Page 27 of Jackass

King looked down at his niece and opened his mouth.

She cut him off and said, “Don’t make me call Dad.”

King growled at her, but Beck continued on like she hadn’t noticed, “I think you and I need an uncle date. Grab your bike keys and let’s go.”

Beck pushed King away from Carrie and I, giving me the opportunity to grab Carrie’s hand and drag her up to my room.

I needed a few minutes to tell her everything that had happened.

Carrie spun on me as soon as I closed the door behind us, and her anger confused me. Carrie had always been there for me. She was my rock throughout my pregnancy. She held my hand when Charlie was born. Carrie gave up everything to move around the country and hide with me.

“Sam, why did you bring Charlie here? Why did you even tell Jack about her? We agreed being close for safety was a good idea,but you weren’t supposed to tell him about her.” She threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

I got it. I did. We had a plan, and I changed it, but she didn’t know the details. She didn’t understand that I had no choice. I would tell her all of that.

What I wouldn’t tell her was how secretly thrilled I was that Jack finally knew. I wouldn’t tell her it meant the world to me to see Jack hold his daughter. That my heart physically hurt to see the instant love he had for my daughter, the moment I confirmed she was his.

“Carrie, it was out of my control.”

“Sam, you went to the store yesterday and never came home. Do you have any idea what I thought? How scared I was?”

“Carrie, please sit down and let me explain.” I pulled her over to the bed and sat next to her.

“Charlie and I went to Walmart yesterday, like I told you. While we were there, we ran into Jack and Beck. Charlie saw Jack and called him daddy.” I looked down at my hands, which were twisted in my lap.

I knew what was coming.

Carrie jumped off the bed. “I knew it! What did I tell you? I told you not to show her those pictures. I told you she didn’t need to know who he was.”

I knew she would react this way. It still made me angry. We’d had this argument so many times. I stood from the bed and faced her.

“Carrie, I will not tell you again. Charlie needed to know who her father was. For her safety, as well as her mental health when she gets older. I am her mother, and I am the one who will decide what to tell her.”

Carrie’s face changed immediately. The hurt that washed over her left me feeling nothing but guilt.

“Carrie, I’m sorry. You know I appreciate how much you’ve done for Charlie and me. I wouldn’t be here now without you, and neither would Charlie. Please understand that what’s done is done. We can’t change it, so we just have to move forward. Jackknows, and he wants to be in her life. This is a good thing. He will protect her with his life, and so will his brothers.”

“What about you, Sam? Does he want you in his life?”

My eyes dropped to the floor. I wanted to tell her yes. I wanted to believe he wanted to keep me, too. If I had told him two years ago, we might have had a chance.

“No,” I admitted. “But that’s ok. Charlie needs him, I don’t.”

“Oh, Sam.” Carrie wrapped me in her arms.

She was always there to comfort me any time I needed her.

Carrie, I needed.

I didn’t need Jack.

I really wanted him, though.

Chapter Six

Jack

I watched Sammy walk away from me toward the clubhouse and sighed. Tank was right. She was the mother of my child. That reason alone meant she deserved my respect.