What Meets the Eye

t h i r t e e n

Anthony.
For the first time in a long ass time I was at peace. I had spent the whole entire day with my baby girl, playing, laughing, talking and just getting to know more about her. It was hard to believe how much she had grown and how smart she had become. It had only been a little over a year.

As I lied stretched on the floor with Rocky's head on my chest, and even Kai's head on one of my legs I tried my hardest to keep my eyes opened, but they had me beat. Just as I felt sleep takeover, Xora who had been in the shower and doing her make up for three hours came waltzing out of bedroom.

We hadn't said a word to one another in hours, so when she said my name like she was nervous, I wasn't surprised.
"Anthony." She mumbled. My initial reaction was to fake sleep, but out of respect from being at her house, I pried my eyes opened and stared up at her.
"Yeah?"

"I have dinner plans in a little while. I'm going to take Kai with me so you and Rocky can have some alone time." She whispered slightly.

I only nodded to let her know that I had heard her, but she continued to stand over me.

"Can we talk when I get back?" she nervously asked.

"Nah." I laughed a little, causing Racquel to sir a bit from the rise and fall of my chest. "What do we need to talk about? I've been trying to talk to you for two weeks and you've been good, so I'm good."

"So you won't even give me the opportunity to explain myself?" I asked like she was shocked. I gave her the opportunity to explain herself before she felt like a damn dick for being wrong. She didn't take it, and I'm in no position to care anymore.

"Man, go do what you have to do, Xora." I told her and watched her stand over me for a few more seconds before walking away.

***

I woke up what felt like only five minutes later, but according to the time on my phone it had been an hour. Realizing that my reason for waking in the first place was the constant tapping on my leg, I looked up to see both Xora and Kai fully dressed. Before I was able to take in their appearance, I jumped up realizing my daughter was no longer near me.

I felt a hand on my wrist and stopped frantically looking around for a second. Now having my attention, Xora removed her hand.
"She's setting the table. I um...I made you guys dinner since we're going to be gone." She told me. It was sweet of her to think about us, but I couldn't fix my lips to thank her because I was too busy taking in her appearance. Noticing my silence, she grabbed her purse off of the end table and sat in in the crease of her elbow preparing to leave.

She looked like she was waiting for me to say something, but I didn't. I turned on my heels heading for the kitchen before I heard her and Kai walk out.
"Daddy are you coming home with me tomorrow to live again and see mommy?" She asked me looking up at me with those eyes that looked like mine. I couldn't look in her face and tell her no, but I knew I had no choice.