Chapter One
Life was great. Lindsey sat staring out the window of his corner office, a smug smile on his lips. He was making more money than he ever dreamed possible. The senior partners loved him. He just bought a new sports car, that purred under his touch. And just recently moved into a penthouse apartment, with an unbelievable view to the ocean. As an added bonus, Angel and is little groupies hadn't bothered him in over a month.
Yes, life was great, and it could only get better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't wanna get out of the car." The little girl whined, gripping the door handle in a death grip.
"Sophie *honey*, this is where your Daddy works. Don't you want to see your Daddy?" The underpaid, and highly stressed social worker was losing her
patients with the four year old girl. After what the little hellion had put her through the last couple days, she was ready to dump the kid with her father without looking back.
"I don't wanna see my Daddy. I want my Mommy back." Sophie kicked out, connecting with the social workers jaw.
"I know sweetie, but your Mommy is up in heaven." The words were gritted out, lacking any real sense of compassion. Taking the small girl by the waist and
pulling, the girl was pried from the car door, and not wanting to take any chances by putting the precocious four year old on the ground, it was decided that the little one would be carried.
Lugging the child up the steps to the sleek law firm, Janice (the underpaid social worker) prayed that the little girl's father would be in his office today. Walking across the entranceway to the receptionist's desk, Janice placed the young girl down for a moment.
"I'm here to see Lindsey McDonald."
"And your name please?" The young woman asked, a false smile plastered on her face.
"I'm Janice Thomas." Looking down at the spot where Sophie had been last placed, Janice was relieved to find the girl still there.
"Do you have an appointment?"
Janice held her breath. No, she didn't have an appointment. "No, I don't."
The young receptionist rolled her eyes. "Mr. McDonald is a very busy man. I can make you an appointment. How does next Thursday at one sound?"
Janice gripped the desk and leaned over. "There is no way that I am waiting until next Thursday. That little girl has kicked me, bitten me and almost set fire to a hotel room. How about I leave her here with you until next Thursday sound?" The young receptionist sat back, her gaze flickering to the toddler who was at the moment pulling on one of the leaves to a large plated plant.
"He can see you now."
"That's what I thought." Turning to the young girl. "Sophie come." Janice grabbed the little misfit that was making faces at one of the stern looking security guards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lindsey stood gathering the folders he would need for his meeting that afternoon. Shoving them inside his briefcase he started to head to the door when his secretary appeared looking rather frazzled.
"I'm on my way out Kelly, what ever it is can it be put off until tomorrow?" Kelly bit her lip and was ready to reply, when a middle aged woman stormed into his office. Lindsey was so started by the woman's appearance that he almost didn't see the young girl that was being drug from behind.
Rage seared through him at the mistreatment of the tiny tot. "That is no way to treat your child." Lindsey strode over and glared the woman in the eye.
"This is certainly not *my* daughter. After spending the last forty-eight hours with her, I will probably never have children."
Lindsey looked back in confusion. "I'd like to be able to blame her mother, but since the poor woman has been dying of cancer for the last four and a half years I can hardly fault her now can I."
"I'm lost. Why are you here?" Lindsey looked back down at the girl again. There was something there that triggered his memory, as though he should know
the tiny girl. She was simply put beautiful. Her hair was a chestnut brown that curled at the ends. Her eyes were a smoky blue framed by black lashes
that went on for miles. Little lips were formed into a pout that brought out her deep dimples.
Janice shoved a folder at him. "All your answers are in the folder. Her name is Sophie Marie Logan. She turned four a month ago on September sixth." Lindsey felt the name Logan bounce through his head, the echoes taunting him.
"You said her last name is Logan. As in Molly Logan's daughter." Lindsey felt a slight flush around his neck, as it became harder to breath.
"Yes, The legal papers are all signed-."
"She's dead?" Janice watched the younger man slump down in a chair, his face white.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I suppose I could have delivered the news a little better. Molly found out she had cancer four months into her pregnancy. She refused to
give up Sophie." Lindsey nodded mutely, as though he understood. But really he didn't.
Molly, dead? His hometown sweetheart that was the only happiness he had ever known in his life was gone. The little girl that befriended him, the social outcast,
bringing him into her little world of sunshine and perfection. The girl that became a beautiful adolescent, and still stood by his side. She helped tutor him, pushed him to do the best that he could so that he would have a future was gone.
When was the last time he saw her? Almost five years ago. It had been Christmas time, right before he started working for Wolfram and Hart. They had made plans for their future. He would work for Wolfram and Hart for a year saving his money, then come and take her away from the town that had treated him so poorly. But it had only taken a month of working at the law firm to know that Molly would never tolerate such evilness. That the sweet and mild mannered young woman she had become would never fit into his new world. So he did what he thought he had to, he let her go. Stopped calling or writing. When he moved he didn't even leave a forwarding address. He cut his sunshine out of his life completely.
Now she was gone, and Lindsey had never felt so alone.
"Mr. McDonald, I am sorry. But I am a very busy woman and need to go. I had clothes for your daughter, but she set fire to them yesterday." Janice turned to leave.
"Wait where are you going?" Lindsey stepped in front of the social worker.
"I have a flight back to Oklahoma in a couple hours." Janice tried to skirt around the young lawyer.
"You don't understand, I can't take care of a little girl or boy for that matter. My lifestyle, my job has no place for something so innocent."
"Sacrifices Mr. McDonald, it's called sacrifices. It's what all parents have to learn. Have a good day and congratulations, you're a Daddy." Janice swept past Lindsey out the door. Leaving Lindsey shocked and bewildered in her wake.
"I gotta go potty." A little voice brought him back to earth.
Lindsey looked down at his small package not sure what to do. Sophie had her legs crossed, and was bouncing. "Huh?"
"Potty I have to go." She cried. Lindsey groaned knowing that the Gods were surely laughing at him now.