Sunny Side Up - JJ Maybank

11

JJ offered to come with me to pick Flora up from nursery but I quite enjoyed some alone time on the journey to listen to my music and sing as loud as I wanted. When I arrived, I walked up the door and smiled at Meg, one of the workers who I'd spoken to a couple of times in the past.

"Hey, uh, what can I do for you?" she asked, sounding surprised to see me.

"I'm here to pick up Flora," I answered, confused. Meg knew I was Flora's mom.

"Oh, her father's already come to pick her up."

"JJ? He was here?" I asked, wondering if she meant him, even though I'd explained to Meg that JJ wasn't Flora's real father.

"Oh no, he hasn't been here in a while. I meant her real father, Rafe Cameron."

"Rafe has my baby?"

"He's listed on the birth certificate as the father and he showed us proof of ID," Meg explained but I had already left.

I pulled up outside JJ's house and walked straight in, ignoring a passed out Luke Maybank on the couch and opened his bedroom door.

He looked up in surprise from where he was bent over a guitar on his bed, his eyes hardening when he saw the expression my face.

"Rafe took Flora."

He was up in an instant and pushing past me, already at the side of my car as I unlocked it and we got in. I filled him in on what had happened on the drive to the Cameron's house and I'd never seen him look so angry.

I knew he was protective of my daughter but this was another level.

I barely had time to get out the car before he was knocking on the Cameron's mansion loudly, alerting some nosy neighbours.

Ward opened the door and JJ said something to him, I didn't hear as I tried to catch up. Soon Rafe appeared at the door and my body tensed even at the sight of him, I hadn't seen him in over three years.

"Where's my daughter?" I growled.

"Our daughter is upstairs; I've decided I want joint custody of her."

JJ scoffed and I had to physically restrain him from lunging at Rafe.

"Where were you for the nine months Sunny was pregnant with her? Where were you for the last three fucking years of her life?" JJ spat at him.

"Just give her back Rafe, and we can sort something out. She's my daughter," I begged, trying to get past him but he had the door on a chain so I couldn't get through.

"She's my daughter too, and I want to spend some quality time with her. I'll give her back soon," Rafe said bluntly.

"Just let me see her," I whimpered, trying to push past him but he was much stronger.

"Flora! Flora!" I yelled, getting hysterical at the thought of Rafe having my child.

Rafe slammed the door in my face and I pounded on the wood violently, breaking down in tears.

"Give her back!" I sobbed, and JJ had to pull me back against his chest as my knuckles started bleeding.

"I know, sunshine, but we'll get her back," he soothed.

"I want her back now! He can't take her," I choked out.

"She'll get upset if she hears you like this. Let's get you home and we can come back," JJ said softly, and I knew he was right but I wasn't thinking rationally right now.

"I'm not leaving her!" I sobbed, my knees giving way as I let JJ support me back to the car.

"Sunshine, you have to. You'll be back for her, she knows that."

I whimpered softly as I let JJ strap me into the car and drove me back to my place.

"Is it okay if I stay here? I don't wanna leave you alone?"

I nodded and after fumbling with the key, I sighed in defeat and handed it to him. We went inside and he went straight to the kettle, making us both a cup of tea while I sat numbly on the sofa.

"What if he hurts her?" I choked out, not wanting to think of all the horrible possibilities.

"Rafe's an asshole, but he's not a monster. Flora's his daughter and she's only a toddler. I don't know why he cares about her all of a sudden, but I think that's all he's trying to do, be a good dad," JJ spoke softly, his voice cracking with emotion at the last part.

"You're her dad, JJ. You've been more of a father to her than anyone and I didn't even think about what this is doing to you," I apologised.

"We'll get her back, I promise," he smiled softly, bringing over the cups of tea as he took a seat beside me.

We barely spoke a word that night, but it brought us both comfort as he climbed into bed beside me, wrapping his arms around my waist.