Neither one of us could sleep. We spent the night on the couch watching TV. Sam was in my arms all night, while I clutched my phone in my hand.
After a long and sleepless night sick with worry over Bella alone with her father, Sam and I decided to go to the gym. That was always her way of therapy, and pretending a punching bag was Marc for an hour or two didn’t sound like a bad idea. She wanted to try a yoga class afterwards to relax. After two hours of weights, cardio, and punching a hole in said punching bag, I told her I’d wait for her in the coffee shop across the street.
I bought an iced coffee and sat at a table in the back. I was sweaty now and sore all over, but didn’t feel any better. I tried to think of excuses to check on Bella after Sam got out of class.
I noticed a stocky guy leaning over the counter by the barista, obviously flirting. The girl was giggling and touching the guy’s arm. From where I sat, she could have been no more than twenty. The man went to the refrigerator next to the register and took out what looked like a juice box.
No fucking way; that couldn’t be Marc.
Sure enough, Marc dropped the juice box in front of Bella, who was sitting at the table behind him with her head down. He had his back to his daughter the entire time. Anyone could have taken her and he wouldn’t have known until it was too late. I couldn’t tell if she was sleeping on the table. Knowing Marc, he’d dragged his daughter out of bed in an attempt to get into the barely legal barista’s pants.
Fuck this.
I got up and crept over to where she was sitting. Marc didn’t notice me approach, which infuriated me. No doubt he was a big jerk, but this kind of negligence even I didn’t expect.
“Hey, Butterfly!”
I tapped Bella’s shoulder and she slowly lifted her head, like it was too heavy for her shoulders. She was flushed with a sweaty forehead, but she looked like she was shivering. It was a chilly morning, and all she had on was a windbreaker.
“Lucas, you came! I wanted to call you but Daddy wouldn’t let me have his phone.” Her voice was raspy and soft.
The look of happiness and relief on her face broke my heart. The Hello Kitty paper with my number on it was crumpled in her hand.
“What’s wrong?” I pushed away the hair that was sticking to her forehead, and her head was burning up. She was sick, and yet Marc brought her out in the cold anyway.
“Marc!” I yelled to him as he was whispering in the girl’s ear. He turned around laughing but rolled his eyes when he saw me.
“What do you want, pretty boy?” He turned to the barista with a sickening grin. “He can never stand anyone else talking to a cute girl. Always has to get everyone’s sloppy seconds—”
“Your daughter is sick, you asshole. Did you notice she was burning up with a fever?”
Marc squinted his eyes at me and shook his head.
“She’s fine, she’s just like her mother and never wants to go anywhere.” He turned back to the barista, and I saw red. I stormed over to him and grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Go feel her fucking forehead! And roll your eyes at me again.”
I took another step towards him and got in his face. “I dare you.”
Marc huffed. “Excuse me, Candie. I’ll be right back.”
Marc followed me over to Bella and reluctantly felt her forehead. His face fell, and he stepped back.
“She wasn’t like that when we left. She must have just gotten sick. Great, the one weekend your grandmother isn’t here. Ugh! We’ll go home in a little while.” He turned to walk back to the counter and I grabbed his arm.
“Your daughter is sick. She can barely lift her head up and needs to see a doctor. Are you that fucking stupid?” I was doing the exact opposite of what Robyn told us to do, but as far as I was concerned, that all went out the goddamn window if Bella was in trouble.
Marc pulled his arm away.
“I said give me a little while. God, you still bitch like a woman.”
He headed back towards Candie, and I’d had enough. I took my jacket off, wrapped it around Bella, and picked her up.
“Come on, Butterfly. I’m sorry my jacket is sweaty. We’ll go wait in the car for Mommy and go to the doctor.”
I bolted towards the door when Marc grabbed my arm.
“Who the hell do you think you are? This is my kid not yours. Same as it’s my wife that you’re sleeping with in my bed. Why don’t you get your own damn life and stop taking my leftovers.”
