Wild Little Dreams

3

March 24, 2008

Kamryn had been in daycare for almost a week now and drop-offs weren't getting any easier. Hailey and Jay were alternating on who took her in and picked her up, trying to make it easier on Kamryn as well as the 2 of them.

It was Jay's day to drop her off and he talked with Kamryn the whole way there. They'd taken a family picture in, and it was helping a little bit during the day but nap time was a different story. They'd sent in a few different blankets and made sure they packed her stuffed elephant and blankie every day.

"Okay, little munchkin, Daddy's gonna drop you off and go to work. Mama will pick you up later. We brought stuffy and blankie for nap too, okay? Sound good?" Jay said as he unbuckled and pulled the child from her rear-facing car seat.

"Daddy," was all the little girl mumbled out, yawning as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"We'll always come back for you baby, I promise," Jay told her, kissing her little head that was stuffed in his neck. He walked through the halls of the small daycare, stopping at the door to his daughter's classroom and slowly opening it. "Say good morning to miss Hannah,"

"Dada no weave," Kamryn mumbled, holding onto Jay tightly as he tried to set her down.

He sighed and kneeled to her level, setting her on the floor, "hey look at me munchkin. Mommy's gonna come get you later, but mommy and daddy have to work so we can get you food and toys. How about we go get ice cream tonight?" He asked, hoping to bribe the toddler off him.

"No dada!" She screamed, holding onto his shirt with every fiber of her being.

"Daddy has to go to work baby," he sighed, wishing she'd walk in and not hold onto him. It was hard on both of them. "You're gonna have a good day. I love you so much," he said, handing the toddler to Hannah and kissing her head.

"Dada!" Kamryn screamed as she watched him leave.

Jay sighed and drove to work, hoping his daughter had calmed down. Once he got there he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Hailey (on his blackberry phone) that he'd dropped Kam off and she was not happy about it.

He drove to his district, going up the steps to his desk.

"How'd it go this morning?" His current partner, Luke asked.

"I didn't know a toddler could hold on that tight,"

"She'll get there. I'm sure Sarah told Hailey it took Wes a while but Pey only took a few weeks,"

"What hurts the most is hearing her screaming for me when I leave. I like the pick-up a lot better," he sighed, setting the coffee he'd picked up on his desk.

"I'm sure your wife does too. Kamryn will get there, it's just gonna take some time for her to figure out the lay of the land,"

He nodded and sighed, getting started on whatever work he had left over from the previous day.

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Hailey pulled into the district parking lot as fast as she could, leaving the keys to the district's car with the desk Sergeant before grabbing her own things. She got into her car, and headed to the daycare, ready to see her baby after a long day.