Intuition

TYLER

Sophie’s sitting next to a woman who looks to be about her age, and Tilly is nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Tilly?” I ask, unable to hide my curiosity. Sophie just grins at me.

“She’s next door with one of the staff. You can see her afterward if you’d like.” I nod, not really committing to anything.

Damn.

This situation is messing with my head, but I’m determined to follow Jerry’s advice and do as I’m told.

“Jeremiah Henderson. Miss Stan has been called away to an emergency custody hearing, so I’m standing in for her,” Jerry introduces himself to the other lawyer, a woman named Vicki Grinning.

They exchange pleasantries before we all take our seats.

“Okay, well. My client’s all ears, Miss Ballard.” I nod, eager to get this over with.

“What do you want from me, Sophie?”

For a moment, we just stare at each other, her face filled with triumphant joy and mine probably reflecting my impending depression.

“I just want you to help with child care, and maybe take her for a day where I can recuperate from working. I’m going back part-time, so doing two long days, you know how life was before. I’m basically on call for forty-eight hours and will be sleeping at the hospital. So to begin with, she will need someone to have her for at least those two days, but preferably if you could have her for those two days and bring her back in the evening of the third night?” My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “I start back on Monday and Tuesday and will work those days for the foreseeable future.”

So, this is starting immediately?

How will the others react to this…it’s not like she’s giving me time to discuss this with them.

“You want to leave Tilly with me, us, overnight?”

“That’s what I just said, isn’t it?” Maybe I’m hearing things.

“So let me get this straight. You want me to have Tilly three days out of the week, where she would be in my custody the whole time. Being brought up how I deem suitable?”

“Yes, I want you to be a father. That’s what a father does,” she says.

“What’s the catch, Sophie?”

“There isn’t one. You can pay for all the things she will need while she’s with you, since we will basically be doing fifty-fifty. That’s what my lawyer has approved.” She wants me to be solely responsible for her child for three days out of every week? And she doesn’t want any money to compensate her?

“You don’t want child allowance or whatever it’s called?” It’s her turn to raise her eyebrows. She looks genuinely shocked that I would even ask this of her.

“Why would I? I’m sure you’ll spoil her while you have her.” I glance over at Jerry, who has a poker face that gives me no reassurance at all.

“And what about Violet, Zach, Callum and Ella? Or the rest of my family, for that matter. Are there any stipulations there?”

“Well, no. I’m sure you can sort out her getting to know her family on your side like I have mine, obviously, I don’t want her left with other people all the time, but I get there may be a reason for needing help on the odd occasion…Though there is one thing...” Of course, there’s a catch. She’s been playing nice this whole time, hasn’t she?

“What would that be?”

“I don’t want Tilly calling Violet mom. She isn’t her mom, but I understand you are in a relationship for now. And she lives with you, so it will be hard not to have her around Tilly. Anyway, she seemed good with Tilly the other day, very protective. I admire that. And I’m glad my daughter will have another strong woman as a role model to look up to when I’m working.” And to raise her.

“I doubt she would even want Tilly to assume she was anything but Violet,” I say, knowing Violet will struggle with this. She’s so young and a first-time mom…this is going to be as hard a transition for her as it is for me.

“Good. Is that settled then? Are we in agreement?” I purse my lips at her.

This has been nothing like I presumed it would be. In fact, I was expecting a hefty paycheck to come her way, me going over to hers to see Tilly on an odd day that suited her to trap me away from my relationship, to be nearer to her.

“Are you sure you even want to go back to work? I could help pay your bills so you get more time at home or something...” I lean back, feeling less anxious about her demands.

Yeah, it sucks that I’m being saddled with a child that isn’t mine for the time being, but it could be worse. She could have demanded far more than three days of babysitting duties.

And she knows how much we make; she could have claimed more money than Tilly would ever have needed.

So why isn’t she?

Something doesn’t add up, not at all.

“Actually, Tyler. I miss work. And I never planned to stay off further than the three months I got paid. That’s why I’ve plucked up the courage to tell you about Tilly, because I know how desperately you wanted to be a dad, and I felt guilty keeping it from you all these months. I shouldn’t have done that, it was out of spite for you not wanting me, but I realize my mistakes now. And I’m hoping to put it right now. To put Tilly first.” I want to snort, so badly, but I refrain from doing so. I look away so neither of the women can see the amusement in my eyes at her words.

“Can I just step out to talk to my lawyer?” I ask, looking toward Vicki only.

“Sure, I’d appreciate a few minutes alone with my client too.”

With that said, I stand up, walk toward the door, and open it. The room is stifling hot and humid, and I need to breathe.

Walking into the hallway, I can finally breathe, but as soon as the door shuts behind me, I voice my concerns.

“She wants no money, she doesn’t care who is around her child, and she’d appreciate the help. Is that not fucking weird, or am I tripping?” I try to be as quiet as I can be, voicing my concerns to Jerry even though we’ve barely left the room.

