OechsnerC: Good to hear. Keep reading.
Enjoy the next chapter.
Stella frowned as she watched as her father unpacked a box, "Daddy?" Iruma hummed ad looked back in confusion, "We play?"
Iruma looked up out the window to see the sun brightly shining before he stood up and stretched, "Yeah, we can go outside and play for a bit, sweetie…I'll finish unpacking while you take a nap," Stella smiled as she took Iruma's hand and let him out of the room.
Opening the front door, the two saw a man with slick back, purple hair standing on the front step, ready to knock on the door, "Naberius? What are you doing here?"
"I wish I were here on a lighter note, kid, but I'm not," the man sighed and shook his head, "May I come in?"
Stella pouted as she hid behind Iruma's legs, "I was actually about to take my daughter outside to get some air…why don't we talk on the steps?" the man nodded as he allowed the two to step outside of the house before Stella began running around and Iruma and the man sat down on the steps.
Handing Iruma several papers, Naberius sighed, "I'm sorry to have to do this, kid, but it's my job," Iruma hummed and read the papers over as his eyes widened, "I'm sorry…but there's not much that can be done at the moment an-"
"She's suing me for damages…what damages!" Stella ran towards them and hugged Iruma's leg. Iruma looked down at her and frowned as he patted the top of her head, "Daddy's sorry he yelled, Stella, but Mr. Kalego handed me some papers and I'm not happy about it,"
Stella looked at Naberius with wide eyes as she clung to her father as Naberius took a deep breath, "The damages she is talking about are you taking Stella from her home,"
"She was going to let Stella get hurt…I don't…I-" he looked around and spotted Alyssa about to walk inside her house, "Excuse me for a second," without warning, he picked Stella up and walked across the street.
"Excuse me…Mrs. Valac," Alyssa hummed and looked at her new neighbor in confusion, "I…I have to talk to my lawyer and…there are going to be words that I don't want my daughter to hear right now…do you mind watching her for about twenty minutes…I'll pay you if I have to, just please…don't let anything happen to her an-"
"This isn't my first time watching a child, Iruma," Alyssa slightly smiled as she took a now panicking Stella from him, "I'll be happy to watch her while you talk to your lawyer and you don't to have to worry about paying me."
"Daddy…daddy what happen?"
Iruma sighed and patted the top of Stella's head before he said with a smile, "You're going to be staying with Mr. and Mrs. Valac for a few minutes while daddy talks to Mr. Kalego, sweetie…but I promise once I'm finished, we can go to the park, okay," Stella moaned and pouted as Iruma looked back at Alyssa and frowned, "Please take care of her…she's my daughter and I don't want anything happening to her an-"
"And again, Iruma, you have nothing to worry about," Alyssa smiled, "I know how to take care of children." Iruma sighed and nodded as he watched as Alyssa took Stella inside and he turned and walked back to Naberius.
"So, you're already trusting your neighbors,"
"No…but what I have to say…I don't want Stella to hear…the only reason I took Stella away is because she was letting her play with knives, goddamn it," Iruma groaned and shook his head, "I told you this…I explained why I took Stella…I didn't care if she fucked around with me, but she was letting our daughter play with knives, go near the heater, while it was on, and play with the stove, just so she can get ready for a date with Asmodeus…fuck, I didn't care that she was doing stupid shit behind my back while we were dating, but putting my daughter in danger…I'm sorry, but with the evidence I have…she has no case, you should know this,"
"I know that, but I also know that all she has to do is shed a few crocodile tears in that courtroom and the judge will be putty in her hands,"
"I know…but…still," Iruma groaned and sat down, "I'm the one who gave up sleep to take care of Stella when she was sick or teething, I went to the store in the freaking pouring down rain or the freezing snow to get Stella formula and cereal…I was there whenever she had a nightmare, all the while Haruno was sleeping or running around with Asmodeus…why in the hell is she doing this? What does she gain out of it? I moved to get Stella away from her until the final court hearing…she can't even see Stella unless me, grandpa or Opera are with them an-"
"Iruma-kins," Iruma's eyes widened as he looked up and saw Clara, Ameri, Elizabetta, Eiko and Kerori staring at him with wide eyes, "Is…is all of that true?"
