"Would you care to explain yourself?"
Darryl glanced up from his legal pad to see Warner hovering over him with an impatient glare. "What is it that I have to explain?"
"Your offhanded attitude, your crisp remarks, your sour mood," Warner listed.
Darryl reclined in his chair, giving his colleague a hard look. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Are you kidding me? The past hour has felt like waiting for a time bomb to detonate. Even Mrs. Miller, Miss Gregory and her lawyer were a little spooked by your brashness," Warner said of their settlement meeting. Miss Gregory was suing her former business partner and friend, Mrs. Miller, for stealing thousands of dollars from their candle-making business after she sold her rights away to be a full-time housewife. Miss Miller had claimed that she hadn't taken a dime from the establishment, though Miss Gregory and her attorney had provided bank statements as proof that the business' profits were disappearing.
"Does that matter?" Darryl questioned a bit too sharply, "We got the women to agree to a reasonable settlement instead of letting the matter get out of hand and ending up in court. My good mood or lack thereof, we still got the job done."
Warner remained silent, his surveying eyes assessing honing in on him, before shaking his head pitifully.
"You know, I figured that you would be back today all smiles, seeing that you were off in a rush to meet Ms. Marks last night. Thought you were finally going to get laid, because Lord knows how long it's been since I've seen you with a woman, but I'm guessing things didn't go too well."
Darryl frowned, barely keeping his anger at bay at Warner's mention of Naomi. He had hardly caught a wink of sleep, both anger and shock keeping him wide awake. He'd given up the charade of sleep and tried to work off some steam in his home gym well into the night, but he just couldn't shake his wayward emotions.
He had a son.
A son who was nearly a decade old. A six-year old boy who could be his childhood double, who inherited his name and whose mother kept secret for almost seven years. If that didn't boil his blood, then it was Naomi's unjustified reasoning that constantly replayed in his head. Not only had she let their bitter ending get in the way of doing the right thing, she had convinced herself that he was at fault for his being an absentee father. But Darryl refused to be that any longer, and it brought him a perverse satisfaction knocking Naomi down a few notches when he warned her of the repercussions she would face if she were to stand in the way of him building a relationship with Dare.
"You can scowl all you want, Darryl," Warner berated, with an exaggerated air of impatience. As if he were dealing with a child. "But as your colleague and your closest friend I'm demanding you to tell me what's going on." To show that he meant business, Warner rounded the table and took a seat across from him, waiting expectantly.
"And what if I told you that I don't want to share my business with you?"
"I'd say, tough luck," Warner answered easily with a dismissive shrug, his mouth curving.
Darryl shook his head, trying to keep from laughing at Warner's antics. His ruthless and belligerent qualities was what made him a successful attorney. Much like himself, if there was one thing Warner hated, it was taking 'no' for an answer.
And as much as Darryl hated to admit it, Warner was right. He wasn't in a good mood and if he didn't tell someone about Dare, he would explode.
Seeing that Warner was growing more impatient by the second, Darryl blew out a strangled breath.
"I have a son."
Saying the words aloud caused his stomach to clench. The reality of being a father was settling in. And with one look at Warner, he saw the same stupor on his face as when he'd first seen Dare.
"You have a son?"
"Yes. A six-year old boy named Dare, who Naomi kept secret until last night."
"Wait, just a second. You have a child with Naomi Marks?" Warner asked incredulously.
"That's right," Darryl said through gritted teeth.
"And did she give an explanation as to why she'd kept your child a secret?" Warner asked pointedly.
"Yes, but it was not good enough," Darryl said under his breath. He then took the next moment to fill in Warner of the details that transpired last night--from the moment he found Naomi's door unlocked to the moment he stormed out. At the end, Warner gave him a look of empathy.
"Are you going to go through with it? Fighting for custody of Dare?" Warner asked with a intrigued brow. By the look on his face, Darryl could tell Warner would be behind him a hundred percent if he and Naomi were to face a judge and that was confirmed when Warner added, "We may not settle family cases but just know that I'll have your back if you do."
Despite his acrid mood, Darryl gave a small smile. "Thanks Warner, but for now I'm trying to weigh my chances of getting custody. No judge in their right mind will grant custody to a man who shows up after six years. And, to add insult to injury, Dare has no clue who I am."
Warner nodded in agreement. Glancing at the clock overhead and noticing it was almost noon, Darryl rose from his chair.
"Perhaps we can talk about this some other time," he said, straightening the tie around his neck that he'd loosened due to the stress of getting the bickering women to settle. "I have to head over to the courthouse in an hour and I have a ton of preparation to do until then."
