👨💖DADDY DEAREST👨💖
👧CHAPTER EIGHT👧
***(When a pla-yboy turns daddy…)***
💟ON GOD💟
Written by Clement Ruth
***
Carly walked briskly to the coffee shop just across from the company,happy to be out among the sunshine
The coffee shop was popular for its accompanying croissants or brunch which was heavenly and she always longed for her coffee break
She knew she should have eaten breakfast earlier but concerned with taking care of Desi and getting to the office earlier was really taking her time
She was sure Chris mist have eaten but anyway she was still going to get some croissants for him
“We meet again”a voice said behind her and she turned abruptly to a familiar looking man but Carly’s muddled br@in couldn’t seem to figure out where she’d met him
She just wanted to get her coffee
Her stomach rumbled as the man smiled
Very nice.
“Carly,right?”he asked again and Carly immediately remembered where she had seen him
He was de-siree’s friend,Matt
She decided not to dwell on the strangeness of him appearing so close to her company but instead smiled formally and said
“How do you do?”
“How do you do.”he answered”And how’s our dear little de-siree?”
“Desi is fine”Carly said as she briskly placed her order and turned away from Matt
Matt was definitely not going to back down
“You stay around here?”
“This is a business district,Matt”Carly replied”I’m sure you know,Mr Xanders’ company is over there,right?”
“Oh I definitely did not”Matt replied”I was just in the neighborhood looking for …uhh…inspiration”
“Sorry?”
“I’m a freelance writer and I make research before writing”he explained
“I see”Carly said
That was a very plausible excuse but she was not going to dwell on that now
“Well it was nice seeing you again,Matt”She said as the waitress rounded up her order and have it to her”perhaps we meet again”
She turned and left the shop
***
Matt stood looking at the fast disappearing figure of Carly
She was definitely not an easy one,he thought,and amber was going to have to dump this route
He couldn’t imagine himself trying to manipulate Carly
He had loitered around Chris’s company for days and watched only even they got out at the end of the day
But he got a streak of luck when she c@m£ our today and so far he didn’t think he had made an impression
Why,the woman doesn’t even want to look at him twice
He didn’t even know how he got tied up on this
Well,if Carly was proving too difficult then its high time to pl@yhis best card which he can use to his every whim
Desirée
👧CHAPTER NINE👧
“Uncle Matt!”Desi screamed as she laughed herself into matt’s arm.
The pla-yground of the pri-vate preschool was teeming with running,pla-ying and crying preschoolers and their parents
Matt was surprised Desi could even did him in the crowd
“Hi,angel”Matt said as he crouched to her level and hvgged her just as a plea-sant looking wan walked up to them
“Hi”she said”I’m Miss pearl,Desi’s teacher”
They shook hands
“And you are….?”she continued
“He’s my dad”Desi said and the teacher raised her brows in astonishment
Sure they looked alike but she had never seen him before
And its not right to let a child in your care wander off with someone you are not familiar with
Matt seemed to re-ad the thoughts going throu-gh the teacher’s head then laughed
“She’s just kidding”he said”I’m a friend of the family”
“Oh…right”the teacher appeared relieved
“Mind if I take her home?”Matt asked but the teacher shook her head
“No,I’m sorry,Carly would be here any minute”she said”she usually comes for desi herself”
“She s£nt me here”Matt said
“Oh did she?”
“Yes,and there’s really no problem with me taking Desi home,right pumpkin?”he nudged Desi and she giggled
The teacher was perplexed
“Give me a minute plea-se while I confirm something”she said”you may wait here in the pla-yground”
Inside her clas-sroom,with her cell phone in hand, Carly picked on the third ring
“Ohmigod,pearl,I’m sorry I’m late”Carly said”This traffic is a gridlock!is Desi OK?”
“W…why yea…Carly I called to confirm…There’s a man here claiming you s£nt him to pick Desi up”
“What?!”
“Yea,I thought it was strange so I called you”pearl said as she walked over to the window overlooking the pla-yground and st©pped dead….
The pla-yground was still crowded but Desi and the man wasn’t there
“Pearl?is everything OK?”
“Ohmigod Carly I left them here just a minute ago and now they are gone!”
“What?!who?”Carly tried to remain calm as she weaved her way in and out of traffic
“de-siree and the man”
“What man?!Carly yelled then something cli-cked”what did he look like?”
“He’s got brown hair like hers,quite tall,good looking…..”
“His name…did he mention his name”
“She called him uncle Matt”pearl said”listen Carly,I have to hang up now and contact security….”