If Bella wasn’t in my arms, Marc would’ve been on the floor, bleeding and possibly missing teeth. But she was, and I didn’t want to scare her.
“They’re yours in name only.” I kept my voice as flat as possible. “A real father wouldn’t ignore his sick daughter. He would be worried as hell and running to the doctor, not trying to score with an underage waitress. Samantha and Bella are mine, more than they ever were yours. Even this bullshit custody fight your mother started won’t change that. If you’ll excuse me, my butterfly needs a doctor.”
I stormed out the door and carried Bella to the car, texting Sam with one hand to let her know where we were.
“Lucas?” Bella sounded so weak, and it was scaring the shit out of me.
“Yeah, Butterfly?” I sat with her on my lap in the driver’s seat, trying to warm her up before I strapped her in the back.
“You saved me. You’re just like Superman.”
I tightened my arms around her and kissed her still burning forehead.
“I’ll always save you. No matter where you are.” She gave me a little smile and closed her eyes, cuddling into my chest.
Sam’s class would be over in five minutes, and I knew as soon as she read my text she would run here. If I knew where her doctor was, I would have taken her myself.
I had loved Bella for a long time—how could I not?—But I couldn’t remember exactly when things changed. All I knew was the little girl in my arms was my life now, as much as her mother was—and I would be just as broken if I ever lost her.
I couldn’t understand how Sam was so calm. We sat in pediatric urgent care—thankfully a two-minute drive from the gym—for over an hour. I was getting more and more pissed off as the nurse called in kids who didn’t look nearly as sick as Bella. She was sitting on Sam’s lap, half sleeping on her chest with flushed cheeks.
I marched up to the checkin counter to ask the nurse what the hell was going on.
“Excuse me. Can you please check when Isabella Christensen is supposed to get called in? She has a high fever and has been here for a while.” I watched her check the sign-in sheet with a lack of urgency that grated on my already frayed nerves.
“Should be about fifteen minutes, sir. There are two children before her.”
“Two children before her? I have a sick kid here. Can’t you move her up?”
“Sir, they’re all sick kids. We’ll call her when they’re ready.”
“Babe, please come sit back down.” Sam patted the chair next to her in the waiting room. She had a patronizing smile on her face. Why wasn’t she as freaked out as I was?
“This is bullshit. I just saw a kid walk in with ice wrapped around his thumb. Bella’s actually sick and they still haven’t called her name.” I shook my head and put my head in my hands, ready to bang it against the wall.
Sam rubbed my back and leaned over to kiss my shoulder.
“Aren’t you cold? You can run home and get another jacket. Doesn’t look like you’re getting this one back anytime soon.” Bella had my jacket wrapped around her like a blanket.
I wiped the hair off Bella’s face. Her forehead was still hot and damp.
“I’m fine.” I told Sam, still looking at Bella. I was still agitated from my altercation with Marc, and the snail’s pace the doctor seemed to be going at didn’t help.
“Not that I don’t love staring at your muscles, but we don’t need you sick, too.”
I wore a sleeveless shirt, and actually was cold—but I wasn’t going anywhere until a doctor said B
ella was all right.
“Why are you so calm? I love you, but you’re getting on my nerves.”
Sam laughed and rubbed my back.
“I’m ninety percent sure this is strep throat. Bella just told me it hurt to swallow. For the past couple of years, she’s gotten it right after Christmas. I’m surprised it took this long, I was hoping maybe she avoided it this year. They’ll swab her throat and give her some antibiotics. She’ll be better in a week or so.”
I shrugged. I was probably overreacting, but seeing Bella sick and Marc completely ignoring her still infuriated me. I wasn’t going calm down until the doctor looked her over.
“You know,” Sam kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear. “Kids get sick. Especially when they go to school and share new germs with each other. It’s scary and hard not to panic every time. You’re new at this, but you’ll get used to it.”
