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I still didn’t know why he was sharing this, but it was interesting.
“Okay.”
“He knows someone looked into my dad and brother.”
Oh no.
I decided not to say anything.
“That you and your girls?” he asked.
“Would you be mad if it was?” I asked in return.
“I’d be mad if you didn’t cop to it being you and your girls when I asked that direct,” he returned.
“It was us,” I said softly.
Javi didn’t seem angry, even though he still didn’t take his eyes from me as he took another sip of coffee.
Then he asked, “You wanna tell me why you’re lookin’ into that shit?”
“Mostly, I just wanted your father’s address so I could tell him to leave you alone,” I admitted.
Javi seemed surprised. “You think he’s gonna listen to you?”
“I think I intend to be very convincing.”
His face got soft, his eyes warmed, and he bent toward me.
“I know where I’m at with him, Lolita,” he said. “I don’t gotta dig deep. And I’m not gonna change my mind. He can call and he can show at my door, and he can do it for the next ten years, it’s not gonna get him anywhere. Years ago, I threatened to expose what he did to us, and that’s what got my mom in the hospital where she stays. He still pays for it. I think of it as his penance, but it doesn’t buy him my time or anything from me.”
“Okay, sweetheart,” I whispered. “Though, I’ll point out it’s less penance and more what he owes you monetarily for not looking after you. He should have been providing for you all your life. He didn’t. I would suspect he owes thousands in back child support. And since that was how you’d use the money if you had it, taking care of your mom, it’s you who’s taking care of her financially. He’s just footing the bill.”
It took a moment before Javi responded gruffly, “I like looking at it that way better.”
“Good,” I said, and instead of jumping out of bed and doing something totally cheerleader, like a jump split, in order to celebrate the fact I’d helped him see that as it should be, I sipped my coffee.
Javi returned to the topic at hand.
“He’s got a son who’s a privileged piece of shit. That guy started making the news, my father started making his approach to me. Doesn’t take a genius to put that together. I’m not gonna fall in with his plans to have a boy he can be proud of. Maybe he fucked it in raising his kids. That’s not on me either.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“You might think I’m bein’ harsh. He’s the only dad I’m gonna have. But you didn’t live my life, baby.”
Although I’d given him no indication I felt that way, clearly, he needed to explain himself just in case.
Therefore, I shook my head vehemently. “I don’t think you’re being harsh. It’s your decision, honey. No one can make it but you. No one can judge it either.”
He reached out and trailed a finger along my jaw, murmuring, “Gratitude.”
“You don’t need to offer that. This isn’t about me. I’m just here to listen if you need me.”
He nodded and shifted back, saying, “Obviously, my brother isn’t worth dick. My sisters,”—he blew out a sigh—“that’s harder.”
It took a lot, but I didn’t say anything.
Javi, being Javi, noticed.