Cayden's POV

    I walked through my parents front door after finishing a long day of working out, classes, and practice. Being a student athlete is no joke. Being a student athlete while raising a kid at the same time, now that's even harder.

    Both my daughter and I wouldn't be in as good of a situation as we are in right now if it weren't for my parents. They've seriously helped me every step along the way.

    Just like I thought, they were extremely fucking pissed with me when I came home and told them about Valerie being pregnant. They were even more furious with me after finding out that I didn't even know Valerie prior to knocking her up, let alone have any sort of relationship with her. But thankfully, when I told them how Valerie was planning on giving the child up for adoption, they supported my decision to raise her on my own. Even if I was still in high school. Thank fucking goodness for that because keeping Cayleigh was the greatest decision I ever made in my life.

    I may be being biased but she's the most beautiful girl in the world. The first time I laid eyes on her, I fell in love with her even more than I did before. And I didn't think it was possible to love her anymore than I already did. 

    And the first time I held her... I can't even put into words how I felt. I remember hovering over the nurse's shoulders while she cleaned her up trying to telepathically tell her to hurry the hell up so I could hold my daughter. After what felt like forever, she finally handed me my screaming bundle of joy.

    "Shh, princess. Daddy's got you. It's okay. You're okay," I told her while subtly rocking her. Then just like that, she calmed down. It surprised me how soothing she found my voice considering she only heard it when I accompanied Valerie to her doctor's appointments.

    That moment in the hospital was very bittersweet. I was on cloud 9 welcoming my baby girl into my life. But Valerie was struggling with her decision to give up all rights to this amazing little girl. She didn't even want to hold Cayleigh because she was afraid to get attached to her. I understood completely since my daughter is a pretty lovable kid.

    "Daaaaaddy." Cayleigh came running from the back of my parents house. As soon as she reached me, she launched herself into my arms giving me the biggest hug she could by wrapping her arms around my neck.

    I immediately dropped down to the floor while fake coughing, pretending that her hug was choking me. I laid on my back with her lying on my stomach while her arms still wrapped around my neck. Turning my head to the side, I stuck my tongue out so that it was hanging out of my mouth.

    Cayleigh giggles at my theatrics. "Stop it, daddy. You're being so silly." I continued to lay there trying not to move a muscle. "Daddy?" She shook me. "Daddy," she asked shaking me again. "Uh oh. Daddy?" She shook me harder this time. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. Grammy," she yelled with a shaky voice.

    I opened my eyes to see her staring down the hall with tears building up in her eyes and her pouting lip quivering. "Baby, baby, baby. I'm okay. Daddy was just playing," I said trying to comfort her. She was so cute.

    Her watery blue eyes turned into angry blue eyes. "That's wasn't very funny, Daddy." She stomped her way back down the hall where she came from, leaving me feeling like the biggest jackass on the planet.

    I walked into the kitchen, where I assumed she went, to see her in one of my mother's arms while she stirred a pot with her other hand. "I thought I broke him, Grammy. He wasn't moving. Then he opened his eyes and said he was tricking me. That wasn't nice. Tell him he cannot eat dessert."

    "Aww, Princess. Is that really how you're gonna do your daddy? You're gonna have Grammy take away my dessert?"

    She turned and looked at me with the cutest mad face. "Yes because you said when someone is bad, they cannot eat dessert. And what you did was very not okay, daddy."

    "You're right. I'm sorry, princess. Daddy won't pretend to choke to death ever again," I said while trying to hide my smile.

    "Okay. I forgive you. But if you do it again, I'm telling Grampy to take away your car."

    "Why would you do that?"

    "Because when I don't listen, you take away my toys so I'm telling him to take away yours." My mom laughed at her reasoning.

    "But how are we supposed to go places," I asked her.

    "I'll ask Grammy to take me."

    "What about me? How am I supposed to go to school and football practice?"

    "You can walk. Or you can ride your bike. Or you can take a bus. Or you can go on a train. Oh, or a airplane," she was obviously getting sidetracked which was fine by me if it got me out of the trouble I put myself in.

    "They learned about transportation in school today," my mom filled me in. 

    My parents paid to send Cayleigh to a highly recommended preschool that was in the area. Another reason I'm so thankful to have the world's best parents. Her school has one of the best academic programs for kids her age, which they better have for the price that they charge my parents every month.

    Sometimes I feel bad for not being able to actually provide for my daughter since my parents help me out so much. But they always tell me not worry about it. They always say they want what's best for both her and I.

    "It's our job as grandparents to help watch our grandkid. Not only do we want to help you out with her but we enjoy spending time with her, too," my dad said one day when I told him how I felt. "Anyways, it's not like we can't afford to help out. If one day all the people of this world ends up never needing surgery and every kid never needs to see a doctor, then we can revisit this conversation. But unfortunately, I don't see that happening anywhere in Cayleigh's lifetime so it's not a problem for your mom and I to pay for her to go to school."

    Cayleigh being accepted to school wasn't only good for her but for me also. It makes it easier for me to go to college and play football. During the season, my schedule is pretty hectic but my parents, as I've said a ton of times before, help me out a lot.

    I drop Cayleigh off to their house every morning at 6. Cayleigh's always been an early riser so she doesn't usually give me a hard time getting her up. From there, my mom drops her off to school at 7 before making her way to her own job. When she's done for the day, usually by 5 the latest, she rushes to Cayleigh's school to pick her up from the after school program that her school has. After I finish practice for the day, I drive back to my parent's house for dinner and to pick her up.

