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I finally tear my eyes away from the papers and look up at Erica. She is trying to be strong, but I can see right through her. Doesn’t she know how well I know her? How well she knows me?
“Why?” I ask again, more adamant.
She reaches into her bag and slams something onto my desk. “This is why.”
I look down and see the glossy front cover of a tabloid magazine, and a headline with my name. Shit. I read over the brief article. I feel my fear turn to anger once I finish it.
“This is bullshit,” I say, my voice raised as I slam my palm down on the tabloid.
“You put my daughter in danger…” she says, her voice narrowed.
“I had no idea about this,” I say. “Who the hell is thissource?”
“I don’t know! Does it matter? Whoever it is, it’s already out there for the world to read.”
“Maybe it’s your so-calledfriends,” I say in air quotations, thinking back to our awkward phone call on Saturday night.
“Howdareyou,” says Erica pointedly.
“How am I supposed to know who you let spend time with my daughter…” I regret the words as soon as they come out, knowing I’ve gone too far. I’m just angered by all of this.
“Excuse me?”Erica raises a brow. “First of all, she’smydaughter. She didn’t even know you existed until recently, so please don’t pretend like you are freaking father of the year. Because you are far from it.” She laughs somewhat unstably.
“And my friends wouldneverdo anything to hurt me or Josie. My friends are actually the two people who have been there for me more than anyone for the past two years. They were with me when I was throwing up from morning sickness, bringing over cures they Googled every day. They were there right after Josie was born in the hospital, after I delivered her alone, crying through every single push and wishing I had a hand to hold. They were there when I needed to go back to work, taking care of her when I needed the help.”
Every word is like a knife, digging further into me, its blade dipped in guilt as it seeps into me. I never even thought about everything Erica had to have gone through as a single mom. Now, I can see she resents me. I resent myself. But then I remember,shewas the one who kept our daughter a secret. My guilt dissipates to spite.
“And whose fault is that?” I ask, cocking my head and watching the words penetrate her tough exterior.
She opens her mouth to say something, but can’t seem to get the words out. She looks like a fish out of water and I can’t help but relish in it.
“You’rethe one who kept her a secret.You’rethe one who chose to do this on your own. Everything you’ve had to go through alone, was your own doing.”
“How dare you…” she whispers.
“How dareyou,”I fire back. “I may not have reacted well when I found out about Josie, but I’ve apologized. Since then, I’ve done nothing but prove that I want to be in her life. For a moment, it seemed like you wanted me to be. And now you do this…” I gesture to the papers.
She glares at me.
“I’m not signing them,” I say.
“Marco…” she says pleadingly.
“I think it’s best you leave.” I look toward the door.
She doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t move.
“Go, or I’ll have someone escort you out.”
She sucks in a shaky breath before turning and leaving, closing the door behind her. As soon as she’s gone, I grab the papers and shove them back in the envelope they came in. I can’t look at them. I can’t believe Erica would do this.
The only thing I want to do is go down to the daycare again to see Josie, but I know how it would look. If the source leaking information to the tabloid is one of the staff members, I don’t need to add fuel to the fire. The fact that this is in the press is bad enough already. I don’t need another article coming out. Plus, knowing Erica, she’s heading there now.
I can’t believe the story was published. I’m never in the tabloids, and I’ve prided myself on leading a private life, allowing only my business accolades to be printed in high profile publications, not fake news. Now, my first time in the tabloids is on the front page and smearing my personal life across it. I feel sick to my stomach knowing my daughter is the center of gossip. That’s more upsetting than anything tarnishing my reputation. I’m surprised my publicist missed this, but then again, it’s a less than stellar publication. They do what they want without caring about the consequences.
I’m just glad there isn’t a photo of Josie or me. Or Erica. Somehow, her name hasn’t been leaked to the press, making this an even messier situation. If it’s not someone from the daycare, I suppose someone could have easily snapped a photo at the zoo, but since I’ve always been pretty private, no one would think twice about who I am or the family of three they saw walking around the zoo on a Saturday morning. Plus, they could have sold the photo for an exorbitant amount of cash.
No, ithasto be someone from the daycare. I want Josie pulled immediately from there, but I have no say in that. Knowing Erica, she’s probably already looking for other places. As much as I’m angry at her right now, I know she’s a good mother. A protective mother. I know Josie is in good hands.