Ties

Chapter Fifty-Three

"Holy shit," I say the words out loud, blankly staring at Briar, still completely dumbfounded. "I can't believe, holy hell, how am I even gonna...?"

Her breaths come out in hard and loud spurts as she blinks her widened eyes, biting down on the side of her lip over and over. "Fuck," she mutters, "I don't know how Parker's gonna take this." Her brows raise as a worried look washes over her face. "I mean, I'd fucking freak out, could you imagine? Finding out after a decade and a half that your boyfriend's mother was involved in the accident that killed your sister. Oh yeah, and he might be the baby daddy!?"

"Imagine after all that time finding out that you have a kid in the first place, and that your own mother did that shit," I snap back at her. Closing my eyes and leaning my head against the frosty glass of the car window. "I mean, talk about a fucking plot twist."

"Oh, shit!" Briar grips my jacket over my forearm, making me fling my eyes open to the woman stalking, madder than a hornet, heading straight towards the car. "Well..." She clamps her lips tightly together to hold back a nervous smile. "Guess we're gonna find out."

"Fuck my life," I mutter. "Get out." I shoot her a warning look. She lets out a little snort.

"Hell no, you think I'm missing this live fucking Jerry Springer!? I'm front row for this."

I roll my eyes and inhale a sharp breath as Parker stomps to the passenger side. "Fine." Grabbing the letter, and leaving the album, I pull the handle, meeting Parker's angry, confused, and hurt gaze with my own sad, confused, and mother of Jesus, fucking hell, what the fuck, eyes. Because I don't know how she's gonna take this, and the truth is, even though you'd think maybe I'd be devastated here, I'm not.

I'm devastated that I didn't know, devastated that I missed out. But Blaze is cool as hell, and whatever happens, whatever the outcome, no kid should be regretted by a parent, or cast aside by one, if they have any control over the situation. Even if that child is almost to adulthood by the time said parent learns they exist. I mean, I was totally down to have a kid with Parker. Maybe she'll be okay. Maybe she won't hold it all against me?

Oh yeah, also, the whole my mom knew and accidentally caused her sister's boyfriend to speed away and skid out on the snow-covered road, making them crash into a ditch. My mother fled the scene, then off'd herself. That could probably throw her for a loop. Make her hate me. Would I hate someone if they didn't know? Was Fife right? Am I responsible for their mistakes? Does my reputation fall on that?

Fuck that and Fuck them!

I have a headache. This bullshit is more twisted than a pretzel on crack.

"Parker, we need to—"

Her arm extends upwards as her open palm smacks hard across the side of my face. A soft snicker comes from Briar's throat as I groan.