Leaving the conference room, Darryl strode down the hall that lead to his office. He casually looked around, seeing his employees hard at work, and felt his heart swell in pride. Though he hadn't done it alone, Darryl couldn't help feeling responsible for the success of his firm. He and Warner, as well as other members of the firm, were building a name for themselves, setting them apart from other firms with their rigid beliefs, ruthless tactics, and their quick thinking. And there was proof of their growing credibility. Within the first month of opening it's doors, A.E & Associates had revenue as well as new clients rolling in by the hour.
He was reminded of the phone call he'd received from Patricia over a week ago. So far, he hadn't heard from Patricia or her father since then and it was just as well. Maurice Rogers and Benjamin Eves would regret the day they ever pointed their missled-eyes at his business. And although their threats gave him a bellied feeling of complacency, Darryl would be lying to himself if he acted as if he wasn't worried. Rogers and Eves had money and power as well as political affiliations that would send his firm's reputation plummeting through the ground.
Darryl mentally shook his head of the disturbing thoughts. He had enough on his mind already. The last thing he needed was to add a couple of desperate ex-bosses to his list.
Nearing his office, Darryl saw April conversing with a man, whose back was turned, dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a dark dress shirt. But the more Darryl studied how April's smile was wider than he'd ever seen it, and how her hand was subtlety caressing his muscular arm, he knew that his assistant was shamelessly flirting with the stranger. An amused grin crossed his face. He didn't know much about April, but he knew with the endless hours she dedicated to finishing up her last year of law school between work and home, she deserved to unwind a bit. Even if she was supposed to be working on building his case file.
She looked so riveted by her companion that she hadn't noticed he was approaching. But her visitor had and when he spun around, the playful smile on Darryl's lips twisted into a scowl.
It was Miles.
And the answering scowl on his face told him that Miles was none too happy to see him, too.
"You sure are a long way from the hospital, aren't you Charming?" Darryl barked, not excusing himself into the conversation. He saw the moment surprise leapt onto April's eyes.
"I need to talk to you," Miles in a menacingly low growl, but Darryl didn't flinch. Instead he brushed past him forcefully and stepped toward the door of his office.
"I'm sure whatever you need to talk to me about isn't worth a damn," Darryl hissed tossing him a glowering look before looking to April, who was watching the exchange in shock and intrigue. In fact, with another look around, everyone was.
"April, please see Mr. Daniels out."
Darryl thought he had effectively dismissed him when he strolled into his office but before he closed the door, Miles had already pushed his way inside. For a long moment, their glares leveled one another, sending a silent message that promised violence if either one of them crossed the line.
"You have five minutes," Darryl said, plopping down onto his chair.
Taking his seat in the visitor's chair, Miles said indignantly, "I spoke to Naomi last night and she told me everything that happened." He paused, his scowl growing more feral by the second. "I ought to knock you on your ass right now."
Darryl narrowed his eyes. "Miles, do yourself a favor and get your head out of your ass." Slowly leaning forward, he continued. "Whatever I have going on with Naomi is my business. You're so obsessed with her that you can't even see how deluded she is."
"The only person here that's delusional is sitting right across from me," Miles snapped. "You think that getting into a vicious custody battle is the wisest thing to do now?"
"Look, Miles, I don't remember asking you for your opinion. And I certainly don't know how you sit there and defend her. Withholding from telling me about our son is the cruelest thing Naomi could have possibly done to me--"
"I get that, Darryl. Trust me, when everyone found out that Naomi was pregnant with your child, everyone tried convincing her to contact you immediately. In fact, Jazzy and I put together some cash and got her a plane ticket to Boston, but she refused to go, believing that she was doing the right thing. And we both know how stuck in her ways Naomi can be when she thinks she's in the right."
Darryl gave a short nod. He knew firsthand how stubborn Naomi was whenever she thought she was acting within reason. But it was still no excuse.
"Her stubborn qualities don't excuse her irrational decision of keeping Dare from me. I deserved the right to know. I deserved to know about Dare the moment Naomi found out she was pregnant. The fight for custody is just to ensure that Naomi doesn't keep him from me any longer," Darryl said with a tone of finality, but with the way Miles' face pinched in anger, the conversation was far from over.
"And what about Dare? What do you think he'll think of all this?"
"I'm only doing what is right."
Miles gave a wry laugh, shaking his head. "You and Naomi are a lot alike. Stubborn as hell and stuck in their ways." He tossed him a hard look. "None of this is right. You two may have your issues, but what Dare needs are his parents--his Mom and Dad. He needs to be able to trust you as well as feel safe around you, both."
"And he will. Dare won't have to worry about me being someone he can't trust or feel safe around."
"He will if you go through with the custody battle." Miles rose a questioning brow before continuing, "Do you really want your son's first impression of you to be the strange man who took him away from his mother?"
The question gave Darryl pause. Leaning back into his chair, he ran a frustrated hand down his face. Miles had a point. He didn't want Dare to grow up resenting him because he took him away from the only parent that he ever knew. Ultimately, it would be wiser for him and Naomi to talk things out instead. He just hoped that Naomi would be more willing to cooperate with him.