“Its OK,pearl,I’ll take it from here”Carly said”And also I’ll never s£nd someone else to get desi….”
She hung up and cursed as she called Chris
Damn that Matt.
Now what in the world was he trying to pla-y
Carly was genuinely scared but she knew Matt wouldn’t hurt Desi…
Right?
Chris picked on the seventh ring
“Hi babe”
“Chris,we have a big problem…”
“What?are you OK?”
“I’m fine but Desi isn’t….”
“What?!”Chris said”what’s going ?”
“Apparently Matt showed up at the school and claimed I s£nt him to get desi”
“Thefu-ck…who….?!”
“Matt,I don’t know if she’s missing as of yet but….”
“We nee-d to find her”Chris spat”And Matt will be sorry he ever knew her”
👧CHAPTER TEN👧
“I think we nee-d to be calm in this situation Chris”Carly said as,Chris paced up and down the spacious living room
They couldn’t even report to the police because it would bring the press into this and Chris doesn’t want the press in his daughter’s life
But he could not stay calm even though Carly was right
They were just hoping Matt didn’t turn out to be a bastard and hurt de-siree
Chris could only turn to one of his closest friend,Zeke Millers,pri-vate detective and surveillance expert on this matter
With Zeke,he was sure to get that bastard
He should call him but there’s another call he had to make first
Amber picked on the first ring,like she was waiting for his call all along
“To what do I owe…..”
“Where’s desi?!”He barked into the phone,ma-king her st©p mids£ntence
“Excuse me,?”she snarled”Last I checked I left her with you,Mr pompous.What,is she lost?”
“Your man friend took her”Chris continued”I swear to God,amber if you are in on this….”
“I’m not and matt would do no such thing”she replied”you probably neglected her in favor of your numerous mistresses and now she’s gone.What a shame you are,you are not fit for a father…..”
Chris hung up on her just as Carly c@m£ out of the other room,handing him a phone
“Hello?”
“Hey man”Zeke said,with his African american twang”we found him and you’ll see him in about three minutes”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s headed for your house …I think”Zeke replied”at least that’s what his location says”
“How did you get him so fast?”
“I don’t think he intended to hide or something”Zeke said”Desi looks OK too”
Chris was about to say something when the doorbell rang and Carly rushed to it
“Hi,Carly!”Desi squealed as the woman crushed her in her arms
“Hey g…”Matt started to speak but was,thrown off balance by a swift b!ow from Chris
“Chris!”Carly g@sped as Desi bur-st into tears
“Thats enough”Carly said,emphatically as she tried to calm both Chris and Desi who was still crying
Matt didn’t say anything but as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand,Carly couldn’t help but shiver at the murderous look on his eyes
The same could be said for Chris as Carly stepped in between
“Leave “she ordered before slamming the door in his face
“Chris,that was totally uncalled for”
“You think?”
“Yea,he deserves a beating but not in front of Desi”
“Oh yea…”
“You hit my uncle Matt!!!!”Desi screamed at him and Chris expression softened
He reached for her but she twisted out of her grasp and ran to her room
Chris watched her go,crushed,and Carly patted his arm
“She’ll cone around,dear”she said”she’ll come around”
***
Amber was waiting behind the door when he got home
“Where’s she?”she asked anxiously
“She’s at home,with her father”
“What?!”amber screeched”you told me,you got her alre-ady!why did you take her in the first place if you are going to take her back?”
“I just wanted to see her OK?and plat with her like before”
“You fool…”amber gritted her teeth In frustration”what happened to your face”
“Bastard took a swig at me,right in my face”Matt said,his fists curling at the thoughts
He only held back because of Desi
“Can you see that?”amber said”he’s getting more attached to her.we have to strike before its too late”
“Leave her alone amber”
“You don’t mean that”amber said softly”Chris is not fit to be a father and we are going to make this known to the world,unless of course…he’s willing to pay or lose his kid”
👧CHAPTER ELEVEN👧
The next morning, desi refused to come down from breakfast and Chris was crushed when she refused to answer the door
Carly managed to get throu-gh to her but she didn’t want to see daddy
“Uncle Matt is like my daddy too”she pouted “and if daddy isn’t nice to him, I’ll dump him and have only my uncle Matt”
Carly smiled at the kids mentality but it was worrisome
“Daddy only did that because he was scared and worried for you”she said” we looked everywhere for you. You do know its wrong to take off like that with a stranger”
“Uncle Matt isn’t a stranger”
“He is to us”carly said firmly
“So I won’t see him again? “The little girl asked, eyes filling
“Well…. “Carly drawled”that can be arranged… If you eat your breakfast”
“Is daddy still there? ”
“Maybe, yes I think so”
“Then im not going”she piped up and folded her arms to her che-st and snuggled down into her pillows
Carly sighed
The little girl was really a headache
***
When carly finally went to the office, she found Chris there
He must have gotten tired waiting for Desi and headed for the office or he was scared of meeting her, afraid she’d still be angry
“How’s she? “He asked as soon as he sighted her
“She’s fine, she’s eaten and she’s at school”Carly said looking at him”don’t worry dear”
“I’m not”Chris said”just angry at the way that bastard got in between us. I thought we we’re getting close, you know”
Carly laughed
“She’s your daughter”
There was a brooding silence
“Is she?”
