MAE DAY (Book 1 COMPLETE) (Book 2 in progress on Wattpad)

Chapter 8 - MAE DAY

2:06a.m. and the front door was knocking. It scared the life out of me and my poor heart again raced as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I walked down stairs and turned on the light.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Lee," was the reply.

I opened the door, it was so stormy outside I could barely see him until I opened the porch door and the light shone on him.

"What are you doing here? It is two in the morning?" I asked as he stood there, green eyes squinting against the rain. His hair soaked through like the rest of him.

"Can I just see her for one minute?" he asked. "Please I won't touch her or talk to her. She won't know I'm here. I just want to see her, please," he begged his eyes red with emotion.

I stood there for a moment...

"Please don't close the door on me again," he said opening up a fresh wound. "Just 5 seconds to look at her. Please I am begging you... let me see my daughter."

"You gave up your rights, you are putting her at risk, you are putting all of us at risk for 5 seconds," I reminded him. "Does Stephanie know you are here? Can I expect her to attack us again tomorrow?"

His face showed that he really hadn't thought things through.

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said and walked away.

I watched and with ever step he took I fought against it... but couldn't do it, I could turn him away twice.

"Lee!" I called into the storm. He turned and I motioned for him to come in. "Hurry," I said.

He walked in, soaked to the bone and no doubt frozen. Had he walked here? How long had he been outside? Where was his car?

"She is in bed," I said nodding up the stairs.

I led the way. She was in my bed as she was poorly and I wanted to watch over her. The door was already open. He stopped the minute she came into view. Stood in the doorway and stared. I walked to the bathroom and fetched him a towel. When I came back out he was gone. I hurried downstairs to see him walking down the path.

"LEE!" I called above the wind. "Where are you going?" I yelled.

He turned, "Thank you," he called back with a half smile.

"Come back inside until the storm passes," I called.

He looked back and I could tell he wasn't going to accept the offer of harbour from the storm.

"She made cookies," I added.

He looked up at the night sky as though assessing the storm, turned and walked back. I opened the front door as he stepped inside and closed the porch.

"Here," I said passing him the towel and walked towards the kitchen. He followed. "Coffee?" I asked.

He nodded. "Please," he replied in a low voice.

"She will sleep through anything," I said nodding to upstairs.

"Not my voice," he whispered. "She always woke when she heard me," his memories haunting him.

I opened the utility room and took out a dressing gown of mine.

"Do you want to get out of those wet clothes and let me dry them for you?" I asked. "You will catch your death in them."

"What a release," he mumbled.

"Go on, in there and strip. The drier is waiting. I will have your coffee ready," I said motioned to the door.