Alex trudged wearily up the stairs in his mansion, a heavy weight on his shoulders. The long day at the office had drained him of all energy, and he just wanted to take a shower and crash on the bed. As he opened the door, his heart sank at the sight of his baby mama, Sandra, seated on the couch with his little boy playing at her feet.
“Daddy!!” the child exclaimed and came running to him.
“Hey… Smarty pants!” Alex chuckled and lifted him up, he nudged him playfully and made the baby giggle, before putting him down.
“Mom bought me new toys,” the child announced immediately.
“Oh, that is lovely!! Alright, go play with them, Daddy is tired and needs a bath.” He said and the child obeyed.
“Welcome home,” Sandra said with a smile as she stood up and walked to him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to keep his tone calm. Of course he didn’t want to scare his young son.
Sandra paused, her expression one of anger mixed with hurt. "What am I doing here? You abandoned us, Alex. You left me to raise our child all by myself."
"I didn't abandon you," Alex replied, trying to keep his voice level. "I've been paying child support every month, twice of what is required. And I see my child every other weekend."
"That's not enough," Sandra retorted. "You're never here for us when we need you. You're always too busy with work or your fancy social life."
Alex sighed. He had heard this argument from Sandra countless times before. He didn’t know why she claims to be struggling to raise their child on her own; he provided them with everything they needed. Money was never a problem, so what was her problem?
"Sandra, you know that's not true. Like I just said, I've been paying double the child support every month, and I've been trying to be there for our child," he replied. “So quit this drama already.”
Sandra crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "That's not enough, Alex. Our child needs a father figure, not just money."
Alex felt frustrated and helpless. He didn't know what else he could do. "What do you want me to do, Sandra? I can't just drop everything and be here 24/7. I have a job to do, and I have other responsibilities too," he said.
Sandra scoffed. "Responsibilities? You mean other women, right? That's what you always do. You abandon your family and go chase after other women," she said, her voice full of anger.
Alex was taken aback by her words. He couldn't believe that she would accuse him of such things. "That's not true, Sandra. You know that," he said, his voice shaking. Not like she even had a right to question him if her accusations were true, she had no right to stop him from seeing other women if he chose to, but he had been too busy for that anyway.
Sandra rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Alex. I'm here to tell you that our child needs you, and if you don't step up and be a father, then I'll have to take legal action," she threatened.
Alex stood there, feeling a mix of emotions - anger, frustration, and sadness. He couldn't believe that Sandra would threaten him like that. He knew that he needed to do more to be there for his child, but he didn't know how to balance that with his work and other responsibilities. Moreover, he knew that Sandra had ulterior motives for her demands.
"Tell me Sandy… Is it really our son who needs my attention or you?" Alex asks, looking straight into Sandra's eyes.
Sandra looks down, unable to meet his gaze. She tries to speak but hesitates at first, and then she utters. "I miss you, Alex," she admits. "I miss the way things used to be."
Alex’s face hardened as he looked at Sandra, who had just confessed that she missed him. “Sandra, the only thing we have between us is our son,” he said, his voice firm. “I am committed to being a responsible father and providing for him, but I cannot give you false hopes.”
Sandra looked down at the ground, fidgeting with her fingers. She knew that Alex was right, but she couldn't help the way she felt or the things she desired. She had always hoped that one day they would become a family, a real family.
“I understand that, Alex,” she said, her voice low. “But it's hard for me to see you every time you come to see our son and not have these feelings.”
Alex takes a step back, feeling overwhelmed. He doesn't know what to say. He wants to be there for his son, but he can't force himself to be with someone he has no feelings for.
"I'm sorry, Sandra. I can't do this. You need to leave," he says, his voice firm.
Sandra looks at him for a moment. "No, you are wrong if you think this is the end of it, Alex. I'll always be here for you, whether you like it or not."
** ** **
Alex shuts the door to his bedroom, leaving Sandra behind in the living room. As he walks towards his bed, he can't help but feel a sense of annoyance towards Sandra's sudden appearance. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stares into space, recollecting how he met Sandra. It was at a club, and he had no intention of settling down at the time. It was just a one-night stand that resulted in their son.
He knew he had no feelings for her, but she insisted on keeping the baby and got his parents involved in it. He had to take responsibility for his actions. He could still remember the look on her face when he told her he wasn't interested in a relationship, but she went ahead to keep the baby.
As he dwells on these memories, he can't help but feel a sense of guilt. He knew he was not ready to be a father, let alone a husband. He was still living his bachelor life, going out and having fun with his friends. But with the arrival of his son, everything had changed. He had to be responsible and provide for his son, not just financially because that was the least of his problems, but his attention as well and he had been doing just that.
He shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He knows he needs to go back to the living room and deal with Sandra, but he just needs a moment to collect himself. He looks around his bedroom, noticing the clothes he had left on the floor, the unmade bed, and the empty bottles of beer on the nightstand. He knew he needed to get his act together, for his son's sake.
Eventually, he forced himself to get up from the bed and head to the living room, where Sandra was still sitting on the couch. He knew that he couldn't ignore her forever, especially since they had a child together.
He walked into the living room and sat down on a chair across from her, his expression neutral. Sandra looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any hint of emotion.
"What do you want, Sandra?" he asked again, his voice clipped.
"I just wanted to talk," she said softly. "I miss you, Alex. I know we didn't have the best relationship, but I still feel something for you."
Alex shook his head, feeling frustrated. "What are you talking about, Sandra? We were never in a relationship. We had a one-night stand that resulted in our child. I've always been clear about my feelings towards you."
Sandra looked down at her lap, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know that, Alex. But I can't help how I feel. I just wish things were different between us."
Alex stood up, feeling restless. "I can't change how I feel, Sandra. I care about our child, but I have no interest in being with you romantically. I'm sorry if that hurts you, but it's the truth."
With that, he turned and walked out of the living room, leaving Sandra alone with her thoughts. Alex knew that their situation was far from ideal, but he also knew that he couldn't force himself to feel something that wasn't there.
To be continued!!
