Page 21 of I Won't Be In On Monday

"It's going to be okay," I mutter under my breath, as I tap my fingers against my wooden desk. "You're fine. You can handle anything. She's just a little kid, not a federal judge." The self-help talk is not really helping me, but it's the only way I know to stop my blood pressure from rising. I'd been quite calm all morning. Likely due to the fact that Juniper had been with me, distracting me from what lay ahead later in the day. But now, later in the day is here, and Juniper is nowhere to be seen. I didn't mean to offend her when I asked her to babysit, but obviously, she didn’t take the innocent question well because she'd left thirty minutes later after telling me in no uncertain words that she wouldn't be coming back to the office with me.

I thought we'd been having a great time, getting to know each other and packing up my room. So much so that I even thought maybe we were having a moment, but I was wrong. After my comment, she became extremely cold, and all the friendly banter and sexual chemistry evaporated. Though, I’m still not sure if there had been sexual chemistry or not. Juniper isn’t a bombshell in the traditional sense of the word, yet something about her still intrigued me.

"I will never understand women," I mumble to myself as I sit here waiting in my normally comfortable chair. I shift to try and compose myself, but the anxiety in my chest reminds me of the stasis I experience at the beginning of a roller coaster ride.

I stare at my computer screen and attempt to do some work. There are several briefs I need to reread before sending them off, but the words on the screen are blurry. I can't focus. I can't mark up legal files in this state. I suddenly realize that it was a stupid move to tell Karen to bring Canyon here. I don't know why I suggested the office. Maybe because it is normally my safe space, but today, with everyone gone and it just being me, it feels like some sort of prison cell that I am waiting to escape.

I hear the elevator ding as it stops on my floor, and I take a deep breath. I don't know whether or not to stand up, go and greet them, or wait for them to come to my office. I hear footsteps and talking in the corridor, but the words are too low for me to understand what's being said. Curiosity gets the better of me, so I stand up and head toward the hallway.

"It's going to be fine," I mumble to myself one more time, as I step out my door and take a deep breath.

I look down the hallway and see Karen, unmistakable with her platinum blonde hair and short skirt. She notices me as I see her and gives me a little wave. I can't tell if she's being flirtatious or not, but her face and smile are familiar.

I frown as I look around and don't see Canyon, but then I notice that Karen is holding a small hand in hers and that there's someone behind her. I wonder if my daughter's going to look exactly like Karen. I wonder if I'm even going to recognize myself in her.

"Hey, Remington," Karen says, smiling widely, her eyes traveling up and down my body like she wants to feast on me a second time. "I see you're looking as handsome as ever."

"Thank you. You're looking as beautiful as ever," I say with a wide smile as I step towards her. She straightens her shoulders, pushes her boobs forward, and gives me a little wink. She still wants me. The realization shakes the nerves out of me, and I grin.

"Canyon," Karen says softly.

"Yes?" I hear a little squeak of a voice. I'm surprised because she'd been so confident on the phone.

"Don't you want to meet your dad?"

"Yes," she says, and I stand there, patiently waiting for her to step out from behind her mother.

Karen gives me a small shrug as we both wait.

"It's okay, Canyon. I'm not going to bite you. I'm not a big bad wolf," I say, chuckling, and then I see a small little face pop out from behind Karen.

The dark eyes that gaze at me are like a reflection in the mirror. I gasp as she steps forward. She's got long, dark hair and dark eyes, and she looks like a mini-me. The female version of me. If I'd even thought about getting another DNA test, that would be out of my mind now. She is definitely my daughter.

"Hi," I say, crouching down on my knees, holding my hand out. "I am Remington."

"You look like me," she says, pointing at me and stepping forward.

She's tall for her age, or so I think, and I just nod.

"And I guess you look like me," I say, with a smile that doesn't quite meet my eyes.

I'm freaking out. I have a daughter. It's real, real. I have a daughter.

And there's no way on God's green earth that this has been a mistake of massive proportions. The DNA labs did not mess up.

This is my child.

“I’m Canyon,” she says.

“I know, and I am Remington. My friends call me Remi."

"I guess I was never your friend," Karen says with a laugh. "I've only ever called you Remington."

"Well, that's because we didn't know each other that long," I say, winking at her.

She shakes her head and tilts her face to the side as she looks me up and down. "Sure was a pity. I kind of had fun on that one long nights."

"So did I," I say, looking up at her, staring at her cleavage that is practically busting out of her tight, white top. I wonder if she wants to have some more fun with me and immediately dismiss the thought.

---