Page 31 of Mayhem

She smirks, and I love it. “I was listening, yes, but I was also working…” The smirk turns into a wide smile as she holds her phone out for me to look at.

It’s a video of me reading to Charlie, and to be honest, it’s fucking amazing. The lighting, the setting, it perfectly shows my relationship with Charlie.

“Wow. That’s really cool…can you send me a copy of that? I’d love to have it for myself.” It’s one of those videos I could show Charlie later, when she’s going through her teenage angst and say, ‘See, we used to be cool.’

“Oh, I guess I could send it,” she says, a little awkwardly. “But I put it up on all your socials, so you have it there already. The response has been great?—”

My bones freeze.

“You did what??” I pray to God I didn’t just hear what I think I heard. Using Charlie in any way is out of the fucking question.

“I put it on your socials to show a different side of you…” Tess’s eyes are growing wide and surprised at my sharp response.

“Tess, no. Absolutely not.”

“But the response has been great. Everyone loves it.”

“Give me that,” I snap, grabbing her phone to read the comments that I’m sure aren’t going to be so positive. I know how fucking cruel the internet is.

And I’m fucking right.

angryboi69: Man, he’s fucking ‘em younger and younger now, huh? Scum.

freesprite: At least we know he can read now.

imthatguy: a few more years, I’d do her.

My hands are shaking, I’m so fucking irate.

“Take it down now,” I seethe through gritted teeth. “Fucking NOW, Tess.”

Her brow furrows in confusion as she takes the phone away from me and starts scrolling the comments.

“Oh my God,” she mumbles, her own hands starting to tremble as she reads. She starts hurriedly tapping the screen and flipping between apps, hopefully deleting the post from everywhere she uploaded it. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I am so, so sorry.”

The damage is done, however, and I can’t even begin to mentally deal with the aftermath of this, whatever it’s going to look like. What the hell made Tess think posting a video of my daughter online was a good idea? Or to do it without asking first?

I get up to take Charlie home early. I need to get the fuck out of here and take my girl with me. My protective instincts are flying into place and taking over. Just as I’m about to head over to her, my phone starts ringing. Glancing down, I see that it’s Ren, Charlie’s mom.

Fuck.

Fuck.

We’re in for it now.

20

BLURRY

TESS

Oh, my God. What have I done?

How did I not think that post through? Not realize that the world of full of monsters with smart phones ready and willing to ruin anything decent. I know better. Hell, my job is to know better, and I just fucked it up in the grandest way possible.

As soon as Brad questioned it, I knew I’d misstepped. I was so caught up in his moment with Charlie, and filled with an emotion so wholesome and endearing, that I wanted to share it with the world. I wanted to show the universe what a great guy he truly is, what a wonderful dad he can be outside of the spotlight, how loving and patient he is with his daughter. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

But that was my mistake.

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