Treasure Box

Chapter 15

Look, early update! Yayyy, well, not really. Just read it.

Franco's POV

I didn't recognize her when I saw her again. Who could blame me? She was a redhead now with a pixie haircut and a nose piercing. Her skin was tanned, like she spent most of her time in the sun and beside her was a man that was just as tanned with mahogany brown hair wearing a tight t-shirt and shorts. I walked right pass her, planning to go into the building to relieve Bonnie of her babysitting duties when she called my name. Her voice struck a chord but I couldn't quite place it. It just sounded incredibly familiar.

I turned and smiled politely, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

She glared at me with obvious hatred, "You don't recognize me?"

I shook my head slowly, "Should I?"

"It's me," she huffed, "Kate. As in, Michael's mother."

Pause. Rewind. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Katherine Owens," she sneered, "I would think you'd recognize the mother of your child."

"It's hard to recognize someone that's been MIA for so long," I spat right back, "Now what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" She laughed as if she couldn't believe I asked, "My mother is dead and you ask what I'm doing here? I'm here to take care of my child and take care of the property and, and everything else I need to do."

"Done, done, and done," I retorted, "But of course you wouldn't know that considering you decided to pop up when it was convenient for you."

"I would have come sooner if I had known she was sick," tears started to build up in her ocean blue eyes, "But I had no idea. I thought she was fine."

"Kate," I sighed, my anger lowering to a simmer, "How did you find out?"

"My uncle," she sniffed, "He had gotten a letter in the mail, inviting him to the funeral. He called me a week later saying that he had gotten the letter too late and was sorry he couldn't go."

"Your uncle knew how to contact you," I felt my anger spike, "But your own mother didn't? The one who was taking care of your child had no way of contacting you? Did you ever plan to come back for Michael?"

"Why would I?" she screamed, "I didn't want a child anyway and my mom was fine with raising him. Don't try to make me feel guilty, Franco. I'm here now so give me my damn child so I can take care of him."

"Kate, go back to where you came from and don't ever come back," I told her evenly, "I'm going to take care of my child because I love and care for him. Not because he's an obligation."

"And watch you teach him how to be a fag?" She pulled some pictures out her purse and threw them at me. The stack exploded on my chest and fluttered to the ground, "I had a man investigate to find Michael and found out that your damn friends infected you too. Let me teach Michael to be normal."

"Normal?" I nearly laughed, "Of course you would say that. You have no idea how extraordinary our son is because you were never there."

"Don't act so damn high and mighty, Franco," she rolled her eyes, "You weren't there either."

"But I didn't run away from him," I glared at her, "And you shouldn't have either."

"I was seventeen, Franco," she stressed, "Seventeen. I didn't know how to raise a child."

"But Leslie did and I would have been there for you the whole way."

"You hate me as much as I hated you," she scoffed.

"I did," I admitted, "But I would've been there."

"And how was I supposed to know that?" She spat.

"You could have tried getting to know me while we were dating," I replied then sighed. "I'm not arguing with you, Kate. Get out of here and leave Michael alone."

"This isn't over, Franco," she warned, "I'm getting my son back." I watched her turn and walk away. The guy next to her sent a glare my before following with an arm around her shoulder. Maybe he was trying to establish that he was her boyfriend. Did he not realize how little I cared?

I shook my head at them and went into my apartment building. As soon as I opened my apartment door, I heard a couple of kids singing nursery rhymes and giggling. Michael and Bonnie were hovering over her laptop, singing lyrics from off the screen along with some audio she had pulled up. I smiled at the scene.

Michael was the first to notice me. He jumped up and threw himself into my arms. I caught him and picked him up. He wrapped his legs and arms around me like a little monkey.

"Daddy," he kissed my cheek, "How was your date?"

"It was fine, Michael." How could she give up her beautiful son? How could she even think to let him go after he opened up his large hazel eyes for the first time?

"Daddy?" Michael snapped me out of my thoughts, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mikey," I mustered up a smile for him, "Can you go get ready for bed?"

He looked at me doubtfully but nodded, "Okay."

"Thank you, baby," I kissed his button nose and let him down. He gave me one more doubtful look before scampering off to our room.

"So," Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me sternly, "What's wrong?"

I sighed and collapse on the couch, "Kate is back."

"And Kate is?"

"Michael's mother."

"Oh," her eyes widened, "Why?"

"Because she heard that her mother died."

"And what?" her brows furrowed angrily, "She mistook the invitation to the funeral for one to Michael's life? Just tell her she should have RSVPed."

"It's not that simple Bonnie," I snapped unintentionally. A look at her shocked expression had me apologizing, "I'm sorry but what if Michael wants to know his mother? How can I deny him that without him resenting me for it?"

Bonnie shrugged helplessly, "You just have to trust that he trusts you."

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