Living on Love

thirty five

"you literally don't have to be a cunt," chelsea said, rolling her eyes.

ariana gently pulled chelseas hair to keep her from walking off. "you literally will watch your mouth in this house."

"stella started it."

"stop fucking touching the babys hands," stella said. "she hasn't had her shots yet, she can get sick."

"i wash my hands."

"i didnt push her out of my vagina just for her to get sick. stop touching her fucking hands."

"language," ariana said, letting go of chelseas hair. "if she asks you not to do something with that baby then you listen. she's the mom, you respect her demands," she said, walking over to stella and taking her granddaughter. "i, on the other hand, can do whatever i wan because I've raise enough of you to know what's okay. hi, pretty girl. hows my piper? huh? how you doing today?"

"shes being picky about eating," stella said. "shell only eat from the left boob so im having to pump the right."

"stop giving her the left then. make her latch to the right."

"i dont wanna starve her."

"she wont starve. shell eat if shes hungry enough."

"thats mean."

"its what i did with all of you."

"get fucked!" junior shouted from outside.

"jesus christ," ariana said, handing piper back to stella before joggin out to the front yard. "whats going on," she said just as junior punched somebody. "malcolm! stop!"

"stay the fuck away from this family!"

"those are my kids!" a familiar voice said.

ariana stopped in her tracks, only to see marks face. she slowly made her way over to him, staring at him. "get the fuck off my property."

"my kids are in there."

"youre not going near them. mom has a restraining order against you."

"theyre mine!"

"aaron isnt! aaron is not your son, hes my fathers! you dont get to come around and pretend you actually give a fuck about chelsea!"

"ive always wanted to be around her!"

"you beat the fuck out of my mom!"

"she deserved it!"

ariana lunged forward and punched him, sending mark to the ground. the second he hit the ground she got on him and kept swinging, only stopping when junior pulled her off of him.

"thats enough! he's out," junior said.

"what the fuck was that?" stella asked from the door.

"chelseas sperm donor."

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"you what?" joan asked as ariana placed her hand in a bowl of ice water.

"beat the shit out of him," ariana said. "he doesnt get to come around and pretend everything is fine."

"hes my dad though," chelsea said. "i should be able to meet him."

"he beat mom black and blue. while she was pregnant with you. dad is your real father, hes the one thats raised you."

"only because of aaron."

"because he loves you."

"he wasnt around for you."

"but he has been for you and aaron. hes around now. thats what matters. the difference is, he didn't hurt mom. mark did. and me. he tried to choke me."

"so i don't even get a say in it?"

"no. you dont. youre not going to be around him. period."

"thats not fair!"

"he could have killed me, chelsea!" ariana shouted. "he could have killed mom! you shouldnt want anything to do with him!"

"he's my dad!"

"i dont give two fucks! youre not going near him!"

"ill just ask mom then! youre not my mother, you dont get to tell me what i can do!"

"who raised you! who was 'mommy' for the entire first year of your life! who breast fed you every fucking day for two god damn years! it damn sure wasnt joan!"

"you didnt have to!"

"i did! she had post partum depression, she wasnt taking care of you! had i not stepped in, you would have gone into the system!"

"maybe you should have let me!" chelsea said before running upstairs.