The Business Woman

Sideline Story

*Jack's POV*

The dinner with Maliyah went great, but I got a phone call from my mother as soon as we finished at the restaurant. I drove to my parent's home. They owned many properties all over the U.S. and some in Moscow. When I pulled into the driveway, there was a grey Sedan parked next to my mother's car.

I used my key to let myself in, and to my surprise, Veronica was sitting at the dining room table. My mother sat on the other end and comforted her. She'd been crying.

"I'm sorry." Veronica voiced over and over.

"What's going on in here ?" I asked while pulling my coat off and placing it on the couch.

"Have a seat, son." My father said, emerging from the hallway.

I pulled a chair out from under the table and sat next to my mother.

"You have a daughter, Jack." My mother said without hesitation.

"A daughter ?" I asked, making sure I heard my mother correctly.

"Yes, Veronica had been keeping her from us until we saw her at the grocery store. She looks just like you too."

"Mom, no disrespect but, I can't believe this. I haven't had sex with or even seen Veronica in 4 years."

"And that's exactly why I didn't want him to know." Veronica snapped, lifting her head from her palms.

The tears that had previously poured from her eyes dried against her brown skin. She looked the same since the last time I saw her, maybe even better. She was still petite as she was four years ago, and her brown eyes again shined just as bright.

We met at the first school I taught English for Jefferson Clark High School. She showed me around and introduced me to colleagues. After a while, we became good friends, and I would invite her to cookouts and barbecues that my parents hosted.

We agreed to be friends with benefits after a while and would often have casual sex whenever our schedules could make out the time. Over time, we just stopped communicating, and I moved to teach as a college professor.

"What do you even want, Veronica? Money? A place to live? What? " I asked, slightly raising my voice. "If she's my child, then let me see her."

"Julianna!" She called to the back room.

Shortly after, small footsteps trailed from the hallway into the middle of the kitchen.

There she was a small mixed child with brown curly hair, but I knew she was my daughter when she lifted her head, and I saw her eyes. Eyes that matched mine exactly. She looked like me.

"Daddy!?" She yelled before stumbling into my lap and wrapping her small arms around my waist.

"How does she know?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I always showed her pictures of you. I wanted her to know who her daddy was when I finally got the chance to tell you."

"I'm still really pissed at you, Veronica. I would've loved to have been there to see my daughter."

"I know, and I'm sorry." She apologized.

The whole time something seemed off about Veronica. She seemed timid and not well.

I hugged Julianna back before picking her up and sitting her on my lap.

"So, are you living here in Florida or?" I asked.

"Yes, we live here, but I'm getting ready to move to Arizona," Veronica responded.

"Arizona? What's there?"

"My fiancée, he travels."

"You're getting married?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Yes, he's a nice man, maybe you can meet him one day."

"I'm seeing someone as well," I informed. " I'm sure Julianna would love her."

After chatting a while longer, I began playing with Julianna until it was time for her to get ready to go home.

Although we just met, my heart was saddened to leave. I hadn't been with her all this time and yet I had to disappear again.

After saying my goodbyes, I drove to the bar in need of a drink.

What kind of father am I going to be? How the hell was I going to explain this to Maliyah?