CHAPTER ELEVEN
1777 Words
Love Richmond
I had been in LA for at least three days now and my boss was not wrong, the company had all their accounts on files and nothing was computerized. I had opted to bring the work with me to my hotel room, I was hoping I would move faster here as the employees of the company were giving me the stink eye. I decided to take a break maybe get something to eat, the phone rang before I could walk out of the room. It was Wayne, “hey you.” I said with a smile, I liked to have heard a familiar voice with how exhausted I felt.
“Hello. How are you doing?” Wayne asked.
“I’m exhausted. I didn’t expect to find this much paperwork when I got here, and with no assistance.” I complained.
“I believe you were sent here as you are good at your job, you’ll do fine.” Wayne encouraged me.
I chuckled, “I guess so. Thank you for that.” I said as I went back to the door, “how is Nick? Did he give you any trouble? Does he miss me?” I asked when I opened the door and Nick came running towards me and hugged me.
“Of course I miss you mum!” He squealed.
I looked down at him confused, I looked back up and Wayne walked in after Nick. “What are you guys doing here?” I asked excitedly.
“We wanted to surprise you, are you surprised mommy?” Nick asked with a bug smile.
“I’m very surprised sweetie.” I said as I hugged him and his tiny arms hugged me back tightly. I looked at Wayne and mouthed a thank you.
“Can we go and eat now? Wayne said we’ll eat when we get here.” Nick complained.
Wayne and I snickered, “yes we will.” I said as I stood up. “Do you guys have any luggage?”
“Yes we do. Not much though.” Wayne said as he brought in two suitcases and put them by the door. “Now let’s go and eat.”
“I don’t know any good restaurants here.” I stated.
“I’ve got this don’t worry.” Wayne said as we exited the room.
Wayne took us to this amazing fancy restaurant, “Good morning sir, the usual?” The waitress asked.
“Actually Becky how about you bring us some menus?” Wayne asked.
“Right away sir.” The waitress walked away.
“You own this restaurant, don’t you?” I asked.
Wayne chuckled, “actually I have shares in the company that owns this restaurant.” He corrected, “but today we are here to eat, have fun and spend some time together a little family, right Nick?” Wayne asked as he put his hand up for a high five and Nick understood the assignment. I chuckled, I had been away for two days and that was enough for them to become close. Wayne really was a gentleman, taking care of a child that wasn’t his own like he was his own.
“Wait,” I said suddenly making everyone look at me, “it’s a week day, isn’t Nick supposed to be in school?” I asked Wayne. Wayne and Nick looked at each other then they giggled, “what did the two of you do?” I asked.
“Nothing mom.” Nick said with a snicker.
“Nick,” I dragged his name.
Wayne patted Nick’s arm as thought to tell him, not to worry and that he would take care of it. “It was my idea.” Wayne stated.
“What was your idea?” I asked.
“I called in Nick’s school and said he was sick so he got a few days off of school.”
“Isn’t Wayne the most awesome guy ever?” Nick asked.
“He is not. You’re supposed to be his guardian not his friend!” I exclaimed.
“Relax he’s literally going to miss just two days of school; the weekend is around the corner.” Wayne said just as the waitress approached our table with the menus. “Thank you Becky.” Wayne thanked her.
“I’ll be back to check on you.” Becky excused herself to give us some time to pick.
“Now let’s have some food then we can go to the carnival.” Wayne whispered.
“Yaay! The carnival!” Nick screamed making everyone in the restaurant turn to our direction.
Nick covered his mouth while we apologized to the people around us. “This is the kid’s menu, so you can pick anything you want.” Wayne told Nick and I glared at him. I didn’t like it when Nick felt as though he could have everything he wanted as that’s not how that world works. “Relax, you are so intense and we came here to make you have a break.” Wayne said.
Nick chose the chicken tossed with noodles and spring vegetables, while I had pasta with lamb ragú and a glass of white wine and Wayne settled with steak with charred scallion sauce. We enjoyed our meal while Nick entertained us different stories, I wonder where he got that story telling urge, it wasn’t from me that’s for sure. We finished our meal, Wayne paid for it despite me protesting that I should pay it since they came to see me. He then took us to this carnival much to Nick’s delight.
Wayne Robinson
I didn’t know why but every time I spend with Love I fall deeper in love with her. I see how much she loves and cares about her son and how happy she is despite everything that bastard, Quin, did to her. She worked hard to support Nick and despite her not having too much money she made sure that Nick went to all the best schools and had the basic needs he ever wanted.
“Wayne let’s go!” Nick squealed when we arrived at the carnival. I snapped out of my day dreaming and followed Nick and Love.
“Where should we start?” I asked Nick as he was dragging us towards the ice cream vendor.
“Ice cream first.” Nick said.
“No, no, no ice cream for now.” Love said sternly.
“I didn’t have dessert mom, so now ice cream is my dessert.” Nick countered.
“I mean he has a point.” I agreed with Nick.
“So, you are taking his side?” Love asked as she crossed her arms.
“Mom you are being dramatic and we are wasting time.” Nick complained as he dragged us to the ice cream stand. We all got ice cream, of course I had to argue with Love about who gets to pay for it, then we started walking around to see where we were to start our carnival fun.
Nick suggested we start with the carousel then we go to the bumper cars. When we got to the bumper cars, Nick whispered, “let’s gang up against mommy.”
I chuckled, “you got it.” I whispered back as we fist bumped.
“What are the two of you whispering about?” Love walked up to us and asked.
“Um… Nick wanted the white car but I had already chosen it but then I saw another white car. We are the white car boys.” I lied.
“Uh huh.” Love said as she looked around, “I’ll get a black one then.”
Nick and I were trying to bump on to Love but I guess she saw right though our charade earlier and kept dodging us. “You guys thought I wouldn’t know that you were ganging up against me?!” Love asked as she imitated an evil laugh, “now let’s see you try and catch me!” She yelled as she drove off and Nick and I went after her. Granted to say by the time we got out of the bumper cars we hadn’t done any bumping but Love had somehow managed to bump us a lot of times. My phone rang, I picked up without stopping to check who it was that was calling.
“What did you find out?” Valeria asked.
“I can’t do this with you right now. I’m busy.” I said.
“You are taking care of that b***h’s child instead of your child!” Valeria snapped, “All I want is for Remi to meet his father and preferably grow up with one.”
“We all want a lot of things that we can’t get Valeria, learn to leave with it!” I snapped at her then hanged up the phone. I know I was probably wrong for talking to her like that but a part of me was desperately holding on to the hope that the child wasn’t mine. I know that the child was conceived back to before Love and I got together but I didn’t know how to explain it to her. There I was comforting her in the courtroom after I had gotten another girl pregnant? Or spending time with her son while I neglected my own? There would be a lot of questions running in that mind of hers. Ones I’m sure I won’t have answers to.
“Are you okay?” Love asked.
“Yeah I’m fine.” I offered her smile, then I carried Nick, “where are we going next?” I asked him.
“To the Ferris wheel!” He yelled out as though he was on a mission.
Love and I chuckled, “to the Ferris wheel it is.” I said as we walked to the Ferris wheel.
The phone rang, I checked it and it was the guy I sent to run a DNA test on Valeria’s child to my DNA. “Could I answer this?” I asked Love.
“Sure. We’ll be on the Ferris wheel.” She said casually with a smile, then she walked away with Nick.
I answered the phone, hoping that he would tell me that I was right all along, “Wayne?” He called out.
“Just tell me what the results are,” I said.
“They are 100% match Wayne, that kid is yours.” He said, and I instinctively turned to look at Love. How was I going to tell her that I had a two-year-old daughter?
- Writer
