Fighting for her (Novak series #1) {Completed}

5. Take charge

Mom's homemade chicken stew is something I've missed enormously over the years I've been away. Hence, I'm on my third portion, and while my uncles laugh, my mother is up in the heavens at my childish happiness over the food.

Noah walks back and forth with Camilla in his arms, low-mumbling as if they have an essential conversation no one else is allowed to take part in. Caleb isn't back yet, and although I understand his anger, I still hope somewhere that he'll forgive me for all the foolhardy decisions I bear responsibility for.

"It's great to see someone with such a big appetite enjoy my food," mom tells me, beaming.

"How can I not do that when I have heaven on my plate?" I ask, and she giggles cheerfully.

I keep eating happily until Camilla starts crying, and Noah looks panicked. He hurries to put her in my arms, and she immediately calms down. I keep eating with one hand and holding my wonderful little girl with the other.

"What are you crying for, huh?" I ask and look down at her. "Now you scared uncle Noah a lot... Good job!"

Camilla smiles big at me, and mom giggles next to me. She caresses her granddaughter's cheek with love radiating from her eyes. Dad stops talking to his brothers to look at his wife, who doesn't let go of my girl with her eyes.

"Don't even think about it, El!" Dad says, staring at mom. "We're too old for more, and we already have seven. That's enough. Now it's our children's turn to produce babies."

Mom pouts like a small child and stomps with her foot, which makes me start laughing loudly. Camilla looks up at me and laughs too, which makes everything else stop. Brody walks up to me and lifts her to his chest.

"That's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard, little miss," he says, looking at her with a severe grimace I haven't seen before.

I look at mom, shrugging her shoulders like she doesn't know what's going on either. In fact, we all stare at my uncle, who rarely behaves this way and feels confused. Brody looks around, clears his throat, and returns Camilla before he leaves the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Noah asks confusedly.

"I have no idea," mom replies, starting to walk after my uncle. "But I'll find out."

An unpleasant silence spreads in the room when mom disappears. She tends to lighten the mood in any situation just by her presence, and now that she's not here, it becomes as rigid as before. Dad is the one who breaks the silence gratefully enough.

"Have you thought to stay here or disappear again?" he asks, and I look down at my hands.

"I don't think it's a good idea that I stay..." I mumble in response, and he stands before me immediately.

"You can't leave us again, Darby," he says, looking into my eyes. "Your mother nor I am able to go through that pain one more time. You can stay here in the house while you decide what you want to do in your life."

"What were you doing before you came here?" my uncle Jaxon asks.

"I was a mechanic in a workshop my friend owns," I reply, and he smiles directly.

"A good friend of mine owns a workshop not far from here; he's always looking for new employees. I can call him if you want?" he asks, and I nod slowly.

"That would be great, thank you!" I answer, and my uncle smiles big at me. "But who will take care of Camilla?"

"That's what mom and I are here for, at least when we're not working," Fiona replies. "Otherwise, you can hire a nanny who'll take care of her."

"I don't have the money to pay for such a thing," I point out, shaking my head.

"You forget what family you belong to, I notice," Noah laughs.

"I'm nineteen years old; my parents shouldn't have to pay things for me anymore," I answer and raise one eyebrow.

"Darby, listen to me," dad says, and I move my gaze back to him. "You're our son, and we don't mind helping you with money if you need it. Besides, it's not for anything but to help you with our granddaughter when you work."

I wouldn't say I like receiving money from anyone, at least my parents, no matter how much they earn. It's my responsibility to ensure my own finances now that I am an adult, not only for myself but also for my daughter, who only has me. In the end, I give up because I know he's right.

"Okay, thank you."

❖❣❖❣❖

After yesterday's conversation with the family, I slept well in my old room that had not changed incidentally. My uncle quickly contacted his friend, and I'll now start my first working day at "Jefferson's mechanic."

In all honesty, it feels a little silly that I don't need an interview or show off my experiences solely because the owner knows my uncle. Who knows, I may not be the most suited for the job but still get it solely because of my connections?

On the other hand, I can't afford to be ungrateful now, not when I get an opportunity to start over with my daughter in a safe place. Because I trust my mother, she gets the privilege to pick out a nanny today for Camilla.

I talked to her about it yesterday before I went to bed that I worry a little about it because our family is famous for what we are and do. But she waved away my concern and announced that she already had someone in mind. I can't do more than prat that she's right.

"Darby?"

A voice makes me jump back to reality where a forty-year-old man is standing, wearing protective clothing with oil stains on it. He smiles big and wipes his hands on a rag before walking towards me to shake my hand. I introduce myself and find out his name is Hugo.

"Nice to finally meet the lost sheep," he says, opening a box inside his office. "Your uncle has talked a lot about you over the years when we've been out drinking beer, you know. It's great that you start working right away because we have an old Renault Fuego back there that needs massive rust repairs."