"You know," Miles continued as he rose from his seat and headed for the door, "I may still have deep feelings for Naomi, but I'm not here on her behalf. If there's one person I'm worried about in all this, it would be Dare. He may not be blood, but he considers me as his uncle and I consider him as my nephew, and I'm sure soon enough you'll learn this for yourself, but he's the happiest kid I've ever met. I wouldn't want to see him scarred because of his parents' cluelessness."
Before Darryl could respond, Miles had already left.
------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, Nay, sweetheart. I'm so sorry."
Naomi took the proffered tissue from Jazzy and dabbed at her eyes before she ruined her makeup and caused a scene. All morning, she had been able to keep her bearings, but after recounting the entire story to Jazzy over lunch at their favorite cafe with a great view of Central Park, she realized that she was more devastated than she was angry.
"I can't believe Darryl would do something so selfish," Jazzy said with a pitiful shake of her head.
"Well I can," Naomi muttered. "Darryl didn't even give me a chance to explain myself, let alone apologize for the way he found out about Dare. Now he wants to sue me for custody."
A fresh stream of tears rolled down her eyes. Every time she thought of his departing words, her heart clenched in misery. Leaving Dare this morning, she'd given him a tight hug, afraid that he would already be taken away from her by the time she came back home.
She took a glance to her best friend who had offered her shoulder to cry on and undying support. And though she deserved to hear it, Jazzy still hadn't told her 'I told you so'.
"How did Dare react to all of this?"
Naomi gave a small shrug. "He's mostly confused. Last night, when he and Miles returned, Dare was constantly asking who the stranger in the house was. I was so shaken by Darryl's threat that I could barely function. I don't know what I would have done if Miles wasn't there to help Dare into bed.
"This morning was better. It seemed like Dare was over the whole thing by the time breakfast was on the table," Naomi said with a long sip of her ice, cold lemonade, hoping it would calm her frayed nerves.
"So, what happens now?" Jazzy asked curiously, picking at her half-eaten salad with her fork. "What are you going to do?"
"The only thing I can do," Naomi said with a lift of her chin, feeling a newfound sense of determinism. "I'm going to find the best lawyer money can buy and fight for my son."
"Not to be a downer," Jazzy said with unease in her tone, "but won't that be a little hard? I've heard that Darryl is one of the best attorneys in the tristate area. Finding a lawyer, that has even half the skill Darryl has with persuading a judge and jury will be hard."
Naomi shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going to sit back and allow my son to be taken away from me, by someone who hasn't the first clue of raising a child. Biological father be damned."
"I just can't believe how badly this all turned out. I'll tell you one thing, though, Miles feels awful. Like he's at fault for the way things spiraled out of control," Jazzy said sympathetically. "He stopped by this morning to see Sophie before his shift at the hospital and he was so distraught over it."
"Why would Miles think it was his fault? He didn't do anything wrong."
"He'd said that maybe Darryl seeing him there, in your apartment, with Dare ticked him off. You know how much those two can't stand each other."
"I doubt that's true," Naomi snorted, "I'm sure once Darryl uncovered what I've been hiding, his anger was strictly reserved for me."
Eager to talk about anything else but her drama, Naomi changed the subject. "I've been meaning to talk to you about the details of your baby shower. I know you said the theme color should be neutral since the sex of the baby is unknown, but--"
Naomi silenced when she saw the tears running down Jazzy's face followed by a muffled sob. Immediately, panic caused her to spring from her chair, and ignoring the curious eyes of the other patrons of the restaurant, she pulled her best friend into her arms.
"Jazzy, what's wrong, sweetie?" Naomi coaxed, her maternal instincts kicking in. Pulling away just enough to look into Jazzy's eyes, Naomi asked pointedly, "Is something wrong with the baby?"
Jazzy swiped at her wet cheeks, giving her an impish shrug. "I'm not sure. It's--it's just that I haven't felt the baby move all day and I'm just scared out of my mind. It's been moving everyday since I first felt it kick and now I'm getting nothing. I've tried everything--cold water, music, flashlights--but nothing."
Another wave of grief washed over her, trembling her body. "Naomi, what--what if the baby isn't moving because--"
Naomi shook her head vehemtly, refusing to let her finish her sentence. "No, Jasmine. I'm not allowing you to think like that. You and that baby are going to be fine. You understand?" Jazzy nodded, but Naomi could tell that she wasn't convinced.
"When I was pregnant with Dare, there were days when I didn't feel him move and I remember feeling as scared as you do right now, but I didn't let myself think the worst. And neither should you. If it helps, I think you should the rest of the day off to go see your doctor." Naomi paused pensively. "In fact, you should take the rest of the week off."
