She's Mine [COMPLETE]

She's Mine: Chapter 26

Eliza looked to the floor and turned her back to him in contemplation.

"Think about it. You've done him nothing but favors and satisfied him in ways he doesn't care to acknowledge. This fight he's waged has nothing to do with Sweetpea. It has everything to do with the fact that he doesn't have you anymore."

Eliza turned on her heels and gawked at Troy.

"How could–"

"You're one helluva woman."

Eliza paused for a few seconds before twisting her face in disgust, rebuking the theory, "He does nothing but try to make me miserable."

"Typical way to gather your attention. As men, we can't help but do anything we can to make sure she is thinking about us." Troy shrugged.

Eliza scoffed, "But he suddenly wants custody of Lulu. He wanted nothing to do with me or her."

"Maybe now he does, especially when it's obvious that another man has taken your attention and you've kept your daughter."

"This is ridiculous," she whispered to herself.

"Have you been happier without him?"

"Yes," she didn't hesitate to answer.

"And that, right there, is reason enough for him to do any of this."

Eliza stomped, "Just because she is half of him doesn't mean that he deserves her acknowledgement. He didn't put shit into helping me and made it clear he didn't want any part of her life. He made what he didn't want very clear."

Troy tried to maintain his boiling blood. What she said wasn't news, but it enraged him all over again.

"I'll go to work tomorrow, though I am too tired," Eliza spat. "I am a mother of one, not two!"

The knob to the front door shifted and Troy and Eliza noticed Emmy quietly shutting the door behind her.

"Everything alright, Emmy?" Eliza asked with urgency.

"Mmm hmm, everything is just fine," she said quietly, her eyes shifting as she attempted to survey if the air was actually clear of frustrations. "I do have a question for you, later, though Eliza."

A few hours had passed and Eliza's expression couldn't form anything more than a frown. If Andrew had kept away from her, she would be smiling at the sound of Emmy and Troy away in the kitchen chit chatting and washing the dishes.

The apartment was filled with innocuous sounds that she wanted to let seep into her ears forever. It was different from more than a year ago. Eliza lived in and purposefully maintained a home riddled with silence. Not until she was a young adult did she know what it was like to live in peace.

From orphanages to already established families, life was hectic for Eliza outside of trying to nurture an angsty baby brother. Loneliness was a friend that was always welcomed because she had no problem dismissing it despite her seemingly callous nature.

Once more, she bid it farewell when Andrew began to show his interest after a very successful fiscal year. As a superior she usually kept away from after work functions, but Bluestar Technologies profited immensely even she wanted to celebrate. The assumption that the airs would be awkward with her around were wrong. Her attention was circled around the group though she didn't have too much to say. It was easy for her to enjoy the atmosphere when there was a fresh hire lighting up their side of the restaurant– Troy Daniels.

Eliza remembered briefly meeting him after his second interview with Blackwell, and this was her first time getting to see the Southern man sweet talk his way into the hearts of this new co-workers. Eliza remembered finding Troy a person she would enjoy working with and Troy's frequent attention on her was starting to make her think that there was more than him being kind to his superior. She had seen that kind of glint in a man's eye before, and she saw it even more when the rest of the men had to confirm if Troy was nearing "contractual prison" or was a confirmed bachelor.

However, that glint was present in Andrew Louis's eyes later that night as well. And for the following nights for the next several weeks. Almost two months had passed by, entailing several late night trysts until she had to invite Andrew over in a panic one Saturday morning. Her face was rough from crying hours before, and she had hoped that he would come to the rescue with more sensibility. The moment was fragile and he refused to handle it with care. In fact, she wasn't sure if he handled anything at all.

Andrew's eyes surveyed Eliza's pleading pair after she shamefully muttered the news. She begged for him to say something, but he scowled and shouted to be told it was a joke. Eliza stepped back and her eyes fluttered in disbelief. Slowly, she shook pulled out a test from her pocket, muttered it had been one of ten over the last week and he left without saying another word.

"Liza," she heard from the open door.

Troy was wonderful, but not even his voice could tear her away from savoring another small moment like Lulu's dinner time.

"You going to be okay?" he squeezed in through the silence.

"You leaving?" she quietly asked.

If she had looked up, she would have caught the surprise on Troy's face and the mouthing of 'I told you so!' from Emmy to Troy.

When she didn't receive an answer, Eliza turned her eyes toward the door to see the other two quietly going back and forth. They finally noticed Eliza was watching and pulled themselves together. Emmy scurried away and Troy erected his posture before walking up to Eliza and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Unfortunately, yes. I am going to go, darlin'," he sighed.

Disappointed, she exhaled, but she wasn't going to stop him anymore. She would see him tomorrow and he would be the only reason to bear stepping foot back into Bluestar Technologies.

The side of Troy's finger graced Lulu's cheek when her large, but sleepy brown eyes spotted him. Eliza didn't think she would smile again after her painful reveries, but she did hoping that she would be able to let a tender moment overshadow the storm inside.

Emmy walked a despondent Southern boy to the door and he knew he wouldn't be able to get a glimpse of Eliza and Lulu again for the night, but he still tilted his head to try anyways.

The apartment door closed and Emmy closed her eyes, quickly praying that the rest of the night would be okay.

"Eliza, baby, how are you feeling?" Emmy pondered, watching the mom carefully put Lulu in her crib.

"I'm angry," Eliza sighed with weary eyes. "I'm so angry."

Emmy nodded, and she knew that Eliza had had it. The tired, yet removed woman was standing in front of her again. Emmy hoped that she wouldn't see this kind of Eliza again, but after the aggression at the airport Emmy had foreseen another sneak attack on the horizon.

She rubbed Eliza's back and admitted, "I feel guilty that I'm going to be leaving for the weekend." with all of this happening.

"Don't," Eliza quickly added with slight surprise. "You have to go home."

"But... that's why I was wondering if you and Miss Lulu wanted to join me this time," Emmy suggested with a squint.

Eliza's lips parted in complete astonishment. Emmy pulled her hands behind her back and smiled showing all of her teeth.

"Really?" Eliza gasped.

Emmy lit up and nodded, "Yes!

An anxious but nervous appearance was over the new mom's face. After all she had been through in the last months, Eliza easily forgot that Emmy was employed by her. Emmy had been more than a nanny since the first day.

Eliza looked up to the lady who stood tall despite her stature, and she quietly agreed to spend the weekend back home with the strong person she admired.

The small woman returned a brief shoulder shake, before she stopped herself mid celebration.

Lacing her fingers up to her chin, she carefully added, "However, I should warn you... it's also a family reunion."