“You’re scaring me. Are you okay?”
“Physically, I’m good, but I found out something today that fucked me up.”
“Maybe talking about it will help. Let’s go inside.”
“Not yet. I want to tell you first.”
“Okay. Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Walk with me.”
He took my hand, and we walked down the driveway to the sidewalk. We turned to the right, putting him closest to the street, and continued down the block. A minute passed before he finally spoke.
“I have a five-year-old daughter,” he finally said.
I didn’t speak immediately, giving myself a moment to process his words.
“I’m guessing there is more to this story?” I eventually said.
“The ex-fiancée I told you about a couple of weeks ago showed up at my office today with a little girl she says is mine.”
“And you believe her?”
“She has my whole face, but the DNA test is tomorrow.”
“Good. Why did she wait five years to tell you?”
“She confirmed my suspicions about her cheating on me with the man she ended up marrying. He thought he was the father until she broke the news during their divorce proceedings when he filed for full custody.”
“Wow.”
“My thoughts exactly. Anyway, she got nothing in the divorce, which led her back to me.”
“Damn, baby. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how fucked up this situation is.”
“I haven’t seen, talked to, or thought about Olivia in years until I told you about her a few weeks ago. What’s crazier is my mother brought her up when we went to lunch today, and a few hours later, she knocked on my office door telling me that her and my daughter needed my help. This is some wild shit, baby.”
“It is. Where are they now?” I asked.
“I got them a room at Black Elm Suites for a few days. Once I get the DNA results . . . shit, I don’t have a plan.”
“You just found out, baby. You don’t have to figure it all out tonight.”
“Are you cool with me having a daughter?”
“I have a son, Knox. Why wouldn’t I be cool with you having a daughter?”
“Stokely is grown, baby, and you’ve only recently embraced the idea of having another child. I’m sure you weren’t thinking it would be a five-year-old.”
“Baby, slow down. Let’s take this one day at a time. Once you establish paternity, you can go to court and file for joint cust?—”
He began shaking his head. “I want full custody, but I know I can’t do this alone.”
“Full custody? You want to take her from her mother?”
“Olivia doesn’t have a job or a place to live. Plus, she kept her from me for five years. Am I supposed to just let my daughter live on the streets?”
“No, of course not. Full custody makes sense. Let’s get back to the house. I’m sure everyone wants to know what’s going on.”