Destiny could still feel the very moment that she felt her heart break. That had been all the motivation she needed to send Justin a dear John letter telling him she’d met someone else. There had been no way she was going to tell him what she’d seen and give him the chance to justify his cheating. If he wasn’t committed enough to being a family with her, then she and the baby would be a family on their own.
* * *
Justin arrived back at school, fully intending to follow through with his threat but he decided before he went that far, he’d check in with Sophia’s teacher from last year. Of anyone at the school, she would have the most insight. “Katie, could you have Miss Ryan come up and see me please?” he asked.
“Of course, Justin,” Katie said. “She’s teaching class though. It’s nearly recess, do you want to wait until then or do you want me to get someone to take over from her while she comes to the office?”
“It will wait until recess,” he said. “I won’t keep her long. I just want to pick her brain about something.”
“Sure,” Katie said. “I’ll go let her know you’re waiting to see her.”
“Thanks, Katie, I appreciate your help.” Justin read through some more of Sophia’s file while he was waiting for the teacher to finish with her class. It didn’t take very long and there was knock at his door. “Come in,” he said. “Miss Ryan, take a seat.”
“Please, call me Candice,” she said.
Justin smiled. “I just wanted to talk to you about Sophia Bridges, Candace.”
“Ah yes, it was an interesting year with Sophia and her mother,” the youngish woman said.
“In what way?” Justin asked. “What would you say was the main problem?”
“Dealing with Sophia wasn’t like dealing with a normal nine-year-old. She has an answer for everything, to the point where she could almost be described as impertinent.”
Justin tapped his pen on the table, while he tried to think. So the child was definitely a problem, they had established that. What was the root cause though? “So if I asked you to write a list of problems from worst to least, what would be on the top of the list?”
Candace gave a grim smile. “Talking back is definitely one of them. For instance, I would ask her why she hadn’t handed in her homework; this happened on numerous occasions. Sophia doesn’t like homework; she had a million excuses why she didn’t get it done. Once she told me that she and her mother think everything she needs to know should be taught in the classroom. That if I needed to give homework, then I wasn’t organized enough to get the entire lesson taught in class.”
Justin opened his eyes very widely. “She said that to you?” If he found out that Destiny had really said that to her child and told her it was okay to repeat it to a teacher, he would be furious.
Candace nodded enthusiastically. “She did.”
“And her mother knew exactly what she had said?”
“Uh huh, I told her. I have to tell you I was really upset. I sent her to the principal. He called her mother and she came to get her, but by the time she arrived in my classroom to collect Sophia, the child said she was sick and started to cry. Well, I just had to tell her what Sophia had said to me.”
Justin looked down at the notes regarding the incident. “That’s when Destiny, the mother, got really upset with you and the school?”
“Yes, it is. I told her, and the principal told her that what Sophia had said was a breach of the school rules as was her constant refusal to do homework. Destiny said that the child had a point. It was kind of the truth that there was a lot of time wasting in schools today.”
Justin could feel himself getting worked up. He had already read the rest of the incident and how Destiny had made a complaint to the board. It was bad enough when a child was rude but to know that that child was not exactly being reprimanded for her behaviors at home but she was being taught to behave that way by her mother was even worse. “What else would you say was a concern?”
“She doesn’t get along with the other kids. I have encouraged them, sometimes quite sternly to allow Sophia to join in their games but she isn’t happy unless she’s running whatever game it is. If they call her on her bossiness, she will ruin the game for everybody.”
“How does she do that?” He was finding himself quite worried about Sophia, this kid had issues.
“She’ll throw the ball up on the roof, or she’ll break something. I told her mother she was doing this and she said the children just didn’t understand her. She was highly intelligent and it wasn’t in her nature to be subservient to other children.”
“In your opinion is she gifted?” Maybe that was the problem, he thought. Gifted children have been known to have trouble fitting in and bore easily.
“It doesn’t look that way, not on paper. It’s hard to tell really, if she’s not being difficult, she’s almost asleep.”
“The child is tired?”
“Oh yes, she’s extremely tired. The mother doesn’t believe in setting bedtimes. She prefers to let Sophia decide when she’s tired enough to sleep.”
Justin rubbed a frustrated hand over his face. At this point he was feeling sorrier for Sophia and very angry with her mother. What was she thinking? It wasn’t just the child who was in need of some discipline in her life. Destiny needed someone to pull her into line too. “Is there more?”
“She can be a little mean in general. Sophia clearly thinks she’s better than the other kids and she isn’t backward in telling them so; she doesn’t hold back. Then there’s the issue with the make-up. What nine-year-old needs to come to school with make up on?” She rolled her eyes. “I asked her one morning to go to the bathroom and wash it off. Next morning her mother was waiting for me. Apparently I destroyed her self-esteem and took away her right to make herself feel comfortable in her own skin.”
