Babysitter With Benefits

31

Jeremiah's P.O.V

When you get to the hallway, your eyes widen when you hear the familiar voice of your daughter.

"Daddy!"

You spin, watching as she throws herself into your arms. You barely register it quick enough to catch her. You wrap your arms around her, frowning at Vivian as she nears.

"What is my daughter doing here?"

Vivian swallows, and sets her lips in a firm line briefly. You can tell she's expected this attitude from you.

"She wanted to make sure her mother was okay"

So she brought her here without my consent?

"And what if she hadn't been? What if you'd brought her here and her mother had died?"

Rissa tenses in your arms. You release her, and cross your arms over your chest. Your breath is choppy and hyperventilating as you begin to get upset.

I'm so sick of people deciding whats best for my kids!

"Would you have Rissa be witness to that?"

"Jeremiah... please. She wants to know her mothers okay"

You peer down at Rissa, a desolate look on her face as she steps back from you.

"I want to see mom"

Thats not whats best for her...

"Fine. Let her visit. I cant deal with this right now. Does Tom have Grayson?"

Vivian nods, pulling Rissa towards her.

"We will take them for the night"

"Thanks"

You spin around, unwilling to look at the raw anger in your daughters eyes. You shove an angry hand through your hair, running the other one over your face, your feet pushing you closer and closer to the exit.

Its fucking suffocating in here. This sterile uninviting environment. Ive been here more times than I can count. My children have been here for their mother more times than I can count.

You gasp when you step outside, sucking in the air thats unpolluted by death, and despair.

I need to clear my head. Gianna was a good way to do that. I could lose myself in her smile, her voice, her touch. Everything about her was intoxicating. Overwhelming in a way so potent, i could only breathe, see and feel her. Jesus, that sounds sappy. If only my father could see me now.

You shake your head, chuckling sardonically at yourself as you stop at your car, pulling the drivers side door open. Your phone vibrates, and you suck in a worried breath, fumbling with it in your pocket, before you manage to free it from your pants and stare intensely down at the screen.

Judy? What would Gianna's grandmother want? Probably to tear me a new one for Gianna leaving. She probably thinks I fired her. I kind of did in the end. I let her walk out.

You play the voicemail, raising the phone to your ear to listen. Judy's hoarse voice pours from the speaker in your phone, and you smile. That same voice is what kept you in college when you briefly stayed there.

"Jeremiah, its Judy. I wanted to ask you about what was going on between you and Gianna? I thought she was working for you.."

A small gap of silence interrupts, and you think maybe she forgot to hang up to end the voicemail, when you hear her voice begin again.

"She's really upset. I-I don't know exactly what went on with you too, but I think she had strong feelings for you. I know its not my place to intervene, but I hate to see my granddaughter hurting. And if she's this torn up, how are you? I know you're not a man of much emotion- and there's nothing wrong with that. I just thought I'd let you know...."

You're so shaken up by the voicemail you listen to it a second time, savouring every word like what shes said is scared. Like it's confirming everything you've wondered. Whether Gianna held strong feelings for you the same way you've held them for her.

And god knows I've tried to keep them at bay. Ive tried to deny them. Nothing worked. But maybe that's because I didn't want any attempt at keeping myself at a distance to wok. I wanted her attention. Her body. Her heart. Something purely mine, that Helena couldn't really destroy. And as bad as I want to blame Helena for ruining things between us, shes not the one to blame. I am.

You toss your phone into the passenger seat, and pull your buckle on before starting the car. Determination courses though your veins.

I might've let her walk away, but that doesn't matter... there's still time to rectify everything. That's is, if I haven broken her too much already.

You're heading to the highway before you have the time to fully process where you're leading yourself.

I'm going to her. And fuck all if I know what the hell I'm going to do when i get there. I'm only sure of one thing. I want her.