I looked back up at him and crossed my arms. Brandon looked at me, just as irritated. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, Jade. It’s not safe.”
I gave him a confused look. What exactly did I need to fear in the woods? It was our land. The only people I came around were people from the pack, and normally, I was good at avoiding them.
“Oh, please. Don’t you have more important things to worry about besides me walking in the woods? Which, by the way, everyone does. I’m in our pack borders, and I’m not straying out.”
“You can’t shift, and you know you have no way of actually protecting yourselves.”
I rolled my eyes and tried to just brush him off. I didn’t understand what was making him so worried. I bent down, grabbing my bag off the ground. “If you’re done scolding me, I have stuff to do. So, you can go jump someone else.”
He moved again, and I watched a berry burst under his foot. I frowned, thinking of how much Ilsa would have loved it.
I started picking the berries I could see, knowing I wasn’t going to have as many as I had before. Brandon tilted his head. “What are you doing out here anyway?”
“I’m just foraging. Is it that big of a deal?”
Brandon scowled. “Why? I don’t understand why you would find the need to. Just go to the store and buy what you need.”
I walked past him, bending down and grabbing some of the lettuce. I frowned, knowing I couldn’t sell it. It was too bruised.
“Jade, answer the question.”
I grumbled as I tried to pick the rest of the vegetation that I could. My mind instantly thought of what money I would have earned, and I questioned what I was going to do now.
“Jade, are you listening?”
I sighed as I pulled myself up and stared at him. I didn’t see the point in lying since he was likely going to catch me doing this again or continue to ask me questions until I told him.
“I sell what I don’t want at the market to local vendors, depending on what I have and the time of year.”
Brandon scowled. “Don’t you have a job?”
I felt my eyebrows go up, and I crossed my arms. “Yes, I have a job, Brandon. But the money only goes so far. Raising a child is expensive. Extra bills pop up, and suddenly I’m unable to pay everything. Ilsa was sick over the winter, and I still have some medical bills to pay. This helps.”
Brandon went still, and I figured he would stop questioning me. So, I looked back at the ground, trying to see if I could see anything else.
“Are you telling me that neither of our parents helped you? Neither stepped in to give you money? Offered you a hand when you need it?”
I stiffened, realizing what I’d revealed. I had made it appear before that I had help, which hadn’t been true. I swallowed, picking at a few more berries I found. “I didn’t say that,” I whispered, feeling my voice hardly came out.
“Then what exactly are you saying? Because from what you just said…”
I pulled myself back up, trying to think of a quick response. “I’m the mom. So, it’s my responsibility to raise Ilsa.”
I watched Brandon’s face shift. “Are you kidding me right now? You’re out here picking plants to sell to make ends meet, and our parents are both living in luxurious houses? Is this why you wouldn’t let me see your apartment? You didn’t want me to see the state you guys lived in?”
I felt both angry and insulted at the same time. “Are you saying I didn’t do a good enough job raising her?”
Brandon shook his head. “That is not what I’m saying, Jade! I’m saying you’re out here trying to figure out how you’re going to do this, and neither of our parents stepped in? Neither of them offered to house you while you figured things out? What happened when I left?”
“Why do you care?” I snapped back. “You left.”
We both fell silent, and he ran a hand over his face. I watched him move, and I swallowed as I took in the way his shirt clung to him tightly.
“I just…Jade, it’s not just you anymore. I’m here, so let me understand. Let me help. I’ll cover the bills for now on. Put all your money away or pay off whatever debt you have.”
I quickly shook my head at him. “No, that’s not fair. I’m not going to have you start paying all of the bills.”
“You’ve been doing it for three years,” he said. “And this isn’t about fair. This is about me contributing to Ilsa. She’s my child, too. I want to care for her.”
