Worth The Fight

Chapter 12

Heading straight to the shower, I allow the water pouring on my back to wash the morning away. I put on a false bravado talking back to my father and pretending I'm not scared, but the truth is I'm terrified.

I knew it wouldn't be easy seeing him again after so long, but I hate that he still gets to me. And to make things worse, I had Tyler witness me having another emotional meltdown.

For once, I wanted to be a normal twenty-five-year-old, enjoying life and having fun with a cute guy. But of course, reality had to come crashing my party, reminding me how crazy my life can be.

When the water starts running cold, I turn off the shower and wrap myself in a towel. I still have a couple of hours before I need to be at the bar. So, knowing that keeping it all inside will only make me feel worse, I text Kayla, hoping she can meet for a quick coffee down the block.

Thank God, she agrees and soon we are sitting in a booth with our drinks in front of us.

"What happened, Andie?" she asks when it's just us.

"Marcus got into a fight with our father." I shudder, my throat working on a swallow before I open up about the last events.

"Whoa! Hold on a second." She jerks her head back. "You're telling me Phillip and Marcus got physical. You and Tyler kissed, then he offered to help you get Philip's place to get Marcus's stuff. You learn Tyler is recently divorced. And, you lied to Philip by saying you have a compromising medical report from a couple of years ago?"

"And I also got promoted to bar manager. I start in three weeks." I nod, taking a sip of my coffee to wet the dryness in my mouth.

"I'm... Wow! I don't know what to say. I mean... I can talk to the farm's lawyer and see if he can recommend someone who can assist you and... You Tyler kissed? How was it? I'm... You never kiss anyone!"

"Hey!" I look around, making sure no one can listen to her. "It's not like I don't kiss anyone..."

"When was the last time you kissed someone?" She rolls her eyes, and I look at her annoyed. Of course, that's the part she'd fixate on.

"Kay, I think my love life is the least of my problems right now."

"Right! Tell that to your vajayjay." She types something on her phone before holding it to her ear.

"Seriously–"

"Hey Stuart, it's Kayla."She waves me off, focusing on whoever is on the other side of the line. "How are you doing? That's great to hear. I'm doing well too. Look, I was wondering if you could recommend me to a family lawyer?" She winks at me, briefly explaining to this Stuart guy my situation.

Leaning on my chair, I keep my eyes on her as she easily talks to this man. I can't help but envy how collected and confident she sounds, and how simple she makes it all be.

"All done." She hangs up. "He knows a guy in his office that's perfect for these kinds of situations. I'll text Stuart your info and he'll hook you two up. Now Tyler? How did--"

"Wait! Does he think I have a chance of getting Marcus's custody? How much does he charge?" I hold both of her hands, feeling a mix of hope and apprehension.

"Stuart sounded optimistic, but that's not his field of expertise. But hey? You needed a lawyer. We got one. You also have a good excuse with that medical report thing that we'll keep your dad away for a while. Now, let's focus on your pretty self for a while, shall we?"

"What if I can't afford this lawyer?" My eyes widen at the thought, and Kayla squeezes my hand, bringing me back to the present.

"Sweetheart, I understand you're worried. But you're overthinking your way through all of this. Let's see what this guy will say first, okay?"