This has been in my drafts for months. I don't know if I like it and that's why I didn't post it
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Archie has his eyes closed and massages his temples. His three and a half year old daughter is home from pre school today and she has been screaming and crying for almost half an hour now. She has been cranky all day. He doesn't know what to do. Every time he gets too close, she cries more. It breaks his heart to see his little girl like that and he feels like there is nothing he can do.
"Mommy!" Stella sobs. "I want mommy, I want mommy, I want mommy"
"Sweetheart, mommy is at work or she was. She should be back any second now" Archie explains calmly for the hundredth time. "Do you need a hug or a kiss?"
"NO!" she screams as more tears roll down her cheeks. She holds her hands up like she's trying to keep Archie away and takes a step back.
"It was just a question love. Can you at least tell daddy why you're so upset all day?"
"IM NOT UPSET!"
"What do you call this then?" he asks with a little chuckle escaping his mouth. He couldn't help it.
"AHHHH STOP LAUGHING AT ME DADDY!"
"I'm not laughing princess"
"Yes you are. Yes you are! You're laughing. That's mean" Stella cries. Her face is red and she has tear stains all over her little hoodie.
"Honey what's wrong?" Archie asks again. He's so desperate. "I can't make mommy appear out of nowhere. She will be here soon. Let daddy hug you"
"No! no! no!"
Archie smirks. He knows what will make her laugh. She always laughs when he does that. He grabs her little body and pulls her into his arms. He places kisses all over her face and tastes her tears while doing so but instead of laughing or at least calming down a little, Stella screams like someone is about to kill her "NO DADDY! LET ME GO! LET ME GO"
She's still sobbing. She can barely breath. It scares Archie. "I WANT MOMMY!"
"Deep breaths love, deep breaths. Maybe you're tired. You didn't take a nap today"
"I'M NOT TIRED! NO NO NO"
"Do you want me to leave? Do you want to be alone for a minute?"
"NO don't leave daddy! I'll be scared!"
"But you don't even want to talk to me"
Just in that moment the front door opens and Veronica walks in. The smile disappears quickly when she sees the scene in front of her"
"Mommy!" Stella exclaims. There's a mixture of relief and exhaustion in her voice. She runs to Veronica who picks the sobbing girl up and holds her close. Stella's little hands hold on so tightly to her mom.
"What's going on?" Veronica asks. She couldn't even take off her jacket or shoes yet.
"We're having some really big feelings right now"
"NOOO!" Stella screams. "LEAVE ME ALONE DADDY!"
"Hey, don't yell at daddy" Veronica says as she desperately tries to calm her daughter. She feels Archie's arm around her waist and a soft kiss against her forehead. "She's really tired" he whispers "I'll give you two a minute. She wanted to talk to you"
