The Parent Trap

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chase Jacobs

POV

Amelia was smiling.

That alone scared me. The woman didn’t smile unless there were cameras.

She stood in the middle of a sunlit room, hair perfectly styled, white dress clinging to her like something out of a magazine spread. Though the woman dressed for a front page of a magazine daily. Cameras flashed around her, voices calling her name, the air thick with perfume and praise. The smell of perfume that gets stuck in your nose for the entire day even though that person was out of the room.

"Hold her closer," someone said. "Yes, like that."

Amelia adjusted the baby in her arms without really looking at her. Stella smaller, quieter, eyes too serious for an infant.

The look in her eyes scared me. My daughter wasn’t some prop for her to sell. It was the one thing I didn’t want for Stella. I didn’t want her to be photographed by the media. I didn’t want her in the headlines.

"Smile," Amelia whispered through clenched teeth. "Do you know how much this shot is worth?"

I couldn’t take it anymore so I stepped forward. "That’s enough." I say reaching for Stella.

Amelia turned away from me slowly, her smile never faltering. "You’re overreacting."

My voice strained trying to keep my temper from flaring at Amelia in front of these cameras. "She’s crying," I say. "She needs—"

"She needs to learn," Amelia interrupted coolly. "This is how the world works."

The cameras closed in. Stella’s cries grew sharper, more desperate.

My heart ached at my daughter’s cries. I reached for once again.

Amelia pulled back again.

"You can’t keep her from me," she said, her voice suddenly sharp as glass. "I gave up everything for this family."

"You didn’t give up anything, you got exactly what you wanted. You wanted the image." Chase shot back. "Not be an actual parent for Stella." Not once has Amelia ever done anything for Stella when cameras weren’t involved.

Amelia’s smile cracked.

"You don’t get to judge me," she hissed. "Not when you still dream about the woman who left you with a baby and a DNA test."

Grabbing Stella from her the room suddenly went dark, Stella’s calling me sounded distant and scared.

"Daddy!"

Stella!" I shouted.

When she wasn’t in my arms panic started to rise in me.

"Stella!" I shouted.

Amelia’s voice echoed. "She ran because she didn’t want her." Stella was in her arms and the smile on her face sent shivers down my spine.

I jolted awake.

"Daddy!" Stella’s voice sounded desperate.

A small body landed on my chest with surprisingly heavy force, knocking the breath from my lungs.

"Daddy, wake up!"

I gasped, my heart pounding, my hands flying up automatically to steady Stella as she climbed over me. I let out a sigh.

Thank God that was a dream...

"Hey—hey," I say hoarsely. "I’m awake." I pull her into my arms. I was glad she was okay.

Stella planted her tiny hands on either side of my face, green eyes identical to my own wide and serious. "You promised."

The words cut through the sleepy fog instantly.

"I know," I say nodding. I knew what she was asking for, or rather who... "I remember."

"I wanna see Miss Carly," she said. "Now."

I glanced at the clock on my bookshelf across the room. It wasn’t even seven yet... Goodness Stella. freēwēbnovel.com

"She’s probably still sleeping Stella." I tried to remind her. Like we should be asleep right now. Stella wouldn’t go back to sleep and I knew that. I didn’t even try to change her mind.

Stella shook her head fiercely, her dark curls bouncing. "No. She said tomorrow. It’s tomorrow."

I almost smiled.

Almost. I didn’t want to encourage her behaviour. She wouldn’t always get her way and I wanted to teach her how to be patient. It was hard to discipline Stella. She was always so cute and her smile lights up my entire world. I never want her to stop smiling. I never want to dim her brightness, her sunshine personality.

She crawled off the bed and crossed her arms, waiting.

I sat up, rubbing my left hand over my face. Amelia’s voice still echoed faintly in my head, like a broken record. I had no idea what happened to Stella’s mother or why she left Stella with me without a word. If she was after my money like my father thought why hasn’t she appeared in my life.

Carter thought she was in trouble and that’s why she left Stella without a word. That scared me even more, was she in legal trouble? The thought of her running from the police and Stella being dragged into this...

