Free Jay Walking by Tracy Krimmer

used me. And James, well, forget he ever was your son, because he's not. He's mine, and mine alone."
    "I'll fight for him. I'll take you to court."
    The words my parents fear. I can't let him bully me, though. He won't do it. If he does sue for custody, he'll have documentation of fathering this child, and then it will be something he's forced to deal with the rest of his life. The court will require child support. He'll need to visit James on a regular basis. He'll be committed. I know more than anyone he can't handle that.
    I stand up and meet him at the side of the couch. "No, you won't," I say confidently, turn, and this time I walk out of his life.  

chapter eleven

    I toss my keys on the table as I sigh a breath of relief, glad to be over with that conversation, and hoping never to be contacted by Daniel again. It's clear he's still the same type of guy, even willing to feed me the same lies. In the slim chance I did want to get back with him, he offered himself to me while still married to Lauren. They're only separated. A divorce isn't imminent. To be honest, I'm not even positive I believe they're separated. He lied to me our entire time together, and he still wears his wedding ring. Who's to say he isn't lying now?
    "Chelsea, are you back?" My dad calls from the other room. He comes downstairs sometimes to keep my mom company if she's watching James at my place.
    My body tenses up because I know I should tell my parents I met with Daniel. I don't think they can find out on their own, but I don't want to take the chance. I would hate myself if somehow they came across our texts, or it slipped out and I take them by surprise. They're letting James and I live in the downstairs of their duplex rent free, the least I can do is tell them what happened. "Yeah, Dad." I meet both parents in the living room. "I need talk to you."
    "Sure, sweetheart, what's going on?" My dad sits on the chair reading the newspaper. Both my parents joined the cell phone era, and even own smartphones, but the one thing my dad refuses to give up is his newspaper. He folds it back up, each crease perfect, and sets it on the coffee table, then plops his feet on the table as well, crossing his arms.
    "I got together with Daniel today." I blurt out before I chicken out and lose my nerve.
    The vein by his forehead starts to bulge as he yells, "Rose! Are you hearing this?"
    My mom puts her hand over her mouth. "No, you didn't, did you?"
    "Dad, quiet down," I shush him. "James is sleeping."
    I'm not even to the bad part and my dad is piping mad. This won't go well. "He's James' dad. He asked me to come. I thought I owed him at least a visit."
    "You don't owe that jackass a thing," my dad says sternly. "What on earth made you think you do? What possessed you to do something so stupid ?"
    I stomp over to the coffee table and stand in front of my dad with purpose, courageous blood coursing through my veins. "I'm an adult. I make my own decisions. I was curious what he wanted, so sue me. He helped create a child as beautiful as James. I needed to go."
    "What did he want?" My mom steps in, trying to take a different route to understand my actions.
    I find my footing and take a seat on the recliner. "First, he apologized."
    My dad shakes his head.
    "I didn't accept it. No way." As soon as I tell them the entire story, they'll be proud of me. I don't stand up for myself too often, but since I became a mom, if James is in the mix, I speak up.
    "That's my girl," he says. "He didn't want anything else, I hope."
    I take a deep breath. "Not quite." Here's what my parents feared. I don't think it will actually happen, but I hate having to tell them. "He wants to be involved."
    "I knew it!" My dad hops up and slams his fist on the table so hard it makes my hand hurt. "I told you not to give him the time of day, Chelsea. I can't believe you didn't use your head."
    I listen to my dad yell at me for seeing the father of my child, and I hate he thinks I did something