Do You Believe Me Now?

Chapter 8

Four months later, the kids go to daycare, the house is more than halfway done because we have a giant team, and Jace is working every day to find our daughter. We're living with Marcus for the time being.

Jace and I still haven't had sex.

It's five at night when I finally finish decorating the house.

Tomorrow is the reveal for the family.

I head to Marcus'.

Jace whips around right when I walk in the door.

"Hey." I say.

He hugs me.

"Stand right here." He says.

"Okay." I frown.

He disappears into a back bedroom.

I hear him talking, and then he comes back.

"What am I waiting here for?" I ask patiently.

A little girl with red hair and brown eyes steps out from behind him and looks at me.

"Rylee, meet our daughter, Hailey Olive Rivera."

"You found her." I whisper, crossing the room to her. I kneel down in front of her.

"Hi honey." I smile.

"Hi." She whispers.

"Jace," I begin.

"She was adopted for a bit when she was three but they had a kid of her own so they gave her back. She's been in a home ever since. I named her today what she wanted to be named.

"You didn't have a name before?"

"No." she says. "He asked me what I wanted to be named and I told him." she shrugs.

"You know we're your real parents, right? Like...I gave birth to you."

"I know. I can tell."

"How can you tell?" I smile.

"Because I have Daddy's eyes and your hair."

****

I got sent to Canada for four jobs. I miss my family. I talk to all five of the kids every night and Jace, of course.

I'm on the third now and it's November and it's snowing so badly.

It's Thanksgiving, actually.

"How cold is it up there?" Jace asks.

"Like, negative ten or something." I sigh.

I was home for a month to get to know Hailey really well.

"How are things going?" I ask.

JACE'S POV

"Oh, wonderful." I say as Noah grabs a bag of flour, having climbed onto the counter. He crashes down and flower goes everywhere, covering Hailey's wet hair in flour.

"Really?" she asks. "Awesome. That's great. I was a bit worried things would get a bit hectic."

Max comes in with his pull up off, and he's peeing, all over the floor. Kaden comes running after at him.

"Hey honey, I have to go. The turkey's done. Love you."

"Love you too." I hang up.

"I'm doing homework, butt fart! Be quiet!"

Zach is walking now and Rylee cried when she wasn't there for it. He keeps asking for Mama.

All of the kids asking for Rylee.