On My Stepfather's Bed

Chapter 4- I have a daughter

[Ryder]

"Okay, I promise, so what is it?" I asked. She bit down on her lips, shifting slightly on her seat. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it back immediately.

"Is everything okay?" I asked genuinely. She was never one to hold back when she had something to say. She had told me plainly that she wouldn't have our child outside marriage. So what was it that she was finding it difficult to talk about?

"I'm good, I just...I mean...I've not been totally sincere with you but...," She paused. "Though we never talked about it anyway," she was still speaking in parables but I decided to stay calm and let her talk.

"So I didn't know things would happen this fast. I've been meaning to tell you though," she stared at me again, her lips sinking deep into her teeth. "I have a daughter," she blurted out. Her eyes were boring straight into mine.

I blinked back, my brow creasing together as I tried to make sense of what she just said.

"Come again," I mumbled. She lowered her head before staring back at me and I could already see tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.

"I have a daughter, and I didn't mean to hide it from you. I was going to talk to you about it," she said again and I sat still, my eyes piercing right into hers.

What was that supposed to mean?

"Like you're married or what?" That was the first thing that came to my mind. She shook he head immediately.

"No... I'm not," she snapped. "I mean, I was but not anymore," she added and I swallowed hard. My hand dug into my scalp as I tilted my neck to the side.

"I didn't mean to hide it from you," she said immediately, shifting towards me. She held my hand and squeezed it slightly. "Baby, you're not looking at me," she mumbled and I shifted my eyes back to her.

"You didn't mean not to tell me or you never meant to at all. Is this because we're getting married soon? Is that why you felt like I should know now?" I asked and she shook her head again.

She lowered her head slightly, her hand tightening on mine. "I just...I mean, I..." She paused and I heard her sniff

Is she crying?

"I just didn't want you to see me a type of way. Like someone who already had a child."

"Why would I see you some type of way because of that? I would never and you know that. But you could have told me. It's not like we met yesterday. We've talked severally about us, but you never cared to mention it to me."

"I'm sorry," she raised her head, staring at me. A single tear slipped from her eyes. "I should have..."

"Don't do that," I cut her off, pulling her closer to me. "Why are you crying?"

"You're mad at me," she sniffed and I bit down on my lip, pulling her to my chest.

"I'm mad that you didn't tell me, but that's not a reason for you to cry and no, I would never have seen you differently Vanessa," I said and she pulled back. She bit down on her lips, taking my hand back in hers.

"You're okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be. That should not be a question Vanessa and no you don't get to see yourself that way. That you've had a child with an ex, shouldn't define you in any way. So of course I'm okay with it," I said, and that smile I was used to spread across her lips.

"You're the best," she said softly, resting her head back on my chest.

"You sure about that?" I teased, drawing circles on her back. She chuckled, nodding her head.

"I told her about you yesterday and she was kind of shocked."

"How old is she?" I asked and she pulled back again, staring at my face like I had just asked another difficult question.

"She's nineteen, she'll be twenty soon."

I blinked back. "Wait, what?" I gasped, my eyes sweeping all over her body.

She bit down on her lips, her eyes faltering.

"Nineteen? You're thirty-six if I'm not wrong. So how come?" I asked and a smile crept up her lips.

"I had her pretty early. I was seventeen when I gave birth to her," she said and my mouth hung open.

"Wow, I was thinking you were about to talk about a five-year-old or there about," I said and she chuckled.

"No, she's nineteen." She smiled and I couldn't help but admire her. If she didn't tell me, I would have never guessed that she already had a child.

"I don't know when you'll be free. I want to introduce you both," she said and I leaned back on the couch, my hand crossed over my chest as I stared back at her.

"And she's fine that you're getting married?" I asked and she shook her head.

"She was shocked. Though she wasn't in the best mood yesterday. She was fired from her workplace, so her mood was sour," she added and I bit down on my lip.

"And about her father. You said you lost him, what do you mean by...," My words faltered as her face suddenly darkened but before I could read a meaning to it she quickly masked it up with a smile, shaking her head

"I lost him. He got very sick when my daughter was just nine and it was so bad that he didn't make it out alive," she said and I swallowed hard. Taking her hand back in mine.

Before I could say a word. She beat me to it. "Don't give me that face. That's all in the past. And I'm very much okay," she chuckled, running her finger down the back of my palm.

"So would you be free tomorrow, I would like her to meet you," she said and my brow creased together.

"Can we make it a day after tomorrow? I have an important meeting tomorrow," I said and she nodded quickly.

"Of course that's fine. At least she would be much better by then." She said and I flashed her a smile as I stared at my wrist watch.

"I have somewhere to be in twenty minutes," I mumbled, rising to my feet. She stood up with me, trying to park the food remnants

"Don't worry about that. The cleaners would handle that."

She nodded and grabbed her bag from the couch. "I didn't come with my car, so I'll appreciate, if you'll drop me by the designer's place. I need to check out my gown."

"Sure." She immediately reached for my arm. Tucking her hand on my arm.

"And don't worry about my daughter. She's a sweet one and I'm sure you too will get along," she whispered as we walked out of the study room.