TWO

LESLIE’S POV

“Have you ever thought about putting your resume into Jobsco, you don’t even have to apply, you just give them your CV, and they’d apply for you.”

“No.” I answered, not even bothering to look up from the T.V at the frown that was obviously formed on Rochelle’s face.

“Leslie, you have to do something – you can’t just sit in my couch all day eating pizza and watching stupid rom-coms –”

“Hey!” I interrupted, feeling hurt. “They’re not stupid, this is a perfectly romantic movie where men don’t cheat, they get married and live happily ever – see! You’ve just made me miss their kissing scene. Did you see the look on his face when he – Rochelle!” I called out as she switched off the TV.

“Now that I have your attention, you can’t keep moping away your life just because your ex-husband is a stupid piss of … Leslie, it’s been seven months!”

“I know!” I wailed. Even after seven months, tears still threatened to fill my eyes at the thought of Jeffrey.

“Leslie,” Rochelle called, her voice gentling. “Leslie look at me,” she’d walked up to stoop in front of where I sat, and now, she pinched my chin, tilting it upwards. 

“You’re a beautiful, strong, intelligent woman with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. I’ll be damned if I let you waste away because of Jeffrey.”

I shook my head. “I’m not beautiful, I’m not Carla.”

“Oh for Pete’s sake!” Rochelle threw up her hands in exasperation, then she closed her eyes and let out an audible breath. “Okay, let’s do it this way. Come with me. Helix.co extended an invite to me, for their tenth anniversary – well, since I decorated for them, they decided to send an invite. I can bring a plus one, so you’re coming with me –”

“Nope!” I said, reaching for the remote. Helix was the same company Jeffrey had been trying to get a deal with. I wasn’t interested.

“I wasn’t asking!” Rochelle commanded. “You’re either coming with me, or you’re leaving my house. And look, it’s not just the Minnesota branch, I heard the who is who would be flying in – I think it’s like Minnesota is hosting, so you better dress well and be on your best behavior.”

I rolled my eyes. “Must you be such a pain in the –”

The doorbell rang then, interrupting me and I sprinted to open it. Anything was welcome distraction to Roch’s forcing me to face my sorry reality.

I took a step back as I opened it, staring dazedly at the figure that stood in front of me. Already, tears had filled my eyes again.

Couldn’t the universe let me catch a break.

“Hi Leslie,” Jeffrey said in that deep voice of his. He was cradling a baby that looked a week old. “Can I come in?”

“No!” Thankfully, it was Rochelle that answered. His eyes flashed at her, then they focused on me.

“This is turning out a bit more awkward than I thought it would, but can you please come home?”

Seven months. Seven months of fantasizing this very scene, that Jeffrey would come to beg for my forgiveness, tell me he had been a stupid fool, and I was really the love of his life, but now, that it was happening, I was surprised at the calm that descended on me.

“No,” I answered calmly. “Jeffrey, we’re divorced remember?”

He nodded, shifting from foot to foot. He wasn’t even holding the baby properly, and the poor thing had started crying from discomfort.

“Who’s baby is this even?” I asked, taking the baby from him. A quick check, and I realized she – it was a she – had filled her diaper.

I sighed, carrying her over to the center table. There was nothing much I could do, but I quickly took off the soiled diaper, cleaned her up with wet wipes, and dressed her back.

“You’re good with babies,” Jeffrey said startling me.

Of course I was. I had worked as a nanny for several years, through my college degree. It was how Jeffrey and I met in the first place. I had been babysitting his cousin’s child.

“Why are you here Jeffrey, and who’s child is this?” I asked instead. It was just the two of us, Rochelle had slipped out to give us some privacy.

“It’s Barbie’s – and mine.” He hesitated. “Odd, but I thought I couldn’t have children, the doctors said I had a sperm count issue.”

Another thing he’d kept from me. I swallowed, letting that slide. “Who the heck is Barbie?”

“The escort you –” he coughed a bit. “The escort that dressed up as Carla. She died giving birth, and now I’m stuck with the child.”

So he hadn’t missed me, he just needed me to take care of the child he’d gotten cheating on me. I shouldn’t be surprised at this stage, but it still hurt. 

“Jeffrey can you even hear yourself –”

He raised his hands, palm up. “I know! I know it sounds crazy, but a lot is happening right now. Carla has reconciled with her birth family, and she no longer answers Homer. She’s officially no more my sister. We started seeing each other last month, and we just want to go away to some place new and start afresh, but Carla insisted we’re not going with this child. So it’s either you adopt the baby, or she’s ending up in an orphanage.”

I had to laugh at his long rant. “Jeffrey you must be highly delusional to think I’d step in to smooth the way for you and the woman you cheated on me with –”

“Carla didn’t cheat though,” he interjected. “None of this is her fault”

“And do you think I care?” I shouted. “Take your little bastard out of my friends house and go sort your problems yourself, or I’m calling the cops, and filling a restraining order.”

He had the audacity to look hurt. He took a step backwards, opening his mouth to say something, but the baby had already started crying again. 

“She’s hungry,” I said without even turning around. “What formula did you bring with you?”

“I’ll pay you!” Jeffrey said, ignoring my question about formula. “You’re a nanny, so then do your job. Take care of this baby for me. I’d thought you had missed me, that you’ll want a little piece of me –”

I laughed. “You must be delusional –”

“Ten thousand dollars. I’ll give you ten thousand dollars every six months, baby food expenses excluded. Please, just take her. There’s really no space for her with I and Carla, and I don’t think you’d want her to grow up unloved…” he let his voice trail away.

He was twisting the knife now. Jeffrey knew I grew up with my grandparents who never passed up the opportunity to let me know I was a burden on them.

I sighed, picking up the baby, she immediately folded into my arms, nibbling on my arm as she quietened down. “She’s hungry,” I whispered through the sheen of tears that already filled my eyes.

“Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money,” Jeffrey answered, again, ignoring my talk about feeding. “You don’t have to make up your mind today, just keep the baby with you this night, see if you don’t lose your heart to her.”

I was a fool.

A bloody, stupid, little fool, but I couldn’t hand the baby nestled in my arms to a father that didn’t want her.

I remained silent as he walked away, then I called Foodsie and ordered for baby formula to be delivered to the house.