“Oh come on Chris…. ”
“No really, carly, remember the last time amber was here and she hinted on desi not being my daughter perhaps…. “He trailed off”I don’t think I’ve gotten myself since then”
“She is”carly Insisted”why do you doubt? ”
“Why is she so attached to Matt? “He mused”and the resemblance”
With a frustrated sigh, carly stood up and walked to him
“Suppose she’s not your daughter? “She asked”what are you going to do? ”
Chris stared at her blankly
“Listen Chris, this is all a ploy from amber and Matt. Its their way of trying to rip you off”she said”So st©p this brooding ”
She had ha-rd ly finished speaking when the phone rang and she snatched it up, forgetting she was at Chris desk
“Hello darling “a familiar voice cooed
“Amber”
“You… “Amber’s voice transformed immediately from silk to granite”let me speak to your boss. I ve absolutely no business with you”
“Yes you do”Carly snapped”That was a dirty trick you pla-yed yesterday, you and Matt. I promise you if anything happens to desi, you will not be spared amber ”
“I’ll do what I like”amber retorted “and you won’t be spared ether darling, and when I’m throu-gh with you both, you’d regret ever meeting Chris. My demand is little, you know”
“who-re”
Amber laughed
“Says a lady who is throwing herself at her boss”she cooed”poor you, chris wit settle down. He’s not fit and what’s more, he’s nor fit to be a father too no matter how you try to mother him”
The dial tone cli-cked and carly was left shaking in anger
She glared at chris who looked lost
“God, how she hoped amber wasn’t right
👧CHAPTER TWELVE👧
It was mid morning and amber was drinking coffee with her manager after a really disappointing call to an agency
Her long abs£nce from her pregnancy and child birth had really gotten her in search for an agency
Her last agency had dumped her when she appeared pregnant
Damn she had suffered a lot and she really nee-ded to st©p being so stupid and focus on ripping Chris off
It was his damn fault anyway, she wished she had gotten rid of the baby then bur she hadn’t so there’s got to be payment
Chris was well off but he refused to meet her demands because of pride and yet he wanted their daughter
She’d not only rip him off but also take his darling daughter too
It was probably a good thing he was getting attached to her, that way he’d hurt more
If only matt could be serious…
Sandy was thri-lled about the step she and matt took but said he was disappointed in matt’s behavior
Desi’s disappearance and appearance had rankled the household and Chris would probably ti-ght£ñ security around her
“Relax sandy, everything’s gonna work out”amber drawled
“In case you have forgotten, we nee-d that money badly. Only then these agencies won’t look down on you and you can get back onto the feel of things”
Amber knew but she also knew she would get the money
Only she wasn’t dong this just for the money anymore
She wanted to hurt Chris, hurt him so bad he’d come begging
Both of them
***
de-siree looked up when a shadow fell across her in the pla-yground where she and Dylan were ma-king sand castles
“Uncle matt”
She stepped over the sand castle and hvgged him
“Uncle Matt, are you OK? “She asked as matt
laughed
“Of course dear”he said, “why do you ask? ”
“Daddy hit you”she pouted”But he apologized. I told him he had to apologize to you first or I dump him”
Matt laughed again
“You want to dump you daddy? “Dylan asked, puzzled
Brianna and Isaac,friends of chris we’re visiting and they didn’t know their little son and de-siree had snuck out of the house to pl@ysecretly
“May… be”de-siree drawled”but not if he behaves himself”
Matt nodded and Dylan scoffed
“You don’t know better”he said”You can’t dump your daddy”
“We’ll see”
Matt laughed again
“Alright, how about we go get some ice cream for this p@rty? ”
“What p@rty? “Dylan asked
“Never mind”matt smiled”desi what do you say? ”
de-siree was conflicted
Carly did say she should not take off with a stranger
But that was ridiculous
She had gone lots of places with matt and she had been safe. Daddy had not gone out with her the way matt does
He was always too busy
But she did promise carly…
“OK, but Dylan is coming with us too”she said and matt st©pped, uncertain
Desi didn’t give him time to breathe
“And then we come back here and build more sand castles? ”
Matt blanched
“OK”he said, smiling brightly but very unsure as he led the kids away from the park
This could go horribly wrong
👧CHAPTER THIRTEEN👧
“Oh carly, where do you think they might be? “Brianna asked again, not panicking but on the verge
When she had walked into Desi’s room three hours ago to ask if they wanted anything, she discovered to her dismay that they weren’t in the room
She wasn’t panicking, she wasn’t. They probably went to the pla-yground cos that was Desi’s usual hangout
She was so glad carly wasn’t on the edge like she was, because she day didn’t want to Believe the kids we’re lost
“They’ll be fine, brie, they are not lost “Carly said reas-suringly, “and besides Chris alre-ady called Zeke. Let’s go meet the men”
They walked towards where Isaac and chris stood in the pla-yground and carly tried matt’s cell phone the millionth time
She had no doubt that he was responsible for this and so she wasn’t panicking but mad as hell
How dare he pl@yanother dirty trick again and also including Dylan?
