He scoffs. “Charles is a dumb name.”
“For me, I agree. For the millions of Charles’ out there, they might like it.”
“Touché, son. Anyway, life changed for me that day. My lawyer asked me what I wanted to do, keep you or give you up for adoption. The answer was easy, it was simple. There was no way I was letting you go.”
“I’m thankful that you kept me.”
“And there was no way I was going to let her take you away from me and I’m still not.”
“Dad, I’m of age, it’s not like she can take me anywhere.”
He shakes his head. “Not the point. She had many chances to come forward, to ask to see you, to be a mother, and for her to show up like this, to lie about who she is so you’ll enter that room… I’m done, Quinn.”
“What do you mean?”
Dad sighs. “I mean, I know where she’s staying and I’m going to confront her. I wanted to let you know first though. I don’t want to come between the two of you if you’re planning to let her in your life.”
“I’m not, and I’m coming with you.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
I stand and pull my old man to his feet. “It drives the message home as far as I’m concerned. I want nothing to do with her.”
We sip on coffee, neither of us having been to bed in over twenty-four hours. My dad and I have been parked outside the hotel where his private investigator tracked Alicia to, yet, neither of us have made a move to go in.
“I feel like we’re on a stakeout. The only thing missing is a camera.”
“We should go in,” Dad says. “Knock on her door.”
“Are you having second thoughts?”
He shakes his head. “I’m trying to get my temper under control because right now I want to strangle her.”
“Violence isn’t the answer.”
“Thank you, Katelyn,” he says, mocking me. It’s what my mom always says when any of our tempers try to get the best of us. Thing is, if you cross my mom, watch out. I think that’s why my dad is here, and she isn’t. I wouldn’t put it past my mom to cause bodily harm to Alicia.
Dad puts his coffee cup in the holder and opens his car door. “Let’s go, she’s wasted enough of our time.” I follow him out. We walk across the parking lot with purpose and determination. He knocks on the door labeled six and waits.
My heart thunders loudly in my chest, and when the door flies open, I jump. My dad though, he’s calm and showing no emotion. I suppose, for him, this confrontation has been a long time in the making.
“Well, what a lovely surprise. Both of my men are here. Won’t you come in?” Alicia holds the door open. My dad doesn’t hesitate, but I do. I peek in, looking around the room. For what, I don’t know.
Inside, the room is dark and dingy, and there’s no sign of Sofia. Alicia stands in front of my dad, looking up at him. It’s creepy and pissing me off.
“It’s been so long, Harrison.”
“Not long enough,” he retorts.
“Tell me, have you missed me?” She drags her finger down the front of his shirt. He bats her hand away forcefully. Her mouth drops open. “So rude.”
It doesn’t take me long to figure out that this woman is sick. She’s nothing like the person I met last night where she was aloof and absentminded. Today, she’s fully alert and completely aware of what she’s doing.
“Why are you here, Harrison, if it’s not to reminisce?”
“Are you delusional?” he asks. “We spent one night together, if you can even call it that. We have nothing to share fond memories over.”
“But it’s a nice one. It’s the night we conceived our son