“McKinley, I can’t let you do this.” My plea is weak at best. My head is telling me it’s the right thing to say. My heart is telling me to drag her to the courthouse right this second. That maybe there won’t be an end once we have a beginning.
“You’re not letting me do anything. I want to do this.”
“Your parents?” I say meekly.
“They’ll get it, man. Don’t worry about our parents. I think she’s right. This is the best way. You won’t be strapped to some stranger or some girl who will try to take your ass to the cleaners when this is over. Kinley has been here from the moment you found out. You all have spent a lot of time together. She has a point about the doctor’s appointments and all that stuff. This will work, man. Take her up on it. Save your little girl from those monsters,” Aaron tries to persuade me.
I’m convinced. I just needed to appear to put up a fight and make sure she understands what she’s volunteering to do.
“McKinley, look at me.”
Her eyes snap to mine. I step into her, closing off the space between us. “I need you to look me in the eye and tell me you are really okay with this. You will be putting your life on hold for me—-for us.”
“Yes.” No hesitation, her voice never wavers. “It was my idea, Evan. I promise you I will have no regrets. We can’t let them take her.”
“We should probably go talk to your parents first.”
“No, we shouldn’t. I’m an adult, Evan. I don’t need their blessing or their permission.”
I raise my hand to her cheek and she leans into my touch. “I know that, but I do. You’re going to be my wife, McKinley. I need them to know I will respect you always. I want to make sure they understand the complexity of this situation, but that I will never do anything to hurt you. They’re my second family. I need them on board with this before we can go through with it.”
I watch as her eyes soften with my words. She’s knows I’m right.
“I’ll call them, have them come over. No need in taking Lexi back out when they can come here,” Aaron offers.
I feel like I’m in a bubble watching this all unfold. He’s on board with this plan; he’s okay with me marrying his little sister. I can’t imagine their parents will be so understanding.
“Call them.”
I settle on the couch with Lexi in my arms. She’s wide-awake and making all of her cute baby noises. I block Evan and Aaron out, while she and I have some girl time. I love her. I don’t think I could love her more if she were my own. The thought of Misty’s parents taking her, causes my heart to crack wide open.
Evan and Aaron know I’m right. Getting married will fix this. Anyone who hears about it will believe it; we’re always together. This is the only way. Evan insists my parents know, but honestly, I couldn’t care less what they think. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep Lexi with Evan. By doing so, I keep her with me.
“I’ll let them in,” Aaron says when we hear my dad’s truck pull up.
Evan paces the floor in front of me. Mom and Dad follow Aaron into the room, both wearing looks of concern. “Why don’t you two go ahead and have a seat,” Aaron suggests.
“Is everything all right?” Mom asks, worried. Dad guides her to the loveseat and they both sit. Aaron takes his spot in the recliner, leaving me and Lex on the couch and Evan pacing.
“No, but it will be,” Aaron tells her. “Evan?” Evan raises his eyes and gives Aaron a tight nod. “Evan got a letter today from an attorney in Tennessee. The letter was informing him that Misty was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago. Her parents are now suing Evan for custody of Lexi, stating he can’t give her what she needs—a mother and a father role model in her life,” Aaron explains.
“I call bullshit!” Dad seethes.
“You’re right, it is; we all know that. However, none of us knows the laws or the legal rights. Misty signed away her rights, but does that void grandparent rights as well? None of us know. What we do know is they have enough money and connections, at least from what Evan knows from Misty, to fight this battle.”
“There has to be something we can do,” Mom states.
“There is,” I speak up for the first time. “I have the solution, but he,” I point across the room at Evan, “insisted the two of you agree to it.”
“Well, let’s hear it,” this from my dad.
“Evan and I need to get married. Lexi would have a mom.” I go on to explain, listing the same reasons as I did earlier with Evan and Aaron. “Once this all blows over, we can have the marriage annulled. I’ll still be in her life as her ‘mother’ figure and this will all go away.”
Evan stops pacing, his attention on me. “I can’t let you do this.”
I sigh in frustration. “I thought we worked through this? You’re not letting me do anything, Evan. They can’t take her. I won’t let them. This is the only way.”
“I think you might be right,” Mom says, shocking the hell out of us all. Dad watches her, something seems to pass between them.