Can You Feel My Heart (MFF)

6. Bad Decisions

When Violet woke up the next morning, she was in a panic. Destiny was nowhere to be seen or heard. Without truly thinking of what she was doing, she flew out of bed -still in her boxers and t-shirt, and went on a search for her daughter.

Heart racing and mind spiraling into all the negative possibilities, she walked briskly through the house. As she approached the kitchen, her fears were calmed. Destiny was in a high chair that had been scooted up to the table, bite sized chicken nuggets and a sippy cup of milk sitting on the tray in front of her.

"Mama!" Destiny screeched when she saw Violet, waving a chunk of chicken in the air. "Nunnets!"

Violet let out a relieved sigh and walked to the high chair. She kissed the top of Destiny’s head and looked to Ben sitting at the table.

"She was ready to wake up, so I snuck her out of your room. We’ve been having the most enthralling conversation about Gabba, whatever that is," Ben explained, cup of coffee in his hands, a smile on his face.

He brought the cup to his lips and winked at the girls. Something seemed so right to him to see the two in his house. Not one to really think about impulses and feelings, he just went with the feeling and smiled bigger.

"Thought you might enjoy a morning where you didn’t have to get up. Let you have a chance to sleep in and relax."

"Where’s Katie?" Violet asked as she moved to take a seat beside Destiny’s high chair.

"She is not a morning person," he said with laughter in his tone. "We might see her closer to noon, it’s just you and me for the next few hours."

Violet nodded her head, the corner of her mouth turning up in a lopsided smile. "Or just you. Destiny and I will be out of your hair as soon as she finishes eating."

She didn’t miss it when Ben’s eyebrows lowered, creasing the skin above his nose and his voice heavy with confusion as he said, "but you haven’t eaten." 

"I don’t eat in the morning."

"But... Breakfast is the most important meal."

Violet shrugged, food really wasn’t a priority for her. Making sure Destiny had food, yes. But she really didn’t care if she ate or not.

"Well, we’re going to fix that thoughtless attitude. You like eggs?"

Before she could stop him, Ben got up and went straight to the fridge, pulling out ingredients to fix her a healthy breakfast of eggs, turkey sausage, and toast.

"Scrambled or fried?" He asked with his back to her.

"Ben, don’t worry about it. I’ll grab a granola bar or something."

Violet tried to stand and head to the bedroom to start gathering up her and Destiny’s things, but Ben turned and pointed at her with his whisk.

"Sit down. You’re eating and you’re not going to argue."

To say she was taken aback wouldn’t cover it. Violet stood, crossing her arms over her chest and defiantly staring at Ben.

"And if I don’t," she questioned him. "What are you going to do about it?"

He laughed. A belly rumbling laugh that left Violet speechless. How could he find her attitude humorous?  To her, she sounded like a bitch. But Ben just bent over laughing, forgetting that he was in the process of cooking.

"I’ll go wake up Katie and sic her on you. You’ll be so scared that you’ll do whatever she says."

"Whatever," she huffed out, not in the least bit afraid. "I really can’t stay here much longer. I need to go find a new job."