He looked at her then blinked a couple of time. "Excuse me. I am sorry, can you repeat that again"
"What?" she asked puzzled
"The part about me having a niece living in unsuitable conditions"
"Yes. Fifa Sinclair. Her birth certificate lists you as the father"
"What? No"
"Maybe we can take this someplace else?" | suggested.
"Of course. We can go to my office" she suggested and led us to her office.
When we were all settled she started
"Yes like I was saying. You are the primary guardian after her mother"
"You have got to be kidding me"
"I am sorry" cutting into the conversation. This made no sense at all.
"And who are you exactly" she eyed me warily
"I am his fiancée" I answered smoothly.
She nodded her head at me in understanding.
"Well, Emily is seen as an unfit mother having called child services at her home four times. She is clearly not fit to be raised by her. And neither are you if you are capable of leaving her in that environment"
"I am sorry but you have to understand that I did not know.
I was unaware" George explained. The woman had a look of pity on her face
"How old is she?" I asked her quietly. This was beyond and pretty low even for Emily.
"She turns three in a couple of months"
George was taking in deep breaths trying to calm himself. This must be so difficult for him.
"Where is she?"
"She is at the moment with a protective agent"
There was a moment of silence.
"Will you take her?" she asked him.
Without hesitating I answered for him "Yes, we'll take her"
"Very well. We will grant you temporary guardianship and sole custody" digging in her bag and grabbing some papers.
"If you'll just sign here and here"
George signed.
"Thank you. We will be sending an agent with her in a couple of hours and to check that the environment is safe for her"
"Very well" then we stepped out of the office.
After she was gone I saw the look of exhaustion on his face.
"I am done with her. I know Emily screws up but this, this takes the cake" he said to me.
"I am sorry for cutting you off like that. But I just had to say that we will take her, that poor child"
"Don't apologize" giving me a hug.
"I am now a daughter. I have a kid to take care of, can you believe it?"
"You are going to be a great father. You already are one"
"Thanks Di"
"And don't worry you have me"
"Excuse me for a second"
"George where are you going?" I called after him.
"To clean this mess up"
"George. George. George" I called after him
Should I follow him? Maybe he needs to be alone and sort this out himself. I made up my mind I am following him. I had to run up to catch up with him.
He threw the door open with a loud bang. I got in quickly and shut the door.
"When were you going to tell me that Emily had a child?" he demanded
His mother looked taken aback and then answered softly with a question.
"How did you find out?"
"Is that all you can say. But to answer your question, I don't know? Because child services just stopped me in the hallway to talk about a girl I had no idea about"
"George" his mother said softly.
"I was signed on her birth certificate as her father. Her father.
And you as my mother didn't think of telling me"
"George, this wasn't supposed to happen this way"
"Three years! Three years mom. Three years you guys have lied right in my face"
She remained quiet.
"Wait a minute. Is that why you insisted that she go away for a year to England?"
She kept silent
"How could vou? Are vou even supposed to be classified as a mother?"
"That is why we didn't tell you because we knew this how you'll react" she said desperately.
"That's a bunch of bull"
"Hey don't talk to your mother that way" his father snapped at him
"Be quiet Isaac."
"You were scared to tell me because you were scared of how I will react? When did I ever react and not help her, huh tell me?
When? When did I ever overreact and not bail her out from one mess or the other? Tell me mother? Her drinking, her drugs, her recklessness who bails her out but me"
She said nothing.
"No you didn't tell me because vou were scared of how l will react. No you just didn't tell me because you knew that I will force her to grow up and take responsibility for her actions"
"Okay George that is in the past. We can't change anything.
We have to concentrate on the future. George this can't keep happening"
"You're right" he agreed.
"What are we going to do?" she asked
"Well for one thing I am cancelling all of her credit cards"
"What?"
"You heard me. I am cancelling everything. I am cutting her off" he said firmly.
"Son I don't think that is the best solution for your sister"
"Like you would know what is best for her"
"George that is your father" his mother chastised.
"At this moment I don't care. Both of you spoil her rotten so much that she thinks that she is invincible. She is 24 for crying out loud. It is high time that she get her act together"
"George not so loud you'll wake her up" he asked angrily.
"Good then she can hear this. She is to make a budget of her necessities. And I repeat her necessities. Her necessities which don't include high class restaurants and clubs, spontaneous trips to Pluto and Venus or buying the sandals that Jesus Christ wore on earth.
Her necessities are her rent, her food, her clothes and her tuitions. Period"
"George" her mother gasped.
"Also she does not need a four bedroom penthouse suite. She can look for a new less pricey place or she can live with you"
"George, you can't mean that"
"Oh I do mean that" I have never seen George this dead serious before.
"George be reasonable now. She needs us more than ever especially with her condition" her mother tried to explain
"Yes she does. And I will be there. She is not going to starve or is she going to go naked."
"You can't cut her off. She is your sister for crying out loud" her mother screamed.
"And last time I checked I paid the bills not you. Besides I am not cutting her off. She will not starve nor will she ever go hungry. She will have enough money for groceries and for food. The days of her going to high class restaurants and clubs and flying out of the country are done"
"Diane, please tell him that Emily is a young girl and she needs her freedom. She made her mistakes
"Diane works mother. And even then she does not spend $200,000 on a shopping spree" Interrupting me before I could even speak.
"George I never thought you would be this selfish" his mother cried.
"And I never thought you would be this heartless to your own daughter. You are not helping her, mother. Be her mother, not her friend.
Then he turned his back to leave. "Oh and I almost forgot, I am taking custody of her daughter since I am her father" he spat angrily.
"And as her father, she is banned from coming anywhere near her till she gets help. And I mean real help. Oh and that also applies to you.
Again I chased after him. This time he headed straight for the car. Hopping in, I put on my seatbelt and took a deep breath.
Well that was eventful.
"You okay?" I asked him
"I will be. Do you think I was wrong?"
"Did you do out of malice?" I asked him.
"No"
"Then you're probably not wrong. Come on we have to get home and prepare your house for little Fifa"