Jazzy's head snapped up. "Are you kidding me? With all these weddings and other events planned for this week, I can't just take off and leave you and everyone else hanging dry."
Naomi gave a smirk. "No offense, sweetie, but the whole establishment isn't going to fall apart because you're not there. Though, there are times when it feels like it." She was relieved when Jazzy gave a small laugh. "We'll be fine, Jazzy. You can just take the time to relax, calm your nerves, and be with your family. And not to mention, spending some much needed time with Nathan," Naomi coaxed with a meaningful grin that triggered another bout of laughter.
"It would be nice," Jazzy said thoughtfully, biting her lip in wistfulness. "But I'd feel awfully guilty leaving you all to pick up the slack."
Naomi gave her shoulder a squeeze and a reassuring smile. "We can handle it. You deserve this, Jazzy."
"Okay. Thank you, Nay."
Giving her another hug, Naomi went back to her seat as Jazzy excused herself to call her husband. Though Nathan was on duty as a police officer, there was no doubt he would drop everything in a second to rush to his hysterical pregnant wife and that was confirmed when Jazzy returned to the table and told her that Nathan was on his way.
As guilt crept on Naomi's face, Jazzy gave her a curious glance. "What's wrong?" she asked as a waiter came and took their empty dishes and gave them their check.
"I'm just thinking about how awfully of a friend I am. Here I was, going on about my troubles, completely oblivious to yours."
"It's okay," Jazzy complied with a wry smile, "To be honest, I welcomed the distraction of talking about you and Darryl. I didn't want to dwell on the negative thoughts I've been having all day, fearing that the worst would happen, but when you brought up the baby shower, I just cracked."
"I only brought up the baby shower to distract me from all the hell I'm going through with Darryl."
The two women stared at each other for a moment before they broke out in concealed laughter, knowing that they'd drawn enough attention themselves for one day.
Just as they were about the settle the check, Nathan came bustling through the door in his uniform, his eyes scoping for his wife. Naomi was never one to fantasize about policemen--finding firemen much more sexier and dangerous--but seeing how well Nathan filled in his uniform, his toned muscles and strong chest easily seen under his shirt, it was sure to give her motive to reconsider. Although, of course, she would never fantasize about her best friend's husband.
Looking around, Naomi saw plenty of women who would happily have Nathan star in their wildest fantasies, judging by the way their eyes roamed over him hungrily as he strode further into the room. But when his eyes finally rested on their table and saw Jazzy, it was obvious that Nathan only had eyes for his wife.
Crossing the room with disciplined, purposeful strides he gathered Jazzy into his arms, who had returned to a blubbering fool sometime between seeing her husband arrive and then. As he tried to soothe her with words of love and encouragement, Naomi saw as every single women in the room scowled in envy of the couple. Her included.
Even though she would always be genuinely happy for Jazzy, there was always a pinch of jealousy that she couldn't help but feel whenever she saw them together. Seeing how much Nathan and Jazzy loved each other only intensified the fact that she was alone and would always be.
Forcing a smile on her lips, she returned the one-sided hug from Nathan he offered, keeping a soothing hand around Jazzy's engorged waist.
"Thanks, Naomi, for giving her the rest of the week off. My baby is going to need it," he said with a tender kiss to Jazzy's temple.
"It's no problem. Just make sure she's well rested by the time she comes back."
Nathan laughed. "I will." Turning to Jazzy, he said, "I asked for the rest of the afternoon off, so maybe we can drop by Dr. Langston's office? Make sure little Lovebug is doing okay?"
Staring into her husband's eyes with blear-eyed vision, Jazzy smiled and nodded. "Okay."
After offering to pay for their meal and letting the women say their goodbyes, Nathan took his wife tenderly by the hand and led her out to the car. Making her way out of the deli to her own car, Naomi let her mind drift to thoughts of Darryl, silently wishing he would be as affectionate and sensitive as Nathan had been with Jazzy. As he once had been with her.
But instead, he was suing her for custody.
---------------------------------------------------
Dragging a calming breath into his lungs, Darryl knocked on the door.
After giving a lot of thought to what Miles said earlier, Darryl decided that he was right. It was bad enough that he was popping up so late into Dare's life. He didn't want to worsen the matter by taking him away from his mother. Miles had told him that Dare was a happy kid, and if that was true, he wasn't going to be the one to mess that up.
He took another deep breath, already feeling his heart racing frantically and his palms sweating in nervous anticipation. Glancing down at himself, he took a good look at the casual button-down shirt and jeans he changed into after stopping by his home, making sure nothing was out of place.
Not a second later, Naomi opened the door and once she saw him standing there, her face twisted into a fierce scowl. But he would have returned her glare if he had been so distracted by the sight of her bare feet and legs underneath her shorts. Her short hair was tied on top of her head in a sloppy bun, with a few errant strands framed around her face, but the look still affected him more than it should have. Darryl returned his eyes to hers and could tell his unabashed perusal was only fueling her annoyance with him when she narrowed her eyes and raised her chin defiantly.
