Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Do you hear yourself?” Mom says. “You have no money. No home. No job. How do you think you’re going to support that child of yours? On love and rainbows? That’s not how life works. She deserves better than what you can give her, Kelsie.”
“What are you trying to say?” I whisper.
“I think it’s time to face the facts. You’re not mother material. You’re too young. You have no education. No income. If you’d like to come home, we can help you. If you’re willing to sign your parental rights over to us, we can help you go to school, and I’ll—”
“You want me to give up my child?” I screech, making the nurses look my way. The nurse who broke the news to me about Trent extends her arms to take Jordan from me, and I give her a grateful smile.
“I just lost everything. The man I love, the father of my daughter. My daughter lost the only home she’s ever known. And rather than being there for me, for us, you want me to give up my daughter too? What the hell is wrong with you?” I hiss. “For so long, I thought maybe you’d come around one day, but I was so stupid. You think I would ever hand my daughter over to you after the way you raised me without an ounce of love or affection? You’ve lost your mind.”
Without waiting for her to respond, I hang up and drop my forehead against the counter, needing a moment to think.
“You can come home with us,” a masculine voice says. I lift my head to find Ron standing in front of me. “Trent wouldn’t have wanted you and Jordan to be left to fend for yourselves.”
“What about Silvia?”
Ron flinches. “It’s going to take time…for all of us.”
The last place—aside from my parents’ house—I want to go to, is Trent’s parents’ home. Nevertheless, since I have no other option, and my little girl needs a place to sleep tonight, I force a smile on my face. “Thank you. We’ll be out of your hair as soon as I get things situated.”
“No rush,” Ron says. “Despite the circumstances, it will be nice having Jordan in our home. It will be like a piece of Trent is still with us.”
CHAPTER ONE
KELSIE
Three Years Later
“Do you have any plans for Labor Day weekend?” Marissa asks as we clock out from our double shifts at The Omelet, a local café I’ve been working at for the past three years. I initially started working nights so I could be home with Jordan, but once she started school, I was lucky enough to switch to the morning shift.
Due to a couple of people quitting unexpectedly, I’ve taken on a few double shifts recently. I hate having to rely on Silvia to pick up Jordan from summer camp and not spend the afternoon with her, but it’s hard to turn down the hours when I’m trying to save for us to get our own place.
“Working all weekend. I think Silvia and Ron are taking Jordan to a barbecue.” They might hate me—Silvia more than Ron—but they’re good to Jordan. It’s the only thing that’s kept me living under their roof for as long as I have.
Well, that and the fact that they charge me less for rent than I’d be able to find here in the city—trust me, I looked, and it’s crazy expensive. Unfortunately, it still all adds up between paying for Jordan’s preschool and summer camp and other expenses like clothes, a cell phone, a car payment, and gas. Ron pays the insurance since it’s in his name, which is nice of him, but that still doesn’t leave much at the end of the month. I’m saving up slowly, but every little bit is a step closer to getting a place for Jordan and me.
“A bunch of us are throwing a pool party at our place, since it’ll probably be the last nice weekend before the cold weather hits. If you aren’t doing anything…”
“Thanks,” I tell her, grateful to have a friend like Marissa. She understands I’ll probably never take her up on her offer but still invites me anyway.
Since I was able to get off a few hours earlier than planned, I hightail it home to surprise Jordan with a trip to the park. I stop at the grocery store on the way to grab a couple of subs, snacks, and drinks for a little picnic.
When I walk through the door, the place is quiet. I’m about to call out Jordan’s name, when I hear sniffling and then Silvia’s hushed voice. I walk over to the library, where the door is cracked, and find her and Jordan sitting on the couch, looking at the photo album I made Jordan to help her remember her dad. We lost everything in the fire, but thankfully, the digital pictures I took were saved online.