“Can I come out now?”
My heart felt like it was breaking. “No, honey. Not yet. I just wanted to check on you and let you know I really appreciate you being such a good girl. If you need anything, just yell for me, okay?”
Her tone was morose. “Okay.”
I fucking hate this.
A few seconds after I returned to the living room, the front door opened and Colby walked in—with Maya. As much as I hated having to see her, I breathed out a sigh of relief.
Maya promptly put her arm around him. And now I felt like I was going to be sick.
“What’s going on here? Can I help you?” Colby asked the guy, playing dumb.
I answered before Richard could get the words out. “Mr. Lennon, this is Officer Richard Weber with Immigration? I told him he could wait here for you guys.”
“I’m just here for a routine visit,” the officer said. “I was hoping we could talk for a bit.”
“Of course.” Maya put on her best fake smile. She then turned to me. “How’s Saylor feeling?”
“She’s still not feeling great. But no worse than when you left.”
She pouted. “Poor baby.”
I shot quick daggers at Maya. Hopefully the man didn’t notice.
“Where were you two coming from?” he asked them.
“We just had a little mommy-and-daddy time,” Colby answered. He looked over at me. “Since she was nice enough to babysit for us.”
“We went to a movie and lunch,” Maya added.
Richard tilted his head curiously. “What movie did you see?”
“The new Tom Cruise one,” she said.
“Ah, yes. I saw it last weekend. It was very good.” He turned to Colby. “What was your favorite part?”
Colby scratched his chin. “That’s a tough one. I really like the whole dynamic between Goose’s son, Rooster, and Maverick.”
“Oh yeah. I loved that whole plotline.” He smiled, seeming to buy it.
Maya clung to Colby tighter. “We don’t get to the movies very often, so it was nice.”
My blood felt ready to boil.
“I have a ten-year-old, so I can relate to the need to get out.” Richard nodded.
Colby must have noticed my eyes fixed on Maya’s arm around him. I suspected he wanted to put me out of my misery. “Do you mind looking after Saylor while we talk to Officer Weber in private?” he asked me.
“Of course not.” I thumbed back toward her bedroom. “I’ll just go join her.”
I went back to Saylor’s room and found her still at the table she’d set up.
“I’m back, honey. Thank you for being such a good girl.”
“I heard Daddy. I wanted to run out to see him, but you told me to stay in here.”
“Yes!” I smiled. “Thank you for listening. It’s Daddy’s turn to talk to the man now. And as soon as he’s done, we can both go back out there. But the good news is, I’m done talking to the man and can play tea party with you now.”
As I sat down with Saylor and began pretending to drink some of the imaginary tea, I tried to make out what they were saying behind the door in the living area, but it was all faint and jumbled.
“Is there a lady out there, too?” Saylor asked.
Crap. “Yes. She’s an associate of Daddy’s who also came to talk to the man.”
“What’s her name?”
Hesitating, I answered, “Maya.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
I cringed. “Yeah, it is.” It was unsettling to appear jovial around Saylor when that bullshit was happening in the next room.
A few minutes later, the door burst open. “How’s my baby?” Colby headed straight to Saylor. It was like he couldn’t get to her fast enough.
“Daddy!” She ran to him.
Colby looked exhausted as he glanced at me and murmured, “He’s gone.”
He knelt and pulled her into a tight hug. “Were you the best girl ever while we were out there talking? Thank you so much, sweetheart.”
“I was, Daddy. Can I have orange chicken now?”
His shoulders sank. “Baby, I didn’t have a chance to pick up the food after all. I’m so sorry. But how about I make you your favorite homemade cheesy macaroni? You haven’t had that in a while.”
Her eyes lit up. “Okay.”
He stood up and whispered in my ear. “Maya insists on saying hello to her. I didn’t want to make a scene. I’m too damn spent. She promises to leave right after.”
Ugh. She’s still here? I let out a long sigh. “Okay.”
“You wanna come say hello to someone, Saylor?”
“Is it Maya?” she asked.
He looked to me, confused.
“Saylor heard a woman’s voice and had asked me who was talking. I told her she was an associate of yours named Maya.”
He nodded and looked down at Saylor. “Yes. Her name is Maya.” He exhaled. “Let’s go say hello.”
Saylor followed him out. “Okay.”
Maya was sitting on the couch. She stood up as soon as she saw Saylor enter the room.
Saylor was the first to speak. “Hi, Maya.”