Chapter 13
thirteen
. . .
I t’s Aubrey’s week to have Amelie, but instead my daughter and Talisa walk into my apartment. I mute the television and instantly rush to Amelie. I give her a once over, looking for bumps, bruises, or scrapes before asking why she’s not with her mom. Believe me, it’s not that I don’t want her with me because I do. It’s more that her mother will have the biggest freak out and she’s the one I don’t want to deal with.
“Mrs. Ashford has company for dinner,” Talisa says. “Ms. Amelie didn’t want to stay and asked that I bring her here.”
Amelie nods, looks over her shoulder and up at Talisa. “What she said.”
“Who’s at the house?” I ask.
“Mommy’s new boyfriend.”
My heart sinks for Amelie, knowing this is the first time Aubrey’s brought him over when Amelie’s there. I sensed things were moving along and they were ready to move in with each other when she brought a few of my items over that I left there, but I’ve not actually asked Aubrey if my instinct is correct. I have done my absolute best to stay out of her life, to let her live it, as long as Amelie isn’t affected. Honestly, I’m surprised Aubrey waited this long to introduce them. If what my director says is right, they’ve been engaged for a while and dating well beyond that. Maybe my ex is trying to save face with her daughter.
“Thanks, Talisa. You can go home. I’ll take Amelie home later.”
Amelie heads right to her room while I walk Talisa out to her car. It’s dark and while my neighbor is okay, I don’t trust things that lurk around corners. Once Talisa is safely inside her car, I head back in, lock up and go to Amelie’s room.
“Wanna talk?”
“Did you know she had a boyfriend?”
I nod, step inside her room, and sit on the edge of her bed. “I did.”
“How come you didn’t tell me?”
“Well, mostly because it’s not my place. That’s something your mom needs to share with you and because while I knew, I found out in a way your mom never intended me to and she hasn’t confirmed it. So, I really couldn’t go around saying something. I take it this is the first time you’ve met him?”
She shakes her head.
“No?”
“He’s been over before, but as a work friend, mom said.”
This isn’t something Amelie has mentioned, not that she needed to. “What’s different about tonight?”
She shrugs and looks away.
“Amelie what’s going on?”
“I don’t think he knew I was there, and I heard him talking to Mommy in her room. He said, ‘did you get rid of the kid yet’ and she told him to be quiet, and then he yelled a bit about how he doesn’t want kids and she’s known this for a long time and how she showed up with one.”
Every fiber of my being ignites with fire. I hate her for putting our daughter in a situation like this, with someone like that man. For disrupting our family.
I pull Amelie into my arms and hold her as she starts to cry. “I’m so sorry,” I tell her, trying to assuage her broken heart. No one should ever hear those kinds of words from anyone, especially their mother’s boyfriend.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah, baby girl.”
“Can I live with you?”
My head nods before I can even form the words to tell her she can. I have full custody and have the final decision. For a long time, I’ve felt the only reason Aubrey wanted Amelie was for money and comfort.
Obviously, it’s not something I can prove.
I get Amelie some dinner and then head into my room to call Talisa and ask her to come back. When she arrives, I tell them I’m heading over to get some of Amelie’s things and tonight should be like any other night, dinner, some television, and then a shower.
On the drive over, I call Aubrey, but she doesn’t answer. I know that someday my mind won’t immediately go to what I think she’s doing with this man, and when that happens, I’m going to rejoice. Because right now all I can think about is my wife cheating on me while I struggle to find a common ground between being her husband, raising one child here and another back home, and questioning what the hell I’m doing.
When I get to the house, even though I have a key, I knock. And knock. Until she opens the door. Her hair is down and she’s wearing one of the kimono robes she loves so much. There isn’t a doubt in my mind I’ve interrupted her.
“Nick, what are you doing here?”
“Where’s Amelie?” It’s one of those low blow questions, but I want her to think our daughter isn’t where she should be.
“I thought she was with you.”
“Did you call to check? To make sure Talisa made it to the apartment?”
