The past week was rather peaceful when Amy disappeared. She told Dave that she was going to see her family, but he knew exactly where she was going. Whenever there was a new toy in her life, she would disappear for a week. Her mood after the trip always told Dave how long that toy was going last in her life. As usual, she would mark her return by driving Dave crazy. She would normally spend thousands of dollars on new clothes and jewellery, if the toy was staying, or she would throw parties at the house, with Elizabeth locked in her room. All Dave could round up was she wanted something, and she was going to use Elizabeth, if she was going to get it without a fight from him.
His car came to a screeching halt in front of the building—he didn’t even bother to drive it into the parking lot. He grabbed his briefcase and his phone and ran for the elevator. He threw his keys to the receptionist and asked him to park the car. When he got to his floor he rushed for his office, struggling not to draw attention to himself. He stopped when he saw Amy and a moron looking guy, who looked like a sixteen year old GQ model, facing Carol who had pinned herself between them and the door. Dave walked slowly towards them, a smile over his face. He could always depend on Carol to take down Amy.
“What’s going on?” Dave asked calmly. He put his briefcase down on Carol’s desk and sat at the edge of it looking at Amy’s angry face and then at the daft, idiotic face of her companion.
“Your bimbo won’t open the door!” she answered angrily.
“I’m a red head, bimbos are blonde, like you.” Carol said coolly. Dave suppressed a smile. He didn’t want to encourage another fight outside his office.
“Why do you want to get into my office?”
“She locked my daughter in there!”
“No, I didn’t.” Carol said.
“Then explain the locked door and the baby inside?”
“who says there is a baby inside? And this isn’t my office.” her reply completely aloof.
Dave looked at Carol’s grinning face then turned back to Amy. He felt relieved that there was no way Amy could get to his daughter. He turned and looked at the boy, amused at how he was checking his reflection out on the tall painting on the wall opposite his door.
“Amy, aren’t you going to introduce me to your new boy toy?” He took this moment to irritate her, “Don’t you think I should at least know one of the many?” He stood up and extended his arm, “I’m Dave, her husband.”
“I’m Brian, her model boyfriend.” He said candidly, with a smile. Amy looked at him shocked. She turned red, embarrassed by his confession.
Carol laughed loudly, “Where did you get him, high school?”
“I recently dropped out to be a male model.” He answered Carol. She looked at him in shock before she blew up in a loud laughter. Dave found it funny. His first impression of him was right, he was an idiot.
“Amy, don’t you know it’s illegal to sleep with minors, especially those who are slow, like Brian?”
Amy pushed her nose up at him, “He may be slow and a drop out, but he’s very talented in the field that matters.” She said with a heinous smile.
She hoped that remark would offend Dave, but it didn’t. He didn’t doubt his manhood one bit. He and Amy used to go at it like rabbits and she had told him on countless occasions how good of a lover he was, Elizabeth was the end result of it.
“That defence wouldn’t hold up in court, but I’m sure the pedophile you’ll meet in prison will most certainly agree with you.” Dave jeered with a wide grin on his face.
Amy’s smile faded; she froze for a moment before she grabbed Brian’s arm dragging him away. He turned and waved goodbye to Carol and Dave. They waved back, laughing. When they were gone, Dave turned his attention to Carol. He wanted to show her gratitude, without crossing the professional boundary.
He bent down and hugged her, “Thank you, again.” He pulled away and stared down at her.
“You owe me another thank you.” she said with a beaming smile.
“Why?”
“Elizabeth is fed and sound asleep. How can someone so small have so much energy?”
Dave bent down and kissed her on the cheek, “Thank you.” He held out his hand for his key. She opened the door for him but kept the key.
“This is mine, yours is still on your desk.” She pushed the door open for him and stepped away, “So when do we go out?”
Dave looked at her pensive. He wanted to structure his answer without offending her. After all she’d done for him the last thing he wanted was to alienate her, especially since it seemed he would need her help in the future in handling Amy.
“When you stop working for me.” He smiled at her and walked into his office closing the door behind him. He walked to the pen to find Elizabeth wide awake playing with her dolls.
She stood up and stretched her arms towards him. Dave picked her up and sat in his leather seat behind his desk. He’d spent the whole morning in court, and he’d won a big case, he was entitled to some down time with his daughter. He stood up and picked up her play mat. He spread it on the floor and poured all her building blocks on it. He set her down and sat behind her and watched her put them together.
The door opened and Dave’s boss walked in. Dave stood up with Elizabeth in his arm. If he knew his boss was coming, he wouldn’t have littered the floor with toys.
“Mr. McKenzie.” Dave said nervously.
“Hello Dave and little one.” He took Elizabeth’s hand and shook it gently. She laughed, clutching his finger in a final shake before her attention was diverted back to the toy in her other hand. “Are you teaching her the ropes?” he asked with a smile.
“You could say that.” Dave answered with a nervous chuckle.
“You do know we have a day care downstairs?” he asked with a raised brow. Dave stared at him unable to answer. He did know, but with Amy back, he wasn’t going to take her back there any time soon. “But you want to keep her from her mother don’t you?”
Dave looked at him, not at all surprised by his question. The man has eyes and ears all over the building. “Yes and no.” he hoped the conversation wouldn’t turn into a legal position that the firm wanted to avoid.
“Uhmm. You need to fix your situation with your wife Dave. You are a lawyer, pull a card from under your sleeve, I’ve done that a few times.”
“For your clients?”
“No. With my three ex-wives,” he laughed, “congratulations on the big win.” He turned, but stopped at the door, “the only reason I’m not giving you a warning for this is because you are the best I have. And if having your daughter around makes you a better lawyer, I’m willing to compromise.” He left, immediately Carol rushed in.
Dave sat down, “A heads up next time would be appreciated.”
“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t at my desk when he came, so what did he say?”
“Congratulations.” Dave spoke, his eyes on his daughter.
“And?” Carol prompted.
“He said if having my daughter around makes me better, he’ll compromise.”
“Yes!” she yelled, jumping and punching the air, “We are getting a promotion!” She danced around.
Dave looked at her amused, “He didn’t say that.”
“He implied it. I’m getting a raise!”
“You know that means no date?” Dave humoured.
“I’ll take comfort in the new hundreds on my paycheck.” she danced out of the office and closed the door behind her.
Dave laughed, glad that situation had worked itself out. He wasn’t really up to getting into another relationship after Amy. He had enough of women for now. He may revisit that endeavour when Elizabeth was in high school or off to college.
“It’s just you and me, baby girl.” he kissed the top of her head and went back to watching her play.