Last Friday Night (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 34

Small hands swept over the paper, leaving a large purple streak. Then they went back over with blue to make some smaller squiggles. Melodie was typically a very meticulous artist, but today she was "experimenting." At least that's what she told her father.

The painting River was creating beside her was a bit more contained and totally more boring. While Melodie's focus was creating art, River's goal was to preserve the cleanliness of his kitchen table.

This was the first Tuesday in a long time where Nia wasn't coming for Melodie. Even though his feelings towards his ex-wife were raw, Melodie wouldn't understand why she wasn't coming. So, River used himself as a replacement. He thought it was going pretty well. Melodie was smiling and laughing and a complete mess and she hadn't asked about her mother once.

River had just pressed a red thumbprint on the top corner of his painting when someone knocked on the door. For a moment, he assessed the mess. The table was cleaner than he'd expected because most of the paint landed on his arms and Melodie's . . . everything. River sat up carefully to avoid touching anything else and jogged over to the sink.

Rinsing off the paint and wiping his hands didn't take too long, but whoever was behind the door was impatient. The knocking didn't stop. By the time he had a hand on the doorknob, a scowl was firmly settled on his face.

When he swung the door open, the expression deepened.

Daureen Benjamin stood right in front of him, irritation etched into the few wrinkles donning her skin. Nia was a step behind her, picking her nails distractedly.

Under the Daureen's scrutinizing stare, his old t-shirt and sweatpants suddenly felt embarrassing. A fun afternoon with his daughter became an immature choice for a single father to make. He hated the way Mrs. Benjamin looked at him. He so badly wished to slam the door in her face.

"What are you two doing here?" He questioned, crossing his paint speckled arms over his chest.

"To take Melodie, of course," Daureen replied. The words were like a dagger through his heart and River widened his stance as if to protect Melodie from the women outside. Daureen was blind to the fear she caused and continued on to say, "Nia watches her on Tuesdays."

River was relieved, of course. But he shifted his attention to the next glaring detail.

"Why would I give my child to you after you threatened me?" he scoffed. Daureen Benjamin was always presumptuous. Always audacious. When he married Nia, he thought it was just a cute family quirk. Now, he wondered how he could ever stand being around this old woman.

An evil spark shone in her aged gaze, and River prepared himself.

"Do you really want that on record?" she asked. A moment later, she pulled out her phone, showing an ongoing recording. "That you barred Melodie from being with her family? From her sweet grandmother?"

A muscle ticked in Nia's jaw at the sight of the device but she didn't say a word. River refocused on the older Benjamin. She was awfully persistent. River didn't know if this conversation had the power to ruin his odds in court. But he didn't have the liberty to take chances. This was his daughter. This was Melodie.

"Fine," he grumbled, regretting the words when the older woman's full lips stretched into a perfect smile. "But we were painting so I'll have to give her a bath."

River took a step back, pausing when the two women began to follow him.

"You can wait out here."

River swung the door shut.