Lies Within Sterling

Chapter Eight: The Black Sheep

"ROSIE!"

Closing the door to Dad's office behind me, I smile, taking in the soothing sound of an excited child. There was no sweeter noise, or a better way to forget about all the fires in my life.

"Logan!" I shout back as I kneel down with my arms extended, ready to be embraced by the three-year-old racing towards me. 

Logan nearly knocks me over when he finally slams into me. He cradles his little arms around my neck as I hold onto him and waits for me to kiss him on the cheek before pulling away. 

Looking at Logan, I notice his green eyes and the freckles cluttering around his nose, only now noticing his resemblance to Victoria. Seeing it all now makes me wonder why I never made the connection sooner. 

I knew Victoria and James had an ongoing fling, just never expected it to grow into something more than that. Maybe I was in denial. There was no way a hot head like Victoria could create such an amazing kid.

"I missed you, did you miss me?" I ask Logan in an overly happy tone.

Logan nods and sways in his spot. "I missed you lots, Rosie," he says struggling through his lisp. "Daddy got me a truck!"

"He did? What kind of truck?"

Logan hesitates before spreading a huge smile. "I'll go get it," he says before running back to the living room.

While I wait, I hear the rough clack of heels approach from behind me. I crook my head to the side in order to gaze up at the long frame belonging to Victoria. She stood arms crossed and ready for an apology that she knew my dad had order me to give.

I stand, resenting what was about to happen and growing more frustrated. I stare at Victoria, thinking of all the things I want to say to her.

I'm sorry, Victoria, that you were too good to join Logan and James in their visits to see me. Sorry that you never spoke to me about your son or spoke to me at all, in fact. Really, Victoria, I'm sorry that you're such a petty bitch who needs to blow everything out of proportion.

"Sorry I offended you," I decide to say, gritting my teeth.

It was obvious that my apology wasn't sincere, but still was good enough for Victoria. Before she could say anything, Logan races over with a red firetruck in his arms.

"Here it is," he says while showing it off like he was one of those showgirls in the gameshows I hate.

"Wow," I say with too much enthusiasm as he passes it to me to inspect.

"He's been showing everyone that ever since James got it for him," Victoria says while eyeing her son with admiration. She kneels down to Logan and uses her finger to wipe something off his face. "Why don't you go pick something nice to wear with your Dad, baby, and we will all go for lunch together."

Logan's face lights up as he takes back his truck and runs for James who I didn't notice was sitting on the couch. Maybe it was him who I saw in the living room when I first got here, not Andy. Though, who could blame me for mixing the two up? They were practically identical, the only difference between the two being their eyes. James were blue, while Andy's were a dark brown.

Victoria smiles at me before strutting back into Dad's office, leaving mean annoyed with the strange image of her unwarranted smile.

I look back at the living room, watching Logan jumping on James, shouting for him to get ready for their impromptu lunch. James begrudgingly stand up, carrying Logan in one hand and his water bottle in the other.

He eyes me from down the hall and shares a sincere smile unlike Victoria's. I speed down the hall, taking this as my chance to give James a long overdue hug.