The Divorcee's Redemption

32: Always

"Every night I'll kiss you, you'll say in my ear
Oh we're in love, aren't we?
Hands in your hair
Fingers and thumbs, baby"

***

"I'll ask you again," Mr.Xander had his face pressed against his fist with his elbow propped on the table, "What are your real intentions with my daughter?"

"And I'll say it again sir, a hundred times if necessary, I love Lucy."

He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair again. "How am I not supposed to kill him after this?" He turned to the lawyer next to him.

"Leo, come on, you've done enough damage to the poor kid already." Jeffrey rolled his eyes, "If he loves her, I don't see what the problem is."

The enraged man shot him a death glare, "That is the entire problem here!"

"Mr.Xander," I cleared my throat, "I know that you're worried about Lucy getting hurt again. Not just her, even the baby's health is at stake here. She's suffered enough accusations from everyone until now. I can't keep doing this to her. Even if you don't think that she does, Lucy needs me to be there. At least, she needs somebody for her."

He eyed me in the worst way possible, "How the fuck do you think love works?"

By now, it almost felt like he was talking more about himself than about me. Had his relationship with Chelsea gone that bad?

Jeffrey clapped his hands, sensing the new tension in the room, "The terms are quite simple now. No more throwing fists, Leo, as you saw how badly that can affect Lucy. You should start putting up with the baby's dad... and congratulations, you're almost a grandfather." He patted the grim man's back.

I gave him a grateful smile and he returned it. It seemed as though Jeffrey trusted me more than the man who had known me all my life. It was a bit disappointing, but I couldn't blame him for loving his daughter so fondly.

Damn, to think that he was going to be a grandfather.

"Get out of my room."

***

The last time I had visited Lucy at her workplace, she slapped me.

A chill ran down my spine at the memory but I shook it off and walked towards the large glass doors. After talking to the receptionist, I walked over to her cubicle. It was pretty spacious compared to the other ones but I was surprised that Mr.Xander hadn't given her a room of her own. Lucy must have denied that luxury.

I leaned against the doorframe with my arms crossed. She was busy on her laptop with a cup of green tea in her hands. I smiled, she was switching to a healthier lifestyle.

She looked up in surprise when I knocked on the wall, "Danny? How come you're here?"

"My shift starts in an hour. I thought that I'd come and see you," I smiled and sat down on the chair next to her. "What were you talking about with Dad last night?" She asked, her gaze turned back to the laptop.

Lucy didn't know, of course. I hadn't confessed to her yet because I was too much of a chicken. But I was glad that Mr.Xander hadn't said anything to her either. Chelsea heard about it though and she called me in the morning to warn that she would, most certainly, whoop my ass if I hurt her daughter again.

"He's okay with me coming over to see you. At least, I think he is..."

She glanced at me, "Hmm."

"Do you uh..." I rubbed the back of my neck, "Do you want to grab a bite at the food court?"