Officer Shepherd✔️

Chapter 89

MEREDITH

today is the day the kids get to see their father again.

I gave it a lot of thought and if this asshole was telling me the truth then he has the right to see them again, regardless of his past.

Derek asked me to put the ring back on, but only if I was comfortable. I would've brought it up before but I had kind of forgotten about it because I was caught in the whole baby thing.

I said yes, again and he put the ring back on my finger. It feels much better with it on my finger. It's surprising how much one piece of jewelry can change how comfortable you are.

I was never the kind of person that wore a lot of makeup or wear jewelry but this one piece means something to me, it means a lot to me and Derek.

I went hero the living room where Derek was. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind.

"Are you nervous?" He asks as he continues cutting. "For what?" I ask.

"For seeing him again. You said you hated him," he says. "I do," I say.

"then why are you letting him into your home?" he asks, turning around and wrapping his arms around his waist as I bring my arms around his neck.

"because I talked to the kids about it and- well his story checked out and apparently and Lexie and he were together when she brought them to me," I say.

"you're not scared he'll want them?" he asks.

"I don't know, maybe he will, and maybe he won't," I shrug.

"would you be upset if he did?" he asks.

"No, I would still want to see them sometimes but he is their father and the only reason I would be okay with it if he actually wants to be a dad," I say.

"in which way?" he asks.

"in the way you want to be a dad, you were happy when you found out I was pregnant and when I thought I miscarried you weren't mad at me," I say.

"And?" he asks.

"This is making your ego grow. you want children and I know I can trust alone with the baby," I say, squeezing his arm a bit before walking away.

"you know men that you can't trust alone with children?" he says.

"many. where are the kids?" I ask.

"in their room getting ready," he says.

I walk down the hall and knock on the door a bit before opening the door. I walk into the room and close the door behind me.

"Is everything okay?" I ask sitting down on the foot of Emily's bed.

"when daddy comes here are we going to go live with him?" Daniel asks.

"I don't know, maybe," I say as Emily comes to sit next to me.

"would you want to live with your dad?" I ask. he shrugs.

"Daddy has a small house and it's always messy and he doesn't know how to cook. here we eat real food, we eat three meals a day but there we only eat snacks sometimes." He says.

"I'm not sure, but legally you two will stay with whoever and financially support you best," I say as Emily climbs into my lap and I wrap my arms around her waist.

"What does that mean?" She asks. "It means you'll stay with whoever had the best home for you to stay at and who can take care of you better," I say.

"Then that's you," he says. "Would you want to stay with your dad?" I ask. He shrugs.

"We'll have to leave it to the child services, they'll say who you're going to stay with," I say.

He nods and continued getting ready. "What about you, how do you feel about all this and seeing your dad?" I ask pushing the hair out of her face.

"I wanna stay with you," she says wrapping her small arms around my waist tightly. "I know. But even if he does you two can still come here and see me," I say.

"And Derek?" She asks. "And Derek," I say kissing her head.

We hear the doorbell ring and the front door open.

"Come on, Emily. We have to go see dad," Daniel says. She shakes her head.

"Daniel, why don't you go and then Emily will be out soon," I say. He nods and leaves the room.

"Derek and I will be in there with you okay? You won't be alone with him," I say.

"Okay," she says. I stand up with her and take her into the other room.