Her daughter (Sequel to His Daughter)

5

Erika

"Hello?" I heard a tired voice say over the receiver. I grew anxious and my voice came out shaky as I went to answer Jack. "I really need to talk to you. Can you come over?" I asked.

"Is everything alright?" He asked. He suddenly seemed more awake then before.

I didn't know how to answer that. It definitely wasn't a yes and it wasn't a no.

"I hope it will be."

"You're kinda worrying me now Erika seriously is everything ok?" He asked as I heard rustling.

"I can't answer that honestly. Can you just come I have a lot of explaining to do." I said.

"Of course yeah. I'll be there in 5."

"You can just come in, I'm upstairs in my room." I said

At this point I was devoid of all emotion. It seemed to dissipate the more I talked to jack.

Soon enough I heard a knock on my bedroom door and footsteps enter. "I'm in the bathroom." I said.

"Umm I don't know if I should come in there." He said hesitantly.

"You're acting as if you've never seen a woman before. Bubbles are covering me just come in." I said. I heard him sigh before he slowly opened the door.

"What's so important that you need to tell me from the bathtub?" He asked. I took the bottle of wine and took a swig out of it.

"It's about Payton." I said.

"Is she ok? What's wrong with her." He asked. He suddenly seemed panicked, like he had already grown a bond with her.

"I've been keeping her from you all her life." I hinted. The tears started to roll down my cheeks and I buried my head in my hands. "I'm so sorry Jack. I'm so so sorry!" I said.

"Erika calm down, what do you mean?" He asked. He came closer and kneeled next to the tub.

"You're Payton's father." I said. It was silent. I didn't know if it was because of the shock or anger. But I refused to look at his face.

"Is this part of a little plan you have." He sneered.

I shot my head up and looked at him with my tear streaked face.

"Excuse me?" I Asked.

"You heard me! Are you doing this to make me break up with Brianna!"

"Where did all of this come from! Of course not!" I tried to reason.

"You might have judged her by her looks but I love her! And you telling me that some kid I have no relation to is mine! That's low." He yelled.

"Keep it down please Payton is sleeping." I cried.

"Yeah your daughter is sleeping! She's not mine." He said.

"If you want a fucking paternity test just say so!" I said.

He shrugged. "She's not mine anyway, might as well prove a point."

"Well fine! I'll see you at the doctors tomorrow prick! Get out of my house." I sneered. He got up quickly and left. Good. I'll prove him wrong.

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"Where are we going momma?" Payton asked as I took a right turn.

"We're gonna go meet Jack at the hospital." I answered.

"Is he ok?" She asked.

"Of course we just have to run a test on you and him to make sure your healthy." I said. She started to cry and I looked back at her through the mirror "what's wrong baby!" I said.

"I don't want a shot!" She said and kept crying.

"Oh no no nono it's not a shot honey. It's a cotton swab in you mouth and done. No shots momma promises." I said.

She calmed down a bit and I continued driving.

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"It's about goddamn time you got here." Jack said. He was being very nasty to me and I didn't deserve this.

"Sorry that I don't live right near the hospital like you do." I shot back. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Don't be mean to my momma you big meanie head!" Payton yelled.

Jack stood quiet after that and didn't say another word.

I walked into the hospital behind him and went to go check in. "Paternity test for Carlile and Barakat at 10:30." I said. She nodded and handed me a form to sign. "The doctor will be out momentarily."

I went to go sit down and watch Payton play with the little toys they had there.

Like the thing with the beads on it that you had to whirl them around the wires and make it to the other end.

Something like that.

"Carlile, Barakat." Me and Jack stood up and the same time and I went to pick up Payton.

She held out her pinky and I looked at it. "Promise no shots." I wrapped my pinky around hers and kept walking.

"So miss Carlile, you're here for a paternity test. Do you know that Mr. Barakat is the father?" The doctor asked. He said like I was a whore and did every person in town.

"I'm not here for my benefit. I'm here for Jacks benefit. He doesn't think he's the father." I felt like I was on the Maury show yelling at a screen pointing out similar traits.

"Mmmhhmmm" the doctor said. He got out two cotton swabs and took samples from each of us.

Then he took out a third one and bent down to Payton's level. "Can you open your mouth sweetheart?" She obeyed and the doctor swabbed the inside of her cheek.

"Great job honey," he said and high fived her then averted his attention to me. "I'll have the results by tomorrow, maybe even next week." I nodded and picked up Payton.

"Thank you doctor." I said and walked out with Jack behind me.

"I can't wait to prove you wrong." He said through clenched teeth.

"I think you made a mistake. You mean apologize for being wrong."