Three months later.
A number I don’t recognize flashes on my phone screen. Sitting up, I rub my eyes and clear my throat. It’s the middle of the night, and I don’t know who would be calling me at this hour. Unless it’s someone from New York.
“Hello?” My voice croaks from being woken up.
“Mila? Is that you, love?”
I sit up a little straighter at the female voice. “Yes?” I don’t know what she’s going to say, and I’m a little bit nervous. Is this about the case? Is this a reporter, trying to get a story on me? On Mom and Junior? Fucking hell, how did she get this number?
“Hi, love. It’s Gail.”
I don’t speak for a few moments. It’s Gail. Malcolm’s ex-wife and Junior’s mom. Why is she calling me in the middle of the night?
“I’m Junior’s mom,” She adds, as though I don’t already know who she is. I guess I paused for a lot longer than I realized.
“Hi, Gail, I know. Sorry, you woke me up. It’s like—” I look down at the caller ID. Shit, it’s 3:09 a.m. Unless Mom . . .
“She had the baby?” I rush out, hearing Gail talking to someone in the background before responding to me.
“Sorry, love. Was just talking with a nurse. Your mom had the baby. About thirty minutes ago. A healthy baby girl. Congratulation, big sister.”
I let out a deep breath and smile. I’m glad she’s healthy and safe. This baby girl will have a lot of challenges in her life. But she has Gail, who I know will do anything for this little girl. She has me too. Although I’m far from her, I will do everything I can for this little girl.
“I will be taking her home in a few days. I will send you some photos, and now that you have my number, you can call anytime you want to see her or talk to me about how she is. Or if you just want to talk about anything, I would love for you to call me. We never spoke much, and I’m sorry for all that you went through with my son. But I would like us to be friends.”
“I would really like that, Gail. I know you will be an amazing grandma to her. Joe told me about the property up north, away from the city, and everything that’s there. I love that for her already. I grew up in a small town, and it’s the best place for her to be.”
Joe had called and asked if Gail could use a small portion of the money to buy a house in a cute little town, far away from the city and everything that’s poison there. I told him that I would be sad if she didn’t. The city is no place to raise a little girl who already had a tragic past before she was even born. The media knows about Mom, Junior, and the baby, and I would hate for her to be subjected to the scandal while growing up.
“I want to thank you so much for letting me have custody and for everything you’ve already given this sweet, innocent baby. You’re already the best big sister this little girl could ever ask for. But you should have kept some money for yourself, so I asked Joe to help me put a portion of it into an account for you. To help put you through college, buy a first house . . . I know Malcolm would have wanted that for you. He spoke so highly of you and your artwork.”
Joe helped her put money into an account for me? I shake my head and hold back the tears. I didn’t want the money. It didn’t feel right taking it. That’s why I gave it all to the baby.
I change the subject; I don’t want to tell her to take it back. Now isn’t the time. “What did Mom name her?” I’ve been dreading this. Mom might be a bitch and give her some terrible name. My dad named me, thankfully. I hold my breath, waiting for Gail to tell me.
“Actually, your mother refuses to name her unless she’s set free. I’m glad she chose not to. I would love if you helped name her with me. I think it would be lovely that her big sister named her.”
I hold my throat, my emotions already swelling. I can’t believe Mom wouldn’t name her. Well, I can. She’s not a mother. And I need to remember that. Amber. Just a name without meaning. She’s not my mother.
“Can we not call her my mother anymore? She isn’t mine, and she isn’t this sweet little baby’s mom, either. But I would love to help name her. Thank you for asking.”
“Of course. I will call that woman Amber from now on when I speak about her. Not that we need to talk about her much. But I understand—she was never a mother to you. Not a real one, and I’m sorry I didn’t know that until now.”
I nod into the phone, not knowing what to say.
So Gail continues, “Kate is a wonderful stepmom. I met her while all the—” she clears her throat “—I met her in the city, and we had lunch one day. She spoke so much about you and how sweet you are to her daughter Madison, befriending her instantly and helping her with her friend and the bullies at school. And she said her son Asher has never smiled as much as he has once you came along. She told me how beautiful you are as a person, and I’m sorry I didn’t get to spend much time with you in the past. But I hope to spend a lot more time getting to know you and the person that you are.”
