Success Is the Best Revenge {Book 1} **Watty Awards 2012**

Chapter 8: Keep Your Enemies Closer

(Sorry, it's kind of short!)

"What do you mean you're dying?" I partially knew the answer, but I had no idea that it had grown into full blown AIDS.

"I have HIV, Alea. My doctors...they think it's going to expand into AIDS soon. My body isn't responsive to the drugs they give me," she said softly. I noticed she was crying.

"Bridget, just..just don't worry about it. You're going to be fine. Science is advanced these days," I said, trying to comfort her.

She began shaking her head and crying more. "No, Alea. I believe my time is running out."

As much as I hated to believe it, she was right.

"Have you told anyone?"

She shook her head.

I stared at her face. She seemed truly afraid. I did something I never would I think I would do. I pulled her in and gave her a hug. She continued to sob.

"I don't know how much time I have left, Alea. What am I going to do with my kids?" I could barely understand what she was saying because of her crying.

"Your kids? I thought that guy was the father?" 

She sniffed and tried to catch her breath. "He's only the father of Devry." 

Good God, Bridget you screwed up big time.

"Carson is the father of the rest of them?"

"No."

Seriously???

"Then who?" I asked, giving her a tissue.

She took it and blew her nose. "Carson is Ryan's father. The twins and Chris have different fathers." She looked down and blinked. "But I don't know who."

"You haven't gotten them tested? Or tried looking for their biological father? Bridget, you know any disease you have could be passed on to your offspring."

A look of fright crossed her face. "Oh my goodness, I'm such a terrible mother and person." She started to cry again.

"Bridget, it's not too late. You can still get all of them tested and at least make an attempt to find the other fathers." 

She kept shaking her head. "I can't, Alea. I don't even know where to start."

"How many partners have you had in the last 8 years?" 

She paused for a moment to think. Her eyes closed for a second. "I really have no clue."

"5?"

"More than that."

"8?"

She gulped and sighed. "More than that."

"10?"

"It's probably even more than that." She got off of me and leaned over the sink. "I needed the money, Alea. My parents kicked me out after they found out I was pregnant and I couldn't go to Harvard with a baby on the way! So I lived with Carson for a short amount of time. But then he decided to go off to college and leave me, so his parents made me leave too. I've stayed at multiple shelters. I gave birth to Ryan in a damn shelter because I couldn't afford to go to a hospital. I lived off a bunch of different guys that would give money and clothes. But they only let Ryan and I stay if I had sex with them. So I did because I cared and still do care about my children more than anything.  That guy out there is the guy that my kids and I are  living with for now. He does his best to take care of us, but he barely has any money himself."