𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕

My gaze softens as Serenity snuggles closer to me, a smile unconsciously growing as she sleeps. My hands move her curls that fall in front of her face, my adorable daughter just gets cuter every day.

"What's got you smiling my little girl?" I say in a quiet voice, my lips turning up in a smile from the sight. I'm distracted from the sight when I feel movement against my abdomen and my hand reaches down to caress my protruding stomach. "I haven't forgotten about you either little one."

After the talk Jason and I had a months ago about having another child l finally decided that we were at a good place mentally, financially, and in my case physically after my first pregnancy to try for another. Three months after Serenity turned two I got my implant taken out and here l am in my sixth month with another baby girl on the way.

l feel my my phone vibrating next to me and I assume it's just Jason or Oli wanting to ask me something since the two are downstairs but when l see the hospital phone number, my first thought is it they want to change my upcoming shifts. 

"Is this Victoria Marshall?" a man's voice asks and I'm thrown off for a second because I haven't heard my maiden name ever since I got married and took Jason's last name.

"Yes this is Victoria, what can I do for you?" I ask in a low voice as I slowly sit up from my daughter's bed and make sure she's tucked under her blanket before quietly walking out of her room. 

"We have a patient here named Devin Marshall here in palliative care at the hospital, he informed us that you're his daughter and that you also work here," the man says and I feel my eye twitch when I hear the name. Ever since that day we met at the hospital, I didn't bother to contact him again, he's still just a sperm donor in my books. And how did he get my phone number since I clearly didn't give it to him the last time we met. 

"Yes that's correct, I work at the hospital, is there a reason he's asking to contact me?" I ask as I lean back against the wall.

"I'll be very straightforward Victoria, your father is worried he doesn't have enough time left and he asked we contact you so the two of you to meet," the man explains. I'm just about ready to blurt that I don't want anything to do with the man when his next sentence stops me. "He wants to hand over your mother's possessions that he wasn't able to hand to you years ago." When my mom died, it was the worst time to deal with not only losing her but my dad bringing a new woman into our home. When it came to taking her keepsakes like photo albums and other things my dad locked them away from me and things like her jewelry that bitch claimed them as hers. I move my ear from the phone and see I still have enough time before visitation ends for the day. 

"I'll be there in thirty minutes," I say as I go to my room and grab my wallet plus keys from my vanity. "What room is he in?"

"He's in room ten fifteen," the man replies.

"Alright, thank you," I say before hanging up. I can't believe he's finally going to give me my mom's things but it just shows how much he never cared about me to withhold it. I walk out of my room and go to the top of the staircase and can make out the sounds of Jason's and Oli's laughter. 

"Jason," I call out, I feel bad I'm interrupting them in whatever they're doing.

"Yes sweetheart?" he calls back.

"Can you come over here, I need to talk to you," I tell him and it's silent before I hear the sounds of footsteps and see him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Everything okay? You and the baby?" he asks in worry as he climbs the stairs and as soon as he reaches me on arm wraps around my waist while he places a hand on my baby bump.

"The both of us are okay," I reply as I place my hand on top of his. "I just got a call from the hospital, my dad wants to see me," I say bluntly and he looks surprised when I say that.

"He wants to see you? For what? After what you told me last time I thought he'd never contact you," he says, a peeved expression on his face on my behalf.

"Trust me, I thought the same but somehow he got a hold of my number and now wants to see me to give me my mom's things," I explain. "I'd rather not see him but I have no choice, I'm going to get them."

"Are you going right now?" he asks and I nod my head. "I'm going to come with you, I'm not letting you go alone."

"But the kids-"

"The kids will come with us, I'll sit out in the hall with them while the two of you talk. You shouldn't have to go meet him alone, I'll always be there to support you," he vehemently tells me and my eyes get misty for a moment. 

"In that case do you mind putting a jacket on for Serenity while I tell Oli to go put on his shoes?" I ask him and he kisses my forehead before pulling back.

"Anything for you sweetheart," he answers before turning to go to our daughter's room. I take my time going down the stairs, soon I won't be able to see the steps which honestly becomes a bit of an inconvenience when you live in a three-story home.

"Mom," Oli says when he sees me on the second last step. He rushes to me and holds onto my arms, helping me the rest of the way down. He saw Jason doing this during my first pregnancy so he started to copy him too and was always determined to help.

"Thank you Oli," I tell him as he smiles up at me and I pull him in for a hug.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asks when he sees my keys in my hand. 

