Page 19 of Justice II

Immediately, I broke down in tears so hard that I made myself sick. I reread it multiple times because I couldn’t believe my eyes. I don't understand why my mom would tell me that if it wasn't true. She was dying. Why would she lie about something like that?

I'm sorry I got your hopes up. We were both counting down to the day we could finally meet. I was so hoping that you were my father because things aren’t that great with my father. Well, my real father.

Every time I think about it, I break down and cry.

I should've saved the paper so I could send it to you, but I tore it up. I was so upset. I know that was stupid, and I'm sorry. I just couldn't stand looking at it anymore.

You don't have to come for me when you get out. I'm safe here. Things are better with Daddy, and he's taking care of me.

Please don’t even bother writing me back. Seeing your name on another envelope would break my heart all over again and I can’t take it. Life has been pretty hard as is. I have to cope with why my mother lied.

I’m praying for you and I’m happy that you’re about to get your life back. Please don’t spend your first days home worrying about me. I would feel even worse if you came all this way because you thought you still owed me something.

You don't. You didn't do anything wrong.

I hope you get everything you wanted when you come home. I’m really sorry I can't be part of it.

I'm so sorry I wasted your time.

Storie

I folded the letter, slipped it into the envelope, and sealed it. Then I pressed a stamp into the corner and picked up the paternity report beside my elbow.

Alleged father: Tavares Mitchell.

Probability of paternity: 99.99%.

Monica wasn’t lying. Tavares was my father.

I looked from the report to the envelope. At least one of us knew when to keep something to ourselves. I'd written the only letter once unlike my lie. There wasn’t a single tear in my eye.

Tavares would get over it. He had no other choice.

That man had been in prison long before he knew about me. He would be fine without having a relationship with me. He could move on with his life. I no longer needed his ass.

I leaned back in the chair at the school library thinking about Justice and about how I had him all to myself now.

When I'd first written Tavares, Justice was trying my patience. Every time I turned around, there was another woman taking up space and stealing his attention away from me. First, he was sneaking around with Kira’s thirsty ass. Then it was Skye’s lying ass.

And I was supposed to just sit by and let one of these bitches become my stepmother? I’d already gotten rid of one mother. I had no problem with getting rid of a mother.

But, Skye was the worst. She'd walked into our house as the help and then started acting like she was the queen of this shit.

No, ho! Your job was to bathe and feed Rita’s senile ass. And make sure the brat doesn’t die doing something stupid.

This bitch should've stayed out of my room.

And when she started snooping, I was afraid she was going to tell Justice. Even though I threatened her, I thought she’d say something to him, but she didn’t. There was a crazy chance he would’ve believed her despite me pulling the “she’s a lying ex-con.”

But Justice found out on his own. And she tried to sour him on me but that was impossible. In Justice’s eyes, she was a liar who was the reason a little girl was dead. So, he wasn’t going to listen to her.

So I wrote Tavares in prison. I sent the letter from school and received his letter at home. It could’ve gone badly but I get home from school before Justice gets in so I can check the mail first.

With Tavares, I wanted somebody who would come when I called. Somebody Justice couldn't send away with a look. Tavares being a murderer seemed real useful back then.

Now that Justice has gotten rid of Kira and Skye, I don’t need Tavares.

He’s all mine. Well, I have to figure out what to do about Dream but for now the bitches are gone.