I blush. I can’t believe Kate said those things to Gail. I feel a lump in my throat, and I want to cry at how special Kate is to me. I’m so grateful she isn’t upset with me about my relationship with Asher. I didn’t think I would get this emotional over a phone call. A sweet phone call.
I clear my throat and blink away tears. “Is there someone special who was in Malcolm’s life? Like his mom? He would have made a wonderful grandfather to her. So maybe something along those lines?”
“Oh, that is such a sweet idea. He had a sister who passed away when she was seven. He didn’t talk about her much, but I know he loved her dearly.”
Well, that doesn’t help keep the tears back. That’s so sad. She was so young.
“What was her name?” I ask. Please don’t be weird and old-fashioned like Malcolm. Like, Malcolm was a cool name . . . for him. But I wouldn’t name a child that. A middle name, yes. But not a first name.
“Her name was Lillian.”
I smile. “It’s a beautiful name. I think it’s perfect.” I sob, and I don’t know why I’m crying. I think I’m just so happy that the baby is here and she’s safe and I know she will be well taken care of. And emotional because Malcolm won’t ever see her grow up . . . and neither will his sister, who died so young. But they will both be remembered through a very special little girl.
“I think so too, and I think it’s a special name Malcolm would have loved. What about Hope for a middle name? Because she’s a little bit of hope at the end of all of this. Lilian Hope Bradshaw.”
Fuck . . . she has Junior’s last name. I don’t know how I feel about that; I know it was Malcolm’s too. But still. I hope people don’t put the names together and work out who her mom and dad really are.
“Gail, I think Lillian Hope is the perfect name. So much meaning behind those names. She is going to be amazing and do amazing things. I just know it.”
“Me too, Mila. And with you in her life, I know she will succeed. Her big sister is already the strongest person I know. And I know, together, we will raise a very strong, independent girl.”
“Thank you for calling and telling me, Gail. And I will look out for the photos you send me. I’m excited to see her.”
“Bye, Mila. And call me anytime, day or night . . . I will be up late for the next eighteen years.” She laughs and I chuckle at that.
I hang up the phone, and only moments later, images come through from Gail.
Lillian Hope. Born on the twenty-fourth of April at five-thirty a.m.
And she looks just like me. Blonde hair, so pale you can hardly see it. But with big, dark eyes. She’s beautiful. I start crying. Lillian is perfect.
Amber’s a bitch for not even naming her. Gail is amazing and holding it together really well, considering her son is going to prison for killing his dad. Her ex-husband. Which yeah, I know they were exes, but I don’t think he stopped caring for her. He never said a bad word about her. Not like Amber. She was the other woman in that situation. I’m sure she saw how rich Malcolm was and did everything to have him, include pushing Gail out of the picture.
Gail is going to be the mother to Lillian that my own couldn’t be for me, and I think that’s what me has so worked up. She is going to be so much better off without Amber in her life.
I hear a soft knock at the door and call out for whoever it is to come in. I’m pretty sure it’s Asher. He would be the only one up this time of night. He comes in and cuddles me when I have nightmares. He even sleeps with his bedroom door open so he can hear me.
When Asher’s head pops around the corner, I give him a watery smile. He’s wearing a dark tee and shorts, which is weird for this time of the morning. He likes to sleep in his boxers.
“I just heard you and realized it was about the baby. You have a baby sister now?” he asks as he slips into the room, leaving the door slightly ajar, as per house rules. He’s not supposed to be in my room without the door open. Like they don’t know what we get up to when they’re not home.
I nod and wipe the tears away. He sees them but doesn’t say anything. He knows what they are for and has been a shoulder to cry on when I need to just let it all out. I pull back the sheets for him to come and sleep with me. He’s used to this. He stays with me until I fall asleep, then he sneaks out before our parents realize.
“Yes, she’s here. Lillian Hope is her name. And she looks like me as a baby, but with dark eyes.” I show him the photo and he beams.
“Look how tiny she is. So small and cute. You have the cutest baby sister, Mila. Just as cute as you.” He kisses my nose, and I get butterflies.
This is how I fell in love with him. There was no way I would have been able to stop that from happening. We have been together for five months now, and it’s perfect. Every little thing is perfect when it comes to my guys. Summer break is coming up, and I can’t wait to spend every day with them all.
“I love you, Asher.”
He pulls me down under the covers and wraps his hands around me. I nestle my face into his chest and swing my leg over his. “I love you, Mila.” He kisses my forehead. “Now, get some sleep before I have to sneak out.”