"We're all going to the hospital right now, there's just something I need to do there so all three of you are coming along with me. Can you go put on your shoes and wait at the door for your dad and sister?" I ask him. He nods his head and lets go of me to go do that while I pause the movie the two were watching before I interrupted. I go to put on my own shoes as Jason comes down the stairs with Serenity still asleep in his arms. Ever since we started a bedtime routine for her she got so adjusted to it that she'll always fall asleep at exactly seven and most of the time will sleep through the noise in the house. 

"I hope she'll sleep through everything," Jason tells me as he shoves his feet into his sneakers.

"Same here," I reply as Oli opens the door for us. Once everyone is out I lock the door behind me and unlock the car. Jason straps Serenity into her seat, Oli goes to his side of the car and I hand my keys so Jason can drive. I don't know what to expect when I see my dad but the one thing I hope for is that he doesn't try to ask for my forgiveness or anything like that. My heart just can't give it to him. I feel Jason place his hand on top of mine giving it a reassuring squeeze as he continues to drive. 

It's quiet for the rest of the time until we reach the hospital, it always feels weird coming here when it's not for work. Jason parks in the visitor's area of the hospital and soon we have Serenity back in his arms while Oli holds onto my hand. Sometimes the kid is perceptive when things might not be okay for me or even his uncle, we'd never include him in our problems or let it show but the kid just knows. We go through the main hospital entrance, straight to the elevators and up to the ward. I lead us through the halls until I find his room number, all of us standing outside of it.

"We'll wait outside for you, take your time," Jason tells me as Oli lets go of my hand and goes to stand next to him. I nod my head and steel my nerves as I knock on the door before sliding it open. When I see the sight of Vanessa, Blaire, and a man I didn't see last time sitting in the room. I don't miss the rings on Blaire and the man's fingers, I'm surprised she managed to find someone that can tolerate her shit personality. 

I reach out to grab Jason. When he sees the expression on my face he doesn't say anything as he steps up beside me. It's one thing to face my dad but adding these two as well? I'd rather not have my stress levels rise more than I already know they did.

"Victoria, you came," my dad says in relief. "And you brought your family with you too?" he asks when he sees Jason and the kids beside me. Vanessa is already glaring at me while her daughter recognizes Jason, no doubt remembering the time she met him at the hospital.

"How did you get my number?" l asked him and he looks guilty when l ask him that.

"I hired a private investigator to look for you," he says in a quiet voice and I just take in another deep breath and just push that to the back of my mind. 

"I only came here to get mom's things, you have them right?" I ask and he nods his head as the man stands up and passes two bags to me. 

"Everything I never gave you is in there and I wanted to give you this myself," he says as he holds up a small box in his hand. 

"Dear, what else are you giving her?" Vanessa asks in annoyance as the man passes me the box. I open it and I'm met with the sight of my mother's gold locket, one she always used to wear. The last time l saw the necklace was when Vanessa first came to the house and l remember l went ballistic that day when I saw her wearing that. I just kept wondering how my dad could disrespect my mom like that. l take it out of the box and when Vanessa sees it her eyes widen. 

"Why are you giving this to me now?" l ask him.

"Mom, wasn't that supposed to be mine in the future? Why is she getting it?" Blaire asks in distaste when she sees the locket.

"It was never yours and your mom knows it, she stole it from me," I reply before looking back at my dad. "So I'll ask again, why now ?"

"I realized I made a mistake back then, I shouldn't have done that to you and just gave you your mother's things," he says with a sigh. l don't say anything as l look at the locket and open it to find a picture of my mom and me when l was a kid. "She would be proud of you, a good career,  a husband, and you've given us grandchildren along with one on the way." As soon as he mentions Jason and the kids l know it's time for us to leave.

"We'll wait for you outside," Jason tells me already knowing my thoughts. l nod my head as he leads Oli out with him and slides the door behind him.

"I don't know what ideas you have that you'd be considered as a grandparent to my children so you'd better lose it," l say bluntly. "l lost respect for you when you brought this bitch into our home after mom died. l lost respect for you when you didn't care about me anymore and this bitch became your priority. But when I read mom's letter that she left for me and she knew you were cheating while she was sick but still had faith you'd be there for me as a parent, everything else pales in comparison to that." l watch as my dad's face fall but l don't care if my words hurt him. It feels good to get this off my chest finally.

"Devin are you just going to let her talk to me like that?" Vanessa screeches loudly in anger.

"You failed me as a parent, l hope it was worth it for you," l tell him. "Goodbye Mr. Marshall, l hope we never meet again."

