“This is Maddison.”
My fingers curl around the door. I have to tighten my muscles to stop myself from slamming it. “I don’t want to meet your kid—”
She gives me a look, sharp and disapproving.
“Maddison Fischer.”
I look at the kid. I look at Allison.
“I might not be the smartest man in the world,” I say dryly, raising my brows, “but even I know that sex ten years ago doesn’t equal a newborn now.”
“She’s not a newborn, you dumbass,” Allison snaps. “And she’s not yours.”
“Obviously—”
“She’s Emily’s.”
I stop.
Allison does, too.
For a brief moment, I can’t breathe. I can’t think. Everything inside of me is frozen. More so even than when the police told me my baby sister was dead; this is the most shocked I’ve ever been.
Slowly, my gaze falls to the baby.
A part of me doesn’t want to believe it.
After all, how could life be so cruel? To take my only family from me and then dump this—this—stranger, this innocent, new stranger, that I can’t even—
How could Emily be so cruel? To never tell me that she had a child. That she was pregnant.
But the baby’s got Emily’s eyes. My mother’s eyes.
“Who’s the dad?”
“The dad?” Allison repeats, eyes narrowing. “That’s your question?”
“Well, it’s not you, and you’re the one who has her, so—”
“His name is Jeff. He’s not in the picture.”
I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse. “Sounds like he’s about to be.”
Allison’s eyes widen. She searches my face for a moment. “You know what, screw you.”
“Screw me?” I repeat incredulously. “Screw me? Screw you, Allison!”
“You find out your sister has a child and—”
“You think you can just come here—” I interrupt, my voice rising.
“You have always been a Jerk—”
“You’re a bit—”
“Watch your language!” Allison shouts, covering Maddison’s ears.
My eyes drop to the child again.