Aiden Harper

Snakes

Raymond

West dragged me to Spruce Knob to keep my mind off things. While I understand his reason, it didn't help me. I had called Eden before leaving to join West and his bunch to check on her. She assured me she was fine and video-called me to prove it. We ended the call with I love you. I wanted Eden to know someone loved her.

West and I waited when we reached the top while the others took in the scenery.

"You seem like you calmed down a bit since last night," West mentioned.

"I'm still hopping mad," I said.

"Raymond, you just found out you have a daughter, which people kept from you for years. But I think there's more to the story than you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Mary had a habit of causing problems with people to suit her needs. I saw it firsthand when I was around Cora. Mary would make snide comments about people. She made no bones about it if she didn't like you."

"How did you survive my mom's interference?"

"I didn't give a flying fuck what Mary thought about me. I loved Cora, and Mary knew it. She tried to interfere with our relationship, but Cora was stronger than Mary realized. We had planned to leave after the wedding since I received a job offer from Gray Manufacturing. But our marriage was short-lived when Cora passed away after having Misty."

"I didn't know Cora was sick since she never told me." I shook my head.

"No one knew Cora was sick except Cora. The doctors recommended that she end the pregnancy. Cora refused. Your sister chose our daughter over her life." West glanced at Misty and smiled. "She would have done again if she had lived."

I looked at Misty with her boyfriend. "I can understand why Cora chose Misty over herself. Misty is an amazing girl. She would have made Cora proud."

"Yeah, she would have."

West and I got lucky. We have two amazing daughters in our lives.

*******
Eden

My dad called to check on me this morning. I switched from the phone to video to show him I was okay. It was nice to have someone worry about me, even if they were four hundred miles away.

Someone knocked on the apartment door. Aiden answered it to let my aunt Carina inside and offered her a coffee.

After checking on my injuries, Aunt Carina accepted and sat in the living room chair. "Your uncle Carmichael told me I couldn't gut that puto. I almost smacked him. You don't tell a Latina what to do."

I giggled at Aunt Carina's feistiness. Aiden handed the coffee cup to Aunt Carina before sitting beside me on the couch.

"Has your mom checked on you?"

My laughter died in my throat as I sighed. "No."

"Puta.  What is wrong with her? How can you not check on your child after they suffer an attack?" Aunt Carina held her hand out to me.

I shrugged because I had no answers to her questions.

"How has everything else been aside from that stupid puto hurting my sweet girl?"

"I met my biological father."

Aunt Carina's brows lifted in surprise. "Really?"

I nodded. "We've been talking and getting to know each other through phone and video calls."

"That's wonderful news, sweet girl! How do you feel about it?"