Fight For Me

15. The Past Comes Back to Haunt You

You know that saying that it is too good to be true, whoever made that up is not fucking lying. Things started looking up for a while and I was finally happy for a change. I got full custody of my daughter back. Hal even decided to take some time off and let me handle the shop on a more permanent basis. Even hooking up with Mitch has been fun on the occasion especially when he added Amber or Tiffany into the mix. But most of all my daughter Zoe is growing so damn much that I miss when she was just starting to crawl.

"Zoe, babygirl, put that down." She giggles as she waddles her almost four-year-old self towards me.

"Daddy, I can fix cars too." I chuckle as I take the wrench out of her hands and lift her up.

"You can do anything you want to sweetie." I poke her nose and she giggled again. "If you want to be a grease monkey, then go ahead and be one." I tickle her ribs as she squirms in my arms laughing so hard. "Daddy is almost done with paperwork and then we can go to the park." She claps her hands and squeals when I sit her down in the chair next to me.

"Benny boo come too daddy." I chuckle with her name for him, but he loves it.

"I don't think he is back in town yet." she pouts as I finish up the RO's for the day. "What about Uncle Mitch. He loves daddy." My hand goes still as I look at my innocent little girl. Sure, Mitch has hung around us sometimes and has been to all her birthdays, but he is just a friend with benefits. We do not even hook up that often just enough when we want to. I just don't want her to get the wrong idea. I put on a bright smile and put the paperwork aside and promise I will finish up tomorrow.

I grab Zoe's hand and lock up my office. "How about just daddy and Zoe time, huh?' She nods her head up and down. I hate that when I look at her, she looks so much like Tammy, but I am glad that she has some of my features to. Just thinking of that bitch makes me want to puke. about a year ago she tried to claim that Zoe wasn't mine but when I said okay to get a DNA test her tune changed really quick. Like I was going to give up my daughter just because she said Zoe wasn't mine. Even if she wasn't I would still fight like hell for her.

"Hey George!" Our Service Manager walks over to us wiping the grease off his hands. This guy would rather get his hands dirty with the rest of us then push papers all day. "Yeah boss." He chuckles when I give him a look. The man is fifteen years my senior but likes to tease me. "Lock up will yeah. If things are slow close early." He gives me a two-finger salute which always makes Zoe giggle.

"Where are you taking my princess?"

Zoe pouts and folds her arms over her chest with her chin up. "I'm no princess. I'm a Queen." Damn right she is, and I burst out laughing as George takes a bow in front of her.

"Apologies my Queen." Which makes her blush and laugh at once. She walks over to him and pats him on the shoulder. "It's okay George. I forgive you. Daddy is taking me to the park." George stands up to full height and gives her the brightest smile.

"Oh, I love the park." I swear this man acts like a kid more than us younger guys here at the shop. Before Zoe can ask, I speak up. "George has to take care of the kingdom here sweetie maybe next time."

"Aww man." They both say in unison as I just shake my head and hold out my hand for my daughter.

"C'mon pumpkin let's go."

"By Georgie." She waves at him as he takes a bow again. "Goodbye my Queen, have fun." He winks at her before giving me a smile. "See you later boss." I wave and we head out the door with Zoe rambling on about all the things she wants to do at the park, and I gladly will let her do all the things. Just as long as it does not involve getting her hurt.

She swings her arm with mine as we walk to my Wrangler, and I get her situated in her booster seat. "Daddy, who's that?" She points behind me and I turn around and wish I didn't.

"No one pumpkin. How about you play on your tablet while I talk to this person really quick." I kiss her cheek and hand over her headphones and tablet to play on. Once I lock the doors and turn around, I glare at the woman I have been avoiding for the past three years, since I saw her last at court.

"What are you doing here Gloria."

She wrings her hands together and she looks like she has aged twenty years since I saw her. "I'm still your mother." I scoff as I turn around to get in the car. I do not need to hear anything she has to say.

"My mother left me a long time ago. Goodbye Gloria."

"Wait!" She grabs my arm and I turn around and jerk my hand out of her grip. "I need your help." I laugh a bitter laugh at her at what she just said. I look at my daughter and she smiled and waves at me then turns back to her game she is playing.

"Why the fuck would I help you? After everything..." I shake my head, grind my teeth, as my jaw ticks and I clench my hands into fist. "You fucking ruined my life!" I seethe but take a deep breath. I will not lose my shit around Zoe. She does not need to be around this crap, and I will do everything in my power to keep her away from my past.

"I'm so sorry."

She may be sober from the looks of it but does not mean I can forgive her for everything. They tried to shove drugs down my throat. I remember my dad trying to pin me down and shoot drugs into my arms. I had to steal for them and do God awful things just to get them drugs so I wouldn't get the crap beat out of me when I was younger. I even tried to kill myself and couldn't even do that right. My life was a living hell the past five years of living with them before Suzy and Hal let me stay with them.

"We're in trouble, big time."

"Not my problem." I go to open my door when she grabs my arm again.

"They could kill us."

I should feel something, but I feel absolutely nothing.

"Again, not my problem."

I pry her hands off my wrist and open my door and go to sit in.

"They'll come after you as well."

I laugh again and shake my head. Maybe I was wrong, and she is high on something.

"Seriously Gloria, get off the drugs."

Tears roll down her face and for the first time in a long time there is a hint of the mother I used to know before the drugs, but I shake the thought from me. I will not go there with her ever again. I go to close my door, but she grabs hold of it tight.

"They'll go after Zoe."

I look back at my daughter and she is so engrossed in her tablet that I am thankful for that. My heart beats erratically at the thought of something happening to her.

"What the fuck did you do?"

I want to just grab her by the throat and choke the life out of her. I send Suzy a quick text that I need her. I do not want my daughter around in case I kill my own mother.

"We screwed up big time."

After all this time I thought I was finally rid of my past and now it comes back to haunt me. Sometimes I wish I was never born, but now that I have Zoe I have her to protect her. I will do anything in my power to protect her. First, I need to find out exactly what the hell is going on, then I will know what to do.

"You fucking think!"

I don't want to believe her but for some reason my gut is telling me to, and I hate that I have to get sucked back into my past yet again.