| Chapter Two "You don't understand, I don't even know if she's mine." Lindsey hissed into the phone. "Sir do you have reason to believe that Miss. Logan lied about the paternity of her daughter?" The highly annoying voice replied from the other end of the phone. Lindsey looked at the little girl who was curled up asleep on the couch in his office. Had it been another woman he would definitely have some serious doubts. But not Molly. Rubbing his temples he let out a long breath. "No, I don't think that Mol- Miss Logan would lie. But I don't know anything about raising children." Lindsey was at his limit. He knew he wasn't cut out to do this. So far little Sophie had peed on him when he tried to rush her to the bathroom, colored on some very important contracts, and kicked Lilah in the shin. Lindsey lips tugged a little at that. The look on Lilah's face was priceless. "Sir there is another guardian mentioned if you were...unfit to be a parent. A Mr. Henry and Mrs. Judith McDonald. Any relation?" Lindsey felt his stomach lurch. Any relation? Just slightly since they were his parents. "Why?" Lindsey croaked. "It seems that Miss. Logan named Mr.-." Lindsey lost his patients. "No why would she name a second set of guardians? Why them?" Lindsey realized that he was slightly insulted that it would be assumed that he wouldn't be capable of being a parent. It was rare when two sets of guardians, and he knew that Molly had doubts of his abilities. Though he deserved it, it still hurt. She had named the two people he blamed for his sorry upbringing, to raise his child should he be unable to. "I really don't know Mr. McDonald. If you'd like I can contact them and let them know that-." "No, don't bother. No child should be raised by those two." Slamming down the phone he winced remembering that Sophie was asleep on the couch. Damn, damn and double damn. Molly had to have had a reason to have done what she did. She could hardly stand his parents, so why put them as back up guardians. "Mr. McDonald I'm going home for the evening. Was there anything else that you needed?" Lindsey looked up at his assistant Kelly. "You have kids right?" Lindsey questioned. Kelly nodded slightly. Everyone in the office knew about Lindsey's newly arrived daughter, and where other laughed she actually felt bad for him. "Yes, sir." "I have no idea where to start." Lindsey knew he sounded pathetic, but what else could he do? "Well, she'll need clothes, a roof over her head and love." Kelly answered honestly. Smiling at her employer she turned to leave. "I can do the clothing and roof part." Lindsey muttered, rubbing his temples. "Never been all that great at the loving part." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This is secretary abuse you know." Cordelia whined into the cell phone. "Why doesn't Wesley ever have to run to get office supplies?" Weaving in and out of the crowed mall, Cordelia headed to the office supply store. "He's researching the latest murder Delia, and I can't just jump onto my car in the middle of the day and rush off to the mall." Angel's voice was laced with amusement, that grated on her nerves. "It's *not* the middle of the day, it's just a little before sunset." She rolled her eyes. "What about Gunn? I know he wouldn't be consumed by a fiery death if he had to do this." Cordelia stopped and watched a little girl playing near one of the water fountains. She was a beautiful little thing. Her chestnut brown hair reached her shoulders, curling at the ends. She was leaning over trying to look into the water. Angel was saying something about Gunn and his others responsibilities, but she was only half listening. Looking around for the little girls parents she wondered why they would allow such a little thing be so close to the water without any supervision. Stupid irresponsible parents. Keeping an eye on the child Cordelia tried to listen to Angel list off what they needed, responding now and then. The little girl boosted herself up, using the toes of her shoes to get leverage. Almost to her goal a tiny foot slipped, scraping her knee. Cordelia gasped almost able to feel the pain, and waited for one of her parents to come at the sound of her tears. One...Two...Three... Cordelia counted to herself and headed to the rescue. "Angel I gotta go." Hanging up on her boss in mid-sentence, Cordelia hurried over the crying girl. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That comes to three hundred twenty-seven dollars and fifteen cents." The lady smiled over the counter at Lindsey as he stood in shock. "You are joking right? I only bought five outfits and pajamas for a four year old. There's hardly any material to them." The sales clerk stared blandly back at him, and Lindsey yanked a credit card from his wallet and handed it to the women. They had been in the mall for only an hour and so far he had spent over six hundred dollars on stuff he was told by smiling clerks that he just had to have. His head was throbbing, and all he wanted to do was go home and go to sleep. Sophie was constantly on the go. Besides the blissful half hour nap she took, she just went nonstop. He could barely get her out of one mess when she was on to another. She was stubborn, and refused to listen to a word he said. The sound of a crying child could be heard from the busy mall as Lindsey gathered Sophie's purchases. Looking around for her, he realized it had been some time since he had seen her last. Dread filled his entire body as he rushed around the store, looking under clothing racks, and in the dressing rooms. He was about to question the clerk that had helped him when an announcement came through the mall intercom. "Will the parents of a little girl by the name of Sophie please come to the customer service desk located in the middle of the mall?" Lindsey felt a flood of relief wash over him. Hurrying to the middle of the mall, he now knew why parents had leashes for their children. |
|
|