Chapter Eighty-Four
They drove to Mason’s house to relieve Marella from babysitting and Kelley welcomed the distraction. Lee stood by his car as Marella walked out of the front door with Kelley. He nodded his head and Kelley left them. Marella’s stomach had popped and she looked serene.
“Hi.”
Marella looked up and almost stumbled. “Lee.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine, how are you?” Marella’s hand reached towards his but then she pulled her hand back and Lee could actually feel her doing it.
“And the … the …” Lee looked pointedly at her protruding stomach. He couldn't say the word 'baby'. He hated himself for hurting her, but his fear was bigger than his regret. He'd lived that life, lived with the hope to die and he knew that he'd rather live in solitude than cause any child pain.
“My baby’s doing fine. Stop tormenting yourself Lee, you’re not the father.”
Lee smiled sadly. “You’re a terrible liar.”
Marella sighed, the sadness evident in her eyes. “What do you want, Lee?”
“I miss you, Marella.” He knew he shouldn't even say the words, but he missed the smell of her on his pillows, missed the warmth she always exuded, missed her smile and he even missed her terrible coffee.
She looked down and nodded her head, tears in her eyes when she looked up again. “I miss you too but you made your choice. It’s me and my baby now and I don’t have the energy to juggle your mood swings.”
Lee's jaw hardened and his gaze became cold. “No, you chose this.”
“You left Lee! You chose your past over me. I’m done with your bullshit. This baby will have all my love and everything I can give him or her. If you don’t want to share that with me it’s fine. I can do this alone and I will do it alone. You had your chance to have a potentially great life with me. Leave me alone, Lee, and go be an asshole somewhere else.”
Marella walked past him and got into her car.
Lee watched as another car followed her when she drove away and he sighed as he walked to the front door. He turned as another car pulled up to the curb and a woman climbed out. Lee felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been upended over his head. He knew, the moment he saw her, that the shit was officially going to hit the fan.
“Oh shit.”
Lee watched her as she walked towards him, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She smiled broadly and stopped right in front of him. “Hello, Lee.”
“Andrea.”
The front door opened and Lee turned his head as Mason stepped out onto the porch. “Is that the pizza?”
“Mase.”
Mason halted and looked at Andrea who stood on the cobbled path, looking all grown up and smiling at him. “What the hell do you want?”
Mason’s tone didn’t put her off. “My daughter.”
The fury on Mason's face was instantaneous and his eyes looked murderous. “She’s my daughter!”
“What the hell’s going on out here?” Kelley stepped out of the house and looked at the woman, Lee’s stoic expression and Mason’s clenched fists.
“She’s our daughter, Mason, and I have a right to see her.”
Mason sneered as he looked at her. “You left her on my doorstep. You didn’t even have the decency to ring the bell. You gave up any rights you had the moment you abandoned her.”
“I’m not going to stand in the street and let you yell at me, Mason. I’m her mother and I’m not leaving until I see her. You have no idea what I went through but I did what I thought was right. You wouldn’t even know she existed if it wasn’t for me.”
Lee stepped forward and blocked her view of Mason. “You need to leave, Andrea. You can’t just show up here and make demands. You did abandon her without a word for seven years. She doesn’t know who you are. Give me your contact details and I’ll arrange a civil meeting.”
“I know my rights, Lee, and I never gave them up. I have a lawyer too.”
Lee folded his arms across his chest. “That’s good, Andrea. Have your lawyer call me.” Lee pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her.
Kelley had taken Mason back inside the house and Lee closed the door behind him. He looked at a bristling Mason. He hadn’t touched family law since his third year in law school but he also knew that Andrea wouldn’t just go away.
“Is she right, Lee? Can she take Grace away from me?”
“I don’t think she can just take her, Mason, but I’ll have to make some calls in the morning.”
Mason nodded his head and Lee once again steeled his resolve about Marella’s baby. He didn’t think of the baby as his but just as hers. He’d stand by her financially and look after her, but other than that he wanted nothing to do with her child.
“What are you going to do, Mason?”
Mason looked at Kelley who’d been standing quietly, leaning his back against the wall. “I’m going to have to tell Grace.”
“Not yet. Let’s hear what it is she wants first. Why is she reaching out now? You haven’t heard from her in seven years, Mason, stop and think about this. Why now?”
“I can’t lose her, Kelley.”
Kelley moved closer to Mason and pulled him into a hug. “You won’t lose her, I promise you. Grace isn’t going anywhere.”
Lee narrowed his eyes at Kelley. “What are you going to do, Kelley?”
“Don’t look at me like that, Lee. I’ll do what’s necessary.”
“I’m not arguing with you. Don’t do anything stupid, she can’t just disappear.”
Kelley grinned slowly. “All I’m saying is if you don’t do your job then I will.”
“Stop it both of you. Grace isn’t going anywhere, not if I can help it. Let’s hear her out first and then we decide what to do.”