“Okay, where do we go from here, that’s the problem? If I can convince Destiny, the mom, I’d like to try and get Sophia back to school and at the same time help her to make some changes that would help her be a happier, more attentive student.”
“If you think you can achieve that, it would be great.” Candace said. “I think underneath she’s probably a nice kid really, she just needs to learn how to relax and be a kid; do as she’s told and let the adults worry about the adult stuff.”
Justin was stumped. This Destiny was a long way from the Destiny he had fallen in love with so long ago. Sure she could get a little bratty when she didn’t get her own way. Only children who had been spoiled by their parents tend to be that way sometimes. “I agree with you; we just have to find a way to make that happen. Tell me, do you think it would be helpful to get the dad involved?”
“There isn’t a dad as far as I know.”
Justin looked up from where he’d been making notes. “Pardon me?”
“No dad. Sophia doesn’t have a dad who’s in the picture. At least in the year that I had her in my class, I never met him and she didn’t mention him ever. Even when they had talked about parent careers in class.”
“There is no dad? Are you really, really sure about that?” Justin felt sick and he could feel the color drain from his face.
“I’ve probably said enough,” Candace said, realizing there was a slight change in the conversation. “I don’t want to gossip.”
Justin took a breath and tried to calm himself. He had scared this young woman. He wanted her to feel comfortable to talk to him. “If you tell me what you have heard in this situation, it isn’t gossip, please.” Justin needed to hear this and he needed to hear it right now.
Candace nodded. “There is talk. You know that Destiny grew up in this town?”
“Yes,” he said. Apparently Candice didn’t know that he and Destiny used to date; if it was common knowledge, she wasn’t letting on. He was past caring at this point what anyone found out about him. He had a terrible gut feeling about this and he needed to know sooner rather than later exactly what might have happened with Destiny.
“No-one, has ever met the dad, not even once. I mean, no matter what work you did, you would have to get a vacation, a few days off or something in a year wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, I guess you would. So you really don’t think there’s a father?”
“Obviously there’s a father, just not one who’s in the picture. The general consensus is that Destiny got pregnant in the summer after high school,” she said. “Destiny hadn’t been back here for years and then when her parents died and she inherited the house and quite a bit of money I’m told, then she moved back, with Sophia.”
Justin’s ears started to ring and he felt like he was having trouble breathing.
“Are you okay?” Candice asked, her face etched with worry.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Dry throat, I just need a mint.” He clicked open the tin and offered her one before popping one in his own mouth. Justin needed the distraction, he wasn’t fine, he was about to have a heart attack. No, he wasn’t about to have a heart attack— maybe a stroke? He could not feel anything but the pounding in his head. Was there really a chance that Sophia was his child? Why would Destiny lie to him like that? It didn’t make sense.
“Thank you, Candace, you’ve been a great help,” Justin managed to get out. “I think I can take it from here.” He had no idea where he was going to take this. There was a possibility that he’d had another daughter for the last nine years. Nine years? What had Destiny been thinking to keep this from him? If, in fact, she had kept this from him. Things weren’t always what they seemed. Maybe she was hiding out from the father or too embarrassed to say that she had been left on her own to raise a child. If nothing else though, they had once been in a relationship. She should trust him enough with the truth. The only reason he could think of that she wouldn’t trust him was if Sophia was in fact his child. It was the only scenario that made sense in a nonsensical way. Whichever way he looked at this Destiny was hiding something big. He needed to get to the bottom of this and the only way to do that was to get back over to her house and demand some answers. If Destiny had kept his child from him, her worry won’t be trouble from the state about the homeschooling; homeschooling would be totally out. There would be trouble coming to a certain young mom and it would come from him in the way of a spanking to end all spankings.
* * *
“Hi, Mom,” Justin said when his mother answered the phone.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, worry cracking in her voice.
“Why do ask if there’s something wrong?” Justin asked. His mother was like a witch, a good witch or a psychic. She had a sixth sense when it came to any problems he was having.
“I didn’t ask if something was wrong. I asked you what was wrong. It’s obvious, I can hear the anxiousness in your voice.”
“Mom, I do have a problem but I don’t know what to say, I don’t really know all of it.” What was he supposed to do? Did he tell his mom what he suspected? He didn’t want to worry her or get her hopes up or anything but she might know something, subconsciously at least. She would have told him if she really thought something like this had happened. All these years and his mom had said nothing while living in the same town.
“Spit it out, son, I don’t understand what that means but you’re scaring me.”