"You have a lot of nerve showing up here, Darryl," she said in a menacing tone, "Especially after what you said last night."
Darryl clenched his jaw. "It's nothing that you didn't deserve to hear."
"You can't barge in and take my son," she hissed, keeping her voice low.
"Mommy! Come on! It's almost Power Rangers time!"
Hearing the sound of Dare's voice, Darryl looked over Naomi's shoulder into the living room, seeing Dare seated on the couch, completely fixated on the television screen. Seeing him for a second time, Darryl felt a surge of unnamed emotions sweeping through him and a strong urge to bond with his son.
He returned his stare back to Naomi's, who had been sizing him up warily. "Look. I know we have a lot of issues to work through, issues that we can't fix in one night, but we can save that discussion until later. After Dare goes to bed, if you'd like." Taking another glance over at Dare, before returning softened eyes to hers, he said, "Just let me come in so I can finally meet my son."
At his desperate plea, Naomi nodded understandably as she stepped aside, giving him room to come inside.
Closing the door behind him, Darryl followed Naomi's lead through the foyer.
"We just finished eating dinner and were about to watch some television, but if you haven't eaten yet, I can fix you a plate."
Darryl gave a small smile. "I had a late lunch, so I'm fine for now. But thanks."
She gave a noncommittal shrug, telling him that she didn't care if he ate or not, and that she only asked to be a generous host. She was still pissed and it would take a while for her to cool off. But nearing the living room, Darryl's focus was on Dare, who was contentedly sitting cross-legged on the sofa in a pair of board shorts and a T-shirt. It was until Naomi called for his attention that he peeled his gaze away from the T.V. and stared straight at him in the same confusion and wonder he had in his eye last night.
"Dare, sweetie, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine," Naomi said, holding out her hand to him. Slowly descending off the cushions, he took Naomi's hand, all the while keeping a cautious eye on him.
Needing to reassure Dare that there was nothing to be afraid of, Darryl squatted down to his knees, so that his gaze leveled with Dare's. "Hey, Dare. It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Darryl."
"Hi, Darryl," he said tentatively, his grasp on his mother's hand tightening.
"Did I scare you yesterday?"
Dare gave a small nod. "I thought you was a stranger."
"Yea, I know. Strangers can be scary, but I'm not scary. Am I?" Darryl asked, flashing a smile meant to charm. He watched as Dare glanced up at Naomi--who had been watching the exchange with keen interest--before looking back to him. Darryl's heart soared when Dare finally shook his head and gave him a face-splitting, dimpled grin.
"So are we cool?" Darryl asked, holding out his fist for a bump.
Dropping his hand from Naomi's, Dare pounded his fist into Darryl's. "Yea, we're cool."
"How about a hug?" Darryl coaxed, extending his arms out tentatively. "Just for good measure."
This time Dare didn't look to his mother before wrapping his arms around Darryl's neck in a startling haste. Wrapping his arms around him, Darryl was in awe. It was the first time that he was touching him, his own flesh and blood. And if there were any doubts about the reality of the situation, embracing Dare for the first time made everything vividly clear. He was a father and the boy he held in his arms, though healthy and strong, was fragile and helpless. And he would do anything to protect his son from harm's way.
Darryl could feel his heart beating a mile a minute. Glancing up at Naomi, he saw as tears welled in her eyes. Their gazes met and for a second they seemed to forget that they were at odds with one another. As a small smile formed on his lips, Naomi returned it with one of her own. He found himself wanting to make the moment last forever. But forever was cut short when the television started playing a tune and Dare quickly pushed out of the hug and turned toward the screen.
"Do you want to watch Power Rangers with me and Mommy?" Dare asked, addressing him once again. Darryl barely straightened to his full height and opened his mouth for a reply when Dare tugged on his hand and dragged him toward the couch. Biting back a laugh, Darryl followed in suit, taking a seat next to Dare, who was bubbling with excitement. Naomi had also joined them, but chose to sit alone in her chaise lounge chair. Whether she did it to give him and Dare time to bond or because she still upset with him, was lost on Darryl. Knowing that he and Naomi would have a talk soon enough, he turned his focus back onto Dare. "So, you like the Power Rangers, huh?"
"Yea! It's my favorite show of all time," Dare exclaimed energetically. "See that one?" he asked with a finger pointed to the Ranger showing off his topnotch fighting skills. "That's the Red Ranger. He's my favorite."
Darryl laughed, remembering how much he loved the Red Ranger as a child. "Really? He was my favorite, too."
Dare's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth gaping wide open. "You watch the Power Rangers, too?!" Turning to Naomi, Dare goaded, "You see, Mommy! Darryl watches Power Rangers and he's all grown up!"
