Buck and I started hanging out more, in secret though seeing as CJ hated him and Hunter can't stand me. We'd go out to eat, the movies, and even drives in his car. Surprisingly he never tried to push sleeping together like he used to. He'd let me get on his phone whenever I wanted and he truly had stopped texting other woman. I had to bring the boys a lot but Buck was fine with it. He'd always talked about wanting to be a father  and he was so good with kids.

Graduation came and Buck, CJ, Finn, myself, and all our peers walked down the line to receive our diplomas.

I started my job at Quesenberry and it was nowhere near as labor intensive as the saw mill, though still hard work. I had more time with the kids and my friends.

However, the day before my 18th birthday, Buck was supposed to leave for the marines. The night before he left we went out to the middle of the wood near his house. He'd prepared a candle lit evening in the woods and it was like something out of a fairytale.

"No matter how far I am from you my love will still burn for you," he sang into my ear.

"Buck, I come with a lot of baggage. I had to hug my brother goodbye when I was 12 just like I'm going to have to with you now. I turn 18 in two days and I have 4 and 2 year old boys. It's not fair of me to ask you to come home to me," I said.

"You don't have to ask. I want to be with you, Lubella. I tried to forget about you, you deserve better than me, but I always ended up back in your arms. I love you and I wanna be a father figure for those boys," he cupped my cheek with his hand.

He had so many parallels to my father and brother. My father was raised by an ex military man, my papaw. Buck's step dad adopted Buck and his younger brother after getting out of the Air Force and marrying Buck's mother. Daddy was a firefighter chef for the same department Buck joined. Clay was in the ROTC at school for his four years of high school and played nose guard. Buck has been in ROTC since freshman year and plays right linebacker. Clay graduated and two months later he was off to the Army. Now, Buck was shipping out to the Marines.

I loved him so much and I couldn't imagine him leaving. I was selfish in this moment, I didn't want anyone to have him, including the US Military. However, I had no true say in the matter. I kissed him that night before he left as if it was the first and last time.

I wasn't sure if it was just my nerves of being 18 soon and Buck leaving like my brother had but I constantly felt nauseous. I began to think and realized my period was late! I took a pregnancy test and sure enough it was positive. I was scared as any teenager would've been to find out this news. Another baby on top of raising Wilder and Phoenix, I couldn't do that on my own and mom is already no help.

It had to of been because of that night at the bonfire. I was pregnant with Buck's baby, right before he was leaving for the military! Buck had already left by the time I took the test. He was in his final exam before going to his new base.

That night Buck called me. "I'm coming home darling," he said both disappointed and excited.

"What?" I exclaimed in my bedroom.

"I failed my drug test. I smoked a joint that night at the bonfire. It stays in your system for about four months. I'll be home in the morning Babygirl. At least it's in time for your birthday," he said over the phone.

"Well, maybe it's for the best. Your biggest dream was always to be a father," I started.

"Yeah I'll take care of Wilder and Phoenix like my own, just like Dad did for me and Cole when our sperm donor left by throwing us out of a moving car." It was true, Buck's biological father had thrown the two out of a moving car when they were 2 and 4 months old. Buck hated his biological father and the fact he carried his name as his middle name.

"That's extremely appreciated but not fully what I mean. Buck, I'm... pregnant," I said almost in tears.

The phone was silent for a moment, then Buck shouted in glee, "You're pregnant! We're going to have a baby! Lubella darling this is the best news. I'll get a job in the mechanic shop with Dad. We'll build a place of our own to get you and our boys away from your mother. We'll raise the kids together and be a true family. I love you sweetheart and I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight my love."

"I love you too. Goodnight my dear." I went to sleep feeling good, happy, truly happy for the first time in six months. I slept dreaming of my future with Buck and my kids.

The next morning at 7am I heard my mother in the kitchen. She was making breakfast. I walked through the hallway with the smell of French toast and bacon. Phoenix and Wilder were still asleep in their room. Griz stayed on my heals. On the table was a bottle of Jack Daniels, Patron, and vape juice. The Patron was a fourth of the way gone and it worried me.

"The whiskey and vape juice is for you Lubella," mom slurred.

"I'm actually going to stop drinking and smoking, better my health," I replied.

"Because your pregnant," she hissed and turned around punching my stomach.

I fell silent. How did she know? Then I came to a realization. Oh shit! Mom was going to kill me for this! She began screaming at me to get out of her house and that I was a whore. The yelling woke Wilder and Phoenix. The two ran in the room crying and confused.

Mom pulled a knife from the drawer and lunged towards me. Wilder was screaming for her to stop. Griz jumped between us and Mom cut his front leg with the kitchen knife.

Suddenly the front door in the living room, that was almost never used, was busted open by police.

"You fucking whore called the police on me," Mom screeched.

"No ma'am. We were called by CPS," said one of the officers.

The took the knife from mom, "Lilith Jolon you are under arrested for child neglect, assault, attempted murder, and animal abuse. You have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Two officers took her outside and another two stayed with me and the kids.

In walked Marisa, my cousin. Marisa is a social worker but never called anything in on Mom in fear of the boys being split up.

Two other men walked in behind Marisa. They were in dress suits and held briefcases. They introduced themselves as Mr. White and Mr. Smith, lawyers.

The officers took statements from me and asked if I needed an ambulance I denied it but did take time to use some turpentine and bandages we had at the house to patch up Griz's leg.

I told the boys to take their breakfast to their bedroom because I didn't want them around when the lawyers began to speak. One of the officers went with them to both take a statement and keep them calm as much as possible.

I sat down across from them at the kitchen table and soon Buck walked in.

"Who is he?" asked the officer standing by the sink.

"I'm Buck Moxon, Lubella's boyfriend and father of her child. What's going on?" Buck said confused.

"You have a child?" the officer questioned.

"Going to. I'm pregnant around 3 weeks. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow," I answered.

Marisa looked shocked and happy for me.

I turned to the lawyers, "please don't take my boys. Wilder and Phoenix are my whole world. I know I didn't give birth to them but I need them. They need me."

"Darling, those two are exactly why we're here. Your brother, Clay Duke Jolon, wrote a will, after his wife Jezebel Kenzie Jolon's suicide do to postpartum depression, saying on June 18th 2022, your 18th birthday you would gain full custody of Wilder Duke Jolon and Phoenix Waylon Jolon and all of his military pay out and benefits would go to you to assist in the care taking of his sons, if he met an untimely death," said Mr. Smith.

"And Cedar Waylon Jolon had wrote a will when he fell ill that proclaimed that all of his property, including the single wide trailer, 20 acres of land, and a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, and his bank accounts of $8,341.88," chimed Mr. White.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. With my savings and Daddy's savings we'd have a good nest egg of $13,623.04 and with me making $25 an hour and Buck working with his dad in his mechanic shop, we could give the kids a good life. The life Daddy wanted for me, the life Clay wanted for his sons.

I began crying tears of joy. I was keeping my boys. I was keeping my Buck at home. Mom was gone from my life.