Vic Vaughn is Vicious

We all file out into the parking lot kind of in a dumb stupor at what just happened. I want to ask all kinds of questions, but I don’t have a chance. Alec turns to Vic and me. “You two need to do a paternity test. Figure this out. CPS backed down tonight, but this town hates you, Vic. And you”—he looks at me—“don’t lie to the sheriff next time. You got him angry.” Then he looks to Spencer. “He hates you too. Stay out of his way until things settle down?”

“Sure,” Spencer says.

“And you”—Alec beams a smile down at Vivi—“the next time you want to see your daddy, you get permission first, hear me?”

She nods. Sighs. Like learning that Vicious Vaughn is her father is no big deal. “All right. I will.”

“Good,” Alex says. “I’ll send Ford the bill.” He turns to get back inside his waiting vehicle, but then turns back and looks right at me. I shrink back for a moment, not sure I like his full attention. “Miss Lundin?”

“Yes?” I ask weakly.

“Unless you are one hundred percent certain that this child should not be around Mr. Vaughn, I would highly suggest you cooperate. Right now, I am representing you both. But that could change. Do you understand me?”

I get this sick, sinking feeling in my gut. But I nod.

“Is there any reason I should know of that would preclude you from cooperating with Mr. Vaughn in matters that pertain to the child?”

“No,” I say. And this comes out even weaker than the last word.

“Good.” He nods at me, gets inside his limo, and then it pulls away and he’s gone.

The rest of us just kinda stand there and look at each other.

Then Vivi says, “So tomorrow, right?”

“What are you talking about?” I look up at Vic.

“She…”

“I won three goldfish at the swap meet, Mommy. Vicious is gonna take me to the pet store tomorrow while you’re in school. Aren’t you, Vic?”

Vic shrugs. “If it’s OK—”

“It’s not.” I seethe. Who the hell does he think he is?

“Daisy,” Carla cautions me. “Be nice. It’s fine,” she says, answering for me.

“She’s at the babysitter tomorrow,” I object.

“Babysitter?” Spencer and Vic say this like they’ve never heard the word before in their lives.

“Yeah. You know, that really expensive necessity that all single mothers stress about? She’s going to the sitter tomorrow.”

“She’s not,” Vic says.

“That’s just kinda dumb,” Spencer adds.

“Oh, is it?” I scoff.

“Yeah,” Spencer says. “Ronnie can watch her. She’s home with our six kids anyway. What’s one more? And she’s family.”

I point my finger at him. “You do not know that. Not until we get the test.”

“Trust me,” Spencer says. “I have five little girls who look just like this one. She’s one of us. And that means she will be afforded all the perks and privileges that come with being one of us.”

“OK,” Carla says. “I think we’re all ready for bed. Let’s go, Vivi. In the car.”

She and Vivi get in the car, but I wait it out. And then I look right at Vic. “You don’t get to walk into our lives six years later and act like you have rights.”

“You kept her a secret. I never asked for this, Peeps.”

“Milkmaid!”

“It was a joke, Daisy,” Vic says. “I knew you were a milkmaid. I just wanted to call you Peeps. And I do have rights. I like her. She’s cool.”

“She’s… cool? Did you just call my six-year-old daughter cool? She’s six, Vic. She’s not cool. She’s not your friend. She’s a child who needs a good role model.”

“Like you.”

He says this without heat. But I hear all the unsaid accusations. “Good night.” I walk towards Carla’s car.

“Drop her off at the mansion instead of the sitter tomorrow, Daisy. I’m taking her to get those fish.”

I whirl around. “No. That’s not how this works. I have to pay for that sitter whether she goes or not.”

“Here,” Spencer says, taking out his wallet. “How much is one day? Couple hundred? Have three.” And he actually tries to hand me three hundred-dollar bills.

“Fuck you.” I turn back to the car.

“What time should I expect her, Daisy?” Vicious asks. “So I can be on the porch waiting.”

I pause with my back to him.

“I don’t want to make this difficult, but I told her I would take her to the pet store and get her goldfish and that will happen. Or I will make trouble.”

I turn to face him again. “Fine. But if anything happens to her, I will get my own lawyer, and trust me—I know how to fight back.”

He nods at me. “What time?”

“Seven-thirty.”

“I will see you then.”

I turn back to Carla’s car and get in, sighing first, and then smiling big as I turn to face my daughter in the back seat. “I’m glad you’re safe, Viv. And…” I glance at Carla. She’s got her eyebrows raised. I think that look is telling me not to fuck this up now. “And… I’m glad you met Vic.”