The Baby

thirty

grayson astor

My brother was dressed decently appropriate for this meeting. He wore dress pants, a dress shirt and close toed shoes. I suppose Ivy finally convinced him it was time for him to start acting his age. Or he ran out of money and was trying to get on my father's good side. Considering he does nothing but live, blowing through his trust fund isn't unexpected. He's asked me for money before and has even gone as far as to ask our little sister. But seeing as Paige was budgeting her money to start her own fashion line and I was starting a life with Kalani, he had no option but to ask our father.

Blake looked happier than he usually is. It left a nasty taste in my mouth. My father was being nice and it threw me completely off guard. He offered the entire board of directors a bonus which is unlike him considering he's a penny pincher. But I wasn't going to question where his sudden good mood was coming from.

"Alright. Well, if we're done here, I'm going to head out," I stood to my feet, being eager to get out of here. I had a fiancé and daughter at home and didn't feel the need to be in this building any longer than I had to be.

"Might as well," Matthew awkwardly spoke as he followed me out of the conference room. I looked at the time on my phone, noticing it was reaching seven o'clock. I doubt Kalani had dinner because she's most likely waiting for me, so I figured it would be a good idea for me to stop and buy food on the way home. "Hey I was thinking-"

"That's the first," I searched my phone for the number of the Chinese restaurant she enjoys.

"How extreme are we going for your bachelor party? I've got the go from Ivy to have a free pass for the night. I was thinking we take the jet to Las Vegas for the night," Matthew informed me while we stood in the elevator. I hadn't put much thought into my bachelor party, only that I don't want one.

"We're not going to Vegas."

"Fine. How about-"

"I'm not having a bachelor party." When I appointed him as my best man, it wasn't because I wanted him to plan a bachelor party for me. It was because my options were slim. Unlike Kalani who found it easy to find five bridesmaids, I had to scramble and chose men I don't particularly dislike. Kalani would call them friends, but even acquaintances is a stretch for me. But I'm willing to do it for her. What I won't do is have a party.

"What? Why? That's the best part about getting married. You know my bachelor party was..." he began going on and on about his courthouse wedding in Korea and how he went partying and met all these random friends. I had to turn off my ears because I could no longer pretend like I cared. My brother often babbles and it's best to just nod my head and pretend like I'm listening. "Are you even listening?" He asked when we stepped out of the elevator.

"No," I finally found the contact to the Chinese restaurant. "I don't want a party," I emphasized.

I didn't see the appeal in blowing my money at a casino. Or spending it on any other woman who is not my own. Going to a strip club and having a lap dance given to me by some random woman felt wrong and unjust. The idea of your bachelor party being your last night of freedom is flawed logic and I didn't want to entertain the stupid traditions.

"But-"

I put my hand up to stop him when the Chinese restaurant answered my call just as the valet brought my car. Ordering our usual food items, I got into my car and made my way to the restaurant.

All I could think about was the three of us gathering in the theatre room to watch a movie while eating. Kalani would fall asleep first because she can never finish a movie. Then Amelia would lay on my chest, sucking her thumb while she played with my ear until she fell asleep. It's what I look forward to every Friday.

Once I had picked up the food from the restaurant, I drove straight home. Carrying the food from the car, I entered the house, listening in to hear Amelia's excited scream. She's always the first one I'll see when I walk in the door. She'll normally crawl her way to me for me to pick her up. But this time she didn't. She must've been taking a nap.

"Lani, baby, I got takeout," I headed towards the kitchen, freezing my movements when I saw her ring just seated on the island. Kalani takes her ring off at night right before bed and puts it on as soon as she's done showering in the morning. It never just causally sits on the kitchen counter. "Kalani," I set the food on the island, shoving her ring into my pocket to read the note on the table.

I'm sorry. I love you.
Lani

I went up the stairs, passing Amelia's bedroom on the way to my room. When I flicked the light on, it was in its usual shape but didn't have Amelia or Kalani. So I went to my room and immediately felt the change. Something felt off and wrong. When I entered her closet, I noticed it immediately. Some of her clothes were missing. So I went back to Amelia's room and opened the dressers, noticing some of her clothes were also missing.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called her in hope for an answer. But she wasn't answering. The calls went straight to voicemail and after leaving four voice messages, I realized she wouldn't be answering. I resorted to texting her instead.

grayson: kalani where are you?

grayson: this isn't funny. you can't just take my daughter without telling me where.

The likelihood was low, but I still felt the need to check the safe. I doubted Kalani even remembered the pin. But as soon as I opened it, it was clear she had remembered. She remembered and she took her and Amelia's passports.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" I immediately called my brother because he was the first person I could think to call. "She's gone," I practically ran down the stairs.

"Who? Kalani?"

"Who else? Yes Kalani! She took my baby and she took their passports and clothes. She just left!" I swung the driver door of my car open. The first place I could think to go was her parents house. If she hadn't made me get rid of the tracker on her phone, this wouldn't be an issue. I shouldn't have listened to her. "Who is that guy from the boarder office that we know? I need you to call him and get him to search their names to see if they got on a plane."

"Patrick. I'll call him right now. Where are you?" Matthew asked.

"I'm driving to her parents place," I increased my speed because it felt like every second counted. He hung up the phone and I took my chances calling Kalani again and leaving her more voicemails. "Kalani, answer your fucking phone! Where are you and where the fuck is my baby? You can't just take her away from me!" I rose my voice and I wasn't even thinking of what I was saying. I was just angry and confused all at once.

I spoke with her this morning. We made love before Amelia woke and she made me breakfast before work and told me she was going on a run. Nothing was off and I couldn't believe she would do this to me. I couldn't believe I would allow myself to put my guard down only for her to leave. She left me when she stopped liking what she saw. She didn't like the real me and would rather leave than just fucking talk to me.

My brother had called me back at the same time I had arrived at the house. It was a long, dreadful car ride.

"Tell me you have good news," I asked him, staying seated.

"No. A plane ticket was bought in her name," he gave me information I had already inferred on my own, but didn't want to think about. Kalani wouldn't do this. She wouldn't just get on a plane. "She got on a plane to Barcelona." Fuck.

"G-Get them to stop the fucking plane! An emergency landing," I yelled out the first thing I could think of. There's no way Kalani was taking my daughter half way across the world.

It felt like something was being clawed out of my chest. I didn't know what to feel. Anger. Fear. Sadness all at once. I couldn't believe she would do this to me. I couldn't believe she thought she could do this to me after everything I've sacrificed for her.

"It's expected to arrive tomorrow morning," he gave more information. I covered my eyes with hands when I felt this burning feeling at the back of my eyes. It stung and made my vision go blurry. I wanted to put everything on pause. The whole fucking world on pause so I could breathe for five fucking seconds because as of right now, everything in my hurt. Everything felt like it was moving at a mile a minute and I couldn't keep up and any minute now I was going to explode.