Envious Desire
58



Chloe

Axle spent the night at my home last night and insisted I join him at work. He is reluctant for me to leave his side. It’s a bit crazy but sweet at the same time. I understand it, though. I feel he’s afraid I will disappear again. But I’m whole again. I’m ready for us, with his child.

Arriving on his floor, Victoria greets me with a huge embrace. “Chloe, I’ve missed that beautiful face of yours, Honey. We need some time to catch up. How about we go to the coffee shop now.”

“No!” Axle interjects, lacing our fingers. “You two can catch up later.“Axle kisses the back of my hand. Guiding us to his office, the door swings open, revealing Selena.

“What the fuck.” Her voice fills my ears.

“What’s she doing here?”

“She is my girlfriend, Selena. She is where she’s supposed to be, by my side.”

You can tell the words cut through her soul. I found gratification in seeing the pain behind her eyes.

“Well, I’m not so sure I’m okay with you having multiple women around our daughter.”

Multiple women?

“BULLSHIT! What nonsense are you speaking of Selena?” Axle inquires with disgust.

“Well, you have multiple women falling at your feet, and I don’t want my daughter thinking a womanizer is what her father is?”

“What the hell are you saying? What women?”

Clearly, she was just attempting to get under my skin, which I will not allow.

“The only desperate person who has been throwing herself at me time and time again, no matter how much I turn her down, is you.”

Selena’s face scrunches up in anger. Recognizing her defeat and the smile capturing my face, she begins her tantrum.

“Well, here’s your daughter. I have things to do. I’ll be by your house later to pick her up.”

“Selena, I have a full day ahead of me. You need to stop dropping her off unplanned. I have a business to run.”

“Well, I have things to do, so deal with it.” Her shoulders lifted up and down without a care in the world.

The urge to punch her in the face filled my soul, but I would do no such thing in front of a child. She sashayed out the door, leaving her daughter behind.

Axle picks up the baby, and my heart pounds. This is the first time I’m witnessing them together since the funeral. I have mixed emotions. There’s the excitement of seeing him as a father and then the agony of knowing Selena gave him the ultimate gift. I did the only thing I could think of.

“I’ll be right back.”

Finding my way into the women’s restroom to breathe, a hushed voice perks my ears. Tiptoeing closer, I harken it’s Selena.

“I know, I know. I just dropped off the baby. I just need a little more time.”

Silence fills the room, causing me to hold my breath.

“I promise. How about I come over and take care of you in the meantime.”

My eyes widen.

“Perfect! I’ll be right there, Snuck’ems.”

Rushing into the stall, I silently close the door to avoid being seen. She exits the other booth, washing her hands.

“Ugh, I can’t wait for this to be over, and I’ll never have to see him again.” She flies out the door, leaving me to ponder who she spoke to.

I return to Axle’s office when I see the baby in a rocker and Axle behind the desk.

“Axle?”

His slate hues capture my breath.

“What’s her name?”

Releasing a quick breath. “Anele.”

He rises to full height, strolling beside me, releasing another breath, expressing himself.

“I have something shameful to admit.”

“What’s that?”

Unable to look me in the eyes. “I don’t feel like a father. I don’t feel connected to her in the slightest way.”

The guilt is visible, and anguish oozes from behind his eyes. My heart aches for him, triggering me to speak the words I never thought I would ever spew.

“Maybe– perhaps if you stop hating the mother of your child, you could open your heart up to the possibility of loving Anele. It’s not her fault who her mother is. She deserves a fair chance at the love only a father can give.”

It seemed as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Nodding his head, he lifts Anele from her rocker and sits with her at his desk, allowing her to play with papers, bringing a slight bit of happiness to my heart observing him smile.

Am I wrong for wishing she was our baby? Looking at them together, I feel uneasy. She doesn’t remind me of him in the slightest.

“Axle, your 9:30 is here for the meeting.”

“Thank you, Victoria. I will be right out.”

“I’m sorry, Chloe, I have a meeting to attend. But it should be quick, and then the three of us can get an early lunch or brunch. What do you say?”

I nod my head. He places Anele back in the rocker when Victoria walks in.

“Hey, there precious.” She waves at Anele. Anele’s excitement soars in the air with her hands and a captivating smile to make the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes.

Axle makes his way out, placing a kiss on my lips, and Victoria takes over.

“So how have you been?” Victoria questions as she plays with Anele.

“You were trying to keep me from seeing Selena. Why?

“Chloe, I just saw you for the first time since this shit storm hit! I didn’t want you to hurt just because that psycho is still around attempting to weasel her way into Axle’s life.”

Appreciative of her concern.

“Thank you, Victoria. However, I’m good now, and I want to face this. I need this in order to get past it.”

Smiling at Anele while lifting her up, she faces me.

