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Everybody laughed.

I didn’t.

Because all I could think about was these pictures living permanently in my mother’s phone.

Pictures of Carter beside Serenity.

So Amanda could zoom in later.

Compare noses.

Compare eyes.

Call me talking about⁠—

Girl, I’m telling you, Carter look just like Xay.

Wonderful.

Just fucking wonderful.

“Okay, got it!” she finally announced.

“Thank God.”

Keith picked Carter up.

“Come to Daddy.”

Carter immediately grabbed his face.

He laughed and kissed her little hand.

I watched them.

Then looked at Xay.

He was watching too.

Our eyes met.

This time I didn’t look away.

Yeah, nigga.

Look.

Keith could stand in the middle of this room holding your daughter, calling himself Daddy, and you couldn’t say one motherfucking word.

That was the life you created.

But when I looked away from him, my eyes landed on Collin again.

Heather had him against her chest, bouncing him gently while talking to Destiny.

Then Xay looked over at them.

I narrowed my eyes.