The Lawes Girl

12

The four grandparents were in the nursery. Madison and Renee arguing in hushed whispers over changing the baby's daipers while Quincy and Bryan watched in amusement. Glasses of Vodka in their hands. With Lucille asleep in the other room, Renee announced the idea of going to see the baby. Bryan and Madison agreed. One look from Madison and Quincy followed. Keeping his distance. "Don't do it like that. You'll ruin it." Renee ordered. 

   "It's fine, I know what I'm doing. It doesn't matter-"

Renee faced Madison while Madison tried to work. "It doesn't matter? Of course it does. Did you even handle this with the girls?"

   "No. I had a nanny for them. But I saw her enough times to know."

   "Well, I did it myself with my son." Renee said proudly.

"And look how wonderful he turned out."

    Madison's insulting remark had Bryan burst into laughter. His eyes closed, he didn't see Renee's deathly glare. He could feel it however and didn't care. Smirking, with folded arms, Quincy bent his head.

    Madison didn't care for what was going on behind her. She changed her grandson dutifully. "There." She said with a satisfied smile. Lifting him up, she brought his ear close to her mouth and whispered. "Grand Madison's got you." Then she kissed his soft cheek.

   "Come here Marvin." Renee reached for him. "Come to grandma."

   "Grand Renee would sound better." Bryan said low enough to be heard by only Quincy. 

   Quincy smiled. "Madison doesn't want to feel too old."

"Grand Madison suits her."

    "I take it it's Grand Bryan then?"

Bryan scoffed loudly. "No. I'm guessing it's not the same for you."

    "I'm okay with anything else."

Bryan sniffed. "I'm glad we could come together and put this mess behind us."

    Quincy nodded. His gaze lost in his Madison as she watched Marvin with a sweet smile. "Recognising your son as the villain in all of it."

    "I can't imagine why he did this. But I will not stop apologising."

    "You should stop. No one likes to hear the same thing too many times." Quincy turned to leave. "Let's have a drink in my office."

    "Good idea. I wouldn't want to be here when the next insult is thrown. I wouldn't be able to stop myself." Bryan chuckled. 

    So did Quincy. "Because you stopped yourself the last time."

   "No. You held him last time it's my turn." Odette argued, taking the baby from Betty. 

   "He is so cute Lucille." Betty ignored Odette. "I just want to hold him forever."

   "Everyone's been trying to take him from me since before he was born." Lucille commented.

   "Nora would be so jealous. She's all alone in Nina's house so far away and we get to hold and take care of baby M." Estelle smiled slyly. Loving the idea. "You are staying over right? Cause he's like the only baby we get to carry who isn't put on us as punishment."

   "You are right? Oh please say you are?" Bettie, Betty's friend and namesake asked. So many others chorused in agreement. 

   Lucille smiled. "I didn't plan to guys. I don't have enough of anything with me to last the night for Marvin."

   "Oh but the nursery would have like a ton of things." Betty pointed out.

   "We could drag out a crib to our room." Estelle added.

"And we can make stuff in the kitchen if we have to. Lucille please. We all want to take care of him."

   "And take him away from Odette." Estelle said. 

"Hey! I haven't carried him before. This is my time."

   "Not for long." Estelle smiled.

"Please stay. If you have to ask Mister Lawes or Nick. You wouldn't even have to do or worry about anything. You could just rest and we'll take care of him. The boys wouldn't touch him we promise. Right guys?" On Betty's question they chorused.

   "No one's going to misbehave."

Hearing Nick's name had made her breathing hitch but she didn't let it affect the smile on her face. "I never said you misbehave."

   "We're just making a point." Odette said. Her attention drawn back to the baby in her arms. "Aren't we? Aren't we you little cutie?" She smiled at him, speaking in a high pitched voice. When he smiled back she squealed. "He's so cute." 

    Estelle dangled her finger over his face. "Please Lucille?" Betty asked.

    "Okay." Lucille sighed in defeat. Not that she was planning on fighting them.

    "Really? Awesome!" Bettie exclaimed. "Betty, let's go get the cot and daipers." They ran off in excitement. 

    "Your time is over. Give him here."

"No way. We have all day and all night."

    "For a minute, Odette, let her hold him. I want to talk to you." Odette was getting ready to whine. "Juuussst for a minute."

    "Okay."

Rinnie walked in. "I heard you're staying Lucille. Where's Marvin?I want to hold him."

