He gets Doe from her bouncer. “Let’s go see your room, baby girl.” He says and I lead the way, opening the door and stepping to the side.
The room is clean and tidy. Inside Scott takes in the newly plastered wall. “You need to keep the window open as much as you can so the plaster can dry.” I inform him. Carl assembled a wardrobe and made shelving fit around it on one wall. “Once it’s dried you can paint and then we can get all her unicorn things in and she can move in.”
“It’s going to be perfect. You think so, Doe?” He looks at me. “What am I going to do about her name? I don’t want to call her Angelique. That’s what the bitch named her.”
“So call her Belle, maybe, from her middle name?” I suggest. “She’s a princess, right, so why not give her a princess name?” He looks down at his daughter. “What do you think, Belle?” She blinks twice. It’s a coincidence and possibly dust in the room getting in her eye, but we laugh and take it as an acknowledgement.
“Hey, Belle.” I say. “I’ll buy you a whole library if your beast of a Daddy will let me.”
That night Belle has an unsettled night, so we nap when we can, taking it in turns and sometimes cuddling up together when we end up in bed at the same time rather than walking around and consoling a miserable Belle.
The next morning, I actually pour myself two separate cups of coffee as I contemplate having to go into work that afternoon.
“I’m dead.” I tell Scott, who is also yawning repeatedly while he switches on his laptop.
I see his face seem to go paler.
“What is it?”
“They’ve emailed the results. They’re here. Fuck, I daren’t open the attachment. You do it.”
He pushes the laptop towards me.
I click in.
“Congrats, Daddy.” I repeat the words I said to him that few short days ago back at InHale. “It’s a girl.”
“Really?”
I nod and turn the screen around so he can see the results for himself. He’s crying and I’m crying and then Doe joins in so we’re all wailing, but for two of us at least it’s tears of joy.
“And now I know that for definite, that cow is never having my daughter. Never,” he states. “I’m going to come into InHale with you today. I need to talk to Jenson and update him about what’s happening and how I can work around Belle. I can’t stay off forever. This is five days already.”
“If he’s okay we can work it between us if you need to get back to work. I don’t mind looking after her in my spare time. It’s not like I have anything else to do.”
“Suki. I appreciate the offer but that’s one hell of a commitment to make to a child that’s not yours.”
I feel like he just slapped me. It’s a stark reminder of my place here. The person he’s started to like, and the woman who’s helped out for a few days.
“I’ll ask Sarah if she knows any reputable childminders, ones who won’t hand the kid over to the mother if she shows up.” He bites on his lip after saying it. “Fuck, why don’t I have money like my fucking brother does? Then I could pay the bitch off and not have to spend my life looking over my shoulder. As it is, I don’t even know how I’ll pay my court fees. God, this is all such a mess. A complicated mess.”
Knowing I’m becoming part of the mess, I decide this is time to excuse myself. “I’ve a few errands to run, so I’m going to go do them before I start work. I’ll catch you there later, okay?”
As I leave the apartment building and begin walking, someone jostles me from behind. I turn around to see what’s happening and come face to face with Morgan, who is rubbing at her nose, her hair dishevelled and her eyes unfocused. She’s standing next to a tall, thick set man, who in stark contrast to her looks clean and tidy. I note he also has a Rolex on his wrist.
“I need more money,” Morgan slurs in my face, her rancid breath making me wince.
“Well, I don’t have any for you. I gave you the maximum I could take out.”
“Then I think I’ll just go get my daughter back right now,” she says, her eyes narrowing.
“Yeah, got a feeling that’s not going to happen,” I tell her, “unless the court think a junkie mum is better than a hard-working, stable father.”
The man’s face darkens. “You said you were going to be able to get my money today.”
Morgan waves him off. “I will, Tony. I just need to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.”
“I don’t have time for your shit today, Morgan.” The guy says. “You owe me at least a monkey by tonight, ideally a grand.” He lifts her chin up and stares hard into her eyes. “Sort it.” He moves over to me. “You got any sense you’ll help her out cos I know where that baby lives now. Gotta be worth a few in ransom.”
My heart beats so hard in my chest I feel like I might die. The guy walks away and Morgan goes running after him. I hear her say, “well, can’t you take her and sell her or something. There’s a market for babies isn’t there?”
I turn towards a nearby hedge where I throw up the coffee I drank that morning. What the actual fuck. I need to warn Scott, but what the fuck can we actually do? Call the police, yes, but how do we keep these kinds of people away? I try to call Scott, but his phone says unobtainable. I wonder if his battery has run down. I’ll keep trying.
Then I remember what Scott said about his brother. Rich and a total bastard. I begin Googling B.A.D. magazine. I need to speak to him and fast.
Chapter Nineteen
Scott
The second Belle falls back to sleep after her morning bottle, I grab the blanket that Suki had been using on the sofa and curl up under it.
I don’t even remember lying down but when my eyes flicker open once again, I’m thankful that I feel a little more alive than I did first thing.
I sit up, looking and listening for Suki when I remember that she’s already left. Disappointment floods. How can I go from never wanting a woman in my bed, to wanting to wake up to only one every day, so fast?