If she caught him, she would kick his teeth down his throat
Chris looked at her. He was clearly agitated but Isaac was a little calmer
“Well, they we’re here, at least that’s what the other kids are saying”Isaac said
“But a man took them, he bought them ice-cream, even for the other kids”chris said”I’ll bet its Matt ”
“Who’s matt,? “Brianna asked
“A big fool, that’s what he is “Carly answered as her phone rang
Matt.
Heart pounding, she cli-cked on it
“Hi car… ”
“Where are they?”
“What? ”
“Matt, I’m not pla-ying stupid games and I’m guessing you shouldn’t either because its not gonna end well”carly said throu-gh gritted teeth as the others move closer to her”Now where are the kids? ”
“What are you talking about? ”
“You took de-siree and Dylan today, matt”she yelled”how stupid can you be. Alright, if you want money, I’ll give you. Now where are the kids? ”
“Look, I don’t know what you are talking about”matt said heatedly”I bought them ice cream and brou-ght them back to the pla-yground. You guys lost her?! I’m coming over right now..! ”
Carly was confused and Chris was impatient and yanked the phone from her just in time to hear matt say
“How could you lose her? “He sounded hurried”I knew it was a mistake to ever bring her back to chris…. ”
“If you have my daughter… “Chris began calmly
“She’s not your daughter”matt countered”And I’m going to take over from here. And when I find her, you won’t even see her”
He hung up just as a car drove up and Zeke jumped
“Alright, folks, let’s take this p@rty inside “he said as he walked towards them”We can’t stand here all day if we are going to find the, and you nee-d to seat down to hear this”
“What? ”
“Let’s go in, Chris”
***
Matt’s first st©p was at amber’s place
She opened the door in her lingerie, shocked to see him rush into the hi we and grip her upper arm
“Ow, not so ti-ght! “She squealed”what are you doing? ”
“Amber, where are they? ”
“What? “She looked lost”where are who? ”
“AMBER, I’M NOT JOKING! “He yelled”Where are the kids? ”
“You’re crazy”she yelled back”what kids?! ”
“How stupid can you be? “He yelled”how can you take them both? ”
“I don’t know what you are talking about, matt”she said and I think you are crazy as hell ”
“de-siree is gone”matt said, letting go of her
“Gone? “Amber asked”What do you mean gone? What has happened to my daughter? ”
Matt looked at her and rolled his eyes
“I was with them at the park today, and now she’s gone, both she and her little friend”
To his surprise, amber bur-st into tears
“Oh my gosh, how could that happen, matt? “She asked admist tears”this is all chris fault, I always knew he wouldn’t take care of her and now this.”
Matt eyed her skeptically
“I never knew you we’re so attached to her”
Her head snapped around
“How dare you? “She snapped”she’s my daughter and could be yours too. I know I was ha-rd towards her but for this to happen… This is all chris’s fault”
She broke into sobbing and matt was confused
Tentatively he reached towards her and patted her shoulder
Halfway throu-gh the patting, his hand st©pped in mid air as he sighted something on a love seat at the far end of the room
He peered closer and discovered to his surprise, it was a tiny cap which he had seen desi with today
He glared at amber who was still sobbing and oblivious to his change of mood
God, she was such a good actress
TBC