The Ex's Daddy

Episode15

Harper

I’m not prepared at all for how my mother looks. She’s hooked up to all sorts of machines and looks, well kinda grey. Her face has lost all its color, her eyes are closed. Taylor lets out a little whimper. I squeeze her hand.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. Momma is in the right place, the best place for her right now. She’ll make it. She’s just been through a lot. Stay strong, Kiddo.”

She wipes her tears from her face with her free hand, nods and gives me a slight smile. “There’s my girl. Levy is going to help us. When she’s done at the hospital and they let her out, he’s got her a placed booked at the best residential drug rehab place.”

“Is he paying for it?” Her voice is a whisper. “We can’t afford that?”

“Yes, he is. He said he’d take care of whatever we needed.”

“That’s a lot, right? I mean he’s only our neighbor even if you did date Dylan for a few years.”

“He’s a nice guy, Taylor. That’s what neighbors do for one another.” She raises her eyebrows. Okay, I get it. She thinks there is more to it than there is, and I don’t blame her. I know she saw us being close when she came out of the toilets. Not close enough for my liking because y’all know I want to be extremely close to Levy.

Taylor lets go of my hand and goes to stand on one side of my mother’s bed. She looks frail, she’s always been slight but right now she looks extremely tiny. It’s pretty scary. The lump in my throat aches as I look at her.

“Do you think Jeff will come?” That’s her boyfriend. Well, her current boyfriend. They’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks now and he comes over some evenings. He still has his own place. Thankfully.

Something about Jeff is off and I bet my life he is supplying my mother. She has been known to date mostly anyone who can get her a fix. That’s the way it is a lot of the times when someone is an addict. They’ll go where they can easily get it. Sad but true.

I sigh. “I have no idea; I don’t think he’ll turn up. You know what a deadbeat he is. Besides, I’ve not messaged him. I don’t think I can. He’s trouble and the last person I want near momma right now is Jeff.”

“Yeah, he is such a d**k, loser I hate him. And he doesn’t shower enough. He drinks way too much and momma drinks even more when he is around.”

I go give her a hug then sit on the side of my momma’s bed and hold her hand. Taylor holds the other hand. “Not too long, girls,” a nurse wearing aquamarine scrubs tells us as she pops her head through the door.

“Thank you,” I say and turn back to my momma.

“Hey, Momma. Taylor and I are here. You’re going to be okay. The nurses will take care of you and the doctor and Taylor, and I will be right here. We’ll be waiting outside all night.”

She doesn’t stir, the monitors beep and I can see her heartbeat is steady. A good sign. Her hands feel cool, I guess that is to be expected. “Do you think she’ll wake up soon?” Taylor asks her eyes full of concern.

“I don’t know, Sis. Maybe or perhaps it’s the minds way of shutting down for a while so she can recover. Whatever she took couldn’t have been good.”

“I wish momma wasn’t a junkie, it’s so sad. She’s real pretty. If she were to clean up, I bet she’d get a decent man. Maybe daddy would come back.”

“Oh, Taylor I wish that were true. Daddy ain’t ever coming back. You know he’s been with Lillian for years and they have a son.”

“Do you still miss daddy?”

“Sure, of course. He was a fantastic father, he always played with us and read stories to us, but he couldn’t cope with mommy anymore.”

“Do you think that’s bad of him, you know that he left us like he did?”

“Some people just can’t take living with an addict and daddy deserved to have a life too, Taylor. He did the best he could, he put mommy in rehab but every time he had to travel with work, she’d go straight back on it and check herself out. You know what it was like.”

She nods and gives my momma kiss. “See you soon, Momma.” The nurse pops her head back through the door.

“You two need to go home and get some rest. You will have school and college tomorrow.” Her face is warm and gentle.

I kiss my momma goodnight, but I have no intention of going home. Levy can take Taylor home, she’s fifteen she’ll be absolutely fine at home. Me, I’m not leaving my momma’s side, in case she wakes up, I want to be here for her.

Levy looks up from where he is sitting, his elbows are resting on his knees, his head resting in them. He looks tired as do Dylan and Lacey. “You guys can shoot off, could someone give Taylor a lift home please? I’m going to stay in case she wakes up.”

“No way, I’m staying too.” Taylor glares at me.

“You need to get to class tomorrow, Taylor you have a test you can’t miss it. There is no discussion on this.”

She glowers at me; I know this defiant look of hers but it won’t get her anywhere. “I can do the test another day.”

“No, you can’t. This is going to be a long road; you can come back after school tomorrow.”

“I’ll take her home,” Dylan says. I mouth him a thank you. Taylor huffs and throws herself down on a chair next to Lacey who folds her into her arms. My friends are the absolute best.

“I’ll wait here with you,” Levy says as he looks up at me. Our eyes meet and something passes between us. I don’t know what it is, but I can see the depth of emotion in his eyes. It fills my heart.

“What? Dad, you can’t do that. I’ll wait with her; Lacey can go with you and you take Taylor. I’ll stay here for Harper.”

Oh, God so now it’s going to be a whole lengthy discussion and right now I can’t take that. If anyone has to stay, then I’d rather it be Levy. Lacey says nothing, she’s cool with Dylan and I still being besties, she knows he isn’t interested in me like that anymore. Not sure I’d be so comfortable about it if the shoe were on the other foot.

“Stop, please everyone just stop. I’ll be fine here on my own. Now all of you go and take Taylor, she needs to be able to pass her test tomorrow. It’s important.”

Dylan scuffs the floor. “Fine, c’mon let’s go girls.” Taylor comes to me and wraps her arms around my waist.

“See you tomorrow, Sis.”

“You will, now get some sleep okay. Don’t stay up all night worrying. Momma will be fine, she’s in the hospital they’ll take great care of her.”

“I know,” she mutters and releases her grip from around my waist. Lacey takes her by the arm, and I watch as the three of them head off down the corridor.

“You don’t have to stay, Levy.” I want him to; I’d do anything to be close to Levy even though I know this is the wrong circumstance.

“It’s fine don’t worry about it. I can message my assistant, Lou-Rae and have her move stuff around in my schedule for the morning. I’m happy to wait with you, Sunflower.” God, I love it when he calls me that, the way his voice is deep and masculine.

He adjusts his man-bun and reaches a hand out for me. I take it, electricity vibes all the way through my body giving me a shock. Holy f**k, what was that?