After a fabulous practice and a delicious, home-cooked meal, Sam dropped his daughter off in the lobby of Stacy’s building.
Back in his apartment, he glanced at his watch. 8:00 p.m. Maya was probably finished with the day’s work and heading over to Ami’s. Unless Leo was joining her. His stomach clenched, and he found his hands balled into fists. He could just call her, ask if she’d heard about Will.
He picked up his phone and scrolled for her number. No. That was probably a conversation better had in person. Besides, she could do what she wanted, right? If she wanted Leo, he could have her. At the thought of Leo having her, Sam stood and paced his apartment. He grabbed his jacket and was about to go to Ami’s, but stopped himself.Idiot.He was supposed to be happily hanging out with their daughter. Sam grinned to himself.That’s right, Leo, I have a child with her.Compete with that. He grimaced at his own juvenile thoughts and opened his laptop to do research.
A couple hours passed and Sam was considering sending Samantha a text to see how her project was going, when there was a pounding at his door. Someone was calling to him from the other side.
“Mr. Hutcherson! Are you there? It’s Will and I have Samantha!” Panic laced the boy’s voice. More banging. “Mr. Hutcherson? Please be there!”
Sam’s stomach did a flip as he bolted to the door. He opened it to find Samantha leaning on Will, her hair tousled and eyes half shut. She was barely able to stand.
“What did you do to her?” Sam shouted at the boy as he grabbed Samantha from him. She reeked of alcohol.
Will’s eyes flew open. “Nothing, Mr. Hutcherson. I swear. I got a text from Lisa, and she was like this when I got to Stacy’s. I didn’t know what to do, so I brought her here.”
“Sit!” Sam motioned to Will, as he pointed at the sofa. Samantha was babbling.
“Aww, hey, it’s Sammy!” She giggled. “Don’t yell at good William.”
Sam gaped at her, aghast. “She’s drunk!”
“I know!” Will looked nervous as he noted Sam’s clenched fists. “I told her not to go.”
“Hey, Sammy! Hey, Dad!” She put her index finger to her mouth. “Don’t tell my mom. She’ll freak.” She doubled over in laughter.
Sam placed Samantha on the sofa and took out his phone to call Maya. She picked up on the second ring.
“Hey, Sam.” There was a smile in her voice that any other time, he might’ve been happy to hear.
“Maya. Are you still in Manhattan?” He couldn’t keep his voice neutral.
“Yes, I just finished dinner with Ami.” Concern filled her voice. “What’s going on, Sam? Did she have another allergic reaction?”
“Um, no. Nothing like that, but you might want to come over here.” He hesitated. There was not a gentle way to say it. “Samantha’s drunk.” A small part of him did spark to life when he registered that she wasn’t with Leo.
“What?” Concern turned to anger. “Did she go to that party?” She was yelling into the phone as if she were talking to Samantha herself.
Sam was not fazed by her anger. “Party? She told me she was going to work on a school project!” He glared at Samantha on the sofa next to Will. She was trying to kiss him and Will was doing his best to keep her under control, all the while throwing fearful and furtive glances in Sam’s direction.
“On a Friday night, Sam?” His stomach plummeted at the exasperation in her voice. “Really?”
Oh. His grip on the phone tightened as he realized he’d been played. “Just come over, okay? We can talk about how gullible I am later.” First anaphylactic shock, now this. He was the worst parent ever. Maya would definitely never leave him alone with Samantha after this.
“Be there in fifteen.” She disconnected.
He tapped his phone with such violence, it was as if he was punishing it for his own naivete.
Sam grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the kitchen and handed it to Samantha. He got her to take a few sips.
“Oh, Dad. I don’t feel so good.” Her voice was small and she seemed to forget Will as she reached for Sam.
“Okay, up you go.” He stood to help her up to the hallway bathroom. Will held her other side. They made it down the hallway and to the door of the bathroom, when Samantha vomited all over the floor and herself, and also managed to get the two of them. Sam grimaced; his reflexes must not be what they used to be.
“Fantastic, Samantha.” He closed his eyes. “Lucky for you, I’m used to this.”
He nodded to Will as he finally just picked Samantha up and carried her into the bathroom. “Don’t you go anywhere,” Sam growled at him. “I’m not done with you yet.”
Will turned pale.
