"You don't just fall out of love Aubrey.  Not over night!  Not after five years!" I yelled at her over the kitchen counter.  I can't believe she's trying to lie to me about it!

We stood on opposite sides of the island, almost like I do with Gwen when we're playing.

"Fine.  I don't know if I've loved you for a while now," I watched her grin and for the first time ever, I wanted to reach out and smack the grin off of her face.

I took a deep, calming breath.  I was not going to hit her.  I needed to keep my temper in check.  It would all be fine.  I'd ask her to leave, and we'd be rid of her.  Sort of.

"So you've just been here for what?  My money?  The big house?  Because I know you've been going elsewhere for sex."

"Oh please, you can't tell me that you haven't been getting if from someone else, too."

"I'm not a cheater," I simply told her.  I don't think she was expecting that.  I'm sure she believed I was sleeping with other women.  Newsflash, sex isn't all there is.  Even if I was looking for a hook-up, my time was spent with my daughter and the Boys.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" I watched her cock her head to the side and she leaned on her hands over the counter, "I know you've been sleeping with my sister."

Whoa, what?  Where the hell did that come from?

"Ashlynn?  I...I'm not going to even dignify that with an answer."

"I know you love her.  It's obvious!" she smacked her palm against my counter.

"I think you should pack your things and leave."

"That's fine, I'll pack Gwen and myself up and we'll be out of your hair."

Did she honestly think I was going to let her take my daughter out of this house?  Was she crazy?  Oh right, she is.

"Gwen is not going anywhere with you," I pointed at her.  Had the island not been between us my finger would have jabbed her hard in the chest.

"Well I'm not leaving my daughter here," Audrey spat.

"You don't even have a place to live!  You can't drag a three year old around from house to house."

"We'll find a place.  It won't be difficult."

"So you can have a different guy traipsing through the house every other day?  Children need consistency, Audrey."

"Oh and bringing the little brat on a tour bus is consistent?" she started for the stairs, and I followed close behind.

"You don't even like her!" I was completely exasperated.  I knew that the only reason she wanted Gwen was to spite me, "Coming with me on a tour bus is completely different.  Granted it's not the most consistent, but she's surrounded by people she knows and loves, and who know and love her."

I watched her grab her belongings out of dresser drawers and the closet, stuffing suitcases.

"That's a load of bullshit.  Besides, she knows and loves me."

"She only loves you because she's a child and she doesn't know any better," I growled at her.  I could tell that one stung, and I put a check in my column.

"There is no way I'm leaving her with you," she walked out of the room we'd been sharing and down the hall to Gwen's room.

I was right on her heels, "That's tough.  She's not going with you."

I watched her stop packing Gwen's things and she looked up at me, "I didn't want it to be this way, but I guess you should know...you have no chance of getting that kid."

"That kid is our daughter.  I have been there for her every day of her life.  I can provide for her in every way.  I have just as much chance of getting custody of her as you do."

She'd been saving this, I could tell.  The look on her face, a look of pure joy and victory, told me that it didn't matter how many checks I had in my column, I was fucked.

"She's not yours."

That's when it happened.  All time stopped.  Those last three words repeated in my head, over and over again.  Not mine?  Not possible.

Her short life flashed through my mind.  Holding her the day she was born.  Seeing her first smile.  Her first steps, her first words...I was her father.  I had to be.

I didn't even notice that Audrey had gone back to packing.  I couldn't see anything but Gwen's tiny face.  I couldn't hear anything except the blood rushing through my ears.  I didn't even feel her brush past me when she left the bedroom.

The sound of a car engine starting brought me back to life.  I had to get some answers.

I pulled my cell phone from my pants pocket and searched through the recent call history for Ashlynn's phone number.

I barely waited for Ashlynn to say hello before I blurted out, "I need you to bring me Gwen."

"Howie?  What's wrong?"

"I'll explain when you get her, just come over," I pled with her, "And don't talk to Audrey, please?"

"We'll be there in ten minutes.  Whatever it is, everything will be okay."

I ended the call and stuffed my phone back into my pants pocket.  We couldn't stay there.  Audrey would be back when she couldn't find Gwen at Ashlynn's house.  We had to go somewhere else.  I grabbed a few essentials for Gwen, and waited for Ashlynn on the front porch.

I watched the gate slowly open and I grabbed the stuff and walked down the steps to the path leading to the driveway.  When they pulled into the driveway I was right there waiting.

"Hi daddy!" I heard Gwen's voice from the backseat and I had to keep myself from breaking down again.

"We going somewhere?" Ashlynn asked me.

I nodded and walked around to the passenger side, "We need to go to the hospital."

"What happened?"

"I need a paternity test, and I need to get it done fast."

"What?!?"

I reached out to keep myself from hitting the dashboard.

"Sorry, sorry.  She told you that."

I didn't want Gwen to know what we were discussing, so I said as little as possible.

"So she's been...for that long?"

I nodded again.

"Howie, I'm sorry."

"I need to know."

"She looks exactly like you, though."

"If I want to fight for her, I have to have the blood proof that she is."

"What if...she's not?"

I hadn't let that thought cross my mind.  I wouldn't go there unless I had to.  One step at a time.

"I just...I can't let Audrey take her.  I can't let it happen."

I looked back at Gwen, sitting innocent as could be in the backseat.  She has to be mine, she has to be mine, she has to be mine.  I just kept repeating it in my head.