Another Shot at Love

Chapter 27- Fool for Love

Bill was working over a pile of documents in the spare room he had converted to a study. He had to bring work home because his sister was still out of town and someone had to be with Nicole. He wished more than anything that Nicole had a mum. Definitely not that evil woman that abandoned them and eloped but someone totally loving and caring like Tracey.

If only he could stop being scared and angry, he could admit that Tracey was exactly what he needed in his life and his daughter's. But he was a coward. Over the past days since the fall out with Tracey, Nicole had been a shadow of herself. She rarely played as much as she used to, her appetite had declined and he was worried she was coming down with something. A broken heart.

Bill looked over the clock on his table and realized it was Nicole's bed time. He removed his glasses before he stood from the chair and stretched his body. The house was quiet. Normally, Nicole's laughter and unending questions filled the house. So much so that, he could barely get anything done without the help of his younger sister. But right now, he wished more than anything for Nicole's disturbance.

He walked quietly to his daughter's room and saw her already tucked under her pink duvet with her favourite teddy bear. The one Tracey got.

"Hey Princess." Bill leaned on the door frame and observed his daughter.

"Hi Daddy." She said plainly. "Did you get all the work done?"

Bill smiled at the fact that his little princess was still there somewhere. "I am almost done." He walked towards her bed and sat down at the edge.

"Have you said your prayers?"

Nicole nodded as she pulled on the teddy bear's ear absentmindedly.

"That's my girl." Bill said excitedly in order to spark Nicole up but it didn't work. "What did you pray for?"

Nicole looked at her dad with her big puppy dog eyes. "I prayed that God keeps us alive."

Bill raised a finger up and nodded for her to continue.

"I prayed that God will help me pass my exams next week."

Bill raised a second finger up for Nicole. "I prayed that God bless daddy's business."

"Awww..." He raised a third finger and smiled broader.

"And finally I prayed that God will give me a mother."

Bill's smile fell along with his fingers. "Nikky..." He said softly.

"Daddy where is my mummy?"

This was a question he had been dreading? How was he supposed to explain to his four year old daughter that her mother didn't want her? That she was abandoned just like that by a woman who was supposed to care and nurture her.

"Your mummy is in a far far away place baby." Bill patted her head. "But I am sure she loves you very much."

"Why hasn't she come home? Why doesn't she call us? Doesn't she miss us?"

Bill was short of words... what was he supposed to say? Tell her that the heartless woman broke both their hearts and ran away with another man and has not contacted them since then?

"Baby...I am sure she is just busy and..." He trailed off. "Nikky honey you will have a mummy very soon. And I am sure she will love you with all her heart and she will tell you stories and sing to you all the time."

"Aunty Tracey sang to me and read a story to me when I was in the hospital." Nicole peeked up with the closest thing to excitement Bill had seen in days.