Wrecked

ELEVEN

Yes
The word echoed in the tiny kitchen as if testing them both.
"Vincent Luke Howard." She met his eyes. "That's his name."
Steve shook his head as if not corresponding.
"Fine, I will spell it out to you. His name is Vincent Luke Howard, Will be six years old on Christmas Eve, second grader and brother to Victoria Lori Howard, your daughter which makes the mini you, you just saw your son."
"Why on earth did you do that?"
"Do what? Hide him? If it wasn't so obvious, wouldn't you have wanted some sort of proof?"
"It's not my fault that you are a slut!" He whisper yelled, flailing his hands in obvious frustration.
Jody refused to let the word affect her. "And it's not my fault that you are selfish! You would have taken him too."
He snorted. "Yes. And I will correct that mistake very soon."
"If you...think you are going to take my son, you are mistaken. I'd rather die first."
"I'd be obliged to arrange your funeral."
She suppressed a gasp. "You are a mean coward! My son is not moved by your money and things. As a matter of fact, I'm no longer surprised that he does not like you."
Steve looked speechless.
Good thing she had struck a nerve and shut him up. If he had spoken one more mean word to her, she would broken down.
"Steve, please leave right now. Vincent doesn't like you and I hate to see him upset." She said, taking the cue to get him to leave before he could say one more hurtful word.
Steve shook his head. "That's...... not true! He doesn't even know me yet."
She almost felt sorry for him when his voice broke. Almost.
"He doesn't. He didn't want to know about you. I'm enough for him."
Steve's eyes turned misty. "I'm his father. He'd definitely want to know me, except you badmouthed me to him."
"I didn't."
"I have a right to see my son." His voice was so calm that it shocked Jody.
"I didn't say you didn't. But if you are going to try and take him away, you have got another thing coming because I'm not going to cower like a fool and be intimidated by you again."
"I'm not promising you anything."
"I didn't ask you to. Get out, Steve. This isn't your mansion, I call the shots here. Now get out." She pointed at the door glaring in disgust at the man that was once her everything.
"I'm leaving and I'm taking my daughter with me even if I have to drag her out." He said coldly.
Now Jody was even more stunned. This was definitely not the man she married almost seven years ago. Who was this cold hearted bastard?
"And my son is staying here with me. And gladly too." She smirked.
Steve turned to the door and slammed it shut. "I'm going to make one thing clear, Jody, Vincent is mine as well and you are going to quit putting ideas in his head to make him hate me."
"You are cold Steve, cold enough to take a week old baby out of my arms and forbid me from seeing her but I'm not that cold to tell Vincent bad things about you."
He clapped his hands. "Bravo Jody! Are you going to quit playing the victim or need I remind you that you were with your lover the night before our wedding?" He clenched his fists. "For God's sake, you didn't even know who your child's father was. And now you are going to preach to me? Look I hope you've stopped going to church because you are no better than the prostitutes in those cheap brothels!"
"That's enough for today, don't you think Steve Howard?! I will thank you to leave my house and never come back." That order came from her father who now stood at the threshold of the kitchen.
"With all due respect, I'm sorry but I'll be coming back very soon." His blue eyes met her gray ones. "For my son, even if it's the last thing I do."
With that, he stalked out and picked Tory up from the worn out sofa and walked out the door.
Jody trembled.

* * *

Steve couldn't sit or stand.
He couldn't even decide if he was angry or sad or elated.
He closed the back door and sat at the edge of the pool.
He had never been this torn apart except that time he had returned from work to find that Jody had done a DNA right after Tory had been born. He had gone out to the nursery and asked her why she wouldn't be sure about her daughters paternity and she had told him the truth he wished he had never known. The truth that had broken his heart.
He had no thought for consequences, he had just called up his lawyer and drawn up a contract. He hadn't thought of the fact that Tory had been born prematurely and needed extra care, he just had to be away from one person at that moment.
Jody Marie Davies
He hated the regret he felt at that moment.
Maybe if he had taken time to think rationally like the lawyer had advised almost six years ago, he would have met his son.
He would not have missed five years of his life.
For once he was scared of being impulsive.
He knew Jody wasn't bluffing when she had said Vincent didn't like him.
Vincent.
His son.
His father would never let him hear the end of it. He could almost hear his deep baritone voice saying the words: I told you so.
His fists clenched.
Ugh... The last thing he needed right now was a lecture.
Ever since he and Jody got separated, his relationship with his father had gradually deteriorated. He had even refused to draw the contract despite being a lawyer.
He was definitely not going to hear the end of it. It seemed only like yesterday that they had had that conversation.

"Dad, I expect you to support me knowing this is not easy for me."
"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you, son."
"I don't get, you just want me to forgive the harlot like that?"
"You won't judge other people in my house, Steve. Let the Lord do the judging."
His fists clenched.
"Son, my grandchild was born premature. You can't give her the breast milk she needs. You can't deny her the right to bond with her mother. It's wrong to punish an innocent child for whatever sin her mother committed."
"She'll thank me, dad for not letting Jody raise her. I'm going to do everything it takes to protect my child and no one is going to stop me."
"Fine, go ahead and lose the woman you love. That's your problem. But you can count me out of it. I'm not drawing up that contract for you. Go ahead and get a lawyer."
His father's calm words infuriated him.
He turned to leave.
"If little Tory asks you about her mother someday, Will you do me a favour and tell her the truth? I'm sure she'd like to know you chased her mother out of your house." His father's voice was laced with sarcasm.
His control snapped. "Yes, I will. After all, I will be telling her why as well."

The shrilling of his cell phone pulled him out of his reverie.
He pulled the iPhone out of his pocket and scowled at the screen.
Mom
Surprised, he picked up.
"Hello, mom. Are you alright?"
"Yes, son. Just wondering why you didn't bring Tory to the house."
"You just wanted to see Tory, huh?"
"Yes. I cannot believe you let your daughter cry hysterically at the hospital like that because of a stupid grudge you and Jody share."
"But in the end I did something, didn't I?"
"And how is that going?"
"Tory sees her mother more often. Not much difference." He muttered.
"Does she feel better now? Does she cry often still? How about her arm?"
The truth was he didn't know if Tory felt better or worse, especially since they had met Vincent. She had not spoken a word to him. Wouldn't even let him come near her.
He sighed, wondering when this would all end.
"Did you hear me, Steve?"
He snapped out of his reverie.
"What... Mom. Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you."
"You really didn't?" His mother sounded confused. "Steve, are you alright?"
"Yeah.. Yes, I'm fine. I'm tired. Can we talk tomorrow?"
"Okay. Just take care of yourself and Tory."
"You do same. Say hi to Dad."
"No, I wont."
He frowned. "And why is that?"
"He told me you had probably done something silly again and to let you clean up your mess. Tell me, Steve, is your father right?"
"Mom..... I wont lie to you and say everything is good here. That's all I'm willing to say. Dad's right. I'm a man and I will do everything to I feel is right for me and Tory."
And Vincent.