“My girl is growing up, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”

I smile at her words when we hear a voice call from down the hall.

“Shit! There’s a delivery. Can you watch her while I take care of this for a moment?”

I nod my head as she hands Anele to me, and a bone-chilling jolt of electricity shoots through me. Looking closely at Anele, I don’t see anything of Axle in her. She doesn’t have his nose or mouth. She doesn’t have the curve of his eyes or the color. Her skin is slightly darker than his. I know sometimes they grow into their looks. However, my gut is telling me something isn’t right.

Even her hair. I rub her hair, which has no texture or color.

“I’ve had that same look holding her,” Victoria speaks from the doorway. “She doesn’t look like him. They say sometimes they grow into their looks.”

I half smile, relieved, aware I’m not the only person who noticed the discrepancy. That– I’m not crazy, at least not for this.

“Oh, crap! I have to go to the front again and get the phone. I forgot to forward the calls. Can you give me two secs?”

I shake my head, returning my attention to Anele. Touching her hair, the notion she’s not Axle’s baby crashes in my brain. I need to know for sure. I see her pacifier, stick it in her mouth to ensure it’s wet, wrap it in the plastic bag I see in her baby bag, and stuff it in my purse.

Glancing at the baby, a wave of guilt filters through me. I’m sorry, Anele, but I need to know the truth, as do you and Axle. I need to get this tested. My nerves are on full alert, as if I’m stealing candy from a baby.

Heading towards the bathroom in Axle’s office, I retrieve the toothbrush I know he has left here and stow it in my purse in another plastic bag I found in the medicine cabinet.

Victoria returns, and I fly past her.

“Hey, Victoria! I have something I need to do. Can you tell Axle I’ll be back later, please?”

“Sure, hun. Everything okay.” Her eyes slice as she questions me.

I nod my head, “Yeah, it will be.”

Making my way out of the building, that eerie feeling of being watched consumes my nerves. Rifling through the crowd, not a single person is aware I’m even alive. Why does this keep happening?

This has to be residual from the kidnapping. It has to be. Shaking off the feeling, I search my phone for the nearest testing lab. Waving a cab, I usher off in haste, impatience at the forefront.

My phone rings. I see Shelly’s beautiful face appear on my screen

Swiping left, I answer.

“Hey, Shell.”

“Hey, Chlo, where are you?”

“I’m in a cab right now. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just need someone to talk to.”

“Shoot, what’s on your mind?”

“Eric showed up again. He’s been doing everything possible to win me back short of taking me hostage.”

“I’ll give him credit for determination, but say the word, and I’ll give him a black eye again.”

Shelly’s giggle through the receiver triggers my lips to tug into a Cheshire grin.

“Chlo, I wasn’t feeling well when he came by. I felt dizzy and fell.”

Concern laced my voice. “Are you okay?”

“I think so. Eric rushed me to the hospital. I’m waiting to see the doctor.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“No, it’s okay, Chlo. I’ll be waiting forever. Besides, I don’t want you to judge me.”

“Judge you? Never, I will always have your back.”

“Seeing how frantic Eric was after my episode and how attentive he was, a part of me wants to talk to him again– just as friends to see if maybe he’ll let up a little.”

“Let up?”

“Yes, stop coming around all the time, calling, texting. Just give him a little something so he can back off.”

“I don’t like where this is going, but as your friend, I will support your decision.”

“I’m not sure I want to either, but I need to do something.”

“Why don’t you tell him that?”

“I have! It hasn’t helped. He’s persistent in being in my life.”

Letting out a breath, “I get it. I’ll be here for you every step of the way, and if he steps out of line, he’ll say hello to fist again.”

Shelly laughs again.

“Shell, I just arrived. Can I call you back?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, Love you Shell.”

“Love you, Chlo.”

Exiting the cab, I enter the building following the signs to the lab. I fill out the information and wait until I’m called.

“Ms. Knox?”

My head lifts from my phone. I follow the lab tech to a private room. “Hello, my name is Alvin. I’ll be assisting you today. According to the paperwork, you checked other.”

Red consumes my cheeks, “Yes, I need a paternity test done. I think this is the father, and I need to make sure before I announce it to him.”

Judgment consumes his eyes. “Do you have anything from the baby and the father?”

“Yes,” I extract both plastic bags and hand them to the technician.

“Thank you. We’ll see if we can extract any DNA, and you’ll have the test results in a week.”

“A week? Can I pay to have the results sooner?”

“No, ma’am. It will be ready in a week.”

Defeated and anxious, I say thank you and head out the door, impatient for a week to fly by.

~~~

Axle is afraid to have Chloe leave his side. AWE, lol.

Chloe finally meets Anele.

Chloe has Anele tested again.

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