Let Life Surprise You

08. The Perfect Weekend Plan

This uncertainty wears me off more and more every day. By the time I leave work, I don't have enough energy to deal with my little chatterbox at home. I'm always late arriving at Sophie's house and my daughter's already eaten dinner with her aunt and cousin. Clearly, Chloe isn't happy with this situation.

"When can we eat together again?" asks my daughter when I pack up her lunch while she's finishing her cereal.  "You're always late now."

"I know. Let's hope it will change soon." 

"I don't like your new office. I like Dave's better."

I chuckle as I put her meal box, fruit, and drinking bottle into her lunch bag. "Of course you like my old company better. Dave always bribed you with a box of candy every time he needed me to work overtime."

Chloe grins, showing her bunny front teeth and a missing tooth next to them. "I have an idea. Why don't you call him to ask if you can work for him again?"

"Oh? Why?" 

Chloe shrugs. "So that you can be home early, cook dinner, and eat with me."

My heart clenches as a guilty feeling creeps in. Making a mental note that I will talk about this to Mr. Knight, I turn around to face her. My hands clutch the edge of the granite countertop while I lean on it. "I'm sorry for not having time lately, sweetie. I promise I'll make it up when this is over."

"When will it be over?"

I bite the inner part of my cheek, not sure what to answer. Today, I will hear more about the result of yesterday's interview. With the last drop of faith I have for my CEO, I'm still hoping for a miracle, that a candidate has been selected. "It will be over as soon as they find someone who can do what I'm doing at work right now. Then I can go back to my normal job again. I'm not sure when, but I hope it will be next week."

Chloe knits her eyebrow. "Normal job?" Her eyes twinkle as her smile grows bigger. "Does it mean you're going to work for Dave again?" 

"No." I shake my head, thinking about how to explain this work stuff for a seven-year-old to understand. "I can't go back to my old company, sweetheart. I have to stay in my current office. But at the moment, I need to do a different job for my big big boss," I emphasize the word big. "And when it's done, I will go back to the same job I did at Dave's company. Only, my new boss's name is going to be Max. And it means, I will have more time for us again." 

"Okay." Chloe scrunches her face. "I don't like your big big boss." 

"Oh? Why is that?"

"He sounds mean because he makes you go home late and tired every day." She drinks the rest of the milk directly from the bowl, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

I feel a tug in my heart.  If she only knew.

Lately, the idea of Chloe being my CEO's daughter is getting harder to ignore. I can't push the thought to the back of my mind anymore. Especially after I did my homework to check Ashton Knight's background. He was taking his doctoral program at the very university when the frat party took place. But still, there is no solid proof that the guy I slept with was really him. Did he even go to the party that night?

And even if he was the guy, what would I do exactly? Telling him about the daughter he never knew existed? Would the news surprise him or scare him shitless? Would he not want to have anything to do with Chloe once he found out? Or would he demand shared custody? Aarrgh. My head is spinning every time I think of all these scenarios.

For now, I will just look for some more evidence while focusing on my work transition.

"You know what? I have a terrific idea," I say as I wiggle my eyebrow. "Let's go to the movies tomorrow. After that, we can go to your favorite arcade. Then, we can drive to Sandy's house and eat pizza until we pass out. What do you say?"