"Dare," Naomi said, speaking up for the first time. Darryl could see that she was trying to hold back her fits of laughter, just as hard as he was. "Dare, sweetie, Darryl didn't say that he watches Power Rangers. He probably used to when he was a kid."
At the deflated look in Dare's eyes, Darryl scrambled to assuage him. "Cheer up, Dare. This show looks a lot better than what I remember it being back when I was your age. I might even start watching it more often."
"Even though you're not a kid anymore?"
Darryl smiled down at him, giving him a wink. His hopeful eyes gleaming. "Who says I'm not a kid anymore?"
As the night went on, Darryl learned a lot more about Dare. Other than finding out Dare's favorite television program--which he'd spent the whole thirty minutes talking--Darryl discovered how smart his son was. He hadn't had much experience with young children, but from what Darryl knew Dare was smarter than most kids his age. It was clear in the way he spoke in complete, almost grammatically correct sentences and how he was able to read and understand more than enough words of a television ad.
And Miles was right. Dare was happy. So happy that it seemed unfair for an abundance of joy to be bottled up into one child when there was so much children out in the world suffering from pain and hunger. But whenever Dare talked, he spoke with so much excitement and spirit, that it was easy for Darryl to find himself laughing along with him.
"Dare, it's time for you to go get ready for bed," Naomi announced once they finished another round of Go Fish.
Dare pouted. "It's eight o'clock already?"
"Yes it is young man and before you think about asking, no, you cannot stay up a little bit longer," Naomi said with a firm tone but when Dare gave her one of those wide-eyed innocent pouts, Darryl could visibly see her heart melting.
"Please, Mommy?"
Coming to Naomi's rescue, Darryl intervened. "C'mon, buddy. We can play another game tomorrow, if you want, but you should listen to your mother and get to bed."
"You're coming back tomorrow?" Dare asked excitedly.
"Of course, I'm coming back tomorrow," Darryl said as he smoothed a hand over Dare's curly hair. "And then we can hang out some more."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Satisfied, Dare gave Darryl a hug goodnight and took Naomi's outstretched hand.
-----------------------------------------------------
"And bless Mommy. Amen," Dare said as he concluded his nightly prayer after he'd brushed his teeth. With a smile, Naomi helped him climb into bed, pulling back the covers so he could get settled in.
"I can't wait 'till tomorrow, Mommy. Darryl is so cool!"
"Mm-humph," Naomi muttered, tucking him in.
"He's cool, right?"
Naomi peered into his face, his eyes searching hers. How could she agree when all Darryl had done since he came back was plague her with drama and turmoil. It was bad enough that he was planning to take Dare away from her and now he was inviting himself into her home? Therefore, no. 'Cool' was the last word she would use to describe Darryl.
Knowing that she had to keep her musings to herself, Naomi glanced away. Flipping the switch of the lamp that converted into a night light on the bedside table, Naomi gave a short nod.
"Goodnight, Mommy."
"Goodnight, Dare," Naomi said before kissing his forehead, "Sweet dreams. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Naomi crept out after making sure that he was comfortable and that his room was cool enough for him to sleep through the night.
Taking a deep breath, she sauntered back into the living room. She knew that Darryl was there waiting for his chance to rip her into shreds with his bare teeth, but after her talk with Jazzy earlier that afternoon she felt strong enough to go head to head with him.
She reached the threshold and paused when she saw that Darryl had abandoned his seat on the floor to check out the photos mounted on the walls and adorned on various pieces of furniture. With one long glance around the room she also noticed that Darryl had cleaned up the mess Dare had made with his toys and games, everything neatly tucked away into the crate below the home theater where they belonged.
Since Darryl's back was to her and he still hadn't acknowledged her presence, Naomi took the moment to study him. Without meaning to, her eyes raked over his body, and admired the breadth of his shoulders, the rigid muscles of his back down to his firm backside that looked so tempting in a pair of jeans.
She remembered how he'd looked at her the moment she'd answered the door, his dark eyes taking in the sight of her bare legs. She had been surprised as well as annoyed to find him at her doorway, but the look he gave her under his lashes had set off a number of reactions that had nothing to do with annoyance. In that mere second, Darryl had elicited memories of their heated kisses over the last few weeks--something she had been trying to burn into oblivion.
Naomi watched as he reached up to touch a framed picture of Dare that rested on a shelf, once again finding herself fascinated by the gracefulness of his movements. The flexing of the muscles in his arm, the way his fingers wrapped around the frame, reminded her how it felt like to be in his arms and under his touch. Everything about Darryl screamed Alpha Male and it was damn near enough to forget that he and her were practically sworn enemies.