“Remember when Destiny and I broke up?”
“Of course I do, it broke my heart. I really thought you two would get married after college and live happily ever after.”
“So did I,” he said. “Mom, Destiny is one of the mothers at the school, or at least she was. She has a young daughter.”
“How lovely,” his mother said. “Is the father still around?”
“Subtle, Mom,” he said with a chuckle. She always had that calming effect on him; by making him laugh. “I don’t think there is a dad.”
“Oh?” there was silence for a minute. “How old is she?”
“Sophia is nine years old.”
“Oh my God,” she said. “Is she… I’m almost too scared to say the words?”
“You have to tell me what you know about that time, Mom. Did you hear anything at all? Did you see her around? Did she look like she’d put on a little weight or anything?”
“No, I don’t remember anything like that. She wasn’t at home, I knew that. I bumped into her mother a few times but she didn’t say anything. I just assumed that Destiny was away at college.”
“So she did leave town?”
“I think so, Justin, I can’t be sure. If you think there’s a chance that this little girl is yours, Justin, you need to find out and quickly. That child will need her daddy, and her grandma.”
“I’m already on that, Mom. Will you do me a favor? Will you pick Lily-Grace up from school?” he asked.
“Of course I will and don’t worry I won’t say anything. Just you remember to keep an open mind. People say and do stupid things on occasion. Sometimes they have a reason and sometimes they just make a mistake. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Mom?”
“Yes, Justin?”
“I’m not happy that she may have lied to me, but I’m kind of excited, I can’t help it.”
“Of course you are, son, you two were meant to be together.”
“I meant about Sophia.”
“Of course you did.”
His mom hung up quickly but he was sure he heard her chuckle.
Chapter Three
Destiny bit her lip and tried to make herself stay put on the sofa. The loud banging on the front door was making her nervous, not that she would ever admit that, especially to the person she suspected was making all the noise. It was angry banging and, if she was right, she just didn’t feel like dealing with pompous Justin. Those whispered words from his earlier visit had her thinking. How would he control his house if he was in charge? Did he really think she would just lay over his lap and allow him to spank her? He hadn’t always been that way had he? Maybe he had and she’d somehow missed it. There was that one time—but it had only been a couple of whacks and she’d taken it as a joke, maybe he hadn’t been joking after all…
“Desi, you’re being ridiculous,” Justin said.
“It’s not ridiculous. You’re only home for another two weeks and you’d rather spend time with your friends than with me,” she said. They were outside her house and he was about to drive away to have a fun day golfing with his friends, while she stayed all by herself.
Justin sighed. “It’s one day, Destiny, just one day. I think you’re being really selfish.”
“I’m not being selfish. It’s just that I love you and want to spend time with you. Obviously you don’t feel the same way.” She folded her arms and pouted. “You couldn’t care less what I did or didn’t do today.”
“You know I feel the same way,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that I can’t go and spend some time with the guys.”
“Why can’t I go with you then?” What difference would it make if she just tagged along and watched whatever they were doing? “I could just die of boredom here.”
“None of the other girls are going, Desi, now stop this and no-one ever died of boredom. You're acting like a little kid.”
“I’m acting like a little kid, how? Just because I don’t want to get dumped for the day while you go off having fun without me?” She decided to give being one more chance. “I wouldn’t get in the way I promise.”
“Come here,” Justin said, holding out his arms.
Reluctantly, she went towards him and allowed herself to be smothered in a huge hug. “You are such a pain in the backside.” He kissed the top of her head. “Go, find something fun to do and I’ll see you tonight,” he said.
“I hate you,” she grumbled into his t-shirt.
Justin set her back from him and frowned. “Really? Because you can’t have your own way? I think maybe you need to think about acting eighteen instead of eight.”
She narrowed her eyes and stomped on his toes. “Go then, see if I care
,” she said, all hope of making Justin change his mind gone.
“I will,” Justin said, hopping on one leg.
Before she could turn herself, he turned her and smacked her twice on the bottom. “Think yourself lucky I’m already late.”
“Good,” she spat back.
He had shocked her with those smacks and although he had threatened, he had never touched her like that again. A feeling deep in her belly though, was telling her that the reprieve wouldn’t last forever. Maybe if she ignored the banging, he would think they were out and go away, except that her car was still on the driveway. Destiny turned her afternoon television show down and then off, she didn’t want to give her presence away. Why was he so angry though? Could it be that he checked with the school board as promised and found out she hadn’t registered Sophia to be homeschooled? Surely that wasn’t what it was. Why did he even care whether Sophia went to school? It would be one less child to worry about wouldn’t it?
A Lie Unraveled Page 3