Chapter 92


    “Sure,” I say.


    “I mean it,” Jeff says.


    “It takes more than one sentence to fix a lifetime of insecurity,” I say. “It’s not like I had a mom who


    could exin all the changes that puberty brought. I had a school nurse and Marjorie, but that was


    pretty much it.”


    “I know,” Jeff says. “Thank God Danny isn’t a girl, or I’d be in the same situation.”


    I shrug. “Well, he’s not.” I choke back tears. I’m not usually this emotional, but the idea of a tiny little


    Danielle who had to grow up without proper support. I’d obviously take a hand and Marjorie might have


    interfered, but she has to be retirement age now. I wonder for a moment if she stuck around so long


    because she was keeping an eye on me.


    I finish the rest of my sandwich and close the box which has a few shreds of lettuce in it. I’m feeling


    better with a little food in me.


    Jeff must have finished a few minutes ago, because he already threw away his sandwich box.


    “You looked lost in thought,” Jeff says.


    “Just thinking about what it would be like if you had a little who grew up without a mother, like I did.”


    “Maybe I’ll get married again. Your father certainly could have, if you hadn’t despised every candidate


    on sight.”


    I smile. “I stopped screaming eventually. It’s not like it was an eternal scream.”


    “Your father respected your wishes.”


    “Do you think that a kid can decide that kind of thing?”


    “You didn’t have a mother, but you also didn’t have to deal with an evil stepmother.”


    “True.”


    He looks at his watch. “We should walk back now.” He picks up the baby carrier and we go back to the


    office building. We get into the elevator. It’s just us, a sleeping baby and a man with a look in his eyes


    as if he wants to ravish me right here. Before we get to his floor, he leans in and kisses me, baby


    carrier and all.


    “Ahem!” Marjorie says as the doors open.


    I blush furiously, my cheeks flooding with heat. She looks between us, a disapproving frown on her lips.


    “That’s enough!”


    “I better get going,” Jeff says sheepishly. He gives me the baby carrier and presses the button for the


    ground floor. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”


    Marjorie looks at my kiss-swollen lips for a minute, shakes her head, and walks away. I cringe inside


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    but take Danny back downstairs to get my dad’s car so we can drive home. I want to take a shower and


    wash away Marjorie’s disapproval.


    Part 2


    Guardianship


    Jeff


    When I get back to my desk, I can see that there''s an urgent email sitting there. It''s from mywyer. Not


    our in-house counsel, but the one that I use for personal matters.


    I open it. It only contains two words: Call me.


    My mouth goes dry. What''s going on? The sweet haze of seeing my girl and baby son for lunch


    immediately di


    ssipates. I dial his number, which he keeps in his signature.


    "Hello?"


    "Richman and Harrison, how may I help you?"


    Tags:


    Source: