Travis’s head snapped in her direction. “What the fuck do you mean I really love her? Of course I love my damn daughter.She’s been with me since she was born. Let me ask, do you love her?”
“Yes, I love my daughter. Why do you think I insisted on providing my breast milk? I read that it was best for babies,” she justified. “I know this situation is crazy, but please know that I love my daughter.”
He didn’t respond as he placed Gorjess in her crib to pack her bag. He made sure he packed more than enough. His princess was prone to diaper blowouts. As he packed, he explained things to her. “Ari, if you need help or anything, call me. I don’t care what time it is. Do not give her a warm bottle. She likes it at room temperature.”
Ari typed notes into her phone. She would get this right if it killed her. She had a lot to prove to Irene and Travis. “I got it. I will call you if I need anything.”
After the bag was packed, he gave Gorjess to her, then they walked outside together. He needed to put the car seat into her car. He showed her how to place her in and take her out properly. He wasn’t sure what he would do without his baby for a whole weekend. He stood on the curb as Ari drove away with his heart in human form in her back seat.Well, we will see how this goes.
Sunday Afternoon . . .
It was Sunday, finally. Gorjess was due back by five, and Ari’s parents were due in around eight. From what Irene and Travis could tell, Ari did well this weekend. She only called them twicefor help. Travis wanted to call her every hour on the hour, but Irene told him not to do that because it could give her anxiety.
Irene missed her grandbaby something fierce. She didn’t know what to do with herself without Gorjess. That little girl had become a part of their daily routine. She couldn’t wait to hold that baby in her hands.
“Have you talked to that girl today?” she asked Travis when he walked into the kitchen. She was in the middle of cooking Sunday dinner. She made sure that she made mashed potatoes and gravy for Gorjess. That baby loved her grandma’s mashed potatoes and gravy. She wasn’t even going to get started on her bread pudding.
Travis plopped down on the seat at the kitchen island. “Yeah, I just talked to her like thirty minutes ago. She said Gorjess was down for a nap. She was about to pack her stuff, and she would bring her back when she wakes up.”
“I got my baby’s mashed potatoes ready,” Irene said with a smile. “Oh, and this baked chicken is so tender, she can have some of this too. She’s gonna be kicking her feet.”
Her son shook his head. His mother didn’t care about what the doctor said was proper for the baby to eat. Irene fed her grandbaby just like she fed her son and had no quarrels about it. If anyone else did, then that was their issue. “Mama, the doctor told us that Gorjess was overweight for her age. I wonder why?”
“Boy, I fed you the same shit. Look at you, healthy as an ox. Go find something to do with your life.” She waved her son off.
He laughed before he told her that he would be in his room on his game system. The house that they lived in was a five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home. When Chance died, it was being built as a gift to Irene. The house was already paid for, so they moved forward with the construction and finished the house. Irene could never see herself anywhere else, and shetold her son that he could stay as long as he wanted. He planned to stay at least until Gorjess started school.
Time had gotten away from Travis as he played his game. His mother came in his room to inquire about where her grandbaby was. He told her that he would call her. When he dialed the number, he got a disconnect notice. “What the fuck?”
He checked the number and tried it again. When he got the same result, he shot up out of his seat. “Ma!” He yelled on his way to the front of the house. “Her phone says that it’s disconnected.”
Irene’s head tilted, eyes squinted, and her right brow arched. “What the fuck did you just say to me? Nope, that’s not going to work for me.” She stood from her seat. “Let’s go!”
They rushed out of the house into Travis’s SUV. The Bulbs lived on the north side of Charlotte whereas the Carters lived on the south. It took them about twenty minutes to get to their house at the speed that Travis drove.
There were no cars in the driveway, which was a problem because they didn’t have a garage. Travis jumped out as soon as he turned the engine off. He stomped to the door, then banged on it. There was no answer.
“Travis, it looks like there’s nothing in there,” Irene said with her hands cuffed around her eyes while she looked through the window. “There’s no furniture.”
They had him fucked up. He took a step back, lifted his foot, and kicked the door in. When he stormed in, it was like his mother said. The front rooms were empty. He walked throughout the house. All of the rooms were fucking empty. “Travis!”
He rushed to the front. His mother was in the kitchen. She held a piece of paper in her hand, and there were tears streaming down her face. Travis snatched the paper from her. His heartdropped to his feet when he read the words. This couldn’t be right. Nah, this shit couldn’t be right.
Travis,
I’m sorry, but she’s mine.
-Ari
Many Years Later. . .
“I told you if we held out that they would pay you like you weigh. There was no way that I would let anyone low ball Solomon ‘Warborn’ Leota. Fuck outta here,” Cade said with enthusiasm.
My father, Hemi, and I jumped up from our seats and slapped hands. “Fuck yeah, Son! I told you it was nothing but up from the first time that you stepped foot into that octagon.”
The years had been good to me. I busted my ass throughout my career, and now at twenty-eight years old, I was the middleweight champion. I was a multi-millionaire by my own right without my family’s money. The ten-million-dollarendorsement that I just locked in for a popular sports drink company added to those millions.
“You fuckin’ right you did. Cade, man, I don’t know how the fuck I can thank you. You always make sure I get the most. I appreciate that shit.”