I turned my head and gave her a soft peck on the lips. Sam was right, I needed to learn to keep cool in times like this, and not act like a nutcase. I needed to find a way to reel it in.
“I actually love that you’re this worked up. Marc never came with us to the doctor. He was always more annoyed at the inconvenience whenever Bella got sick, as you may have noticed today. Bella never had a real dad who worried about her so much before.”
I looked over at Sam and noticed her eyes were a little watery, it usually didn’t take much to make my girl cry. She rested her head on my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
“Do you want to come home with me?”
I laughed and kissed her forehead, then shrugged at her. “Sorry, I already live with someone.”
Sam giggled. “She must be pretty.”
“No.” I kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. “She’s beautiful.” I took her hand and intertwined our fingers.
“I texted Robyn and let her know what happened with Marc. She wants to talk to you to get the details. Could you give her a call once the doctor calls Bella in? I know you want to see the doctor too, but I can handle it.” She winked at me and I laughed. Our roles were reversed for the day. Usually, I’m the calm one and she’s the worry wart.
“Isabella Christensen.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Sam handed me her phone before she carried Bella to one of the exam rooms. I strolled outside to tell our lawyer I did the exact opposite of her advice. I felt like I was reporting to the principal’s office for bad behavior.
“Samantha? How’s Bella?”
“Hey, Robyn. It’s Lucas. Sam told me to call you.”
“Oh, hi. Yes, I felt it was better getting all the details straight from you. Tell me what happened.”
I took a deep breath and prayed I hadn’t made this already horrendous situation we were in even worse.
“Not much to tell. I was sitting in a coffee shop and noticed Marc flirting with one of the girls who worked there. Bella had her head down on a table like she was sleeping, and he had his back to her the entire time. I went over to her and realized she was sick. I told Marc she needed a doctor and he blew me off, so I carried her out and waited for Sam in the car. I also … had some words with Marc.”
“What words?”
I cringed and put my hand to my forehead. “I called him an asshole and told him he was fucking stupid.”
I braced myself for her reaction, and was surprised to hear her laugh.
“That sums up what my husband and I always thought about Marc. You’re a good man, Lucas. You saw Bella was in trouble and got her the help she needed. I did tell you to avoid fighting with Marc or his mother, but you did what you had to do. I’m going to put a hold on the joint custody agreement, citing what happened today. Bella won’t have to go back to Marc until we have a hearing. I’ve been working on a plan to get Marc to admit his mother is behind his request for joint custody, and I think I’m ready to show it to the judge. Focus on getting Bella better, and I’ll take care of the rest. We’re in a good place, so stop thinking you fucked it all up.”
I laughed. Sam was right about Robyn. She looked and sounded like Snow White, but she seemed like she knew what she was doing. The confidence in her voice made me feel optimistic for the first time in over a month. I hoped her plan was a good one, because we needed this all to be over.
The doctor confirmed that Bella had strep throat. After some pink medicine and Tylenol, she passed out in her room. Sam and I tiptoed in to check on her. I knelt next to her bed and felt her forehead, cool for the first time today.
Sam came up behind me and ran her fingers through my hair. Still kneeling on the floor, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her down to me.
“You know what I need around here?” I whispered so I wouldn’t wake Bella.
“What’s that?” Sam ran hand down my cheek.
“Another man in the house. I already have my work cut out for me, keeping boys away from you.” I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and glanced at my little butterfly, asleep in her bed. “This one looks more like you every day, and as you like to point out—you’re with an older man. I need a little help here.”
“Are you saying you want to have a baby?” It was dark, so I couldn’t tell what her reaction was.
I slowly nodded my head. We’d never really talked about having kids. Sam was a fantastic mother, but I never considered the possibility that she only wanted one child. It wasn’t a deal breaker if she did, but I’d been thinking a lot about seeing Sam’s belly grow with my baby inside. I was surprised at how the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it.