"She’s not going to leave, right?" Stella asked quietly.

The uncertainty and fear in her voice had my chest tightening. "Who?"

"Carly," Stella whispered. "She didn’t leave me did she?"

I reached for her, pulling my daughter into my arms. "No sunshine." I said firmly. "She didn’t leave you she just went home to pack her things and get ready for seeing you today..." I reassured her

Stella’s little body relaxed against me, nodding her tiny little head against my chest once, as if confirming something she’d already decided. Carly was becoming Stella’s favourite person.

"Can she have breakfast with us?" she asked softly.

I sighed, already losing to my daughter, she had my wrapped around her little finger. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"I’ll call her..." he said.

Stella pulled away from me smiling at me triumphantly. She hopped off the bed. "Good. I’ll get dressed."

She disappeared down the hallway, humming.

I sat on my bed for a long time staring at the door she just ran through, realizing I’ve been played be a four year old. Stella didn’t learn that from me. It made me wonder what Stella’s mother was like. I remember bits and pieces of the night I got drunk out of my mind. I didn’t remember her mother’s face but I remembered feeling free, she had no idea who I was, she didn’t approach me with any ulterior motive other than getting me drunk and sleeping with me. And well that led to Stella’s birth... I have no idea if she planned to get pregnant with Stella. Do I hate her for abandoning Stella? A little yes. She abandoned Stella like she was nothing. She never even left a note explaining why.

Yet something about Carly grated on me. I had no idea why my daughter trusted and loved Carly so much. I didn’t know why thought of calling her didn’t feel intrusive, why she gave me a sense that I could trust her when I didn’t know her from kingdom come.

I reached for my phone, and one thing became painfully clear to me, whatever began last night wasn’t finished. And the dream of Amelia made if very clear that he had so much to fight for.

====

Carly Lewis

POV

I woke up before my alarm, staring at a ceiling I still didn’t fully recognize as mine.

That happens way more than I care to admit.

Mornings were the worst. I’d lose my bearings and get confused by my surroundings. The doctor told me, it could be that I’d dream about my life before and forget about it when I wake up and it causes my confusion.

For a few quiet seconds, I was no one, no past, no name, no weight pressing on my chest. Then reality rushed back in, heavy and unavoidable.

I would lay there remembering the little things about myself.

My name - Carly Lewis.

My age - Twenty four

My job - Bar job.

My likes and dislikes didn’t hold much memory.

I could have been a serial killer before and I wouldn’t know because my messed up mind didn’t hold any memories before the last five/four years.

I exhaled slowly, rubbing my palms together like I could warm my cold shell of a person. I wanted to know who I was. I wanted to know something deeper than my skin.

My phone rang.

I flinched hard enough that I fell off my bed. I didn’t why the sound scared me so much. I reach for my phone seeing Chase Jacobs on the screen.

"Hello?" I answer unsure as to why he’s contacting me so early in the morning... Is it early in the morning?

"Hi. It’s Chase Jacobs." He says softly.

"Is Stella okay?" I asked immediately.

"Yes," he said. "She’s... My daughter is insisting on seeing you."

I smiled before I could stop myself. The image of her asking her father for me shows in my mind and it warms my heart in a way nothing else had. "Insisting."

"She says today is tomorrow," he added. "And that we promised."

Warmth spread through my chest, slow and dangerous. "I can come by," I said. "If that’s okay."

He’s quiet. I wasn’t sure if he was hesitating or considering having me over. Was he regretting having me move in with them? taking care of his daughter?

"She was hoping you’d have breakfast with us." he says after my small internal panic.

"With you?" I repeated, suddenly very aware I was still on the tiled floor, hair tangled, apartment cold. He couldn’t see me but I felt self-conscious. A part of me feels like Chase Jacobs could see right through me. Like he saw more than my messed up hair.

I remind myself I took this job because meeting Stella I remembered something. Not that I could remember it again after he migraine that followed.

