I Choose You

Chapter 45: Paying A Visit

          Eating and talking in the little cafe in downtown Miami, Liam's phone begins to ring. Natasha.

          "Give me a second," he sighs. "Hello? Hello? Natasha? Hellloooo?" he drags out. "Weird," Liam says setting the phone down.

          "No one?"

          "Nope."

           Her number flashes across the screen once more.

           "Jesus Christ," he mumbles, picking up the phone. "What Natasha?"

           "Why the hell are you trying to get her? You don't even want her!" Natasha yells through the phone.

           "Of course I want her. She's a part of me too. I'm not going to be a deadbeat Natasha if you would just let me see my kid I wouldn't have to get the courts involved."

          "Well you're never getting her, and you're never going to see her."

          "Why are you doing this? Be honest with me."

          "Go fuck yourself," she hangs up.

          Liam tosses his phone on the table, "goddammit," he says loud, hitting the table as it rattles. Sloane jumps, dropping her glass on the table as the glass shatters. A waitress walks over, cleaning up the water and glass.

          "I got it," Liam says to the waitress, taking the rag from her. He cleans up the mess, picking up the glass shards and sliding them in the bucket that the waitress brought over. Liam tries to be careful but ends up cutting the palm of his hand.

           "Son of a bitch," he sighs, grabbing some napkins.

           "Hey," Sloane looks at him. "Talk to me."

           "What's there to talk about? I'm not going to get my daughter. Hell, if I do, it's going to be after she learned her first word learned how to crawl, how to walk, how to pull herself up. If this is God's sick way of punishing me for my past and then throwing psychotic Natasha in the mix, then I'm over it."

          "You'll get to see all those things. She'll call you daddy. You'll yell at her first boyfriend."

          "Why couldn't Natasha be like you or just be you," Liam says without thinking.

          "What?" Sloane raises an eyebrow.

          "What?" Liam repeats.

          "Nothing," she smiles. "How's your hand?"

          "It's fine. I've been cut worse," Liam shrugs. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

          "It's okay."

          "She just infuriates me so much," he laughs.

          "Have you tried just going to her place?"

          Liam shakes his head.

          "Why not?"

          "I guess it's never really crossed my mind."

          "So why don't you? It couldn't hurt. Maybe you can see your daughter?"

           "Will you go with me? At least sit in my car?"

          "Of course I will."

           "Can we do it now?"

           "Sure," Sloane nods.