four o'clock in the morning and his phone rings and immediately his heart hammers in his chest and any sleep he may have felt dissipates. When he sees Aaron's contact on the screen his hands shake a little and his his brain starts thinking the worst. she was starting her second year at her university. She was twenty-two now. Still undecided and like Carter she was across the country. It was was difficult to be so far away from her especially when the last few years she was right under his nose. He was with her everyday and now she only came home for holidays or if she felt homesick which wasn't a lot. He wishes she felt homesick more.
"Daddy?" She sniffles on the line before he can speak and he's ready to book the first flight he can.
"Hey sweetie, it's late you okay?" Be calm. If something was wrong he didn't need to scare her. He had to be cool and collected even though he wanted to run across the ocean.
"Aaron who is that? Jesus, give me the phone—oh god you called your dad? Girl!"
"Sienna?" He says the girls name that Aaron shared an apartment with. At first she wanted to live by herself but she decided against it and went ahead and let the university match her with someone. Apparently they became quick friends and did everything together. Sienna came with her for thanksgiving just recently.
"Oh! Hi, Mr. Phoenix," Her voice sounds uneasy and he can hear her whisper to Aaron asking why she called her dad, "Listen, Um, Don't be mad at me or her! I've been sober the entire night watching out for her but..."
Ah. The feelings of anxiety disappears and he feels relieved. Drunk. She was simply drunk. Theirs shuffling on the line and then Aaron's voice rings through his ears along with Sienna calling out telling her she needs to drink water. He can hear a door shut and then Aaron's heavy breaths, "You've been drinking?" He asks amusement in his tone and she hums a sound of a yes.
"I don't feel good," She moans and he tries to hold back his laughter.
"You need to go to bed," He can remember his share of hangovers in college. Drunken nights and puking in the morning.
"I want to come home," She whines on the receiver, "I miss you." It almost sounds like she's crying and for a second does he want to book her a flight but tomorrow she probably won't remember this and feel silly she even called, "I think I did drugs."
"Drugs?" He needed to be calm. Just listen. She probably wasn't even telling the truth. He was trying not to let gender impact how he raised them but when Aaron did something yes he panicked more. Sometimes he got more angry. He was definitely more protective. Didn't matter that she was an adult. Aaron was his baby girl. It was different.
"A pill," She sounds so hesitant like she would be in trouble. God, he was relieved she was still alert. Whatever it was it couldn't have been too bad.
"If Sienna isn't worried then you're most likely fine. Go to bed."
"I want to talk to you."
"Ok," He puts the phone on speaker and leaving his room to make some coffee. Either she would talk all night or she'd be sleep in ten minutes either way he wouldn't be sleeping now. He'd be fighting with to not book a flight for himself to go to her.
"You're going to die," Well, it was surely a way to start a conversation. He brows knit and he stares at the phone. He can hear her sniffle on the line and then it sounds like she's crying.
"Honey, I'm not going to die," One day he was but it wasn't soon. He had a good diet. He worked out regularly.
"You're old,"
Ouch.
"Aaron—"
"I just feel like I don't have a lot of time with you," He nods his head as though he she can see him. Ah, the realization that you're getting older and so are your parents, "They got so much. I feel like i'm just starting," There's a heave in her voice and she's actually crying now. Now, he wishes she wasn't so far away because he wants to comfort her and hug and tell her she's got so much time and nothing to worry about but he can only talk into the receiver and hope he gets his point across.
"I'm not going anywhere. We've got so much time, Honey," He tells her and it's true. They had so many years it would fly by and they'd make so many memories she'd wonder why she ever thought such a thing.
"I wish you could've found me sooner."
Oh he wishes that too. He always did. How much would he have loved to watch her lose teeth, watch cartoons he would fall asleep on. He would've loved to take her to school and hear about her days. Watching her draw and color and listen to her drone on and on about whatever music she liked. The puberty would've been been hell but he would've loved to see her with Samantha. She always wanted a girl.
"I think I found you when I was supposed to."
"Do you think she would've liked me?" She whispers it out and He feels his throat tighten.
"She would've loved you, Aaron."
"I love you."
Every time she says it makes heart swell.
"I love you too, Sweetheart."
"You're my favorite person."
He laughs. Oh she would be so embarrassed tomorrow, "I don't think i'm allowed to say you're my favorite anything because somehow it will awake Cameron from wherever he is."
He hears her laugh, "I'm your favorite daughter?"
"My only one."
"And you still love me even though i'm drunk and high and called you at four in the morning like a loser because I wanted to hear your voice and tell me i'm okay?"
"With all my heart."
"And you're going to live forever?"
He sighs, "Honey, you know I can't say that."
She sniffles, "I know."
"I'm going to be around for as long you need to be."
"But Im always going to need you."
That's just how it was but she was going to have people in her life that would be there when he couldn't be and she had four brothers with all his traits who loved her just as much he did.
"And im always going to be here. Physically or not."
"Aaron, Come eat this!" Siennas voice cuts through the line and he laughs at her impatient tone.
"I really want you to hold me right now."
"If you still want to come home in the morning i'll get you a flight okay?"
"Okay."
"Drink some water, eat whatever Sienna tells you to and try to sleep."
"Ok. I love you."
"I love you too, but try not to be such a loser next time okay?"
"Don't tell them about this!" She whines and laughs knowing the them is her brothers, Cameron would have a field day hearing about this. He hears Siennas laugh in the background hollering out a good night to him before shuffling and then the call ends.
He has to think he's doing an excellent job really. That his children called him when they felt they were going through a crises. It was a tradition at this point to get a call from them once they hit college. When Chase went he called him at Seven o'clock in the morning telling him he might be getting kicked out because they found a bottle of Vodka and weed in his dorm. Carter called him tripping on Acid asking if he also saw the bugs crawling from the walls. Cameron called him crying saying his then girlfriend might have been pregnant. Turns out she was—It just wasn't his. Now, Aaron. He could only imagine what the hell Rylie was going to call him about.
It didn't matter. He'd always answer.