"Wait, where the hell do you think you're going after talking to my mom like that and taking my future inheritance?" Blaire demands as she rushes towards me and grabs my arm.

"Blaire cut the shit, that is for her alone and I've added in my will that l gave it to her and the two of you aren't to bother her about it. It won't make up anything but it's still hers," my dad says in a remorseful tone and l don't show a reaction to his words; at least he thought ahead to make sure they don't bother me.

"Get your hands off of me, l doubt you'd like it if l called my husband back inside. I'm pretty sure you remember the policeman that you tried to flirt with and paint yourself as the victim when you came to harass me the first time we met, right?" l ask in a cool tone to Blaire while the man who gave me the bags earlier looks at her in question.

"Blaire what the fuck  is she talking about?" the man asks her and l don't even stick around for the drama that's about to unfold. l pick up the bags in front of me, the locket already back in the box and turn my back to my dad. The name Devon Marshall is one that I'll never think of again. I slide the door open and when I see the kids plus Jason I know that this is my family right here.

"All done?" Jason asks me as he stands. 

"All done, for good," I tell him as I slide the door to block out the rising voices, metaphorically the curtains are falling as I officially close this chapter of my life. 

✘✘

My fingers flip the pages as I reminisce about the past, memories of my childhood spread across the pages. Serenity thankfully stayed asleep until we came home and was awake until Oli went to bed; that was three hours ago when we came back from the hospital but I'm wide awake as I go through these. There's still more to go through but it just feels good to have memories here with me at home. I unconsciously touch the necklace on my neck, I put the locket on my neck as soon as we were in the car.

"The two of you look alike, you got a lot of features from her," Jason says from behind me as he leans over my shoulder. 

"People used to tell me growing up that I was a mini her," I say with a fond smile. "She would just laugh and say that even though we look alike I was going to become a better woman than her. I used to think how could I ever be better than my mom, she was so cool."

"I wish I could have met her," Jason says as he rounds the sofa to come sit next to me. 

"Me too, I wish I could have met your parents too," I say as he wraps an arm around my shoulder pulling me into his side. I know my mom and his parents would have gotten along so well.

"What's the story with the necklace?" he asks me and I lean into him and open the locket to show it to him.

"This was my mom's, passed from her mom and her then her mom; It's been in the family for years. Originally I was supposed to get this but after she died my dad gave it to his new wife," the words coming out my voice filled with disgust. "I was so angry when I saw her wearing it, it was a black-out rage that I can't even remember full details."

"At least your dad gave it to you now and it's back with you, It's not a way to make up for anything but at least that bitch doesn't have it anymore," he says and I nod my head. Before I can say anything I hear the creaking of the staircase and Jason and I share fond smiles with one another. "Come down here Oli," Jason calls out to him. The footsteps quicken and when Oli sees the two of us, he immediately comes to us, jumping on Jason before looking at the album in my lap.

"Mom, who is that?" he asks as he points at a picture.

"That's my mom and me," I answer and he looks puzzled for a moment before asking me another question.

"So she's my grandma? Why hasn't she come here before?" he asks in confusion. 

"She passed away years ago, I still miss her," I say and Oli shifts in Jason's lap to lean over and give me a hug. 

"Just like my mom and dad," he says with a nod of understanding.

"Yes, just like your mom and dad," I say as I hug him back.

"What was she like?" he asks me and I let out a light laugh.

"I can tell you as many stories as you'd like but that will have to be in the morning. Growing boys still need their sleep," I say as I tickle his stomach. 

"I'll take him back to bed and then I'll be back for you," Jason says as he stands and hauls Oli over his shoulder, giggles still coming out of him.

"Goodnight mom, love you," Oli says as he's carried away.

"I love you too, sweet dreams sweetie," I tell him. I take one last glance at the album before closing it. I'll have more time tomorrow to go through everything and share things from years ago, I can't wait. 

✘✘

A/N Okay I'll be honest. I started off writing a new bonus chapter of a date night with Victoria and Jason, then I had to make it a two-part chapter and then I wrote this chapter here. So basically it started off with one idea and then kind of snowballed into all of this. I couldn't just end the date night chapter without some drama and Victoria is having another baby girl!!  Anyways I hope you all enjoyed the most recent bonus chapters, I'll be going back to writing The Detective which thankfully I'm very close to finishing. For any of you that need a refresher on when Victoria and her dad first reunited, head on over to chapter 12 and Victoria's mom's letter in chapter 13!

Be sure to leave your thoughts of the chapter in the comments!! ^^