WILD RIDE (Rafe Cameron x OC) *COMPLETE*

Chapter Seventy-Six (Rafe)

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

Rafe

One week later

"Dada!" Leah smacks me in the face with the TV remote after I fell asleep on the couch watching Encanto with her for the hundredth time today. Or so it feels like it's been that many times.

Leah points to the TV and demands I play the movie again. I don't. I scroll through other movies. "Hey, look. This one was my favorite as a kid, want to watch The Lion King? I could watch it all day, baby girl." I hope she does in fact want to watch it all day. It's better than having to deal with that fucking Bruno song a million times.

Tears spout from her eyes and she wails loudly. "Alright. Alright. No lions... Got it... Hmm..." I scroll through more movies until she points and stops crying. "That one? You want to watch that one?"

Beauty and the Beast. Classic. Reminds me of Alana, honestly. The way she could have had the king of the Pogues and certified trouble maker over on the cut. She had him in the palm of her hand and instead.. She chose the beast. She chose me because she saw something in me that no one else saw.

Putting the movie on, Leah loves it instantly. I haven't seen the movie in years since Wheezie was little. Which reminds me that Wheezie is out by the pool right now with Rose and Alana. It's been a strange few days since Alana met her mother and her grandmother... And her sister. And little brother too.

When Alana came home she immediately ran to Rose. Thanking her for not giving up on her and for being there for her. For being her real mother because she couldn't stand what Julia had done.

Granted, after that call to Topper's grandfather a lot more shit came up. Margaret Lewis, Julia's mom- had lied about everything to Julia. She wanted Julia to get away from Big John and be with some more worth it in her eyes. Marge lied about talking to Topper's grandfather. About getting documentation from Ward. All of it. Just to try to "save" Julia from Big John.

Marge also admitted that had she'd known that Julia was pregnant with Katie she would have had her leave Katie behind too. Which is why they all lied to Katie about her father so she wouldn't ask any more questions growing up.

What hurt me the most was seeing Katie talking to Alana. Telling her that she forgives Julia because Julia was never a bad mom. Julia just so happened to have been the best mom ever and I had to watch my wife fight back tears of anger and sadness.

Leaving that day, Alana got into the car and sobbed. She sobbed all night at the hotel. The entire drive home and even for two days after we got home. All she did was hold Leah and promise to her that she would never leave her in this world to wonder why she was never good enough.

The doorbell rings and I get up to answer it. I have Leah on my hip and my eyes widen with surprise when I see Julia Routledge standing at my front door.

"How did you get this address." I don't greet her. I don't smile at her. In fact, I fucking hate this broad more than I have ever hated anyone in my entire life.

Julia looks down. "I just want to talk to my daughter."

"You lost your right to call her your daughter seventeen years ago." I say. "But I'll let Alana decide if she wants to speak to you or not."

A simple and then Julia looks at Leah. "This must be my grandbaby.. She's so beautiful and she... She looks just like her Mama." Arms reach out to touch my daughter and I back up quickly. Headed toward the sliding doors to the pool area and patio.