Sandy went to pick Angel up and put her in bed next to them. She waited a few extra minutes to talk seriously with Vicky. She wanted to know for sure that Angel was sleeping “How are you doing? Really? You look exhausted.”
Vicky exhaled loudly. “I’m a little tired but mostly angry and frustrated.”
“I can only imagine. But, you do know that there is no way Jason is going to let Ryan take your baby away from you.”
Vicky smoothed Angel’s wild curls away from her face.
Sandy laughed, “He’d buy you an island somewhere in the world and move you away before he’d let that happen.”
Vicky rubbed her neck and then her lower back “I know. I just wish…”
“Wish what?”
“That Jason would treat me more like a partner than someone he needs to save.”
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. Where’d that come from?”
“He wants to fix everything instead of us working together to deal with our problems. If he tells me one more time that he’ll take care of it, I’m going to scream.”
“I guess I could see how that would be frustrating.”
“You think? They are discussing MY life downstairs and I’ve been sent away like a child.”
“Vicky, you looked like you were going to pass out earlier. If you remember, when Angel was in the hospital, you were admitted too. Jason is going to be a father for the first time. He’s nervous and wants to make sure you and the baby are okay. Maybe he’s a little overprotective. Try to overlook it, just like I did when you just snapped on me.”
Vicky gave Sandy a half smile. “I’m sorry. Please, let’s talk about something else…anything else besides all the drama that’s going on in my life. What’s going on with you and Franklin? Have you guys finally decided to become official?”
Sandy wrinkled her nose. “Not official but I’m hoping soon.”
“You guys are perfect together. Franklin was so uptight before he started dating you. Now, he’s so much more relaxed…funny even. I’m sure you’ll be engaged before the end of this year.”
“I don’t know about that but I’m happy. Speaking of men and commitment you’ll never guess who came to my office yesterday?”
Vicky couldn’t come up with anyone.
“Josh.”
“Get out! You haven’t talked to him in months. What could he possibly have to say?”
“Well, he apologized for how badly he treated me during the relationship, told me he missed me, and that he wanted me back.”
Vicky’s mouth dropped. “Are we talking about Joshua Jones? Wow…seems to me like he missed the boat. He did miss the boat right?”
Sandy let out a little laugh.
“Yes! But, honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was really over him until yesterday. It’s one thing when a person is out of sight and out of mind. It’s quite another when they are there in the flesh. And Joshua is still one handsome man. He walked through my door looking at me with those chestnut eyes, and that smooth caramel skin - smelling oh so yummy.”
Vicky laughed too, “Well, yeah… he’s always been very attractive…at least until he opens his mouth. Then, he’s a grade A ass.”
“Well, yesterday he was very charming.”
“What did he say?”
“According to him, he’s ready to settle down. Do you know how long I waited to hear those words from him? For a second, my mouth did go dry. But then, I thought about Franklin and it didn’t matter that Joshua was finally saying everything I always wanted to hear because I’m in love with Franklin.”
Vicky reached out to hug her, “Oh my goodness! I am so happy for you. You deserve this. Have you told him?”
“No, not yet, I can’t very well belt out I love you when we’re haven’t even defined what ‘we’ means.”
A knock on the door interrupted them. A second later Aunt Shirley poked her head through the cracked opening.
“I just wanted to say good night before I head off to bed.”
Aunt Shirley walked inside the room and gave Vicky a hug, “Sweetie you look tired. You feel okay?”
“I have a little headache and my back hurts a little but overall, I’m fine. Nothing a little sleep won’t cure.”
Sandy stood up. “You should get some rest. If I’d known, I would have made you go to bed.”
“You guys, I’m pregnant not dying. Women do this every day. Anyway, I’m sleeping in here with Angel tonight. Aunt Shirley, are they still down stairs plotting strategy?”
“Yes they are and let me just say for the record, I don’t ever want to get on Jason’s bad side.”
Chapter 10
After Vicky, Sandy and Angel went upstairs, Jason ushered everyone else into his office.
“I don’t know about you guys but I could use a drink. Please feel free to help yourselves.” He poured himself a brandy before taking a seat next to his father; Franklin poured himself a drink too.
“Thank you for taking on our case Mr. Lucas. But, what are we really looking at here? What are his chances for getting full custody of Angel?”
“Honestly Jason, there is about a fifty fifty chance he could get full custody. If his press conference was a preview as to what he’s going to say to a judge, the courts might not take too kindly to the fact that Victoria didn’t inform him of his child for all this time.”
Jason got up and started pacing back and forth, “But that’s a lie. He knew about Angel the moment she was born and he chose to keep it a secret so that it didn’t expose the affair he’d
