Felix Culpa☀︎Devin Booker

☀︎Six

"Um, it was amazing actually. DJ slept most of the way, thank the Lord, and the food was delicious. I've never flown first-class, so thank you for that," she answered, not being able to hide how genuinely grateful she was to him.

Devin smiled with satisfaction, glad he could bring her something good after all the bad that had happened during their few short days of reacquaintance.

"That's great to hear, Sky. You're welcome, it's the least I could do after making you fly out here on such short notice."

At this point Skylar was unable to mask her surprise and confusion. This was not the Devin she had interacted with on the phone barely 24 hours ago. She couldn't keep up with these mood swings!

"Ok, look, I really do appreciate everything you've done to help, but what's going on here, Devin? You show up here at eleven...unannounced. You're being really welcoming and sweet after threatening to take DJ from me just yesterday, so I'm just really confused."

Devin nodded and slightly smirked. He'd always loved how straightforward Sky was. It was refreshing to experience from a female when most of the ones he interacted with never cared enough or had the self-esteem to do so. Even if she'd forgotten about that characteristic when she got pregnant with his child...

"Well, that's why I came unannounced. I wasn't sure you'd agree to see me after how I treated you yesterday, but I've been doing some thinking...especially after Davon ripped me a new one...and I needed to get some things off my chest," Devin began to explain, causing Skylar to lean forward in anticipation of what else he was going to say.

"First, I apologize for the way I spoke to you on the phone yesterday. That was uncalled for. I regretted everything I said as soon as you hung up on me..."

Skylar grimaced before a small grin appeared on her face, "Yeea I should definitely apologize for that as well. No need to be ending phone calls like that."

Devin chuckled, "Nah, you good, I would've done the same after what I said. Which, I didn't mean. It's been really difficult to process and accept that I'm a father, and that my son is already two years old, so I've been lashing out a lot, and you don't deserve that."

Skylar's heart immediately constricted as she listened to Devin apologize. It was so much easier to point out how he'd wronged her when he wasn't apologetic. Although at the end of the day, the only reason they were in this mess was because of how she'd wronged him. So, she actually did deserve it.

"I can't promise that I'm not angry anymore, or that I won't have more highs and lows with all of this that's happening, but I want you to know that I'm trying. I want to do right by my son, and part of that means doing right by you, his mother," Devin shared, his eyes meeting Skylar's which shone with unshed tears.

Unsure of if she could hold back her tears, Skylar nodded, graciously accepting Devin's heartfelt words even though deep down she didn't even feel like she deserved them. Her self-loathing was at an all-time high as she listened to Devin speak as a father. It made her think that maybe she was just paranoid when she got pregnant, and didn't see Devin for who he truly was. Maybe he really would've been just fine with the news of his baby on the way before being drafted. But now she'll never know. And it cost Devin and Devin, Jr. two years without each other.

"Hey, don't do that. Don't continue to blame yourself. You did what you thought was best for DJ. I might never agree with it, but it will only hold me back from having the best relationship I can have with my son if I hold a grudge. And from what I know about kids, they can sense everything, so he'll know if we aren't happy with each other. I want his first memories of us as a family to be good ones, Sky, happy ones," Devin's voice had reduced to a whisper.