4: 4
The words were barely out before Drew wrenched the door open and stormed off, as if he were the one who'd been grievously wronged.
Sophia called after him a few times, then turned back to lay into me. "How could you think that about me and him? Don't you know how much I used to hate him? If it weren't for you I wouldn't want to see him for even a day. He helped out with Yoyo a few times and this is the fit you throw?"
"Wouldn't want to see him? Were you smiling when you said that? If you like him, fine, he's all yours. Better hurry and chase after him, earn some points, keep the safety net going for you and your daughter." I couldn't be bothered to explain anything more.
"You—" She was so furious she couldn't get a word out for a long moment, then spun around and went out too.
I packed up everything of mine in the apartment, threw out every single thing connected to Drew, and dragged my suitcase to the door.
On my way down, I saw Drew and Sophia standing a little way off.
Sophia sounded worried. "She really does seem angry. Maybe you should go back and smooth things over?"
Drew said, unbothered, "No need. I did all that on purpose for her benefit. Acting worn me out. Every time I get angry, she's back apologizing within three days, guaranteed."
"But she seemed to catch on to something. She won't find out about us, will she?"
"No chance. She didn't even know that time in the bathroom."
"And every time you came over right when Yoyo was about to cry from needing a diaper change, I'd change her and she'd stop crying right away. Lucy never noticed. She always thought Yoyo just took to me."
"When she's not around, I teach Yoyo to call me Daddy every single day. Yoyo does it right in front of her and she doesn't suspect a thing. She's easy to fool. It'd take a miracle for her to figure it out."
Sophia flushed at that and laughed, swatting him.
"I just want to be with you more."
A wave of nausea rose up in me, and all those little details came into sharper and sharper focus.
Last week Sophia said there was no hot water at her place and came over to shower.
Drew had been in the living room watching TV. I ran to the supermarket, and when I got back he was gone, then reappeared saying only that he'd stepped out for a cigarette.
And my niece only liked him, partly because they shared blood, and partly because it was an illusion the two of them had deliberately built.
After a moment Sophia went on. "But whenever I think about how you two are going to get married eventually, it makes me so sad."
Drew smiled and pinched her nose. "Silly. Aren't I marrying her for your sake anyway?"
"Once I marry Lucy, we won't have kids. Yoyo is the only child I need. She'll probably even think I'm being considerate of her."
"By then she'll have no choice but to treat Yoyo as her own. Lucy earns a lot. Everything she makes will go toward Yoyo, and this apartment we're living in is hers too. So you won't have to work hard at all."
Hearing that, Sophia threw her arms around Drew, happy, and he bent down and kissed her.
But what he didn't know was that I would never turn back, and I would never again be their cash cow to bleed dry.
