Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Twelve

Thank you Mikayala7700 and musiclady6 for your votes on chapter Eleven 😀

Also thank you to dreamer602659 for the nudge (I honestly didn't even notice it's almost been a week since an update 😱 and your letting me know your thoughts on my work! I love the feedback 😊

Bailey 🐎

Sunday night, I sat curled up on the lounge in the cottage, with the fire crackling away across the room, providing a gentle, comforting heat and Zuke attempting to curl up in my lap.
Between his and my baby's growth spurt's, such a position was fast becoming a not so easy feat.
His back legs and tail were hanging off onto the couch cushion to my right, as were his white front paws, plus his head was almost smushed into the arm of the lounge to my left.
He had prime possie on Mummy's lap though, so he didn't seem to mind.
Zeus was sprawled out on the second armchair (the one usually claimed by the dogs) softly snoring and Azlan was sprawled out across the other two couch cushions, his eyes closed but I wasn't entirely convinced he was actually asleep.
Heath had just finished his shower and was in his room and Blayze had just gone to the shower.
Beats me why they'd done their routine backward tonight, normally Blayze shower's first.
Outside, it was cold, but not bitterly so, because there was plenty of cloud cover.
Those cloud's also meant that rain was pounding down onto the iron roof, creating a bloody racket inside the cottage.
Resting on the arm of the lounge, closest to me, was the envelope I'd received from my Father.
Thanks to all the excitement with Rikki and Austin a couple of days ago, I still haven't opened it.
Yesterday I thankfully got to come home from the hospital!
Of course last night was Hayley's party at their farm, so I'd had to find the energy to make an appearance.
Both Blayze and my Mum wouldn't let me stay late though, too worried about my health.
Even today Hayley was promising me she was fine about it and only wanted me and the baby to be safe.
Staring at the envelope, I couldn't quite work out what to feel.
It felt sturdy enough that my suspicions about it being a card were probably correct.
If it's a card, whoever made the card has probably put more effort into the words than my own Father, seeing as most card's already come with words in them.
Breathing a sigh, I picked up the envelope and started to open it.
I'm around half way into my pregnancy.
Really I should try to at the very least make peace with my situation.
I don't want to bring my baby into a world of chaos with supposed family hurting and hating on one another.
With a gentle slip sound, the flap of the envelope was suddenly open.
My heart seemed to beat harder as I glimpsed a purple coloured cardboard.
I was right.
It is a card.
What more could I really expect though?
He's barely paid attention to me in my entire eighteen years!
He'd be a jerk to think he could start now!
Biting into my lower lip, I eased the card out of the envelope.
There were rainbow coloured balloons and streamers on the front and it read HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!
Yeah, because anybody couldn't have picked up that card.
He's never picked up a card for you before.
That made me falter.
Was there some kind of an ulterior motive behind this?
It's taken him eighteen years to bother...
Mentally shaking my head, I opened the card.
Two things fell out and startled Zuke as they fluttered by my belly and onto him.
A crisp green $100 note.
And a lined, folded up paper.
Whoa...
The jewellery and money?
Seeing he had nothing to worry about, Zuke flopped back into his laying position, a deep breath inflating, then deflating his sides.
I skim read the card, which pretty much said 'Happy Birthday'.
Setting the card aside, with the money tucked back into it, I grabbed the paper and unfolded it.
I felt my eyes widen once I was met with a pen written essay.
Holy crap...

Bailey,

I can't force you to read this.
Hell, I can assume there's a good chance it will end up straight in the bin.
That or there'll be a few people who'll set fire to it for you.
I'm not going to bother trying to give you excuses for the lousy joke of a Father that I've been.
The bottom line is, I fucked up and it kills me that I can't even say that I'm the only one who's had to wear the consequences of it.
I robbed a little girl of having a Father.
I left your Mum to raise you all on her own, suffer through my atrocious choices.
From what I've managed to see of you in recent times, plus what I hear, it pains me to say that, you've probably turned out better, having your Grandfather and your Uncle as the male role models in your life.
Know that there isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret losing you.
By now, I get it that you hate me.
All I wanted is to let you know how remorseful I am.
You're strong, smart and absolutely a stunning young woman.
The bloke that you decide to one day let in, is certainly going to have his work cut out for him.
But for that, I'm glad.
I've been told you're expecting a baby.
Congratulations to you
While I hope the bloke has more guts to stick by you than I did for your Mum, also know that just like your Mum, if not even more so, you're strong.
You and your Mum got through without me, so worst case scenario, you can do it too.
I'll leave my phone number below, if you ever want to use it.
I won't hold my breath though, because I know over the last eighteen years I've fucked up in ways that don't deserve forgiveness.