Last Friday Night (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 31

"Why are you here?"

The dark-skinned woman smiled wider at the question. Sleek black hair. Large brown eyes. And Melodie's radiant smile.

"What? I can't come see my daughter?"

Nia seemed happy. Confident. She was unfazed by River's shock. Or the presence of an unknown man within her ex-husband's house.

"I'm surprised that you weren't expecting me considering all the emails."

Emails?

"Well, are you going to invite me in or do I need to grab Melodie myself?"

River flinched at the word grab. The idea of anyone taking his child away seemed to shake him to the core. He scanned her face for a moment, hesitating, before finally stepping aside.

Melodie was already staring at her, unblinking. Nia slowly walked up to the child, bringing her heels inside and ignoring the pile of shoes next to the door. The light strands of her wig billowed with every step as she glided across the living room. Nia watched her like she was seeing a ghost. To the child that didn't remember what her mother looked like, that was basically the same thing. Nia was only a few steps back when she knelt in front of her.

"Hi Melodie," she said softly, her image one of steller calm. "I'm your mom. My name's Nia."

Melodie stared at her silently, her body completely still. Then her eyes began to water. Nia sighed at the sight of the tears falling down her daughters cheeks. For the first time since she'd arrived, her perfect expression cracked and genuine emotion peeked through.

"I know you must have a lot of questions," she chuckled. The sound felt strange among all the silence, but Nia didn't look frazzled. "But now that I'm here, I want to answer them all."

"Nia," River cut in. His tone was possessive. His ex-wife rose from her crouch looked to her ex-husband, making Hunter realize how much she'd inched closer to Melodie. Nia had gotten too close.

As the parents got into a stare down, Hunter watched Melodie. She was unmoving, just taking in the strange woman claiming to be her mother. Her eyes jumped over Nia's form continuously, never pausing, never taking a break.

Hunter couldn't tell if she was happy to see Nia or not. He didn't know what River told her about her mother. He had no idea what it would feel like to see her missing parent after so long. Hunter desperately wished he could read her mind. But Melodie was retreating into her shell and it would be a miracle if she spoke again today.

"Why are you here?" River pressed for the second time. Nia rolled her eyes, sighing in the pitying way Melodie did whenever she had to explain something to her father. Hunter felt conflicted. Melodie was so much like her.

"You asked me to come so I came."

Recognition flickered across River's face but he didn't react. Melodie reached for Hunter's leg, holding his thigh with both arms. Hunter put a comforting hand on the top of her head, playing with the short curls above her ear. The fidgeting kept him from saying something he'd regret.

Hunter wanted answers. Was his boyfriend communicating with his ex behind Hunter's back?

There was silence. Hunter clenched his jaw.

"River, what is she talking about?"

At Hunter's question, River looked at him. He looked at Hunter like he just remembered he existed. Like, among Nia's miraculous return, Hunter had been completely forgotten.