escape the
questions that invaded my head about what this meant. Would he take my
daughters away? How did this man find me and my babies?
“What are you doing here?” I managed to find my
voice. Standing up, Andriano turned slowly around to face me. His ferocious
eyebrows pulled down together, intensifying his hard glaring grey eyes. The
tension seized control over every muscle on his face.
Just then, Acelia did the unthinkable; her arms
reached up for Andriano to pick her up. Shocked by her forwardness, I observed
the softness that replaced the colorful rage that was painted all over his
face. Typically, Acelia’s coyness caused her to be apprehensive when meeting
someone new. But, somehow, this was not the case with her father. Enveloped in
his massive arms and broad shoulders, she laid her head against his shoulder as
if he brought comfort to her.
“Put my daughter down right now,” I all but
shouted as I took the final two steps down the stairs. Making a quick dash to
Andriano, I wanted to grab Acelia off of him. But, I stopped myself the moment I
saw my daughters. Trying not to alarm them, I tried to remain calm, almost
passive, as I stood before him.
“No,” he scowled as his low deathly tone marked
the whole room to become silent.
“What’s going on?” asked my mother timidly a few
minutes later. Her voice seemed to drown in the sea of tension that
overshadowed the room.
Ignoring her question, Andriano’s glowering grey
eyes remained fixed on me. “Why?” he asked. An echo of silence circulated the
room, as Andriano’s overpowering body seemed to bloat with anger.
“Put my daughter down now," I said through
pursed lips as I shot thunderous stares at him. His lips became thin as his
cheekbones twitched with fury. Hearing the doorbell ring snapped both of us out
of our heated staredown.
“Delivery,” announced the teenager holding a bag
of Chinese food in his hands. Walking to the door, Andriano balanced Acelia in
his arms like she was as light as the air. Pulling out a wad of cash, Andriano
removed the money clip and shuffled through the bills.
“How much?” he asked.
“$20.83, sir.” The teen stammered as he rubbed
his palm down the length of his jeans.
Grabbing the money off of the console table,
I dashed to the door and said, “You think that you can pay for everything. When
are you going to realize that your money cannot solve all of her problems?”
Sensing more meaning behind my statement, Andriano’s
face tightened as his facial muscles flexed. Brushing past my hand, Andriano
gave the teenager a crisp $100 dollar bill. “Keep the change,” he spat out
before slamming the door. Glaring back at me, Andriano did nothing to hide his
anger. The feeling is mutual jackass, I thought as I matched his stare.
“Mommy, I don’t want Chinese food,” said Olivia.
Softening his stance, Andriano turned
towards Olivia and asked, “What would you like to eat?”
“She’ll eat what we ordered,” I snapped.
Snatching the bag of food from his hand, I looked at Acelia, Jasmine, and
Olivia. “Girls, go wash your hands.”
Dropping Acelia to her feet, Andriano’s
steely eyes softened as he watched the girls run towards the bathroom.
“Mom, can you please make their plates?” I
asked. Taking the bag of food from my hands, my mom’s eyes lingered between
Andriano and I before walking away.
Crossing my arms against my chest, I said,
“What the hell are you doing here?” Between the both of us, eminence hung
closely to the air as he blocked the remaining space between us.
Taking a step back, Andriano began flexing
all parts of his upper body. Minutes passed before Andriano finally spoke. “You
kept my daughters away from me.” Nodding his head,
questions that invaded my head about what this meant. Would he take my
daughters away? How did this man find me and my babies?
“What are you doing here?” I managed to find my
voice. Standing up, Andriano turned slowly around to face me. His ferocious
eyebrows pulled down together, intensifying his hard glaring grey eyes. The
tension seized control over every muscle on his face.
Just then, Acelia did the unthinkable; her arms
reached up for Andriano to pick her up. Shocked by her forwardness, I observed
the softness that replaced the colorful rage that was painted all over his
face. Typically, Acelia’s coyness caused her to be apprehensive when meeting
someone new. But, somehow, this was not the case with her father. Enveloped in
his massive arms and broad shoulders, she laid her head against his shoulder as
if he brought comfort to her.
“Put my daughter down right now,” I all but
shouted as I took the final two steps down the stairs. Making a quick dash to
Andriano, I wanted to grab Acelia off of him. But, I stopped myself the moment I
saw my daughters. Trying not to alarm them, I tried to remain calm, almost
passive, as I stood before him.
“No,” he scowled as his low deathly tone marked
the whole room to become silent.
“What’s going on?” asked my mother timidly a few
minutes later. Her voice seemed to drown in the sea of tension that
overshadowed the room.
Ignoring her question, Andriano’s glowering grey
eyes remained fixed on me. “Why?” he asked. An echo of silence circulated the
room, as Andriano’s overpowering body seemed to bloat with anger.
“Put my daughter down now," I said through
pursed lips as I shot thunderous stares at him. His lips became thin as his
cheekbones twitched with fury. Hearing the doorbell ring snapped both of us out
of our heated staredown.
“Delivery,” announced the teenager holding a bag
of Chinese food in his hands. Walking to the door, Andriano balanced Acelia in
his arms like she was as light as the air. Pulling out a wad of cash, Andriano
removed the money clip and shuffled through the bills.
“How much?” he asked.
“$20.83, sir.” The teen stammered as he rubbed
his palm down the length of his jeans.
Grabbing the money off of the console table,
I dashed to the door and said, “You think that you can pay for everything. When
are you going to realize that your money cannot solve all of her problems?”
Sensing more meaning behind my statement, Andriano’s
face tightened as his facial muscles flexed. Brushing past my hand, Andriano
gave the teenager a crisp $100 dollar bill. “Keep the change,” he spat out
before slamming the door. Glaring back at me, Andriano did nothing to hide his
anger. The feeling is mutual jackass, I thought as I matched his stare.
“Mommy, I don’t want Chinese food,” said Olivia.
Softening his stance, Andriano turned
towards Olivia and asked, “What would you like to eat?”
“She’ll eat what we ordered,” I snapped.
Snatching the bag of food from his hand, I looked at Acelia, Jasmine, and
Olivia. “Girls, go wash your hands.”
Dropping Acelia to her feet, Andriano’s
steely eyes softened as he watched the girls run towards the bathroom.
“Mom, can you please make their plates?” I
asked. Taking the bag of food from my hands, my mom’s eyes lingered between
Andriano and I before walking away.
Crossing my arms against my chest, I said,
“What the hell are you doing here?” Between the both of us, eminence hung
closely to the air as he blocked the remaining space between us.
Taking a step back, Andriano began flexing
all parts of his upper body. Minutes passed before Andriano finally spoke. “You
kept my daughters away from me.” Nodding his head,
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