“Yes, it is. Most mothers hate the thought of fathers living a happy life with said children. Hence places like this are available, so the child at least knows who their fathers are.”

“So do I agree, get it in writing and sign the damn piece of paper?” He nods quickly.

“Tyler, this could be far worse for you. I think this is the best scenario out of a hundred worse ones.”

“So I play daddy to that poor child for three days a week until we can prove otherwise, then what? Rip away all that Tilly knows, leaving the child significantly mentally scarred like my sister and me?”

“I’ll try to be as quick as I can. I promise you that, son. Hopefully, this will all be over before she starts making memories.” I nod.

Pacing the small hallway before I decide whether or not I can agree to this.

“Will the others forgive me for agreeing to this?”

“I don’t know, son.”

God, I hope Violet, Zach, and Callum don’t hate me for agreeing to her arrangement.

Please Lord, help me out here and give me mercy.

ZACH

“If you are here to upset him any further, I suggest you go home, Zachary. He’s in a very tender place right now, and your version of tough love isn’t what he needs.” My mother glides over to where I’ve seated myself in the contact center lobby, taking a seat like the regal lady she is.

She’s treating this place like it’s normal, something other than what it is.

“What the fuck, ma?”

“I mean it. He is confused, hurting, and far too vulnerable to be treated the way I know you want to treat him. He needs love and support.”

“Then I’ll love and support him.” After I’ve used my belt to vent my anger...

“Don’t lie. I’m your mother, and I know you well.” Damn.

“Look, I’ve already had this conversation with dad. Three fucking times since he pulled me out of the house. I don’t need you lecturing me too. So drop it, ma, before I flip.” She squeezes my arm, her nails digging into my skin rather painfully.

“Zachary, listen to me. Tyler had a severe panic attack when he left here today. Liz and I found him at the coffee shop, and he was on the verge of another breakdown. He’s not in a good place mentally. He swears he didn’t sleep with her or father this child, and your father and I believe him. He’s being forced to take responsibility for a child he didn’t ask for. That’s a terrifying situation. So if you’re here to question him or drag him to your club to punish him…you might as well leave now. I won’t let you do that to him while he’s this vulnerable.” I swallow hard, the lump in my throat growing as I realize how deeply Tyler has been affected by the DNA results.

I’ve been so wrapped up in my own feelings, I haven’t considered his. I didn’t even ask if he was okay. What an asshole I’ve been! Shouldn’t we just accept that he slept with her, fathered a child with her, and move on? She’s pinned this on him. She got what she wanted. We need to figure out how to navigate this because we have a child at home who needs him. Violet needs him. I need him. I’m sure Callum does too.

Violet will be as heartbroken as I am. But my mother’s right, I do plan on taking out my frustrations on him in bed. Especially since the playroom equipment was delivered today. But it’s up to Violet. She’s the one who convinced me to take him back last time. It’s her decision whether to forgive him this time. Did he really do this? That’s the million-dollar question.

“What are you thinking about?”

“How Violet will react, whether she’ll tell him to leave or not.”

“I hope she doesn’t. It would destroy him.”

I look away from my mother.

“But it’s her choice. He cheated, ma. He has a child with an ex he broke up with five years ago for a reason.”

“Tilly isn’t his, Zachary. Mark my words.” We sit in silence after that, the tension palpable.

My phone buzzes a dozen times, but I ignore it. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. Do I pretend to believe Tyler until my father can disprove the DNA results, or do I confront him and see where our relationship ends up? You promised to trust him. Right…before you gave him a blowjob, on her car, no less. Shit, I did promise to trust him.

“Zach, he’s innocent. If you’re just going to sulk, you might as well leave. He doesn’t need this side of you.”

“He needs me, mom. I’m his spouse.”

“Then believe in him. Let your love for him steer your actions.”

“He was unfaithful after Rose,” I state, leaning back and spreading my legs for comfort.

My mother stiffens next to me.

“And how many women did you bed in the year after she passed, Zachary? Because it was significantly more than his one. He’s loved you and accepted you, imperfections and all. He never desired the life you led, but he’s lived it because he didn’t want to lose you. Don’t perch there on your moral pedestal when you’ve been with so many people you’ve lost track. Don’t be so innocent to think that your actions didn’t wound him just as deeply. Yet he never doubts his trust in you.” I’m at a loss for words.

“He really feels that way?”

“He did, but he realized that loving you as you are is worth more than wishing you were different.”

“Why didn’t he ever speak up, mom? I wouldn’t have forced him to stay if I knew.”

She snorts, scrutinizing her flawlessly manicured nails.

“No, you would have told him to go, and he couldn’t do that. He’s loved you since before he even hit puberty.”

“Don’t be absurd, mom.” Could that be true?

“Believe me. A mother is never wrong.”