We Just Need Us (Second Generation Book 5)

Chapter 15

ROBBIE

Clementine seemed on edge tonight when I showed up for dinner. In fact, it seemed like she had forgotten about our plan to meet up tonight so she didn’t have any idea what to make for dinner.. It was no big deal, I called up the Pizza Ranch and had food delivered. Vivienne showed me her room while we waited for dinner to arrive. It was painted purple with a huge canopy bed in it. The bed almost took up the entire room, but it was her princess bed.

Clementine got her bathed and ready for bed and then, for the first time ever, I got to say goodnight to my daughter and tuck her into bed. I’m not too masculine to admit that I almost cried. I’ve only known for a few days that I’ve been a dad, but I want to soak it all up. I took a seat on the couch and waited for Clementine to come back out of the bedroom. When she did, she smiled at me and took a seat on the other side of the couch.

“Does she always take that long to settle down for the night?” I chuckle.

“No, not usually. She’s been on cloud nine since yesterday though. It took four stories last night before she was ready to fall asleep.”

“I could have read to her, you know?”

“It’s alright, Robbie, I don’t mind reading to her. In fact, bedtime is one of my favorite times to spend with her. She loves reading and listening to stories.”

“Hmm, loves reading, reminds me of somebody that I know.” I wink at Clem and she smiles back at me. “We have a lot of catching up to do, Clementine.”

“We do.” She fidgets with her hands a bit and then looks up at me once more, “What happened with your parents? I know you said that your dad convinced you that you needed to think about your future, but did you even think about me?”

“God, I am so sorry, Clem, seriously. I thought that being just like my dad was what I wanted. I had just gotten off the video chat with you and my parents called. I happened to mention that I had just finished talking to you and they both got on me about living in the past and not giving training my all. It was immature of me to let them get to my head.”

“You know, if you had just said something to me, I would have understood. It wasn’t like I hadn’t mentally prepared myself for you moving on anyway.”

“Yeah, but I feel like that was part of the problem too. Before I left we had said our goodbyes. The intent was that I was going away and you were staying here and we were going to move forward with our own lives. But then the second I got a chance to make a call or write an email, well…”

“It was to me,” Clementine finished my thought.

“Yeah,” I agree. “When my parents were talking about growing up and focusing on my future, I told myself that if I didn’t let you go, I never would. If I didn’t delete the apps and your number and contact information, the first person I would always reach out to is you. Neither of us would ever move on.”

“You really did just put the expiration date on us and didn’t let me have a say, huh?”

“Clemmy, you were just in high school. You had your entire life in front of you. I couldn’t bring you down. If you knew that I was going to come back, you would have waited. I know you. You would have waited.” She whispers something under her breath and I reach over and touch her ankle. “What was that?”

“I don’t need the men in my life making choices for me.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It doesn’t matter how you mean it, Robbie. If it isn’t my dad or Patrick, apparently it is now you. All the damn men around me think that they know what is best for me and get to make choices for me and I’m so damn tired of it.”