Temptation (41 page)

“Do you think that’s will happen?” I ask.

“I can’t tell you a definite answer for that. Custody hearings can go a million different ways. I would suggest trying to talk to the father first,” I feel Viktor’s hand grab mine harder as Mrs. Moore says this. “See if you two can’t work something out with maybe some visitations. I’ll get started on preparing your paper work and get a game plan in order if it comes to the worst case scenario. I have a few things I’ll need to get started,” she hands me a list of documents she will need and says, “Try not to worry about it so much. Considering how the father left you the way he did and had no contact with either of you until recently, I have high expectations that no judge will take your daughter away from you.”

I nod and finally feeling so much better about it. I smile at her and thank her as she stands up to walk us out. I pick up Gabbie, still playing her game, and I walk towards the door.

“Give me just a minute, okay? I need to ask Mrs. Moore a quick question.” When I frown at Viktor, clearly confused, he adds, “About the club. I’ll only be a moment.”

I shrug my shoulders, and I walk out of the building and unlock my SUV. I place Gabbie in her car seat, buckle her in, and I get in as we wait for Viktor to come out. We sit for a lot longer than a moment and I’m starting to get frustrated. I’m ready to go home and relax on the couch.

“Mommy, hers going home?”

I turn around in my seat and smile seeing Gabbie finally getting off the game she was playing. “Yes, baby. As soon as Viktor comes back.”

“Okay, mommy. Me’s huggy.”

“Okay, baby. We’ll go home soon and I’ll make you some food.”

I turn back around when she picks up my phone again. The wonders of technology. I still can’t believe she was so quiet and so well behaved the entire time we spoke with Mrs. Moore. I really hope this whole custody thing with Malcolm doesn’t get ugly. I don’t want Gabbie being the one that suffers from it. I glance at the clock on the dash. Viktor has been gone for over fifteen minutes. What in the world could they possibly be talking about? I wait for a little longer, deciding to go get him if he doesn’t come out soon. I finally see him walking out, but he doesn’t look very happy. He gets in the SUV, and starts it up. He doesn’t acknowledge me or Gabbie as he backs out of the parking lot. He pulls out on the highway, and I notice how tightly his hands grip the steering wheel.

“Are you alright?” I hesitantly ask him.

He glances at me for a second, and I watch him as he let’s go of the steering wheel. He places his hand in mine, but I know something’s still bothering him. He doesn’t smile or say anything and every few seconds I can see his jaw clenching. I try not to let it bother me that he’s pissed off about something, and doesn’t want to tell me. He’s asked me to trust him, but ever since Malcolm came back into our lives, he’s been acting differently than before. I want to think maybe it’s because I’m stressed and he’s working more at the club. I just want him to talk to me about it.

As Viktor gets closer to home, he’s really starting to worry me. He hasn’t said anything to me, and I can’t help think I’ve done something wrong. I know Viktor likes to keep his personal business private, but it really bothers me at times when does this. When he pulls in my driveway, I get out and slam the door. I get Gabbie out and I hold her hand as we walk into the house. I take my phone away from her as she runs inside and goes straight to the remote on the coffee table. I set my phone down on the kitchen island and I walk over to help her. But, she doesn’t want or need my help.
Peppa Pig
comes on the TV and I can do nothing but stare at my child in amazement. She’s one and a half and knows how to not only turn on the TV, but work the DVR to play one of her favorite shows. Seeing she has things under control and she’s busy watching TV, I walk into the kitchen to make some lunch for us.

I watch Viktor as he walks inside and he seems to have let go of whatever was bothering him. He stares at me for a few moments, but doesn’t make a move to talk to me or to touch me. He drops his head, and goes into the living room with Gabbie. I hear them start to play together as I fix lunch. I quickly put together some sandwiches, adding apples and grapes to Gabbie’s plate. I’m setting our plates on the kitchen island when my phone starts to ring. I pick it up, and I almost don’t answer when I don’t recognize the number. Thinking it might be the lawyer, I answer it.

“Hello?”