With Belle still asleep, I grab a shower and I even manage to have a quick shave before she stirs. She’s obviously exhausted from her bad night as well.
I get us both dressed, Belle in the cutest dress she owns and me in my favourite shirt. Something stirs in my stomach. Is that… is that nerves? I only saw Suki this morning, why am I now shitting it about walking into our place of work and seeing her? She’s spent most of the last week here. She’s seen more of me than anyone has in a long time. Just walking into InHale should be a walk in the park after that.
I decide to walk, seeing as the sun is shining and I’m downright desperate for some exercise. I’ve not been to the gym since Belle’s arrival and my sexercise is seriously lacking, something I hope that can be resolved now Suki and I have confessed that we’re both on the same page. I want her so fucking bad after hearing her words to me last night, but I refuse to make my usual mistake. I’m not going to jump in dick first and fuck it all up. Suki deserves more than the way I’ve treated women in the past. What she said last night wasn’t news to me, I was aware that I was an arsehole, taking what I needed and kicking them to the curb as soon as I got it. I knew of what I was doing. I was hiding, protecting myself from having to deal with feelings and heaven forbid… love.
Belle smiles every time she looks at me. There’s no escaping that love I was so terrified of before, my chest aches with it every time I look at her, and to have it confirmed in that email, well… it’s just everything.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I pull up my aunt’s number. She’s been texting for updates but as she told me she would, she’s not got involved and left me to it. I’m not sure if she was just going for tough love or if she was worried about the risk of getting attached. It’s no secret that my aunt battled fertility for years when she was younger and was never successful. I don’t think she’d have coped if she fell in love with Belle and then it turned out I wasn’t her dad.
“I’ve got news,” I say before she even gets the
chance to say hello.
“Go on.”
“She’s mine. It’s official.” I swear I hear her smile.
“Oh my gosh. Are you… are you happy?”
“How are you even asking me that? I’m over the moon. I mean, I knew she was mine the second I looked at her; but seeing those results, it was like everything in my life fell into place.”
“I can’t believe you’re a dad.”
“You’re telling me. Can I bring her around to meet you properly soon?”
“Of course. I can’t wait for cuddles with my baby niece.”
I grin knowing that Mum would be smiling down on us right now. I’m pretty sure she’d have given her right arm to be able to meet her granddaughter, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“Okay, I’ll be around over the next few days. I’m just on my way to talk to my boss. I need to make some serious changes.”
“That you do, my boy. I’m here if you need anything.”
“I know, thank you.”
InHale comes into view as I turn the corner and after saying goodbye to my aunt, I cross the road, my stomach turning over with anxiety.
Suki’s shift’s not started yet so Leona is behind the bar. She gives me a double take when she looks up and finds me trying to manoeuvre a pushchair through the entrance. She must have heard the gossip. I can only assume it’s been rife here, but she doesn’t comment other than to offer her help and rush over. She’s got a little one, although a lot older than Belle, so she knows the struggles.
“Oh my god, Scott, she is gorgeous. Look at those cheeks. I just want to squeeze them.” Her voice gets all high pitched and squeaky. It’s probably because her ovaries are exploding.
“Well what did you expect? She’s got my genes.” It feels so fucking good to be able to say that with absolute certainty.
“Here’s the daddy,” Jenson says, emerging from out the back with an amused smile on his face. He looks me over. “Why aren’t you covered in puke and looking like the back end of a bus from the sleepless nights?”
“Because she’s fucking awesome, plus I had a good teacher.” I refrain from explaining that I’m just really good at putting on a show. I might have showered, shaved, and styled my hair, but I’m pretty sure my insides are still sleeping.
“Ah yes. Speaking of which. Where is Suki? You killed her?”
“Ha, funny! She’s on a late shift. She’ll be here soon.”
“Check you out knowing her schedule.” Jenson winks at me. He can tease me all he wants; he’s not going to see what I’m about to tell him coming.
“Can we have a chat?”
“Sure. Let’s go to my office. Everything good here, Leona?”
“Sure is, boss.” She heads back behind the bar and continues with whatever she was doing before I arrived.
I follow Jenson through, thanking him when he holds the doors so I can get Belle through.
“So how are things going?” he asks, falling down into his chair.
“Incredible.”
“Really?” His eyebrows almost hit his hairline. “I’m not going to lie, Scott. I wasn’t sure if you had this in you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I want to be pissed at him, but the truth is that if I’d been warned this was going to happen, then I’m pretty sure I’d have felt the same. “She’s mine.”
“She is?”
“Yep, so it looks like my life has changed forever and I need to think about how I’m going to manage everything.”
“Okay,” Jenson agrees, nodding. “Being a working single parent is hard, Scott. I’m not going to lie to you.”
“I’m hoping I might not be single,” I blurt, not really expecting to say the words out loud.
“Oh?”
Just as I open my mouth to explain, there’s a soft knock at the door and Suki pops her head inside. “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt but Leona said you were back here and…” she trails off. I narrow my eyes and study her. She looks flustered in a way I’m not used to.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh… uh… yeah, I was just uh… running late.”
