Chapter 0321

The police process the bail faster than I thought they would — though, as I consider it, I realize that I have no idea how long it

usually takes. Daniel gathers the car keys off the table, nodding to us after he hangs up with the police, letting us know that he’s

going to go get Jerome.

“Fill ‘er up when you're on the way back, son,” my father says to Daniel, clapping him on the shoulder on his way out. Daniel

smiles and promises him that he will.

I smirk as I see it, watching Daniel interact for the first time with the warm and indulgent fatherly figure he never had. But I don’t

have much time to think about it before Janeen tugs on my sleeve.

“Hey,” she says, her voice quiet for once. “Let’s go for a walk, hmm? Maybe get something to eat?”

I take a deep breath and then I nod, knowing that I need it. Janeen and I grab sweatshirts from her bedroom and call goodbyes

to dad as we walk down the stairs and out the back door, heading for the beach. It’s gorgeous out now, just as the sun is going

down, the sky all pink and purple and golden. I sigh as I look at it, admiring its beauty but struggling to match the joy it gives me

with all of the dread building up in my body.

“Sooo, Fayyyy,” Janeen says, knocking her shoulder into mine in a familiar, sisterly way. “How’s it feel to be the sister who got

knocked up out of wedlock even though you're not the slutty one?”

I laugh, needing it, relishing it. “Who says I’m not slutty, Janeen? After all, I've got a baby daddy, a fiancé, and a cop who showed

up this afternoon offering to help me raise this child —*

“Seriously!” she interrupts, looking at me with wide eyes. Then she laughs, shaking her head at me. “Well done, sis! We raised

you right!”

“How’s it feel to be the good one for a change?” I ask, smiling a little as I look down at my feet, scuffing along in the sand.

“Meh,” she says, giving a shrug. “It’s kind of boring. I want my ‘slutty sister’ title back.”

We laugh together and then we just keep walking, enjoying the breeze and the companionship. A warmth builds in me again as I

look at my sister, thinking how much I love her. Everyone should have a Janeen in their life to tease them, support them

endlessly, and make them laugh.

She turns and smiles at me too, like she’s just as grateful for me — even though I know I haven’t always been the same for her.

But, well. I did give her a beach house.

“So,” she says with a sigh, more serious now. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” I say honestly, my voice starting to shake with my emotions already. Because I have been packing all of my

emotions away for hours, and they’re starting to bubble to the top now.

Janeen just nods, walking beside me, letting me have my emotions. After a while, she starts again. “You know that Ivan kid is

right, in some ways.”

I snap my head to her, frowning, but she holds up a hand to stop me.

“Give me a minute before you bite my head off, baby,” she says, so I keep my mouth shut. “But,” she continues, “you are free.

Kent gave you this house, he gave you that money. He is away in jail and apparently in a shitload of trouble. You don’t...owe him

anything, Fay. Unless you want to. You understand that, right?”

I take a minute to really think about what she’s saying before I answer.

“I do understand,” I say quietly as I look up at her. “But...” I hesitate.

“You want him,” she finishes for me, her mouth quirking a little in a sad sort of understanding.

“Yeah,” I say, looking out over the ocean, perhaps realizing it as I say it. “I want him.”

“So, are you guys like...together?” she asks, wanting clarity. “Like is he your...mafia boss boyfriend or something?”

“We never really talked about it,” I sigh, frowning a little as we continue along the beach. “But it’s definitely...something.”

“Are you in love with him?” she asks quietly, and I look at her, very serious.

“Yeah,” I reply simply, admitting it for the first time. “Yes, I am.”

“Is he in love with you?”

And I look away from her then, not

really knowing what to ay. Recaise

ae Lipinel Know not really my

question to answer, is it? Please read

the original content at

.

But I think she can tell from my expression what I mean.

Janeen slips an arm around my

shoulder. “He never had a chansen

baby,” sh pyURpays: GAsing in to

juala\es on the temple. “Who

wouldn't fall in love with you.” Please

read the original content at

.

I laugh at this, not really believing her flattery but accepting the compliment nonetheless.

“So, you're keeping that?” Janeen asks, pointing to my belly.

I laugh, shaking my head a little.

Because honestly — I’ve been thinking

about it. A lot. I’ve always been

pro-choice and really sypporta)\\\

‘gright td make choices

about her own pregnancies, but I've

never thought — really - about having

to...end a pregnancy myself. I’ve

always either been a virgin or with a

guy who told me — vehemently — that

he couldn't get me pregnant. So, it’s

never been a reality for me. Please

read the original content at

.

But now that it is?

“Yeah,” I say quietly, my voice breaking a little as tears sting my eyes. “Yup, I’m going to keep it.”