thinkin’,” he said casually. “And she’s clearly crazy about those girls.”
“She always wanted a big family.”
“She’s got a good start on it,” he mused. “Wonder if the new one’s a girl.”
“Fuck,” I breathed, hissing through my teeth. I couldn’t even think of Noel’s round belly without my insides churning like I was on a goddamn rollercoaster.
“She’s back, man.” He wiggled his head from side to side. “You really gonna complain about how it happened?”