“Not right this second, obviously. Someday. But if you don’t I understand. And I’m happy with you and Bella—” Sam put her finger on my lips.
“You’re cute when you ramble. I would love to have a baby with you. Although, I’m not sure if the women of the world are ready for Lucas Hunter’s son.”
I pulled her close and kissed her. Sam pulled back from my lips and leaned her forehead against mine.
“We could have another girl, you know. What would you do then?”
“I would love another girl. I’d just accept the fact I was probably headed towards an early grave.”
Sam chuckled and shook her head at me. I stood, pulling her by the hand along with me.
“I love you so much.” I crashed my lips onto hers, and heard the cutest little moan escape when I bit her bottom lip.
“Let’s take it outside.” Sam took my hand and led me out the door.
If all went according to plan, in a few months, Sam and I would be married—provided she said yes, Bella would be staying put, and maybe we’d have a new little person on the way not long after. Everything would be pretty damn close to perfect.
As we waited for Robyn outside the family court building, my stomach was in knots. She was able to get an earlier court date than expected, which was great if things went our way, and awful if they didn’t. At least until the hearing, we had sole custody and didn’t have to worry about Bella on weekends. I really didn’t want to go back to our previous arrangement. Even more than being afraid of her getting sick or being in trouble because of Marc’s negligence, Bella was getting older, and becoming more aware of her father’s indifference. Having personal experience—and unresolved issues—with a father like that, I wanted her as far from Marc as possible.
Lucas held my hand, running his thumb back and forth over my palm. He was tense, but trying so hard to hide it. Robyn approached us wearing a confident smile and led us inside. Before we reached our assigned courtroom, she turned to us with a stern expression.
“I do all the talking unless I tell you otherwise or the judge addresses you directly. Don’t let Marc get the best of you and make you leave a bad impression in front of the judge. Lucas, if you’re asked to recount what happened in the coffee shop, just give a short story without calling Marc a douchebag or… what did you call him?’
“Asshole.” Lucas and I both said together, giving all three of us a much-needed laugh.
“Yes tha
t. I believe I have a plan that will shut this down today. So, whatever happens, trust me and let me handle everything. Agreed?”
We nodded and entered the courtroom.
I’d only ever seen an actual—not TV—courtroom during my two brief stints at jury duty. Judges intimidated the hell out of me, and just being in the courtroom increased my anxiety level exponentially. I took a deep breath as Lucas and I sat next to Robyn at a sturdy wooden table up front.
Marc was seated across from us with his lawyer—and his mother. I scowled at the back of Jeannie’s head but then looked away before she saw me. She was probably here to police her son and make sure he didn’t say anything stupid.
The judge walked in and I barely paid attention to the introductions. My heart was pounding in my ears as Robyn addressed the court.
“Your honor, we are here to ask that Marc Christensen’s petition for joint custody be denied. He’s proven that he’s not building a relationship with his estranged daughter at all, and has, in fact, demonstrated negligence that could adversely affect his daughter’s welfare.”
“How dare you! Samantha’s boyfriend is the one who is endangering her welfare, snatching her away from her father like that.” Jeannie’s face was red as she glared at Lucas. “She’s estranged from her father because of him!”
Their lawyer pulled Jeannie into her seat. I’d never seen her so unglued. She was always a bit stern and cold, but now she was in full Disney villain mode. All she needed was the fur coat made of Dalmatian hides.
“Control your clients, please.” The judge didn’t look happy as he reprimanded her. I guessed that was one point for us.
Robyn turned to us and raised her eyebrows, silently reiterating what not to do. Then she returned her attention to the judge.
“Your honor, what Mrs. Christensen was referring to was an incident in which her son took his daughter to a coffee shop while she was sick with a high fever, and then ignored her while he flirted with an employee. Mr. Hunter removed her and took her to a doctor. I have further evidence of negligence beyond that incident that I’d like to share with the court.”
Always You Page 18