    While Estelle and Rinnie started to argue, Lucille moved to the corner with Odette. "Hey. Have you been eating?"

   "I told you he couldn't do it." Someone commented over the noise. "Pay up."

   "It was coming out nicely. It looked so good on you." It was a girl this time.

   Nick smirked, dropping down on the sofa with the four already occupying it. He rested his head in the shoulder of the closest girl. She caressed his smooth shaven face. "I'm not ready for a beard. I'm not that miserable. I'm not miserable." He waved to the waiter and was then given his usual d**g.

   "It's not a sign of misery."

"To me it is." He pulled her hand away from his face. 

    There was a commotion in front of them. He looked up and saw a girl stepping backward, her hand pressing the bridge of her nose and head tilted back. Through the colourful club lights he could make out blood from her nose, on her dress and on the floor. His eyes lingered on the drops on the floor. All of a sudden every sound drowned out. He couldn't hear his friends calling his name while they laughed at something one of them had said. All he heard was her voice. Filled with spite and anger at his presence in her home. Yelling at the maid to get out of her house because of him. How long has it been? Five months or four? Nick swallowed. A glass was shoved under his nose, the sharp smell of alcohol bringing him out of his thought. He looked at the group, half there. He hadn't thought about her in months, and if he had, it didn't pass more than a second or five. So why now?and why did it feel so deep?

    "So" one of the boys among the group surrounding him started. The first word to a well planned out ambush. Wes dragged his eyes away from the hood of his car. Which he was sitting on to the boys surrounding him. Wes loved his car. It was nothing compared to the ones he raced with but she was perfect for him. Purred just he the way he liked her to and never let him down. Sleek and dangerous his beauty, hot too.

    "What?" 

"When are you going to tell her?" The same boy asked. The others were just there to listen. One was going to lose his dinner for not asking the question first. He didn't care about that for now.

    "Tell her who what?" He sat up straight, tilting his head. 

"Lucille. When are you going to tell Lucille how you feel about her?"

     Wes' mouth hung slightly open, he blinked twice sharply. "What are you talking about?"

     "Come on. Everyone knows the only reason you come here is cause of her. It's the only reason we know you." Time for someone else to talk.

     "That's not true."

A scoff. "Yeah. Because you didn't come over with your sweet ride just so she finds out you're cool with us."

     "I don't have feelings for Lucille." Liar whispered in his head too much it felt like a scream. He masked everything with an amused look.

     "Wes. Everyone knows."

"Have you told her how you feel?" He retorted. 

     Various chuckles followed by, "Don't change the subject."

"She wouldn't give us the time of day."

     "Hey, speak for yourself alright?" The first boy to speak was back in the lead. "You're right Wes. You don't. You're just hopelessly in love with her."

     Wes smirked. "You know about love do you?"

"Okay, come on, don't make it into some sort of lesson. All we're saying is, you have tell her."

     "I'm not in love with her and I do not have feelings. She's my friend."

     "Okay sure. Before you know it, she'll be with that Nick guy. The girls wouldn't stop talking about how gorgeous he is." The boy rolled his eyes. "Why do you think we all thought you were the father of her baby in the first place?"

     "It's not because we think you're the only guy she knows."

"Yeah. Look at her. It's highly unlikely you're the only one she knows."

     "And in walks Nick." The boy who added waved his hand in the air dramatically.

     "Okay, good talk guys. But like I said, she's just my friend." Would they know that not saying her name was his way of dodging the truth? "So knock it off." Have his feelings always been this transparent that kids know? He went with the easy answer. They're just baiting him. "Who's coming with me?"

     "Where?"

"I'm taking one of you to the race next Friday. Make you part of my pit crew for the day."

     "What? No way." The boys chattered excitedly.

"Lucille wouldn't let you." One pointed out. 

     Wes shrugged, smirking. "So?" Argument broke out among the boys. Wes smiled at the growing chaos.

   "You know what honeybee? We should go on a trip together." Lucille whispered to her baby. Putting on his tiny shoes. "Away from sticky Grand Madison, daddy and-" his name got stuck in her throat. She hated that she wasn't over it yet. Going on five months. "Nick's parents. Would you like that? No aunt Nina or Geegee. Just you and me." He smiled. "No Wes either. He's got races to do. Just you and me pretty baby."

