I burst into tears as I saw my mother. I wrapped my arms tightly around her. “I’m so sorry,” I muttered repeatedly.
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” she combed her hands through my hair to comfort me.
“It is. I brought him into our lives.” If I hadn’t dated William, then all this wouldn’t have happened. He brought all the pain into my life. I wouldn’t have gotten pregnant, wouldn’t have met Valdo and wouldn’t have had Jamaica.
I sighed. Valdo and Jamaica were the best things that have ever happened to me, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
I was finally getting my happy ending, but William just wouldn’t allow me.
“Shh… Valdo and Eric will deal with William. You just calm down.” she pulled me out of the hug and wiped my tears away. “Valdo won’t let anything happen to you. He loves you dearly, and he loves Jamaica too. He’ll protect you from William. Eric know a few persons too, he’ll help Valdo deep with it. You don’t have to worry. I love you and if those handsome, rich guys can’t protect you, I will”
I smiled through my tears, “I love you too.”
The two men ended their conversation and walked over to us. “Tomorrow, we’ll handle William and make sure he never gets close to us again,” Valdo said.
I looked at him and asked, “How?”
“We’ll talk with him.”
I frowned. How will talking to him make this go away? “That won’t work.”
“It will if we use our fist.” Eric blurted out honestly.
I looked at both men, “You’ll get in trouble. Look what he did the last time.”I shook my head, “No. I don’t want you hurting him. God knows what lies he’d try to pin on you next. We’ll find another way.”
“There is no other way. We can’t file a restraining order because he’s never actually threatened you before. All he wants is his child.” Eric sighed, “I’m a lawyer. I see things like this all the time. He won’t give up. I don’t like the idea of hurting him, but I honestly don’t see any other option. We need to get him off our backs for at least two weeks.”
“Then let’s get him off our backs in a way that’s legal.” I hated William with every cell in my body, but I didn’t want Valdo and Eric hurting because he proved how ruthless he could be in Alton.
“How are we going to do that?” My mother asked.
“By giving him what he wants.” They all stared at me with a frown. “He wants his child. Let’s get a DNA done.”
“But he is her father.” My mother frowned, “Isn’t he?”
I nod, “He is, but he doesn’t need to know that. We could agree to do a DNA test to prove he isn’t her father. All we need is a doctor to fake the results.”
“I know a guy,” Eric added.
I glanced at him, “Great. We just need to convince William to get the test done.”
“That might not be too easy.”
I shrugged, “It’s better than getting Valdo locked up in a cell again.”
Valdo sighed, “Fine. We’ll go ahead with your plan. We’ll need to bait him. He can’t know what we’re up to.”
Eric nodded, agreeing. “You’re right. He has resources. I was surprised he knew where you lived. He must have hired someone to check you out.”
“He comes from a family of wealth. His father is probably helping him. They both have the same sociopathic tendencies.” I didn’t know the full story behind what happened between William’s dad and my mom, but I knew it must have been awful for her to hate him so much.
I sighed, “There is no reason for him to be behaving like this. He denied being her father the day I found out now all of sudden he wants to be in her life. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“That’s because he doesn’t want to be in her life. He just wants us to pay for the embarrassment he felt. I didn’t want to tell you this, but I think it’s time you knew.” My mother paused before continuing, “Mr Munro was found severely beaten two days after we left Alton. He lost one of his eyes, and both his hands and feet were broken.”
I held onto my mother’s arms tightly. A lonely tear fell from my eye. It was my fault.
“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault William is like that. It’s in his blood.” She pulled me closer.
“Did he say who did it?”
She shook her head, “No, but everyone knows it was Officer Peters. Marie said he came by the shop with his wrist bruised up. Of course, everyone just ignores it. Half of the Police in Alton was on Morgan’s salary and the ones who weren’t, aren’t brave enough to speak up.”
“That’s so sad. Thank God, we left that town. I never want to go back there.”
“You won’t have to,” Valdo assured.
We stood in silence for a minute before Eric spoke up, “Well, I should be taking my leave now,”
Valdo frowned and shook his head, “No. It’s almost 12:30. You can stay here tonight. Jakobia and I will share a room, and you and Gizelle can share the next one.”
Eric and my mother looked at each other and remained silent.
“It’s a big bed,” I interjected.
“I guess it is.” my mother mumbled.
Valdo patted Eric back, “Great. Come with me. I’ll get you some blankets.”
When the males were out of sight, I looked at my mother and grinned.
“What are you smiling at?” she asked with a frown.
“What were you and Eric doing before William came?”
Her face went pink, “Oh, nothing. I was watching a show, and he was exercising,”
I smirked at her, “Are you sure that’s what you were doing?”
She rolled her eyes at me, “Jakobia, I’m not so old that I can’t remember what I was doing two hours and half hours ago.”
“Mom, you’re a terrible liar.”
She let out a heavy sigh, “Why would I be lying? I was sitting on the couch watching NCIS marathon when William came banging on the door.”
I smiled, “So was Eric also watching NCIS?”
My mother frowned at me, “You might be an adult, but I’m still your mother. I don’t have to stand here answering your questions.”
I grinned, “Mom, you have a hickey on your neck and by its redness. I’m 100% sure it’s recent.”
Her eyes widen, “You’re lying.”
“Nope.” I lifted my phone and placed the camera on selfie mood.
My mother closed her eyes in embarrassment, “How long has it been showing?”
“Since we arrived.”
She faced palmed herself. “Okay, fine. Eric and I were making out on the couch, but we were watching NCIS. We just got a little distracted.”
“That doesn’t seem like a little to me,” I whispered.
“It’s nothing,” she denied.
“Is it?”
“Jacky, Eric is sweet, and he’s very handsome, but he’s a playboy, and he’s also five years younger than me.”
“Do you hear yourself? Sweet and very handsome.” I shrugged, “He seems like your type to me.”
“We were just having fun, that’s it. Don’t start thinking that we’ll eventually become a thing because we won’t.”
“If you say so.”
She sighed, “I’m sorry for breaking up your date, but I was panicking. I need to know you were okay.”
“It’s okay. We brought back our cakes. You can have a piece of mine if you want.”
“Tomorrow. Eric cooked earlier, and I’m full.”
“Hmm..” I said with a smirk, “Sweet, very handsome and he can cook. He seems like he’s got the complete pack ma.”
She sighed, “I’m exhausted. I’m going to head to bed.” she kissed my cheeks and whispered words of love then walked away. I knew she was only really trying to avoid me preying into her sex life.
I walked behind my mother and entered Jamaica’s nursery. I walked closer to the crib and smiled down at the sleeping baby. I gently ran my hands down her tiny back.
“Oh, I miss you so much.”
How could I love her so much but hate the man who made her possible? She had half his DNA, but I would do my very best to make sure she never becomes anything like him. She’ll be surrounded by constant positivity and endless love.
I kissed her on the cheek before walking over to Valdo’s bedroom. It would be our first time sleeping in the apartment as man and wife. When I entered the room, Valdo was already laying down with his eyes to the ceiling. I climbed on the bed and wrapped my arms around him. There was nowhere I felt safer than in his arms.
“When all this is over I’m going to build a house. It will have around fifteen rooms. One for us, four for the children and the other ten for families and friends.”
I chuckled and look at him, “We only have one child.”
He grinned, “So far.”