Page 6 of I Won't Be In On Monday

"Sorry about the delay. I was just?—"

"You were just freaking out because I told you you have a daughter?" she says, and I let out a deep sigh.

"You have to admit you just sprung this on me. You could have prepared me. You waited years to let me know."

"Really? I wasn't even going to tell you now, Remington. I knew how you would react. We had a one-night stand. I knew you didn't want anything serious and that you wouldn't want to know that you got me pregnant."

"You don't know that."

"You slept with my roommate the following week. You ended the longest friendship I’ve ever had."

"I didn't realize that she was your best?—"

"Yes, you did. You met her at my apartment," she snaps.

“I’m sorry. That was a dick move.”

“Yep, it was. It really was.”

“So, how is Sunshine doing?" There's silence on the other side of the phone. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up the ex best friend.

"Really, Remington?"

"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have asked."

"Her name wasn't Sunshine. It was Sun Valley."

"Oh, yeah," I say. "Sorry." Like it really matters.

"It's fine. You only slept with her once, too."

"You know, I am not proud of the man that I was. I..."

"Are you saying you're a better man now?" she asks. “Are you saying that you’re engaged or married to a wonderful woman and you’re not playing the field anymore?”

I press my lips together to stop myself from scoffing.

“So, how do we want to navigate this?" I decide to change the subject. It’s quite obvious to me that Karen and I will not become best friends. “What is it you want exactly?”

“What does that mean, Remington? It’s not about me. It’s about your daughter. Which you know is yours, after all the tests…”

"Obviously, I'll pay child support. Do you need back child support? Is there an account I can transfer money into to catch up on?—"

"I need you to take her for the next couple of months."

“What?” I shout.

“I said, I need you to take her for?—”

“Karen, let’s be reasonable here. I can’t?—”

“She’s your child. You haven’t even met her. You owe me, and you owe her.”

"Sorry, what?" That is not what I'd expected to hear. Is Karen crazy?

"I need you to take her for the next couple of months."

"Like every other weekend, you mean?" I clear my throat. “Maybe not this weekend, but the weekend after. Or if we could wait a few months and then?—”

---