Marcus
“I WANT TO file a restraining order against her,” I tell Mr. Kline, my dad’s attorney.
“Don’t you think that’ll make it hard to co-parent if the results are positive?”
“There will be no co-parenting,” I all but snarl at him. “It’s impossible for me to be the father.”
He removes his glasses from his face. “Either way, unless she’s posing a threat or you have proof she’s harassing you, the judge won’t issue one.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. With my elbows on the table, I rest my face in my hands. “Basically, I can’t do shit to her for trying to ruin my life.”
“Legally? Not really.”
This is complete bullshit. I’ve been working every angle with Mr. Kline since the day after Stacy showed up a month ago to get her ass for fucking me over like this. He’s probably sick of my face and telling me the same thing over and over. There’s nothing he can do.
“Alright then. Thank you for your time, Mr. Kline. I’ll be in touch if I have any more questions.”
“Any time.” He stands, shakes my hand, and I exit his office.
Getting in my car, I lean my head back and try to calm down. I’m so livid I could break shit right now. I don’t get what she’s trying to accomplish other than to make my life a living hell.
My phone dings in my pocket. I pull it out only to see the bane of my existence flash across the screen.
Stacy: Have you thought about baby names? I was thinking Christopher Marcus Riley III if it’s a boy.
I blink a few times, certain that I’m imagining this. She’s acting like everything is normal.
Me: Are you fucking kidding me right now?
My phone rings in my hand. “I’m not playing around, Stacy. You better back off and leave me the hell alone,” I tell her when I answer.
“I’m only kidding about the baby names. Your little girlfriend leave yet?” I can so clearly picture the smirk on her face right now, and it has me fuming.
“Is that seriously your endgame in all of this? Just to put a divide between Lydia and me?”
“Maybe I just want you to feel the hurt you’ve caused me.”
My head jerks back slightly. What the hell? “Are you talking about when we broke up?”
“No. I’m not.” Her tone is harsh, which only further confuses me. Before I have a chance to respond, there’s a click and the line goes dead.
“Hey, honey,” my mom greets. I give her a kiss on the cheek and come into the house.
“Dad at work?” I ask her.
“Nope, he just ran upstairs real quick. Do you want something to eat or drink?”
I shake my head. “It’s Monday. I’m surprised he’s not at the office.”
“Your dad is slowing down in his old age and taking a step back. It’s nice having him home more.” A warm smile spreads across her face and I’m envious. I’ve always looked up to my parents and the relationship they have. Sure they’ve had their ups and downs, but they’re solid. They love each other and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. I want that in my life.
“What’s wrong, dear?”
Leaning back in a chair, I look up at the ceiling and release a large breath. “Mr. Kline said I can’t prosecute Stacy for anything.”
She makes a disapproving grunt before having a seat in the chair across from me. “How are things with you and Lydia?”
I let out a sigh. “They’re a little strained, but we’re working through it.”
Her brow furrows and her head tilts. “I thought she said she believed you.”
“She says she does, but I can tell she’s preparing herself for bad news. She’s more distant than she used to be, her smile never reaches her eyes, and I feel like she’s always looking at me for clues that I’m lying.”
Mom places a comforting hand on my arm. “Be patient. She’s been through a lot.”
I nod. I know she’s right, but that doesn’t make this any easier. “I just want things to go back to the way they were a month ago. I’m at a loss here. My hands are tied and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.”
“How much longer until Stacy has her baby?”
“Two more months.”
She shakes her head. “I really don’t understand what she thinks she’s accomplishing with all of this.”
“That makes two of us,” I mumble. “She actually called before I came over and it was the weirdest thing. It’s like she’s got it in for me all of a sudden after all this time. I honestly feel like her only goal is to make me lose Lydia.”
“I always had a bad feeling about that one. Something about her never sat right with me. She was too eager,” my mom says.
I let out a humorless huff. “Eager isn’t how I’d describe her now. More like fucking insane.” I put my head in my hands. “I don’t know why this is happening to us.”
“I’ve always believed there’s a purpose to the things that happen in life, and I feel the same about this.”
I blink a few times, trying to decide if I missed something in all of this. “Really? What reason could that be?” The disbelief in my voice is hard to miss.
She shrugs. “I’m not sure, and sometimes we never know, but look at your life events that have led to where you are today. What are the odds you’d run into Lydia after meeting in Myrtle Beach? We all end up exactly where we’re supposed to be. Maybe this is a test to show how strong the two of you are. Maybe this is life’s way of testing Lydia to prove she’s truly moved on from the pain of her past. Either way, whatever comes of this, if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”
I mull over what she said, but it’s hard as hell to leave this up to fate when I’m terrified it’ll be too much for Lydia to take and she’ll leave.
“Christopher, I didn’t know you were coming over,” my dad says as he enters the room. I hate they insist on using my first name when they know everyone calls me by my middle.
“Yeah, I didn’t know either. How’s work treating you?”
“Same old, same old. Your brother is stepping up and taking on more responsibilities as he learns the ropes. That could’ve been you,” he reminds me in an almost singsong voice.
I roll my eyes jokingly. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”
Most would see my dad’s constant reminders as disapproval, but I know that’s not the case. On the rare occasion I attend one of their functions, my dad is the first to introduce me as his son, the police officer. He wouldn’t force me or my brother to pursue a career we weren’t happy with. I’ve always been grateful for that.
“Anyway, did you go see Bill this morning?” he asks, referring to Mr. Kline. I nod in response. “What did he have to say?”
I let out a sigh. “The same thing he says every time. There’s nothing I can do.”
“Do you hear from Stacy at all?”
I nod and tell him what I told Mom.
He shakes his head. “Well, Bill’s the best at what he does, so I’d trust what he tells you.”
“I do, I’m just frustrated.” My hand runs roughly over my face.
“Well, you only have two months left unless you’re able to convince her to give a blood sample for testing before then.”
My lawyer informed me that I don’t have to wait for the baby to be born and testing can be done beforehand. Of course, Stacy is being a bitch about it and won’t comply. Other than physically holding her down while they test her, there’s really nothing I can do. Again, hands are fucking tied.
“Once the results come back negative, we’ll revisit our options and see if wrongfully accusing you of being the father of her baby with the intention of causing emotional distress constitutes as harassment and punishable in civil court. Until then, we hang tight and wait,” he continues.
Wait.
Easier said than done.