“I can’t thank you and Trent enough for helping.”
“It’s no problem at all. You don’t have to thank us,” Vivian responded.
“No, I do. I know this isn’t what you came for, but I appreciate it.”
Vivian rubbed Jalen’s arm comfortingly. “I’m more than happy to help whenever you need me to. Even if it’s just taking the girls for a few hours so you can rest.”
“Rohan’s been telling on me?” Jalen asked with a smile.
Vivian chuckled. “Not really, but you told on yourself with all the yawning you’ve been doing today, and you’ve got bags under your eyes.”
She laughed lightly. “I’m just having a hard time sleeping. That’s all. I have this weird feeling.”
Vivian turned her body to face Jalen on the bench they were seated on. “Weird how?”
“I guess unsettling is the best way to describe it.”
“You have midterms coming up, right?” Vivian asked. “Maybe you’re feeling a bit stressed about them.”
Jalen swallowed the bite she’d taken. “You may be right. I’m close to taking the next step in my career, so it’s exciting and stressful all at the same time.”
The two spoke for several minutes before Maria came over and joined them. Rohan had gone over to the obstacle course to give her a break. Maria made herself some food, and the three women talked about how much fun the kids were having.
Jalen had been grateful that the day was warm and, with them running around, none of the children would get cold.
When it was time for cake, all the children gathered around, and Rohan brought the cake over. They placed two number one candles in the middle with eleven small candles around them and sang happy birthday before Mikal blew the candles out.
She was cutting and handing out slices when a car pulling into the parking lot caught her attention. They’d reserved the spot they were in, but it didn’t mean people couldn’t park in the area to walk the trail that started down the way. So, she paid little attention to it. She was about to turn away when the person stepped out of the car, and Jalen momentarily forgot how to breathe.
She looked around quickly at her little sisters gathered for cake, and it seemed they hadn’t seen what she did. Jalen passedthe plate in her hand to Rohan and mumbled she’d be back before taking off towards the newcomer. She wanted to meet them well before they got to the party group.
“You need to leave.” Were the first words that came out of her mouth.
“Hello to you too, Jalen.”
“Leave,” Jalen repeated.
“Now, why would I do that? I’m here to celebrate my daughter’s birthday with her like a good parent.”
Jalen gritted her teeth. “The same parent who missed every single one of your daughters’ birthdays last year?”
“I was busy. I’m starting the year off fresh,” Valerie responded with a smile.
“No.” She shook her head. “You need to leave, because every time you come around, when you disappear, I’m left to pick up the pieces. I willnotlet you do that to them again. You disappeared for more than a year. Stay gone.”
“Jalen, that’s no way for a child to speak to their mother,” Valerie chastised, and Jalen folded her arms over her chest.
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had one of those,” she shot back.
She saw the exact moment that Valerie dropped the facade Jalen hadn’t been buying and had stopped doing so when she was a child.
“I was hoping we could sit down and discuss this like two mature adults, but since you want to make that impossible, I guess I’ll tell you now. I’ve come to get my girls.”
“What?” Jalen asked in confusion.
“You know I don’t enjoy repeating myself. I appreciate you watching them for me while I found myself, but I’ll be taking them.”
“You are not doing that,” Jalen told her. “I wasn’t watching them while you found yourself. I’ve been raising them for years.”