"Goddamn it!" Iruma shouted and the five jumped back as Naberius sighed and shook his head, "You weren't supposed to hear that! Now what the hell am I supposed to do an-"
"Iruma," Naberius narrowed his eyes as his client looked at him in confusion, "Since I'm here, it will be fine. You can tell them what happened and why you're filing for full custody over your daughter, and they won't be called in as witnesses."
"Hold on," Ameri spoke, stepping forward, "My parents work at a law firm, and they said that doing something like this can get them in trouble, so what makes you think you're so special that-"
"Do you want to know why he's filing for custody or not?" the five nodded before Naberius sighed and stood up, "Well, let's go inside," he looked at Iruma and saw him glaring at him with narrowed eyes, "Don't start. I'm still on your side, Iruma,"
"Whatever," Iruma sighed and shook his head before leading everyone inside.
The seven sat in the living room, everyone looking at Iruma before he took a deep breath and shook his head, "Haruno and I got together in our sophomore year in high school…a few months into our relationship, she ended up getting pregnant with Stella. I talked to grandpa about-"
"Why did you talk to your grandfather?" Eiko questioned and Iruma looked at her, "I'm just asking…what would he have done?"
"Grandpa was the principal until I graduated, and he retired…anyway, grandpa said not to worry about it, to go to classes as normal…we did…some time later, Stella was born…but…something was off about Haruno. Even before Stella was so…I asked around and…apparently Haruno wasn't doing so well with her grades and she thought that since I was the principal's grandson, I'd talk to grandpa into bumping up her grades…I didn't want to believe it, so…Stella was born.
Every night, Stella would scream, either because she was scared, hungry or needed to be changed. I'd sit up and look at Haruno. I'd say something to her, and she tells me to take care of it. Every day when Stella would scream, Haruno would walk out of the house, like she doesn't give a damn about our daughter. I got frustrated, but I didn't say anything because I had to be there for Stella.
One day, Stella had to go to the hospital…I was spending time with grandpa and our butler…I got a call from a friend saying they heard Haruno yelling at Stella while she was screaming. I left and went to check out what was wrong. Stella had a fever and a bad cough. I yelled at Haruno for being irresponsible for allowing Stella to fight off a fever on her own before I rushed her to the hospital.
Shortly after that, we agreed on joint custody…bad idea, because when I went to go pick Stella up one day, I saw her reaching for knives while Haruno was getting ready to go out with our classmate Alice Asmodeus…I yelled at her for being so careless and she said that Stella plays with knives, the stove and even with the heater when she's with…I lost it, cussed her out, took Stella and moved here. I'm currently waiting for the court hearing to get full custody over Stella,"
"And as promised, this conversation won't reach the judge's desk," Naberius stood up and walked towards the door.
Seeing his lawyer walk out of the house, Iruma sighed before he stood up and walked towards the door, "Iruma, where are you-"
"I have to go get Stella from across the street," Iruma frowned, "I asked Valac's mother to watch her while I talked to Naberius and I promised to take her to the park so…yeah," he looked back and arched a brow, "Would…you five like to join us?" they stared at him in disbelief as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah…you five watched her the other day while I unpacked her room and she was sleeping…I figured…you can help keep an eye on her in case she wants a snack or something…unless you five or busy an-"
"No…we're just surprised you'd invite us," Elizabetta spoke and Iruma shrugged his shoulders before walking out of the house and the others followed him.
Standing on the front step, Iruma knocked on the door before it opened and Alyssa, holding Stella, stepped outside, "Daddy!" Stella jumped out of Alyssa's arms and into Iruma's before she looked up with wide eyes, "We go to park now?"
"Yeah, we're going to the park now, sweetie," he looked back and sighed before looking down at Stella again and smiled, "And I invited Miss Clara, Miss Ameri, Miss Eiko, Miss Elizabetta and Miss Kerori," Stella frowned as her eyes widened, "It'll be okay, Stella. It's a nice day and they helped the other day, so I'm just trying to be nice."
Stella nodded before looking at the five, "I'm Stella, thank you for helping daddy," their eyes widened as Stella smiled and wrapped her arms around Iruma's neck before he turned and walked away with the others following him.
Enjoy. Also, I know he wouldn't up and tell someone personal business like that, no one will, but I needed a way to have them find out and I thought that might be a way to do it.