Page 41 of Hey, Daddy

I should’ve taken that feeling and ran with it, and maybe when I was thirty-five, after fifteen years of unhappy marriage, I wouldn’t have hated her guts. Nor would I have a kid that had to be used as a tug o’ war rope for two years as we fought for custody.

But I hadn’t run with the gut instinct, and I’d been stuck in the marriage from hell to Julia.

And when I’d finally pulled myself free of the hell that she put me through, I hadn’t had the heart to make my daughter, Desi, go through hell with me.

So I’d taken the weekly visits on Wednesday and Sundays, and every other weekend.

I didn’t complain that it wasn’t enough time.

I didn’t take her to court to ask for equal sharing.

Mostly because whatever I did in court would be taken out on Desi at home, and I couldn’t do that to my daughter.

Desi loved her mother and even went as far as to cover for her like she’d just told me she had.

“She’s, uh…” Desi looked uncomfortable. “She’s visiting her new boyfriend.”

“And where does her new boyfriend live?” I asked carefully.

“Here, but he goes out of town almost every weekend, so Mom goes with him.” She looked really uncomfortable then.

“And this boy-man that attacked you today,” I said. “Is the new boyfriend’s son?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Is this the first time you’ve had to deal with him trying to force you to do something you didn’t want him to do?” Nastya asked, echoing my thoughts.

Desi winced.

“Desi,” I said carefully. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me everything.”

“No,” she said softly. “He’s tried this a few other times before, but Mom and Rich have always been there to stop him from going any further.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, praying for patience.

“When did your mother leave?” I asked.

“Last night,” she said. “I set the alarm and everything last night. I had no issues. But this morning, I found that Finn was out of food.”

“I just bought him two big bags of dog food.” I frowned.

“Mom took the dog food to Rich’s place. They have two huge mastiffs,” she continued to whisper.

This was why she hadn’t told me, because she knew I’d be madder than a hornet.

“So what, she was just going to starve Finn?” I asked.

“Mom hates him,” she said in a rush. “She truly doesn’t care if he starves. I’ve picked up some babysitting gigs to cover his food and vet bills, though.”

“What vet bills?” I barked.

“He, uh, got out last week. He was run over. His front leg, at least. I had to take him to the emergency vet, and they said I could pay the bill as the funds came available.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose again, my eyes closing as I prayed for patience.

She didn’t need me angry right now.

---