Page 41 of Wait for the Dream

“Bailey is the best thing that ever happened to our family," Maddox says, so many emotions playing at his face, anger, love, disappointment, “and someday you’re going to regret the way you have treated her. Someday, you’re going to realize the amazing person you have missed out on, but by then it will be too late. Bailey and Little Bear are better off without you, but the two of you” he gestures between them, “are so much worse off without her.” Fuck I love my brother. I can hear the way he genuinely means every word he just said. Sometimes I forget that Bailey isn’t just my best friend, she means everything to my entire family.

Realizing they’ve lost, they both turn and walk out the door without another word. I guess they’re going to eat somewhere else. I truly hope that this is the last time we have to speak to them. I’m under no delusion that we won’t ever see them again, but I hope they take my dad’s advice and turn the other way when they do.

“Dude, we should have recorded that. They’re faces were priceless.” Dallas tries to cover a laugh, but he fails and it bursts out of him. After a beat we are all laughing. I’m not even sure what we are laughing at, because while they’re faces were quite comical, it’s heartbreaking that they think they can cut their daughter off then act like she’s just going to bow down when they need her back. That they truly thought Pop would do anything to help their cause.

“Bailey isn’t going to like what just happened.” I say when we have all sobered.

“Honestly, just tell her that Pop handed them their asses, she will love that.” Dallas says, and he’s not wrong. She will love that. We just have to get through the part where her parents are giant assholes first.

Bailey

32 weeks pregnant

“Hey Charly, you got a minute?” I say as I walk through the open door of her room.

“Yea, what’s up, Bee?” A smile overtakes her face, and she pats the spot next to her on her bed. “I’ve always got time for my favorite sister.”

Magnolia yells “I heard that!” from down the hall, and Charlotte and I both dissolve into a fit of giggles.

I sit down next to her on her bed, my back propped up against her headboard and my feet outstretched on the bed spread. “I just wanted to see how you were feeling about starting at Alpine next year.”

A smile that doesn’t quite meet her eyes overtakes her whole face. She has always been our little ray of sunshine, sass flows through her veins, and she can put a smile on the face of even the grumpiest of people. “I’m so excited. The last year has felt so weird without everyone here. I’m so excited to be close to you guys again. I’ve missed you like crazy.”

“We have missed you too. We need our little ray of sunshine around. Plus, who is going to sass the boys if you’re not there,” I say, “But I can tell you’re nervous about something. Talk to me.”

“I’m just nervous about the course work,” She shrugs, “You know I’ve never been good at school. I have to work twice as hard to get the good grades as my classmates. Between dyslexia and ADHD, school is so hard. Alpine is such an incredible school, and I’m grateful I got in, but I’m scared I’m just going to flunk out.”

“None of us will let you flunk out, we will make sure you pass all your classes with flying colors,” I give her a sympathetic smile, “You’re not alone in this Charly.”

“Thanks Bee,” She says, but I can tell that she’s still nervous. The nerves won’t go away right away, but I hope that with the encouragement of her siblings and friends that she will begin to believe in herself the way we all do.

“I wanted to ask you, Aiden and I have a four-hour gap in childcare on Mondays and Wednesdays this upcoming semester from about eleven to around three.” I say, changing the subject. "I don’t want to add too much to your plate, but would you be able to watch Rowan for us during that time?”

“Of course I can, I would love extra time to solidify my standing as her favorite auntie.” She puts a hand on my belly right as I feel a roll in my belly. “Oh my god, what was that?”

“Your niece is doing flips in my belly, we might have a little gymnast on our hands.” She does it again, and then there is a little bump right at my belly. “Aiden!” I shout.

He comes storming up the stairs and bursts through the doorway, “What? Are you okay?” The concern on his face makes me chuckle.

“I’m fine, but come here.” I wave him over, he sits down next to me and I grab one of his hands and place it on my belly, “Just wait.”

I have what my doctor called an anterior placenta, I guess it means that my placenta grew along the front side of my belly instead of the back side, which is what normally happens. With anterior placentas, it’s harder to feel movement on the outside of the belly because the kick has to go through the placenta. I’ve been feeling movement for weeks now, but whenever she’s decided to make her presence known, Aiden hasn’t been around, and if he is around, the moment he puts his hand on my belly to feel it she stops. If she will move again, this will be the first time he’s felt her move.

We wait almost a full minute before she does another sumersault. The smile on Aiden’s face is the brightest thing I’ve ever seen. “Was that her?” Tears well in his eyes before he takes my belly in both hands and moves his face right to it, pushing Charly out of the way in the process. “Hey baby girl, your daddy loves you so much.” I suck in a sharp breath at his words, and when I look up, I realize that I forgot Charly was even there, and we are both crying. Aiden keeps whispering to my belly, and I look down at my best friend and realize that I have never been so grateful that that little boy in a shirt with a bear on it came running out of his house and declared we were going to be best friends.

A couple hours later, I’m waking up from a much needed nap. I roll over in the bed Aiden just had put in the room, and look at my phone to check the time, but sit straight up at the text that came through while I was sleeping.

Danika: Bailey, my dear, I know it’s been a long time since we spoke. I hope you are doing well. Your father and I have been talking quite a bit since we ran into Michael and Aiden a couple days ago, and we realized we might have been a bit hasty when we cut you off all those months ago. We miss you. We want to work on our relationship. Let’s get together soon.

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting there reading and reading the text trying to decide if she’s being genuine or not. Aiden told me about the interaction at the restaurant the other day, and I’m truly not sure how I feel about the way they acted. According to the guys, at the restaurant my parents acted like they just wanted to be right, but this text is painting a different picture.

The little girl inside me who wants nothing more than her parents to love her, to pay attention, to see her for something other than a doll is so hopeful. But the adult who knows better, who has seen over and over again how little her parents actually care is skeptical. I’m about to respond when I see the three little dots telling me she’s typing again appear and disappear for a few minutes before a text that crushes all hope comes through.

Danika: Your father and I have a charity gala on July 25, and would love if you could come. Some key investors in your father’s newest venture will be there. They are huge on family, and want to meet you to get to know us as people, not just business partners. I know you will be in town, seeing as it’s summer and you don’t have school. You can come, meet the investors, and go on your way. It won’t take much of your time. It really is the least you can do after all the trouble you have caused this year.

I wish I could say that no part of me is crushed by this text, that my heart didn’t break a little. But that little girl that is sitting at the window waiting for her parents to come home, the one that asked her father to come to the daddy/daughter dance, the one that asked for anything new only to be called ungrateful is crushed by the reality of that text. The first one gave her hope that she may finally mean something to her parents, only for the second one to make her realize she is still just a pretty doll, a prop to make her parents look better.

I hear the soft click of the door opening, the only reason I know it’s Aiden is a fresh wave of pine and citrus fills my nose. I hear the door close, and then his face is filling my vision, concern has taken over his handsome face. I didn’t even realize I was crying until he uses his thumb to wipe tears from my eye. His voice is quiet, cautious when he speaks, “What are you looking at, Blue?” He says before gently sliding my phone from my hand. He reads the text and his face morphs from concern to rage in a matter of seconds. “She’s kidding right? The trouble you have caused? Your father literally told you that he never wanted to speak to you again five months ago, and now they want to use you to gain investors? Fuck that.” He tosses my phone on the bed there.