“Well, as I said on the phone, I’m concerned about Francesca’s constant presence in Evander’s home. He hired a nanny for Francesca without consulting me and he’s also fucking the bitch in my house.”
“Woah, okay time out. We’re going to refrain from using language like that.” Mrs. Reyes held up her hand and shook her head.
“Well, it’s true.”
“Evander, did you start a relationship with your daughter’s nanny?” The mediator asked.
I wanted to explain that Xari wasn’t just Frankie’s nanny. She was more. She’d always been more. I knew she would be the second she walked into my office for her interview.
I saw the fire in her eyes, and she had the attitude to match. She was more than designer labels and a gorgeous face though. She was pure and good. I couldn’t say that about a lot of people. Hell, I couldn’t say it about my father or the mother of my child but I could say it about Xari. She was a good person.
I couldn’t tell the mediator all of that so instead, I said, “Yes. I’m in a relationship with Frankie’s nanny.” She lifted an eyebrow then nodded.
“See? He’s not even trying to hide it!” Alexis tossed her hand in the air, disgusted with me.
“If he hid it, things would be worse,” Mrs. Reyes said.
“Why would I hide it?” I frowned at Alexis.
“You should be ashamed. She’s supposed to be there for Francesca. Not for you to stick your dick in.”
“Alexis,” Mrs. Reyes warned.
“I’m sorry. It just upsets me that he has this woman around my child. I’ve never liked her. This is all so inappropriate. You know they had sex right in front of Francesca’s face?”
“That’s a motherfucking lie,” I blurted. “Excuse my language, I’m sorry.”
“What’s the true story, Mr. Freeman?”
“Wait why didn’t you reprimand him the way you did with me?” Alexis pouted. She looked so much like Frankie when she made that face.
“Let’s continue. Evander, your ex-wife’s concerns are valid. Has Francesca seen anything inappropriate between you and her nanny?”
“Well,” I sighed. “It was unintentional. She walked in on us before we had a chance to tell her what was going on.” I hated reliving that moment. Frankie looked so hurt. It was hard to believe three weeks had flown by since then. Frankie still got creeped out by seeing Xari and me hold hands or kiss but she was coming around nicely.
“Was it a one-time incident?”
“Yeah, of course. We all talked about it and she’s fine now. Actually, Frankie and Xari are in the neighborhood grabbing lunch. If it helps this session any, I can have Xari bring her over.”
“That would be helpful. Don’t you agree, Miss Freeman? That way we can hear Frankie’s side of things.” She told me to call Frankie, so I did. I asked Xari to bring her over then went back to the session.
“Mr. Freeman, you have to understand that having a new significant other can be jarring for children. This is especially true when your significant other is someone they see every day in another light.”
“I get that, Mrs. Reyes. I do. That’s why we talked about it. Frankie sat down with me and Xari and had a conversation about our relationship. Nothing is going to change. I also apologized for her having to see something not meant for her eyes. I fail to understand why Alexis is bringing me in here just because I’m in a relationship.”
I furled my brows together and stared across the table, waiting for a response from Alexis. She pressed her lips into a thin line then cleared her throat. I’m sure it took a lot to dig down deep and find a lie to spew out.
“Francesca doesn’t need to be exposed to your flings. She needs to be back with me. In my house. I want to get the lawyers involved.”
“Fuck no.” Another outburst thanks to me. I apologized and Mrs. Reyes eyed me cautiously. “That’s not what we need. Frankie is settled with me and Xari. She’s fine.”
“She called me to come get her because she didn’t feel loved. You’re freezing her out to spend time with your little girlfriend,” she snarled.
“She called you because she was upset after she walked in on something I had no intention of her seeing. She’s been over it for weeks now, Alexis. Let it go.”
“I’m going to speak now,” Mrs. Reyes said, holding her hand up, signaling for us to be quiet. “It seems there have been some errors in judgment but, Alexis, I don’t think it warrants bringing the lawyers in and changing the custody ruling. Currently, you both have shared custody with Mr. Freeman having full custody. You see your daughter regularly, right?”
“Yes. I see her every other weekend.”
“Have you noticed any bruises, signs of neglect, or noticeable change in attitude?”
I wanted to hear what she was going to say. It wasn’t uncommon for Alexis to pull shit out of thin air and run with it.
After a few long beats, she tipped her nose in the air and folded her arms across her chest. “No,” she admitted quietly.
“Has she expressed a desire to live with you?” Right on cue, Frankie walked in. I caught a sliver of Xari’s body through the crack in the door before she was gone. Just that fast, my legs wanted to carry me to her.
I stood to hug Frankie and kiss her cheek while Alexis opted for air kisses. Frankie sat down beside me and plopped her small bag of snacks on the table before smiling. After all the pleasantries, Mrs. Reyes dug into the meat of things.
“So, can you tell me how your father being in a relationship with your nanny has affected you?” Her voice was pleasant and kind toward Frankie.
“Um…I don’t know. Once I saw Xari was still my bestie and Daddy wasn’t being weird about it I was fine. I don’t care that much.” She gave a simple shrug and peered into the target bag on the table full of candy and a bag of chips.
“Baby, you said you felt unloved.” Alexis stroked Frankie’s arm and fluttered her lashes trying to convey a quiet message.
“When I found out…yeah. I felt a lot of things but I’m okay now, Mom. I like it where I’m at. I know that’s why you made this appointment. You want me to live with you.” Frankie’s full lips twitched with a frown.
“I want to make sure you’re not being exposed to inappropriate things at your father’s house.”
“You know I’m not. I walked in on them one time and that was it. It was a mistake. I was angry at first but I’m not anymore.” She shook her head and studied the wood grain pattern on the table. “I’m fine with Daddy and Xari. I’m glad they’re together because now, Dad is so happy. I don’t want to live with you and I want you to please stop being so mean to Xari.”
Frankie finally lifted her warm brown eyes and looked at her mother. Nobody else in the room spoke because what Frankie said was poignant enough on its own. I almost felt bad for Alexis. Almost.
“Well, I think Frankie is very apt at speaking for herself,” Mrs. Reyes said with a smile. “Did you both hear what she had to say?”
“I did,” I smiled. Pride puffed my chest out. Frankie was coming into her own. I knew who she was would shift and change as she got older but right now, she was more confident than I’d ever seen her.