I nod and accept the overalls Hugo gives me. He points towards a small room that I walk into and realizes that this is the staff room. I quickly change and leave the room to examine my first object for repair.

Honestly, I'm surprised that anyone at all dares to drive around with Renault Fuego, given the well-known information about faults. Renault didn't withdraw the model even when fires occurred due to problems with electronics.

That the cars rusted apart quickly was also not enough reason, but when the steering wheel suddenly came off while driving, only then they pulled it back. Whoever's driving this car is a brave son of a b***h, not even I would be riding around in this one, and I've done much nonsense.

I pick up a hammer of a smaller model and gently tap the rust that is everywhere on the car to determine how much damage there is. When I get to the hood, the rust falls apart like sand through a hole and I panic.

"f**k!" I exclaim, ashamed that I caused damage to a customer's car, and on my first day too.

"It's okay," Hugo laughs. "That car has survived a lot, and miss Hathaway isn't impossible. She's well aware that the vehicle is probably on its final repair."

"How can she drive around with this danger?" I ask and pick up the rust primer with the correct color code.

"Don't forget the tape," he replies, and I show the tape in my other hand. "Miss Hathaway inherited the car from her father; that's probably the only good that man has done in his life."

The conversation ends, and I start taping the car to protect the few parts that aren't getting repairs, even though it's probably a matter of time. It takes hours for me to scrape off all the rust, and before I know it, the day is over.

"Won't miss Hathaway need her car? I can stay there until I finish otherwise," I say, and Hugo slowly shakes his head with a slight smile.

"It's all right; she usually mostly goes public transport regardless of having a car. In addition, she tends to have low money, so she can't afford our overtime, even though I pay for some of her repairs," he explains, and I look up in surprise. "Yes, I have a soft spot for her. She's a kind and nice girl who hasn't had an easy life."

"That's very generous of you, Hugo," I answer, and his cheeks change color a little.

"Well, today's work has gone well, and I can see that you know what you're doing. Even so, I think we'll give it the week out before discussing employment again; how about that?" Hugo asks.

"It works for me, I'm glad to have the opportunity at all," I reply, and Hugo laughs again as only he can.

"Good job today, kid! Go home now; your family is probably waiting for you," he replies. "Take the overalls with you; you'll need it tomorrow, too."

I throw the clothes I was wearing earlier in the back seat of mom's car that I borrowed for the day; there's no significant reason to change now anyway. When I get home, I plan to eat and spend time with my daughter, maybe a shower, and then sleep deep as the night before.

Mom opens the door and comes out on the stairs with Camilla in her arms when she hears me park the car in the garage. I pick out the clothes and hold them in one hand. Camilla smiles big when she sees me in the distance, and mom's mouth moves when she talks to her granddaughter.

"Hey, baby," I say, picking up my daughter. "I missed you, mala Kraljica."

I walk in through the front door and murmur with Camilla in my arms. Mom takes the clothes from my hand and leads me into the kitchen, where the family is waiting. However, Caleb, Fiona, and Noah are missing today. On the other hand, my younger siblings are in the room hugging me before returning to their plates.

"Hey boys," I say, ruffling their hairs, which they giggle at.

"How'd it go today?" Uncle Jaxon asks curiously, and I smile big.

"It went well; however, I've got one hell of a car to work with," I reply and get a light slap in the back of my head by mom.

"Language," she says, starting to put food on a plate that she then places in front of me.

"Which model is it?" Dad asks curiously.

"Renault Fuego," I answer, and my uncles make an "ooh" sound.

"The standard errors?" Adrien asks, and I nod before shoving food into my mouth.

"How has my queen been today?" I ask, and mom shines up like a sun.

"She's been the world's best little snuggle bug," she replies, picking up Camilla again. "Yes, you have. Yeah, you have, haven't you?"

I look questioningly at dad with one eyebrow raised. My uncles laugh loudly at dad's hopeless facial expressions while shaking his head and rubbing his face. Mom flicks them on their ears, and they immediately silence, hard straining so as not to laugh again.

"She has seven children; despite this, she isn't satisfied," dad sighs, and mom makes a "humph" sound.

"By the way, Darby, I've found a nanny," mom says, feeding Camilla with a baby bottle. "She has experience from before, is flexible, and lives close to us."

"What's her name?" I ask.

"Hope."

Hope, precisely what I need...

A/N:

Hello my dear readers!

It's taken a little while for me to update the book, and that's because I'm graduating in less than two weeks. I have a lot left to do, and the stress level is very much higher than what's reasonably peculiar. Okay, now the next chapter is here, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts!

~ Is Hope a good person for Camilla?

~ Will Darby get the job permanently?

~ What holds the future for him?

Please, kind, sweets, comment more! I love your comments, and they help me develop as a writer. If I can be kind enough to offer my books free to you, then why can't you write a comment with feedback? At least, I think that's a reasonable exchange. Hugs and kisses!