Closing Time

Chapter 10

(Favorite Crime By Olivia Rodrigo)

Rylee's Pov

I knocked on the front door after yawning and rubbing my eyes. I didn't get much sleep last night. After I left yesterday I worked the bar till close, then helped Eryn clean everything. I didn't end up going to sleep.

I stayed up editing the photos for the couple yesterday and when I was about to go to sleep, I realized it was six. So I just walked and got a coffee and came back.

When I came back Eryn was in her office doing paperwork, and she made me take her car though i was going to walk.

"Come in!" The door opened, and Shea greeted me with a warm smile.

I put my bag on the same table as yesterday and I noticed how quiet, yet loud the house was. I could hear Iris laughing from the kitchen, all of her things were packed into her bag.

"You didn't have to pack everything, I would've gotten it."

Shea shook her head at me with a smile before we walked to the kitchen together. Skylar was sitting on the floor eating a breakfast wrap. Sam was sitting on a chair and Iris was standing in front of him rambling random words.

"Eat." Iris pointed at Sam's food and he just stared down at her with a smile on his face.

"How about you eat?" She rolled her eyes after he spoke and he laughed.

"I did!" She exclaimed, waving her hands around and going on a rant about how he doesn't listen.

Most of the words she said weren't actually words. But she has the spirit.

"Momma!" She whined when she noticed I was standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a smile on my face.

"Hi honey." I picked her up and she put both of her hands on the side of my face.

"HI!" She screamed loudly in my face.

"I guess someone is feeling better." I looked at her and she smiled.

"I taught her that. Whoops." Skylar mumbled, trying to contain her laughter as Iris yelled 'HI' again.

"Shit." Iris said and Skylar looked like she was about to die.

"Now- I didn't teach her that- She heard me say that- Please this is gonna be another Dom situation-" Skylar rambled and I laughed before setting Iris back down.

"She probably knows a lot more from me. It's okay, don't worry about it." I spoke as Iris walked back over to Sam and started showing him the toys she had with her.

"Can you maybe stop stealing my child?" I asked jokingly, sitting across from him.

Iris was sat on Sam's knee as he ate and she watched Spongebob on her phone. I can't tell you how scared I am. I don't want Iris to get attached to him. I don't want her to.

It's terrifying.

No man has ever treated us right, and here he is, swooping in. I don't want something to happen and him to be gone, therefore, i refuse to let myself get attached. I hope Iris doesn't get attached, but I can't control her. I won't control her.

When people are controlling it reminds me so much of Jason and my parents. Sometimes it sends me into a panic.

"I think she likes me better than you." He responded as Iris laid her head on his chest.

I closed my eyes and tried to get what I just saw out of my head. She was so calm with him. She's never that calm with males. It honestly freaks me out how calm she is with him.

I picked at the edge of my nails and tried to cover up my nerves with a smile.

"I think I might just steal her from you actually." Sam said, braiding her hair while she yawned.

I swear, this woman raised her son too well.

"Aunty Julie!" Iris giggled as Julie put Iris on her shoulders.

"I don't pay you two to sit here and watch a child." Eryn joked as Julie put Iris down on the floor.

Eryn picked up Iris and took her to her office after Julie and I went to the bar. Eryn had paperwork to do tonight therefore she said she wanted to watch Iris. Plus I didn't want her to be living at Shea's house.

When we were leaving, Iris threw a fit. She did not want to go. When Sam left a little before us, she threw a bigger fit. I literally had to take her inside because she ran after him. She cried for a good ten minutes, then I tried to leave. She threw another fit but in the end, I got her into the car.

The bar was busy today because it's a saturday. It would be my first time working a weekend. I started Monday, I was nervous yet excited.

Julie made sure to help me if I was getting too overwhelmed. I'm telling you that she could run this bar by herself. Though I barely needed help because I've been getting used to the shouting, laughing, and sometimes crying.

It's a little weird how people cry in a bar, but i can't say that i haven't done the same, because i one hundred percent did.

"Rylee!" A voice called out over the music and I snapped out of my thoughts.

I turned to face the voice and I felt my body freeze. Why does this always happen? And why does it always happen here? My parents and Jason walked in side by side. My mother held a smirk on her face. My father looked emotionless. Jason looked bored, yet happy? I crossed my arms and blinked looking all of them up and down.

"How can I help you?" I asked in the nicest voice I could muster up.

"You know exactly what we are here for Rylee." My mother crossed her arms before elbowing my father and him then doing the same.

If there was one thing that I knew I couldn't beat, it was the child court system. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to try if it does end up happening. I swallowed the lump in my throat and saw Julie ready to attack them out of the corner of my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I can not help you with what you want, because what you want you aren't going to have." I held my head up and made sure I didn't show them fear.

I can break down about this later, but I'm not doing it right now in front of them. I refuse to give them that power and that satisfaction of knowing that they made me upset and scared.

"Rylee, we will take you to court and you know that I can win." Jason cut in, like he was ever going to get custody of Iris.

"Bullshit!" I screamed quietly, not wanting to draw attention to customers.

"Aren't you living on the streets? Not very stable. They will take your child quicker than you can speak a word if they know that you're living on the streets." My mother spoke and my father stayed quiet.

I was my fathers daughter, and Ruby was a momma's boy. I knew it pained my father, but I also knew that his and my mothers relationship was toxic, just like Jason and I's. Though he doesn't know that I know. I've seen my mother hit him. I've seen it all.

Abuse can go both ways, and sometimes the people on the receiving end can't get away. Or they have a fear of it. You've been with that person for so long, you keep going back because you think nobody will ever love you like them. I've hit my breaking point with going back to Jason.

That's why I- we left.

"I'm not living on the streets." I defended myself and clenched my fists.

They all looked at me, and they knew that I was somewhat lying. I wasn't living on the streets, but I didn't have a place to live at every day. I know Eryn would always invite me to stay here, but I need a stable place for Iris to grow up. Not a bar.

"And how do we know that?" Jason questioned and my heart picked up.

"That's because she lives with me."

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