I see her out and bump into Darius when I turn around after closing the door.
“I’m sorry.”
Startled, I mutter, “Huh? What for?”
“I should’ve heard you out the night you came to tell me you were pregnant.”
Shrugging, I say, “It is what it is. There’s no point living in the past.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, the conversation dies between us.
“So, I’ll text you the time for my doctor’s appointment next week.”
Opening the door, I expect him to leave now that Gloria is gone but he walks into the living room and drops down onto the couch.
“I told you, I need to talk with your dad. I’m not leaving yet.”
“Seriously? He won’t be home till this evening.”
“Then I’ll wait.”
“Can’t you just tell me, and I’ll pass it along?”
“Nope. And it’s time I meet him, he is the grandfather of my kid.”
Backtracking, I close the front door. This is going to be a long afternoon.
Catherine announces dinner will be ready in ten minutes and dad walks through the door in time to thank her. His smile disappears when he sees Darius at the kitchen table.
My nerves creep into my stomach and I wish I were anywhere but here.
“Amelia?”
Oh yeah.
“Dad, this is Darius Madden. Darius, this is my father, Richard Haynes.”
My anxiety dulls a fraction as Darius stands and comes over to shake my dad’s hand and my dad returns it.
“I wasn’t aware you were both in contact at the moment.”
I try to quickly think up a lie, rather than tell him Darius climbed through my bedroom window and then had me followed and stalked me to the baby store, but Darius speaks.
“We ran into each other this afternoon. I thought I should formally introduce myself given the circumstances we’re in.”
Clearing his throat, my dad says, “In that case, would you like to stay for dinner? We can talk over everything then.”
“Thank you.”
I take my seat where I always sit, and Darius sits opposite while dad takes his tie off and takes his place at the head of the table. The air is stifling.
“I won’t beat around the bush, I already know quite a bit about you, Darius. After Amelia gave me your name, I had my people look into you.”
Darius doesn’t look surprised.
“I’m sure you took one look and came to a low conclusion of me. Which in fairness, you’d be right to, especially where your daughter is concerned.”
“Yes, well, you’re not wrong. But… we can’t change the facts now. What’s done is done. Now you’re here, I may as well inform you that you’ll be receiving a visit from my lawyer in due course.”
