It never entered my mind he wouldn’t be home. Didn’t even consider it.
I rang the doorbell, waited for about three seconds, and began pounding.
The maid, Leah, opened the door cautiously, green eyes wide and nervous. “Oh. Mr. Randall. It’s you.” I started to move forward, and she began to shut the door. “I’m sorry, Mr. Randall, but Mr. Morgan says you’re not welcome here anymore.”
“Sorry, Leah.” I pushed past her and stepped into the house, in the back of my mind wondering if her Mr. Morgan was my dad or brother.
Leah’s voice shook. It seemed I was scaring everyone. “Mr. Randall, please. Go outside. I’ll let him know you’re here. I don’t want to get into trouble.”
“Randall!”
My anger was drowned in an instant by that voice, and I turned in its direction.
Bailey was running toward me, arms wide, blonde hair flying behind her.
I barely had time to sink to my knees before she smashed into me. I folded my arms around her automatically.
She was crying. “You’re here! You’re here!”
“I’m here, sweetie. I’ve missed you so much.” I was fairly certain I was crying as well. Somehow on my flight over, I didn’t even think about Bailey being here. In my mind, it was just Dustin standing on his porch, waiting for the showdown.
Bailey’s body trembled as she clung to me, her thin arms so tight they hurt. Leah was still begging me to leave and had started pulling on my coat.
Footsteps echoed and Dustin’s voice broke through the chaos. “You’re not supposed to be here, Randall, remember?”
Kayla was right behind him, sounding panicked. “Dustin, stop. Let him stay. Enough is enough.”
He ignored her. “You need to leave, Randall. Now.”
Leah stopped yanking at me.
I pulled Bailey closer and angled my mouth toward her ear. “I love you, sweetie, but I need you to go up to your room.”
She shook her head fiercely.
“Please, baby. Everything will be all right, I promise, but I need you to be in your room right now.”
“Randall!”
I didn’t even look at Dustin. “Please, sweetheart.” Dear God, why hadn’t I thought this through? If I’d paused for even a second, I would have thought about Bailey. I wouldn’t have done it. Not like this.
Bailey let go of me, cast her sad gaze on me, and then started walking toward the stairs.
I tried to smile at her, but I doubt I did. I glanced toward the maid. “You might want to leave too, Leah.”
She didn’t need convincing. She walked right out the front door.
Smart woman.
Dustin was only a few feet from me before he paused. “Randall, you need to leave now, or I’m calling the police.”
Kayla grabbed at his arm. “Oh, stop that. We are not calling the police. Let’s sit down and—”
“Shut up, Kayla.” Dustin never took his eyes off me.
I glanced over and saw Bailey paused at the top of the stairs, staring down at the three of us. I tried to make my voice calm, but who knew. “Go to your room, sweetie.”
Dustin took another step. “Don’t you tell my daughter what to do.”
