Keep Left

Chloe,

My love for you is infinitely beyond the galaxy. I am saddened to leave you this way but your father left me no choice. My time in Europe when I was stationed there I shared the night with a young woman who I never thought I’d see again. I didn’t see her again. It was the end of my term I was serving. I thought nothing of it until your father brought us home. She gave birth to my daughter. She looks just like me. My choice was to never see you again or lose the opportunity to be in my daughter’s life. I’ve already missed three years and I hope you understand why I chose her. Her name is Ava Wright. Isn’t that ironic? I know you will probably hate me, but I promise if I could have you both, and you wanted to share life with her as well, I’d choose you both. Please forgive me and know I love you forever. I hope one day we can meet again. If not, I understand. I wish you well my Chloe bug and if you ever find yourself in trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I hope this letter finds its way to you.

-Machen ( Van)

He had put Van so I would know he wrote it. He had a daughter! Ava. She had my fake ID’s name. I couldn’t blame him for choosing his daughter. I felt nauseous thinking about him proposing and it being the last time I would see him. I hated my dad more than ever for sending him away again. This was the third time. I drug myself out of bed and into the shower.

Once showered, I came down for breakfast. Olla was waiting for me. I was happy to see a familiar friendly face. She hugged me for the longest time and then motioned me over to a chair where she prepared a plate for me.

“Your have to eat more. You’re eating for two.”

“I’m not pregnant Olla.”

“I saw your scan from the doctor. I’ve had two kids of my own, so I know what an expecting mother looks like. You’ve slept for three days. Your father isn’t as evil as you think he is.”

“I’m pregnant!”

“Yes, Miss Chloe”

“I believe the scan said your two months and a few weeks.”

“That means I’m almost out of the first trimester. I’m not raising my baby here!”

“I figured you would say that. Your father is out until this afternoon. I’ve prepared your things for your departure. I may lose my job, but I promised your mother I would keep you safe.”

“I rarely ever heard you talk about my mom. How did you know her?”

“I stopped the doctor from giving you those meds to end your pregnancy. Your father took care of me when I was sick. Your mother was my daughter, but your father doesn’t know that. When Melody died, I came here to keep a watch on you. Before her death he wouldn’t allow her to bring you to me. I want you to be happy. So if you leave the mansion for good, so will I.”

“You’re my grandmother?”

“I am. You’re my only grandchild. My daughter only gave birth to you. My son, your uncle, he decided early on he didn’t want kids. We were happy when you were born, but Phix kept you from us. We didn’t have much, but it was more than enough for us. In Phix’s eyes we were nobodies. He was always rude and barely took the time to get to know his in laws. He didn’t even know what I looked like, so when I applied for this job, I used the things Ava told me he was looking for in a nanny. I didn’t mind being a maid as I got to see you and watch you grow. I would send Harmon videos of you and call him on FaceTime when you were sleeping.”

“I’ve always felt drawn to you and now I know why. When you went away on vacation two years ago for a family emergency, I was saddened that you had left without telling me yourself.”

“Your uncle Harmon had a car accident and I went to wait on him. He’s fine now.”

“I would love to meet him. But first I’m going to deal with my dad. You can come live with me, grandma. Or do you want me to call you Nana or something else?”

“Whatever you choose I would love”

“I’m going to call you, grandma”

I made an emergency appointment to see the doctor of my choosing. I had tried to phone Max, but neither his or his mom’s phone would connect me. I figured this was my dad’s doing. I used grandma’s phone to call and the same thing occurred. She accompanied me to my appointment. I used a strangers phone and I still couldn’t connect the call. They both had disappeared in the wind.

I pushed the thought out of my mind and became aware of the doctor in front of me. She had taken urine and blood samples.

“Miss Dunn you’re pregnant, about 10 weeks along. Once you come in for the works, we can have a better timeframe for you.”

“Yes ma’am, I would like to schedule an appointment for it.”

“Very well, see the desk clerk on your way out, she will help you.”

“I was taking birth control, will that hurt my baby?”

“No. You must’ve been ovulating during the week in between or you miscalculated when your next dose was.”

“I’ve went on time for the past two and a half years.”

“I see. Well, I will see you in 4 weeks.”

I left the office and went home. Daddy was waiting on me.

“Where have you been? How dare you take Olla out of the house when Miles may have needed her for something.

“She was mine first and I thought you wanted me to pretend I bumped my head. That everything is normal.”

