Dangerous Obsession

chapter seven

         Marlowe's Pov
I'm making myself a sandwich when i hear laughter getting closer to the kitchen and i conclude that it's her. They already made up? "Arlo say banana again?" She asks still not noticing me yet. "Bananana, "she says and she chuckles again. It's only her and there's no Frankie which makes me let out a breath i didn't know i was holding. Seeing the two of them together is like torture. "Nancy please bath her and get her ready for school. I'm leaving now so Frankie will drop her today,"she says and Nancy is already on her feet taking Arlo from her mother's arms. "Please make two of those,"she says rubbing her temples and i decide to give her mine, i wasn't as hungry anyway. I watch her as she downs it quickly not once leaving some on her cheek or chin.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch me or go get the car?"she asks bluntly getting me off guard. i force a smile on my face because no one tells me what to do ever, and leave her there to get the car and pull up upfront. I drive it to the front porche where she's standing there with Frankie talking. She's still in her pajamas. They talk for a bit with Maven now smiling before leaning in for a kiss. I slam my fist on the stirring wheel hitting the horn by mistake startling them. She gives her a quick kiss before walking over to the car with Frankie watching her intently then over to me with her usual if anything happens to her you're dead.

What was she going to do,fire me? I wait for her to get in the passenger seat like she always does but she gets in the back seat. I liked her sitting next to me because it was just like when I'd drop her off to college and pick her up. Driver her wherever she wanted to go because that's how much she meant to me. But now I'm just her driver. "If you don't mind me asking why did you seat in the back today,"i ask focusing on the road,looking over the read view mirror from time to time. "Arlo isn't here,"she says simply but I'm sure there's more to it than she's willing to tell but i don't push her further.

For the rest of the ride she's talking to her assistant about the day's schedule and things she needs to get done. She's using her dominant tone,compared to when she's not working and i find that attractive. When i drop her off I park the car in the parking lot and call my driver to come pick me up. I also have a meeting with some investors. "Miss Marlowe,"he says opening the door for me and i sigh at the action. I've told him numerous times not to do that but he does it anyway. The only reason i haven't fired him is because he's worked for me for a while and he's good at what he does. He drops me off to change into a suit to look more presentable then to my company. I refused to let my face go public as the CEO because apart from that i do other businesses and i don't need curious people in them.

I'm near my office when I see Frankie talking to other business men in the board room. What the fuck was she even doing here? I ask my assistant to sit in all the meetings i have and email me the proposals. If she saw me here she'd do everything to make sure I never see Maven again. Since I kind of have the day free now i decide to make a call. "Hey Amy is Lulu there?"i ask because I assume she's taking a break from her homeschooling. "Lulu you have a call from someone,"she yells over the phone making me pull it away from my ear.

"Hello,"

"Hey babygirl,"

"Daddy!! i miss you so much, when are you coming to see me?"

"Right now if you want, we could go for ice cream,"i say and I can hear her squeel. Just like her mother this one. The thing is i do have a condo i stay in to keep a low profile and a house where my baby and i live. I've kept her a secret since the incident and it's better that way. I pull up to the house and find Amy running after her in the house. Lying to her that her mother died after giving birth was the hardest thing I've ever had to to but it's for the best. "Hello miss Marlowe,"Amy says before walking away. She's a shy one with me but totally different with my daughter. I hired her to be both her nanny and tutor and so far i have no regrets. "So about the ice cream,"she says cheekily batting her thick eyelashes with her brown eyes reminding me of her mother.

It's like looking in the mirror for the two of them. "Okay go get your shoes and a coat, i need to talk to Amy about something," i say kissing her forehead before she disappears upstairs. "don't break a leg!"i yell and hear her chuckle. I walk into the kitchen where  Amy is sitting there with a cup of coffee.

"How's her progress lately? Do you think she can start going to an actual school?"

"Honestly your daughter is so smart it's about time. She needs to be around other kids and maybe have a normal life," she says casually calling me out on my parenting skills. I'm just scared to lose her like i did with everything else. She's the only one who loves me for me.

"Are you suggesting i move her in with me?"

"She needs her parent's attention now more than ever,"

"Okay I'll think about it,"

"you know you can just enroll her in a private school so she's not feeling out of place,"she says already handing me a list of schools she has in mind. "Thank you but I think I got it from here,"i say bluntly because of how everything is hitting me all at once. "I'm ready daddy," she says tagging on my coat. "Okay, okay let's go,"i say lifting her up and she giggles. I also need to get her hair done because i don't know my way around her hair. The only thing she got from me was the stubbornness and maybe abit my skin tone.

"Lulu, how about we get your hair done as well, would you like that?"

"Oh my potatoes, yess," she says making me laugh. She hates potatoes. I'm not even surprised her favourite ice cream is mint chocolate chip now, she's changed it like so many times but swears this is one has her heart. I watch her play in the park with other kids and maybe Amy is right. As much as I'm protecting her from unknown dangers she's still a baby and has the right to live freely. I've being getting hairdressers to do her hair in the house but maybe it's time we changed that. We get to the beauty parlour with a few hair dressers trying to get to my baby first but i know it's because of me.

"Daddy she's pretty,"she says pointing at hairdresser who's trying to cool down a client. She really is pretty with her dark brown skin.

"Do you want her to do your hair?"

"Yes please,"she says pouting and i hold her hand guiding her to her with awkward stares. "Excuse me, my daughter wants you to do her hair,"

"oh yeah sure, have a seat baby, let's get you all dolled up,"she says already making her cheeks turn a bright pink. She gives me the time she'll be done so i don't have to sit there with curious eyes all on me. When I get back from a cafe downtown she's already done. The large cornrows sure do highlight her face. "How do you want to pay ma'am- Sir?" She asks confused with the the pronounces which makes me chuckle because of how often it's happened.

"Daddy she gave me candy,"

"that's good Carino, i got you a milkshake and food,"i say paying up and we leave. I left my phone in the car so when i on it the screen displays five missed calls from her which makes me panic. "Seatbelt Baby,"i say knowing I'm about to go on full speed to drop her home and maybe possibly change. "Did you go home and change?"she asks getting in the front seat. So confusing this woman. "My parents are in New York and we need to pick them at the airport, we're 20 minutes late,"she says seriously as if casually calling me out on my tardiness. "I'm sorry I had things to take care of,"i say genuinely before it hits me that they know who i really am.

How do I get out of this? I think to myself biting my lower lip. "Actually i just remembered I forgot to get my mom diabetes medicine rushing to you and she really needs it,"i lie and she furrows her brows in concern. "We can drive back I'll tell my parents to meet me at the restaurant. It's just for a few minutes then I'm back to work,"

"No no, it's okay, just tell them to meet you at the restaurant so I can drop you off and drive back,"i say trying to think of a better way to avoid them. If i knew the Barnes well I'd say they were glad it happened. That their daughter was far from as possible and living a brand new normal life.