MAYHEM

⇒ FORTY TWO

Reid||

Without giving an explanation to Aurelia, I left work early. She probably doesn't even know I left because I didn't talk to her yet. I know this isn't healthy, the way I'm handling things, but I'm stressed and I don't know what the fuck to do.

I picked Archie up from daycare and we stopped to get him some lunch on the way home. Once we got there I sat on the floor with him inside the living room. I had the option of putting him inside his high chair, but I wanted to be as intimate as I could with him. I would have had him sleep in the bed with us last night but Aurelia would have for sure known something was wrong.

"Daddy! Juice!" He said as he held his box of apple juice up. I smiled as he has been talking more clearly everyday.

I nodded. "Yeah, buddy. Good juice" I said. He nodded back before opening his mouth and putting his straw inside, happily drinking the juice.

Just as we were about done eating, there was a knock on the door. Archie gasped and looked at me before babbling a bit. I nodded as I picked him up. "Someone's at the door" I said to him.

I held him in my arms as I pulled the door open, seeing a woman in a suit similar to the ones I would wear for work. "Reid Ramiando?" She asked. "I am with child protective services. I've been sent here to check out a count of child negligence. Do you mind if I come inside?" She pulled her badge and paperwork out to show me that she was legit as I looked puzzled.

"I- umm- sure." She walked into my house and immediately started to look around. "I'm sorry, this is all ridiculous. May I ask who called?"

She raised her eyebrows as she looked towards the kitchen. It's a good thing it was spotless because she probably would have used it as something to say. "It was an anonymous call. Says that the child is hungry on most occasions, and that you've stuck the child before".

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Are you kidding me? I've never laid a hand on my child, and my child is never hungry." I sighed angrily.

Fucking Candice.

"Daddy! Mama" Archie said sadly as he laid his head onto my chest.

I nodded as I held him closer, touching his head to comfort him. "Mama will be home soon, buddy" I said. I sat on the couch and he didn't even attempt to get up.

The lady soon sat on the couch and pulled out a file. "So, Mr. Ramiando. Your home seems like a place where a child would want to grow up but I do have a few questions?" She said.

I nodded. "Sure, anything" I said.

"So I'd like to ask how often you feed your child" she looked at me, holding a pen in her hand and ready to write.

Fucking ridiculous.

I sighed. "Well he eats three major meals each day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And he also eats many snacks. He loves banana and oranges. He has fruit snacks in the cabinet. Soft chips. He likes yogurt. My son eats" I said.