single dad: v.h

chapter one

"Dad you look fiiiiine. You're taking forever and we don't have forever." Bear whined as she watched him with a blank stare.

"This hair has to look perfect for the ladies Bear." Vinnie rolled his eyes.

"The only 'ladies' that will be there are all between the ages of 6 and 10 and maybe a 60 year old teacher making sure little kids don't take too much punch." Bear folded her arms.

Vinnie turned to look at her, laughing at the way she was standing outside of the bathroom door.

"Okay, I guess your right. Let's go say bye to Kaiser." Vinnie said, walking to his son's bedroom.

Recently, Vinnie and a girl he'd been seeing had a baby and she of course left. So now Vinnie was 22 and a single dad to, two children.

"Bye Kaiser." Bear said, rubbing his cheek.

"Bye baby, Daddy will be back later and give you a bottle." Vinnie said, rocking his child in his arms.

He carried Kaiser down the stairs with his blanket and handed him gently to his mom.

"What time will you be back?" Maria asked, holding Kaiser in her arms.

"We'll be back at 8 grandma." Bear said, fixing her hair briefly in the mirror.

"Okay babes. Here Vin, hold your son so I can take a picture of you all." Maria said.

Vinnie took Kaiser back and wrapped Bear in his other arm and picked her up too. They both smiled and Maria took a thousand pictures of them.

"Alright, alright go. Have fun. Don't be out la- you're an adult now, I don't know why I'm telling you that." Maria shooed them out the door.

—-

Vinnie and Bear walked into the gymnasium and it was just his luck that her teacher was there, y'know, the one that left her number and he never texted her.

She layed eyed on him and Bear.  Of course she'd found an excuse to come over to where they were.

"Hello Bear." She said.

"Hi." Bear said back, giving her a high five.

"Why don't you go find us seats and I'll be right there." Vinnie said and Bear nodded, taking off in the direction of the chairs.

It was quiet for a second minus the music playing in the background.

"Did you get my-"

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry I never texted you. I've been dealing with a lot recently." Vinnie said, referring to the time he slept with his ex girlfriend behind Bear's back and had Kaiser nine months later only for their mother to take off again and Vinnie now be responsible for 2 children.

"Oh no, I understand. I just wanted to ask you. I was quite shy that day." She smiled.

"That's okay. I'm Vinnie, it's nice to meet you." He flashed a smile and stuck his hand out for her.

"I'm Aaliyah, nice to meet you as well." She smiled back and shook his hand.

"Do you wanna give me your number again? I'll text you this time, I promise." Vinnie chuckled.

"Yes absolutely." Aaliyah smiled, taking his phone and typing her name and number in.

"Just to be clear, you're not going to play with my feelings are you? I've been through quite a bit. That's probably a weird question. Too quick?" Aaliyah asked, shying away in embarrassment.

"No, it's not too soon. I wouldn't do that, maybe if I we're still 16 and an idiot but not now. You won't either? I've also been through a lot." Vinnie asked.