Congrats, ‘Daddy’! Just Kidding—My BFF Stole You, I Got the Abortion Chapter 08

Congrats, ‘Daddy’! Just Kidding—My BFF Stole You, I Got the Abortion Chapter 08

This year went by fast.

The studio put down roots in the small town, started taking projects from out of state.

I took Mom and Dad to the beach. Dad set up an easel to paint, Mom dozed in a beach chair.

I took a photo of that scene, made it my phone wallpaper.

Joelle’s trial ended in the fall.

Multiple charges: switching medical teams, commercial infringement, tampering with private property.

Sentenced to five years.

When the news notification popped up, I sat there for a long time.

Fifteen years. That little girl huddled in my arms on the stairwell.

And the woman now who’d changed my ring engraving, stolen

my designs, canceled my dad’s

surgery team.

chose to think of them as two different people.

‘d cried over. The second one I just stopped giving a shit about.

rd Holden built an art museum in my name, the collection all my publicly released design work.

Every piece labeled with original creation date and signature.

On the museum’s message wall was a passage, unsigned.

Dad went to see it, took a photo and sent it to me.

“Every piece in here? Came from someone really talented. If you know her, tell her this for me: her work shouldn’t get dragged down by someone else’s bullshit.”

Later, I got a package.

Opened

nected.

through. Maybe that channel across time had closed long ago.

med shocked there was still a call coming in.

gh, exhaustion soaked through it.

eak. He spoke first.

“You probably know everything now. The ring was fake, the studio thing was fake. I took every blame I could onto myself.”

“Why?” I asked.

He was silent for a long time.

“Because I was scared you’d hesitate. Scared you’d think maybe he can change, then step by step walk into everything I went through these five years.”

“But if you hated me, you’d leave. Wouldn’t look back.”

His voice cracked.

“Sloane. I love you. But I’m a piece of shit.”

Then he went quiet for a long time.

I could hear him on the other end trying not to cry. Almost couldn’t hear it, but I knew.

Finally he said: “Hope things go good for you from now on.”

The call ended.

I tried calling again. Never connected.

That channel to the future finally closed.

Outside the window fireworks were still going.

Somewhere in a distant city, someone was watching the same night sky.

The ring in his pocket with only “H” left, maybe catching the flash of fireworks.

He was thinking, if only S was still next to H, how good that would be.

A bit of wind on the balcony, kinda cold.

I pulled my jacket tighter and turned to

go inside.

Tomorrow’s work schedule sat on the table.

Some pain eventually scabs over.

But life is your own.

Gotta take it one day at a time, keep moving forward.