Chapter Thirteen

 

Lenny

 

 

I was sick to my stomach, riddled with doubt. Bile burned at the back of my throat. My stomach tied with knots. 

Kicking a dent in the fender of the car didn’t help. It didn’t make the red-hot searing pain in my chest go away.

It only served as a reminder of how stupid I had been. How irrational I had acted. My own words tormented my ears.

I knew Makayla was hurting. I saw the shadows that haunted her eyes. I knew they were there. I let the excitement of being picked up by another label cloud my judgment, erasing all the progress we had made the past two weeks.

Now I was paying the ultimate price. My skin felt tight. My chest weighed heavy with lead. I was riddled with insecurity.

I didn’t know if Makayla would be there when I returned. I wasn’t worried about her physical presence, but her emotional presence. I knew she would never leave Avery.

I had no doubt in my mind she would be there waiting for our little girl. I only hoped she would be there waiting for me as well.

The thought of her leaving was like a sledgehammer to the chest, crushing my heart stealing the breath from my lungs.

I was too wound up from the fight I had with Makayla to think clearly. I needed to clear my mind before I picked up my little girl.

I took my time to the daycare taking the scenic route around town. The short trip should have taken me fifteen minutes. I was able to stretch it out for an hour, cruising around the town I grew up in, the place I called home.

The drive didn't solve my problems. It didn’t sweep away the blinding ache in my chest. It did, however, allow me time to think, to reflect.

No matter Makayla’s decision, I wasn’t leaving. I wasn’t going to quit on her. It didn’t matter what I said.

I couldn't.

I wouldn’t leave her.

We fought too hard for too long to just throw it all away. My daughter would not grow up without her father. With renewed determination, I steered the car into the daycare parking lot.

I was greeted at the door by the squeal of girlish laughter. “Daddy,” My name from her lips was a soothing balm to my wounded heart.

Picking my little girl up in my arms I spun her around, cherishing her giggles of delight.

“Where do you wanna go for dinner, Princess?” I asked as I gathered her tiny pink backpack drowning in sequins. I slung it over my shoulder, proudly brandishing the bedazzled spectacle while Avery though over her options.

“I want pizza.” She shouted nearly blowing out my eardrum.

I chuckled despite the ringing in my ear. “Pizza it is.” We waved goodbye to the brave women holding down the daycare.

Avery spent the drive to the restaurant giving me every detail of her day. I smiled as my daughter carried on in the backseat, without a care in the world. 

I laughed as she told me about the story one of the teachers had read. It was about a boy who lived in a giant peach. “Can we live in a peach, Daddy?” Her wide blue eyes peered at me through the rearview mirror, pleading for me to say yes.

“How did the boy like living in the peach, Princess?”

She stopped to think about the story, her little mind flickering through the mental images she created as her teacher enchanted them with the tale.

“I think he liked it.” She surmised after a moment of contemplation. She looked exactly like her mother as she sat there so sure of herself. I felt the tug on my heart, the pain still raw. 

“What about it did he like?” I probed loving the way she looked as she thought the story through.

“He liked to eat it. Peaches are yummy.” She smiled at her conclusion, dimples digging into her plump cheeks.

“How about after we have dinner we try to find some peaches to eat?” I offered, aching to bring another smile to her angelic face.

“I like peaches, Daddy.” Her eyes lit up at the idea of having peaches after dinner.

“Me too, Princess.”

After dinner at the local pizzeria, Avery and I made a trip to the local grocer. With a bag of peaches and a gallon of ice cream, we were set for the evening.

“We’re going to have peaches and ice cream?” she exclaimed when I told her our plans for the evening.

“Do you like peaches and Ice cream?” I asked hoping I had made the right decision.

“I’m a kid.” She deadpanned making me laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should add some whipped topping and some cake?” Her eyes widened taking up half her face.

“I love you.” Those three words slew me.

I would buy out the entire store just to hear them again.

“I love you most, Princess.”