Haven

Chapter Forty Seven

Madison

Despite the fact that Jaida had arrived into our lives 6 months ago, I still sometimes had to blink at the mini Alex looking back at me.

Jaida was my dream come true, the only issue being she wasn't actually mine, and she had no intention of ever even giving me the illusion that she was.

At first, I figured it was some weird story with her mother but when the overdose went down and she let me see a little bit more of how she came to be, I realized that not a lot of what happened shaped who Jaida actually was. A lot of the things she said and did were just who she was and who she'd have been regardless to her background.

I know how that sounds; insensitive as hell, but this kid was way stronger and way more manipulative than Alex could see. He was so caught up in his own guilt trip that he was blind to her ways.

For someone as intelligent as he is, Alex didn't see what she was doing when it came to my presence in the house.

Jaida had created the perfect storm when she pulled her runaway stunt, and it ended exactly as she wanted it to, with Alex choosing her.

Here's the thing; I want him to choose her. He should choose her. That's his job as her dad. But we needed to draw boundaries, quickly because her blowing up as she did wasn't helpful to anyone. And I'm not an idiot, I know he's told her as much.

Here's the other thing; I know Alex. He isn't mediating between us, he's playing the people pleaser and telling both of the women in his life what they to hear.

That's what landed me where I was. Alex had taken Ella home, wanting to have a chat with the kid about her whole suspended fiasco and I had taken his erratic daughter by the hand and lead her to the privacy of her bedroom.

My plan was simple, draw the boundaries with Jaida herself, starting with what our girl would find acceptable, negotiate to something mutually acceptable and then present it to the boss. The issue being I'm an accountant, give me figures, ledgers or margins and I could clean it spotless. Business management wasn't my thing, it was Alex's. However, he wasn't helpful in this battle between Jaida and I, and so it was on me to make it work.

Jaidas blonde hair fell in waves to her mid back, and the little v etched in her forehead indicated her worry at our stance. She was cross legged on the vanity stool, I was leaning back against her dresser. I intentionally directed her to sit while I stayed standing to try and create a situation she might see as acceptable. I'm not trying to be above her, I'm trying to be the adult.

Her blue eyes watched me expectantly and as often happened, I wanted to hug her tight and take the sadness right out of her, but that wasn't acceptable to her.

She was in fact a child who desperately needed care and guidance but she didn't want feel as though those around her thought her weak.

I smile gently, and the frown slowly loosens, as she realizes her bottom lip from between her teeth. "Don't look so worried, girlie," I chuckle lightly, trying to get her to relax. "I just wanna talk about how me and you can best navigate this," I gesture between us and she frowns again.

"What do you mean?" She asks, her voice quiet. It often is, when she's not trying to assert herself.

I smile again. "I'm in no way trying to replace your mom, and I don't want you to feel like I am. I'm not going to pretend to understand what you've been through, but I know it must be so hard with me moving in so soon after your mom passed away." I explain gently and she shakes her head instantly. Jaida never actually wanted to hurt anybody's feelings. If she did, she was lashing out to protect herself.