I think Josh’s presence, always turning up when he’s not welcome, is beginning to take its toll. On both Sara and I. I mean for a while, Sara didn’t mind at all in fact she didn’t really care. But now, it’s like she won’t keep quiet about him and is desperate to see him again and for that I blame Josh. As for me, well I’m just about going insane.

            “I think I should talk to Josh about popping up every one day,” I say to Alex as we watch Sara telling Rea, Justin and Matt about how amazing her father is.

            “Yeah she’s beginning to think he’s some sort of God,” Alex adds knowing what I mean when I say I have to talk to Josh.

            “And I’m sure he knows it and loves it,” I reply as I notice Justin roll his eyes to what ever my daughter is saying about Josh.

            “Of course he is,” Alex replies crossing his arms over his chest and laughing at Justin, “I mean Josh believes the world revolves around him, we all know that.” I laugh out loud at that, because well it’s true.

            “Yeah we do,” I say, “He was at the park yesterday, making the kids build him and his ego a sand castle.”

            “I know, Rea told me,” Alex laughs, “ I can’t believe he was actually on his knees in a sand box.”

            “Well believe it,” I say, “And he was probably there to complete his perfect father look. So that when he went to his lawyer and told them he was at the park playing in the sand box with his child they’d give him custody.” Alex laughs and rolls his eyes.

            “That’s not called good parenting, it’s called stalking,” Alex laughs and I laugh with him.

            “What are you two laughing about?” Justin asks walking over to us.

            “About Joshy  boy and his stalking abilities,” Alex laughs and Justin laughs in agreement. “Had enough of Joshy talk did we?”

            “Hell yeah,” Justin says sitting down next to us, “Lila you seriously got to talk to your child, she’s beginning to idolize him.”

            “That’s what Alex said,” I reply patting Justin on the shoulder, “But unfortunately for me Josh doesn’t want to go away. He keeps on turning up at all sorts of places.”

            “So I’ve heard,” Justin laughs and Alex agrees.

            “Well it’s that that gets Sara to believe Josh is the perfect father,” I say with a sigh, “He keeps coming around and she believes he wants to be with her.”

            “Yeah right,” Alex says with a grunt, “What he really wants is for himself to look good for the court.”

            “Yeah he only thinks about himself,” Justin adds, “He thinks that if he can just pop up here after five years and turn up every day from then on it’d be seen as good parenting.”

            “That’s what I pointed out to him,” I say with a sigh, “But you know Josh he seemed to twist that to fit his needs.”

            “I’m not surprised,” Alex laughs and hugs me, “But don’t worry the next time he pops up, I’ll be here to greet him with open arms.”

            “Me too!” Justin adds all to enthusiastically and I groan.

            “I’m sure you will be,” I say, “You’ll be waiting to strangle him.”

            The next time Josh decides to turn up he’s not alone, he’s with his lawyer. And when he does turn up, Sara is excited beyond belief and Alex is well, Alex is screaming murder.

            As promised Alex was there, waiting for Josh. But instead of open arms, he greeted Josh with a big mouth and a little man named Justin Timberlake in tow. Both Justin and Alex were there, talking their mouths off like little chipmunks full of shit to their name and it really didn’t help my situation much.

            I try and get them to pipe down but I can’t and I’m sure by now both Josh’s lawyer and mine have just about had it.

            “I’m sorry,” I whisper to my lawyer, “They’re usually not like this.”

            “Yes they are,” Josh inputs, thank Josh to always speak the truth when it’s not wanted.

            “I can just imagine what you go through,” my lawyer tells me, “It must be hell to have to put up with these three.”

            “You have no idea,” I say rolling my eyes, “It’s very amusing but the kids love it.” I look at all three of the boys and the lawyers burst out laughing, Josh just growls.

            “Can we get back to business?” Josh asks and I look at him.

            “There’s no business to discuss, you’re an unfit father,” I state and both lawyers look at me with question because I’m sure Josh hasn’t mentioned of his antics to his lawyer.

            “But I’m not, I’ve been around for a long time,” Josh says, see how he forgets to mention that that time is now.

            “But where have you been for the past five years Joshy boy?” Alex puts in from his post next to me.

            “Yeah and what about that ten thousand dollar check that bounced?” Justin pipes up, and the look on Josh’s face is priceless. He hasn’t thought of the perfect answer for that one yet.

            “I told you I had to cancel it because of money problems,” Josh lies and both Alex and Justin burst out laughing.

            “But you were busy working your ass off so that Sara and I can live the way we do,” I say innocently as if I haven’t heard that lie before.

            “I…” Josh begins but his lawyer puts a hand on his arm to stop him from looking more stupid than he already is.

            “Josh, this could jeopardize your chances,” his lawyer hisses in his ear and I just smile sweetly.

            “I know,” Josh snaps back and stands up, “I have somewhere to be.”

            “Yeah with your mistress,” Alex pipes up excited to see Josh squirm. But Josh ignores him, as usual and looks around for Sara.

            “Sara baby, daddy is going come say goodbye,” Josh calls as he sees Sara sitting at her table drawing. Now Sara looks up and her excited eyes fill with tears, and I know she’s about to bawl her eyes out about the fact that her father is leaving AGAIN. I feel like slapping Josh.

            “But daddy you can’t go you just came, and you didn’t see my painting,” Sara cries flying out her seat and into her father’s arms. Now as Alex has a hernia because Josh is upsetting Sara, Josh uses this little outburst from his daughter to his advantage, he blames the person who she is closest to. Me.

            “I know baby, but mommy doesn’t want daddy here right now,” Josh says soothingly and my daughter looks at me with evil eyes, as if I’ve committed the biggest crime known to man kind. But thank God Alex steps in.

            “Sara sweetie,” Alex says as he walks over and takes a crying and screeching Sara from Josh, which gets Josh in an even bigger huff. “Don’t blame mommy okay? It’s not her fault that daddy doesn’t want to be here with you.”

 My mouth drops open at that, because they’re using my daughter as a pawn for their own selfish reasons. I get up and take my still crying child from Alex.

“Sara honey,” I say as she screams in my arms, “Let’s go see your painting okay? Say bye to daddy, he’ll come by real soon I promise.” Now I know I said I didn’t want Josh anywhere near my daughter, but when she’s howling like a hyena and blaming me for the fact that her father is leaving her I need to do something. And that something is making a promise that I have to now keep and lie like her father.

“Promise?’ Sara asks, now claming down and I nod.

“I promise,” I say and Sara smiles and it is the biggest smile I have ever seen in my life.

“Okay, bye daddy,” Sara says looking over at her father, who is smiling with all his fake charm. “See you soon!”

“Bye baby, I’ll see you real soon, I promise,” Josh says and waves as he leaves. Now I hope he really does keep his promise, because as we all know he doesn’t know how to keep promises. I just hope he learns now, and not make me look like the biggest liar on the planet.