“No, I—” I brush by her even though I should respect her space. I’m angry, my thoughts are muddled, as are my emotions. “Nick, you can’t just come in here.”
“I pay the rent on this place.” I point out. “And our daughter is at my apartment crying her eyes out because of you.”
“Look, I admit I didn’t break the news to her that well.”
That’s when I see it, a diamond engagement ring on her finger. She sees me looking at it and drops her hand.
“I can explain?—”
“You really don’t have to, Aubrey. We’re divorced. You’re free to do whatever you want, even though I know you cheated. You know, it all makes sense now that I think about it. You accused me to alleviate your own guilt. Pretty clever. What I don’t get is why you brought us all the way here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but our daughter overheard your fiancé ask you if you got rid of the kid yet. Now, being a doctor and a parent, I gotta say that’s a pretty big red flag.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“No, then tell me what it is because our daughter is at my place crying. She was so upset she had Talisa bring her over. What do you want me to say to her, Aubrey? Your boyfriend or fiancé doesn’t want kids, and yet you have two of them.” I begin to pace, pushing my hands through my hair. “You know what this looks like, right? How this feels to her? To me?”
Aubrey stares. Not at me, but down the hall. I follow her gaze and start to laugh. “So, he’s here? Hiding in the bedroom, huh? Not man enough to come out to face me.”
“Nick, stop.”
“Stop? You’re serious right now? The only thing going through my mind is you’re hurting our kids to please your boyfriend and you want me to stop?”
She nods.
“Go get him. I want to meet him,” I tell her. “I want to meet the man you destroyed your family for. The man you’re willing to give up your children for.”
“I’m not giving up my children.”
“The hell you aren’t. Do you really think I’m going to let Amelie come back here after he made those veiled threats? You didn’t even deny them, Aubrey. You let some man tell you what to do with your daughter. She’s supposed to mean more than a piece of dick.”
“She does!” Aubrey screams and wipes at her tears. “I told him she’s not going anywhere. That we’re a package deal.”
“I’m taking her back to the states.”
“You can’t do that.”
“You know I can. I have full custody of the children, Aubrey. It’s not safe here for her. I’ve said this from the beginning. The only reason she’s here now is because I didn’t want you to kidnap her.”
“Nick,” she says my name quietly, almost as if she’s shocked, I would say something like that.
I shrug. “When you told me you wanted to move and take the kids that’s the first thing that went through my mind. Everything you’ve done, you’ve done so with your boyfriend in mind. You know damn well moving Amelie here wasn’t a good idea. You made a selfish decision for a man who doesn’t even want kids. Who isn’t even man enough to come out here and face me,” I say the last part loud enough for him to hear. “That’s what you want? A man who doesn’t even stand up for you?”
The door to the bedroom opens and the man walks out. Without cars and a busy street separating us, he’s a bit shorter than me, a little beefy with no hair. I can’t tell if he shaves it or if he’s bald.
I look from him to Aubrey, who looks absolutely horrified.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
She sighs heavily. “I don’t think you’ll like the irony of the situation,” she says quietly.
“I see. Should I guess?”
She shakes her head. The guy steps forward and I expect him to hold out his hand for me to shake, but he doesn’t, which is probably a good thing.
“I’m Liam,” he says in an accent so heavy it sounds like his name is lye-em.
Aubrey’s right. I don’t like the irony. “Really?”
“There’s more.”
“Can’t wait to hear it.”
“We were engaged before you came here,” she says, which is absolute news to me. “When I met you, I broke it off with him to be with you.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me, Aubrey. Really? After everything I told you about what brought me here in the first place. You cheated on him with me?”
“And then you with me, it seems.”
I glare at Liam, Lye-em, however the hell he says his name. He’s no better than her, breaking up our family.
“I can’t believe you,” I say as I head down the hall.
“Where are you going?”
“To get Amelie’s stuff.”
“She’s not moving with you, Nick.”
