Ungodly Hour | d.e.

1 | Fumble

I noticed little things in the bathroom, like her favorite perfume and the Rolex I got her when she passed her bar exam. The very next day she found out I had a baby on the way that wouldn't be from her. I listened silently that night as she cried herself to sleep. When I woke up the next morning her side of the closet was cleared out and she was long gone.

"Aimee, who did you let into my office?" I closed the door to her bathroom and turned to face her and my cousin.

"I told you not to touch anything." Aimee scolded me while walking over to sit a mug down on Avery's desk.

"What are you doing here?"

"I- uh, I-" I couldn't find the words to say to her. Almost five years without any contact with her and looking at her still feels like I'm looking at perfection in human form.

"He needs some legal help, and I figured you would be the perfect person to help him." Aimee cut in when she seen me struggling to speak.

"Refer him to Moses. It's a conflict of interest for me. Nice seeing you again, Gabriel. Sorry I couldn't be of assistance." She spoke coldly while walking over to take a seat behind her desk.

"I tried. Follow me to my desk, Gabe. I'll call over and see if Moses is free to speak with you right now."

"I'll be out in a minute. Go ahead." I waved her off and walked over to sit in one of the chairs in front of Brynn's desk. I could see it was taking everything in her not to look at me as she logged into her computer. I waited until I heard her office door close before starting to talk to her.

"My baby moms is trying to extort me. I'm afraid of taking it to family court because they like giving mothers full custody and stuff. Plus they see my lifestyle and use it as a reason on why I can't properly care for my daughter. I need a fair custody and child support agreement to keep everything in order." I explained to her.

"That's very unfortunate, Mr. Baker. I'm positive that my colleague, Moses Proctor, will do everything in his power to assist you."

"Yo, I don't know who the fuck Moses is, but I'm not asking him for help. I'm asking you."

"Like I stated, it's a conflict of interest for me, so I won't be taking on your case. Now, I'm offering you additional resources, if you don't want to utilize it that's perfectly fine." She glanced over at me, looking away as soon as our eyes connected.

"I promise to maintain complete professionalism while you're working on my case."

"You're full of shit." She scoffed, and it's true. Any open window I see I'm going to make a move on her. At the end of the day, she's still my wife.

"I know, but I'm going to try. This is my daughter I'm talking about, mami. I don't trust anyone else with something so personal to me."

"Don't call me that." I licked over my bottom lip, watching as her nostrils slightly flared.

"My bad. Look, I really need your help. I'm about to start working on this movie and I just want this custody shit in order before I start filming. I don't want her popping up with my daughter while I'm on set trying to get money. Morgan is probably a cool lawyer, but I don't know him to trust him like I do with you."

"His name is Moses."

"Who?"

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes and turned to me, avoiding eye contact at all costs. "Look, I'm not using the term conflict of interest lightly. I do not have the desire to represent my estranged husband in a custody case with one of the many women he cheated on me with. I don't know how strong of a person you think I am, but that isn't something I ever want to do. Now please leave my office." I wanted to push some more, but I could hear the hurt that she was holding back in her voice.