    On Saturdays, when I have a game, she spends the day with my mom. Sometimes if it's a home game and my dad's not at the hospital, the three of them come see me play. During away games, she spends the whole weekend with them. Those are the days that really get to me sometimes. I can't stand not being there to tuck her in and kiss her goodnight.

    During the off-season, I have a lot more time with her. I can actually take her to school and pick her up. I love being able to do that. When she sees me at the door, she immediately drags me into the room and shows me all the things she did that day. She'll bring me to the bookshelf and show me what books got read or she'll excitedly shove papers in my face showing me what she did in art. The way her face lights up when she's talking about her school day and all her friends is the best sight in the world. And it's always a plus getting to hear from her teacher how smart and well behaved she is for her age.

    I know, I know. I've got a pretty kick ass kid.

    Since I got a football scholarship to go to school, I live off of my college fund that my parents saved for me throughout the years. I try my best to keep my spendings to a minimum, which isn't hard considering I hardly have any time to go out. My parents, however, have Cayleigh sleep over their house every other weekend so I can "have time to be a 21 year old." Their words, not mine. But since I can't stand to be away from her, I go to their house to put her to bed before going out for the night.

    Lately, playing college ball has made me second guess what I plan on doing after graduation. Ever since I was a little kid, it's always been my dream to play in the NFL. But in these past few years, I've already seem how little time I have with Cayleigh. And I'm only in college. Being in the NFL is only going to make it worse.

    Cayleigh will always be my number one priority. So if not playing in the NFL is what's best for her, so be it.

    "Where's my kid at," I heard Theo yell from the front door.

    Cayleigh began to scream while trying to wiggle free from my mom's arm. "Uncle Theeee!" As soon as she was placed on the ground, she sprinted out of the kitchen.

    Seconds later, Theo entered the room with Cayleigh sitting on his shoulders. "Hey, ma." He walked over to my mom, placing a kiss on her cheek. "You should really lock your door. Who knows what kind of wack jobs are just gonna walk into your house."

    My mom smiled. "If I did that, how would I ever get the pleasant surprise of seeing you," she asked.

    My parents were always like second parents to him. Theo and I have been friends since we were in elementary. But my mom knew him long before we even met since she was his pediatrician.

    Just like my parents, Theo helped out big time with Cayleigh, especially the first couple of years of her life. He would sleep over some nights just to help me with night duty when he noticed how little sleep I was getting during our senior year of high school. He treats Cayleigh as if she was his own.

    Don't worry. I'm aware of how many great people I have in my life.

    Sunday afternoons are his time with her. He takes her to do whatever she wants. Some of the stories he has about rushing girls out of his room so he could get ready on Sunday morning are the funniest stories I've ever heard. Especially, the ones where he tells them that he has to get ready because it's his day with his kid.

    Right now, he's in a pretty serious relationship with a girl named Mya. When he asked me if it was okay to bring her around Cayleigh, it honestly made me nervous. Not because I thought Mya was a bad person but because I didn't really know her. Deep down though, I knew Theo would never put Cayleigh in a bad situation. If he trusted Mya being around Cayleigh then so did I.

    There's nothing in this world that I could do or even give to Theo that would ever be enough to repay him for everything he does for Cayleigh and I. But I will always be there for him just like he has been for me.

    Well, except that one time...

    I wanted him to go with me to tell my parents that Valerie was pregnant and he refused. He said he didn't want to have to snitch on them in court when he was called to testify against them after they murdered me for getting a girl pregnant in high school.

    That's my best friend for you.

    "So how's school going, Princess," Theo asked Cayleigh, who was now sitting in front of him on the counter.

    "It's sooooo much fun. I have so many friends and I can color and paint and draw and play on the playground and read books and play with toys and play dress up and play..."

    "Wow," he said before she could finish, knowing she was going to go on for hours about every little detail of what she's capable of doing at school. "Sounds like you have quite the time there."

    "Yup," she said, exaggerating the p sound. Then she put both of her hands on his face and squeezing it together. "And guess what," she asked while bring her face so close to his that their noses touched.

    "What," he mumbled.

    "Me and Miss Brooke was playing the alphabet game and I knew more letter sounds than her even though she's already 21 and I'm only 4. That's so cool, right," she told him.

    "Alright!" He put his hand up to give him a high five. "That's my girl!"

    "Who's Miss Brooke," I asked.

    "One of the teacher's assistants who watches the kids after school," my mom replied.

    "Yeah, she's super hot, daddy," Cayleigh announced, shocking the hell out of me.

    "How do you know what super hot is," Theo jokingly asked her.

    "Isn't that what you guys call ladies who are really pretty," she innocently asked.

    "You two really need to start paying attention to how you guys talk around her," my mom scolded us. "Kids are very attentive at this age."

    I moved to stand in front of her. "You're right, baby, that is what Uncle Theo and I call women who are pretty," I told her. "But when you get older, do me a favor and never date a boy who calls you hot. Only date the ones who call you beautiful."

    "Yeah, and when your dad says older, he means like when you turn at least 40. Actually, let's make that 45," Theo added in. "And he better call you beautiful at least 3 times a day."

    "Okay. I'll tell him to call me it 5 times a day, just in case you don't hear him say it sometimes," she said.

    Damn, she's so fucking adorable.