𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 • 𝘣𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 [✔]

chapter forty two.

Detroit

"Get your fucking ass up!"

Lara hit the sleeping man with a pillow. It was early in the morning and she had the morning shift at a bar/burger joint. She didn't like it, but it helped pay the bills. She would much rather be working at her old job, but being a busser at a bar was it for now.

"Shit," was all she heard from the bed. She let go of the pillow and dropped it on the bed. "i'm up, no reason to be violent. It's the fucking morning."

"Yeah and you're already late for work. You're going to be jobless if you keep it up." Lara walked into the hallway bathroom and started brushing her teeth.

"It's too early in the morning, I can't be arguing with you right now."

Lara just rolled her eyes and finished brushing her teeth. "Whatever. Just get the fuck out of bed."

Nate Stratford groaned, but he eventually got out of bed. His shift at the bar was about to start while Lara was also about to start her shift at the same bar, but as a waitress since it was also a burger joint conjoined to the bar.

"Where the hell are my shoes?" Nate ran a hand through his hair as he sat up on his bed.

"Do I fucking look like a closet? No, start looking, rich kid," Lara exited the bathroom and ran down the stairs since she still needed to make breakfast for herself. In the kitchen was a brunette woman with a small baby boy in her arms making toast. "Morning, losers!"

The woman turned around and smiled at Lara. "Good morning, Lara. How did you sleep?" April was one of the first people Lara met when she arrived to Detroit. Since Lara didn't have any money, April found her passed out at a bar she once worked at. She helped her get back on her feet and ever since then, they remained roommates. Lara often helped April take care of her son.

"I could hear Nate's snoring from my room. Remind me to buy earplugs soon," she chuckled. She then reached for the baby in the woman's arms. "but then i won't hear this adorable baby laugh." She poked the baby's cheek.

The baby boy, Tommy, reminded Lara of a baby she helped take care of once. Baby Claudia loved her Aunt Lara, well at least for the short time they had. They would always get ice cream on Fridays and watch cartoons Saturday mornings.

April handed Lara a plate of bacon and waffles since she preferred those over pancakes. "I don't think I've ever heard you say something nice to Nate."

Lara took the plate to the dining room and sat in a chair to begin eating her breakfast. "And why would I do that, my dear April? We've never gotten along. Just because I brought him here doesn't mean I'll ever be nice to him."

"Right. I keep forgetting you two have a history. Janis, was it?" April brought up the name that was basically forbidden to say in the house. Lara looked down at her plate with a frown. If she ever saw Janis again, she wouldn't know what to say since she was pretty sure a simple 'I'm sorry' wasn't going to be enough.

April noticed how Lara's mood changed quickly. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I know it's none of my business, but a friend of mine told me it was a good thing to talk about things so you can feel better and I should probably shut up. Shutting up now, so sorry!"

Baby Tommy giggled as his mom rambled on.

Heavy footsteps made both women turn to look at a dressed Nate Stratford. He had a casual look on for work, plain black shirt with his signature flannel on, jeans and his shoes that he had been searching for. "Good morning, April, Tommy." He nodded at them. He didn't want them to know that he had heard them say her name.

In reality, he missed her everyday. He didn't like how their relationship ended, he was never going to forgive himself for it. Leaving Janis . . . leaving Claudia, his only daughter. He remembered his only Christmas with her and how happy he was that day. Claudia was always by his side that day. He bought her so many gifts that Janis had to keep most of them in the attic. But Claudia's favorite toy that Nate had gotten her was a red car that belonged to him when he was just beginning to crawl.

Claudia couldn't put down the toy car. She practically slept with it. After Christmas, she would roll the car around over her dad's feet just to get his attention, which she succeeded in. Each morning, she would run to her parents' room with the toy car and make 'car noises' to wake her dad up.

When Nate left, Claudia was asleep with her toy car. That morning she ran to her parents' room and started making her usual 'car noises' until she noticed that the bed was empty. Her dad wasn't telling her to stop by tickling her stomach. She was confused, but all she wanted to know was where her dad had gone to.

Janis had to explain to the little girl how her dad had gone out on a big trip and wouldn't be back for a while. Claudia only asked her when he would be back so she could show him her toy car.

An: ngl writing this while listening to slipping through my fingers really makes me emotional BUT THEN I THINK IF CLAUDIA EVER MOVES IN WITH BEN THEN SHE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE JANIS

get ready for tears pals 🙌🏼🤪