CONNOR.
Marcus and I had driven straight to Laurel’s school after he got the information.
I only wanted to watch her from a distance. See how she fared in class and interacted with her fellow friends. But I couldn’t bring myself to go too close.
Aside from the fact that she had no idea who I really was, the media people were constantly monitoring everything I did, and they were surely going to pounce on any clue they got about her. I knew how much that was going to affect her regular life.
I would never let my need to get close disrupt her life. However, I couldn’t stay away. It was really unfortunate that I was completely unaware of her existence for six years. I wasn’t there when she took her first breath or first step or first words.
It was definitely something I would regret for the rest of my life, but I also had to live in the present. There was a lot of time to amend, to watch her sing rhymes, clap with gusto, laugh at the littlest of things. She’s the happiest creature I’d ever met.
“She’s my daughter, Marcus,” I said dreamily, my attention still focused on her. We were both standing outside her classroom. I had to show a teacher my ID before I was allowed.
Marcus mumbled an incoherent reply, and I turned to look at him with a questioning stare.
“I already know she’s your daughter, Alpha.”
“Oh,” I scowled at him.
“Yes, Alpha. Since the day I saw her at Ms. Jones’ place, I knew it.”
“She could be a friend’s daughter or a lost niece or something else. How did you reach a conclusion?” I asked, feigning curiosity.
“She looks a lot like you, Alpha. And the way you stared at her with so much love in your eyes,” he explained with a solemn expression.
“You know I have to keep her a secret, right?” I asked, almost whispering.
“Yes, Alpha”
I didn’t know I had stayed that long when a loud bell rang and the kids started filing out of their classes one after the other into the hall where I stood with Marcus, joining their guardians or parents who were there to pick them up.
Laurel rushed out with her friends, scanned the crowd with her little neck stretched as though she was looking for someone. Her face suddenly fell with disappointment as she walked back into her classroom and sat down.
I was pretty certain she hadn’t seen us yet, but even if she had, I couldn’t be sure she would recognize me, after all she only met me once.
Few minutes after the bell rang, the whole classroom was empty leaving only my daughter in the class. She didn’t look as happy as she had been before school was over, causing an apprehensive feeling to wash over me.
Where the hell was Grace?
A middle-aged woman dressed in an orange colored satin shirt with black jean trousers walked towards Marcus and me with suspicious eyes.
She regarded us with close scrutiny before speaking. “Are you the man Ms. Jody said she’d send over to pick Laurie up?” she asked with unconcealed doubts in her voice.
I knew Marcus was going to say no, so I stepped forward before he had the chance to speak. “Yes, I am, ma’am.”
Her lips thinned with disbelief. She called Laurel out of the class and asked her to look at me very well and tell her if she knew me.
I literally held my breath at that instant.
“Yes, I do, Ms. Scott.” Laurel said, staring keenly at me, her face lightening up.
“Who is he, Laurel?” she probed gently, bending down to the child’s eye level. “Have you seen him before?” her voice had suddenly turned mellow, unlike the stern tone she was using earlier.
“Yes, I have. He’s my mummy’s friend and he comes to my house.” she answered with so much certainty.
I let out a mental sigh of relief, and Marcus almost choked.
I felt happy having the opportunity to spend time with her no matter how little it was. Grace was going to get angry for sure, but she wouldn’t be able to keep me away from my child forever, would she?
I wondered why she wasn’t here to pick her up, though.
“Okay, Laurel. So this man was sent to pick you from school by your aunt Jody. Would you want to go with him?” the woman asked, getting up.
Laurel looked up at me with her mesmerizing sea-blue eyes and smiled brightly. “Yes, Ms. Scott,” she nodded enthusiastically.
“Alright then. I’ll have to see your identity card and follow you to the car.” she turned to face me, sizing Marcus and me up once more with an unsatisfactory expression. “I hope you’re okay with that.”
“Yes, ma’am” I answered with a smile. “Thank you.”
She might seem rude and strict, but I liked her. I loved the way she handled the safety of the kids. As long as she kept up such attitude, I was certain my daughter and other kids were in safe hands.
I brought out my ID eagerly and handed it over her, and after thoroughly scrutinizing it for about a minute, she gave it back to me.
Then she went in to pack Laurel’s bag pack and lunch box while I scooped Laurel into my arms before following us out of the hall to where our car was packed. She raised an eyebrow when she saw my car.
“I’ll be calling her mother an hour later, Mr. Shelby, I trust that she would be home by then.”
“Definitely, ma’am”
She smiled and waved at Laurel who was comfortable sitting on my arms with her head on my shoulders. Laurel waved back, telling her to take care.
I wanted to take her home directly, but I was tempted to get her some stuff before taking her to her mum who would be more than anxious by now if she knew Laurel was with me.
I couldn’t come out of the open with my face like that, so I used a baseball cap that was always in the car with dark eyeglasses to go on a quick shopping with her.
I had the best time of my life. She was curious about everything, smiled at everyone and giggled at talking toys. She was so comfortable with me in a way that made me feel happier than I’d been in years.
She called me ‘Uncle Alpha’ after hearing Marcus call me Alpha. And when we went back to the car, I asked her why her mum hadn’t come pick her up.
“She must be tired,” she answered, suddenly losing all her enthusiasm. “She goes to work every night and comes back in the morning.”
That explained why Grace was going to work by that time, then. My heart broke thinking of all the things she had to go through to raise our child on her own.
I quickly changed the topic into something that switched Laurel’s mood back to life until we got to her home.
Grace was looking anxious when we alighted from the car. She could have eaten me alive if she could. But I was glad I got to see her, even though she was furious and disheveled in her lose leggings and pink polo shirt, she still looked stunning.
I had so much to say to her and so much to ask, but I’d reserve them for tomorrow.