Axel

Freddi was in her old room. She locked herself inside, and even though I had a key, I let her have her alone time. I was stupid for even thinking she wanted Jack and even more so for not telling her about how I felt.

After several futile attempts to fall asleep without my baby girl in my arms, I just decided to take a shower. I stood with my eyes closed, letting the warm water wash over me.

I sensed her before she made herself known. Freddi stood just outside of the shower, crying and brushing away her tears with her tiny fists.

"Daddy..." she whispered, stepping into the shower, fully clothed.

The word that escaped her trembling lips didn't arouse me at all, because I knew that the only thing that would make her this way would be a nightmare.

As she stepped into the spray of warm water, Freddi clung to me, bawling her eyes out as she gripped me as tightly as she could, her way of making sure that I was real.

"He was gonna kill me..." she sobbed into my chest, muffling some of her words.

"It's okay baby. It was just a bad dream, you're okay," I murmured, kissing her hair.

"I don't wanna fight with you," Freddi cried, looking up at me through glossy blue eyes.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I muttered, rocking her gently in my arms until her cries stopped and her breathing evened out. We stood in silence, allowing the water to go cold and Freddi's nipples to harden against my chest.

"You're naked."

"That's usually how showering works, weirdo," I joked softly, reaching around her to turn off the water.

"How'd you know it was a nightmare?" Freddi asked, looking at me confusedly.

"I used to watch you sleep. Sometimes you would have nightmares and I would lay with you until you calmed down," I said the last part with sarcasm, referring to the wet dreams that her nightmares always seemed to morph in to.

"Thank you," she whispered with quiet sincerity, holding me tighter. Securing me in the hold of her tiny arms.

"I love you," I whispered hoarsely, looking down at her, hoping that my gaze conveyed the amount of love and adoration I feel for her.

"I will always love you," I spoke more confidently, not allowing her the chance to respond.

"Say you won't leave me?" Freddi whispered, one of her hands reaching up to cup my cheek.

"For as long as you want me, I will always be by your side," I tucked a piece of wet hair behind her ear. "Except when one of us has to go number two," I added jokingly, forcing a sob-like laugh from Freddi.

"I love you, too," she whispered, blue eyes shining with mirth.

"I know," I mumbled, pressing my cheek against her wet hair as we continue standing in the waterless shower.

. . .

"So, what were you and Jack talking about?" I asked rather intrusively.

It was this, combined with Savannah's acts that had caused the temporary rift between us and I wasn't sure if it was the best idea to bring it up so soon.

"Believe it or not, you," she replied with a smirk, intertwining our fingers as we sat at the kitchen island, a bowl of grapes occupying the minimal space between us.

"What about me?" I asked, surveying the surprisingly minimal amount of damage from the party. That was so much less mess than usual but hey, quite a bit of shit did go down.

"We were planning a surprise birthday party for us, or rather you, but I guess you don't get a party now," she teased, prodding me with her elbow.

A party? For our birthday?

"Damn baby girl. I'm sorry. I-"

"What? You didn't trust me?" Freddi asked with a raised brow, the barest amount of silent anger radiating from her.

"Baby girl no. I trust you... Just not him," I mumbled the last part.

She shook her head, grabbing a small handful of grapes. "Jack told you. He gave up on trying shit like that. And..."

"And what?" I asked curiously.

"Jack's gay, Axel. That's the only reason he followed Savannah's orders, that night. He didn't want her to tell... But, he's accepted it and learned not to care now.

I shook my head, trying to think of how I could get her to understand. "That's not the point. If you were in my shoes -even if you knew that deep down you were wrong- wouldn't you have reacted similarly?"

Freddi stilled for a second, a grape lodged between her teeth before nodding, her eyes cast downward. "You're right, I'm sorry," she muttered, leaning forward on her elbows.

We were both silent for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say at the time.

"We need a bouncer for our party tomorrow," Freddi spoke up, her light tone relieving the tension in the room.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at her statement. "A bouncer? Seriously, why?"

Freddi rolled her eyes, resuming her consumption of grapes. "To keep Cunt-vannah out."

. . .

"Is your mom coming back tomorrow?" Freddi asked as she rifled through my t-shirts.

"No, yours?" I asked, admiring her barely covered ass as she bent over, looking through another drawer.

"As if," Freddi snorted. "Ah ha! Finally!" She jumped up, one of my black t-shirts in her grasp.

"What is so special about that shirt?" I asked before she turned it over, showing a small white inscription on the breast pocket.

Property of Freddi Amelia Thompson

"It's the first shirt you let me wear, remember? I had it embellished," Freddi announced with a wide grin.

I remained quiet. Not speaking up because I did remember the shirt. I remembered that entire night all too well. "Has Noel tried to call you?" I asked, calling her father by his first name.

Freddi faltered, the smile dropping from her face as she pulled the shirt over her head.

"I haven't spoken to him since the cabin," Freddi whispered. And her statement was true enough but it felt like she was holding something back.

"Did he say anything?"

Freddi shook her head slowly before starting, "Nothing really just normal cop st-" Her words cut off as she noticed my disbelieving stare.

Taking a shaky deep breath, she replied, "He said he was going to get me back."

VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE.

Published: 09/05/17
Edited: 02/12/18

And again on: 09/22/18