"With Stella and I of course. If you’re comfortable with it. I’ll tell her if you not. You could come after breakfast."

I thought of Stella’s arms locked around my neck. Of her voice shaking when she’d begged me not to leave.

"I’ll be there." I said.

It took me an hour to get ready. I spent a half an hour on the phone with my boss at the bar. Explaining how I got a job and couldn’t come in tonight...

By the time I got to the estate that belonged to Mr. Jacobs, I was in awe. I wondered how much it would cost me to own an estate like this. It reminded me of a complex there were other houses, and I needed to get in a car to get to Mr. Jacobs house. Not that I’d call this a house. It was a mansion. A huge mansion.

The driver opened the car door for me and showed me to the door.

Stella opened the door before Mr. Jacobs could.

"Miss Carly!"

She threw herself at me like she’d been holding that energy in all night. I laughed, startled, automatically bending down to catch her as she wrapped her arms around me.

"Good morning." I said softly.

She pressed her face into my neck. "I knew you’d come."

Behind her, Mr. Jacobs watched us still, quiet, like he didn’t quite trust the moment.

"I did promise you, you would see me." I said.

She pulled back to inspect my face seriously. "You didn’t lie."

Something twisted painfully in my chest. I felt like I did. I lied quite a bit and it sent shivers down my spine. What type of life did I live before I woke up in that hospital bed? Did I lie often?

"Breakfast," Stella announced, grabbing my hand and dragging me inside. "Daddy makes eggs. I don’t like them. You can have mine."

"That’s very generous," I said, shooting Mr. Jacobs a look as I passed him.

He gave a helpless shrug. "I’m not a chef."

The kitchen was warm and bright. Lived-in. Real. I realized I’d been holding my breath and forced myself to let it out.

Stella told me where to sit. Mr. Jacobs poured me coffee without asking how I took it.

I noticed. Did he know? How much did he know?

I stare at the coffee like it offended me. Did I like my coffee black? With Milk? Sugar?

Stella talked nonstop about school, her favourite stuffed animal, the bad dream she’d had. I listened, really listened, answering easily. When it came to questions about me, I’d pause. I didn’t know most of the things she wanted to know.

At some point, she reached across the table and took my hand, holding it like it belonged there. I froze and stared our connected hands.

"It’s okay Miss Carly. If you don’t know how to play redbot. I can teach you..." she says sincerely.

She placed her father’s hand on mine.

Mr. Jacobs froze.

I felt it then the weight of what I was doing. How close I was getting. How fast.

I cleared my throat. "Stella." I said gently. "Your daddy might need his hand."

She shook her head. "He has two."

Mr. Jacobs let out a snort before taking his hand away from my hand.

Stella went to another list of things she loved, she spoke fondly of her father, her grandfather and uncle. It had me wondering about her mother. Where was she? Why wasn’t she having breakfast with her daughter and Mr. Jacobs?

Mr. Jacobs and I made eye contact and I don’t know how to explain it. Something quiet passing between us. This wasn’t a date. This wasn’t a plan.

Was I attracted to Mr. Jacobs? Was he the type of guy I would normally go for? I didn’t know I had a type.

I look at Mr. Jacobs... He was attractive, those eyes. Something about them felt familiar.

Have we met before? Did I know him in the past? Or someone in the past who shared the same eyes.

When breakfast ended, Stella wrapped herself around me again. "You’re coming back tomorrow right?" she asks.

I looked at Mr. Jacobs. We hadn’t spoken about the terms of my employment in detail.

He hesitated, then nodded. "We need to discuss the terms of your contract..." he says handing me paperwork.

I swallowed. Taking it from him.

Stella grinned, satisfied.

And just like that over coffee and uneaten eggs I became something I hadn’t been looking for.

Someone Stella refused to let go of.

I read the paperwork and realized how much he had given me. What surprised me most was how much I understood. I’ve realized something about myself when I started nursing school. I comprehended texts well. My marks in school didn’t make sense.

How bad was my accident for me to forget a whole chunk of my life. Did I want to remember?