Chapter 1
Melanie. My mind was racing, my heart pumping like I'd just run a mile at 100m pace. Should I open the door? I had to. I had to talk to her. So I crept down the narrow passage, towards the door and yanked the handle towards me.
" What do you want?!" As if I didn't know.
"I want, I want…what I want is-" Melanie hesitated.
"Hmm…" I challenged.
" My daughter. I want my daughter back."
I'd known it was coming, but once the words were said out loud, all hell broke loose in my mind. "You want her back?" I practically exploded. " You want her back? You don't deserve her and you're not going to get her. No way! No way are you taking Emma away from me now, not after everything you've done! Emma's not a library book, and I'm not a library. You can't just dump Emma on me when you get bored of her, then collect her when you feel like it!"
Melanie was on the verge of tears. " But she's my daughter." she hollered.
" She's mine too. More so mine than yours. At least I love her." I wasn't going to let this show of emotion from Melanie get to me. But then she burst into tears. I opened the door wider. I couldn't take it anymore.
" I think you'd better come in."