She frowned. Since when did she allow lust cloud her judgment? Darryl was, of course, a very fine man, but he was as despicable as they come. She couldn't forget that. She couldn't forget how Darryl had tricked her into believing that he would always be there for her. She couldn't forget that he'd broken promises by leaving her. And she certainly couldn't forget that he was threatening the time that she had with her son. That's right, Naomi. Keep your head straight, girl. The last thing you want to do is get in bed with the likes of Darryl Adams.
As if he'd heard her thoughts, Darryl's head spun around to look in Naomi's direction. She felt her face growing hotter by the second as he continued to watch her with those penetrating eyes. It was another minute or two before he returned his gaze to the photograph he still held in his hands.
"This picture looks recent," he said speculatively.
"That's because it is," Naomi said as she walked over to where he stood. She smiled lovingly at the professionally photographed picture of Dare taken about three weeks ago. "It was taken by his school before his kindergarten graduation three weeks ago. He'd been so sad when he learned that his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hyland, would no longer be his teacher in for the first grade. Mrs. Hyland told me that he put up a fight before cracking a smile, but eventually he did and the picture came out great."
"It did," Darryl agreed tepidly before setting down the picture in it's place. He brushed past her and took a seat on the couch. "Kindergarten graduation, huh?"
Naomi marred her brows at the sudden edge she heard in his voice but decided she wouldn't question it as she followed suit and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch. "Yes. Dare graduated top of his class."
"I'm not surprised. He's pretty smart for most kids his age. He must go to a good school," Darryl said, leaning back into the cushions and crossing his legs at the ankle as if he were lounging around at home. If that wasn't troubling enough, the tone of his voice that was laced in subtle anger was enough to set her on edge.
"He does. I made sure of that. Dare only deserves the best."
"Hmm," Darryl replied almost mockingly as he trained his eyes on hers.
Pursing her lips into a thin line, Naomi tossed him a look of utter vexation. "I'm sorry. But did I do something wrong?"
She grew more annoyed when he gave a brief, humorless laugh. "That's a loaded question, if I ever heard one."
"Really?" Naomi snapped, ready to spar off, "What is it that I've done this time, Darryl. Since when is wanting the best for my son a crime?"
"Oh, please," Darryl said snidely as a scowl twisted his lips, "How can you sit there and say that you're aspiring the best for Dare when you kept him from me all these years?"
"Oh, and after only a few hours of being with him, you've soundly become expert in what's the best for Dare?" Naomi retorted. "You may have won him over, but fathering is a lot more than watching television and playing games."
"You think I don't know that?" Darryl bellowed before minding the volume of his voice. Running down a hand down his face, he gave a sigh before continuing. "Christ, Naomi! I know this isn't going to be easy, nor do I expect to waltz into Dare's life like the past six years have been accounted for. But you have to trust that I want the best for him, too."
"Trust you?" Naomi snorted. This time, she gave the mocking laugh. "I'd trust a blood thirsty shark before I trust you with my son, Darryl. Not when you're threatening to sue me for custody."
"Dammit!" Darryl growled, jumping out of his seat in a haste to tower over her. With him so close, Naomi could see his dark eyes dilated in rage, his nostrils flared, and a bulging vein at the base of his throat that threatened to pop at any moment. "Stop calling him that. Stop referring to him as your son. He isn't your son, just as much as he isn't my son. Dare is ours. Ours, as in we both had a part in his creation. He's not something you can just put your stamp of ownership on." Naomi sat, speechless. "And as for suing you for custody, I've decided to drop it."
"You what?" Naomi asked incredulously, afraid that her ears were deceiving her.
"Don't thank me," Darryl spat, "You can thank that love-sick puppy you sicced on me earlier this afternoon."
"What are you--" Naomi began before she understood his meaning. "Miles went to see you? What did he say?"
Seeming a bit more calmer than before, Darryl huffed out a frustrated sigh. "He was angry. With me. With you. But mostly with me. He told me in no questionable terms that if I were to go through with the suit, I would regret it. And after meeting Dare today, I know Miles was right. Dare is a great kid with a lot of heart. I don't want to be the one to break his spirit or his trust in me."
They sat in a moment of silence, both reflecting on the possible outcomes of Dare unable to trust either one of his parents. Though she always preferred Miles to stay out of her problems, in her heart, Naomi was grateful that he had took the initiative and talked some sense into Darryl. Placing her gaze on Darryl, who chose to lean against the wall across the room, she felt grateful, too.
"Thank you, Darryl," Naomi said in a voice as loud as a whisper, breaking the stillness. She wondered if he'd heard her, but once he glanced up and peered into her face, she knew he did. She watched his jaw clench as he glanced away and it was a long while before he replied.
"You're welcome." He paused. "But don't think that I won't change my mind if you try to keep Dare away from me again. I've already missed a graduation. I don't plan on missing another."
He giveth and he taketh away, Naomi thought bitterly as she gave him a curt nod.
