MANNY©

Chapter 21

Charles looked at Maddy with a smile as he opened his arms. "Maddy, baby, happy birthday." He said to her as Rachael spoke at the same time. "Maddy, baby, come here." She said with worry.  Maddy glanced at her mom before she turned back to her biological father with a feeling of being at this spot before. As they both kept calling for her, she began to remember when she was little before her mom was pregnant with her little brother.

She would be caught in the middle of every argument. Of every fight. She cared for her dad back then and couldn't understand why he was like he was. But her mom sacrificed everything for her and then for her and her little brother.  And to her, that meant more.

Maddy took a step back before Rachael placed a hand on her shoulder. They both stared at him, feeling emotions of the past come to the surface. Bette was wondering what took Rachael and Maddy so long at the door, walking to the front door.  The sophisticated woman was about to catch a case when she saw who was outside the front door. "What in the hell are you doing here?" She sputtered to Charles.

"I could say the same thing about you, Betty." He said with an attitude, butchering her name. "It's Bette, Charlie. Why don't you go home? Or wherever you came from? And who are they?" Bette asked. "This is Charles' lawyer. And that is Charles' girlfriend." Rachael said as she turned towards her dear friend. "Bette, please call all the parents and tell them the party's over," Rachael told her.

Maddy's mouth opened, then closed she hung her head some. Bette hurried and went over to Lucy and the girls, having them help handle the big job. "Well, are you going have us stand here all day and embarrass Maddy on her day? Or will you finally invite us in?" Charles asked with attitude as he stared at Rachael.

Rachael sighed before letting them in, leading them into the living room. Tyler came back from spending time with Kaleb in the playroom and noticed that the kids were starting to leave while Avery and Bette were huddled together. He saw Candy and Janice keeping busy, his mom sitting alone but Rachael and Maddy were nowhere in sight. He quickly went over to his mom to see what happened while he was in the soundproof room.

"Mom, what's going on?" He asked Alyssa before he began to worry. "Huh? Oh, that's right you were in Kal's soundproof room. Rachael had to end the party early. She has a visitor." Alyssa spoke quietly. Tyler had a bad feeling while staring out of the dining room. "Who?" He asked, keeping his voice in check.

"Maddy's and Kal's biological father," Bette said as she stepped up to him. Tyler grew angry as he walked out of the room and into the living room with everyone following him. He was silently thankful that Kal was in the room with Lucy and away from all this. 

He stepped up to the living room in the middle of Charles and his girlfriend arguing with Rachael while the lawyer tried to referee. Bette stepped up to Rachael's side before Tyler spoke. "What in the hell is going on here?" He said loudly gaining the attention of the three adults fighting. He noticed that Maddy stood there trying to protect her mom once again. He promised her that she would never have to do that anymore. He would take over protecting them for the rest of their lives.

Maddy sighed and smiled a bit when she looked up to see Tyler. "Daddy." She said while standing in between Rachael and Charles. "Yes?" Tyler and Charles both said simultaneously, causing her head to turn at both of them. Charles stepped up and recognized the guy that was in his ex's house was the guy in the Versace ad with Maddy.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked noticing Tyler meet him halfway. "I live here. Rachael and I-." Tyler said. "Are engaged." She finished for him taking his hand and holding it up. Charles noticed the size nice engagement ring on her finger before narrowing his eyes. "I know you," Charles said with an attitude.  "You're the white guy whose lap Maddy sat on in that Versace ad. Yeah. " He stated, focusing back onto Rachael. "How did you get our baby to get a job working for Versace?" He asked her.