Lights, Camera, Slut it Up! [Boy/Boy]

Chapter 15: Daddy

Lights, Camera, Slut it Up!: Chapter 15: Daddy

               Needless to say, none of us slept that night. Liliana continued to pace and Maxxie and I watched like we were following the ping pong ball being hit one side of the room to the other.

Now Maxxie and I were fighting sleep in the back seat of Liliana's car as we waited for Keller to drop Angel off at school. One moment it was silent, and then my sister was out of the car and darting through traffic. "Shit." I pulled on the handle until it sprang loose and I had to jump back to avoid being hit. "Sorry!" I yelled at the driver but my attention was already on my sister, who was pulling my niece into her open arms.

I approached just as Keller did. Liliana leveled her glare on him and tightened her arms around Angel's small body. "How dare you pick her up without my permission. What in the hell is wrong with you?!" She handed Angel off to me and stepped right up to Keller. "I swear if you hurt her –"

"I'm not the same as I was Liliana. I know what I did was wrong, but I could never hurt my daughter." Keller took a step back, glancing at all the parents standing around watching. "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"No!" My sister yelled, "She is my daughter!" Despite Keller having a good foot on her, Liliana wasn't backing down. "You lost that right when you beat the shit out of me and locked me in your apartment!" I wanted to get Angel back to the car but I didn't want to leave my sister alone... and I didn't want to pull her away because she deserved this. She had every right to confront him about the abuse she suffered at his hands.

"Mommy?" Angel's innocent eyes shined was confused tears.

"You will not get custody of my daughter." She pulled Angel back and positioned her on her hip. "Let's go Nicky." Maxxie and I followed her back to the car, leaving Keller standing in the parking lot alone.

              "Okay, taste this one." I sat my current pasta dish in front of my niece and she tentatively took a bite. One of my finals was preparing a pasta dish and Angel was perfect critic because she told me exactly what she thought. As was the usual for the last 3 months. Liliana sat right next to her... not that I could blame her. Ever since we got Angel back, she hadn't been out of my sister's sight. Liliana even quit her job to stay home with her. I, on the other hand, was still being forced to go to classes. Maxxie even threatened to punish me if I skipped another class. I figured he meant he would spank me and I sported a permanent hard on until he came home with a chastity device. I was never even late after that.

Angel happily took another bite. "It tastes like candy." The sauce was too sweet. I made a mental note to adjust the sugar content as I started over. Then I glanced at the clock and turned all the burners off. "It's time to go." Liliana had the custody hearing in two hours. Keller opted for a private hearing so I was going to sit with Angel in the hallway. Maxxie also wanted to be there but he had a very important investors meeting that I wouldn't let him postpone.

"Angel, go get your backpack so you can read a book to Uncle Nicky." I wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but I honestly had no idea. Our mother even hired a lawyer that specialized in custody disputes, but it would ultimately come down to the judge.

Angel dragged her backpack behind her, filled with books, art supplies, and anything else she wanted to take. "I'm ready!"

I smiled at her, "That looks heavy, can Uncle Nicky carry it for you?" She shook her head at my question and I lugged the sparkly pink pack into my arms.

              The lawyer met us in the lobby as planned and continued to talk to Liliana in a private room. I got Angel situated at a table so she could color. She enjoyed it and her skills were well developed for her age. "Uncle Nicky?" I watched her trade her pink crayon for a green one.

I ran my hand over my face and forced a smile. "Yes Love?"

"I know that he was mean to Mommy but he was nice to me." Liliana had badgered her with questions about Keller when we got her home. As far as we knew, Keller hadn't hurt her. "I want to see him again."

I felt for my niece. I really did. She was too young to understand that kind of abuse her mother went through. "I know Angel, what are you drawing?"

"I'm drawing another doggy." She pointed out its eyes and where she was going to put the ears. "Daddy!"

My head snapped up and instantly met with Keller's. "Hey baby girl." He smiled as he walked over, his lawyer close behind him. I grabbed Angel and pulled her onto my lap. "Hello Nicholas."

Angel squirmed but I wouldn't let her down. "Daddy, look at my drawing!"

Keller picked up the half-drawn picture and smile. "It's beautiful baby. Can daddy keep it?"

My niece shook her head shyly. "I have to finish it." With no other choice, I let her down and watched as she wrote 'To Daddy' and 'Love Angel' before handing the paper over to Keller.

"Mr. Lawrence, we need to go." Keller looked at his lawyer and shook his head.

"Daddy has to go take care of business now. I love you." Keller followed after his lawyer.

"I love you Daddy!" Angel waved her hand until Keller was out of sight.

              Two hours later, Angel was reading one of her books to me and Maxxie was texting me for an update. Sadly, I didn't have one for him. My mother had also come by the courthouse. "Here you go Nicky." She handed me a coffee and I couldn't think of nothing better. Angel dropped the book mid-sentence when she spotted the cookie my mother also held.

"Where are the girls?" Michael was old enough to be on his own but my sisters were still minors.

She smiled easily, "They have after school activities." She took a sip of her coffee with a coy smile. "So what's going on between you and that Nettle boy?"

I choked mid swallow. "What are you talking about?"

"We stayed the night at Uncle Maxxie's house!" Angel had crumbs sticking to her cheeks.

My mother's eyes widened. "Really? Did Uncle Nicky and Uncle Maxxie share a bed?" Angel shook her head and my mother smirked at me.

"No using your granddaughter to get information on me." She laughed and continued to sip her coffee. "Maxxie and I are dating." We were doing more than just dating but I'm sure she already knew that.

She smiled smugly, like only my mother could. "Did you know his father left him all his businesses and shares?" He had? That must be a lot on his shoulders and he still managed to make time for me. "Of course, Maxwell didn't think it was fair. So we hired his brother at one of the companies. I hear Maxwell's training him to pass on the business." Maxwell had a brother? Now didn't I feel like a horrible boyfriend - I mean date. "Maxwell has a big heart Nicky." She laid her hand on mine and offered a gentle squeeze. "I know you're still healing after Crystler, but don't let Maxxie get away."

"I won't." I squeezed her hand back. I knew she was right and Maxxie wasn't the type of guy you would find often.

Suddenly a door slammed open and Liliana was yelling. My mother and I watched as she first yelled at her lawyer then at Keller. "Why is Mommy yelling at Daddy?" From the looks of the scene, the hearing didn't go well.

"Angel, put your stuff in your backpack." My voice sounded absent but she obeyed nonetheless. "What happened?" I asked when Liliana finally walked over.

She frantically wiped the tears quickly filling her eyes. "Come here baby." Liliana lifted Angel into her arms. "Nicky, grab her bag." I looked at my mother as she began following my sister and niece toward the door. I grabbed Angel's backpack and hurried to catch up.

We were halfway to the car before anyone broke the silence; even my overly talkative niece remained quiet while her mother held her. "Sweetheart," My mother placed a hand on Liliana's arm and gently pulled her to a stop, "Tell Mommy what happened in there."

Liliana looked down at Angel then up at us. "We got joint physical custody of Angel. She gets traded off every Sunday." No wonder she had been yelling...