   Nina chuckled from the door. "That's not happening. If anything, I'll be taking him with me." She strolled up to them. "We'll go back together."

   "Don't listen to aunt Nina. She can't stand children for too long. She ran off and left me with a whole lot of kids to look after."

    Nina sighed in defeat. "At the very least you'll both come visit." Lucille laughed. "You ready? Charles is waiting with the stroller." Lucille nodded. "We're going out my big bear." Nina took him from Lucille. "Let's go."

    They ended up at a coffee shop. With Tabby, Doris and three of Nina's friends: Chelsea, Sarah and Wendy. "Okay." Nina started, drumming on the table and ignoring the fact that they were all smiling at her nephew. "Pay up."

    "Oh come on Nina. Not now." Sarah ordered. 

"No. Now. I'm leaving tomorrow. I want my money. You lost."

    "Lost what?" Lucille asked.

"They said Marvin's going to have hair like his dad. Brown. And I said he'll have hair like mine."

    "Don't you mean like his mother's?"

"Same difference Doris. They lost. Pay up."

    "You guys bet on his hair? You bet on my baby?" Lucille asked in shock.

"And his eyes. I got that one too. Write those cheques please."

    "Nina!"

"Don't worry mom. It's all Marvin's money. You can keep it away for him."

    "Oh." Lucille sat up straight. No longer shocked or upset. "What else did you bet on?" She smiled.

    "He doesn't look like you so I lost that one."

"He doesn't look like his dad either." Tabby pointed out.

    "Yeah. I don't know." 

"Okay, so maybe it's too early to tell. Or we just don't know yet. And since it's not either of them. Or me. We just wait." Nina suggested.

    "Okay, fair enough." Sarah nodded.

"But his hair isn't like yours. Yours is like a little darker."

    Nina glared at Wendy. Not liking her statement. "It's too much dye. Okay? He's got my hair. Don't try to get your way. He's my baby."

    "He's her baby. Pay up Wendy." Lucille ordered, looking at Nina with full support. Nina stretched out her hand proudly. 

    It was a shock really, everyone's eyes followed him as he strolled in. How long had he been away? Nearly nine months. He ignored the looks as he walked by. Down the hall past the board room where his father was sitting in on a meeting on a floor he hardly visited. Strange as it was, he ignored that too. Discreetly tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. He went to his office, then came out ten minutes later and started down the hallway again. Heading towards the elevator to his father's floor. Again, eyes followed him. It was probably because of the beard and his longer than usual shabby hair. And maybe his Red eyes. He might as well look like a mad man.

    At first glance it didn't look like Nick, but after another, he knew. Without hesitation and suddenly angry, he got up and followed after him. "Call security." He said to the room.

   Nick turned from the large window behind his father's desk when the office door was pushed open. One man standing behind Bryan and Suzanne eagerly peering with ready eyes and ears. "What are you doing here?"

    "I got tired of working from so far away." Again with the lack of expression. 

    "I told you not to come back here!" The security guard closed the door behind him. Now aware of the confusing situation. 

    "Is he here to drag me out? You can't fire me." Nick said with complete confidence. "You wouldn't." It was a fact.

    Bryan's jaw clenched. "Hit him." He stepped aside to let the guard through. The guard looked at him confused and hesitant. "Hit him."

    "What? Too old to do it yourself?" Nick smirked. 

"Hit him or you're fired." The guard looked between them. An angry man and his smug faced son. "You know what? You're fired. And you can blame him for that." Bryan pointed at Nick. In less than a second Nick was punched hard in the face. His nose red now too. He groaned. "You can leave now." He ordered the guard.

    "M-my job-"

"You can keep it. Go."

    Nick sensed a pattern between his father and Lucille. While he touched his nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding, Bryan waited for the guard to leave. Nick sighed, sniffing.

    "Why the hell are you here?" Suzanne was still eavesdropping as best she could.

    "I want to see them... My son."

"Your son? What's his name?" Nick clenched his jaw, looking straight at his father with no answer. "Tell me. What's his name?" Nick swallowed. Still straight faced. Bryan stepped up to him and hit him. It hurt more than the one from the guard. "Why did you do it? You must have an answer for that." Nick didn't answer. They glared at each other. With Nick's resistance, Bryan gave in. "Leave. And when I mean leave I mean don't go anywhere near that poor girl. I wouldn't let you break her heart anymore. You've done enough." 