“Princess-”

“Save it daddy. I’m not giving you one cent of the money mom left for me. I read over her last testimony and discovered unless I give you permission you had no right to access my funds. I want every dime you invested in your private matters back. I’m giving you a week’s notification. If you do not adhere to my request, my lawyer will be in contact with you.”

“Chloe, you act as if I stole from you. I took care of you when your mother died.”

“I’m your child, that’s what you were supposed to do. Furthermore, the account mom left for me could’ve paid for my expenses.”

“But you didn’t fork over not one dime. So the money I used for my private matters can be equivocated to such tendering.”

“Very well daddy. Then I want every dime you took out of the account for your presidential matters to be returned. You can’t have your cake and eat it too!”

“What right do you have to make such a request?”

“My unborn child!”

“What are you talking about, I took care of that. You will not be giving birth to the help’s baby. Next time keep your legs closed!”

“The help fathered my child. He also has taken care of me for years. You sent him away three times and now he’s gone for good. I can’t contact him. I’m 18 now daddy, so I don’t need your permission for anything. I didn’t need it before, but I stroked your ego. I want nothing to do with you from this point forward. I only came back to speak to Miles and gather Olla’s things. She is resigning, effective immediately.”

“Chloe, don’t force my hands. I just got you back!”

“You never had me to start with! Do not contact me for anything. Don’t send your security team after me. I want you to leave me alone. I have cleared your debt as my final decree as your daughter, but from this point on there will be no contact. Do you understand daddy?”

“Chloe, what did I do that caused you to feel this way about me?”

“You neglected the fact you had a daughter. You came home with a son who’s the exact age of the time mom has been gone. You put your rise in the political world above your home life. You pushed me off on bodyguards and maids and forced me to look after your son you conceived before mom died. Where would you like to start, daddy?”

“Chloe, I tried”

“That’s a poor excuse and you know it.”

“Eva and I were in love, but I loved your mom too.”

“That’s why you had her murdered?”

“I did no such thing. Chloe, I’m sorry I wasn’t around more-”

“I don’t want your apology. I was talking to Eva.”

He turned to see Eva standing behind him. She looked as if she had just been caught. She cleared her throat and spoke.

“Chloe, I had nothing to do with your mom’s accident.”

“Lies! I have the proof that you did, but it would also mean dragging my dad down with you. So I’m going to leave you both in peace and I ask you do the same.”

“Chloe, I need the money your mom left you to continue my bid for re-election. I’ve promised a lot of people-”

“That sounds like your problem. Yet you enjoy meddling in my private life. I’m leaving and never coming back. If you bother me in any way, I’ll let the press have a field day with your secrets. It’s not a threat but a promise.”

“Chloe, your father and I only wanted the best for you. I knew you would be angry with me about all the kids.”

“Ha! You’re a joke lady. Who you trying to impress? There’s no cameras here. Anyways, I’m done talking. I don’t want anything, I’ll buy what I need.”

With that I left. Grandma Olla has gathered her few things. I bought us tickets to Tuscaloosa and we flew back to my home there. Olla took the room that Lena occupied. She made it her own and it took some time for her to realize she didn’t have to work here. She told me about my mother as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months.

I tried to reach out to Max, but the line has been disconnected. I had no other detail for him. I learned at the end of my fourth month I was having a baby boy. Grandma threw me a baby shower and all of the family I hadn’t met came and showered me with love.

Before I knew it, I was giving birth to my son. Grandma stayed with me the entire time. He was 8 pounds of handsome. I named him Yanis. I was in love the moment the doctor laid him on my chest. He took to breast feeding right away and I was helped with his feedings.

Grandma snapped our photo and I had it framed. We went home the next day and my life began with my son. He was a great baby. He only cried when he was hungry. I learned as I went, but I’ve always liked a challenge.

Time went just as quick out of the womb as it did when he was still growing in my belly. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. The months eventually turned into years. I used my contacts to do a search for Max and his mom, but they were no where to be found. Completely gone.

My heart felt aggrieved when I found out. I poured all of my love into Yanis that I had for his dad and Nana. My dad somehow found out I gave birth to Yanis, three years after his birth, but I declined him meeting my son he tried to kill. Eva pleaded with me through social media, but I deactivated all my accounts. They wanted to be a family now that I wanted nothing to do with either of them.

I was excited being a mom. Being a private contractor allowed me to bring my son with me. Grandma would watch him most of the time, but I told her I didn’t want to put him off on her just because I was working. She of course told me that getting to watch her great grand was more than enough to fill her time. Otherwise, she had nothing to do all day, since I wouldn’t let her be my maid. I told her she was retired the moment we walked out of daddy’s mansion. We laugh about it every now and then.