Chapter 8: What did she do wrong?

Lindi leaned against the door, deep, shuddering breaths shaking her. He still sounded like a thug from a mafia movie, and it was still sexy enough to make her tingle in all the wrong places. It broke her heart every time she heard the twins trying to imitate his accent.

Rafe'd never said much about his upbringing, but reading between the lines, she thought he'd had it hard. She knew the team managers had carefully altered the details of his upbringing, portraying him as coming from a poor family and succeeding against all odds - a true American success story. But sometimes she wondered if he'd had to deal with mere poverty. His accent, things he'd let slip told a grim picture. No matter his upbringing, he was still the man who didn't love her enough five years ago to believe her word over that of a piece of paper.

She wanted to scream, but the boys would come running. She pressed back harder against the door. Why? What did she do wrong to walk into Rafe today of all days? It had taken every ounce of courage she had to go to the lawyers. What were the chances that he worked in the building the lawyers had their offices?

Behind her closed lids, she saw her younger self meet Rafe, laughing with him, offering him some of her ice cream. Teasing him for liking chick flicks. Such an odd thing for a man as rough as him to like. He used to insist with a fierce face that he liked to check out the girls in the movie.

And then it had turned ugly, having to submit to a paternity test. Never did she think that Rafe could hurt her like that, but his demanding a paternity test had destroyed her. That last day - the hatred and revulsion when he'd looked up from the paternity report - had shattered her world.

And yet today, when she looked up to see Rafe standing in front of her, the explosive chemistry that had been there from the first time they'd locked gazes across the basketball court, was still there. She hated that her body would react to the man who'd betrayed her and her children.

Lindi opened her eyes and found the twins looking at her. Sometimes she wondered if they had some weird kind of radar that knew when she was upset. When they were younger, they'd appear out of nowhere and hug her, right when she needed it most.

"We can mess up the computer of his car," Donatello offered. He rarely spoke up like this, so she made sure to smile at him.

"That's not necessary. If he ever wanted to get to know you, it would be great. But we're good on our own." She pretended not to see the hurt behind their offer, buried her own hurt deep where they couldn't see it.

They exchanged glances.

What could she say? Their father had rejected them. They might pretend they didn't care, but she knew different. A few months ago, when they showed a sudden interest in basketball, she'd given them recordings of all of Rafe's games. They'd acted like they didn't want them, but late at night, when they thought she was asleep, they'd watched them over and over.

Their interest hadn't dimmed, and they liked to play basketball in the park near their apartment that had a hoop installed recently. Lindi prayed they didn't hack into some official's computer to get the hoop installed.

She'd noticed them practicing Rafe's moves. It broke her heart. They fiercely denied wanting to know him, but the way they tried to imitate his accent, and their sudden interest in basketball, told a different story. Under all the anger and resentment were two little boys wanting their daddy to love them. It haunted her. What kind of emotional scars would her children hold over from Rafe's rejection of them?

She suspected that was what the visit to his office was about. They were supposed to have stayed with her friend Dara while she went to visit the lawyers. Then, out of the blue, they'd insisted on going with her. They must've gone online and found out where he worked. Who knows what they'd expected Rafe's reaction to be? Their intelligence might be off the charts, but emotionally, they were still only four years old.

She sighed. Sometimes having such intelligent children had its drawbacks. At least they only grabbed the opportunity the coincidence of him being in the same building as the lawyers afforded. If they'd tried to go to him on their own, who knows what could've happened to them.

They stood watching her, curiously still, and she smiled at them. "Do you want some ice cream?" Did she do the right thing with the will? What if the worst happened and Rafe refused to accept the children? Again!

She handed over the bowls of ice cream. Winter loomed over the city, but her boys loved their ice cream, no matter the weather. Just like their father. Lindi violently pushed that thought away.

When they left the kitchen, she leaned against the kitchen sink, trembling. What if Rafe somehow found out what she did? Lindi didn't fool herself. He was rich, and the rich had ways to get what they wanted. And if he had her investigated, he'd find out what she did.

Lindi squared her shoulders. She'd done what was best for her children. No matter what, they'd be cared for. She had to believe that if she wanted to keep her sanity intact.