Page 32 of Detective Daddy Next Door

She smiles and nods. She’s acting weird. But maybe the headache is bothering her. I kiss her goodnight and go over to my place, a bit saddened I won't be spending the night with her.

Sonya has been in town for three days now. She's staying at a hotel. I thought of letting her stay at my place so she can have more time with Ellie, but it seems my place is too lowly for her—I'm glad she isn't interested in staying at my place because I don't want to make Bria feel some type of way about it. She's coming over today to sign some of our divorce papers. They were sent over by my lawyer. It's been hard keeping track of her, and this is the best time to get her to sign. I can't wait to be free. It's been a long, hard road, but I can see the end in sight. Just a little more patience.

At a few minutes to noon, the doorbell announces her arrival. When I open the door, she has a wicked smile on her face. Sonya has always been like this, and I wonder how I ever found her attractive even in the slightest way.

"Hi."

"Hi, Bubba," she says, and swings in while tossing her scarf around her neck. Overdressed as usual.

I shake my head as she sashays into my house.

"Ellie’s gone to school?"

"Yup."

"What a serious child. Just like her father. You two need to lighten up."

I cock my brow at her but decide not to say what I have in mind. How does a mother not even care about her child? She sees Ellie whenever she wants. She doesn't care how she eats, how she's faring, or if her daughter loves her.

I decide not to prolong our chat. I go to my bedroom and come back with the papers. I stretch them out to her, but she doesn't take them. I sigh and sit down with the papers still in my hand. I really am not in the mood for this today.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, there's just one little problem."

"I thought you agreed to sign the papers. You were here three days ago and promised to come back and sign them. What's changed?"

"What’s changed is I don't want a certain type of person around my daughter."

"Garcelle? You've seen her with Ellie. You've seen how good she is with her. You know I can't do it all on my own, right? I've got a job. A demanding one."

"I'm not talking about Garcelle. I'm talking about the bitch next door."

How did she know about that? I blink at her use of the word bitch.

I refrain from sending her out. "I really do not know why you care so much about what I do in my personal life."

"I don't care."

"It doesn't look like it to me. And how the fuck did you know about her?"

She chuckles. "I have my ways."

"Whatever I have with her is none of your business, okay?"

"It is if she's going to be around my daughter."

“You don't even know her. You don't know what she's like with Ellie. Ellie adores her."

"Like I said, I don’t want her around my daughter."

"The same daughter you've only seen twice this year? The same daughter who doesn't even ask about you? You know what I think? I think you're mad I didn't break down after you left. You're mad I picked up my life and moved on after you tried to break me and now you want my life to be miserable. But you won't succeed, and I won't stay away from Bria."

"If you want me to sign that paper, you will. You'll stay away from her if you want to get rid of me."

I blow out hot air. "To what end? I've been nice to you. Why are you doing this? You think she'll stay away from me, even if I decide to stay away from her? Why don't you just sign the papers so we can get this over with already?"

"Oh, I paid her a visit at her office yesterday."

---