Pieces of Me by Pua Ramona (small books to read txt) 📕

“Hey pretty girl. How are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you and Reese for a month or so”, she says.

Lei giggles “Okay drama queen, it’s only been two week since I’ve seen you. How about we make plans for lunch sometime next week?”

Mama smiles and says “It’s a date.”

“Is that a new dress Mama?” asks Reese.

Mama smacks him on the shoulder “Now Reese, don’t go saying things to make me blush.”

Reese wraps his arms around her and picks her up in a bear hug, “You look beautiful Mama” he says smiling at her.

She pats him on his cheek “You look like you’ve gotten taller sweetheart.”

“It’s his hair,” says Lei laughing.

I chuckle and open my arms so I can hug Lei. “Still mad at me Lei?”

She gives me a sad smile and steps into my arms, “Hi Eli.”

I take a step back and say, “I’m sorry.'' She doesn’t say anything so I ask, “Why does it feel like things are slowly changing between us Lei?”

She looks at me and says, “Eli, I don’t know what’s going on anymore. I just want to spend this little bit of time with Sina and Emma before they fly back to New York with no more drama. I want her to leave here on a good note, I want her to want to come back home.”

I understand where she’s coming from, Sina has become a close friend to Lei and I know where her loyalty stands when it comes to Becca and Sina.

Lei looks at me “So, you’re going to be dad huh?”

I take a deep breath and say, “Yeah. Becca has an appointment Monday, so I’ll be meeting her at the clinic.”

She doesn’t look at me, but she says quietly, “Congrats Eli. I hope things work out for you.”

“Lei, Becca and I aren’t getting back together.” I tell her. I don’t want her to think we’re going to play happy families and have her and Reese pull away from me.

“Eli, I’ll be there to support you, but I’ll never be a friend to Becca. She’s put Sina through so much already and I won’t allow her pregnancy to hurt Sina either. I know you will be an amazing father to that baby.”

I’m not sure how to respond to that so I just stand there with my hands rubbing the back of my neck.

“Leila, we’re going to head over there so we can say hi to the family” Reese says grabbing the boxes from Mama. He looks at me and just gives me a head nod then looks back over to Lei “Are you okay to carry those cupcakes babe?” he asks.

Lei smiles and says “I got them Babe, I’ll meet you there.”

We stand there for a few minutes then Lei asks, “So, are you sure that the baby is yours?”

“I was the only one she was with, Lei” I say.

She looks at me and says, “Were you still sleeping with her after you slept with Sina?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I ask her.

She gives me a look and says “All I’m saying is that you don’t know if she was sleeping with just you. But whatever that’s none of my business.”

Before I can reply we hear a guy say “Sina, please.”

We both look over to see who it is and I feel my heart stop beating. Sina is crying. My girl is always fucking crying. Even with tears running down her face, she is still the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.

I don’t realize who the guy was until Lei says, “What the hell is Michael doing here?”

I wait to see if he’s going to chase after her, with my heart hammering inside my chest, but he doesn't leave his car. He sits there for a few minutes and then he drives off. Lei looks at me and says “Should we go to her or leave her alone?”

I’m not sure what to do because things are already bad between us and I don’t want to push her anymore. It kills me to see her crying and I hate how hurt, sad, and small she looks standing by the tree. I want to run to her and just hold her and tell her that everything is going to be okay, but I know I can’t. I look over at Lei and say, “You go ahead; I’ll meet you guys there.”

Lei sighs and says “Don’t make her cry anymore Eli” She grabs the bag I’m holding in my hand and starts walking toward the park. I give Sina a few minutes to collect herself and then I walk over to the tree. She turns around and I forget how to breathe. She stands there surprised to see me, and she smiles a real smile. If she only knew how much I was dying inside, but I hold my shit together. I take a deep breath and give her an honest smile with my heart cracking in so many places.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sina

“Hey Eli.” He smiles and I can’t get my heart to slow down

“Hey you. I saw you over here, and I wanted to make sure that you were okay” he says.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay” I say feeling a little stupid because he knows that I was crying. I know he feels a little awkward too because he can’t keep eye contact. I don’t want him to feel any type of way so I say, “I’m glad you came. Is your mother here?”

He stops fidgeting and looks at me, “I wasn’t sure if you still wanted me to come to be honest. And yes, Mama’s here she’s already over there probably bragging about her apple pies” he says.

“You didn’t have to bring anything.”

“It was the least we could do Sina, and I never got the chance to thank you for inviting us.”

I smile at him and say, “No worries.”

I start walking but he grabs my wrist and says, “Sina, can I talk