"And while we're on the topic, since we're deciding to settle this amicably instead of in court, I have some terms we should agree on to ensure that we both spend time with Dare," Darryl said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, the stance giving him a menacing look.
Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Naomi brought her feet up and tucked them under her. "And what are these terms?"
"Well for starters, I want open access to your home. So I'll need a copy of your key."
Naomi scoffed. "You'll be getting no such thing!" she said in hoarse whisper, looking at Darryl as if he'd grown two heads. "Why do you need open access to my home?" She was already peeved about seeing him tomorrow, now she had to worry about him popping into her apartment whenever he wanted?
"Because it will give me the opportunity to make sure Dare is safe and protected. Not to mention that it'll make it easier for me to build a relationship with him. Which brings me to my second term. I want to be able to spend some father-son bonding time with Dare, alone."
Naomi was already shaking her head before Darryl was even done speaking. "No," she said with a firm voice. "No. That is absolutely not happening."
"Be reasonable."
"I am being reasonable!" Naomi countered. Suddenly unable to stay seated, she bounded out of her chair and stormed right in front of him until she was glaring up at his brooding face. "I can't just leave my--I mean, our--our son in your care. He hardly knows you."
"And who's fault is that?" Darryl said pointedly. "Naomi, if you want this to work, if you really want us to be able to work this out without bringing a judge into the mix, you have to be able to trust me with him."
Naomi huffed in displeasure. He was right and the smirk that touched his lips told her that he knew it, too. "Shall I go on?"
Unable to hold back the urge, Naomi rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
Darryl's face softened before he spoke. "Naomi, I want to tell him."
"Tell him what?"
"I want to tell him that I'm his father."
Naomi paused. "I'm not sure that's the best idea."
"Why not?"
"Because he's just a child. With kids his age, you have to ease change into their life instead of demanding it. You two may have hit it off, but don't you think you'll be forcing yourself unto him? I think we should wait before we tell him."
"We?" Darryl asked with an arced brow.
"Yes. When it's time to tell him, we do it together," Naomi said with a raised chin. "Do you agree to my terms, Darryl?"
He studied her for a moment before easing off the wall and taking a step, bringing his face within close proximity of hers. "I do. And what about you, Naomi?" He pulled out a hand from his pocket for a shake. "Do we have a deal?"
Staring up at him and then at the hand hoisted between them, she was suddenly reminded of that during their junior year in high school when they made a deal to engage in a three month-long tryst. She remembered how she had stuck out her hand for a shake after they had went over the rules of the affair and how Darryl had taken her lips in a spell-binding kiss instead of her hand to seal the deal. It was a kiss that had sealed her fate.
Bringing her eyes back up to meet his, Naomi wondered if Darryl remembered how ironic this moment was. Placing her hand in his, a warm current shot up her arm and down to her core that made her tremble slightly. Their eyes bored into each others', forgetting that they were holding hands, lost in the intensity of their desire. Her gaze dropped to his lips just as his tongue swept over his plump lips. Immediately, she felt her breast tingling and her lips parting in an accord of their own. She watched with half-mast eyes as Darryl's head tilted towards her but just as she thought he would kiss her, Darryl dropped her hand the same moment he took two steps back.
"We can't do this," Darryl said adamantly, his voice thick and hoarse.
"You're right," Naomi complied, trying to slow down her rapidly beating heart.
"No, Naomi, you don't get it," Darryl urged, "We can't do this, ever."
"What do you mean?" she asked, though she knew the answer.
Darryl squared off his shoulders, sending the unconcealed message of rejection. "I mean, that you were right. Whatever we had seven years ago ended seven years ago. I had thought that we could start over and regrow the love we had, but it was after giving it some thought last night that I realized getting into a relationship with you again, would be foolish. It would be pointless trying to pursue a woman who doesn't trust me just as it is pointless for me to want a woman who's grown to be nothing like the girl I fell in love with in high school."
Darryl's words stung like a whip. How could he think that she was the one who'd changed? His words along with his rejection brought a prickling behind her eyes, a tell-tale sign that she was close to tears. But fighting for composure, she crossed her arms over her chest. Darryl may have perceived the action as a move for defense, but in reality Naomi knew it was her way of soothing and protecting herself.
Naomi met his glare head on. "I'm glad we're finally on the same page," she managed to get out in an unaffected tone.
"Good," Darryl said with a short nod before glancing at his watch. "It's getting late."
Twisting her neck around to look at the digital clock on the cable box, she was surprised to see that they spent a whole hour talking.
Walking past her, Darryl made a beeline for the door. "Don't bother walking me to the door. I can see myself out. See you tomorrow."
It was a while after Darryl had closed the door behind him that Naomi was able to move from her spot in the middle of the living room. Letting the reserved tears fall down her cheeks, she made her way to the laundry room to prepare a load to wash before bed. For the first time in her life, she wouldn't look forward to tomorrow.