Held [Completed]

Twenty Eight.

Twenty Eight.

There is nothing to say because I'm literally speechless. This has to be a bad dream.

"Wait, you're their dad?"

His eyes never leave mine as he nods. And once again, I too, find it hard to look away.

"Are you sure? Because the boy said-"

"Yeah he's sure." I hear Jake speak up, causing suspicion to raise. I never noticed how close he is until now. Or how his hand latches onto my trembling one while we both anticipate our ill-fated future.

"Well, I'll need you to sign some forms then Mr. Rhodes." She swiftly moves her glasses from her heart shaped face to eye him sternly.

"Why?" Rich's coffee colored eyes divert from Jake to me. His hands are now in his pockets while his eyes remain narrowed at me.

"I'm not sure if you know it, but your daughter is pregnant. Three months to be exact so I think as parent you should look into alternatives." She makes a clear point to change her happy tone to solemnity. Just a minute ago she was beaming as if she were the one expecting. And now she is talking about alternatives? I'm not giving my baby up. 

"Can we have a minute to um, talk?"

There is a bitter taste in my mouth. It rises and makes my mouth water. My frozen body relaxes just enough to force it back down.

"Sure," She turns to me with a half smile before pattering out of the room.

Collected, lax, at ease? Those are just a few words that would describe Rich's reaction right now. His eyebrows scrunch like Jake's when he ponders in thought.

"Why are you here, huh?" He addresses us both.

I can't form words...or proper thoughts. I'm terrified of him.

"I leave for an interview. Something that will make our lives better and you just run...again." He grits his teeth, trying to ease the tension.

"She got hurt so I brought her here." Jake speaks cautiously. Is he taking the blame for this?

Unforgiving dread fills my insides at the thought of what he could do to Jake.

"So you make the fucking decsisions now!" He growls while knocking the vase from my nightstand.

I jump from the sudden sound while my heart speeds up sevenfold. A firm grip on my hand assures me that he is still here. Still standing beside me.

"Uh, no sir but I-"

"If you want to leave then go. But just know that I'll find you then kill you to keep you quiet.  Now Livie- Livie stays with me. She isn't leaving no matter what." 

My trembling hand goes to wipe my eyes. I'm crying without realizing.

"I can't...leave?" This is insane. I've tried and still managed to fail. Why is life playing with me?

"I have custody of you so no, you aren't leaving," He goes into his pocket to retrieve the copy. The final copy.

"I already showed the documents to the authorities. They know you're my underage daughter." He confirms with a heavy sigh in satisfaction. A smirk plays at the corners of his thin lips.

No. He doesn't have custody of me because my mom and dad do. Or, they were supposed to.

The more my thoughts reel the more it all starts to sink in again. My parents were still separated when I was sixteen, so in retrospect my mom was the one with full custody of me. She and dad must have agreed to give her full custody since he and I were basically estranged.