I hear a man clear his throat and then I hear his voice. “Hey, Ava. Please don’t hang up.”

I close my eyes,
gulping down the tirade I want to spray his way. The last thing I need is for him to have a reason to keep up with this custody thing. “What do you want, Malcolm?” I see Viktor watching me, but I have to talk to Malcolm. I have to get him to drop this custody battle.

“I’m sorry, Ava. I just … Look Gabbie’s mine too, and I know I haven’t been there, and I have done some stupid shit, but I want a chance to get to know her.”

I’m pissed off royally now but keep it together. I don’t want to give him an inch of anything that he can use against me. “How did you find out her name? And how did you even get my number?”

“I went by your parent’s house looking for you. Your mom wouldn’t tell me where you lived, but she told me your number and told me I needed to meet Gabbie. She actually made me feel like a real asshole for not being there.”

I run my hand through my hair, wondering if he said anything to mom about where we met up again. I can’t get mad at mom, but damn, why didn’t she warn me? “Well she’s half right. You are an asshole.”

“Come on, Ava. Can’t we just act like adults and be civil?”

“Hey, you called yourself an asshole, I’m just agreeing with you. I don’t understand why all of a sudden you want to see her. I just don’t get it.” Viktor is still watching me, but I turn away from him. This whole situation is beginning to get out of hand and it’s starting to feel awkward talking to Malcolm while Viktor’s here.

“How about we meet tomorrow and I’ll explain. Please Ava. I want to see Gabbie.” I sigh and turn back around. I watch Gabbie play in the floor with her baby dolls, and even though she has Viktor, a part of me begins to consider she might need her father too.

“Alright. We can meet at the park that way we can talk and Gabbie can play.”

“Thank you, Ava.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I said I’d bring her, not that you could have any interaction with her.”

“I understand.” I sigh as I give him directions to the park down the road from my house and we agree to meet after lunch tomorrow. I hang up, thinking the conversation wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I can only hope Malcolm will act like a damn adult and not some selfish prick.

“You’re letting him see her?” I lay my phone down and I glance up at Viktor wondering how long he’s been listening to my conversation. I won’t lie to myself. It kind of pisses me off he was listening.

“Yes, I am. It’s not like I have a choice. You heard what the lawyer said to both of us. If we at least try it this way, maybe he’ll stop this whole custody thing.”

“I don’t want Gabbie near him. He has no right to see her after what he did two the both of you. Gabbie doesn’t even know he exists!” He turns away from me, clearly frustrated at me.

“I know that. But what do you want me to do about it? I can’t risk him pushing this and the possibility of him getting sole custody of her. I don’t want that and I sure as hell don’t want to drag her through a nasty court battle.”

“I don’t want that for her either. I,” he turns back to me and grabs me. He leans his head down on mine and I can’t help to wrap my arms around his waist. I want to be angry with him for acting like a jerk, when he should be supporting me and my decision. “I just don’t like that fact that he’s getting exactly what he wants. I can’t help be jealous and over protective of my girls.”

I like the way he claimed Gabbie and I. It’s strange to feel more secure about him and me when he says things like that. “I don’t like it either, but we have to try at least.”

“I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like or agree with it.”

I pull away from him as I say, “I know you don’t like this. I don’t either. What if you went with us tomorrow?” I don’t know why I asked him that. Maybe for his peace of mind?

He shakes his head and tells me, “I don’t think that would be the best idea. I’m liable to kill the bastard for trying to take Gabbie away. No, you go, and I’ll go to work for a while.”

“Alright.” I turn my head toward Gabbie when she starts singing. I smile and turn back to Viktor. “Can we enjoy the rest of the day together now?”

He smirks at me and grabs my hand. I start to walk away, but he pulls me to him. I place my hands on my chest, while giggling like a kid. I’m grateful he’s able to help me forget, just for a little while what’s going on around us. Viktor slides a hand up my cheek and pushes my hair behind my ear as he leans in and kisses me. His kiss is soft but demanding at the same time. His hold on my hair tightens, and he takes my breath away. I can feel my body coming alive for him as he continues to kiss me. I could kiss him just like this forever if he’d let me. It seems it’s been way to long since he’s last kissed me this way, and I deepen the kiss more.