“Your shift doesn’t start for nearly an hour,” I point out.
“Oh, right. I know. Do you mind?” She nods to the empty chair beside me and I pull it out for her. I’ve not got anything to say that she can’t be here for, so it doesn’t bother me.
“So, you were saying?” Jenson prompts.
I look to Suki and back to him. “I’ve met someone,” I announce. Suki’s eyes fly up to me and her body noticeably tenses, but I don’t move my stare from Jenson, who looks as shocked as I was expecting. “She’s pretty awesome. Feisty. Doesn’t take any of my shit, is an incredible mother figure to Belle, and is so fucking supportive of me… when she’s not wanting to rip my jugular out, that is.” His eyes flick to Suki as he starts to put two and two together. “And I think you know her.”
Turning to Suki, I take her hand and lift it to my lips. Her eyes instantly soften and a smile twitches her lips.
“Fuck me, has hell frozen over?”
“I think it might well have because in less than a week, I’ve become a daddy and I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love.”
“Do I need to leave?” Jenson asks with a laugh as we both ignore him in favour of each other.
“No.” Ripping my eyes from Suki who looks like she’s about to burst into tears any minute, I face my boss. “I need to work, Jenson. I need the money but I’m going to need to cut hours, move hours, fuck knows what, but I really don’t want to leave. I love it here and—”
“Just put us on alternate shifts,” Suki interrupts.
“Looks like I’m going to have to,” he complains. “No one will want to watch you two all loved up. They come here for the banter and bitching.” He rolls his eyes and the two of us laugh.
“Oh don’t worry. I still hate him.”
“Yeah, and she’s still a bitch, what can you do?” I shrug and laugh when she slaps my shoulder.
“What have I done?” Jenson complains watching us tease each other. “Right, I’ll look at the schedule, but I can’t promise it will always be possible, especially during busy periods but I can offer my wife as a babysitter.” He winks and I already know I’m going to be taking him up on that offer. “Do you want to cut hours?”
Jenson pulls up the schedule and after a lot of toing and froing we get something that looks kind of manageable before Suki heads out to start her shift.
Jenson stops typing and looks up. “You know, this family thing looks good on you, Scott.”
“Thank you. I just hope everything goes in our favour with getting custody.”
“If her mum’s as bad as you’ve made out then no judge in their right mind will make you give her back.”
“We can only hope.” I refrain from telling him about her attempt to sell me my own daughter. “I’ve got the number of a kick arse solicitor to call.”
“I need to check on the kitchen. Use the phone, Scott. Get the ball rolling.” He stands from his chair and moves to leave the room.
“Jenson,” I call before he leaves. He pauses with his hand on the handle and looks back over his shoulder. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. We’re here for whatever you need. All you’ve got to do is ask.”
With a smile playing on my lips, I turn his phone towards me and find the number Reese gave me. Let’s get this show on the road.
Chapter Twenty
Suki
I’ve just started my shift, which I needed to do seeing as Scott is still here. As I see Jenson head into the kitchen, I intercept him.
“Boss, I need a favour.” I explain the situation and Jenson’s brow creases. “Suki, you need to go and tell him this.”
“I will.” I try to reassure him. “I did try to call him this morning, but his phone wasn’t working and now I’ve made up my mind to wait. As soon as I’ve seen Deacon, I will tell him, but not now. Because if I tell Scott now, he’ll
not let me go.”
“I know what he just said about the two of you, but right now, it’s his daughter, not the two of yours, and you’re going to see his brother. I just don’t want you doing anything that could jeopardise what surprisingly looks like the start of a beautiful thing.”
“I hear what you’re saying. I honestly do; but Scott’s out of his depth here with Belle’s mother. Seriously. The people she’s dealing with and by dealing, I mean ‘dealing’. I have to see if I can do something and by the sounds of it, Deacon has money. I’m going to see if he can do anything and that’s that. If it saves Doe, I mean Belle, but costs me my relationship with Scott, then that’s just how it has to be. Belle comes first.”
Jenson sighs. “Okay. How long you gonna be?”
“Two hours tops with travel.”
“Okay. Good luck, Suki. I really hope it all works out.”
I nod, wait until Scott’s left and then I’m out of the door and heading to Canary Wharf.
The B.A.D. Offices are situated overlooking the Thames and the 02 Arena. A stunningly modern, glass-fronted building leads into a sleek, modern entranceway. The ground floor has nothing but a couple of cover photos on the wall of their issues with Kylie Jenner and Taylor Swift, and security guards walking around. Reception is on the first floor. Interesting. You don’t even get in the lift until they know who you are.
The reception desk is high white gloss with nothing but a bell visible to the public. A receptionist who looks like she should be gliding down a catwalk smiles at me, showing perfect white teeth. I, in contrast, can barely see over the desk.
“I’m here to see Deacon King.” I announce. She stares at me with a little more interest now and I wonder if she’s wondering what he could possibly want with me. I Googled him to find out his details. I thought Scott was a prick, but by what I’ve read, Scott’s barely a pinprick at the side of a knitting needle when it comes to the thickness of prickness against his brother.
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