Page 36 of SEAL's Doorstep Baby

In the other room, Maddie giggles at whatever show she is watching.

After a few minutes, Allison pulls away again. The color has returned to her face, at least.

“He was calling to see if Emilylefthim anything,” Allison whispers.

“Like… a kid?” I ask dryly.

Allison shakes her head. “Like money.”

My stomach flips. “He called… Asking if the mother of his child that he hasn’t seen since—”

“Forever ago,” she finishes.

“—left him money.”

“He’s a bastard,” Allison says. “He said if we don’t give him whatever Emily has, he’ll take Maddie. He doesn’twanther, he just—he’s just—”

I nod. “I know, Allie. It’s all going to be okay.”

“He said he’ll be waiting. He said he’d be at the Riverfront Park on Saturday. Waiting. Do we just... ignore him?”

I consider this. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Jacob, what if he tries to take Maddie?”

I wrap my arms around Allison again. “We won’t let him.”

Allison buries her face in my neck. Together, we turn and look at my sweet niece; all that I have left of Emily, who is becoming more and more like a daughter to me every day.

I don’t know what I’ll do, or how I’ll stop Jeff from ruining Emily’s last wish. But I know I will do whatever it takes to keep my family together.

Chapter fifteen

JACOB

Iam angry.

I have been in an almost constant state of anger for the past couple of days, and the only thing keeping me grounded and not searching for Emily’s sleazeball of an ex, so I can beat him into a pulp right now, is the fact that it would be nothing close to a fair fight and would only get me in trouble. Getting in trouble means that I could lose Maddie to Jeff or the state, and it also means losing Allison.

I dread the thought of either of those possibilities coming true and I know that they are just one angry action away. I have always thought of myself as level-headed; able to control the worst of my impulses, but Jeff is effortlessly capable of undoing all of that.

Breathe Jake. In and out.

I take a deep breath as I pause in the middle of my daily routine. I quickly finish up my bath and get dressed so I can pick Maddie up from Sherry’s. Allie had left for a work interviewpretty early, and because I can’t trust Maddie unsupervised for even a moment now that she is close to walking, I dropped her off at Sherry’s while I got chores done, and wash up.

I can’t go pick her up when I’m in this state.

I take another deep breath, and another until I finally feel all the anger flow out of me, leaving me calm and in a much better mood than I have been since this morning.

Ringing her doorbell, I acknowledge Sherry's yelled invitation which comes a moment later. I push the door open, stepping into the foyer.

Like most days, Sherry’s home smells like freshly baked goodies and my mouth waters at the scent. Several weeks’ worth of interaction have built the relationship between Sherry and me into something that isn’t quite a maternal relationship, but something close enough to pass for it.

“What have you baked, you wonderful woman? I could smell it all the way from the front door.” I call out as I step in the kitchen. To my surprise Sherry and Maddie are not here alone.

Sherry is at the oven pulling out another batch of baked goods, and Maddie, who is comfortable in a high chair drops the muffin she has in a tight grip in favor of calling out for me.

“Un! Un!” She yells over and over as I come closer. It’s barely a sound yet, but Allie and I think it might be her attempt at ‘uncle.’ It fills me with so much joy.

---