    That stung. "I didn't come here to ask your permission. I-"

"Don't do it. Damn it Nick! You stayed away. Keep doing that."

    "He's my son. And she's his mother."

"Oh! You're just realising that now? Because it's been months. Do you even know the gravity of what you did? Don't go near her! Don't go near him! Don't go near them!"

    "Or what? You'll have me arrested?" He shoved his hands in his trouser pockets.

"You're even lucky you got here without Quincy doing anything."

    That's right. Quincy knows all. "Of course. He know everything. Lu-"

    "Don't. I'm warning you. Don't go there."

"Look! I know what I did. I want to fix it."

    "No one needs you to fix a damn thing. You know, your stupid plan came to light. They figured it out."

    "What plan?" He shifted his weight. 

"I don't know who raised you." Bryan eyed him with disgust, shaking his head. 

    "I'm here to fix things."

"What did I just say?" Nick sighed heavily. "Why did you do that? What did she do to you to deserve that?" Not a word from Nick. "Get out. But I'm warning you Nicholas, leave her alone." Nick started to leave. "You look like hell."

   Lucille looked round the livingroom. Making sure everything was okay before she goes off to work. With a satisfied sigh at how clean and tidy the place was, she faced the nanny. Madison had picked her specially. Part of her plan to keep her grandson on her side. It was funny really. Lucille didn't mind. "So everything's laid out. I'm sure you wouldn't need anything." Lucille turned to Marvin, asleep in the woman's arm. She fought back the urge that strangled her to just take him from her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She'd watched the nanny for a week. Showed her what to do. Everything will be okay. But she didn't want to let him go. They'll be apart for more than three hours. She stroked his Red hair gently. "If you need anything don't hesitate to call okay? And like I said, you wouldn't have to be here for long. Sometimes, his grandmother would come pick him up. You remember Madison right?"

    "Yes. Of course." The lady smiled, seeing Lucille's hesitation. She should have left almost thirty minutes ago.

    "Okay good. Good. There's also Renee Atkins. She's his other grandmother. She's not as tall as I am. And she's blonde." She sighed again, looking at him. He looked so much like Nick. The girls didn't want to say it but she knew. 

    "He's in safe hands Miss Lawes."

"I know that." She smiled. "I just-" She sighed heavily. "I have to go." She kissed his forehead. "I'll see you soon baby."

    "We'll see you soon Miss Lawes." Lucille nodded. And just to please her: "Would it be okay to bring him by the office for a quick visit sometime?"

    Lucille smiled brightly. "Yes. Of course. It's more than okay." She pat his head. "I have to go." She chuckled. Forcing herself out the door. The nanny slowly followed behind.

    Nina listened to Nora whine again about not getting to see the baby. "He is the perfect little thing." And Nina's comments weren't helping. "He's always holding this rattle Wes got him."

    "That's so unfair. You could have taken me with you. And now I'm the only one who hasn't seen him. Odette and Betty wouldn't stop making fun of me for it. Even the boys got to hold him." She folded her arms pouting.

    "It was a bit unplanned, you know that. And you had that thing with your books, still do."

    "You keep reminding me but it doesn't make me feel better. I bet they looked so perfect all three of them together."

    "Of course they do. Wes loves-"

"Nick. I mean Nick."

    "Hmm? Oh. Yeah. No. Nick's... sure." Shocked by her own mistake. She couldn't have Nora asking questions. 

    "What?" Nora couldn't quite make out the expression on Nina's face. "Is something wrong."

    How exactly is she supposed to spin this? "Of course not. They haven't taken a photo all three of-"

    "Speaking of Wes. He must be really upset."

Thank goodness for the teenage attention span.

   Bart slammed the door shut. Jolting Nick. He woke up with a start then let out a heavy sigh. He glanced at Bart's direction as he made his way to the couch where Nick was lying down. Bart whistled. Looking at the bottles scattered around and the white powder waiting to be inhaled on the table. "He might not fire you even after you disappear for a month but if he sees this." He clicked his tongue. Since Nick got back he hadn't been to work. All of three weeks.

   He groaned. "B. You're loud." His head was throbbing. 

"Binge drinking would do that to you." He sat down on the opposite chair and a half. "What is wrong with you?"

    Nick pulled himself to a sitting position. He'd been trying to get rid of the noise that was his freshly acquired conscience but nothing was working. Not even being this close to them. How long can he keep this up? "Can't you see the depression beard?" It had grown longer.

