“Fuck you,” I spat. My whole body was vibrating with rage.
“Look, I hate to bring it to you this way, but I felt it would be best to hear it from me personally and not some random person showing up at your doorstep. I already went to court to file a petition, and soon you’ll be served. I’ve also requested a paternity test so that it can prove I am her father. If I am, I would like to discuss custody.”
“Why the hell are you doing this?” I said, trying hard not to let defeat drown my words. “Whynow?”
“Trust me, I hold nothing against you. ButifI am her father, I deserve to be in her life just as much as you do.”
“You arenother fucking father,” I snapped, pointing a finger at his face. “Eloise would have told me if she suspected that you were! You were not there during her pregnancy. You were not there when Aleesa was born. You were not there when Eloise died after giving birth tomydaughter. I was! I’ve been here every single day. She ismine, and I’ll be damned if you take her from me.”
“I had no idea she was pregnant until I heard she’d died during labor. That’s when I thought about the timing of it all and added it up. I had a feeling the child she had could be mine, but I wasn’t too sure, and my conscience has been weighing on me a lot more lately. What kind of man would I be if I just keep living my life as if I don’t have a child? Come on, Javier. Look at her.”
He gestured to Aleesa with a mock smile.
I didn’t look. I glared at him instead, refusing to back down.
“As soon as I saw her on the sidelines at your games, I could see it. I mean, of course, it could go either way, but the older she gets, the more I see myself in her. That most certainly isn’t your nose, and that dimple in her chin ...seriously.” He pointed at the dent in his chin, one eerily similar to the very small dimple in Aleesa’s.
“Trust me, I know you’ve been through a lot, and a part of me wanted to leave this alone, but ... it doesn’t sit right with me that I may have a child in this world and I don’t even get to know her. I thought long and hard about it, and I knew you’d fight me on this, so that’s why I filed the petition first.”
“You do not deserve anything,” I growled, closing in on him again. “You were a mistake that Eloise made. You do not deserve to be anywhere nearmydaughter.”
“Well, I have no doubt that she is my seed, Javier,” he said, partially laughing. “The timing of when Eloise conceived is just ... it’s too close. With all the traveling you were doing that sheconstantlycomplained about, there is just no way Aleesa can be yours.”
Before I could react, Catalina stormed around me to slam her hands into Rafael’s chest. “Get the fuck out of here!” she barked, shoving him further away. “Now!”
He stumbled backward but caught himself. Then he chortled. “Fine. Whatever. I thought we could be cordial about this and do what was best for Aleesa, but you all clearly don’t want to play nice, so I’llleave.” Rafael sighed and raked his fingers through his too-perfect hair. “We’ll see what the paternity results are and then what the judge has to say, whenever we have the hearing.” He stepped backward, eyes going past me. “Aleesa, I’ll see you soon, okay, sweetie?”
I wanted to jack him up by the collar. I wanted to choke him to death—I swear I did. How dare he come onto my property, dropping a bomb like this? Telling me that she may not be mine? How dare that motherfucker come tomyhouse, trying to takemydaughter away from me?
This was unbelievable. How could Eloise do this to me? How could she not tell me that Aleesa may not have been mine?
A judge would never allow this. Not when I was there for Aleesa when she took her first breath. It wasmyname on her birth certificate. She wasmybaby girl ... there was no way he would be able to get her. No damn way.
We watched him stroll away and climb into a black Tesla. He tooted his horn as he drove around the fountain. I didn’t look away until his taillights were completely out of sight.
“Hijo.” My mother rushed down the stoop to reach me. “What is going on? Who was that man?”
“You heard who he was, Má.” My hands shook violently. I wanted to punch something. Break something. This couldn’t be happening.
“How can that be?” Mamá’s voice trembled. “Tell me this is not true, hijo. Por favor.”
I could not bear to look at her. Instead, I stormed into the house and did not stop until I reached the living room. I paced back and forth, in circles, my mind racing and my heart pounding way too hard and fast.
“H-how, Javier?” Catalina’s voice was soft. I stopped pacing to look at her and the two other women standing a few feet away. I looked at Aleesa too. She continued watching me anxiously. “I ... I knew Eloise wasn’t happy for a long time and that she might’ve slept with—”
“I didn’t think it needed to be said, Cat!” I yelled. “Yes, Eloise slept with him. Yes, she was unhappy. But Aleesa ismine, do you hear me? All this time, I have raised her, and she—no, hehasto be lying and is doingthis to mess with my head! She is my daughter, and he is not getting her!” I stomped toward my mother to collect Aleesa. “Give her to me.”
Aleesa gave my mother a wary look but leaned toward me so I could grab her.
“I think we should keep her with us until you calm down a bit, Javier,” Octavia murmured as I marched around her.
“Do not tell me what to do with my daughter,” I grumbled, storming toward the stairs. “You are not her mother. You do not have the right.”
“Javier!” Cat’s voice sparked with rage now. “I know you’re upset, but you don’t have to be an asshole.”
“No, it’s fine, Cat.” Octavia held up a hand as I hiked up the stairs. “He’s right. This is none of my business. I’ll give y’all some space.”
“Octavia, please,” Cat called after her.