I turn around and head back to where they’re standing and look him dead in the eyes. “Do you want children?”
“Not at all,” he says without missing a beat.
My eyes bore into Aubrey’s. “I’m going back to the states, and I’m taking Amelie with me. If you want to be her mother, you’ll figure things out on this end. I will not sit by and wonder if my daughter is going to make it to my next visitation because her mother’s boyfriend doesn’t want children. You should’ve thought about that when you rekindled your relationship with him.”
Then I turn to him. “Thanks,” I tell him.
“For what?”
“For making it easier to get the fuck out of here.”
I take what I can, while Aubrey sits on the couch crying. I fear she’s upset because she’s going to lose money, not that Amelie is leaving. I tell her I’ll be back for the rest of the stuff sometime this week and if she wants to see her daughter, she knows where to find her.
When I get back to the apartment, Amelie’s snuggled up with Talisa. I ask her to wait while I put Amelie to bed. “Your mom will come and see you here,” I tell her. “We can talk more about it in the morning. But for right now, you don’t have to go back to your mom’s if he’s there.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“I love you, Amelie.” I kiss her forehead and turn off her light. Talisa stands when I come into the living room.
“Am I fired?”
I shake my head but also grimace. “My contract is up in November, and I’m going to take her back to the states.”
Talisa starts to cry.
“I’m sorry, I truly am, but I have an offer for you.”
“What is it?”
“Come with us. I have a son who’s sixteen, almost seventeen, and I own my medical practice in a town called Beaumont. It’s small, quaint, and we have a lot of friends there. Our house is nicer, you’d have your own room, and I’d double your pay. I need someone to be home with the kids, especially when I’m on call and need to leave in the middle of the night. I know you don’t have family here, or not much family, and would understand if you say no?—”
“Yes,” she says, interrupting me.
“Yeah?”
“I love that little girl, Mr. Nick. I don’t want to lose her.”
“We love you, Talisa. You’re very good with Amelie and I know Mack will love you as well. Fair warning, he’s an active kid. He plays a lot of sports.”
“I don’t mind. Thank you.”
We go over some loose logistics and I tell her I’ll get the paperwork started on a work visa for her. After I walk her out to her again, I head inside and into my bedroom. Just as I’m crawling into bed, my phone rings with a video call from Mack. I sit up and turn my bedside lamp on and accept the call.
“Hey bud,” I say when he comes into view.
“Hey, did I wake you?”
“Nah, just crawled into bed. How are things going?”
“Things are good. But, uh, I wanted to tell you something.”
“Okay, what’s up?” I try to keep my expression neutral even though I’m shaking like a leaf on the inside.
“Well, I . . . look don’t be mad, okay?”
I don’t know how much more I can take tonight. “Mack, just spit it out, bud. It’s hard for me to be mad when I’m here and you’re there. Is Liam mad at you?”
His face blanches. “No, not at all.”
“Okay, then. What is it?”
“I took Betty Paige out on a date last night,” he tells me. “We went to the movies. I paid for it with the money Mr. Powell gives me for mowing his yard.”
My heart goes up and down, side to side, flips, flops, and twists. Not only have I not been there to teach my son to drive, but I’ve missed his first date. Not only his first date, but one with Liam Page’s daughter. My body temperature rises and not in a good way.
“Liam was okay with this?”
Mack nods. “I asked him first,” he tells me. “I mean I had to ask if I could go out, but then I asked him if it would be okay if I took Betty Paige to the movies.”
“As friends?”
Mack’s cheeks flare pink.
“I like her, Dad. A lot, and I know she likes me.”
I know. I’ve known for years.
“Okay.” I’m not sure how to proceed. Liam knows so that’s good. “Promise me something, Mack.”
“Liam already had the talk if that’s what you’re going to say.”
“I wasn’t, but that’s good to know. Just be careful, okay?”
Mack nods again. “Dad?”
“Yeah, son?”
“I kissed her.” He grins and giggles and then the little shit hangs up the phone.