I smile sleepily into his chest and breathe him in. I love the way he smells.
I wake to someone clearing his throat. And it’s not Asher, who tenses beside me, making me realize he’s still in my room and the room is light. It’s morning and we slept in. Oh, crap.
“I didn’t sneak out, did I?” he whispers loudly for everyone to hear, and my dad grunts.
“You two know the rules, and I don’t want to ground you both,” Kate says, but she’s not mad.
I smile, remembering what Gail told her about me. But I don’t want her to be upset. We only slept. We didn’t do anything else. But I don’t know how grounding us is going to help the situation . . . just means we will spend more time together.
I quickly throw the blankets off. “As you can see, we’re clothed.”
Asher grabs me and flips me so I’m against his body, and I feel his erection poking my ass. Oh, shit. My eyes widen. Morning wood.
I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. Kate and Dad stare at us, and then Madison walks in and Asher groans from behind me. This is kinda funny. I wiggle just a little to look like I’m trying to get a way. Only I’m rubbing my ass on his cock. He holds me still and snorts.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I had a surprise call last night, and it was . . . emotional and Asher heard me crying and came in and we just slept. That’s it. We left the door open. I promise.”
Kate’s expression changes from disappointed to worried in a split second. “What phone call?” she asks, and my dad comes to sit on the side of the bed, and Asher still won’t let me go.
I wanna laugh so bad that I put him in an awkward position by getting rid of the blankets. I just wanted them to know we are clothed under here. No naughty business . . . well, apart from the dream Asher must have been having before we were woken up.
“Mom . . . Amber. She had the baby. Gail called to tell me and, together, we named her.”
Kate sits on the other side of Asher, and he buries his face in my hair, which has fallen out from the topknot it was in last night. I hear him mumble something, and all I make out is, “just kill me now.” This is a king-size bed, but all of a sudden, it feels really small.
“That’s such a beautiful thing to do, Mila,” Kate says. “What did you name her?”
I smile. “Lillian Hope.”
“Congratulations, big sister.” My dad kisses my head, and I reach up to hug him, but Asher doesn’t let go of my waist.
“Asher, let go of her. You can have her later,” Madison says as she jumps up on the bed and tries to hug me around Asher. But Asher won’t move from me. His dick is glued to me.
“Asher, will you just let go of Mila,” Kate says, and then Dad looks over at Asher and must realize what’s going on.
“Ahh . . . you two get up and ready for the day. I’m going to make pancakes to celebrate.” He then rounds up Kate and Madison, and they close the door behind them.
I roll over and so does Asher. With his hands on his face, he groans but doesn’t say anything.
“Man, that wasn’t embarrassing or anything,” I tease him, and the corner of his mouth tilts up in a smile. I poke his side and he groans.
“Ugh . . . I can’t have pancakes now. How will your dad ever look at me again?”
I pull one of his hands away and he lets me, opening one eye and looking up at me. He’s so cute. I kiss him on the cheek, and he rolls his eye at me. I giggle.
“That’s what you do to me, Mila. And now your dad—my coach—just saw me holding on to you to hide my morning wood. And you didn’t help at all, wiggling that sexy ass of yours all over me.”
I look down and see how bad it really is, and he catches me looking at his cock through his shorts. My eyes widen at the sight. “I didn’t realize you don’t have boxers on. You’re naked under your shorts, and that’s really . . . out there.” I point to the massive tent in his basketball shorts. They are so loose you can really see how hard he is.
“Yes, and you can see why the sudden sheet removal was bad . . . so much worse than I could have imagined.”
I tickle his side, and he bends toward me. “Stop it.” He playfully shoves me away. I smirk and tickle him again.
“Okay, you asked for it.” He jumps on the bed, and his eyes sparkle as he jumps down on me, lifting his weight from my body before landing on me. I can feel him . . . all over. He starts to tickle me. I laugh and he does too.
“I can’t go and have breakfast and look your dad in the eye. He knows I get excited around you now. And that’s so fucking weird.”
“Okay, I have a secret, but you can’t tell anyone. I promise it’s way worst than my dad knowing you had morning wood.”
His eyes sparkle as he nods and I chuckle. “Well, I had this teddy bear called Bedtime Bear . . .”
Jace is never gonna find out.