He pulls away from me and says, “
YA nadeyus', chto vy znayete, kak sil'no ya zabochus' o tebe. YA nadeyus', chto vy vidite, skol'ko ya zabochus.'
” I’ve no idea what he said, but I have a feeling he’s telling me something I need to hear. It could also be because he knows I love it when he speaks in Russian. His hand slowly drops from my hair, and he leads me into the living room. Gabbie is dancing, and I can’t help but smile while I watch her. For some reason I feel I’m watching her differently now. Maybe it’s because I know what’s on the line, and I want to enjoy all these moments with her. I promise myself, I will never take another moment, good or bad, for granted with her again.

The next day, I get Gabbie ready to meet her dad. It’s still strange to me to think of Malcolm as a dad after so long. And it hurts me to have to think of him when I’ve finally managed to put him in a place in my mind where I can move on. Gabbie of course, isn’t the least interested about hearing anything about Malcolm. She’s more excited about going to the park and playing on the slide. Viktor left an hour before we’re supposed to leave, and I can tell he’s worried about today. He didn’t have to say it, I felt it. I hate that Malcolm coming back is causing more problems and I wish Malcolm would’ve just stayed away.

“Come on, Gabbie, we have to go.”

“Okay, mommy.” She reaches for my hand as I close the door, and I put her in the car seat as we reach my SUV. The park isn’t far from the house, and the whole way there, Gabbie doesn’t say much. I don’t know if she understands what’s going on or not. I know she’s smart for her age, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s nervous like I am. Meeting with Malcolm again, is bringing up a lot of feelings and insecurities from the past. I don’t want to feel this way. I want to be strong and not have a million butterflies in my stomach as we get closer to the park.

I pull in the parking lot right beside the park and I’m glad I don’t see Malcolm yet. I turn around in my seat and I look at Gabbie for a moment.

“You okay, baby?”

“Me tummy hurts,” she tells me and rubs her belly. I know she’s not hungry, or sick. She was fine all morning.

“We can go back home. We don’t have to see Malcolm if you don’t want to.” I hate that she doesn’t understand what’s happening. I tried to explain to her this morning, but she’s just too young to fully grasp what’s at stake, and in a way, I’m glad she won’t understand the disappointment if he doesn’t show.

She really seems to think about what I’m saying for a bit. She bounces her foot up and down in her seat, and she looks out the window. “Hers play with me?”

“Yeah, baby. He’ll play with you. Only if you want to.”

“Mommy, me swing now?”

I nod, knowing her mind is only set on playing now. I get out, and grab her out of her seat. I grab her bag, and I carry her to the park. Only two other kids are playing, and I still don’t see Malcolm anywhere. I sit Gabbie down by me as I sit on the bench and wait for a few minutes. Gabbie starts whining about playing after about two minutes of waiting, so we get up and I help her get on the swing. I push her for a while, still watching to see if Malcolm shows.

After thirty minutes pass, I decide to stop waiting for Malcolm to show. Gabbie and I swing for a little longer, then we slide down the slide together. Her laughter is infectious and I find myself having a blast with her. After the slide, we build sand castles in the sandbox. We take selfies, and I love how in each one both of us are smiling. I chase her around the park for a bit. I stand still as she falls and scraps her knee, but she gets right back up and turns around and says, “Me okay, mommy,” and takes off again. I hold her up as she climbs on the monkey bars and I even sit on the little animal rides with her.

I can tell she’s getting tired when she starts rubbing her eyes and when I check the time, I realize we’ve been here over two hours. And still no Malcolm. I can’t say I’m not disappointed. I really thought he was serious about meeting Gabbie. At the same time relief fills me and I can only hope he drops this crap about gaining custody. I take Gabbie’s hand and I pick up her bag on the bench. We walk back to my SUV and as I open the back door to put Gabbie in her seat, I hear my name being called.