jailbird ☍ cth

☍ five

My knuckles burned. Did I knock too hard? Will it startle the baby?

Corby watched curiously as I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, his hands clasped together immaculately. I didn't take my eyes off of the door, however, because any second it would open and reveal the people I'd been dreaming of for months on end.

It was taking too long. I knocked again, sweat pooling in my palms. I started breathing heavy. My stomach was sloshy, my brain in pieces, my heart swollen. She should answer the door by now, she always was so excited to open the door. She called them little surprises. We didn't get too many visitors back then; we were all we needed.

Before I could put two and two together, there was a click of the lock on the knob, and it opened.

A man stood there. His face displayed the same amount of shock as mine did. Then I saw her . . . Amelie was in his hands. Tears sprung to my eyes and in that moment I felt like I was going to pass out. It was silent.

Neither of us said a word. Corby was standing nearby, looking ready to intervene. I was paralyzed. Breaking the silence, the man finally said something. "Bexley's not here," he said, stopping to clear his throat because his voice was small and stuck in his stomach, as well. I backed up a step. "If I was you, I'd get out of here. She doesn't want to see you."

I had to hold myself back at that second.

Tears were now freely falling down my cheeks, eradicating my entire masculine facade. "When will she be back?" I asked, but my voice sounded like a child's. He furrowed his eyebrows, tightening his grip on my baby. My baby. "She's so . . ."

I reached out my fingers to just touch her skin, but the man pulled her away from my grasp. My heart sunk to my toes. She didn't know what was happening, but I swear she was looking at me like she knew me. The man grabbed the door knob with his free hand and started to close the door. I closed my eyes tightly, looking at Joseph Corby desperately like he could do anything. The man ignored my question.

"Stay away from her and this baby, you hear me?"

I choked on my tears and tightened my fists. "When will she be back?"

"Listen, man, I don't want any trouble," he began, and I could tell he was getting angry, "but she doesn't want anything to do with you. This baby doesn't need you. She has me and Bexley. You need to get the fuck out of this building before I-"

"Calum?"

I immediately perked up when I heard her voice. The man holding my baby turned around, and there she was. Suddenly, my body was weak and I almost fell to my knees. My beautiful Bexley, standing there in our apartment. A cigarette dangled in her fingers next to her thigh as her eyes fell on me in surprise. "Bex," I whispered, beginning to walk towards her. The man stepped in front of me.

My eyes pleaded for her to say something. Anything.

She looked at my face from over his shoulder and I tried to say something but the words didn't come out. Bexley's lips were parted as she furrowed her eyebrows. "Close the door, Matt," was all she said and I fell backward from a push. Then the door closed. I laid on the floor in awe.

Even Corby looked shocked. Then it happened, I broke down. Tears flooded from my eyes and I stood up and kicked and punched their wall until my knuckles were swollen, one bleeding. Joe had to pull me away from the apartment and to the elevator where I held my head in my hands and bawled. He paid no mind to the receptionist who nosily stared at the interaction between the two of us, and helped me into the van. He told the driver to head to Luke's place.

I couldn't believe this happened. Bexley found a new man. He's raising Amelie. Does she think he's her father? I would fucking die if I heard her call that stranger Daddy. I couldn't keep my emotions inside and the other two people in the car didn't say a word.