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I can't take my eyes off her as I approach. She's absolutely stunning, and my body is throbbing with need. I reach out to trail my fingers down her cheek, and she leans into my touch.
"God, Olivia," I breathe, grabbing her in my arms and bringing my face closer to hers to give her a long, lingering kiss. “You look incredible, and I’ve missed you so. Remind me to never let you go work outside the office again unless you’re with me.”
“Yeah, right,” she says, rolling her eyes, and pulling away.
“Are you driving tonight?”
“No,” she says. “Sarah is picking me up in a cab.”
“Take me along?” I grin.
“In your dreams. It’s girl’s night baby!” She puts her arms around me and gives me a quick kiss on the lips.
We’re distracted from our moment by the sound of a honking car. I turn and see an uber arrive. A girl, the same one I had seen outside the library earlier, pops her head out of the window as the car comes to a standstill.
“Get in, Oliviaaaa,” she says. Then she looks at me and winks. “You must be that hot unneighborly boss, huh?”
“She told you I was hot?” I ask, giving her friend a high-five.
Olivia looks mortified. “Sarah,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I told you that in secrecy.”
“Men like to be complimented, you know?” says Sarah.
I laugh, reveling in their friendly banter. Olivia gives me a quick peck on the cheek. “See you later?” she asks.
“Of course,” I say. “Enjoy your night out with the girls.”
“Always,” she says as she gets into the car. I close the door behind her while she instructs the driver to play the music up loud.
We bid each other goodbye. I wave as the car drives off and I hear the voice of the girls singing fade into the distance. At last, I head into my house, pay the babysitter, and see her out and have the good luck of being distracted by the only person in the world who is capable of keeping my mind off Olivia – my lovely daughter, Emily.
I give the nanny the evening off and cook Emily some mac and cheese and force her to have some mashed cauliflower with it, pretending it’s mashed potatoes.
“These potatoes taste funny, Daddy,” she complains.
“Oh honey,” I say. “That’s because they’re sad you’re not eating them. Hurry up now so I can put you to bed.”
She looks horrified and immediately gobbles them down. I laugh to myself, partly feeling proud of my sweet, empathetic daughter and partly feeling guilty for having tricked her but after five years as a single dad, I had learned that sometimes one has to lie to make their kid eat a wider range of vegetables. I’m sure once she’s older, I could come clean about this, and she’d forgive me. Once she’s done eating, I help her bathe and brush her teeth, read her a bedtime story, put the sidelight on, give her a sweet kiss on the forehead and leave the room, with the door slightly ajar so she doesn’t get scared.
I’ve just about got myself into bed when the bell rings. I go towards it excitedly, hoping it’s Olivia back early from her night out. To my horror, it’s my worst nightmare come true.
Right in front of me stands the ghost of my past.
“Veronica,” I say through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh darling,” she says, trying to stumble past me into my living room. “Can’t a mother visit her own daughter?”
“Are you drunk?” I ask, disgusted with her behavior. She reeks of stale alcohol, cigarettes, and some cheap trucker’s cologne. Typical behavior for my ex-wife.
“Drunk, no, what are you saying, sweet pea?” she says, now falling against the door. I hold her up by the arm and bring her inside.
“Emily is sleeping, Veronica. And I am not going to allow her to see you in this manner. Also, you know better than this. You’re only allowed court-mandated visits.”
“Oh,” she says, infuriating me even more with her nonchalance. “Is that so?”
“Yes, so why don’t you leave?” I snap at her. “That’s an order, not a suggestion.”
“Funny thing, you see,” says Veronica. “I would, but some guy stole my wallet. I was in town for the weekend and at this bar nearby-”