    "I can. Want to tell me why you have one?"

"Isn't it in fashion?" He chuckled his eyes felt heavy. Bart didn't say anything. He might as well. "I" He started. It would be the first time he said it out loud. "Have a son." The words were slow. 

    Did he hear right? He sat forward. "What?" Nick nodded slowly. He did hear right. "With who?" His forehead creased at this new unexpected information. 

    "Lucille."

Bart tilted his head slightly. "As in Lucille with the flaming hair? That Lucille?" Suzanne had spread word about a son but somehow, it was all more shock to hear. And for it to be Lucille. 

    "He's nine months old now. I think."

Bart did a mental calculation. "Is that why she quit? Because of you?"

    "Everything is always my fault." He smirked.

"You got her pregnant." He scoffed. "All that time you two were arguing. I knew you did something. You just couldn't leave this one could you? Damn it Nick." 

    "Let me finish first." 

Bart let him. Listening attentively. His expression changing with the way Nick told his story. He didn't think he could get as shocked as he currently was. He opened his mouth to speak when Nick was done. He didn't even know what to say. "Damn it Nick. I can't believe this. I can't believe you. It makes sense now. You weren't supposed to come back." 

    Nick shook his head. "But I can't get them off my mind lately. I have to fix it."

    "Do you?"

"Yes. I want to. It's all I can think about. I know what I did. I accept it. But I need to fix it. I want her to forgive me."

    Bart groaned. "All that tension between you two. I should have known. And I really liked her. She wouldn't take s**t from you. You think she'll listen to you much less forgive you?" Bart scoffed.

    "I really have to try. I need to." His eyes spelled desperate. 

"But you know she wouldn't. If she did before, why would she now? You've been gone for ten months. You think she wants to relive that kind of hurt again? Because Nick-"

    "I know." He ran his hand through his hair. "I know." He sighed. "I just don't know what to do."

    "Here's a thought. Don't go. Tell me" Bart relaxed in his seat. "If you didn't want the child in the first place, why didn't you just tell her then?"

    Lucille rushed to the front door as the bell rang. With Marvin crawling all over the place, she had to keep an eye on him. More than usual. "Daddy." She said once she saw him. A smile on his face and Madison glued to his side. Behind them was Mattie and Charles. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Hi. What's going on? Why are you all here?"

    "It's a bit quiet at home without his crying and lack of actual words." Quincy said. "And I've been informed that I" He glanced at Madison. "Haven't spent Much time with Marvin."

    "I thought mom didn't want you around him."

"Charles informed me."

    Lucille laughed. "Are you just going to keep us out here?" Madison pushed her way in. "Honestly Cherrylu, why don't you wear shoes?" As they trooped in, they all looked around for Marvin who suddenly wasn't where Lucille left him. "Where's Marvin?" They heard a squeal from the kitchen. Lucille ran off, Mattie behind her. 

    Before long, Geegee and Nancy joined the small group. All of them playing with Marvin. Before he eventually ended up in his grandfather's arms. The group moved from the livingroom to the pool side and then back to the livingroom. Where Lucille declared hunger and ended up in the kitchen to make some food after putting Marvin to sleep. Her efforts to stop Mattie from helping failed. "Luce, do you have" Nancy started, making her way to the kitchen. "Any pineapples? I learned to make this really nice drink and-"

    The door bell rang. Charles was on it. "Charles don't. You're a guest here."

    "It's alright Lucille." Charles smiled. He was already at the door.

    "Daddy please stop him."

Charles froze when he opened the door. Not quite sure what to do with... anything. "Charles, you might as well let who ever it is in."

    Nick took that as his chance to enter the house. It would have been better if she was home alone. His entrance was met with all round silent shock. He could hear his shoes against the tiles echoing. All eyes on him except for the one that he came to see. Even Nancy had turned around to see who their next guest was, and stopped. Nick shifted his gaze from them to the small crib on wheels in the corner. Was he in there? Or was Lucille carrying him?

    Mattie took a peek and gasped. "What? What's going on, why is everyone suddenly quiet?" Lucille's heart skipped a beat at the reason for their reactions. Her head Begged her not to check. For her own good. But she didn't listen. Curiosity always manages to have its way. One glance at the man with brown hair in a suit, she was suddenly filled with surprised rage. She grabbed the closest knife.