Page 12 of Eleven of a Kind

“He’s not harboring anyone. Riley is his daughter.”

“Do you have proof of that, sir?” Carl asked me.

I walked over to the table where Riley’s birth certificate was and handed it to him.

“My name is on her birth certificate,” I said. “And Riley’s last name is Kind.”

He looked at the birth certificate and handed it back to me.

“Mr. and Mrs. Livingston, it appears Dr. Kind is her father. There’s nothing we can do. He has the right to have his daughter.”

“Yeah, that’s right! So get on a plane and get the hell back to Hawaii,” Riley shouted at her grandparents.

“You, young lady, are going to get your mouth washed out with soap,” her grandmother said as she walked toward her, and I extended my arm in front of my daughter.

“Don’t take another step, lady. I’m warning you.” I pointed my finger at her.

“Carl, Rosie, you can leave,” Simon said. “I’ve got this.”

“I’m sorry, but what are your names?” I asked.

“Jerome and Patricia Livingston,” Jerome spoke. “So, you’re the man that knocked up our daughter at the young age of seventeen when we were on vacation in Hawaii?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“I should have you arrested for statutory rape,” Patricia spoke sternly.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Simon said.

“She was seventeen and of legal age, Patricia!” Riley spewed. “Know your facts before you start running your mouth.”

“How dare you, child!” Patricia said.

“Riley, that’s enough,” I said. “I’m her father. She’s living with me, and I will be raising her.”

“Just because your name is on the birth certificate doesn’t mean she’s your daughter,” Jerome said.

“I had a paternity test done, and the results will be ready tomorrow.”

“Then you mustn’t be one hundred percent sure, or you wouldn’t have had one done,” Jerome spoke.

“She’s my daughter, Jerome. Why else would Ariana give her my last name?”

“I don’t know.” He looked away.

“We have rights,” Patricia said. “We are her grandparents.”

“Who wants to send her off to boarding school,” my voice raised. “Do you know what’s really sad? The fact that your daughter hated the two of you so much that she stayed on the run with a child for fifteen years. Moving from city to city and state to state to avoid ever having you find her. You just met Riley, and the first thing you want to do is send her to boarding school. You’re not fit to be parents, and any judge would agree. Riley is fifteen years old and can decide if she wants the two of you in her life.”

“Which I don’t,” Riley said. “I never want to see the two of you again.”

“The child has spoken, Patricia. Let’s go.” Jerome walked toward the front door.

“That’s it, Jerome? You’re going to let a child decide?”

“I’m not going through this again. It was your fault we lost Ariana in the first place. Let these people be.” He opened the door and walked out.

“I wish you the best of luck with that one, Dr. Kind.” She gestured to Riley.

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